Overdrive – by James Jaillet

As part of continued protest efforts by truck drivers affiliated with various groups — Truckers Stand As One and the Facebook-based Black Smoke Matters — a few dozen truck drivers participated in on-highway, convoy-style protests in Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia this weekend.

The Ohio-based protest appears to have been the largest of the four separate initiatives. Local media outlets estimate that about 40 trucks participated in the so-called “slow roll” convoy, though organizer Scott Reed, a former owner-operator based in the state, estimated that more truckers were present and participating than the reported 40. Continue reading “Drivers take up ‘slow roll’ protests in Ohio, Carolinas and Georgia”

Reuters

SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Brazil’s former President Michel Temer was arrested on Thursday in an investigation of alleged graft in the construction of a nuclear power plant, prosecutors said, threatening to delay debate over the government’s ambitious fiscal reforms.

Temer was president from 2016 to 2018, taking office after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, for whom he served as vice president for six years. His lawyer confirmed he was arrested in Sao Paulo, but declined to comment on the reasons.  Continue reading “Brazil’s ex-President Temer arrested, threatening fiscal reform”

Daily Mail

A rising country music star has died in an alleged accidental shooting with a gun that was being used as a music video prop.

Justin Carter was 35 years old when he was killed at his apartment in Houston, Texas, on Sunday. Very few details about his death have been revealed.

The singer had recently signed a deal with Triple Threat Management.  Continue reading “Rising country music star Justin Carter – ‘the next Garth Brooks’ – dies in accidental shooting”

Daily Mail

Bill Gates has followed Jeff Bezos to become the world’s second ‘centi-billionaire’ after his fortune reached the $100 billion threshold.

According to Bloomberg, which tracks the wealth of the planet’s richest people through its Billionaires Index, the Microsoft co-founder has already earned $9.5 billion so far this year – taking him right up to the magic $100 billion mark.  Continue reading “Bill Gates becomes the second person in the world to be worth $100 billion along with Jeff Bezos”

Daily Mail

Alan Krueger, a groundbreaking Princeton University economist who served as a top adviser in two Democratic administrations and was an authority on the labor market, has died after taking his own life, his family said.

‘It is with tremendous sadness we share that Professor Alan B. Krueger, beloved husband, father, son, brother, and Princeton professor of economics took his own life over the weekend,’ a statement from his family reads.  Continue reading “Alan Krueger, noted economist who served Obama, has died”

Daily Mail

Six men with connections to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, have all met untimely deaths in the past four years drawing speculation in the activist community that something sinister is at play.

Two were found dead inside torched cars, three died of apparent suicides and another collapsed on a bus, his death ruled an overdose.  Continue reading “Puzzling number of men tied to Ferguson protests have died”

Daily Mail

A white Australian right-wing terrorist who livestreamed his sickening shooting spree on Facebook is one of four people arrested over dual mosque attacks which left 49 dead and 48 injured on New Zealand’s ‘darkest day’.

The gunman, who identified himself as Brenton Tarrant from Grafton, NSW, Australia, stormed the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch on the country’s South Island about 1.30pm, opening fire with a semi-automatic shotgun and a rifle on about 100 defenceless worshippers attending Friday prayers.  Continue reading “New Zealand shooting: Christchurch mosque attacks leave 49 dead”