Were you too caught up in school and other activities last week to pay attention to the news? Do you want to be informed about current events? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you missed last week.
1. Prince Philip dies at 99
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband and the longest-serving consort in the history of the British monarchy, died at age 99 on Friday. He was known for his propensity to make unscripted and sometimes wildly inappropriate comments. He was also known for self-deprecating humor that went down well at official occasions. This reputation has softened, and some of his more problematic comments have faded into the British memory. Prince Philip’s legacy as the “king of the awkward and offensive one-liner” will live on.
2. The testimony by police brass at Derek Chauvin’s trial is unprecedented
A lineup of law enforcement officers, incluing the Minneapolis police chief, took the stand at the murder trial of former officer Chauvin and denounced him for kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. As rare as it is for police-involved deaths to lead to a criminal trial, it’s even more rare to see a top cop testifying against a former colleague. The police chief, Medaria Arradondo, told the jury, “Once there was no longer any resistance and clearly, when Mr. Floyd was no longer responsive and even motionless...is not a part of our training, and it is certainly not part of our ethics or our values.” The so-called “blue wall of silence,” an unwritten code that has long restrained cops from implicating other officers accused of misconduct, has been widely praised.
3. Amazon’s milestone union election faces potential corruption
A mailbox installed earlier this year threatened to upend the process of this election. News broke of emails showing that Amazon had urged the US Postal Service to install the mailbox ahead of the election that could lead to the first U.S.-based Amazon union. This mailbox implies that Amazon has tried to corrupt the election as it has surveillance attached to the mailbox and plans to monitor the election. Amazon has been vocally opposed to the union effort. A successful union could encourage similar efforts across the country and potentially change how Amazon works with its US-based employees. Union elections are typically done in-person, but due to the pandemic, these ballots are instead being shipped from the homes of eligible employees. If the union attempt fails, the union could use this mailbox mystery to challenge the election results.
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