Blowout: The U.S. Economy Added 4.8 Million Jobs in June, Unemployment Fell to 11.1%

The U.S. economy added 4.8 million jobs in June and the unemployment rate fell to 11.1 percent, both better than expected.

The increase in the ranks of employed workers shows that companies ramped up hiring as the economy reopened and consumers came back to stores, restaurants, and other businesses that had been shuttered in March and April.

Job growth was strong in restaurants and bars, reflecting the reopening of those establishments across the country, which added 1.5 million jobs, the Labor Department said Thursday. But employment remains 3.1 million below February’s level, the month before the pandemic hit the U.S. economy.

Retail stores added 740,000. There were big gains in clothing stores, furniture stores, department stores, and auto dealerships. Despite the gains, total employment is around 1.5 million below February’s level.

Manufacturing employment rose by 356,000 but is down by 757,000 since February. June employment increases were concentrated in the durable goods component, with the auto sector adding 196,000 jobs, accounting for over half of the job gain in manufacturing. Construction employment increased by 158,000 in June, following a gain of 453,000 in May.

Despite the increase in the number of employed workers, there are still tens of millions fewer Americans working today than February. Compared with a year ago, there are 12.957 million fewer jobs in the U.S. And a separate report on Thursday showed that over 1.427 million Americans were laid off last week, the fifteenth week in a row of one million-plus new claims for unemployment benefits but the thirteenth week in a row of declining claims.

The previous week’s level of jobless claims was revised up by 2,000 from 1,480,000 to 1,482,000.

Economists had been expecting around 3 million new jobs, although the range of estimates was unusually wide due to the unprecedented nature of the shutdown and reopening. Estimates ranged from 1.9 million jobs to more than 9 million. The unemployment rate was expected to fall to 12.4 percent from 13.3 percent.

A report on private payrolls from ADP and Moody’s Analytics on Wednesday estimated that businesses increased their workforces by 2.37 million in June. The estimate for May, which initially showed a loss of 2.76 million jobs, was revised to show a gain of 3 million.

The government’s nonfarm payroll data, which covers both private and public sector workers, showed the economy gaining 2.5 million jobs in May, far more than expected and indicating an accelerated pace of the recovery.

The labor force participation rate increased by 0.7 percentage points in June to 61.5 percent, but is 1.9 percentage points below its February level. Total employment, as measured by the household survey, rose by 4.9 million to 142.2 million in June. The employment-population ratio, at 54.6 percent, rose by 1.8 percentage points over the month but is 6.5 percentage points lower than in February.

Average hourly wages are up 5 percent compared with a year ago, although they fell 1.3 percent compared with May. Average wages often rise at times of mass layoffs when lower-paid employees are more likely to lose their jobs. The average workweek slipped from 34.7 hours to 34.5 hours.

The Trump administration’s aid programs appear to be working. Direct relief payments to taxpayers and enhanced unemployment have kept incomes up despite the huge rise in unemployment, which in turn has boosted demand for consumer products. The Paycheck Protection Progam, which provides forgivable loans to small businesses that avoid layoffs, also seems to have supported employment and rehiring.

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/07/02/the-u-s-economy-added-4-8-million-jobs-in-june-unemployment-fell-to-11-1/

Eric Garcetti on Coronavirus: ‘Some of the Spread Did Come From Our Protests

You think?

LOS ANGELES, California — Mayor Eric Garcetti told a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon that the recent Black Lives Matter protests in the Los Angeles area were, in fact, partly responsible for a recent spike in coronavirus cases.

“Some of the spread did come from our protests,” Garcetti admitted, in response to a question from Breitbart News.

Garcetti had enthusiastically supported the protests and participated in them at close quarters, even removing his mask at one point to address a crowd. However, he had also warned demonstrators about the risk of COVID-19 at the protests.

Those warnings appear to have been correct, as cases have spiked within the Los Angeles area in recent days, prompting a return to closures for some businesses and for public beaches over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Another journalist followed up to ask Garcetti if he knew precisely how may coronavirus cases had been traced to the protests. He said that he did not have an answer at hand, but that public health officials felt “more certitude than just a couple days ago” that the protests had been responsible for some of the spike.

With that said, Garcetti insisted that people still had the right to protest. “I want to see march for racial justice continue,” he said. “I don’t want to let up, I don’t want to see us just disappear.”

However, he added, that people who participated in protests should remain “socially distant,” bringing masks and hand sanitizer, and maintaining additional separation from people who are shouting and chanting.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/01/eric-garcetti-on-coronavirus-some-of-the-spread-did-come-from-our-black-lives-matter-protests/

Maritime Human Smuggling Bust near California Yields 15 Arrests

San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents disrupted a maritime human smuggling event over the past weekend leading to the arrest of 15 people. An extensive investigation led to the arrest of the migrants and their smugglers who initially managed to avoid apprehension after beaching a boat on the coast north of San Diego, California.

A manhunt began on Friday afternoon after witnesses reported a 20 to 25-foot pleasure craft coming ashore near Beacon’s State Beach in Encinitas, California. Witnesses told responding Border Patrol agents that about 11 people jumped out of the boat and ran along the beach. Two more climbed the nearby cliffs, according to information obtained by San Diego Sector Border Patrol officials.

An immediate search of the area ended with no positive results. However, the agents did find 13 lifejackets and multiple fuel containers inside the boat.

A team of Border Patrol agents trained to investigate maritime smuggling incidents took over the search and began following leads. A combination of witnesses and intelligence sources led the agents to make arrests later that evening, officials reported. By the end of the night, agents arrested seven smugglers and eight illegal immigrants. The agents identified the migrants as a 27-year-old female and seven men between the agents of 22 and 39. Agents reported all eight as Mexican nationals.

Officials identified the alleged human smugglers as four U.S. citizens and three Mexican nationals. All seven face federal felony charges related to alien smuggling (8 USC 1324).

All eight of the migrants being smuggled were medically screened and received a biometric background investigation. Once cleared, the agents expelled the eight illegal aliens under Title 42 Coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Border Patrol officials seized four “getaway” vehicles used in the failed human smuggling attempt. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations agents seized the boat.

“I am proud of the hard work and diligence the agents displayed in this case,” San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke said in a written statement. “Our agents dismantled an entire smuggling ring through the use of targeted intelligence. The message is clear, those who engage in alien smuggling will be discovered, arrested, and prosecuted.”

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2020/07/01/maritime-human-smuggling-bust-near-california-yields-15-arrests/

Fresno State Students Call for Removal of Gandhi Statue

Students at Fresno State University have circulated a petition that calls for the removal of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi on campus. The students argued that the statue should be removed on the basis of Gandhi’s alleged prejudices against minority groups.

According to a report by Campus Reform, students at Fresno State University have launched a campaign to call for the removal of a statue of Gandhi on campus.

Nearly 5,000 students signed a petition that called for the removal of the Gandhi statute. Despite Gandhi’s status as a warrior for peace, the students allege that Gandhi held prejudices against various minority groups.

Gandhi is idolized worldwide as a prophet, a visionary, even a messiah. However, the popular image of Gandhi is a myth. The lack of efficient methods of communication and documentation in the past allowed Gandhi to effortlessly create a convincing but false image of himself. Gandhi was deeply prejudiced against all minorities, from black Africans, Jews, to low-caste Hindus. He also demonstrated a shocking lack of morality, from sleeping naked with young girls to employing nonviolence merely as a tool of political expediency.

Fresno State alumni, however, are fighting back against the push to remove the Gandhi statue. A petition, entitled “Keep the Gandhi statue at Fresno State,” was created last week to counter the movement for its removal.

“Please join me in urging the administration, faculty, staff and students of Fresno State to preserve the history that has been created and as of this moment still stands in the Peace Garden,” the petition reads.

In a statement, Fresno State University President Joseph Castro announced that the university will retain the statue. However, Castro praised the students that have brought attention to the issue.

We applaud those who call for a clear-eyed look at history and the individuals who shaped it. We also urge everyone to consider carefully the overall significance of each individual’s lasting contribution to a just and fair society. On that basis, we believe those we honor in the Fresno State Peace Garden occupy an important place in history and should continue to guide us in promoting courage, social justice and tireless efforts to make the world a better place.

Breitbart News reported in June that students at the University of Missouri had demanded the removal of a statue of Thomas Jefferson. The students argued that it was unacceptable to keep the statue on campus because Jefferson owned slaves.

https://www.breitbart.com/education/2020/07/01/fresno-state-students-call-for-removal-of-gandhi-statue/

Justice League’ Star Ray Fisher Accuses Director Joss Whedon of ‘Gross, Abusive’ Behavior

Ray Fisher, the actor who played Cyborg in the 2017 film Justice League is accusing director Joss Whedon of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behavior on the movie’s set.

Fisher made his accusations on Twitter on Wednesday, saying “Joss Whedon’s on-set treatment of the cast and crew of Justice League was gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable.” Fisher added that the untoward behavior was “enabled, in many ways, by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg,” both of whom were then principals with DC Entertainment.

In an earlier tweet, Fisher said he wanted to “forcefully retract” a statement he made at a comics convention back in 2017 where he said, “Joss is a good guy.”

Watch below:

Joss Whedon has been a powerhouse director-writer-producer of sci-fi-comic book entertainment going back to his TV work, creating hit shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel, and Dollhouse. Whedon is also one of the masterminds behind hit Marvel superhero movies such as Avengers, as well as the TV series, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, which is now closing out its seventh and last season.

The director and writer was brought into the Justice League film when the movie’s original director Zack Snyder vacated the director’s chair when his daughter, Autumm, committed suicide at the age of 20.

Justice League was a bit if a disappointment for DC Entertainment. The film earned $657.9 million worldwide and garnered mixed reviews because it seemed evident to many that there was a tonal clash between the footage Snyder had already shot and the scenes Whedon later added. Indeed, fans are so sure that Snyder’s version of the film would be superior that a fan effort to have DC and Warner Bros. release the “Snyder Cut” of the film has resulted in a Snyder-led re-mix that is set to broadcast on HBO Max next year.

https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2020/07/01/ray-fisher-accuses-director-joss-whedon-of-gross-abusive-behavior/