Hot Story Tidbits to start your day!

April 1, 2021:

1. Major military actions in Myanmar, Ethnic armies peppered throughout Myanmar, airstrikes hit Myanmar send people flooding into Thailand.
2. President Biden proposes a 2 Trillion infrastructure bill.
3. Jimmy Lai and Barrister Martin Lee found guilty among seven pro-democracy activists found guilty. (Wait, is that for just holding a protest?)
4. Charles McMillian testifies that he pleaded with George Floyd to cooperate with the police. Video footage shows George Floyd pleading for his mother as a police officer kneels and places pressure on George Floyd’s neck.
5. Cobalt is becoming an increasing health threat as demand rises and dangerous mining operations entice and threaten the health of many. More than 70 percent of the world’s cobalt is produced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and 15 to 30 percent of the Congolese cobalt is produced by artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). For years, human rights groups have documented severe human rights issues in mining operations.
6. Unemployment fraud becomes a taxing reality in the USA. Almost $100 billion of fraud is suspected.
7. Migrant immigration policy is under fire. Journalists deterred from visiting the border to report on actions at the border. Two children, ages 3 and 5 years old, were dropped from the wall into the desert by their smugglers. The video of the drop was captured by the border patrol. The children were rescued by the border patrol.
8. 15 million doses of the vaccine were destroyed by the vaccine component factory by accident human error in Baltimore. Local Baltimore residents are seeking vaccine access.
9. Australia lifts lockdown. France initiates lockdown for virus.
10. Bulgarian mafia becomes stronger and stronger implicating systematic corruption in Europe. $29 Billion Euro will be given to Bulgaria to help fight the Coronavirus.
11. Stocks in tech moving higher. Bitcoin expected to rise with expected 2 trillion spending by the USA.
12. Brazil getting hit hard by the Coronavirus – 3900 deaths yesterday.
13. China and Iran sign a multi-billion dollar deal. Energy and infrastructure helping to alleviate USA sanctions.  Iran and China trade approximately $20 billion trade yearly which they intend to grow to $600 billion yearly.