- U.S.Yahoo Sports
Truck owned by driver who said he was quitting NASCAR over Confederate flag ban will have Trump-Pence paint scheme
Ray Ciccarelli threatened to quit NASCAR after it banned the Confederate flag. Now one of his trucks will promote the president's re-election.
913913 reactions - PoliticsYahoo Finance
Joe Biden's tax plan may wallop the stock market — here's one disturbing estimate
This market veteran offers a grim assessment on markets if Joe Biden's tax plan goes through should he win the presidency.
- BusinessMarketWatch
Philip Morris says cigarette sales in many places could end in a decade and they’ve got a ‘safer’ product to replace them
Philip Morris International Inc. thinks the sale of cigarettes could come to an end in countries around the world in the coming years, but have no fear, because they've got another product ready to sell that offers a “safer” nicotine fix. Philip Morris (PM) and the Food and Drug Administration announced this week that the company's IQOS “electrically heated tobacco system” has been given the green light to market as a safer alternative to cigarettes. Now designated as a “modified risk” product, the company can promote these items “as containing a reduced level of or presenting a reduced exposure to a substance,” according to the FDA statement.
- CelebrityVariety
The Band Formerly Known as Lady Antebellum Has Already Lost (Guest Column)
And the battle between the two Lady A’s — mega-successful white country band v. obscure Black blues singer — continues. Now lawyers are involved, and no matter who ends up being victorious in the quest to stake a legal claim to the name, the Lady A formerly known as Lady Antebellum has already lost. The […]
- U.S.Refinery29
As Millions Suffer From Unemployment, The Catholic Church Gets $1.4 Billion In Relief Funds
The U.S. Roman Catholic Church successfully lobbied government officials to make an exception from federal rules to include the church in the Paycheck Protection Program, despite not meeting specific requirements. Because of this exemption, at least $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid has been awarded to the church. And, there is reason to believe that the total payout may have exceeded $3.5 billion, making the global religious institution one of the biggest recipients in the U.S. government’s pandemic relief efforts. According to an analysis of federal data conducted by the Associated Press, millions of dollars are “going to dioceses that have paid huge settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of clergy sexual abuse cover-ups.” Data shows that the majority of the church’s money was approved during the loan program’s first two weeks. However, in that same time, many local businesses were unable to receive loans from the initial $349 billion funding to the program because it was first-come, first-served. In total, nearly 500 loans exceeding $1 million each were approved for Catholic entities. At least eight reached the maximum payout range of $5-10 million. Among the listed recipients are the offices of bishops, major churches, headquarters of leading religious orders, schools, and chapters of catholic charities. Faith-based organizations that promote religious beliefs aren’t usually eligible for money from the U.S. Small Business Administration, reports the Boston Globe. When the coronavirus hit and millions became unemployed, Congress made an exception to let faith groups and other nonprofits apply for the Paycheck Protection Program under the same parameters as other businesses. The PPP’s 500-employee cap qualification for applicants would have otherwise meant that many Catholic dioceses would have been ineligible; however, religious groups reportedly lobbied the Trump administration for an exception. The Archdiocese of New York, for example, received 15 loans totaling at least $28 million that just goes toward its top executive offices. Forty dioceses that have spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years paying settlements to those coming forward about their experiences of sexual abuse in the church. The AP’s review found that these dioceses were collectively approved for about $200 million, though the total could be higher because the government’s data – released after multiple news outlets sued Congress – didn’t name recipients of loans under $150,000.The exact amounts are difficult to quantify because the government released only ranges of loan amounts. The Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference reported that about 9,000 Catholic entities received loans. That is nearly three times the number of entities AP could identify, reports the Boston Globe. AP’s analysis showed that 407,900 jobs within the Catholic church and its affiliated organizations were retained with money awarded through the loan program.“The government grants special dispensation, and that creates a king of structural favoritism,” Micah Schwartzman, a University of Virginia law professor who studied the Paycheck Protection Program told the AP. “And that favoritism was worth billions of dollars.” The PPP was open to all religious groups, and many applied, including evangelical advisers to President Donald Trump and many big-name churches.At the same time, the U.S. Department of Labor reported unemployment claims have surpassed 44 million since the start of the coronavirus shutdowns. A study conducted by a Columbia University professor estimated that homelessness in the United States could grow as much as 45% in the next year as a result of the coronavirus and its crippling effect on the economy. Upon the news breaking, some publicly criticized the payouts claiming that scores of dioceses faced self-inflicted financial pressure as a result of hiding rampant sexual misconduct. AP: After lobbying, Catholic Church won $1.4B in virus aid with much of it going to ones who’ve filed bankruptcy to protect themselves from sexual abuse settlements 🤯🤬🤮 https://t.co/K2RVLAzpwp — Bobby Berk (@bobbyberk) July 10, 2020 BREAKING: The Roman Catholic Church in the US received a staggering $1.4 billion in taxpayer-backed coronavirus aid, according to the AP. Why are those who don’t pay taxes getting to raid the bank that was built by taxpayers? Imagine if our schools got this money instead. — Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) July 10, 2020 Millions of struggling Americans have lost their jobs, lost their health insurance, can’t get a Covid test, can’t go to school, and can’t pay their rent, and we’re spending billions of dollars to support the multi-billion-dollar Catholic Church.https://t.co/rDdBuljHvv — Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) July 10, 2020It is difficult to ascertain the total wealth of the Catholic church, but reported estimates and investigations estimate that just within the United States, the entity is valued at tens of billions. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Here’s When All The COVID-19 Relief Measures EndHow Teachers Benefit From The Education BailoutCelebrities Who Got A PPP Loan From The Government
- CelebrityNBC News
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue features first transgender model
This isn't the first time the 23-year-old Brazilian beauty has broken barriers for trans models.
- LifestyleTODAY
Jenna tried the avocado hack that's taking the internet by storm – does it work?
Many people love eating avocados, but one thing no one likes is how the creamy green fruit quickly turns brown after it's been cut. While there are many ways to keep avocados from spoiling, a new video on Tik Tok is wowing viewers with its simplicity. Shared by Tik Tok user @kmag1, the hack isn't new, but it doesn't require any fancy storage devices or tangy citrus fruits.
