What’s next: Could Facebook be forced to spin off WhatsApp and Instagram? That’s what the U.S. government is seeking in a long-awaited antitrust lawsuit filed Wednesday, the same day dozens of states sued the social media giant on similar grounds. Experts expect Facebook to defend itself vigorously in what promises to be a long-drawn-out battle. Read some questions and answers from the Associated Press about what lies ahead.
Record costs: The U.S. didn’t just set a record this year for the most disasters costing at least $1 billion, it obliterated it, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. By September, 2020 had tied the old record of 16 billion-dollar disasters and when the count is completed in early January, officials figure it will be at least 20. Only three states weren’t part of a billion-dollar weather disaster: Alaska, Hawaii and North Dakota. Between fires and hurricanes, the American Red Cross provided a record 1.3 million nights of shelter for disaster-struck Americans—four times the annual average for the previous decade. Read the full story.
On the rise: Homicide rates at various points this year were up between 15% and 42% over last year in cities all across the country, according to various reports, RouteFifty reports. The stresses of the pandemic—declines in mental health, widespread unemployment, millions facing possible eviction—could all be contributing to the rise in homicides. Read the full story.
