Good morning. It's Friday, July 17, and we're covering stubborn unemployment numbers, details on the unprecedented Twitter hack, and stifling heat in the US. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Unemployment Claims Stay High

The number of Americans filing initial unemployment claims remained stuck at 1.3 million last week, just 10,000 below the previous week. The figure marks the 17th consecutive week with initial claims of more than 1 million. Continuing claims dropped 400,000 from the previous week, to 17.3 million. Separately, Labor Department data (see here) shows 14.3 million additional workers—typically self-employed, contractors, or gig economy workers—are receiving unemployment benefits under a coronavirus stimulus provision, which runs through the end of the year.

The report comes as an unemployment boost from the current stimulus package—which provides an extra $600 in weekly benefits—is set to expire at the end of this month. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said he will introduce a new $1T proposal next week emphasizing funding for school reopenings while extending unemployment benefits at a lower rate. McConnell has also signaled an openness to a second round of direct payments, but would likely cap the benefits at individuals making $40K (the first round was phased out beginning at $75K). 

Separately, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) sued to block the city of Atlanta from reversing its reopening and mandating face masks in public. Kemp has argued city laws can't be more restrictive than the state law, and reapplying restrictions would harm businesses. 

The US has reported 3.58 million total coronavirus cases, with 138,360 deaths, as of this morning. See the moving three-day average here.

Inside Job at Twitter

The group behind a wide-ranging hack of high-profile Twitter accounts Wednesday likely had access to internal tools and reportedly paid an employee to facilitate access, according to reports. The company confirmed employees were targeted to gain access to internal systems, but did not confirm whether employees aided the hack. Analysts have called the incident the worst breach in company history. 

The scheme itself was fairly straightforward: Hackers commandeered the accounts of Joe Biden, Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Bill Gates, and others (see list), promising their millions of followers they would return them twice the amount of Bitcoin they sent to a provided address. Links were still live more than three hours after the attack began, with at least $117K transferred (you can actually view the wallet where payments were sent).

Those behind the attack remain unidentified, but here's the best breakdown we've seen.

Hello, Heat Dome

Much of the continental US will swelter under hot and humid temperatures this weekend, as a stifling mass of warm air begins to move from the Southeast into the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. The slow-moving system triggered heat advisories from Texas to Tennessee as heat indices landed between 100 and 110 degrees yesterday. 

The scorching temperatures are the result of a phenomenon known as a heat dome, which occurs when hot air, usually moving in from the Pacific, gets trapped under a high-pressure system (how it works). The effects are expected to persist through at least midweek.

On the other side of the globe, scientists said a record-breaking Siberian heat wave that scorched the Arctic from January to June would be nearly impossible absent global warming, occurring just once in 80,000 years.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Fifteen former female employees of Washington’s NFL team accuse front office personnel and other employees of sexual harassment (More) | NFL players’ union reveals 72 players have tested positive for COVID-19 since July 10 (More)

> "The Michelle Obama Podcast" to be released July 29 on Spotify as part of a partnership between the Obamas and the streaming giant (More)

> Real Madrid clinches La Liga title over FC Barcelona; will be crowned champs of Spain’s top soccer league (More)

Science & Technology

> Russia accused of attempting to hack research institutions and pharmaceutical companies in the US, the UK, and Canada in search of COVID-19 vaccine data (More)

> Closest photos ever taken of the sun reveal localized flares millions to billions of times smaller than traditional solar flares (More, w/photos)

> Scientists pinpoint two genes that control the height of rice plants, allowing significantly increased flood resistance of the staple crop (More)

Business & Markets

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> US retail sales jump 7.5% in June, higher than expectations of 5.2% (More) | Target, Walgreens, and CVS join growing list of retailers to require masks in stores (More)

> US 30-year mortgage rates fall below 3%, the lowest in more than 50 years (More)

> Netflix shares fall 10% in after-hours trading as company misses earnings expectations and lowers subscriber guidance (More) | Johnson & Johnson’s profits down 35% over last year as demand for medical devices and beauty products fades amid pandemic (More)

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Politics & World Affairs

> Convicted murderer Wesley Ira Purkey put to death, the second federal inmate put to death this week following a 17-year hiatus; Dustin Honken, convicted of killing a family of five in 1993, is scheduled to be executed this morning (More)

> Supreme Court declines to hear case challenging requirement that former Florida felons must pay outstanding fines before being able to vote (More) | White House considering barring US entry for members of China's Communist Party (More)

> Ethiopia begins filling its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, expected to be Africa's largest hydroelectric dam, on the Nile River; Egypt, which depends heavily on the Nile, calls the project an existential threat (More)

WEEKEND READS

Today's Weekend Reads are curated by Polina Marinova from The Profile. The Profile is one of our favorite newsletters, featuring excellent longform stories on people and companies in business, entertainment, tech, sports, and more. Everyone has a story, and we can all learn a lesson or two from the world's most successful. In your inbox, every Sunday. Sign up now.

The NFL's $503M Man

GQ | Clay Skipper. One week ago, Patrick Mahomes signed the most lucrative contract in the history of sports—a 10-year deal reportedly worth up to $503M. But as protests flared across the nation, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback boldly called on the NFL to condemn racism. “Sometimes it's not about money. It's not about fame,” Mahomes says. “It's about doing what's right.” (Read)

The Woman Brokering Peace with Boko Haram

The Guardian | Chika Oduah. Boko Haram is a jihadi group out of Nigeria notorious for kidnapping women and girls. Aisha Wakil, a 51-year-old woman referred to as “Mama Boko Haram” knew many of the group’s fighters as young boys. Now, she’s using her access to broker peace deals and negotiate freedom for the hostages. (Read)

The World's Most Decorated Gymnast

Vogue | Abby Aguirre. Simone Biles won her fifth all-around international title in October, making her the most decorated gymnast in World Championship history. In this profile, Biles opens up about overcoming abuse, dealing with the postponing of the Olympics, and training in the midst of a global pandemic. (Read)

Andy Samberg's Next Act

GQ | Sam Schube. Andy Samberg finds himself in an odd spot. His new rom-com "Palm Springs" broke Hulu’s opening weekend record, and it’s getting great reviews. On the flip side, police protests upended the viability of his day job—the detective sitcom "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Here’s how the comedian is navigating the not-so-funny realities of our ever-changing world. (Read)

ETCETERA

People living in the city are (slightly) happier. 

Five charts help visualize modern online dating.

A time-lapse of each state's most Googled item. 

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Photos of the 1918 face mask movement. ($$, Atlantic) 

Buckingham Palace now has its own gin.

This road trip helps capture the physical scale of a billion dollars.

USC will award scholarships to students who stay home. 

Los Angeles introduces take some, leave some fridges for the hungry. 

Clickbait: One weird trick to find out if you have a bee infestation.

Historybook: Tsar Nicholas II and his family are executed (1918); Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California (1955); RIP jazz singer Billie Holiday (1959); RIP broadcast legend Walter Cronkite (2009); Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 is shot down, 298 are killed (2014).

"There is no such thing as a little freedom. Either you are all free, or you are not free."

- Walter Cronkite

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