News by the numbers: June 29–July 5
Stacker distills the week's news from around the world into key facts and figures. Click through to read more about some of the biggest headlines of the last week.
Uber acquires Postmates for $2.65 billion
Uber was reported on Sunday to have agreed to acquire the food-delivery service Postmates for $2.65 billion. Uber will combine its food delivery service, Uber Eats, with Postmates which will retain its name. Together, the two will have roughly a 37% share of food delivery sales in the U.S. Uber in June lost a bid for GrubHub.
4.8 million jobs added in June
Almost 5 million jobs were added to the U.S. economy in June, according to the June jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday. Roughly 2.7 million of those added jobs were rehires in industries hit hardest by the pandemic early on, including restaurants, retail, and hospitality.
600-mile Atlantic Coast pipeline canceled
Dominion Energy and Duke Energy, the developers of the controversial $8 billion Atlantic Coast pipeline, announced the cancellation of the project on Sunday, citing concerns over cost, potential litigation, and permitting. The 600-mile natural gas pipeline would have run through West Virginia, Virginia, and into North Carolina.
COVID-19 7-day average sets record for 27th day in a row in the US
Sunday marked the 27th consecutive day that the rolling weekly average of new COVID-19 cases reached a record high. Cases are surging in the southern and western U.S. and those states hit the hardest by the recent surge anticipate their health care systems could be inundated within 10 days if more measures aren’t put in place.
Ghislaine Maxwell arrested, faces six-count grand jury indictment
The FBI on Thursday arrested Ghislaine Maxwell, a long-time associate of Jeffrey Epstein, in Bradford, New Hampshire. Maxwell—alleged to have orchestrated much of Epstein's serial exploitation and abuse of women and girls—was indicted on several sex-trafficking charges and two perjury charges.
Supreme Court rules 5-4 against abortion law
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 last week to block a controversial abortion law in Louisiana that prevented doctors from performing abortions without admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Because some hospitals could deny admitting privileges based on an opposition to such procedures, the statute was deemed unconstitutional. Chief Justice John Roberts sided with liberal justices for the deciding vote.
Dozens dead or missing after flash flooding in Japan
Record rainfall and subsequent flash flooding over the weekend in Kumamoto and Kagoshima, Japan, left at least 18 dead and 14 missing. Warnings of heavy rains and flooding were still in effect Monday morning.