Bravo To Project Veritas For Investigating Big Pharma
No Duh: Federal Lawmakers Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Buy And Sell Stocks
Friday Afternoon Update: Southwest Loses $220 Million, NC Warns Of Razor Blades On Gas Handles, Britney Spears Causes Panic
This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.
Southwest Loses $220 Million
Embattled commercial airline Southwest announced a $220 million loss for the last quarter mostly due to the cancellation of nearly 17,000 flights over the busy holiday travel season. The airline is expected to take more losses in the first quarter as well, due to a decline in ticket sales. In contrast, American Airlines posted an $803 million profit for the same period. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan addressed the losses Thursday.
North Carolina Authorities Warns Of Razor Blades On Gas Pumps
Authorities in North Carolina are informing the general public of a concerning development. There have been razor blades found on the handles of gas pumps at several sites in the state.
COVID Fraud Abounds
Fraudsters may have stolen as much as $60 billion from the various unemployment insurance programs enacted by lockdown-era stimulus bills, according to a report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. Some $878 billion was paid across all unemployment insurance programs between April 2020 and September 2022. “The unprecedented demand for benefits and the need to implement the new programs quickly increased the risk of financial fraud,” the GAO said in a statement.
Brittney Spears Causes Panic By Deleting Instagram
Concerned fans sparked a wellness check for Britney Spears on Tuesday. After Britney Spears deleted her Instagram account, worried fans called law enforcement who performed a wellness check on the star on Tuesday night. A police spokesperson told Page Six later on, “I can confirm that we did get calls into our dispatch, and essentially, I can confirm that we don’t believe that Britney Spears is in any kind of harm or any kind of danger.”
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