Apr 7, 2018

Brazil's ex-president Lula surrenders for prison sentence

Lula with supporters earlier today. Photo: Carla Carniel / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil's former president and current presidential frontrunner, surrendered to authorities today to begin serving a 12-year sentence on corruption charges, per the NYT. Lula, as he is popularly known, is one of a number of prominent Brazilian politicians engulfed in a massive kickback scandal.

Why it matters: Lula's imprisonment removes the top contender for Brazil's presidency from the race and could heighten political tensions in a nation still relatively new to democracy.

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Alexi McCammond
43 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden and Trump point fingers over "buy American" proposals

Joe Biden at a campaign event in Wilmington, DE. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Trump and Joe Biden are going back and forth over the former vice president's "buy American" economic proposal, which Trump claims Biden "plagiarized" from him.

Why it matters: Biden is directly challenging Trump and his "America First" agenda with the release of his latest plan, focused on economic recovery and re-investing in American manufacturing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

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Ina Fried
2 hours ago - Technology

Amazon tells workers to delete TikTok from devices they use for work

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Amazon, citing security risks, told its employees Friday to uninstall social video app TikTok from any mobile devices they use to access their work email.

Why it matters: The move comes amid a broader backlash against TikTok, in part due to questions around possible ties to Beijing. TikTok is owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance.

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Marisa Fernandez
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Delta CEO: Trump administration should issue mask mandate for air travel

Photo: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Delta CEO Ed Bastian on Friday told CNN that he believes the Trump administration should move to require the use of face masks during air travel amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

The big picture: Delta already requires passengers to wear masks during its flights, but Bastian says it can be difficult to enforce that directive if passengers refuse — and he's not sure if other airlines would be on board.

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