National

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

Twitter will "tentatively" roll out a new verification service on Dec. 2, Elon Musk tweeted Friday, the latest revision to his checkmark system plans as the new owner of the social media platform.

Driving the news: The service will feature different colored "verified" checkmarks for different types of accounts, per Musk, which he's previously suggested.

Twitter will manually authenticate the accounts before the check activates, Musk added, calling the tactic "painful, but necessary."

"Gold check for companies, grey check for government, blue for individuals (celebrity or not)."

In another tweet, Musk said all individuals will have the same blue checkmark — citing the subjectiveness of determining who is considered "notable" — but that "individuals can have secondary tiny logo showing they belong to an org if verified as such by that org."

"Longer explanation next week," he added.

State of play: Earlier this month, Twitter suspended the launch of the revamped $7.99 monthly subscription service that comes with a blue checkmark next to users' names, after a spate of newly-verified checkmark users embarked on fraudulent pranks.

Musk said then the relaunch would be on hold until Nov. 29.

Earlier this week, Musk said he was "holding off" on the relaunch of Twitter Blue Verified until "there is high confidence of stopping impersonation."

Musk had also previously launched a separate "official" label to verify an account's legitimacy outside of the blue checkmark, but later announced that he had "killed it."

The big picture: Musk has made establishing a new verification system a priority since taking over Twitter in October and firing thousands of staff members. The company no longer has a comms team.

Musk says Twitter will "tentatively" launch new verification service next week

"Gold check for companies, grey check for government, blue for individuals," Musk tweeted.

the Elon Musk Twitter account seen displayed on a smartphone and Twitter logo in the background. 

The Elon Musk Twitter account seen displayed on a smartphone and Twitter logo in the background. Photo: Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Twitter

Big Tech

Elon Musk

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

Technology

A shooting at a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virginia on Tuesday night left six people dead and four people injured, Chesapeake Police said Wednesday. 

The latest: The suspected shooter in the attack purchased a pistol on the morning of the mass shooting and left a note on his phone that outlined his plan to target some of his colleagues, according to city officials.

The suspected shooter was identified as Andre Bing, 31. He used a 9mm handgun in the attack, per city officials.

The gunman had no criminal history, city officials said. 

"My God forgive me for what I’m going to do…" the note said, per images shared by city officials on Twitter.

Two of the victims and the shooter were found deceased in the break room of the Walmart, Chesapeake officials wrote on Twitter. One victim was found toward the front of the store.

The city released the victims' names Wednesday evening: Lorenzo Gamble, Brian Pendleton, Kellie Pyle, Randall Blevins and Tyneka Johnson. 

City officials on Friday also confirmed the death of 16-year-old Fernando Chavez-Barron, who had been unidentified because he was a minor.

Officials did not include additional details, but Walmart spokesperson Robert Arrieta confirmed that all six victims were Walmart associates.

Details: The shooter died from what officials believe to be self-inflicted gunshot wounds, Chief Mark Solesky said Wednesday.

Bing was identified as an overnight team lead who had worked at Walmart since 2010, the company said in a statement.

Chesapeake Police believe that there were at least 50 people in the store at the time of the shooting, per a media release on Wednesday afternoon.

"Investigators are actively working to learn more about the suspect's background and what may have motivated the shooting," per the release, 

The Chesapeake SWAT team executed a search warrant at the suspect's house.

The Walmart store is expected to be closed for several days while detectives investigate the crime scene, according to Chesapeake Police. 

The investigation into the shooting is still ongoing, Solesky said. "There is no clear motive at this time," he said.  

The big picture: The gun violence at Walmart comes just three days after a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs left five people dead.

There have been more than 600 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, according to Gun Violence Archive — which defines a mass shooting as having at least four people injured or killed, not including the shooter.

What they're saying: "The devastating news of last night's shooting ... at the hands of one of our associates has hit our Walmart family hard," Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon said in an update Wednesday evening. 

"My heart hurts for our associates and the Chesapeake community who have lost or injured loved ones."

"We are here for them today and in the challenging days ahead they will have our support," McMillon added, thanking Walmart associates, first responders and local officials providing help on site. 

The company had said in a statement Tuesday that it was working with law enforcement in their investigation.

"We are shocked at this tragic event ... We are focused on doing everything we can to support our associates and their families at this time."

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) tweeted early Wednesday: "Sickened by reports of yet another mass shooting, this time at a Walmart in Chesapeake. I'll be monitoring developments closely."

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) tweeted: "Tragically, our community is suffering from yet another incident of senseless gun violence just as families are gathering for Thanksgiving. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones."

President Biden expressed his condolences in a statement: "Jill and I grieve for those families, for the Chesapeake community, and for the Commonwealth of Virginia, which just suffered a terrible shooting at the University of Virginia this month."

"Because of yet another horrific and senseless act of violence, there are now even more tables across the country that will have empty seats this Thanksgiving. There are now more families who know the worst kind of loss and pain imaginable," Biden said.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Chesapeake shooting suspect wrote "death note" before massacre

Alexandra Bernier listens to a prayer during a vigil at St. Thomas Episcopal Church for those killed in a fatal shooting at a Walmart on November 23, 2022 in Chesapeake, Virginia

Alexandra Bernier listens to a prayer during a vigil at St. Thomas Episcopal Church for those killed in a fatal shooting at a Walmart on November 23 in Chesapeake, Virginia. Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images

Mass shootings

Politics & Policy

After weeks of early Black Friday sales, Black Friday proper is officially here with extended store hours and new deals.

Why it matters: Nov. 25 is expected to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year, according to holiday predictions from the National Retail Federation and  Sensormatic Solutions.

By the numbers: The federation estimates 166.3 million people are planning to shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, which is nearly 8 million more people than last year.

Eight in 10 consumers plan to shop during the five-day holiday period (Thanksgiving through Monday), up from 71% last year, a survey from Deloitte found.

The big picture: More consumers are expected to return to in-store shopping this year, a Samba TV and HarrisX report found.

What's happening: While hours vary by retailer and sometimes by location, 5am is the earliest opening hour with Best Buy, Kohl's and JCPenney opening then.

Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's and Macy's open at 6am.

Target, Marshalls, T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods open at 7am.

Black Friday hours: What time stores are open

Store hours can vary but here are when the nation's largest retailers will open Friday. In some cases, hours vary greatly so check with your closest stores.

Bath & Body Works: Hours vary but many open at 6am

Bed Bath & Beyond: Varies with many open 6am to 10pm. Note, Axios found many of the retailer's closing stores have reduced hours.

buybuy Baby: Vary, but most open earlier than a normal Friday

Costco Wholesale Club: Varies, but most 9am to 8:30pm

Old Navy: Hours vary with some locations opening at 5am

Amazon's Black Friday sale started at 12:01am PST Thursday and runs for 48 hours, the company said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information and a new photo.

Retail braces for wave of holiday phishing, ransomware scams

Ford recalls more than 500,000 SUVs over fire risk

Student loan repayment pause extended through June 2023 by White House

Black Friday deals are here with extended store hours

Walmart Black Friday hours are the usual 6am to 11pm but many stores are opening early Friday.

Best Buy store with shoppers lined up before the Black Friday opening

Best Buy is open 5am to 10pm for Black Friday 2022. Photo: Kelly Tyko/Axios

Shopping

Retail

Finish Line

Axios Finish Line

The Black Friday chaos we used to see in storefronts and shopping malls has moved to logistics centers and warehouses all over the world: 

Hundreds of thousands of employees work long hours — often in tough conditions — to get through the holiday rush.

The big picture: E-commerce's growing share of the retail market, continued COVID precautions and an extended holiday shopping season means we might see shorter lines and smaller crowds in stores on Black Friday. 

But the type of strain Black Friday used to place on in-store retail workers hasn't gone away. It's simply moved out of public view.

By the numbers: In-store traffic on Black Friday last year was down a staggering 28% from pre-pandemic levels, CNBC reports.

Online shoppers outnumbered in-store shoppers 88 million to 67 million on Black Friday 2021, according to the National Retail Federation. 

The stakes: The barrage of holiday orders creates a surge in demand for short-term labor, said Tom Vickers, who leads the Work Futures Research Group at Nottingham Trent University.

 "The evidence suggests that if anything things are getting worse for workers not better," Vickers said.

What they're saying: Amazon told Business Insider, ""We are proud of the great working conditions, wages and benefits, and career opportunities we provide for our associates all year round."

What to watch: Retailers are rapidly adding cutting-edge automation to warehouses. But instead of making workers' lives easier, the machines could push them to work even faster, experts say.

"People have to fit in with the machines," Vickers said. "But human beings are not standardized."

The bottom line: Black Friday sales are projected to hit $942 billion this year, up 6% from last year, per CBS News. 

As consumer demand for deals and speed grows, online retailers, will continue to mobilize hundreds of thousands of workers and machines to meet that demand.

Go deeper: Amazon can't get enough human workers — so here come the robots

The hidden cost of Black Friday

Warehouse injuries increase during the holidays.

Illustration of a small man carrying a giant holiday gift

Amazon

Data: Box Office Mojo; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is expected to top the box office through the Thanksgiving weekend, keeping it on pace to be one of the highest-earning films of the year.

Why it matters: Disney's latest Marvel movie is not only a box office juggernaut, but also represents the Marvel Cinematic Universe's shift toward reflecting the diversity of the real world. 

"Wakanda Forever" — the first MCU film with a Black woman as the main character — is already the third-highest earning MCU film led by a character from an underrepresented community, trailing only "Captain Marvel" and the original "Black Panther."

By the numbers: “Black Panther” is expected to top the Thanksgiving box office this holiday weekend with $40 million in earnings, per Deadline. 

The movie has already toppled 2022's other big hitters, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (which came out in December 2021) and "Black Adam" (which dropped in October). 

“Wakanda Forever” has made about $550 million worldwide and is expected to eventually topple "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" ($955 million), to become the No. 3 movie worldwide

And don't forget that "Wakanda Forever" already holds the all-time record for the biggest opening weekend in November.

Yes, but: Another blockbuster, James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” is due out on December 16, which could disrupt the “Black Panther” reign.

What we're watching: The success of "Black Panther" is coming after a summer slowdown at the box office and is a welcome sign for Disney, which is dealing with its own turmoil.

How the MCU is addressing its messy history with diversity

"Wakanda Forever" reimagines an untold future

Black Panther sequel brings momentum back to the box office

Marvel promoted "Wakanda Forever" on its own

"Wakanda Forever" at the head of the table for Thanksgiving weekend

Disney's latest Marvel movie represents the Marvel Cinematic Universe's shift toward reflecting the diversity of the real world.

Movies

A scene from "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Photo courtesy of Marvel.

Media

Data: Instacart; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios; Illustrations: Aïda Amer/Axios

West Virginians were on a roll last year when it came time to butter up their meals, compared to the rest of the country.

Why it matters: It's Thanksgiving. Butter is everywhere and on everything.

Details: Data from Instacart show that West Virginians bought the most butter in November 2021, compared to the rest of the country, with 10.7 ounces per customer on average.

The state ranked ahead of Vermont (10.2 ounces), Iowa (10.1), Wisconsin (9.6) and Ohio (9.4) to round out the top five last year.

The rub: Not all states favor butter equally. Texas, for example, lagged behind the rest of the country.

Backstory: The "butter divide" stems from regional history, Elaine Khosrova, author of "Butter: A Rich History," tells Axios.

"The butter 'divide' is not surprising considering that much of the Midwest and East Coast was settled by Europeans who brought with them a long tradition of dairying and buttery cuisine," Khosrova said. 

"In the West and Southwest, of course, you have more settlers from Hispanic cultures, where butter was not a prominent ingredient in their dishes."

Texas' butter consumption lags behind other states

Iowa is one of the country's biggest butter buyers

Butter sales rise amid viral butter board trend on TikTok

Spreading the word: the top butter-buying states

West Virginia may be the top butter buying state, but only marginally so.

Food

Elon Musk announced Thursday a "general amnesty" for suspended Twitter accounts from next week, "provided that they have not broken the law" or engaged in "egregious spam."

Why it matters: Online monitoring groups have reported a rise in racism, anti-Semitism and other hate speech on Twitter since free speech advocate Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of the social media company last month, though the billionaire said Thursday it has declined.

A screenshot of an Elon Musk tweet saying "the people have spoken" after his unscientific poll results showed most who voted wanted an amnesty for suspended Twitter accounts.

Activists warn the situation would get much worse if people like former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke were welcomed back following permanent bans for hate speech.

Driving the news: Musk tweeted his decision after 72.4% of over 3.1 million voters backed the amnesty in an online poll, which AP notes is an unscientific method that's vulnerable to the influence of bots.

It comes days after Musk reinstated the Twitter accounts of prominent users including former President Trump, who was banned in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot, and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, whose page was restricted last month due to antisemitic tweets.

What they're saying: "Superspreaders of hate, abuse and harassment will be the only people to benefit from this latest decision by Twitter," said Imran Ahmed, CEO of campaign group the Center for Countering Digital Hate, to the Guardian.

"The choice for advertisers has never been starker: stick around and back Elon Musk, or protect their brands and ensure their marketing dollars aren’t used to enable the spread of hate, abuse and disinformation."

Hopewell Chin'ono, an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist, tweeted that the move would be "a major disaster especially in Africa where State sponsored Ghost accounts were suspended for endangering human rights activists & journalists!"

"You would have allowed vile people to put our lives in danger as journalists! You will have blood on your hands @elonmusk," added Chin'ono in a warning ahead of the poll closing.

Between the lines: Alejandra Caraballo, clinical instructor at Harvard Law's cyberlaw clinic, told the Washington Post that Musk's planned action was "existentially dangerous" for marginalized communities.

"It's like opening the gates of hell in terms of the havoc it will cause," Caraballo said.

"People who engaged in direct targeted harassment can come back and engage in doxing, targeted harassment, vicious bullying, calls for violence, celebration of violence. I can’t even begin to state how dangerous this will be."

Caraballo said Apple and Google should seriously consider "booting Twitter off the app store."

The big picture: Groups like the Center for Countering Digital Hate have reported a rise in racism on Twitter since Musk took over, including research indicating it failed to act on "99% of racist abuse" of soccer players in the leadup to the men's World Cup in Qatar.

Many advertisers have slowed or paused their purchases on the platform or left altogether. Musk blamed Twitter's "massive drop in revenue" this month on "activist groups pressuring advertisers."

Meanwhile, a European Union report published on Thursday found Twitter removed 45.4% of hate speech tweets it was notified about from March to May, down from 49.8% for the same period the previous year.

Between the lines: Though this was before Musk took over Twitter, his new policy could put it on a collision course with the EU — where laws like the Digital Services Act put more responsibility on platforms to police and remove content deemed illegal, such as hate speech, with fines for failure to comply.

Worth noting: Musk pledged to concerned advertisers after taking over Twitter that the platform would not become a "free-for-all hellscape" and tweeted Thursday that hate speech had declined on the site following a "spike."

"I have half a mind to wag my finger at the 1500 accounts that caused the spike, but I shall forebear," he said.

Musk said last week he'd deemphasize "hate" or "negative" tweets while also having previously suspended accounts reinstated.

The intrigue: While Musk had yet to indicate which banned users may be affected by the planned amnesty, he last week flatly ruled out reinstating the Twitter account of far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

A screenshot of a tweet by Elon Musk saying hate speech has declined.

Go deeper: Rivals see opening in Twitter's chaos

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more comment from Musk, details of the EU report and further context. 

Musk's Twitter "amnesty" plan for suspended accounts alarms activists

"You will have blood on your hands @elonmusk," said award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin'ono.

Elon Musk gestures as he speaks during a press conference at SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on February 10.

Elon Musk gestures during a February event near Boca Chica Village, Texas. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

China has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, as Beijing authorities lock down more areas this week — including parts of the central city Zhengzhou, where Apple's main iPhone factory is located.

The latest: China hit a new daily record for a second straight day on Friday as authorities moved to enforce restrictions in an attempt to control outbreaks across the country, per Reuters.

State of play: Beijing eased some pandemic measures earlier this month, including reducing quarantine periods, in an attempt to cause less disruption to the world's second-largest economy.

However, authorities are now moving to cordon off major cities "block by block" and introducing other curbs while conducting mass testing in an attempt to curb surging COVID cases, Bloomberg reports.

It's triggered panic-buying in parts of Beijing, and grocery stores the capital's largest district, Chaoyang, have stopped accepting orders due to delivery apps being inundated with requests, according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, some 6.6 million Zhengzhou residents were affected by five-day stay-at-home orders that began Thursday — including the area where Apple manufacturer Foxconn's factory is located and where police in hazmat suits clashed with workers following a pay dispute Tuesday and Wednesday, AP reports. 

Of note: Chinese President Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy has already increased wait times for Apple's newest iPhone 14 Pro models as fresh restrictions in China hamper production during the tech giant's most crucial time of the year, the holiday quarter, Axios' Hope King writes.

Foxconn issued a statement earlier this month that it was "operating at significantly reduced capacity."

By the numbers: China's National Health Commission said Thursday 31,454 local COVID cases were recorded within the past 24 hours.

That broke the previous record set in April when financial hub Shanghai was on lockdown when 29,390 COVID cases were recorded, AFP notes.

On Friday, Reuters reports that the NHC recorded 32,695 domestic infections.

The big picture: Nearly three years into the pandemic, China is the last major economy to have retained the strategy of trying to keep out the virus by imposing strict measures such as lockdowns and quarantines.

Outbreaks of defiance from citizens against the sustained strict measures first emerged earlier this year, with spasmodic protests erupting in the face of food shortages, family separations and lost wages from lockdowns.

It's also impacted the country's economy, along with global business, though China's gross domestic product grew 3.9% from a year earlier in the third quarter of the year.

Yes, but: Activity is slumping and growth is set to fall far short of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's 5.5% target, AP notes.

Go deeper: China's shifting economic storyline

China locks down key iPhone city as daily COVID cases hit record high

Chinese President Xi Jinping's zero-COVID policy is hampering iPhone production.

A cashier in PPE works in a supermarket in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan province Friday, Nov. 11.

A cashier in PPE works in a supermarket in Zhengzhou in central China's Henan province Friday, Nov. 11. Photo: Yu Hongen/Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images

China

Coronavirus

The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

Health

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, a tradition that dates back nearly a century, took place on Thursday under mostly sunny skies.

The big picture: The 96th annual parade featured "16 giant balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and heritage inflatables, 12 marching bands, 10 performance groups, 700 clowns and one Santa Claus," per AP.

Singer Paula Abdul also joined the procession of characters for the first time. 

Other performers included indie pop band Fitz and the Tantrums, singer Gloria Estefan, actor Mario Lopez and reggae star Ziggy Marley, AP reported.

The Macy's inflation team works on giant balloons as they prepare ahead of the 96th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

People line up to attend the parade. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

People cheering in the street with confetti 

Dancers cut the ribbon at the start of parade. Photo: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

In photos: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Throngs of spectators filled the streets of New York City for the annual tradition.

Friday's economy & business stories

Musk says Twitter will "tentatively" launch new verification service next week

Chesapeake shooting suspect wrote "death note" before massacre

Black Friday deals are here with extended store hours

The hidden cost of Black Friday

"Wakanda Forever" at the head of the table for Thanksgiving weekend

Spreading the word: the top butter-buying states

Musk's Twitter "amnesty" plan for suspended accounts alarms activists

China locks down key iPhone city as daily COVID cases hit record high

In photos: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Stores and restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2022

Black Friday's surprise vanishing act

When stores are open for Black Friday deals

Ford recalls more than 500,000 SUVs over fire risk

When medical debt is forgiven

These counties have more turkeys than people

These stores and restaurants are closed on Thanksgiving

Report: Climate extremes hitting Australia, more intense weather to come