After months of failing to break out, Amazon’s stock is close to a record high. Thank Prime Day, the annual sales bonanza that kicks off Monday. What’s happening: In 2020, analysts estimated Amazon’s Prime Day notched sales of $9 billion to $10.5 billion. The sales rush as the economy reopens could encourage even bigger spending…… MORE
Some of the nation’s largest metropolitan regions have become increasingly segregated in the last 30 years, underscoring racial inequalities that have led to poorer life outcomes in Black and brown neighborhoods, according to a study released Monday by the University of California Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute. The study found that 81% of regions with…… MORE
Chicken wing prices are going through the roof. So Wingstop, a chain known for, well, wings, is now selling chicken thighs. But getting Americans on board could be a challenge. On Monday, the restaurant launched a virtual brand called “Thighstop” which serves crispy thighs, with or without sauce. The menu also includes breaded boneless versions…… MORE
The heat is finally off for the southwestern US, which will cool down this week after a wave of record-breaking temperatures. Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up…… MORE
Maybe you need a mental escape from stress. Perhaps you need time to rejuvenate your health. You might simply want to feel more limber. The International Day of Yoga — which is on Monday, June 21 — could be the day that jump-starts a healthy new habit. The day has been designated by the United…… MORE
Lawmakers will resume a slate of tense negotiations this week over voting rights, infrastructure and police reform as President Joe Biden’s agenda enters an important week on Capitol Hill. Looming large over the deliberations is the July 4 recess in the Senate, which begins at the end of the week and could encourage real momentum…… MORE
Tokyo 2020 announced on Monday that it will allow spectators at the Olympics this year amid the pandemic, setting a 50% cap at venues, up to a maximum of 10,000 people. Organizers did however warn that it could restrict the number of fans in the event of a state of emergency or amid any other…… MORE
Global stocks and cryptocurrencies are pulling back on Monday as investors continue to weigh signals from the Federal Reserve that it could raise interest rates sooner than expected. Markets were broadly lower, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropping more than 3% — easily the worst major performer — after Wall Street closed out its worst week…… MORE
A rare case of China’s fiery national liquor has sold for more than $1 million, more than five times what experts had estimated it would fetch. Sotheby’s announced on Friday that it had sold a crate of the beloved spirit, Kweichow Moutai, for an eye-popping £1 million (almost $1.4 million) in London. That’s the highest…… MORE
Some states are making great strides in vaccinating their residents against Covid-19, but the ones that are not may soon be contending with a more transmissible variant, experts say. About 45.1% of the US population is fully vaccinated against Covid-19, CDC data showed, and in 16 states and Washington, DC, that proportion is up to…… MORE
