Informing, engaging & connecting the people of the world. JUNE 19, 2020

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June 19, or Juneteenth, is observed by many Americans as the day in 1865 the last slaves in America were told that the Civil War had ended and they were now free. But this year, strikes and protests may accompany barbecues and celebrations amid widespread demonstrations to demand racial justice.

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On June 19, 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed after being convicted of spying for the Soviet Union two years earlier. Specifically, the couple was accused of leading a spy ring that led to the leaking of secret information about the atomic bomb. The Rosenbergs professed their innocence until the end, but most Americans at the time felt their sentence was just, particularly given the backdrop of an intensifying Cold War between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. The two were electrocuted in the same electric chair just minutes apart. Their two sons survived them.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday that a major cyberattack by a “sophisticated state-based actor” has hit the nation. Morrison said the cyberattack on Australia has been sustained and widespread, affecting all levels of government, political parties, essential services and businesses. He said it had been going on for months and had become more frequent.

After more than a decade on the run, alleged Sudanese war criminal Ali Kushayb sat in a courtroom in the Netherlands this week, accused of commanding Janjaweed fighters who raped, tortured and killed civilians in Darfur.

VIDEO: As women around the world adapt to working remotely, many are finding it both liberating and challenging to dress from the confines of their homes. So how are working American women staying stylish during online meetings and presentations, and what are they wearing when they’re not appearing on camera?

VIDEO: Thousands of Jews around the world are considering making what’s called Aliyah. It’s Hebrew for immigrating to Israel, partly to find shelter in a place that, as of Wednesday, has suffered few coronavirus deaths compared to other countries. While Israel has banned tourists from entering, it is allowing new immigrants.