US President Joe Biden's campaign team plans to beat any Republican presidential candidate - including frontrunner Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - by linking them to an "extremist" "MAGA" agenda that threatens democracy and abortion rights, according to a leaked campaign memo. The memo, written by campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez, suggests Democrats can hold Rust Belt states and win swing states, including North Carolina and Florida, with voters reacting against extreme positions such as six-week abortion bans. Trump remains ahead of DeSantis in recent polls on the Republican primary.
A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended approving the first vaccine for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in infants. The Pfizer-manufactured treatment is aimed at mothers and is given during pregnancy. RSV is mostly a fatal disease for newborns and adults older than 60 but is often mild in adults. The advisory panel recommended the vaccine to improve efficacy by 14 votes to zero, with an efficacy of 10 to 4 based on safety. RSV causes airway inflammation and clogs airways with mucus. The vaccine has shown to have reduced severe illness in infants by 69% after six months.
George Soros' funding of Alvin Bragg's Manhattan District Attorney campaign is being misrepresented by Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler, says a Fox News opinion piece. While Kessler gave claims that Soros had "funded" Bragg three out of four Pinocchios, he admits that Bragg was Soros-backed - but is still misleading. Fox accuses Kessler of ignoring Soros' own op-ed explaining his support of prosecutors such as Bragg, which they claim can be difficult to trace as they are often funneled through various organisations. Soros has directly contributed over $40m to campaigns and candidates over the past decade, and has additionally contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to organisations that support the progressive prosecutor movement.
Kessler and other fact-checkers have been criticized by some for what they claim is inaccurately judging which side’s arguments are correct. In particular, some conservative media organisations feel that fact-checkers tend to have a left-leaning bias. Launched in 2019, the MediaWise Voter Project aims to teach American first-time voters to determine what information is trustworthy in time for the 2020 presidential elections. It would appear that many media outlets see the need to educate their viewers on how to really discern facts - however, some will always find fault with fact-checking overall, calling it a political ploy.
Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira, 21, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard is accused of leaking scores of classified documents—the largest disclosure of classified US secrets in a decade—to friends in a chatroom using the Discord communication app. Last week, a federal magistrate judge in Worcester, Massachusetts, heard arguments on whether Teixeira should be freed on bond or detained pending trial. A ruling from judge David H. Hennessy is yet to be released. The case has raised numerous questions, including why these leaks still occur despite safeguards put into place after the Bradley (Chelsea) Manning debacle. The Teixeira case rattled the national security establishment, exposed sensitive sources and methods, and caused untold damage that we are only beginning to understand. The potential charges that Teixeira faces include violating two federal laws: unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material. Each violation carries a maximum sentence of 10 years upon conviction, and each violation of 18 U.S.C. 1924 carries a maximum of five years.
Teixeira began posting text that appeared to contain classified information on a social media platform using a server that he administered in December 2022. In January 2022, Jack began posting photographs of U.S. government documents with classified markings. In February 2022, records indicated that he accessed and posted a document that described the status of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including troop movements on a particular date. The more that is released around the case, the wider the net potentially gets. The documents provided apparently offer extensive insight into the modus operandi of American intelligence gathering as well as providing a level of transparency that some might argue contributes to a more open democracy. The revelations of intelligence often make clear what foreign governments think of their peers and give us context or background for understanding great power competition.
Nikole Hannah-Jones's highly controversial and disputed 1619 project has led to taxpayer-funded appearances at public libraries, and through a recent partnership with Hulu, even more endorsement. A leafy Virginia county 20 miles west of America's capital once paid Hannah-Jones $29,350 for a one-hour talk, according to reports. That apparently wasn't enough to afford Hannah-Jones, so the nearby McLean Community Center, also supported through a real estate surcharge, shelled out an additional $6,000. Commentators have noted that Hannah-Jones is unabashed about her use of white guilt to sway liberal views, with phrases such as “I’m not writing to convert Trump supporters. I write to try to get liberal white people to do what they say they believe in. I’m making a moral argument. My method is guilt.” The 1619 project fosters the idea that America's true founding date is in the year of 1619, when slavery reached the country's shores once and for all. This attitude is challenged by some notable historians, however.
Proposed new EPA regulations mandating that at least 60% of new cars sold from 2030 be electric will increase costs for Americans, as expensive charging and battery replacement become the norm, claims SEPP, a Washington-based group devoted to climate policy. The group has also trafficked in misinformation, calling global warming a “hoax.” It argues that the costs of the proposed battery electric vehicle, batteries, charging stations and increased electricity demand will make it difficult for Americans to upgrade their cars in future, limiting future mobility and leading to a further rise in wealth inequality.
A Hong Kong court has dismissed a challenge to prevent jailed media baron Jimmy Lai from being represented in a trial by a British lawyer who was barred on national security grounds. Last December, China's top legislative body ruled that foreign lawyers were barred from national security cases. The new development comes after Hong Kong lawmakers passed a bill into law on May 10, allowing the city's leader to have discretionary powers to block foreign lawyers from representing suspects in national security cases.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has given her clearest indication yet that any indictments related to the election-tampering case against former US President Donald Trump and others are expected to come in August. Willis has requested that local judges not schedule trials and in-person hearings for much of this time. Willis and her team have been investigating the 45th president’s alleged actions to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has reportedly announced his candidacy for the US presidency and told donors that former President Donald Trump cannot win the 2024 election. Speaking on a call organized by Never Back Down, which is supporting DeSantis, he said only he could win the Republican primary and general election. While praising Trump’s efforts, he pointed out that President Joe Biden had undone many of his achievements over the last four years. Reports suggest DeSantis may formally announce his candidacy next week.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has been "critically" exposed to cyberattacks since 2019, which could threaten train safety, according to a watchdog report. The report also claims the transit authority had failed to address 50 of the cybersecurity recommendations offered to it by oversight agencies. WMATA was hacked by a computer in Russia this year, the watchdog found, and has employed Russia-based IT workers. The vulnerability of transit systems to cyberattacks is well known, with transit agencies said to have the weakest cybersecurity when compared to other major sectors. There have been calls for the WMATA to beef up its cybersecurity in the wake of declining ridership during the Covid-19 pandemic and a shift towards the use of mobile fare cards and remote train piloting technology.
Samsung Electronics is reported to have suspended an internal review into replacing Google with Microsoft's Bing as the default search engine on its smartphones, according to the Wall Street Journal. Google and Samsung currently have an agreement, estimated to be worth $3bn to Google annually, to be the default search engine on Samsung smartphones. The report of Samsung's potential move to Bing had caused Alphabet shares to fall, though share price is expected to recover on the news.
Russia’s Security Council Secretary, Nikolai Patrushev, has alleged that the “US coordinated with Ukraine to kill two pro-war nationalists in Russia and to carry out attacks on critical infrastructure in an effort to undermine stability.” Pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky and Zakhar Prilepin were killed in two separate bomb incidents in August and September, while nationalist writer Zakhar Prilepin was wounded in a car bomb earlier in October. Patrushev claimed that these incidents “were planned and carried out with the coordination of the U.S. special services."
The district attorney investigating former US President Donald Trump and his allies for alleged election interference in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election reduced her team by up to 70% for most grand jury meetings in the weeks between 31 July and 18 August, according to a letter she sent to local officials. Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis wrote in the letter that most judges were at a conference in the first week of August and that “my leadership team, all armed investigators, my Case Intake Division, and personnel at the Juvenile Court building will be working every day”. The potential for criminal charges had been set between 11 July and 1 September.
As the stage adaptation of Annie Proulx's story "Brokeback Mountain" hits the West End, Ed Cumming takes a reflective look back on Heath Ledger and the role that made him an unforgettable talent. Prior to Brokeback Mountain, Ledger had struggled to find fulfilling work within the industry and described to Time Magazine in 2005 how he had been "spoon-fed" his career by a studio who believed they could make a product out of him. Despite tough competition for the role from the likes of Matt Damon and Joaquin Phoenix, Ledger convinced the filmmakers his more introverted and less showy nature was what made him the right choice to play Ennis del Mar. Annie Proulx even went so far as to credit Ledger for "erasing her original character" and replacing her own interpretation with something far more visceral and effective. The role took an emotional toll on Ledger and he found himself seeking reassurance from the screenwriter, Diana Ossana, during filming. Ledger died in 2008, leaving behind a career marked by incredible talent and potential.
A growing number of Republicans in Congress are opposing US aid to Ukraine, which they argue is a poor use of taxpayers' money and that Kiev should battle Russia alone. However, Ukraine remains geopolitically significant, and President Joe Biden has increased military aid to the country by a further $1.2bn. Still, the stance of many Republicans suggesting the US should not be involved in helping an ally may be viewed askance by Europeans, depending on how far such signals are pursued. One particularly vocal critic of Ukraine assistance is Republican congressman, JD Vance. Nonetheless, so far, support for Kiev has remained largely strong on Capitol Hill, even if oversight of the spending has increased.
The Reverend Al Sharpton has criticised the state of New York’s lack of mental health provision for residents, following the choking death of Jordan Neely. The 1 May incident sparked a discussion about mental health, racial bias and civil vigilantism after reports emerged that the 24-year-old suspect, Daniel Penny, had choked Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator, for several minutes because he had walked into the train car loudly complaining of hunger and thirst, and saying he was not afraid to go to jail or die. Penny has been charged with second-degree murder.
Timothy Keller, founder of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has died at the age of 72 from pancreatic cancer. Since its launch in 1989, the church welcomed more than 5,000 attendees per week at multiple locations. Keller’s Ministry helped start 1,000 churches in 150 cities worldwide. He was an ordained member of the Presbyterian Church in America and was known for bringing gentleness to a brand of Christianity that emphasises sin and the depravity of humanity. Keller, who was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, also wrote 31 books, many of which were New York Times best-sellers.
Australia's Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has enjoyed a year in power with relatively few obstacles, guided by his respect for parliamentary norms and procedures, and his willingness to allow talented ministers to take the lead. His success, however, is also largely due to negative partisanship, which has focused voters on their loathing for the opposition rather than any particular affection for Albanese himself. His popularity has been aided by the global mood of seriousness caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has reduced the appetite for leadership struggles and encouraged a focus on good governance. He has also proved successful at dominating the centre ground of Australian politics, while avoiding accusations of wokeness or radicalism. However, polluting decisions on mine approvals and defence alliances with the US and UK have begun to erode his popularity. Despite this, it is believed that his authentic and likeable personality will continue to prevent him from becoming a more polarising figure.
YouTube personality Hank Green has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer affecting the blood. In an online video, Green explained how his enlarged lymph nodes prompted a visit to the doctor, where he was quickly diagnosed. Green assured fans that Hodgkin’s lymphoma is relatively easy to treat, but warned that the prescribed chemotherapy would be “fairly unpleasant”. In addition to his YouTube channels, Green has enjoyed a surge of popularity on social media app TikTok, where he has posted numerous videos on social issues and science.
US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, has warned that the US is in danger of running out of money to pay its bills come June 1st, since the US Congress has not raised or suspended the nation’s current $31.381tn debt ceiling. US President Joe Biden and congressional Republicans continue to negotiate with a growing sense of urgency as his return to the US on May 21st approaches. Congress has raised or suspended the country’s debt ceiling over 100 times; however, polarisation in US politics has made the deadlock less unusual than in previous events.
