The Full Belmonte, 5/22/2023
President Biden and Speaker McCarthy meet for debt ceiling talks
“President Joe Biden is back early from the G-7 Summit and set to meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy this afternoon. It’s a down-to-the wire attempt to hammer out a deal over the debt ceiling before going into default.
The meeting between the White House negotiating team and Speaker McCarthy's representatives lasted around three hours earlier today, with Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., saying, ‘There's still not agreement on a few major items and more work has to be done.’
‘We're at a very sensitive point here,’ McHenry told reporters as he left the meeting, ‘And the goal is to get something that can be legislated into law.’
That urgency is echoed by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. In an exclusive interview on “Meet the Press” yesterday, she said that early June is a ‘hard deadline’ for the federal government to raise the debt ceiling and warned that bills will go unpaid if Congress fails to reach a deal before the U.S. runs out of money. Asked by NBC News' Chuck Todd if the country can stretch to June 15, when more tax payments are due, before defaulting on its debts, Yellen said the possibility is ‘quite low’ and said that some of the country’s bills will go unpaid if the debt ceiling isn’t raised.” [NBC News]
Sen. Tim Scott enters presidential race
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during a town hall, Monday, May 8, 2023, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Charles Krupa, AP
“Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, announced his candidacy for president today.
Scott joins an expanding field of Republicans aiming to defeat former President Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner who holds a wide lead in polls.
‘Joe Biden and the radical left are attacking every rung of the ladder that helped me climb,’ Scott said. ‘And that is why I am announcing today that I am running for president of the United States of America.’
Scott was first appointed to the Senate in 2012 by then-Gov. Nikki Haley — now a presidential rival – to replace retiring Sen. Jim DeMint. With Scott and Haley, there are now two high-profile South Carolina politicians in the GOP race.
An NBC News survey in mid-April found Scott tied with Haley at 3 percent, trailing Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence.” [NBC News]
Ukraine’s forces try to encircle Bakhmut after Russian advances
“After Russia’s claims over the weekend that its forces had captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, it appeared that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from their positions in the center of the city and were concentrated on the flanks to the north and south. Ukraine says its goal is to now encircle Bakhmut, which Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said had been destroyed by months of fighting.
In strategic terms, the Russians have ‘effective control’ of Bakhmut, said Christopher Tuck, an expert in conflict and security at King’s College London. But Ukrainian forces still have a presence in a very small portion of the west of the city, he said, meaning that the Russians do not have ‘total control’ over it.
‘The differences between these two positions might seem small, but they do have political significance because the Russians are keen to portray Bakhmut as a victory, whilst Ukraine is keen to demonstrate that the fighting is still ongoing.’
For Russia, Bakhmut represented a potential gateway to the rest of the eastern industrial region of the Donbas, while for Ukraine the defensive stand has become a way to wear down Russian forces and buy time for its widely anticipated counteroffensive.
Elsewhere, Russian officials claimed that Ukrainian saboteurs launched an attack across the border in Belgorod, wounding eight people. The Kremlin said Russian forces were repelling the invasion. Ukraine blamed the fighting on a revolt by disgruntled Russians.” [NBC News]
TikTok sues Montana, saying state ban violates First Amendment
“The popular video app TikTok sued Montana on Monday, saying the state’s new law banning the app statewide would violate Americans’ First Amendment right to free expression.
The federal lawsuit will set the stage for a broader debate over the short-video app and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, which some critics in the United States have said is vulnerable to Chinese government propaganda and espionage.
The lawsuit seeks to overturn the law, which Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, signed last week and is set to go into effect on Jan. 1. The legal challenge will likely delay that measure.
Gianforte said the law would ‘protect Montanans’ private data and sensitive personal information from being harvested by the Chinese Communist Party.” Neither the Montana government nor the U.S. government has supplied evidence supporting that claim.
TikTok says it has 150 million users in the United States, including hundreds of thousands in Montana, and that the state’s ‘extraordinary and unprecedented measures [are] based on nothing more than unfounded speculation.’” [Washington Post]
A historic deal has been reached to protect the Colorado River, a vital source of water and electricity for the West
“The agreement between states and the Biden administration calls for states to conserve an unprecedented amount of their water supply in exchange for about $1 billion in federal funding, according to people familiar with the situation. After nearly a year of negotiations and multiple missed deadlines, the deal amounts to a temporary solution intended to protect the country’s largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — from dropping to critical levels over the next three years.” Read more at Washington Post
Animal rights: Supreme Court ducks challenge to California ban on foie gras
John Fritze
USA TODAY
“WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear an appeal challenging California's 11-year-old ban on foie gras, rejecting the argument raised by duck and goose farmers that the prohibition flouted federal law.
The denial, made without comment from the court, leaves in place a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that upheld the ban. It was the third time farmers had brought their challenge to the Supreme Court.
The debate over foie gras − the fatty liver of force-fed ducks and geese − has been fought on political and legal fronts for decades. Animal rights groups say the process of making foie gras is cruel. Farmers say they comply with regulations and that they ‘care about their animals just as much as any California politician.’
Foie gras bans have struggled in other parts of the country. Chicago banned its sale in 2006, only to repeal the provision two years later. New York City approved a ban in 2019, though it has been caught up in courts ever since and is not in effect. Animal welfare advocates say other jurisdictions are likely paying attention to what happens with the court cases in New York and California.
The Supreme Court delved into a similar issue earlier this month, siding with California on a ban of pork products in that state unless the butchered pig was born to a sow housed in at least 24 square feet of floor space. In that case, the pork industry claimed the California ban would have a huge impact beyond its borders, affecting farmers in Iowa, Minnesota and elsewhere. A 5-4 majority on May 11 allowed the California ban to stand.” USA Today
In court hearing, judge enters not guilty plea for Bryan Kohberger, suspect in Idaho murders
USA TODAY
“A judge has formally entered a ‘not guilty’ plea on behalf of criminology graduate student Bryan Kohberger on charges he fatally stabbed four University of Idaho college students in November, setting up a possible death-penalty case.
Appearing in a Moscow, Idaho, courtroom, Kohberger, 28, did not personally enter the plea, and instead, Judge John Judge entered his plea in the five charges: four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. Although Kohberger was previously charged by prosecutors with the same counts, officials revealed last week he was subsequently indicted by a grand jury. A grand jury indictment means prosecutors can keep their case secret for longer.
Idaho has the death penalty, and under a new law passed earlier this year, state officials could seek to have Kohberger executed by either lethal injection or a firing squad if convicted by a jury and sentenced to death. Under state law, prosecutors typically have 60 days from today to formally notify Kohberger if they plan to seek the death penalty.
Wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, Kohberger didn't appear to be handcuffed, and occasionally smiled and whispered to his attorney, public defender Anne Taylor. He nodded as the judge advised him of his rights and spoke briefly to acknowledge that he understood them: ‘Yes, I do.’
When asked how he pleaded, Taylor answered that Kohberger would be ‘standing silent,’ allowing the judge to enter five ‘not guilty’ pleas on his behalf.
Authorities say DNA evidence left on a knife sheath found at the stabbing scene ties Kohberger to the deaths of Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Xana Kernodle, 20, whose bodies were found by another roommate on Nov. 13. Neither police nor prosecutors have discussed a motive, in part, because of a wide-ranging gag order. Family members of the slain attended Monday's hearing.
The Latah County judge has also sealed the list of grand jury witnesses after prosecutors said secrecy would help preserve Kohberger's right to a fair trial while preventing harassment….” Read more at USA Today
Trump was warned about retaining classified documents, notes reveal
Exclusive: Unreported warning contained in notes taken by lawyer Evan Corcoran that prosecutors have viewed in recent months
Hugo Lowell in Washington
“Federal prosecutors have evidence Donald Trump was put on notice that he could not retain any classified documents after he was subpoenaed for their return last year, as they examine whether the subsequent failure to fully comply with the subpoena was a deliberate act of obstruction by the former president.
The previously unreported warning conveyed to Trump by his lawyer Evan Corcoran could be significant in the criminal investigation surrounding Trump’s handling of classified materials given it shows he knew about his subpoena obligations.
Last June, Corcoran found roughly 40 classified documents in the storage room at Mar-a-Lago and told the justice department that no further materials remained at the property. That was later shown to be untrue, after the FBI later returned with a warrant and seized 101 additional classified documents.
The federal investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith has recently focused on why the subpoena was not compiled with, notably whether Trump arranged for boxes of classified documents to be moved out of the storage room so he could illegally retain them.
In particular, prosecutors have fixated on Trump’s valet Walt Nauta, after he told the justice department that Trump told him to move boxes out of the storage room before and after the subpoena. The activity was captured on subpoenaed surveillance footage, though there were gaps in the tapes.
The warning was one of several key moments that Corcoran preserved in roughly 50 pages of contemporaneous notes described to the Guardian on the condition of anonymity, which prosecutors have viewed in recent months as central to the criminal investigation.
The notes revealed how Trump and Nauta had unusually detailed knowledge of the botched subpoena response, including where Corcoran intended to search and not search for classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, as well as when Corcoran was actually doing his search.
Although ordinarily off limits to prosecutors, the notes ended up before the grand jury in Washington hearing evidence in the case after a US appeals court allowed attorney-client privilege to be pierced because judges believed Trump might have used Corcoran’s legal advice in furtherance of a crime.
The notes described how Corcoran told Nauta about the subpoena before he started looking for classified documents because Corcoran needed him to unlock the storage room – which prosecutors have taken as a sign that Nauta was closely involved at essentially every step of the search.
Corcoran then described how Nauta had offered to help him go through the boxes, which he declined and told Nauta he should stay outside. But going through around 60 boxes in the storage room took longer than expected, and the search ended up lasting several days.
The notes also suggested to prosecutors that there were times when the storage room might have been left unattended while the search for classified documents was ongoing, one of the people said, such as when Corcoran needed to take a break and walked out to the pool area nearby.
In addition to his exchange with Trump, Corcoran described Trump’s facial expressions and reactions whenever they discussed the subpoena. The unusually detailed nature of his notes is said to have irritated Trump, who only learned about them after the notes themselves were subpoenaed.
The notes did not address why Corcoran only looked in the storage room, though he separately testified to the grand jury that while Trump did not mislead him about where to search, he did not say where to search either. The New York Times earlier reported a summary of his testimony.
Corcoran did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the special counsel’s office declined to comment.
Corcoran then described how Nauta had offered to help him go through the boxes, which he declined and told Nauta he should stay outside. But going through around 60 boxes in the storage room took longer than expected, and the search ended up lasting several days.
The notes also suggested to prosecutors that there were times when the storage room might have been left unattended while the search for classified documents was ongoing, one of the people said, such as when Corcoran needed to take a break and walked out to the pool area nearby.
In addition to his exchange with Trump, Corcoran described Trump’s facial expressions and reactions whenever they discussed the subpoena. The unusually detailed nature of his notes is said to have irritated Trump, who only learned about them after the notes themselves were subpoenaed.
The notes did not address why Corcoran only looked in the storage room, though he separately testified to the grand jury that while Trump did not mislead him about where to search, he did not say where to search either. The New York Times earlier reported a summary of his testimony.
Corcoran did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the special counsel’s office declined to comment.
Constructing an obstruction case remains challenging, and prosecutors would need to show that Trump arranged for Nauta to remove boxes he expressly knew contained classified documents demanded by the subpoena, with the intention of concealing them from his lawyer’s search.
Trump’s legal team have consistently said the subpoena response was incomplete because Corcoran was not as thorough as he should have been, in part because he left it until right before the deadline and only realized when he got there just how many boxes were in the storage room.
A Trump spokesperson has previously said of the investigation: ‘This is nothing more than a targeted, politically motivated witch-hunt against President Trump that is concocted to meddle in an election and prevent the American people from returning him to the White House.’
To resolve the issue about the gaps in the surveillance footage, the special counsel most recently subpoenaed Matthew Calamari Sr, the Trump Organization’s security chief who became its chief operating officer, and his son Matthew Calamari Jr, the director of corporate security.
Both Calamaris testified to the grand jury earlier this month, the Guardian previously reported, and were questioned in part on a text message that Nauta had sent asking Calamari Sr to call him back about the justice department’s request for the tapes last year.
The justice department interviewed Nauta several times last year until prosecutors grew concerned that he failed to provide them with a complete and accurate account of his role in moving boxes that contained classified documents, according to two people familiar with the situation.
To force his cooperation, prosecutors threatened to charge him with lying to the FBI after he gave differing accounts over several interviews. But that incensed Nauta’s lawyer, who told the justice department his client would not talk again unless he was charged or offered an immunity deal.
After losing Nauta, investigators have turned to other witnesses who could shed light on his role. In recent interviews, they have asked whether Nauta removed boxes containing classified documents when he was in the storage room at the time of the subpoena, and where he went with them. [The Guardian]
Nebraska governor signs 12-week abortion ban, limits on gender-affirming care for minors
By MARGERY A. BECK and JOSH FUNK
“LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Republican Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed a bill Monday that bans abortion at 12 weeks of pregnancy and restricts gender-affirming medical care for people younger than 19.
The abortion ban takes effect immediately, while the ban on gender-affirming care takes effect on Oct. 1. The hybrid measure ties together restrictions that Republicans have pursued across the U.S.
Pillen called the law ‘the most significant win for social conservative agenda in over a generation of Nebraska’ before he signed the law while holding the 5-day-old daughter of some friends as his two oldest granddaughters stood next to him.
‘It’s about protecting our kids and saving babies. Pure and simple,’ Pillen said.
Opponents have promised to sue to try and block the law. The head of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska, Mindy Rush Chipman, said in a statement that ‘every option is on the table to undo these regressive measures.’”….Read more at AP News
Florida Pride cancels events
Drag personality Tiffany Fantasia co-hosts the Miami Beach Pride Parade in April. Photo: Sean Drakes/Getty Images
“Pride organizers in a number of Florida towns have canceled events days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed several anti-LGBTQ bills into law.
Why it matters: The laws concern aspects of daily life for LGBTQ+ community members and were signed just ahead of Pride Month in June, Axios' Ivana Saric writes.
The laws restrict drag shows, limit the use of preferred pronouns in public schools, ban certain types of gender-affirming care for minors, and prohibit trans people from using public bathrooms that don't align with their assigned sex at birth.
The big picture: The new laws have affected more than just Pride events.
The NAACP issued a formal travel advisory for Florida on Saturday, saying the state has become ‘openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.’” [Axios]
US signs new security pact with Papua New Guinea amid competition with China
“The United States signed a new security pact Monday with Papua New Guinea as the U.S. continues to jostle with China for influence in the Pacific. Papua New Guinea is strategically located and its nearly 10 million people are the most among Pacific island nations. The State Department says the agreement would help improve security cooperation, enhance Papua New Guinea’s defense capacity and increase regional stability. But many in the Pacific are concerned about the increasing militarization. The move also comes after G-7 leaders gathered in Japan urged China to press Russia to end war in Ukraine.” [USA Today]
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Papua New Guinea's Defence Minister Win Bakri Daki shake hands in Port Moresby on May 22, 2023.
ADEK BERRY, AFP via Getty Images
New search for Madeleine McCann, UK toddler missing since 2007, Portuguese police confirm
FILE - Kate and Gerry McCann pose for the media with a missing poster depicting an age progression computer generated image of their still missing daughter Madeleine during a news conference in London, May 2, 2012. Portuguese police say they'll resume searching for Madeleine McCann, the British toddler who disappeared in the country’s Algarve region in 2007, in the next few days.Portugal's Judicial Police released a statement confirming local media reports that they would conduct the search at the request of the German authorities and in the presence of British officials. (AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)
“LISBON (AP) — Portuguese police have said they will resume searching for Madeleine McCann, the British toddler who disappeared in the country’s Algarve region in 2007, in the next few days.
Portugal’s Judicial Police released a statement confirming local media reports that they would conduct the search at the request of the German authorities and in the presence of British officials.
Earlier on Monday, police were seen erecting tents and cordons in an area by the Arade dam, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Praia da Luz, where the 3-year-old was last seen alive.
British, Portuguese and German police are still piecing together what happened when the toddler disappeared from her bed in the southern Portuguese resort on May 3, 2007. She was in the same room as her 2-year-old twin brother and sister while her parents had dinner with friends at a nearby restaurant.
In mid-2020, Germany’s police identified Christian Brueckner, a 45-year-old German citizen who was in the Algarve in 2007, as a suspect in the case. Brueckner has denied any involvement.
The suspect is under investigation on suspicion of murder in the McCann case but hasn’t been charged. He spent many years in Portugal, including in Praia da Luz around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance.
Prosecutors in the northern German city of Braunschweig in October have charged Brueckner in several separate cases involving sexual offenses allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
Braunschweig prosecutor Christian Wolter said Monday his office would release a statement about the case on Tuesday morning….” Read more at AP News
“China is likely to see its current Covid-19 wave peaking at about 65 million infections a week toward the end of June, according to a senior health adviser, while authorities rush to bolster their vaccine arsenal to target the latest omicron variants. Though data is hard to find, experts predicted that more than a million Chinese would die in the wave that began with Xi Jinping’s sudden lifting of precautions in December.” [Bloomberg]
May 22, 2023
Good morning. Democrats used to criticize the Supreme Court respectfully. Increasingly, they see the court as irredeemable.
The U.S. Supreme Court.Kenny Holston/The New York Times
‘A sea change’
“During periods of intense political debate in the U.S., the Supreme Court often becomes a target of harsh criticism.
Jefferson complained of ‘useless judges’ and described the judiciary as ‘a despotic branch.’ Lincoln suggested that allowing the Supreme Court to overrule public opinion could lead ‘to anarchy or to despotism.’ A member of Franklin Roosevelt’s cabinet said that one court decision should ‘outrage the moral sense of the country.’
Across history, the goals of such criticism have tended to be similar. The critics hope to damage the court’s credibility with other political leaders and the public, making it uncomfortable for the justices to issue unpopular rulings.
Over the past few years, the cycle has started again. With Republican-appointed justices dominating the court — and pursuing an ambitious agenda that does sometimes conflict with public opinion — Democrats are denouncing the court in ways that would have been shocking not so long ago.
‘There has been a sea change in the way Democrats view and talk about the Supreme Court,’ Carl Hulse, The Times’s chief Washington correspondent, who has been covering Congress since the 1990s, told me. ‘Democrats used to respectfully disagree with the justices. Now they call them illegitimate and corrupt, partisan and extreme.’
A classic example of the old approach was Al Gore’s deference to the court, even while disagreeing with it, after the justices halted the counting of votes in the 2000 election and effectively made George W. Bush president. Examples of Democrats’ new approach include:
‘The problem is not that the Supreme Court is just conservative,’ Representative Katie Porter said on the House floor. ‘The problem is that it is corrupt.’
‘Each scandal uncovered, each norm broken, each precedent-shattering ruling delivered is a reminder that we must restore justice and balance to the rogue, radical Supreme Court,’ Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts said.
‘The Supreme Court is a cesspool of corruption devastating our communities,’ Representative Cori Bush of Missouri said.
‘Creepy billionaires ran an ‘op’ to capture the court, just like 19th-century railroad barons would capture the railroad commission that set their rates,’ Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island said.
‘This activist, extremist MAGA court faces a legitimacy crisis,’ Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon said. ‘And a legitimacy crisis for the court is a crisis for our democratic republic.’
Hardball, two ways
The criticism has three main sources. One, Republicans refused to allow Barack Obama to fill a court opening in his final year in office, only to help Donald Trump rapidly fill three seats. Two, the court has been impatient and ambitious,as my colleague Adam Liptak has written, willing to overturn precedents (in the case of abortion and other matters) and bipartisan legislation (in the case of voting rights and campaign finance law). Three, most recently, revelations about Justice Clarence Thomas’s undisclosed receipt of gifts from a billionaire and Republican donor have highlighted the lack of accountability for the justices.
Partly for these reasons, the court’s public standing has slipped. Last year, only 25 percent of Americans said they had a lot of confidence in the court, down from 50 percent as recently as 2002, according to Gallup.
Source: Gallup
Adam Liptak put it this way: ‘Public confidence in the court has been shaken by two things: the breakneck pace of its conservative supermajority in moving the law to the right and its unwillingness to address questions about the justices’ ethical standards. That combination has left the court vulnerable to political attacks.’
Many Republicans view the recent criticism as unhinged and damaging to American democracy. (James Taranto of The Wall Street Journal has made this argument a theme of recent columns.) According to this view, the liberals criticizing the court are sore losers trying to subvert legitimate court decisions with which they disagree. And the language that some Democrats are using certainly can be severe.
In the context of American history, however, the fight is not so unusual. Republicans and the judges they appointed have decided to use hardball tactics to shape the law, including the stonewalling of Obama’s last court nominee and the aggressive rulings of the current court. Democrats are responding with their own hardball tactics, trying to damage the court’s credibility.
In doing so, the Democrats hope to lay the groundwork for laws that could constrain the court’s authority or change its makeup. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to take such actions, and John Adams, Jefferson and Roosevelt all tried to do so. Adams and Jefferson succeeded, changing the structure of the judiciary. Roosevelt failed to pass his so-called court packing bill, but his criticism of the court — and his popularity — nonetheless seemed to influence the justices: They reversed course in his second term and stopped overruling major New Deal programs.
The judiciary is not supposed to be the dominant branch of the federal government. It is supposed to be one of three equal branches. For now, Republicans have the upper hand because Democrats don’t have the votes in Congress to change the law. But the harsh recent criticism is intended to be an early step in a long campaign to constrain the court.
‘When something is broken, we don’t agonize,’ Senator Markey said, while castigating the court. ‘We organize to fix it.’
For more: Senator Mike Lee, an Utah Republican, has defended Thomas against ‘bullying threats and intimidation tactics.’ Jamelle Bouie, a Times Opinion columnist, has argued that Democrats still are doing too little to undermine the Supreme Court’s standing.” [New York Times]
“Facebook owner Meta Platforms was hit by a record €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) European Union privacy fine and given a deadline to stop shipping users’ data to America after regulators said it failed to protect personal information from US security services.” [Bloomberg]
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg.
PHOTO: YVES HERMAN/REUTERS
America's worsening drug shortage
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
“America is staring down its worst shortage of life-saving drugs in almost a decade — and the situation is poised to get worse.
What's happening: Shortages of cancer drugs and other vital medications are forcing physicians to develop workarounds, Axios' Tina Reed reports.
By the numbers: More than 300 drugs are in shortage, the highest since 2014, per the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
The American Cancer Society warned this month about potentially ‘life-threatening’ supply problems of chemotherapy drugs that don't have an effective alternative.
IV antibiotics used in hospitals, such as penicillin, have also been running low across the country.
Between the lines: The shortfalls are surfacing deeply entrenched problems in America's drug supply chain, particularly around commonly used generic drugs.
These drugs don't turn a large profit, and companies are increasingly reluctant to manufacture them.
What to watch: The Biden administration and Congress are both examining ways to address what has been dubbed a national security issue. The White House has assembled a team to look into the ongoing shortages, Bloomberg reports” [Axios]
SpaceX mission
“A SpaceX rocket carrying a former NASA astronaut and three paying customers took off from Florida Sunday. The crew is embarking on a weeklong stay aboard the International Space Station, marking the second all-private mission to the orbiting outpost. The SpaceX mission, in partnership with Axiom Space, is making history on a few fronts. With this voyage, stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi became the first woman from Saudi Arabia to travel to space and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson became the first woman to command a private spaceflight. Among the paying customers on board is John Shoffner, an American who made his fortune in the international telecom business and founded the hardware company Dura-Line Corp. Saudi Arabia also paid to fly two citizens: Barnawi and Ali AlQarni, a fighter pilot in the Royal Saudi Air Force.” [CNN]
Scientists worked out why mosquitoes only bite some people.
“The reason: They’re drawn to chemicals in body odor and breath, a new study found. The experiment involved what was effectively a giant perfumery for mosquitoes.
This could be useful: The study identified one person the insects found relatively unappetizing. That could help the search for new ways to deter bites.” [Washington Post]
SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC
Brittney Griner.Christian Petersen/Getty Images
“Back on the court: Brittney Griner played in her first official games after months in Russian custody. The Mercury lost, but each appearance was a celebration.
W.N.B.A. superstar: In just her second game with the Liberty, Breanna Stewart broke the franchise’s single-game scoring record with a 45-point explosion.
N.B.A. blowouts: Miami embarrassed Boston last night, giving the Heat a 3-0 series lead. The Nuggets, their Western Conference counterparts, have their own 3-0 lead against the Lakers.
P.G.A. Championship: Brooks Koepka won, becoming the first LIV Golf player to capture a major since joining the circuit.” [New York Times]
Brooks Koepka celebrates after winning the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.
Adam Cairns, USA TODAY Sports
After abuse against Vinícius Júnior, Spanish soccer acknowledges it has a racism problem
By TALES AZZONI
Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, centre, walks past head coach Carlo Ancelotti, front left, after being sent off the pitch during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Valencia and Real Madrid, at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, Spain, Sunday, May 21, 2023. The game was temporarily stopped when Vinicius said a fan had insulted him from the stands. He was later sent off after clashing with Valencia players. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
“MADRID (AP) — Spanish soccer is again embroiled in a racism debate after yet another case of abuse against Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, with the president of Spain’s soccer federation acknowledging that the country has a racism problem and the player’s club asking authorities to investigate the latest incident as a hate crime.
Officials, players and former players showed solidarity with Vinícius, who on Sunday considered leaving the field after facing racist taunts from fans during Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss at Valencia in the Spanish league.
‘We have a problem of behavior, of education, of racism,’ Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales said Monday. ‘And as long as there is one fan or one group of fans making insults based on someone’s sexual orientation or skin color or belief, then we have a serious problem. A serious problem that stains an entire team, an entire fan base and an entire country.’…” Read more at AP News
Cottage cheese comeback
Cottage cheese on the breakfast table. Photo: Natasha Breen/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
“Get ready to welcome cottage cheese with open arms — the dairy dish long associated with grandma's house and diets is experiencing a trendy revitalization, Axios Des Moines co-author Linh Ta writes.
What's happening: Thanks to unique recipes popularized on Instagram and TikTok, cottage cheese is making a comeback after long living in the shadows of yogurt.
Flashback: Cottage cheese was the top diet food fad of the 1950s, peaking in the '70s.
Back then, the average American ate 5 pounds of cottage cheese annually. But that's cut down to about half that amount now, NPR reports.
Now, unique recipes such as cottage cheese ice cream and toast are getting younger generations interested in the product again.
It's also gaining momentum as a health food rather than a diet fad because it's an inexpensive way of getting lean protein.” [Axios]
“Lives Lived: Gloria Molina was a groundbreaking Chicana politician in California, a fierce advocate for the communities she represented. She died at 74.” [New York Times]