The Full Belmonte, 6/20/2023
The OceanGate Expedition’s Titan submersible. (OceanGate Expeditions via AP/File)
U.S. NEWS
Rescuers race against time to find sub bound for the Titanic site
“Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean are searching for a missing submersible carrying five people on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic. A pilot, a renowned British adventurer, two members of a Pakistani business family and another passenger are onboard. Read more.
Why this matters:
The craft submerged Sunday morning and lost contact with its support ship about an hour and 45 minutes later, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it put to sea at roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, according to David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate Expeditions, which operates the expeditions.
‘It is a remote area — and it is a challenge to conduct a search in that remote area,’ said Rear Adm. John Mauger, a commander for the U.S. Coast Guard.” [AP News]
Blinken and Xi pledge to repair US-China ties, but China rebuffs the main US request
Blinken meets with Xi in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. Photo: Leah Millis/Reuters
“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said they agreed to ‘stabilize’ badly deteriorated U.S.-China ties, but America’s top diplomat left Beijing with his biggest ask rebuffed: better communications between their militaries. The meeting was the highest-level U.S. visit to China in five years. Read more.
Why this matters:
After meeting Xi, Blinken said China is not ready to resume military-to-military contacts, something the U.S. considers crucial to avoid miscalculation and conflict. China’s main diplomat for the Western Hemisphere, Yang Tao, blamed the issue squarely on U.S. sanctions but said Blinken’s visit to China ‘marks a new beginning.’
The two sides expressed a willingness to hold more talks, but there was little indication that either is prepared to bend from positions on issues including trade, Taiwan, human rights conditions, Chinese military assertiveness in the South China Sea, and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
‘The Chinese side has made our position clear, and the two sides have agreed to follow through the common understandings President Biden and I had reached in Bali,’ Xi said, according to a transcript of the meeting. “ [AP News]
As the Supreme Court is set to decide affirmative action and student loan cases, some see a backlash to racial progress
“The Supreme Court could soon dismantle affirmative action in college admissions and student loan forgiveness – policies that disproportionately benefit Black Americans. In the legal challenges, some see a backlash to racial progress in higher education. Read more.
Why this matters:
Since the late 1970s, the Supreme Court has three times upheld affirmative action in college admissions on grounds that institutions have a compelling interest to address past discrimination that shut nonwhite students out of higher learning.
Black students are more likely to take out federal student loans and at higher amounts than their white peers. Proponents of the plan to cancel some student debt see it as a matter of racial justice.
A collapse of the debt cancellation could have political consequences. President Joe Biden made a campaign promise to reduce student debt, and the NAACP has told him young voters of color are expecting a return on their support.” [AP News]
Trump gives new reason he didn't hand over classified documents
Bret Baier reads a quote by Trump from the indictment. Screenshot: Fox News
“Former President Donald Trump offered a new explanation Monday as to why he didn't return classified documents he took with him from the White House, saying he was ‘very busy’ and didn't have time to separate them from his personal belongings. Asked why he didn't simply return the boxes full of documents after the National Archives and Justice Department moved to subpoena him, Trump gave a similar reply about being overbooked. Trump is charged with 37 felony counts of mishandling national security information and obstructing justice in not returning them.” Read more at USA Today
The FBI resisted opening an investigation into Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 role.
“Why? There were fears of appearing partisan and disagreement over how much evidence was needed to investigate the president’s actions, a Post investigation found.
Why it matters: The delay meant that more than a year passed before prosecutors and the FBI began a formal investigation of Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election.”
Read this story at Washington Post
Hurricane watch
“A tropical storm named Bret has formed over the central Atlantic Ocean and will likely become a hurricane by Wednesday. It is still too early to tell what impacts, if any, it will have on the US mainland. However, early projections from the National Hurricane Center show the storm could impact the Leeward or Windward islands later this week. The Leeward Islands, located where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic, include the Virgin Islands, Saint Martin, and Antigua and Barbuda. To the south are the Windward Islands: Dominica, Grenada, Martinique and others. Everyone in the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands should ‘closely monitor updates to the forecast’ and ‘have their hurricane plan in place,’ the National Hurricane Center said.” [CNN]
Refugees
“Today is World Refugee Day, a day designated by the United Nations to honor the millions of refugees around the globe who have fled their home countries. The UN estimates the number of refugees worldwide is now approaching 35 million people, with more than 12 million in Europe. On Monday, a total of 41 multinational companies pledged to provide jobs, training and work opportunities for more than 250,000 refugees in Europe. The companies include Accenture, Adecco, Amazon, Cisco, Generali, Hilton, ISS, Marriott International, Microsoft, Randstad, Starbucks and The Body Shop. Though most of the company pledges made this week apply to refugees of all nationalities, there is a special focus on Ukrainian refugees, whose numbers swelled to more than 5 million last year.” [CNN]
Reddit hackers
“Hackers are threatening to leak stolen data from Reddit if the company doesn't pay $4.5 million and change its controversial pricing policy. According to a post on the dark web, which was reviewed by CNN and an independent cybersecurity expert, a ransomware gang is threatening to leak 80 gigabytes of confidential employee data. The group is demanding a $4.5 million payout ‘for the deletion of the data and our silence.’ After receiving no response, the group followed up with an additional demand: Reddit should withdraw a controversial new pricing policy that has sparked a protest from some of the platform's most influential users. The hackers have said they do not expect Reddit to meet their demands: ‘We expect to leak the data,’ the group wrote in the post on the dark web.” [CNN]
Updated Twitter rules could hinder research and rescue efforts.
“What changed? Twitter, owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, recently decided to charge more than $500,000 a year for a once-free tool to analyze posts on the platform.
Why it matters: Researchers have used this tool to identify misinformation, gather evidence of potential war crimes and find people stranded by natural disasters.”
Read this story at Washington Post