The Full Belmonte, 8/26/2023
Inmate No. P01135809
Photo: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
“That's how Donald J. Trump of Palm Beach, Fla., is listed in the jail records of Fulton County, Ga., after last night's 20-minute booking.
He described himself as 6 foot 3 inches, 215 pounds — 24 pounds less than the White House doctor reported in 2018.
He's listed as having blue eyes, and blond or strawberry hair.
Why it matters: Trump orchestrated prime-time coverage of his fourth arrest — and instantly moved to monetize the historic mugshot that resulted, Axios managing editor David Lindsey writes.
The 7 p.m. drive-by visit for his fourth arrest in less than five months produced this stern-looking mugshot — another presidential first that's sure to be a signature image of the 2024 campaign.
Trump's team already has indicated it will use the image on Trump '24 merchandise and fundraising appeals.
Trump speaks to the media at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Before flying back to New Jersey, Trump told reporters on the tarmac that the prosecutions amount to ‘election interference’:
‘What has taken place here is a travesty of justice. ... I did nothing wrong, and everybody knows it.’
Trump's mugshot inspired his first tweet since Jan. 8, 2021 (above).
He included a link to a campaign donation page, urging fans to help ‘SAVE AMERICA during this dark chapter in our nation's history.’
Reality check: Trump's trip was a reminder of the jeopardy he faces in the charges filed by Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis.
She's accused him of running a criminal enterprise that tried to overturn the election — state charges that are out of reach of any potential self-pardon he could try to issue if he were elected president again.” [Axios]
Trump's surrender spectacle
Screenshot: ABC News Live
“Instead of a courthouse like the one Trump visited when responding to felony indictments in New York, Florida and D.C., this time he had to report to the decrepit, smelly Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.
‘ANY MOMENT: TRUMP LANDS IN GA FOR HISTORIC FOURTH ARREST,’ CNN said.
Screenshot: MSNBC
On MSNBC's "INDICTMENT SPECIAL," Rachel Maddow said at 7:42 p.m. ET:
"Donald Trump is under arrest in the state of Georgia. … Former President Trump is in custody. He has been arrested. Landmark moment … for all the worst reasons."
Fox News covered the booking. Then, before Trump's plane had left Atlanta, host Jesse Watters had moved on to Hunter Biden.” [Axios]
Photos: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Above: Mugshots of two of Trump's co-defendants in Georgia, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Jeffrey Clark Surrenders in Georgia Hours Before Deadline
“Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark turned himself in to authorities in Georgia on Friday morning after being charged as one of the co-defendants in Donald Trump’s case relating to efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election. Clark, who worked as assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s civil division between September 2020 and 2021, was booked at the Fulton County Jail and released on a $100,000 bond. He is one of 19 people—including Trump—charged with violating Georgia’s RICO Act, with Clark additionally accused of criminal attempt to commit false statements and writings. On Tuesday, Clark had asked a judge to grant an emergency stay in the case on the grounds that he wouldn’t be able to make it to Atlanta to surrender before the noon Friday deadline, arguing that he did not want to face ‘the choice of making rushed travel arrangements to fly into Atlanta or instead risking being labeled a fugitive.’ The motion was denied.” [Daily Beast]
Screenshots: X, formerly Twitter
“The Trump mug shot is exploding on social media — with Republicans like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene posting their own fake mug shots to ride the wave. Keep reading.” [Axios]
Florida lawyer files challenge to disqualify Trump from 2024 race, citing 14th Amendment
BY ELLA LEE
“A Florida lawyer is challenging former President Trump’s ability to run for president in 2024 under the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment, citing the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Lawrence Caplan, a tax attorney in Palm Beach County, filed the challenge in federal court Thursday, pointing to a clause in the amendment that says those who “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the government cannot hold office.”
Read the full story here at The Hill
New COVID shots
Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
“Updated versions of COVID vaccines are expected to be available to all Americans by mid-September, Axios' Tina Reed reports.
Why it matters: COVID cases and hospitalizations are rising, but remain far below peak levels.
Officials said they expect the updated vaccines will protect against newer variants that are circulating.” [Axios]
Vivek's debate haul
Debaters were asked to raise their hands if they'd still support Trump as the GOP nominee if he "is convicted in a court of law." Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
“Vivek Ramaswamy raised $450,000 after Wednesday night's GOP debate in Milwaukee, with an average donation of $38, his campaign tells Axios.
Why it matters: Ramaswamy, 38, stood out as aggressive and energetic. The more experienced candidates scolded him as shallow and annoying.
12.8 million people watched the debate on Fox News and Fox Business, Axios' Sara Fischer writes.
That's half the 24 million who flocked to the first Republican presidential primary debate in 2015, driven by curiosity about Donald Trump.
11 million of this week's viewers were on Fox News, which usually has a prime-time average of about 2 million.
The debate drew 2.8 million viewers in the prized 25- to 54-year-old demographic.
Tucker Carlson's taped interview with Trump on X (formerly Twitter) drew 250 million "views."
That figure can't be compared to TV viewership, since it counts the number of times people saw the post in their feeds — even if they didn't actually watch it.” [Axios]
‘He’s an insider’: Ramaswamy’s deep ties to rightwing kingpins revealed
Republican candidate brands himself as an ‘outsider’ but has close links to prominent figures Leonard Leo and Peter Thiel
“Vivek Ramaswamy has described himself as an ‘outsider’, accusing rivals for the Republican presidential nomination of being ‘bought and paid for’ by donors and special interests.
But the 38-year-old Ohio-based venture capitalist, whose sharp-elbowed and angry display stood out in the first Republican debate this week, has his own close ties to influential figures from both sides of the political aisle.
Prominent among such connections are Peter Thiel, the co-founder of tech giants PayPal and Palantir and a rightwing mega-donor, and Leonard Leo, the activist who has marshaled unprecedented sums in his push to stock federal courts with conservative judges.
Ramaswamy is a Yale Law School friend of JD Vance, the author of the bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy who enjoyed success in finance before entering politics. At Yale, Vance and Ramaswamy attended what the New Yorker called an ‘intimate lunch seminar for select students’ that was hosted by Thiel. Last year, backed by Thiel and espousing hard-right Trumpist views, Vance won a US Senate seat in Ohio.
Thiel has since said he has stepped back from political donations. But he has backed Ramaswamy’s business career, supporting what the New Yorker called ‘a venture helping senior citizens access Medicare’ and, last year, backing Strive Asset Management, a fund launched by Ramaswamy to attack environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies among corporate investors. Vance was also a backer.
Ramaswamy’s primary vehicle to success has been Roivant, an investment company focused on the pharmaceuticals industry founded in 2014.
The Roivant advisory board includes figures from both the Republican and Democratic establishments: Kathleen Sebelius, US health secretary under Barack Obama; Tom Daschle of South Dakota, formerly Democratic leader in the US Senate; and Olympia Snowe, formerly a Republican senator from Maine.
Ramaswamy’s links to Leo – recently the recipient of a $1.6bn donation from the industrialist Barre Seid, believed to be the biggest ever such gift, but now reportedly the subject an investigation by the attorney general of Washington DC – are many.
As reported by ProPublica and Documented, Ramaswamy has spoken at retreats staged by Teneo, a group Leo chairs and which aims to connect high-powered conservatives, to ‘crush liberal dominance’ in American life.
Other Teneo speakers have reportedly included Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor polling ahead of Ramaswamy in the Republican primary, and the former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who trails Ramaswamy and clashed with him on stage in Milwaukee….” Read more at The Guardian
“This week, Jerome Powell made no bones about the unwavering pursuit of his ultimate objective: 2%. The Federal Reserve chair reaffirmed yet again his singular focus on restoring price stability in the US. And if that means even higher interest rates to get back to that 2% target, then so be it. That was the takeaway on what Powell intended to convey with his eagerly anticipated remarks at the central bank’s annual conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. With US inflation much cooler than its pandemic highs, policymakers are signaling they may be close to declaring victory—even if rates must remain higher for longer just to make sure. In this new phase, risk-management is ‘critical,’ Powell says. Still, record low unemployment, strong business investment and resilient American consumers continue to burnish the reputations of soft-landing prognosticators while singing those of Team Recession.
Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, left, with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, center, and US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, right, at the Jackson Hole economic symposium in Wyoming on Friday. Central bank leaders unified around a note of caution in the fight against inflation. Photographer: Bloomberg
Nevertheless, other central bank chiefs echoed Powell in projecting a cautious stance, saying the inflation triggered by Covid-19 and its fallout has not been fully conquered. South Africa’s central bank governor, Lesetja Kganyago, crystalized this sentiment when he said ‘the job is not yet done.’ European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde added that the European Central Bank will set borrowing costs as high as needed and leave them there for as long as it takes. But for all the effort to make sure the world knows the battle isn’t over, Jonathan Levine writes in Bloomberg Opinion that a subtle shift in tone by Powell is taking place. In the past, good economic news like low unemployment might encourage Wall Street fears of more rate hikes. But Levine writes that, these days, “the ‘good news’ on the economy may actually just be good news.” [Bloomberg]
“House hunters in the US are encountering the most-unaffordable market in almost four decades and, rubbing salt in the wound, mortgage rates have jumped to 7.23%, a 22-year high. That begs the question: Who is still buying? First-time purchasers desperate to own a home, according to a Zillow survey. The real estate company is trying to lure struggling homebuyers with a new program that offers mortgages with just 1% down. In the UK, there’s finally some slightly better news: record pay rises and the slide in property prices have caused the biggest improvement in housing affordability for more than a decade.” [Bloomberg]
How the moon became our cosmic junkyard
Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“The new space race comes with a potential consequence: The surface of the moon could start to get littered. On Wednesday, India became the fourth country to successfully land a craft on the moon and the first to land in the moon's south polar region. It’s a location where no craft has successfully landed before due to the area’s boulder-strewn surface.
The lowdown: The accomplishment arrives on the heels of an ill-fated attempt to achieve the same feat by a Russian lander, Luna-25, which crashed into the lunar surface earlier this week.
Israel and Japan have attempted (and failed) to land crafts on the southern part of the moon. The US and China also have future missions planned.
Government space agencies, nonprofits, and companies are interested in exploring the moon for scientific purposes, but also potentially for industrial or commercial ones.
There are resources on the moon that could be useful on Earth, or provide materials to make space travel deeper into the solar system more feasible.
However, even successful missions leave behind debris. Previous space missions have left behind nearly a hundred bags of urine, feces, and vomit, and a range of other distinctly human artifacts (including golf balls and boots).
The stakes: Overall, the moon serves as a dumping ground for 400,000 pounds of human-made material. Plus, a few dozen rockets, satellites, and mission-related bits of debris orbit the space between Earth and the moon.
I spoke with Future Perfect fellow Rachel DuRose about what space junk could mean for our future.
’When you look up at the moon, you don't see little specks of crashed rockets past, so aesthetically this lunar junk doesn't mean much to people,’ Rachel told me. ‘But space litter could possibly hinder future moon missions and therefore our ability to learn about our solar system.’
The takeaway: The moon’s surface area is smaller than the Asian continent, and an even smaller portion of that is flat enough to land on. With as many as 100 planned lunar landings in the next decade, this small area could get congested fast.
Read Rachel’s full piece here » [Vox]
Sweltering heat dome leads to record-breaking temps in the Midwest
Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Here’s what you need to know:
A heat dome is when the atmosphere traps hot ocean air. [NOAA]
As of Thursday morning, about 143 million people were under extreme heat alerts. At least 100 heat records are being set or tied per day this week. [Axios]
Extreme heat causes more deaths across the US each year than any other weather event. [National Weather Service]
Nearly two dozen cattle died in Nebraska and more than 100 Missouri nursing home residents were evacuated because of the heat. [CNN]
Extreme heat is transforming work. Access to breaks, water, and shade could trigger the next big labor battle. [Vox]
“'Poison seller': UK investigators say 88 people died after buying a poisonous substance from a man accused of assisting suicide in Canada. They can't confirm the chemical - allegedly supplied by Kenneth Law across more than 40 countries - as the direct cause of death but police have made hundreds of welfare checks.” [Vox]
”Spain’s soccer federation threatened legal action to protect its president’s reputation after a star player said he had forcibly grabbed and kissed her on the lips, prompting calls for his resignation.” [New York Times]
Legal Troubles
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy attends the 76th meeting of the French National Association of Chartered Accountants in Bordeaux, France, on Oct. 8, 2021.Philippe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images
“It’s been an eventful week for current and former world leaders facing legal problems. On Friday, magistrates in Paris ordered former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to stand trial on charges that his 2007 election campaign received a $54 million illegal contribution from former Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi’s government. The one-term president has denied wrongdoing alongside 12 other co-defendants, including three of his former cabinet ministers. He will be tried in 2025.
This is far from Sarkozy’s first indictment rodeo. The 68-year-old leader has been convicted twice for corruption and influence-peddling. In May, he lost his first appeal for a 2021 accusation alleging he tried to bribe a judge. His three-year prison term was brought down to just one trip around the sun, which Sarkozy can fulfill under house arrest. He still faces a second probe into allegations that he received a payment of $3.2 million by Russian insurance firm Reso-Garantia in 2019 while he was working as a consultant.
Like Sarkozy, our next subject is no stranger to legal woes. Meet inmate P01135809—aka, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who surrendered to authorities at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta on Thursday to be booked on racketeering, conspiracy, and other charges related to his efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. Trump spent only around 20 minutes at the jail, during which time he had his mugshot taken, and was released after posting bail for his $200,000 bond. This is Trump’s fourth indictment. The Republican former president has maintained his innocence, calling the allegations a ‘travesty of justice.’
But not everyone had an unlucky week with the justice system. A Monaco court cleared billionaire Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, of all wrongdoing on Friday in an investigation into whether he and several members of his family engaged in illicit enrichment and money laundering schemes. The three-year investigation was closed due to insufficient evidence.
Following Lebanon’s financial crash in 2019, public opinion of its leadership has soured, with many locals accusing government elites of corruption. Beirut ranks 150 out of 180 countries on Transparency International. Lebanon ‘is being kept alive by the greed of a political class that refuses even the most modest reforms,’ wrote Hanin Ghaddar, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, in Foreign Policy. ‘What Lebanon needs instead is a new beginning—a new political and social contract that eliminates sectarianism and establishes accountability through judicial reforms.’” [Foreign Policy]
“Whodunnit? Few experts doubt who was behind the presumed demise of paramilitary Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash in Russia on Wednesday: Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the mercenary launched an aborted mutiny against the Kremlin two months ago, many believed Prigozhin’s days were numbered. However, Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, denied the Kremlin’s involvement on Friday, adding that Russia couldn’t confirm that Prigozhin was onboard until DNA and other tests were completed. Putin, for his part, offered his condolences to the victims’ families on Thursday. Referring to Prigozhin in the past tense, the Russian leader described him as ‘a person with a complicated fate.’ ‘He made some serious mistakes in life, but he also achieved necessary results,’ Putin said.
Although the question of who(likely)dunnit isn’t exactly a mystery, how the plane was taken down remains unclear. Some initially speculated it could have been targeted by surface-to-air missiles, but a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment reportedly concluded that an intentional explosion was to blame. With Russian authorities in charge of the crash investigation though, it’s unlikely the truth will be fully revealed any time soon.” [Foreign Policy]
“Taking responsibility. The European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) took effect on Friday as part of a larger wave of regulations against Big Tech. The law requires platforms to take down any content flagged as illegal, fraudulent, or promoting hate speech. Online companies that do not comply could face billions of dollars in fines.
In total, 19 major corporations must abide by the EU’s new ruling, including Meta, TikTok, Twitter (now called X), YouTube, Amazon, Alibaba, Google Play, and Apple’s App Store. ‘The real test begins now,’ said European Commissioner Thierry Breton. It is up to the DSA to ‘fully use our new powers to investigate and sanction platforms where warranted.’” [Foreign Policy]
“Early results in Zimbabwe. After two days of presidential election voting in Zimbabwe, initial results are predicting a close race. Partial results on Friday listed incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party as winning 101 parliamentary constituencies versus the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) securing 59 seats. If neither Mnangagwa nor the CCC’s Nelson Chamisa win a simple majority, Zimbabwe will hold a runoff election on Oct. 2.” [Foreign Policy]
“Facing a stagnant economy, Norway is hoping to cut costs by building a wall—for reindeer. According to Norwegian officials on Thursday, 42 reindeer have crossed into Russia to seek better grazing pastures. Every time Santa’s trusty steeds do so, Oslo must compensate Moscow for its loss of grassland. By rebuilding a dilapidated reindeer fence, Oslo hopes to keep the animals from paying Norway’s prickly neighbor a surprise visit.” [Foreign Policy]
Weight-loss drug Wegovy eased the symptoms of a common form of heart failure in people who also have obesity.
“Patients who took Novo Nordisk’s weekly injection for a year reported improvements in fatigue and shortness of breath and the ability to walk longer distances, while losing an average of 13% of their body weight, according to new research. This class of drugs is already a go-to for diabetes treatment. Drugmakers also are studying its effects on conditions including sleep apnea and liver disease.” [Wall Street Journal]
March on Washington, 60 years on
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963. Photo: Archive Photos/Getty Images
“Tomorrow, civil-rights leaders will mark the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington with a rally and march by a multiracial, interfaith coalition of allies at the Lincoln Memorial, Axios' Keldy Ortiz reports.
Why it matters: The 1963 protest — where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech — sought to bring attention to jobs, voting rights and police brutality. The issues are eerily similar in 2023.
By the numbers: Poverty rates for Black Americans have fallen in the decades since the first March on Washington, but have remained high compared with other races.
Today there are 60 Black lawmakers in Congress, compared with five in 1963.
This time, the march will include civil rights organizations of different racial groups, reflecting the changing nation.
‘We have to figure out: How do we create the climate for all of us to engage forward,’ Martin Luther King III — a human-rights activist, and son of the civil-rights leader — told Axios.
Today, Hispanics — not Black Americans, as in 1963 — are the largest minority group in the U.S.
Pacific Islanders and Asians have seen among the biggest population increases in the last two decades.
Flashback: Over 260,000 people attended the 1963 march.” [Axios]
Toymakers target adults
Photo illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios. Photo: Yvonne Hemsey/Getty Images
“As children migrate from playthings to screens, toymakers have been tweaking their products to cater to the nostalgic tastes of adults, Jennifer A. Kingson reports for Axios What's Next.
Why it matters: The "Barbie" and "Transformers" movies helped fuel a retro toy craze among adults.
What's happening: "Kidults" — teenagers and adults who like cartoons, action figures, board games, building sets and puzzles — are helping drive global toy sales, according to the consultancy Circana.
Pandemic isolation prompted adults to turn to puzzles, board games and collecting favorite objects — trends toymakers are capitalizing on.
41% of parents bought toys for themselves in the past 12 months, according to a July survey by The Toy Association.
Mattel and others are pinning their hopes on adult collectors to snap up Barbies, "Star Wars" memorabilia and Lego sets.
Lego has an "Icons" series of products aimed at adults, with a $680 Titanic set.
Atari just released the Atari 2600+ ($130), which can play original video game cartridges from the 1970s and 1980s.
At left, Lego's Pac-Man arcade set, with 2,651 pieces to assemble. At right, the Bob Ross Pop Taters figurine is aimed at people who watched the "Joy of Painting" star, whose show ran from 1983-1994. Photos: Clifford A. Sobel for Axios
Millennial and Gen Z parents are also introducing their kids to the brands of their youth.
Those include Tamagotchi Uni (an internet-connected version of the familiar virtual pets) ... Spirograph (now on an LCD screen!) ... and Potato Head. (The "Mr." has been not-quite-dropped.)
What to watch: "Eldertainment" — toys and games geared toward senior citizens — is an emerging category touted as a way for older adults to sharpen their memory skills or connect with their grandchildren.
A Hasbro licensee called Ageless Innovation sells animatronic companion dogs and cats, plus updated versions of the Game of Life, Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit — with easy-to-grasp pieces and bigger fonts.” [Axios]
Michael Jordan's fortune
Photo: Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
“Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever. He's not far behind as a businessman.
The Hall of Famer's net worth ballooned to an estimated $3.5 billion after his sale of the Charlotte Hornets, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index.
His wildly successful Nike deal accounts for much of his net worth, the highest of any basketball player.
Bloomberg estimates LeBron James has built a $1.5 billion fortune.” [Axios]
GAME OF THE WEEKEND
DJ Jablonski and Easton Benge of Needville, Texas.Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
“Little League World Series: Youth baseball players the world over dream of playing on the manicured fields of South Williamsport, Pa., in late August. Friends and family cheer them from the stands, and TV cameras capture their athletic glory. By the end of the weekend, one team will be crowned champion. But just by making it this far, every kid in Williamsport has already done something amazing.
Here’s a bit about the four remaining teams:
Needville, Texas, loosens up before big games with a dance-off between players and coaches.
El Segundo, Calif., holds a pregame huddle to talk about the importance of playing for one another.
Willemstad, Curaçao, has been cheered on by a special guest — Jonathan Schoop, an alumnus of the team who went on to play in the majors.
Taoyuan, Taiwan, gathers before and after each game to pay respect to the baseball fields.
The international championship is at 12:30 p.m. today, and the U.S. game is at 3:30 p.m. The winners will play in the final at 3 p.m. tomorrow. All of the games are on ABC.” [New York Times]
“Where would you expect to see one of New York City’s hottest new restaurants? TriBeCa? Greenpoint? Nope. Try a grimy Midtown subway station. Korean-influenced Nōksu, slated to open next month, is located on the mezzanine level of the 34th Street Herald Square stop. The eatery will be run by chef Dae Kim, whose resume includes stints at the three-Michelin-star Per Se and at modern Chinese hideaway Silver Apricot. If food in a basket is more your speed, billionaire Charles Johnson, owner of the San Francisco Giants, has sued to block a clam shack from operating inches from his $6.5 million cottage.” [Bloomberg]
Chef Dae Kim outside what will be the entrance to his restaurant Nōksu in the Herald Square subway station. Photographer: Alex Truong
THE WEEK IN CULTURE
Olivia RodrigoChantal Anderson for The New York Times
“Olivia Rodrigo is facing a daunting task: following up a smash debut.
One of the original “Sex and the City” quartet, Samantha, returned briefly in the season finale of “And Just Like That … .”
The singer Oliver Anthony denounced Republicans for co-opting his hit song, “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
Michael Oher says Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy unfairly profited from his story in “The Blind Side.” They have denied it.
Netflix said that customers could keep their final batch of DVDs as it ended its mail-rental business.
“Bottoms” is a new film about teen lesbians that aims to hit the tone of a horror-indie-dramedy-action-teen sex comedy.
Songs recorded in 2009 by Mark Linkous, the creative force behind the band Sparklehorse who died in 2010, are finally being released this fall.
Ben Gibbard, the singer for Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service, said he’s honoring his past with a tour this fall to perform hit albums by the two groups.
Are Broadway musicals like “Six,” “& Juliet” and “Once Upon a One More Time” really empowering for women? Times critics debated.
The director of the British Museum resigned, acknowledging that he had failed to respond to warnings that a curator was stealing items.
The breakout hit of the Edinburgh Fringe? A clown who performs at 1:30 a.m.
A widow’s legal fight could unravel an art dynasty.
Bonnie Prince Charlie is portrayed as a beautiful character in “Outlander,” but a new replica of his real-life visage shows him with imperfections like acne.” [New York Times]
‘Rare’ Clouded Leopard Kitten Born at the Oklahoma City Zoo
Keepers hope the young male will have his own “little cloudies” one day, helping maintain the vulnerable species’ captive population
“A clouded leopard kitten born last month at the Oklahoma City Zoo is ‘eating, sleeping and growing,’ the zoo announced on Facebook. Once the young male grows up, he’ll become an ambassador for his vulnerable species and for wildlife conservation more broadly.
Born July 18 to the zoo’s female clouded leopard, Rukai, and a male named JD, the kitten is the first clouded leopard cub at a facility accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) this year. Rukai had been pregnant for 90 days when she gave birth to the still-unnamed newborn in the zoo’s Cat Forest habitat….” Read more at Smithsonian
The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., to return giant pandas to China.
“Visitors to the Smithsonian's National Zoo have less than five months to say their farewells to the iconic giant pandas who've been at the zoo for nearly 23 years. The two adult giant pandas, Mei Xiang (female) and Tian Tian (male), and their cub Xiao Qi Ji (male) are returning to China by Dec. 7.
An agreement between the zoo and China Wildlife and Conservation Association brought the panda pair to the U.S. on December 6, 2000. The adult pandas were supposed to stay for a decade as part of a research and breeding agreement, but the program with China was extended several times.
The once-endangered species are now designated as ‘vulnerable,’ following a population growth of nearly 17% between 2007 and 2017. The International Union for Conservation of Nature upgraded giant Pandas on the global list of species at risk of extinction, according the World Wildlife Fund. Only 1,864 wild pandas remain in the wild, mostly in China's Sichuan Province.
History of giant pandas in US zoos
Over 50 years ago, The National Zoo received its first pandas from China, Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling, as an effort to save the species by breeding them. The Zoo's giant panda team works closely with colleagues in China to advance conservation efforts around the world, according to the zoo's conservation biology institute.
Mei Xiang has given birth to seven cubs while at the zoo. Four of her cubs are living, and three died before adulthood. As part of the agreement with China, cubs must be returned by age 4.
When Mei Xiang gave birth to Xiao Qi Ji in August of 2020, she became the oldest giant panda to have a cub in North America.
Once the three giant pandas return to their homeland from Washington, D.C., only four giant pandas will be left in the U.S.: Lun Lun and Yang Yang, and their offspring Ya Lun and Xi Lun, all of which live at Zoo Atlanta.
The younger cubs at Zoo Atlanta are expected to travel to China in 2024, the zoo says. The adult pandas are expected to return as well, as there has been no discussion about extending the loan agreement instated in the mid-1990's, according to the zoo.
The Memphis Zoo returned their panda, Ya Ya, in April after a 20-year loan agreement with China ended, according to The Associated Press. Memphis and the San Diego Zoo, which sent two giant pandas to China in 2019, were the only other zoos in the U.S. to house pandas….” Read more at USA Today