Pandemic hurt routine childhood vaccinations: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-04-19/people-lost-faith-in-childhood-vaccines-during-covid-pandemic-unicef-says . According to UNICEF, the loss of acceptance of routine vaccinations was global. This is undoubtedly a serious backward step in the near-global eradication of polio, for example.
Ninth Circuit upholds Biden vaccine mandate for federal contractors: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-04-19/bidens-covid-vaccine-rule-for-federal-contractors-was-valid-us-court-rules . As the federal COVID emergency is ending shortly, it is unclear if this ruling will be appealed.
Chinese COVID protestor goes public: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-04-19/protester-breaks-silence-on-chinas-crackdown-on-covid-demonstrators . Several protestors remain detained by the Chinese government. UPDATE: WSJ: The other protestors have been released: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-protesters-released-after-four-months-in-jail-257ac3be . Hey, in a nation of 1.4 billion it’s easy to overlook people …
Supreme Court delays mifepristone ruling: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65320035 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-action-expected-in-abortion-pill-case-7e0ac390 . For some reason, the Court could not come to a rapid resolution. Cases like this are often returned to the lower court for further action. Here, however, the delay is problematic. A delay to Friday night could indicate the Court is prepared to restrict mifepristone in some way, and time is being granted either for the writing of dissents or allowing the justices to get out of the building before the ruling is issued. This is just speculation, of course, but the delay in my view is not positive; it is neutral or negative.
WSJ: More Fed support for a May rate hike: https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-fed-official-signals-support-for-may-interest-rate-increase-a7c9a531 .
E&Y faces staff poaching after failed split: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ernst-young-after-its-failed-split-could-find-itself-vulnerable-to-staff-poaching-4143850b . Bottom line, E&Y completely mishandled this transaction. Some folks were staying in the hopes of reward. They may well be ready to seek other opportunities.
WSJ: New push to embed annuities in 401(k)’s: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fidelity-and-state-street-push-to-make-401-k-s-more-like-pensions-8cd63b79 . Individual annuity products are often very expensive, in that the seller earns a large commission. Doing this within the 401(k) setting should involve substantially reduced fees, and I would not advice employers to make this option available without such a reduction.
McCarthy announces debt ceiling bill with spending cuts: https://www.aol.com/finance/house-gop-debt-ceiling-plan-210927920.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-republicans-unveil-bill-to-raise-debt-ceiling-cut-spending-6872f2c2 . It is unclear if this bill will pass the House. The bill will be dead on arrival in the Senate. Given its zero chance of enactment, the bill represents a distraction from governance. You may also recall that the largest deficits were run under Orange Julius.
WSJ: FDIC selling $114 billion in bonds from recently-failed banks: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fdic-starts-selling-114-billion-of-bonds-from-failed-banks-37e2b36f . This is a considerable amount of capacity for the bond market to absorb.
WSJ: European banks face liquidity crunch: https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-banks-say-goodbye-to-easy-money-70292f5 .
Disney will lay off 7,000: https://www.aol.com/finance/disney-planning-more-layoffs-next-163507736.html .
WSJ: Intelligence leaker’s detention hearing delayed 2 weeks: https://www.wsj.com/articles/airman-jack-teixeira-set-to-appear-in-court-for-detention-hearing-eb567dcb . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-leak-classified-intelligence-documents-takeaways-6dd576b8 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/air-force-inspector-general-probe-of-airman-jack-teixeiras-unit-could-lead-to-more-charges-8b11ef1f .
Anti-vaccine RFK Jr. announces presidential run: https://www.aol.com/news/anti-vaccine-activist-rfk-jr-211406674.html . So this certainly does not seem like a meaningful challenge to Joe Biden. An anti-vaxxer would have more of a chance in the GOP, where no one will vote for a Kennedy.
WSJ: UK inflation remains above 10%: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-inflation-stays-above-10-raising-prospect-of-further-interest-rate-increases-11fe4e18 .
WSJ: Russian drones target Odessa: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-drones-target-odessa-as-ukraine-seeks-more-air-defenses-a7b9d90a .
For Fox Not-the-News, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over: https://www.aol.com/news/16-takeaways-fox-news-historic-045809336.html . As disappointing as Dominion’s failure to take Fox to the mat was, Fox has plenty of other legal troubles from lying about the fairness of the 2020 election. This article provides a roadmap.
Fox “ready to defend” Smartmatic lawsuit: https://abcnews.go.com/US/after-dominion-settlement-fox-news-ready-defend-lawsuit/story?id=98704417 . Actually, it appears the Fox strategy is “take your money and run”, based on the Dominion settlement. Also note Fox expects this suit to go to trial in 2025 – that is, after the next presidential election. But I wonder if Smartmatic can obtain access to Dominion’s discovery – Fox may have negotiated some seal on those records. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-has-settled-one-voting-machine-companys-defamation-case-another-looms-ffd90685 .
WSJ: The mediator called in to help settle the Dominion case: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-man-who-settled-the-fox-dominion-defamation-case-from-a-romanian-tour-bus-b3abf87f .
Orange Julius’ post-indictment poll bounce drops significantly in latest poll: https://news.yahoo.com/poll-trumps-big-post-indictment-bounce-is-fading-fast-183753992.html . So this suggests the next several indictments won’t help him, either. Excellent …
America’s least popular senator in their home state: Mitch McConnell: https://www.aol.com/news/mcconnell-america-least-popular-senator-161735224.html . Also excellent …
Former OJ Inc. CFO released from jail: https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-trump-organization-cfo-allen-weisselberg-released-from-jail-b692dad7 . Just in time for the next round of OJ litigation …
Oklahoma official resigns after discussing killing local reporters: https://apnews.com/article/mccurtain-commissioner-oklahoma-racist-killing-journalists-recording-2e9e37db832b43b79dfa3f16a7061ea0 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/oklahoma-county-commissioner-accused-of-making-threatening-comments-resigns-4195d252 .
January 6 mother-son insurrectionist team found guilty: https://www.aol.com/news/mom-son-took-zip-ties-094631794.html . But why did the judge delay sentencing until September 8?
3 charged with murder in rural Alabama Sweet Sixteen party shooting: https://apnews.com/article/dadeville-alabama-shooting-birthday-sweet-16-a1ec4438d75a19dd2d36ca88eb28dc2f . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-teens-charged-with-murder-in-alabama-birthday-shooting-3f9a4348 . So far the authorities have released no information about motive. Those charged are ages 16, 17 and 20. However, under Alabama law, persons charged with murder who are age 16 or older are tried as adults.