Stolen COVID relief funds recovered: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-08-23/us-says-stolen-covid-relief-funds-seized-so-far-top-1-4-billion . So $1.4 billion is a lot of money in most circumstances. In relation to this fund theft, however, it is a drop in the bucket. The estimated total theft is over $200 billion.
PFAS reduce human immune cell activity: https://news.yahoo.com/scientists-startling-connection-between-toxic-150000439.html . Clearly, this is horrible news. One hopes there is rapid action to stop the production of these chemicals.
WSJ: US nursing homes disappearing: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/the-upheaval-at-americas-disappearing-nursing-homes-in-charts-9aa8d2f9 . The pandemic created many business problems for this service model. Among them are the health risks to the elderly and staff, and therefore the difficulty in retaining qualified staff.
South Carolina Supreme Court reverses itself, reinstates abortion ban: https://apnews.com/article/south-carolina-abortion-ban-f4e0d8ef8187fdd1e8db54dd464011b9 . The really sick message here is that the law is just politics. That’s why we have a US Supreme Court … oh, wait … WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/science/space-astronomy/india-counts-down-to-landing-at-moons-south-pole-9b3bb7cd .
Maui residents who obeyed barricade mostly died; those who disobeyed survived: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4166222-maui-residents-who-disobeyed-barricade-survived-fires-ap-reports/ . This horrific tragedy gets worse …
WSJ: Wall Street being squeezed out of China: https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/wall-streets-china-dreams-slip-away-f68ac708 . Note that US investors have soured on China due to a reduction in available data: https://www.wsj.com/world/cut-off-from-headquarters-global-fund-managers-are-stuck-in-chinas-black-box-260f5933 .
WSJ: US hammers another link in the crypto chain: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-charges-two-alleged-founders-of-crypto-platform-tornado-cash-with-money-laundering-714c3bd7 .
UK intelligence: Prigozhin’s plane crash was no accident: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/08/23/yevgeny-prigozhin-death-crash-accident-putin-security/ . Is there a Russian word for “super-defenestration”? Because that is what happened here. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/yevgeny-prigozhin-wagner-mercenary-russia-dies-7da9cea . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/plane-carrying-wagner-owner-prigozhin-crashes-in-russia-all-aboard-killed-82d25f1e .
WSJ: Insuring Ukraine’s grain shipments: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukraine-hatches-plan-to-reopen-black-sea-grain-route-defying-russian-blockade-f901340f . So this strikes me as less like underwriting and more like roulette. Hugging the coastline won’t stop a drone or missile attack, as we have already seen. If the Ukrainian government self-insures the first loss, the Russians are doubly incented to hit them.
The GOP debate: the expected nothing-burger: https://apnews.com/article/debate-republican-takeaways-president-gop-trump-ramaswamy-christie-f38e0aa189ad85f347f97b1b6bea4c53 . The only sense I can make of these strategies is that Vivek Ramaswamy is running for vice-president. His main competitor is Kari Lake. However, the problem for Vivek is that the country is not going to re-elect OJ, and he will be tarred with that brush by everyone who is not a MAGA Maniac. The “wise, delightful master of oneself” is none of these things, because he does not understand politics. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-will-loom-over-gop-debate-he-skips-8f27fe1b .
Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s “on a list” for OJ’s VP: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/23/georgia-marjorie-taylor-greene-donald-trump-vice-president . However, this remarkably stupid comment had its desired effect, generating a media hit for Greene.
Multiple Georgia election fraud defendants surrender today: https://news.yahoo.com/rudy-giuliani-surrenders-georgia-190928374.html . OJ lawyers surrendering today include Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Jenna Ellis and Kenneth Chesebro. Others surrendering today include Georgia-based lawyer Ray Smith and political figures Cathy Latham and David Schafer: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-indictments-2-more-defendants-surrender-at-fulton-county-jail-overnight . All 19 defendants must surrender by Friday noon or arrest warrants will issue. OJ will surrender tomorrow. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/rudy-giuliani-turns-himself-in-for-booking-in-georgia-629a322d .
Trial for University of Idaho murder suspect delayed indefinitely: https://abcnews.go.com/US/trial-idaho-college-killings-suspect-bryan-kohberger-delayed/story?id=102512826 . My guess is that the delay will be less than 6 months, and probably about 4 months (that is, early in the New Year). So, as the article notes, the main reason for the delay is the entry of the death penalty into this case. Kohlberger does not have a meaningful alibi (he has no evidence to support driving around alone), and I believe the defense attorney is laser-focused on trying to avoid imposition of the death penalty. That looks extremely difficult.
India lands on moon’s South Pole: https://apnews.com/article/india-spacecraft-chandrayaan-moon-landing-b31109bb08197f33b829e7a6e4edfc6d . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/science/space-astronomy/india-counts-down-to-landing-at-moons-south-pole-9b3bb7cd . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/science/space-astronomy/the-global-race-to-water-at-the-moons-south-pole-74674197 .
Fukushima nuclear plant begins water release: https://apnews.com/article/japan-fukushima-nuclear-radioactive-water-release-04d2423accd508e57afcd9e1eb6714ab . However, reporting on the evening news indicated that it will take 35 years to release all of the water.
WSJ: Our reporter remains in Russian detention: https://www.wsj.com/world/russia/russia-authorities-request-extension-of-detention-of-jailed-wsj-reporter-74feed22 .