US COVID impact has declined: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-covid-19-deaths-and-hospitalizations-near-new-lows-9151bc18 . Hospitalizations and deaths are near pandemic lows.
Lead WHO COVID investigator dismissed for sexual misconduct: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-05-03/who-dismisses-lead-covid-origins-investigator-for-sexual-misconduct . Swell. This sort of thing makes the entire world look corrupt.
WSJ: FDA approves GSK RSV vaccine for adults over 60: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-approves-gsks-rsv-vaccine-for-older-adults-9c2c5 .
WSJ: Eli Lilly’s promising Alzheimer’s drug: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eli-lillys-results-signal-arrival-of-blockbuster-new-drug-class-bf7802cd . Finally, it appears Alzheimer’s patients will have meaningful options against the progression of this horrible disease. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/experimental-drug-slows-alzheimers-in-large-study-eli-lilly-says-192425a7 .
Assisted suicide for Vermont nonresidents: https://apnews.com/article/assisted-suicide-vermont-residency-requirement-10ce4f29063f5bbb1873583f9aa89947 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/vermont-allows-nonresidents-to-access-medically-assisted-death-7640556e . Note that this applies only to American citizens. As both articles state, we already have a similar law in Oregon.
Federal Reserve raises benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/federal-reserve-interest-rate-decision-may-3-155524134.html . This brings the total increases starting a year ago to 500 basis points (5%). The process going forward will be data driven. However, if inflation remains sticky, the Fed could continue its rate increases. Also, I do not see any cutting of rates in 2023 or early 2024. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-markets-dow-news-05-03-2023-e477673a . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/rate-hikes-can-wait-b54004a5 .
China May Day travel rebounds to pre-pandemic levels: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-05-03/china-tourism-rebounds-to-pre-covid-levels-during-may-day-holiday . This will undoubtedly cause a surge in COVID cases in China, although the authorities appear unlikely to report it.
Hundreds of minors found working at McDonald’s: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/10-year-olds-hundreds-children-found-working-mcdonalds-rcna82583 . These violations are of course appalling. What is more appalling is the ridiculous level of fines involved. The largest employer, Archway, has 80% of the violations (242 children) and faces total fines of a maximum of $143,566. That’s an average of $593 per child. Let’s raise the fines to $10,000 per child and see what level of violations we have in the future.
Latest US military aid package to Ukraine: https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-military-aid-russia-war-407c7609ade8ce2dc01cc614117504b8 . Note that most of the aid comes from US stockpiles and so will be available on the battlefield quickly. This appears to be another indication that the spring counteroffensive is nearly here. WSJ: More on the “coming” offensive: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drones-strike-russia-as-ukraine-readies-offensive-d9deb49a .
Did Ukraine try to assassinate Putin?: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-ukraine-tried-assassinate-putin-drone-attack-kremlin-rcna82608 . This claim seems illogical, even if the result could have been an end to this horrible war. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-government-says-kremlin-hit-by-ukraine-drones-a53e07e .
WSJ: Sudan conflict jeopardizes chocolate, red wine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/key-ingredient-in-coca-cola-chocolate-and-red-wine-is-caught-up-in-sudan-crisis-cf769a87 . This may explain why the conflict broke out after Valentine’s Day. It is more than ironic that this war jeopardizes the world’s supply of a stabilizer.
WSJ: European police stage arrests of Italian mafia across Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/police-raids-target-italian-mafia-across-europe-e4b5209d .
One Oklahoma mass murder explained: https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-shooting-sex-offender-missing-teens-bodies-2286716517d004033781a1303e4035dd . As we reported earlier, a suspect has been charged in the other mass murder in the same county.
Texas mass murder suspect’s wife, others arrested: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/several-arrested-texas-suspect-accused-killing-5-neighbors-captured-rcna82612 . They are charged with helping him evade police and hide. Technically, they are “accessories after the fact”. WSJ: Wait, we just got wind of this story: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-gunman-who-killed-five-could-be-anywhere-in-u-s-or-across-the-border-fbi-says-76cb7f25 . Oh, wait, now we have some idea but no real details: https://www.wsj.com/articles/more-people-arrested-after-texas-mass-shooting-and-manhunt-1c96f352 .
Third accuser testifies at OJ rape trial: https://abcnews.go.com/US/psychologist-testifies-trump-rape-accuser-jean-carroll-elements/story?id=99041556 . Together with Tacopina’s foolish cross-examination of E. Jean Carroll, the reporting indicates that a strong majority of the jurors will find for E. Jean Carroll in this case. I believe the rule in civil cases in New York is that 5 of 6 jurors are required to reach a verdict. As the jury will likely get the case next week, OJ may learn his fate in this trial very soon. WSJ: More or less: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-denies-e-jean-carroll-rape-allegation-in-video-deposition-played-for-jurors-fe9acc7b . The Journal somehow fails to mention that the OJ depositions are being played by the plaintiff.
UPDATE: OJ will not put on a defense: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-wont-put-defense-case-rape-trial-attorney-says-rcna82712 . So all you have is argument from Joe Tacopina (really, is this an alias? pineapple taco?). As the jury has every right to dislike this guy, Pineapple Taco now appears to be captain of a rapidly sinking ship.
Is this the text that caused Fox Not-the-News to fire Tucker “Rhymes with” Carlson?: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nyt-tucker-carlson-text-message-redacted-fox-news/ . If there are 3 million people watching this crap every night, then they were essentially sticking their face in an open sewer. I prefer to think of the 99% of the population that made some other choice. More: https://apnews.com/article/tucker-carlson-fox-news-dominion-racist-text-0ca0ef08799f3d99d88ea953e9dd7dac . I agree that there is every possibility Fox Not-the-News is leaking this stuff, for the purpose of justifying their decision to terminate their most-watched host.
Herschel Walker potential wire fraud: https://www.thedailybeast.com/emails-reveal-jaw-dropping-herschel-walker-money-scandal . Ignoring the nuances, this appears to be an outrageous campaign finance violation. One would have thought that the GOP would have had handlers all over Walker’s Senate campaign to avoid just this kind of stupidity. So what the hell happened here?
Dave Barry resurfaces after 20 years in isolation: https://www.thewrap.com/cnn-this-monring-desantis-disney-dave-barry-joke-clip/ . Apparently, Dave Barry is the 21st century’s Rip van Winkle. Meanwhile, CNN apparently cannot spell “morning” (look at the link text, above).
WSJ: Star swallows planet: https://www.wsj.com/articles/astronomers-catch-a-star-eating-a-planet-f1b33c86 .
WSJ: Here’s a long story about Messi where we are unaware of the latest reporting: https://www.wsj.com/articles/lionel-messi-paris-saint-germain-saudi-arabia-qatar-e57102bc . Here is the latest reporting, which pretty much blows the Journal out of the water: https://sports.yahoo.com/lionel-messi-in-talks-for-400-million-per-year-contract-with-saudi-arabia-per-report-192735565.html . So Messi is degrading himself by taking $400 million for one season in Saudi Arabia? Has every critic gone nuts?