President Trump’s planned June 14th military parade, coinciding with both the Army’s 250th anniversary and his birthday, has drawn sharp criticism. The parade’s scale, featuring thousands of soldiers and extensive military hardware, is unprecedented in recent U.S. history, especially given the administration’s simultaneous implementation of austere budget cuts to vital social programs. Critics condemn the allocation of significant funds to this seemingly self-congratulatory event while essential services face funding reductions. The event’s cost is estimated to be as high as $92 million.
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Tesla’s April new vehicle registrations in Sweden plummeted 80.7 percent to 203 units, a stark contrast to the overall market’s 11 percent growth. This dramatic drop, one of the worst among automakers in Sweden, is attributed to a public backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political activities. The decline follows similar sales slumps across Europe, fueled by protests and competition from Chinese electric vehicles. Musk’s recent political engagements, including a White House advisory role, have raised investor concerns about his focus on Tesla’s business operations.
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Following a significant earthquake in the Drake Passage, Chilean President Gabriel Boric ordered a coastal evacuation in the Magallanes region. Over 1,700 residents, including those from Puerto Williams and Puerto Natales, have already been relocated to higher ground as a precautionary measure. Authorities have issued the highest disaster alert level, mobilizing all available resources. While no major damage or injuries have been reported, residents are urged to remain in designated safe zones at least 30 meters above sea level. The earthquake was also felt in Ushuaia, Argentina, though with minimal impact reported.
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King Charles III will open the 45th Canadian Parliament on May 27th, marking his first such visit as sovereign and the first time a monarch has opened a new Parliament since 1957. This event, including the Speech from the Throne outlining government priorities, will be attended by Queen Camilla. The visit coincides with ongoing U.S. threats to Canadian sovereignty, prompting calls for a stronger assertion of Canadian independence. The King’s presence is viewed as symbolically significant, reaffirming Canada’s constitutional monarchy and national identity.
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The 60 Minutes interview with then-presidential nominee Kamala Harris, now an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Edited Interview, is at the heart of a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against CBS. Trump alleges deceptive editing to portray Harris favorably, a claim CBS vehemently denies, having released the unedited interview. The Emmy nomination ironically validates the very editing techniques Trump contests legally. This ongoing lawsuit, targeting CBS and Paramount, further fuels existing tensions between the Trump administration and traditional media.
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During a commencement speech at the University of Alabama, President Trump boasted about shifting allegiances among Silicon Valley figures, specifically mentioning Elon Musk. He claimed that individuals who previously opposed him now express strong support, using the phrase “kissing my a–“. This comment follows a past public feud between the two, marked by mutual criticisms and a period of close collaboration. Despite a recent decrease in Musk’s physical presence at the White House, Trump indicated continued communication and influence.
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Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered a strong condemnation of the Trump administration’s attacks on federal judges, characterizing them as threats to the rule of law and democratic norms. These attacks, ranging from threats of violence and professional retaliation to intimidation tactics like publicizing judges’ home addresses, are not isolated incidents but rather a systemic effort to undermine judicial independence. Jackson drew parallels to past challenges faced by judges during pivotal moments in American history, emphasizing the importance of resisting such pressures. Her speech, met with a standing ovation, served as the most forceful rebuke from the Supreme Court regarding these escalating attacks.
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The Supreme Court heard two cases with significant implications for public education. The first case, *Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond*, concerns whether Oklahoma must fund a religious charter school, potentially overturning the state’s mandate for secular public charter schools. The second case, *Mahmoud v. Taylor*, addresses whether religious parents can exempt their children from lessons conflicting with their beliefs, potentially granting religious parents curriculum veto power. Conservative justices showed a willingness to expand religious influence in public schools, potentially leading to the widespread integration of religious instruction and the restriction of certain topics. This could fundamentally alter the nature of public education in the United States.
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In response to allegations of partisan bias, a Trump executive order sought to cut off all federal funding to PBS and NPR, instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to halt both direct and indirect funding. The order cited the CPB’s statutory prohibition against political contributions and argued that current media abundance renders government funding obsolete. This action prompted a lawsuit from the CPB and three board members, challenging the president’s authority to remove appointees and interfere with the CPB’s independence. The lawsuit highlights the CPB’s role in supporting over 1,500 local stations providing essential public media services.
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The HHS’s proposal to require placebo-controlled trials for all vaccine modifications is unclear, raising ethical concerns and potentially hindering access to life-saving vaccines. While the HHS spokesperson cites a need for “radical transparency” and claims a lack of data on childhood vaccine risk profiles, this assertion is misleading as many childhood vaccines have undergone placebo-controlled trials. Experts argue that requiring such trials for minor vaccine updates would be unnecessarily costly and could stifle vaccine development. This initiative coincides with Secretary Kennedy Jr.’s promotion of misinformation regarding vaccine safety, including the measles vaccine, potentially contributing to the current measles outbreak.
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John Q. Hosedrinker