The Bulletin
World in Brief
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- Slovakia leader shooting: Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is in stable but serious condition after being shot multiple times in an assassination attempt on Wednesday. Here's what we know about the suspect.
- Abbott seeks Biden's help: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has asked President Joe Biden to issue a Presidential Disaster Declaration for areas of the Lone Star State impacted by recent severe weather and flooding. Learn more.
- Willis faces another investigation: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is facing a new investigation into her office's alleged misuse of federal funds, the Washington Free Beacon reported Wednesday. Find out more details.
- US-built floating pier for Gaza: The floating pier that will allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza from the sea has been anchored to a beach in Gaza, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
- In the ongoing war in Ukraine, a Russian military airfield in Crimea has caught fire for a second night in a row, according to new reports, after Moscow said Ukraine had launched consecutive long-range strikes on the Russian-controlled peninsula.
Bad News for Biden as Gaza Puts Foreign Policy at Center of 2024 Election
Growing protests over U.S. military support for Israel have increased the likelihood that 2024 may be a rare foreign policy-influenced election — and the fallout could cost President Joe Biden in the critical battleground states he needs for re-election.
Why it matters: Foreign policy has traditionally taken a back seat in U.S. elections to economic and other domestic concerns, though the 1968 and 2004 elections were heavily determined by it. Executive director of US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Ahmad Abuznaid, told Newsweek that Biden is "playing with fire," despite increasing his criticism of Israel as the war has dragged on.
Read more in-depth coverage:
'Hamas Loves Biden': Israel Slams US Rafah Threat
TL/DR: Opponents of Israel's war in Gaza make up a relatively small part of the electorate, but they could play an outsized role in battleground states.
What happens now? Moves like his decision to stop some weapons shipments to Israel if it proceeded with the offensive in Rafah may win back some voters he's alienated in recent months. However, with no immediate end in sight to the war, the Middle East could continue dominating headlines, forcing Biden to potentially grapple with protests through the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Deeper reading Bad News for Biden as Gaza Puts Foreign Policy at Center of 2024 Election
Trump Launches Attack on Biden After Agreeing to Debate
Donald Trump has attacked President Joe Biden after the pair agreed to face off in two live televised debates. Here's what he said.
Why it matters: The two live televised debates could set up some of the most high-stakes moments of the 2024 election campaign, with tens of millions expected to watch across the country. Ahead of the confirmation of the two debates, Trump was goading Biden into accepting the challenge to face him one to one, including calling the president "the worst debater" he has ever faced. Biden is hoping to enforce strict rules to reduce interruptions, while Trump is calling for at least one to be held in a large venue "for excitement purposes."
Read more in-depth coverage:
Biden, Trump Set Presidential Debates: Everything We Know
TL/DR: Donald Trump, in a video posted on Truth Social, said: "Joe Biden is the worst president in the history of the United States, and it's not even close.”
What happens now? The first debate is set for June 27 on CNN in Atlanta, with the network's anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash serving as moderators. The debate will not be in front of a live audience in order to "maximize the time allotted" for each candidate. The second debate is scheduled for September 10 on ABC.
Deeper reading Donald Trump Launches All-Caps Attack on Joe Biden After Agreeing Debate
Iran's Drive to Build a Nuclear Bomb Is Gaining Momentum
After long maintaining one of the Middle East's most advanced nuclear programs and most powerful conventional militaries, Iranian decision-makers are beginning to reconsider their nation's official ban on developing weapons of mass destruction in light of rising tensions and deteriorating security conditions in the region.
Why it matters: Such a move, vehemently opposed by Israel and the United States, which are known to possess their own nuclear arsenals, would present both substantial risks and opportunities for the Islamic Republic. But after the severe unrest surrounding the ongoing war in Gaza simmered over into the first-ever direct exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel, influential Iranian figures like Kamal Kharrazi, senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are seeing greater value in boosting deterrence by going down the nuclear path.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Iran's Axis of Resistance Claims New Front Against Israel
TL/DR: Iran's nuclear program has long been subject to international scrutiny stemming from suspicions that the country was secretly pursuing nuclear capabilities.
What happens now? The U.S. and Israel have only doubled down on their warnings in light of the comments coming from Iran, particularly the remarks by Khamenei adviser Kharrazi, which State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller called "irresponsible" during a press briefing earlier this month.
Deeper reading Iran's Drive to Build a Nuclear Bomb Is Gaining Momentum
Biden Administration Balances Climate Action With Tough Stance on China
President Joe Biden's administration is further restricting imports of clean-energy technology from China, adding some solar panels and their components to the list of tariffs on Chinese goods such as electric vehicles and batteries announced earlier this week.
Why it matters: The administration is seeking to balance two of Biden's top priorities—bringing down greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change while building up clean energy manufacturing in the U.S., such as solar energy. The new restrictions come on top of increased tariffs on solar panels and other products Biden announced Tuesday. Biden announced that the tariff rate on solar cells will increase from 25 percent to 50 percent, and the tariff rate on Chinese-made EVs will jump to 100 percent.
Read more in-depth coverage:
It's Coal vs. Clean Fuels in the Coming Power Struggle Over EPA Climate Rules
TL/DR: China is both a major market for U.S. automakers and a major manufacturer of EVs, which the Chinese government has generously supported.
What happens now? The administration will immediately end an exemption on tariffs on two-sided, or bifacial, solar panels, John Podesta, senior adviser to the president for international climate policy said, adding that a recent trade report found a dramatic increase in imports of those panels, indicating that the exemption was being abused.
Deeper reading Biden Administration Balances Climate Action With Tough Stance on China
Why Are So Many More Gen Z Identifying as LGBTQ+?
Gen Z has bucked social trends time and time again, often creating its own. But one thing social scientists have yet to fully explain? Gen Z's increasingly different experience with sexuality.
Why it matters: A recent PRRI report reveals that almost 30 percent of Gen Z identifies as LGBTQ+, a stark contrast to Baby Boomers' 4 percent. Even compared to millennials at 16 percent, Gen Z stands out as a more sexually fluid generation. Cultural norms and values regarding gender and sexuality are evolving, and Gen Z tends to have more access to supportive peer groups and mental health awareness, which encourages young people to explore and understand their true selves.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Gen Z Is Breaking Company Rules Twice as Much as Boomers
TL/DR: A recent mGwork study showed eight out of 10 Gen Z-ers would avoid applying for a company that had withdrawn its support for the LGBTQ+ community.
What happens now? Gen Z is projected to make up a third of the workforce by 2030, so workplaces will likely need to align with the younger generation's expectations around inclusivity and equity.
Deeper reading Why Are So Many More Gen Z Identifying as LGBTQ+?
We're Archaeologists at Pompeii. A Third of the City Is Still Undiscovered
As I saw the images—the first time in 2,000 years that anyone had laid eyes on them—I felt a great surge of emotion, especially because they remain only yours for a few moments before they are consigned to the admiration of the whole world.
We had just uncovered stunning frescos inspired by the Trojan War painted on the splendid black walls of a banqueting hall during our excavation in insula 10 of Regio IX at Pompeii. They had been covered in ash since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
I was the co-lead archaeologist on this dig. These recent discoveries—the paintings of Helen and Paris, and Apollo and Cassandra, or of the blue sacrarium, soon to be published—are a fresh stimulus for new studies in ancient art.
