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Ukraine could face severe military and political consequences if its counteroffensive against Russia doesn't go as planned.
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- Chris Christie has filed paperwork to launch his 2024 presidential campaign, joining a growing Republican primary field. The former New Jersey governor is set to announce his bid tonight at a town hall-style event in New Hampshire.
- Some 1,300 people have been evacuated from the Kherson Oblast amid the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. At least two city districts have flooded in Kherson and upwards of 300 animals at the Kakhovka Dibrova Zoo are believed to be dead, officials report.
- Prince Harry has accused tabloid editors of having "blood on their hands" and said newspaper articles had "an impact on my life, the people around me, my mother" while giving evidence in his phone-hacking lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
- A federal judge has temporarily blocked parts of a Florida law that bans transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, according to AP. The judge ruled the state has no rational basis for denying treatment under the new law which was recently signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
- Progressive activist Cornel West announced his bid for the 2024 presidential election with the left-wing People's Party, claiming that "neither political party wants to tell the truth about Wall Street, about Ukraine, about the Pentagon, about Big Tech."
- Ford is recalling 125,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks over risks that engine failures may spark a fire. The recall impacts Ford Maverick pickups (2022-2023), Ford Escapes (2020-2023) and Lincoln Corsairs (2021-2023) that are hybrid or plug-in hybrid.
- The PGA Tour has agreed to a merger with LIV Golf, a rival organization backed by the Saudi royal family, in a deal that would see the competitors drop legal action against each other.
- In the ongoing war in Ukraine, an emergency announcement from Russian President Vladimir Putin that aired on TV and radio stations on Monday night was allegedly a deepfaked video created using A.I., according to Moscow. The incident is thought to represent the first weaponized use of deepfakes in war.
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TL/DR: "It effectively makes crossing the river in that area impossible," Andriy Zagorodnyuk, adviser to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, told Newsweek. "Even conducting operations in that whole area will be much more difficult."
Ukraine and Russia have pointed the finger at each other following the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam, an enormous Soviet-era construction that collapsed following a series of reported explosions on Monday night. The dam was Kyiv's only effective means of launching a successful assault across the Dneiper River, according to an adviser to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, and its collapse has put at least 80 settlements at risk of flooding.
Kyiv has blamed Russian troops for the catastrophe, with President Volodymyr Zelensky branding the occupying forces "terrorists." Russian officials in the region have denied the claims. Hundreds of thousands of people in the area are now being evacuated, and experts have warned that the situation may worsen rapidly; many towns could be left without drinking water in the coming days, and the subsequent fall in water levels in the Kakhovka Reservoir may imperil the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which relies on the reservoir for its cooling system.
What happens now? It is not known if the destruction of the dam will impact Kyiv’s long-awaited spring counteroffensive, which some reports suggest may already be underway. Andriy Zagorodnyuk, adviser to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, suggested to Newsweek that crossing the dam was likely not part of Ukraine’s plans, and that Moscow had destroyed it to “distract from the counteroffensive”, especially considering Kyiv has previously warned that Russian troops had mined the dam.
TL/DR: A Texas sheriff's office is recommending criminal charges after investigating the flights that moved migrants from San Antonio to Martha's Vineyard in the fall.
A sheriff's department in Texas is recommending criminal charges in connection to its investigation into flights that carried dozens of migrants from San Antonio to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, in the fall under the direction of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration, according to a statement from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. News of the completed criminal probe in Texas comes on the same day the California Department of Justice announced it had launched an investigation into a group of migrants that were dropped off in front of a church in Sacramento, California.
DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have participated in relocating migrants to Democratic-led cities as a protest over President Joe Biden's immigration policies. Republican leaders behind the relocation initiatives argue that it is an attempt to get Democrats to take the situation at the southern border more seriously. In contrast, critics have argued against politicians using migrants for political games. Hundreds of asylum seekers have been received by sanctuary cities, including New York, Chicago, Denver, and Washington, D.C.
What happens now? The case in Texas is under review by the Bexar district attorney and will be made available to the public once an update is received. Meanwhile, in California, Gov. Newsom has hit back against DeSantis and is threatening legal action. "[Ron DeSantis] you small, pathetic man," the governor tweeted. "This isn't Martha's Vineyard. Kidnapping charges?”
TL/DR: It appears Moscow is "trapped" between the two simultaneous problems, Oleg Ignatov, the Crisis Group think tank's senior Russia analyst, told Newsweek.
Moscow's forces are facing two Ukrainian offensives: a relatively small cross-border incursion that has seen Kyiv-aligned Russian fighters occupy settlements on Russian territory, and a second long-awaited major counteroffensive that Kyiv hopes will liberate significant occupied Ukrainian territory. "It seems that they don't have a choice right now," Oleg Ignatov, the Crisis Group think tank's senior Russia analyst, told Newsweek. "They understand that the Ukrainians are trying to distract them and their resources."
The first is a humiliation for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his military, suggesting that the national border is lightly defended and that Russians living in border regions are not safe. The second poses a strategic threat and, if successful, could puncture Putin's ambition to incorporate swaths of southern and eastern Ukraine. Foreign observers and ultranationalist Russian bloggers have been surprised by the success of the cross-border raids, launched in recent weeks by Freedom of Russian Legion and Russian Volunteer Corps units, which have been fighting alongside Ukrainian troops against Moscow's invasion.
What happens now? The slow and so far unsuccessful Russian response may speak to a priority to defend occupied territory in Ukraine, Ignatov told Newsweek, suggesting the recent fighting on Russian soil is an embarrassment for the Kremlin and the military. But even if Kyiv does not look to expand the incursion, the raids put Moscow in a tricky spot. "It shows their weakness," Ignatov added. "The reaction of the authorities has been very weak. … It would be reasonable to evacuate all the people from the borderline because if the Russians who fight with the Ukrainians can invade the Russian territories, they can attack [border settlements]. It's a big risk for the civil population."
TL/DR: "Toxic Christian nationalism is the single biggest threat to both democracy and the church, and we pastors have a moral obligation to loudly oppose it as a dangerous hijacking of our faith," Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America told Newsweek.
Christian organizations are calling on pastors nationwide to stand up against the rise of Christian nationalism. The "Preach and Pray to Confront Christian Nationalism" initiative is the latest event sponsored by Faithful America, an online community of progressive Christians that aim to combat the use of their faith being "hijacked" by the political right.
So, what is Christian nationalism? Experts like Paul D. Miller told Christianity Today that "it idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life." That philosophy has morphed into an extreme political movement that has used religion to "attack equal rights and spread dangerous conspiracy theories," said Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America. The biggest example: The Jan. 6 riots when protesters saw President Donald Trump's loss as being against God's will. The movement has sparked a huge divide among Christians. Faithful America has taken a stand against several Republican politicians, including Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who previously defended Christian nationalism, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
What happens now? The "Preach and Pray to Confront Christian Nationalism" is calling for pastors to denounce Christian Nationalism from the pulpit on June. 11. The event was chosen to coincide right before Flag Day. "Certainly, as patriotic Americans, we can and do honor our nation's flag, and as Christians, we venerate Christ before the cross—but while both objects are of great importance to us, only one is godly and only one is part of our faith," Empsall told the Baptist publication Word&Way.
TL/DR: “Naturally, Israel does not encourage such things,” said Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz. “I don't think Israel should agree to such things.
Negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia hit a roadblock after Israel's energy minister spoke out against allowing Riyadh to receive U.S. assistance in setting up a civilian nuclear program. But while potential Saudi uranium enrichment may churn up old memories of Iran's clandestine nuclear programs, Riyadh claims it is merely diversifying its energy grid.
Saudi Arabia's push is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030, which aims to get the country to move from an economy dependent on fossil fuels to a more sustainable one. It also calls for the use of nuclear power and the right to export enriched uranium. However, since the Saudis refused to sign an agreement with the U.S. not to enrich uranium, efforts have stalled. Saudi Arabia's planned shift to nuclear has brought fears that the nation will develop nuclear weapons. But the Saudis are seeking to allay these fears through what it calls "nuclear Aramco," a joint project with the U.S. that would give the U.S. a "direct role in the development and oversight of nuclear power development."
What happens now? U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia today. Blinken has said that the U.S. is keen on advancing normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which will be a topic of discussion for his visit. Brokering a Saudi-Israel normalization deal could serve as a major win for the Biden Administration ahead of the 2024 election. However, the agreement may be a tough sell as the Saudis have said that they will not seek to normalize ties until an independent Palestinian state is formed. Israel, meanwhile, wants to be looped in by Washington on any potential deal that could impact its national security.
TL/DR: “If we don't have some rain come this summer, it's going to impact the corn crop,” Curt Covington of AgAmerica told Newsweek.
Prices of corn products will likely jump if a drought continues in the Midwest, where most American corn is produced. Drought monitors say 27% of the region is abnormally dry and 9% is experiencing drought. Experts say crops are fine now, but drying soil threatens harvests. Corn is typically planted in the spring and harvested between August and October. It's used in livestock feed and fuel ethanol production and processed to make starch, sweeteners, oil and beverages.
The U.S. is the world's largest corn producer. Most are kept for domestic use; 10 to 20% are exported. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2023-2024 corn crop forecast expects 181.5 bushels will be harvested per acre for a record 15.3 billion bushels. American farmers produced 13.7 billion bushels in 2022, down from 2021's near-record 15.1 billion. Prices already increased amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Experts who warn drought could derail 10 to 15% of 2023's corn crop predict drought will push prices higher.
What happens now? The Midwest could face its worst drought in 30 years if current conditions persist. If corn harvest expectations fall below 15 billion bushels by July, the price per bushel could rise between $0.25 and $0.50 above the current $6.09, according to Curt Covington of nonbank agriculture lender AgAmerica. Consumer prices will also depend upon how other corn-producing countries’ crops fare.
Amanda Seyfried Says She 'Was Taken Advantage Of' By Hollywood
Amanda Seyfried admits she was "taken advantage of" during her career and wishes she'd been "naked less" on screen.
The Academy Award-nominated actor was speaking to Newsweek ahead of the launch of her upcoming Apple TV+ drama The Crowded Room. She stars opposite Tom Holland in the period psychological thriller which launches on Friday June 9, 2023.
Known for her roles in Mean Girls, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Mank and more, 37-year-old Seyfried previously said she's had many moments of regret in her career. She delved deeper into those times with Newsweek.
The Full STORY- "I don't want to be unkind to Senator Manchin, but he's kind of dead man walking in West Virginia. There's nowhere for him to go," Former Obama Advisor David Axelrod said about Manchin's chances of re-election to the Senate.
- "One of the things I think about, and one of the reasons why I'm on this show, is because of the comments that were made, frankly, on this show: That the only way for a young African American kid to be successful in this country is to be the exception and not the rule. That is a dangerous, offensive, disgusting message to send to our young people today, that the only way to succeed is by being the exception," 2024 presidential candidate and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott said during an appearance on The View.
- "Signatories who have services with a potential to disseminate [artificial intelligence]-generated disinformation should, in turn, put in place technology to recognize such content and clearly label this to users. I said many times that we have the main task to protect the freedom of speech. But when it comes to the AI production, I don't see any right for the machines to have the freedom of speech," European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said.
- Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is expected to announce his 2024 GOP presidential campaign during a town hall event at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire.
- Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals' LGBTQ-themed "Night OUT" game with the Arizona Diamondbacks this evening.
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