The Daily Debate
President Biden Withheld Aid to Israel. Is It High Time—or a Crime?
Top Stories
One of the nation's largest health systems has paused some operations due to a cyberattack. Here's what goes on behind the scenes after a breach.
3 MIN READ
Welcome to the Bulletin,
- U.S. presidential election: More than 100 million Americans will cast their vote in the general election in November, but hundreds of thousands of people experiencing homelessness may not get the chance to exercise that right due to socio-economic barriers.
- Population time bomb: Experts have warned of a "silver tsunami" as America's population undergoes a huge demographic shift in the near future.
- Israel-Gaza war: The Biden administration has said that Israel's use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Gaza may have violated international humanitarian law.
- Joe Biden: Republican lawmakers are looking to bring new articles of impeachment against the President after the White House threatened to withhold some aid to Israel.
- Stormy Daniels: A Fox News legal analyst has said that Daniels' second day of testimony in the hush-money case against Donald Trump was a "staggering example of self-immolation."
- Ukraine war: Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet have cost Moscow hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, according to Kyiv's estimates.
TL/DR: Trump is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide hush money paid during his 2016 campaign
New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan denied two motions filed by former President Donald Trump's defense team in his hush-money case on Thursday as several witnesses, including Stormy Daniels, took the stand.
Why it matters: Trump's attorneys raised three issues in his hush-money case: a motion for a mistrial, an issue with the gag order against Trump, and a request to exclude testimony from Karen McDougal, another alleged recipient of hush money. Judge Juan Merchan rejected modifying the gag order, citing the need to protect the proceedings and prevent Trump's history of attacking others. A second mistrial motion was also denied, with the judge questioning the defense's handling of Daniels' testimony details.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Donald Trump's Defense 'a Complete Disaster'—Legal Analysts
Judge Engoron Faces Questions After Lawyer Says He Advised on Trump Case
Donald Trump May Have Prejudiced the Jury Against Himself: Attorney
What happens now? The trial will resume today with more witness testimonies.
TL/DR: Over the past few months illegal immigration has caused an explosion in tensions between the Biden administration and Governor Abbott.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has hit out at new asylum rules President Biden proposed, claiming they "do nothing to slow the record-breaking illegal immigration."
Why it matters: On Thursday, Biden unveiled proposals to expedite the asylum process for certain groups, including those with prior criminal convictions. Abbott, who has launched Operation Lone Star to combat illegal crossings, claimed Biden's proposed asylum reforms would make no difference to the level of irregular migration and urged him to "follow Texas' lead–or get out of the way." Tensions between Abbott and the Biden administration have escalated, especially after the Supreme Court allowed federal agents to remove razor wire along the Texas-Mexico border.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Greg Abbott Defies Joe Biden With Order To Ignore New Law
Greg Abbott Warns of Texas National Guard 'Power Grab'
Greg Abbott Vows To Defy Joe Biden on Another Law
What happens now? A survey of eligible U.S. voters conducted for Newsweek in April found just 20 percent believed the country has "control over its borders," a fall from 34 percent in August 2023.
TL/DR: In April 2023, according to the center, 41.9 million people in 22.2 million households received SNAP benefits—about 12.5 percent of the population.
Social Security has expanded access to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to potentially millions of Americans by broadening the definition of a public assistance (PA) household.
Why it matters: The new rule includes expanding the definition of a PA household to include those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments and households where not all members receive public assistance. This means that one can be considered a PA household if it has an SSI applicant or recipient and at least one other household member who receives one or more of the listed means-tested PIM payments.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Millions of Americans Get $4,800 Social Security Check
Social Security Maps Reveal Areas With Longest Waiting Times
Retired Americans Warn About Social Security's Future Under Donald Trump
What happens now? The maximum monthly SSI payment that a recipient can get in 2024 is $943 for individuals and $1,415 for a couple. The expanded definition will allow more people to qualify for SSI, boost some SSI recipients' monthly payments, and reduce reporting burdens for individuals living in PA households.
TL/DR: China's export volumes last month reversed the drop in March but were a far cry from the lofty heights seen early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The value of Chinese exports in U.S. dollars expanded by 1.5 percent last month compared to April 2023, according to preliminary data published by China's customs administration on Thursday.
Why it matters: This continues the general upward trend for shipment volumes since November, which saw the reversal of half a year of sharp declines following a brief post-pandemic bump. Exports are among the green shoots that have sprouted in recent months in the year of general economic malaise seen since China dropped its strict "zero-COVID" anti-pandemic measures in December 2022. However, the world's second-largest economy continues to be weighed down by its ongoing property market slump, high public debt, deflationary pressure, and high youth unemployment.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Here's How China's Economic 'Nuclear Option' Would Impact US
China and Japan: How Asia's Top Two Economies Compare
How American Views Are Shifting on China
What happens now? Thursday's report is another sign that China's exports are still far from the impressive export volumes it enjoyed at the height of the pandemic. Lackluster domestic demand has spurred deflation in China, reducing the cost of exports, Pinpoint Asset Management chief economist Zhang Zhiwei pointed out in a Reuters report. While this makes its goods more competitive, it has also led to China being accused of flooding markets with low-cost petrochemicals, steel, and other products to alleviate its manufacturing glut.
TL/DR: A rise in property taxes and insurance premiums spells trouble for homeowners throughout the U.S.
Homeowners nationwide are feeling the squeeze due to rising property taxes and insurance costs. Polling indicates that 65 percent of Americans had seen a hike in their property taxes, while 69 percent were now paying more for their home insurance policies.
Why it matters: A January poll found that about two-thirds of Americans surveyed believed their property tax rate was too high. Greg Batista, president of South Florida's G. Batista Engineering & Construction, tells Newsweek a wider demand for "public services, such as schooling, policing, and public infrastructure" has led to local governments requiring more revenue to cover costs, which "often leads to higher property taxes."
Read more in-depth coverage:
Property Tax Anger is Growing Across America
Homeowners Furious After Property Taxes Double in Six Months
Property Taxes Could Come Crashing Down Under Democrat Proposal
What happens now? However, as premiums continue to rise, more people are reducing coverage or forgoing it entirely, a risky move that Batista says “undermines both personal and community resilience.”
I'm a Motherless Daughter and a Daughterless Mother. But I'll Celebrate
When I was little, my sisters and I prepared breakfast for our mother on Mother's Day, which we ceremoniously presented to her in bed. Our feast consisted of a bowl of cereal, some cut-up fruit, and a glass of orange juice. We didn't even attempt to figure out how the coffee machine worked.
After I grew up and moved out of the house, I treated my mother to dinner on Mother's Day. Those meals felt less perfunctory than the breakfasts had. We lingered over our chardonnay, reminiscing about the past and making plans for the future.
My mother's name was Zelda, and she wore the name perfectly. She was the biggest presence in every room she entered, the exclamation point at the end of the alphabet, her laughter uninhibited and contagious.
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Opinion
The Debate
Russia-Ukraine War
Ukraine's Sea Drones Have Inflicted $500M in Damage on Russian Fleet: Kyiv
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Ukrainian Pilots Are Completing F-16 Training: Kyiv Military Official
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Pentagon Deals Russia a Blow Over Starlink
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Putin Ally Warns Russia's Nuclear War Policy May Change
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Ukraine Gets HIMARS Boost in New $400M U.S. Package
Ukraine is set to receive additional M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and ammunition from the U.S.
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Entertainment
Nikki Glaser's 'Someday You'll Die' Pushes All the Right Buttons
"I feel like I have been able to present sexual material in a different way than it's been done before comedically," Nikki Glaser tells Newsweek's Parting Shot.
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Michelle Buteau Proves You Can Strike It Big at Any Age With 'Zero Apologies'
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Nigeria Visit: Everything You Need to Know
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My Turn
I was in Gaza. I had to saw a child's bone without proper anesthetic
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I'm a 51-year-old grandma who skipped motherhood
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I lived in apartheid South Africa—equating it to Israel is an affront
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I had cancer. My treatment was eye-opening about addiction
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I'm a motherless daughter and a daughterless mother. But I'll celebrate
Mother's Day stings in a far more powerful way than it did during those years of failed baby-making attempts.
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Life & Trends
Trio of Remote Scottish Islands For Sale—With Own Tavern and Lighthouse
The islands have a rich history that dates back to the time of Robert the Bruce, while animal visitors include seals, puffins and sharks.
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How Woman With Cerebral Palsy Learned to Apply Makeup in Whole New Way
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Senior Cat Returned To Shelter Looks for Home To Spend 'Rest of Her Years'
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A Boss Hid a Free Wine Offer in Small Print, Months Later He Got an Email
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Millennial Woman Gets Makeover From Gen Z Sister—Not Prepared for Result
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The Science of Reading and How Lexia is Transforming Literacy Education
A Newsweek conference. June 3rd, San Diego. The new era of life sciences.
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Sign UpWhat To Do About America’s Debilitating Jihad-Anarchy Problem
In this episode, Josh breaks down all you need to know about the anarchic, pro-Hamas infestation now dominating American university campuses—and increasingly, our public squares and city streets as well. What in the world is going on right now? How did we get to this tragic point? What can be done about this insanity? All that and more in today's episode.
The Case For Climate Capitalism (Feat. Tom Rand)
Tom Rand joins host Ellis Henican to discuss his book: The Case For Climate Capitalism, Economic Solutions For A Planet In Crises, where he argues that a warming climate and a general distrust of Wall Street has opened a new cultural divide among those who otherwise agree we must mitigate climate risk.
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- Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
- Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
- Comment on articles
- Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Editor's Picks
Joe Biden's Rafah Red Line Upends US-Israel Relationship
President Joe Biden has said that he will not supply bombs to Israel to be used in a ground assault on Rafah.
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Millennials Are Rapidly Getting Richer
Under-40s have enjoyed remarkable economic recovery in recent years, a new report has found.
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U.S. News
Donald Trump just had his "best 5 minutes" in New York trial—Legal analyst
Former Trump aide and prosecution witness Madeleine Westerhout was cross-examined Friday, and according to legal analyst Harry Litman, she helped Trump's case.
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World
Kharkhiv war maps reveal "significant" Russian advances
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Xi Jinping's enduring NATO grudge
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Construction restarts on world's tallest skyscraper
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NATO's Russia border to be reinforced with trenches, bunkers
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Flight tracker shows US Air Force plane patrolling China's shores
The aircraft conducted at least three reconnaissance flights along Chinese coasts this week, flight-tracking data shows.
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Business
Target hit with backlash for decision on LGBTQ+ merchandise
The retailer announced Thursday that it would be limiting what stores carry its Pride Month merchandise this year.
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Tech & Science
Boys' IQs may be impacted by moms' pregnancy stress levels
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Man does DNA test—shocking results lead him on quest to discover truth
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Secrets of "exceptional" Roman shipwreck revealed by marine archaeologists
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Scientists reveal how autism develops in kids
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Veterinarian warns of summer pet threat that burrows into the skin
Foxtails may look unassuming but the seed pods can burrow into your pet's skin and sometimes cause breathing problems.
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Sports
GM continues push for Andretti Cadillac F1 entry
GM reaffirms support for Andretti's F1 bid for 2025 or 2026.
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Raiders GM Discusses Questionable Quarterback Plan For 2024 Season
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Former Yankees Top Prospect Involved in Blockbuster Trade Joins Indy League
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Kylian Mbappé Announces He's Officially Leaving Paris Saint-Germain
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Experts Forum
Surfing The Tsunami Waves of Profitable Business Acquisition
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Celebrity Brand Ambassadorships: Trends and Pitfalls in PR
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Don't Underestimate the Power of Young Voters
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DEI Is Still Critically Important in Healthcare, Despite the Backlash
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History Lesson: The State of Mental Health in Our Schools — How Did We Get
These recommendations represent a shift away from progressive experiential learning and toward creating well-rounded adults of the future.
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