Government Dating Apps, Israel vs. Lebanon, & Elon Musk’s Compensation
June 7, 2024
Hello, readers – happy Friday! Today, we’re talking about Israel and Lebanon, Russia’s threats, E.U. elections, Japan’s government dating app, plans to lure Black voters to the GOP, a Supreme Court ruling, and Elon Musk’s compensation package.
Here’s some health-related good news: thousands of patients in England will be fast-tracked into groundbreaking trials of personalized cancer vaccines. Meanwhile, the world’s first personalized mRNA cancer vaccine for melanoma halves the risk of patients dying or the disease returning. Also, a new drug called lorlatinib stopped lung cancer from advancing for longer than any other treatment in medical history. Finally, Dexcom G7, a continuous glucose monitoring system that allows people with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels in real-time, announced it’s integrating directly with Apple Watch.
“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne
A Wartime Extension For Bibi
Israel might be facing a new conflict on its northern border. The country has been trading volleys of rockets with Lebanon since Hamas’ October 7 attacks, but the frequency of missile barrages and border clashes between the two has increased over the past week, with bombardments hitting deep in each country’s territory.
“Whoever thinks he can hurt us and we will respond by sitting on our hands is making a big mistake,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while visiting IDF troops near the Israel-Lebanon border. “We are prepared for very intense action in the north.” While rockets from Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group ignited wildfires in northern Israel, international human rights groups have accused Israel of using white phosphorus to attack targets in southern Lebanon.
In a recent interview with Time, U.S. President Joe Biden was asked whether Netanyahu is prolonging the conflict in Gaza for his own political self-preservation. The leader of the free world told the magazine, “There is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.” This new conflict with Lebanon might be an extension of that strategy, but it’s unclear if Israel’s population will support Bibi in the maneuver.
Hopefully He’s Just Putin On A Show
As the Middle East reaches the precipice of a new conflict, Moscow also appears ready to ratchet up the tensions. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin essentially threatened the use of Russian missiles against targets outside of Ukraine, putting the world on notice that the nuclear power might use its military might against Western countries.
When asked about Western countries allowing Kyiv to use their missiles against targets inside Russia, Putin said, “If someone considers it possible to supply such weapons to a combat zone to strike our territory and create problems for us, then why do we not have the right to supply our weapons of the same class to those regions of the world from which the strikes will be carried out on sensitive objects of those countries that do this in relation to Russia?” He added, “That is, the answer may be symmetrical. We will think about it.” While it’s unclear what “regions of the world” Putin was referring to, you can probably bet your house that he’s threatening the U.S. and its European allies. He also discussed his country’s nuclear arsenal, saying, “For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it.” So, that’s fun!
An E.U. Election Preview
- European Parliament elections kicked off yesterday, signaling the end of a fraught campaign season. Voting will take place across all 27 E.U. member states over the weekend, with results expected to be available by Monday. In the leadup to this week’s elections, far-right political parties across the bloc saw a surge in support as ruling moderates struggled to keep up their image in the face of multiple recent crises.
- The elections will see citizens of each E.U. member state directly vote for their representatives in the E.U.’s legislature, which votes on bloc-wide laws proposed by the European Commission. Right-wing parties in France, Germany, and Italy are expected to contest for the lead in their elections, though it’s unclear what the effects of an increase in right-wing lawmakers will be on the generally-liberal EU. The right-wing parties are unlikely to actually band together, but their interests might align on certain issues such as watering down climate regulations or pulling back support for Ukraine.
Tokyo’s Take On Tinder
- Would you use a government-developed version of Tinder? Well, Japan’s government is hoping people will. Tokyo City Hall is developing a new initiative, named “Tokyo Futari Story” (“futari” means couple in Japanese), with the aim of getting young single people together. The program already has an active website offering dating advice to young people, and apparently, a government-sanctioned app is also in the works.
- While concrete details about the app are currently unavailable, Japanese media sources claim that it will require some sort of verification for users to confirm their single status. Why the push to get people together? Japan, like many other developed countries across the globe, is facing a demographic crisis. The country registered 474,717 marriages in 2023 compared to 504,930 the year before, while birth rates also declined to historical lows – they dipped from 770,759 in 2022 to 727,277 last year.
More Mixed Nuts
- Scores feared dead after RSF militants attack village in Sudan’s Al Jazirah State (ABC)
- Train collision kills at least four in Czech Republic (CNN)
- Taliban publicly flogs 63 people accused of crimes, including women (NBC)
- Yemen’s Houthi rebels unveil solid-fuel ‘Palestine’ missile that resembles Iranian hypersonic (AP)
- Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico says he was targeted for Ukraine views, in first speech since assassination attempt (NBC)
Middle East Mixed Nuts
- Israeli nationalists march in Jerusalem as a far-right minister boasts of Jewish prayer at key site (AP)
- UNICEF finds 90% of Gazan children lack food needed for proper growth (Reuters)
- Israel says deadly strike on Gaza school sheltering Palestinians targeted Hamas militants planning attacks (CBS)
- Spain asks to join South Africa’s case at ICJ accusing Israel of genocide (AP)
PAC-ing $14 Million Worth Of Heat
- Great Opportunity PAC, a super PAC affiliated with Sen. Tim Scott, is prepared to spend $14 million between now and Election Day to entice Black and uncommitted voters in swing states to vote for GOP candidates. Democrats still hold a wide advantage with Black voters, but there are groups interested in seeing what Trump has to offer.
- “I think there’s been seed in the soil that’s been germinating,” Scott said of voters who have not backed Republicans in generations. “Now the question is, are there laborers available to take advantage of the harvest?” Interesting metaphor, and an interesting tactic, but it could pay off – Trump is leading Biden in a few swing states already.
A Supremely Wise Budgeting Choice
- Yesterday, the Supreme Court sided 5-4 with Native American tribes in a dispute with the federal government over the cost of tribe-run health care programs. The Department of Health and Human Services had argued it shouldn’t be responsible for the overhead costs associated with billing insurance companies.
- The federal Indian Health Service has provided tribal health care since the 1800s. The tribes contracted with IHS to run their own programs, and the agency paid the tribes the money it would have spent to run those services – but that didn’t include the costs for billing insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare.
- Paying those costs for all tribes that run their own healthcare programs could total between $800 million and $2 billion per year, the agency said. Covering those costs is “necessary to prevent a funding gap,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. Justices Kavanaugh, Thomas, Alito, and Coney Barrett were in disagreement with their fellow justices.
More Nuts In America
- Rex Heuermann, accused Gilgo Beach serial killer, charged with murdering 2 more women (NBC)
- Dangerous heatwave hits US from Texas to California with grim records expected (Guardian)
- Jurors in Hunter Biden trial hear from clerk who sold him the gun (AP)
- FBI searches defendant’s home after juror was allegedly offered a $120,000 bribe for a not guilty verdict (NBC)
- NYPD preparing to revoke Donald Trump’s license to carry a gun after felony conviction in New York (CNN)
Stock Goes Down, Pay Goes … Up?
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk is threatening to leave his company behind if shareholders don’t approve his $56 billion pay package (if this works, we’re doing it too!). Apparently, the company (which is run by Musk) really, really wants its CEO to secure the massive pay package, sending out multiple messages to stockholders all but begging them to approve the $56 billion payout.
- “Elon is not a typical executive, and Tesla is not a typical company,” wrote Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm in a letter to shareholders. “So, the typical way in which companies compensate key executives is not going to drive results for Tesla. Motivating someone like Elon requires something different.” But, she clarified, his compensation package (which would make Elon the highest-paid CEO in history) is “not about the money … we all know Elon is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and he would remain so even if Tesla were to renege on the commitment we made in 2018.”
- While many investors might be resistant to paying out Elon due to his propensity for social media outbursts and a downturn in Tesla’s stock price, Musk might actually make out like a bandit here. According to recent data, about 25% of shareholders have already voted on the compensation, with over 80% voting to pay out Big E. For their sake, we hope there’s a clause in his contract that puts a time limit on his Twitter…sorry, X account.
More Loose Nuts
- 102-year-old WWII vet from New York dies while traveling to D-Day ceremony in France (NBC)
- A hail stone the size of a pineapple was found in Texas. It likely sets a state record (AP)
- Shark spits out spiky land-loving creature in front of shocked scientists in Australia (CBS)
- Tallest waterfall in China is fed by pipes, officials admit (WaPo, $)
- SpaceX’s Starship soars through new milestones in test flight of the most powerful rocket ever built (CNN)
- Carbon detected in galaxy observed 350m years after big bang (Guardian)
