Israel vs. Iran, Biden vs. Trump, & J. Cole vs. Kendrick
April 15, 2024
Hello, readers – happy Monday! Today, we’re talking about the conflict between Israel and Iran, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the lack of conflict between China and North Korea, rare species in Cambodia, Biden and Trump, Google blocking California sites, and the Drake/Kendrick/J. Cole feud.
Here’s some good news: a new rule from the Biden administration will require oil and gas companies to pay more to drill on federal lands, and create stronger requirements to clean up old or abandoned wells. Also, a man in the Gaza Strip named Mohammed Assalia is using solar panels to clean water for his neighbors.
“I have seen many storms in my life. Most storms have caught me by surprise, so I had to learn very quickly to look further and understand that I am not capable of controlling the weather, to exercise the art of patience and to respect the fury of nature.” – Paulo Coelho
Not Your Usual Weekend Watch
Weekends are supposed to be a time for de-stressing, but this weekend was more distressing than anything. In response to Israel’s alleged bombing of its embassy compound in Syria, Iran launched a retaliatory attack at Israel, firing “dozens of drones and missiles towards the occupied territories and positions of the Zionist regime.”
U.S. and British warplanes took to the air over Jordan and Iraq to shoot down some of the 200 drones and missiles fired off by Tehran. Jordan’s air force shot down some missiles as well, while Israel’s U.S.-funded Iron Dome air defense systems handled the rest. A few missiles made it through the defense effort, causing light damage at an airbase and wounding a young girl. One member of Israel’s War Cabinet said that the IDF would “exact a price from Iran in a way and time that suits us.”
In the U.S., President Biden pledged an “ironclad” commitment to defending Israel. For anybody wondering how President Trump would handle the situation, we have you covered. Trump posted a screenshot of a tweet from 2018, stating, “To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!” Now that’s what we call real 21st-century diplomacy.
War Takes Its Toll In Two Ways
The war in Ukraine has been in the headlines for over two years, but the conflict is still creating new shockwaves across Europe. According to Andriy Kobolyev, the former head of Ukraine’s Naftogaz oil company, Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure might soon cause a spike in European energy costs. “Russia is trying to wage a global energy war and..if the markets perceive that Russia is winning that war the consequences will be very serious. You will see a spike in prices all around the globe,” said Kobolyev. He added that if Kyiv doesn’t receive aid to defend itself against attacks on its energy infrastructure, “There will be no Ukrainian economy to reconstruct.”
Meanwhile, there has been a spike in customers looking to buy second homes outside of the country. “Very often, our clients tell us that the reason for which they’re buying real estate is because they’re afraid of the war, they’re afraid of Russia, so they would like to have some place where, eventually, they could leave for fast, if there was such a need,” said one source. Europe is becoming increasingly pessimistic about the conflict overall, which is not a good sign as Ukraine struggles to maintain its defenses.
Like Peanut Butter And Jelly, But With Missiles
- On Saturday, Zhao Leji (the Communist Party of China’s third-highest-ranking official) met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, reaffirming the close ties between the two East Asian countries. The meeting marked the first high-level diplomatic visit between the two allies since the Covid-19 pandemic.
- According to Chinese news outlet Xinhua, Zhao told Kim that China and North Korea have been “good neighbours and struggled together to attain a common destiny and level of development” ever since they established diplomatic ties 75 years ago, and asserted Beijing’s hopes that their relationship would continue to thrive. The news comes just a few weeks after North Korea announced tests of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile, which has its neighbors to the south understandably on edge.
Man, Mangroves Are Cool
- After all the heavy world news we’ve packed in today, we figured it was time for a break – so here’s some good news from the mangrove forests of Cambodia. According to a biodiversity survey of the Peam Krasop sanctuary and the adjacent Koh Kapik Ramsar reserve conducted by one conservation group, Cambodia’s mangrove forests are home to a surprising number of rare species, underlining their importance as key ecosystems to preserve.
- “We found 700 different species in these mangrove forests but we suspect we have not even scratched the surface,” said the leader of the survey team. “If we could look at the area in even greater depth we would find 10 times more, I am sure.” Aside from playing host to a surprising number of rare species, including the elusive fishing cat and the hairy-nosed otter, the mangroves also protect coastal areas from erosion, floods, and storms, making them uniquely irreplaceable in two distinct ways.
More Mixed Nuts
- Sudanese refugees in Chad unable to access medical care for war injuries (Guardian)
- Officer, bystanders hailed for confronting, stopping man who killed 6 at Sydney mall (ABC)
- Italy’s prime minister says surrogacy ‘inhuman’ as party backs steeper penalties (CNN)
- India’s Modi vows to boost social spending, make country into a manufacturing hub ahead of election (AP)
- Germany’s Scholz arrives in China on a visit marked by trade tensions and Ukraine conflict (AP)
Middle East Mixed Nuts
- Hamas demands written commitment that Israel will withdraw from Gaza (Politico)
- West Bank sees biggest settler rampage since war in Gaza began as Israeli teen’s body is found (AP)
A Forecast For Fall
- It’s time for our weekly “what the heck is going on with the 2024 election?” update. Biden gained some ground in polls released over the weekend. According to a New York Times/Siena College poll released on Saturday, Trump is (barely) leading Biden 46% to 45% among registered voters.
- In another poll released on Sunday by I&I/Tipp, Biden sat at 43% and Trump at 40% if no other choices were offered. However, once Robert F. Kennedy, Cornel West, and Jill Stein were added, Biden and Trump were evenly matched at 38%. The third-party candidates are a major hit to Biden’s chances in November.
- Meanwhile, the two central figures are trying to figure out their debate schedule. 12 U.S. news organizations – including ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, PBS, NBC, NPR, and the Associated Press – released a statement encouraging the candidates to schedule their debates. “If there is one thing Americans can agree on during this polarized time, it is that the stakes of this election are exceptionally high,” they wrote.
Bullying Or Good Business?
- The California Journalism Preservation Act, which was introduced in March 2023 and is still awaiting a hearing by the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee, would require platforms like Google and Meta to pay a “journalism usage fee” to news outlets when using their content alongside digital ads. Google was not pleased by the proposed legislation, so they’re testing out just how bad it would be for their business.
- Google announced in a blog post that it will remove links to California news websites for a small portion of users to gauge “the impact of the legislation on our product experience.” California State Senate President Pro-Tempore Mike McGuire called Google’s decision “bullying,” and said, “This is a dangerous threat by Google that not only sets a terrible precedent here in America, but puts public safety at risk for Californians who depend on the news to keep us informed of life-threatening emergencies and local public safety incidents.”
More Nuts In America
- Arizona anti-abortion activists aren’t letting up after Supreme Court victory (NBC)
- Multi-day severe weather threat this week for Northeast and Central US (CNN)
- Women won’t be ‘conned’ by Trump’s abortion dance, Sen. Tina Smith says (Politico)
- Trump seeks to use NY hush money trial to delay criminal case over classified document handling in FL (CNN)
- ‘The Antisemitism Is Absolutely Disproportionate’ (Politico)
Millionaires Trade Poetic Barbs Over The Internet
- Rap beef is on the menu this week as hip hop’s Big Three – Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake – have started a diss track trading session for the ages. It’s been a while since we had a good rap feud, so let’s all enjoy it while it lasts. This all started when Kendrick Lamar released an uncredited verse on a song by rapper Future and producer Metro Boomin, saying that there is no big three, just him. J. Cole responded to the line by dropping an entire song calling Kendrick Lamar’s last album “tragic,” but fans were so disappointed in the record that Cole literally apologized for releasing it during a live show.
- Drake, meanwhile, responded by leaking a song calling out multiple artists who’ve dissed him in the past, including Kendrick, The Weeknd, and Rick Ross. On it, he calls Kendrick short and a pop sellout, digs at The Weeknd for leaving Toronto for L.A., and calls Rick Ross old.
- While Lamar and The Weeknd haven’t yet dropped responses, Rick Ross was somehow able to release a full response, called Champagne Moments, just a few hours after Drake’s song leaked. In the response, he repeatedly calls Drake “White Boy,” while also accusing him of getting a nose job and surgery to get a six-pack (he must have had these insults ready to go). Drake denied the claims on Instagram, but Ross quickly responded by adding that Drake also got a Brazilian butt lift.
More Loose Nuts
- ‘Rust’ armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed called jurors ‘idiots’ in jail phone calls, prosecutors say (NBC)
- Meteorites may be lost to Antarctic ice as climate warms, study says (CNN)
- How to get rid of NYC rats without brutality? Birth control is one idea (ABC)
- Russian nature reserve wants volunteers to help toads cross busy road (CNN)
- Foxes were once humans’ best friends, study says (CNN)