The Bulletin
World in Brief
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- Hope Hicks testimony: Donald Trump's ex-aide broke down in tears while testifying at the former president's hush-money trial in New York on Friday. Read more.
- Fani Willis: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said an investigation into her office is "messing up" her business. The Georgia State Senate is probing her hiring of Nathan Wade. Here's the latest.
- Texas flooding: Severe weather has hit Texas with vehicles swept away and buildings damaged. Residents in some low-lying areas have been told to evacuate their homes.
- Russian aircraft enter Alaska airspace: Four Russian military aircraft were detected and tracked operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), a buffer zone outside U.S. sovereign airspace. Find out more.
- South Korea shoots down Chinese balloon: South Korea's air force shot down an unidentified balloon in late March after the object—thought to have originated in China—crossed the country's de facto maritime border with the North. Here's more about the incident.
- Pork recall alert: A serious warning has been issued to consumers after a chorizo product was discovered to contain hard plastic and metal fragments. This poses a potential health hazard. Learn more.
- In the ongoing war in Ukraine, a video released by Ukraine shows 42 Russian tanks and combat vehicles destroyed by Kyiv's forces in the eastern Donetsk region, where fierce clashes are ongoing.
Biden Slammed for Being 'Authoritarian' After Protest Comments
President Joe Biden on Thursday broke his silence on the ongoing campus protests in the United States, resulting in criticism from several pro-Palestinian voices.
Why it matters: Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments have spread across the nation after seemingly being inspired by the actions of students at New York City's Columbia University. As violence and police intervention spread at different schools, Biden condemned acts of violence committed by protesters, saying, "There is a right to protest, but not a right to cause chaos." Here's Biden's full statement during his White House address on Thursday.
Read more in-depth coverage:
What Is the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights? Group Training Protesters
Biden Protest Response Compared to Warnings About Trump
Joe Biden Issues Decision on Sending National Guard to Campus Protests
TL/DR: The protests have caused a rift between Democrats, with progressive lawmakers defending the student's right to demonstrate and opposing Israel's actions.
What happens now? On Wednesday, the House passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act to address reports of rising antisemitism on college campuses. In a statement, Democratic Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin, who co-sponsored the bill, said: "We should be focused on implementing President Biden's National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism to achieve immediate results to protect Jewish students and foster a conducive learning environment for everyone.”
Deeper reading Biden Slammed for Being 'Authoritarian' After Protest Comments
Trump Falsely Claims He Isn't 'Allowed' to Testify at Hush-Money Trial
Former President Donald Trump has falsely claimed that his hush-money trial gag order means that he isn't "allowed" to testify as part of his defense.
Why it matters: New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan hit Trump with a limited gag order that prohibits him from speaking about jurors, witnesses, court staff and their family members. The order does not, however, have any impact on his right to testify. While addressing the press outside the Manhattan courtroom on Thursday, Trump insisted that the gag order would block his testimony after being asked when he intends to take the stand. The ex-president's lawyer Todd Blanche appeared to nod in agreement while the false claim was made.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Donald Trump Attorney's Court Move Leaves People Stunned
Judge Merchan Raises Concerns About Michael Cohen
Trump Prosecutor Response to Question About Breaking Law Raises Eyebrows
TL/DR: Trump lawyer Todd Blanche nodded in agreement while the former president said that a gag order prevented his testimony.
What happens now? Legal experts were quick to point out that gag orders, including Merchan's order pertaining to Trump, never prevent criminal defendants from testifying during their trials. "Of course [Trump] can testify. He has an absolute right to testify and he is not restricted in terms of what he can talk about as long as it's relevant, admissible evidence," lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said during a CNN appearance. A hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. today on four alleged violations of the gag order.
Deeper reading Trump Falsely Claims He Isn't 'Allowed' to Testify at Hush-Money Trial
Teacher Salary Map Reveals States That Pay Educators the Best
A map shows where teachers are paid the best—and worst—in the U.S.
Why it matters: The NEA 2024 report on educator pay in 50 states and the District of Columbia says the national average teacher salary for the 2022-23 school year increased to $69,544. The report comes as states across the country are grappling with teacher shortages. California had the highest average teacher salary at $95,150, while West Virginia had the lowest at $52,870. Chronic low pay is plaguing the teaching profession, according to the report. The report highlighted the role of unions in driving up teacher pay, noting that states with collective bargaining see higher salaries.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Florida Teacher Salaries Fall to Nearly the Lowest in the US
LAUSD Strike Sees Hundreds of Schools Close as Teachers Walk Out Over Pay
Texas Teacher Booted For 'Improper' Puppet Show Murder Assignment
TL/DR: The National Education Association's (NEA) 2024 report said average teacher pay has failed to keep up with inflation, with teachers making 5 percent less on average than they did ten years ago.
What happens now? Next week marks National Teache Appreciation Week. NEA President Becky Pringle said, "By holding elected officials accountable, educators will earn the respect, competitive wages, and support they deserve to provide their students with the skills needed to fulfill their dreams in safe, just, and welcoming learning environments."
Deeper reading Teacher Salary Map Reveals States That Pay Educators the Best
China's Economic Gambit Could Nuke Putin's Dollar Ploy
Economists call it the "nuclear" option. Still, speculation that China might devalue its currency, the yuan (RMB), could cause fallout for Russia as President Vladimir Putin pushes to move the global economy away from its reliance on the U.S. dollar.
Why it matters: China's potential devaluation stems from economic challenges, including low consumer confidence, a property sector crunch, and indebted local governments. While yuan depreciation could boost Chinese exports and allow for lower interest rates, it could destabilize global currency markets and dampen its appeal relative to the greenback, whose prominence Russia wants to overhaul. The hesitance of other BRICS nations constrains Russia's drive toward non-dollar transactions, and China's devaluation might further complicate Russia's de-dollarization goals.
Read more in-depth coverage:
China's Quiet Push Into Russia's Far East Puts Putin in a Pickle
China's Support for Russia's War in Ukraine Is Growing, Reports Say
Leading Russia Watcher in China Makes Surprise Ukraine War Prediction
TL/DR: Russia has managed to redirect its exports of raw materials from the West, where they are subject to sanctions, to China.
What happens now? The Russian Central Bank continues to push for greater independence from Western financial systems and currencies, promoting "friendly" currencies, such as the yuan, by increasing their share of foreign exchange reserves, but there is a long way to go.
Deeper reading China's Economic Gambit Could Nuke Putin's Dollar Ploy
How the US Retirement Age Compares With Rest of World
The climbing age of the world's population is putting increasing pressure on governments—especially those in Western countries, where the increases are more evident—to update their pension systems to match the demographic change.
Why it matters: Countries like France have sought to ease the funding burden by raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. The U.S. grapples with outdated Social Security, facing possible benefit cuts by 2033. This uncertainty and rising living costs lead many Americans to delay retirement, with the latest survey indicating one in four workers aged 50 and above believe they will never retire. Here's a list of the effective retirement age in a selection of countries worldwide based on the average age of exit from the labor force for workers aged 40 or older.
Read more in-depth coverage:
Young Americans Face Bleak Tax Future
Americans to Get Additional Social Security Payment in May
America's Retirement Dream is Dying
TL/DR: American workers already retire later than those in most European countries—and considerably later than those in India and Indonesia, which have some of the youngest average retirement ages in the world.
What happens now? While the Social Security program isn't likely to go bankrupt as some have feared, the reductions in benefits for recipients could be significant. Whatever solution the U.S. seeks would have to come via action in Congress.
Deeper reading How the US Retirement Age Compares With Rest of World
Scientific Tweak May Fix Einstein Theory 'Glitch'
A bizarre "cosmic glitch" in the theory of how the gravity of the universe works may have been mended.
The strange glitch in Einstein's description of gravity in his theory of general relativity may explain some of the mysteries of how gravity works on a cosmic scale, according to a new paper in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.
Einstein's theory of general relativity describes how gravity works across the cosmos, suggesting that gravity can impact the three dimensions of space, but also a fourth dimension: time.
