NPR-Up First

"Suspect in Trump's 2nd apparent assassination attempt had a complex political past."

Views expressed in this U.S. and World News update are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 17 September 2024, 1403 UTC.

Content and Source:  https://www.npr.org/sections/upfirst

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Russ Roberts (https://trendsingeopolitics.blogspot.com).

 

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by Brittney Melton September 17, 2024 Good morning. There's a celestial buffet for stargazers tonight as three cosmic events — a supermoon, a blood moon and a partial lunar eclipse — happen simultaneously with a harvest moon. Here’s the peak time. Check out the other news we’re following today: Ryan Routh, the man arrested and accused of planning to assassinate former President Donald Trump Sunday, has a lengthy contradictory online history. Some of it has been in favor of Trump and some urged violence against him. In addition to his social media posts and a self-published book, Routh has been interviewed by major media outlets about his attempts to fight the Russians in Ukraine. He also has a long history of trouble with the law, including a 2002 conviction on a felony charge of possessing a weapon of mass destruction. Here’s what else we know about him. AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images 🎧 NPR’s Quil Lawrence tells Up First that Routh went to Ukraine at least once to help fight the Russians in some way. In a 2023 interview with Semafor, he claimed to be in contact with hundreds of U.S. trained Afghan soldiers in exile and he was going to bring them to fight in Ukraine. He told the New York Times he would have to pay bribes and forge passports to do this. He was dismissed as unserious. Many American veteran groups who support Ukraine are now concerned that the war has become a partisan issue and Routh’s example could paint their movement as radical or anti-Trump. An annual cultural festival celebrating unity and diversity in Springfield, Ohio has been canceled due to safety concerns, according to local officials. School closures and cancellations of events like this have become routine after Trump and his running mate JD Vance spread false claims about Haitian migrants living in the area. In a press conference yesterday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he's sending highway patrol officers to monitor schools in Springfield, which have seen at least 33 bomb threats. 🎧 “A lot of people are feeling the impacts of being under the national microscope and having these regular closures,” NPR’s Jessica Orozco says. Over the past day, two more elementary schools closed and a university moved classes online after more bomb threats, one of which mentioned the Haitian community. Ohio will also let Springfield use the state’s surveillance towers equipped with cameras to monitor threats. A lot of Haitian immigrants in the area are upset about being painted with such a broad brush. Meanwhile, some people who live in the area say the attention might help with things they need most, including more translators at schools and medical facilities, and infrastructure improvements. Media magnate Rupert Murdoch is facing off against his kids in a Reno, Nev. court to determine the fate of his vast holdings, especially Fox News. The 93-year-old wants to alter the irrevocable trust set up to grant his four eldest children equal say in his media empire after his death in order to give full control to his eldest son Lachlan, who is currently running their companies.  🎧 Murdoch is making the argument that Lachlan has helped him run the company the last five or six years, NPR’s David Folkenflik says. He also says changing the trust will allow for clarity to avoid litigation and create a corporate structure that benefits everyone once he dies. Murdoch believes his other children could hurt Fox News' performance by pulling away from the right-wing programs popular with its core audiences. The trio of siblings argue that short-term gains for aging audiences are hurting the professionalism of the company to its core. This comes after a defamation lawsuit against Fox News over amplifying and embracing Trump's false claims of 2020 election fraud cost them $787 million. Newsletter continues after sponsor message ktsdesign/Science Photo Library/Getty Images Feeling exhausted or irritable? There could be an undiagnosed reason for that, especially for women. According to a U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys study, around a third of U.S. women of reproductive age may not be getting enough iron. Despite the high risks, doctors don’t routinely screen for iron deficiency, which could lead to anemia, during annual health examinations. The ambiguous symptoms of the condition — including lethargy, irritability, and pale skin — means low iron can go easily overlooked, said Angela Weyand, a pediatric hematologist at the University of Michigan Medical School. 🩸 In addition to physical symptoms, women with iron deficiency can also struggle with anxiety, depression and restless leg syndrome. 🩸 During pregnancy, people are more vulnerable to anemia and if developed they’re more likely to have difficult pregnancies. Low iron in a mother-to-be can affect newborn development. 🩸 One of the main reasons iron deficiency is more common among nonpregnant women than men is menstrual bleeding. 🩸 Iron deficiency in men is rare but when it develops it can signal an underlying condition such as cancer or an ulcer. Here’s why there’s a call for more research on low iron and how it’s treated. Maggie Shannon for NPR Ursula Boschet has been running the legendary costume shop, Ursula’s Costumes in Los Angeles, for half a century. Now, the 90-year-old is closing its doors for good and everything is for sale. When customers walk into the shop they’re greeted by ghoulish masks of past presidents, a wall of wacky, colorful wigs and an impressive collection of stick-on mutton chops, mustaches and goatees in a glass counter. The shop has even been a frequent spot for celebrities like Kate Beckinsale, Victoria Tennant and Steve Martin. In fact, Boschet became so well-known for her talents she was tapped to play an extra in a few movies. 📷 Take a look inside the shop, which is full of handmade costumes.  Match Active: Double Your Impact The NPR Network is dedicated to bringing critical climate coverage to the forefront and digging into solutions. But we can’t do it alone.  As we wrap up Climate Solutions Week, we’re asking 100 donors to step up and power the independent journalism needed to make this possible. Right now, your support will be matched dollar for dollar when you donate to the NPR Network — doubling your impact. Can we count on you today? Double Your Impact: Donate Now ➔ Naomi Baker/Getty Images American gymnast Jordan Chiles is appealing her case to Switzerland’s highest federal court after her Olympic bronze medal was revoked by an arbitration court just days after she won the floor exercise final in Paris.  In 2014, Wil Davenport was in a dark place and his mental health was unraveling. By December, he had admitted himself to an inpatient mental health program. One day, at the right time, his therapist and unsung hero said just what he needed to ignite a spark in him and help him want to live again. Editor's note: This story includes mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 9-8-8.   American pastor David Lin is returning home after being arrested in China on a contract fraud charge that he and his family deny, the State Department said yesterday. The 68-year-old had been jailed for more than 18 years. Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from Hawai‘i Public Radio (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can  sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more!

Semafor Flagship-Asia Morning Edition

"Trump suspect charged, Tik Tok ban hearing, HK's sedition conviction."

Views expressed in this geopolitical news and analysis are those of the reporters and correspondents.  Accessed on 17 September 2024, 0023 UTC.

Content and Source:  https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/flagship

Please check link or scroll down to read your selections.  Thanks for joining us today.

Russ Roberts (https://trendsingeopolitics.blogspot.com).

HONG KONG  CHENGDU  CHENNAI SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 READ ON THE WEB

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The World Today

Trump suspect charged TikTok ban hearing HK’s sedition conviction Russia expands military India’s energy transition China’s rare earth dominance UK eyes Italy’s migrant plans New ‘mini moon’ Italians fear coffee prices US marriage preferences A new art installation speaks to the violence faced by the trans community. ↓ 1

Trump gunman charged

AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images The suspect in the second apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump was charged with two gun crimes Monday. According to reports, Ryan Routh had described Trump as a “buffoon” in a self-published book titled Ukraine’s Unwinnable War, writing Iran was “free to assassinate” him. Kyiv warned against conspiracy theories linking the suspect’s pro-Ukraine activism to the incident, but misinformation from both progressive and right-wing accounts surged in the aftermath. The thwarted shooting underscores that violence is “a feature not a bug of US political life,” The Guardian wrote, while The Atlantic’s David Frum argued that Trump has often “treated political violence as a resource,” pointing to bomb threats in Ohio after the former president claimed immigrants were eating pets. ↓ 2

TikTok argues against US ban

Shou Zi Chew, TikTok’s CEO. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters TikTok made its case against a potential ban before a US federal court Monday, arguing that its powerful algorithm was not controlled by China. The app is suing the US after President Joe Biden signed a bill requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest from its US operations or face a ban, citing national security concerns. Its fate remains unclear, CNN reported, as the judges appeared skeptical of TikTok’s arguments, but also grilled the US government over First Amendment concerns. ByteDance, meanwhile, is developing its own artificial intelligence chip, The Information reported, in an effort to reduce reliance on US chip giant Nvidia amid intense AI competition in China. ↓ 3

First conviction under new HK law

Tyrone Siu/Reuters A Hong Kong man who pleaded guilty to wearing a “seditious” T-shirt became the first person to be convicted under the city’s new national security law. He was arrested in June over his T-shirt that bore the 2019 protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times.” The city’s law, passed in March, expanded on legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020 that curtailed most free speech, raising the maximum prison sentence for sedition up to seven years, and 10 if prosecutors prove “collusion with foreign forces.” The development comes weeks after two editors were convicted of sedition under the Beijing law. Hong Kong’s crackdown has alarmed Western countries, Nikkei reported, reflected in the “conspicuous” absence of the US and other democracies at major summits in Hong Kong last week. ↓ 4

Russia to have world’s second-largest military

Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via Reuters Russia will expand its army to 1.5 million active troops, making its military the world’s second-largest after China’s, as it seeks to eject Ukrainian forces from its Kursk region. A Carnegie expert questioned whether Moscow was prepared to fund the expansion — the third since the war began — given the strain on its defense budget and an unpopular draft that has seen hundreds of thousands flee the country. The move came as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer considers allowing Kyiv to use its long-range missiles, which Vladimir Putin warned would put Russia “at war” with NATO. Permitting the weapons could jeopardize NATO’s efforts to avoid escalating the conflict, Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins argued: “Western politicians eager to pose as tough guys do peace no service by promising to back Zelenskiy to total victory.” ↓ 5

India aims for massive energy transition

Solar panels at Gujarat Solar Park. Amit Dave/Reuters India could more than double its clean electricity capacity by 2030 after financial firms pledged $386 billion to fund renewable projects in the world’s third-largest carbon emitting country. India has long struggled to meet its transition targets and is now scrambling to achieve its ambitious goal of 500 gigawatts of clean energy capacity by the end of the decade, with Indian conglomerates Adani and Reliance also committing to expanding their renewable output. But even as it inches closer to the goal, surging demand for electricity means India “still goes back to its most trusted source of power: coal,” The Associated Press reported. Growth in India’s coal-fired power output is expected to outpace renewable energy generation this year, Reuters reported. ↓ 6

China-US rare earth competition heats up

China extended its lead in the race to dominate the rare earth supply chain when it announced the discovery of a five million-tonne deposit of minerals last week. China produces 70% of the world’s rare earth elements, which power critical technologies like electric vehicle batteries and military weapons. In a bid to protect national security, the US is funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into new mining plants, but due to a slump in mineral prices since 2022, it is nowhere near its goal of undercutting China’s control over the market, Bloomberg reported. Japan took years to cut its dependence on Chinese rare earth supplies, so patience is critical, the CEO of an Australian producer said: “We do have to recognize that we’re playing a 30-year catch-up game.” ↓ 7

Starmer mulls Italy’s migrant plan

Phil Noble/Reuters The UK has shown “great interest” in Italy’s plan of processing migrants’ asylum claims in Albania, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Monday after meeting with her UK counterpart. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer — under pressure from right-wing groups to address a surge in channel crossings — has pitched himself as a more “pragmatic” leader open to solutions regardless of ideologies, and he touted Meloni’s “remarkable progress” in tackling migration. But Politico wrote that his praise “won’t sit well” with factions of his center-left Labour Party, which campaigned on a promise to repeal the Conservative government’s plan to resettle asylum seekers in Rwanda. “Higher security and draconian deportation measures fail to dissuade desperate people from seeking asylum,” said one Labour lawmaker. ↓ Live Journalism Thurs, Sept 19 | Washington, D.C. | RSVP Join us this Thursday for discussions exploring the financial boom shaping the US sports gaming industry, and the critical policy challenges that come with it. As Congress considers federal rules around online sports betting, industry leaders will join Semafor on stage: Rep. Dina Titus (D) Nevada will offer unique insights into the role the gaming industry could play in the 2024 presidential race. Mark Ein, Washington Commanders will explore how sports betting is reshaping fan engagement. Lori Kalani, Chief Responsible Gaming Officer, DraftKings, will address rising concerns over gambling addiction, particularly among young people. Melonie Johnson, President of MGM National Harbor, will discuss ensuring fairness as gaming continues to expand. RSVP for in-person or livestream here. ↓ 8

Earth gets a new ‘mini-moon’

Wikimedia Commons Earth will gain a “mini-moon” for the next two months when it captures an asteroid in its gravitational pull. Asteroid 2024PT5, a smallish rock about 10 meters (30 feet) in diameter, will make one complete orbit of the Earth — significantly further out than our usual moon, even at its closest point — from Sep. 29, before sailing off into the distance again 53 days later. The Earth has gained new mini-moons before, sometimes for extended periods: Two confirmed examples are a 10-foot-wide asteroid that orbited us for a year from 2006 to 2007, and another, even smaller rock believed to have been around for three or four years before leaving in 2020. ↓ 9

Italy panics over espresso prices

Coffee bean prices are surging, raising the possibility of an affordable coffee crisis for Italians. As climate change hits bean harvests, and supply chains come under pressure from Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, the price of an espresso might spike from $1.30 to as high as $2.20, “still charmingly cheap for Londoners or New Yorkers,” the Financial Times noted, “but a shock for Romans.” Barista associations warned that price increases, especially for traditional coffee bars, were inevitable, even though baristas in Italy face social pressures to keep prices low. “Espresso is a necessity — like bread,” one coffee-bar industry representative said. ↓ 10

Online dating and marriage preferences

Akhtar Soomro/Reuters More Americans are meeting their romantic partners online, but that hasn’t changed the kind of people they end up with. Nearly half of all married couples in 2017 had met online, up from 2% in 1998 — but their preferences remained largely the same: They strongly preferred partners of more or less the same education levels, age, and race — although racial preferences became less significant between 1960 and 1980 — and tended to favor higher-income partners. The authors found that people have been increasingly marrying someone more like themselves, which “can account for approximately half of the increase in household income inequality between 1980 and 2020.” ↓ Flagging September 17: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation holds a meeting to set new bank merger policies. King Willem-Alexander presents the Dutch government’s 2025 budget. A partial lunar eclipse becomes visible in the Western Hemisphere. ↓ Curio National Gallery, London The “life masks” of 740 trans and non-binary people make up the newest installation to top the fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. Artist Teresa Margolles, a former forensic pathologist who also works with corpses from the morgue attached to her Mexico City studio, was inspired by the Mesoamerican tradition of tzompantli — racks displaying the skulls of war captives or sacrificial victims. While the subjects of Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) were, thankfully, alive, the work speaks to the violence faced by the trans community, especially in Latin America. The plaster masks will slowly degrade over two years in the London rain. “That’s the whole point,” she told The Guardian. ↓ Hot on Semafor Trump and Harris have the same oil problem. New York Times’ tech staff threatens strike during Election Day crunch. Kamala Harris and Hakeem Jeffries: The duo who could run Washington. You’re receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Semafor. Manage your preferences or unsubscribe here.Read our privacy policy Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Semafor in your inbox. Semafor, Inc. 228 Park Ave S, PMB 59081, New York, NY, 10003-1502, USA