Wretchard.com

You forgot to mention high tuition and a fantasy world vieew.

The further difficulty with using virtue as a source of foreign policy legitimacy is that the Biden administration keeps denouncing America as racist, neo-colonial, greedy capitalist, transphobic, patriarchal society only recently ruled by a new Hitler.

Can the U.S. Lead a Human-Rights Alliance Against China?

The Biden administration is trying to counter Beijing by highlighting its violations of democratic rights and values. But some of America’s partners hesitate to choose sides—and others have repressive records of their own.

So they can report what should have been said rather than what was.

Reporters have to get quotes approved by White House before publishing: report

The White House is demanding that reporters who conduct interviews with administration officials do so under conditions known as “background with ​quote approval,” Politico reported.

The flying saucer always lands in the Washington mall. Or does it? What would you do if an event occurred which upser your entire stock of conventional wisdom?

UFOs are about to make their way to the U.S. Senate. Here’s what to know.

U.S. intelligence agencies are expected to deliver a report on “unidentified aerial phenomena” to Congress next month, sparking renewed interest in UFOs.

Not peace but protracted war. The new Hamas rocket arsenal creates a persistent threat as do clashes make the possible ‘new normal’ an indefinite low-intensity conflict.

Anthony Fauci said though the US is not requiring everyone get the COVID-19 vaccine, he expects individual businesses will.

Anthony Fauci said he thinks universities, cruise ships, and airlines will require proof of COVID-19 vaccines before letting people in

Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, said airlines and cruises will likely require customers to show proof of getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

“How to crop an image is a decision best made by people.”

Twitter scraps image-cropping algorithm after allegations of racial bias

After social media exploded with allegations that Twitter’s image-cropping algorithm had a racial bias, the company said it decided to drop automated cropping.

Hamas supporters declare ‘victory’ in a Gaza City celebration.

As a cease-fire took effect, thousands of Palestinians gathered under a night sky free from the threat of Israeli airstrikes. Some wondered what the fighting had achieved.

GAZA CITY — As the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect at 2 a.m. local time on Friday, thousands of Palestinians gathered in the streets of Gaza City to celebrate what Hamas supporters were calling a defeat of the Israeli forces.

NYT

Biden hails ceasefire as a “genuine opportunity for peace”.

The Washington Post, which broke the news Thursday afternoon, reported that Cuomo encouraged his brother against resigning during strategy sessions with the governor’s communications team and lawyers.

CNN

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/05/20/media/chris-cuomo-andrew-cuomo-strategy-sessions/index.html?__twitter_impression=true&s=09

“Investigation finds Martin Bashir used ‘deceitful’ methods to secure 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana”

Books: Basil’s War, by Stephen Hunter. A daredevil British agent goes behind enemy lines to search for a religious text that might hold the key to ending the Second World War.

Rokna News Agency reported that the parents had confessed to killing their son and dumping his body. They also confessed to murdering their daughter and son-in-law years ago. Both are now in custody

Film director murdered and dismembered by family after marriage row

The body of Babak Khorramdin was found chopped up in bins and in a suitcase in Ekbatan, a planned neighborhood in West Tehran, on Sunday.

The post Biden/Trump world will be a swinging pendulum, each stroke oscillating past an elusive mean. This like water sloshing inside a ship called the free surface effect can cause it to lose stability and capsize.

Oregon Counties Vote to Secede Into Idaho

Several counties in Oregon on May 18 voted to consider joining the state of Idaho, which is part …

The basic message of the Biden administration is “I’m quietly fixing things.” The lack of visible improvement is explained by the assurance that invisible mechanics are hard at work.

Kremlinology at the White House. Who’s on first?

The US has said it “expected” an immediate de-escalation, however, Israel responded that it would continue military operations until its “aim is met.”

DW

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that the Trump administration didn’t do ‘anything constructive’ to bring peace to the Middle East.