Latest Episode
May 19 1200 UTC Brief
In U.S. politics
Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka said President Trump keeps a letter for the vice president in a drawer of the Resolute Desk, to be opened if Trump dies. It is a fairly unusual way to organize succession planning, though the drawer does at least seem to be pulling more than its weight.
Separately, the Trump administration has unveiled a $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded compensation pool for political allies who say they were wrongly targeted by the Biden administration. Democrats and ethics watchdogs criticized the move, while Trump defended the recipients as people who were “horribly treated.”
In Europe and the Middle East
Estonia’s defence minister said a NATO jet shot down a drone that had strayed into Estonian airspace. On the same day, Ukraine and Latvia rejected Moscow’s claims that Ukraine was preparing attacks on Russia from Latvian territory.
Organizers of a Gaza aid flotilla say 41 boats have been intercepted and 10 are still heading onward. Foreign ministers from 10 countries called Israel’s action against the flotilla a blatant violation of international law.
Iran’s army warned it would “open new fronts” against the US if attacks resume, after Donald Trump said he had called off a planned strike so peace talks could continue. Iranian state TV also aired weapons training that included simulated shooting at Trump, Netanyahu and the UAE flag, while the IRGC has begun recruiting children as young as 12 to staff checkpoints.
In business and tech
A former OpenAI researcher turned hedge fund manager, Leopold Aschenbrenner, has reshaped his portfolio around the idea that artificial general intelligence matters more than AI chips. His latest disclosed move includes short positions in Nvidia and Oracle, alongside a reported $13.6 billion AI-crypto bet.
Portugal’s postal service operator CTT is facing an alleged data breach that may affect more than 468,000 customer records, including names, phone numbers and parcel tracking codes. The company has not publicly acknowledged the attack, which is a neat way to keep customer confidence absolutely boiling.
Separately, an EU lawmaker warned that EU-US trade talks could fail if the two sides cannot bridge Washington’s “ideological fights” and Europe’s slower procedures.
In Asia-Pacific
Thailand is set to introduce a new tiered visa system that will shorten visa-free stays for tourists, moving away from one of the region’s more permissive entry policies.
The Philippine president said his country would likely be drawn into any conflict over Taiwan, a comment that could irritate Beijing as regional security tensions continue to rise.
In local news
Rescue crews are still searching for a 19-year-old swimmer reported missing Monday near 10th Street Beach in Ocean City, New Jersey. The swimmer was last seen boogie boarding, and another person was rescued nearby.
In West Philadelphia, a 44-year-old man was stabbed in the neck after a fight and was taken to hospital in stable condition. Police say a suspect has been arrested as the investigation continues.
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