Prologue Journal – Page 38518 – Understanding current events through the lenses of the past and future.

As Covid Emergency Ends, U.S. Response Shifts to ‘Peacetime’ Mode

New York Times The coronavirus public health emergency, declared by the Trump administration in 2020, will expire on Thursday. Interviews with senior health officials suggest the nation is not ready for a new pandemic. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/us/politics/covid-public-health-emergency.html

Biden Campaign, Barely in Gear, Inches Toward 2024

New York Times Some Democrats worry that the campaign’s early sluggishness shows a lack of urgency ahead of a possible rematch against Donald Trump. His aides say they know what they’re doing. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/us/politics/biden-2024-campaign.html

Whose Queen? Netflix and Egypt Spar Over an African Cleopatra.

New York Times Egyptians say the influential streaming service is dragging an ancient queen into a modern, and decidedly Western, debate — about Black representation in Hollywood — in which she has no real place. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/world/middleeast/cleopatra-netflix-race-egypt.html

Texas Republicans Push New Voting Restrictions Aimed at Houston

New York Times The bills propose limits on polling places, tougher penalties for illegal voting and a way for the Republican-led state to order new elections in its largest city. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/us/texas-election-laws-houston-harris-county.html

For Trump, a Verdict That’s Harder to Spin

New York Times After an indictment in Manhattan, Donald Trump’s supporters fell in line behind him. A jury’s decision in a sexual abuse and defamation case may yet carry a political price. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/us/politics/trump-carroll-verdict-campaign.html

Can Biden use 14th Amendment to avert a debt limit crisis? Legal experts weigh in

Fox News President Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he was considering invoking a constitutional provision about the validity of U.S. debts in order to skirt House Republicans amid a tense standoff on the country’s borrowing limit. “I have been considering the 14th Amendment,” the president said after a meeting on the debt limit…

Philippines urges quick resolution to South China Sea’s code of conduct as Asean summit looms

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Marcos is not in favour of imposing a deadline on China-Philippines negotiations, and that the issue has been ‘complicated’ by China’s separate talks with Asean states. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3220064/philippines-urges-quick-resolution-south-china-seas-code-conduct-asean-summit-looms?utm_source=rss_feed

The Elusive Fix for China’s Budget Crisis

New York Times Property taxes would help local governments that are sinking further into debt. But after years of talk, officials have yet to introduce a real estate tax. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/business/the-elusive-fix-for-chinas-budget-crisis.html

White House slams Comer, accuses GOP of conducting ‘evidence-free’ probe into Biden family

Fox News EXCLUSIVE: The White House is accusing House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer of leading an “evidence-free, politically-motivated” investigation into the Biden family just as Comer is set to provide an update on his investigation. Comer, R-Ky., was planning a press conference for Wednesday at 9 a.m. to describe the latest details…

To lessen border surge, Democrats urge Biden to end Trump’s Venezuela policy

Washington Post The push from within Biden’s party comes as the administration expects a large influx of migrants at the southern border once pandemic restrictions expire. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/05/10/biden-border-venezuela-sanctions/