Prologue Journal – Page 39215 – Understanding current events through the lenses of the past and future.

Supreme Court to Consider South Carolina Voting Map Ruled a Racial Gerrymander

New York Times A unanimous three-judge panel found that a congressional voting district anchored in Charleston, S.C., violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/us/politics/supreme-court-south-carolina-voting-map.html

Reinforcements commissioned to defend Belarusian airspace

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. On Monday, during a visit to the Central Command Post of the Air Force and Air Defense Force, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the country’s Air Defense Force had been on high combat alert for three days after aircraft crashed near the…

‘Congress is clearly behind on AI’ and needs bipartisan effort to create regulations: Lawmakers weigh in

Fox News Members of Congress provided a range of opinions on regulating AI, but several agreed that bipartisanship is the key to moving forward with a framework, lawmakers on Capitol Hill told Fox News. China and the European Union have recently drafted AI regulations, but Congress hasn’t passed any legislation since the tech’s recent rapid…

Russia sees no progress in implementation of Russian part of grain deal — diplomat

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. “As a matter of fact, the United States and its satellites, with the mentoring typical of them, are imposing a thesis that the world needs Ukrainian fodder corn (70% of exports) more than Russian wheat and fertilizers,” Vasily Nebenzya noted https://tass.com/politics/1617835

Zelenskyy on his foreign visits: New defence packages agreed

Pravda Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that new defence packages were agreed, and more extensive support pledged for Ukraine’s Peace Formula, during his visits to Italy, France, Germany and the UK. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/15/7402326/

Chechnya’s Kadyrov Accuses Ukraine, Czech Police of Kidnapping Favorite Stallion For Ransom

Moscow Times Zazu, a 16-year-old Thoroughbred, has been held in the Czech Republic since 2014 as part of EU sanctions freezing Kadyrov’s assets. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/05/15/chechnyas-kadyrov-accuses-ukraine-czech-police-of-kidnapping-favorite-stallion-for-ransom-a81149

I.R.S. Acknowledges Black Americans Face More Audit Scrutiny

New York Times The commissioner, Daniel Werfel, said the agency was working to correct unfairness in the enforcement of the tax code. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/us/politics/irs-black-americans-tax-audit.html

US sees more indications of Russia, Iran defense cooperation -White House

Jerusalem Post https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-743141

Erdogan’s Grip on Power Is Dented but Not Broken, Vote Shows

New York Times Despite a struggling economy, the disastrous earthquakes in February and Turkey’s drift toward one-man rule, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was in the lead ahead of a runoff. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/world/middleeast/turkey-election-polls-erdogan.html

Powerful cyclone along Burma’s western coast injures hundreds, at least 6 dead

Fox News Rescuers on Monday evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 12 feet deep along western Burma’s coast after a powerful cyclone injured hundreds and cut off communications. Six deaths were reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Strong winds injured more than 700 of…