Through ineptitude and bad timing, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa—known as Gota—has driven his country toward ruin. Its people want him out. Russian forces have occupied Kherson since early March. We hear a report from the ground about life under foreign occupation. And tasting awamori, a Japanese spirit that distillers may lift from the doldrums simply by watering it down. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer
We're talking about soon-to-be Justice Jackson: how Washington is reacting to the historic Supreme Court confirmation.
Also, what Russia is losing because of a few votes around the world.
Plus, a landmark mission to space is about to get underway, a legendary band that retired in the 90s is releasing new music today, and two companies are teaming up on a metaverse for kids.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has acquired a 9.2% share of Twitter stock and joined the social media company’s board of directors. The internet buzzed with the possibility of a free speech advocate like Musk having an internal position with the tech giant.
But what does all of this really mean?
To Annie Butler, a research associate at the The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Technology Policy, Musk’s taking a more active role at Twitter is a step in the right direction toward encouraging free speech on the platform.
Butler joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the implications of Musk’s move, and how some popular tech companies focused on free speech are doing.
We also cover these stories:
The Senate votes 53-47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, with three Republicans joining the majority.
A group of Senate Democrats announce they will join Republican colleagues to introduce a bill to block the Biden administration’s plan to end use of the public heath policy at the southern border known as Title 42.
Congress passes two bills designed to punish Russia further for its invasion of Ukraine.
The United Nations General Assembly suspended Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council, while in Washington, Congress approved two bills suspending normal trade relations with Russia and banning its oil. Those votes came after NATO foreign ministers and officials from the G7 met in Brussels and Ukraine asked for more weapons. NPR's Michele Kelemen was there. And more than 15,000 babies have been born in Ukraine since the start of the war. At a maternity hospital in Kyiv, new parents shared their experiences with NPR's Elissa Nadworny.
One of crypto’s biggest allies in the Senate, Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), has just released a discussion draft of a bill that would clarify stablecoin legislation. On today’s episode, NLW breaks down what the bill includes and why some in the crypto space are calling it a major step forward for financial privacy.
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Consensus 2022, the industry’s most influential event, is happening June 9–12 in Austin, Texas. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the fast-moving world of crypto, Web 3 and NFTs, this is the festival experience for you. Use code BREAKDOWN to get 15% off your pass at www.coindesk.com/consensus2022.
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“The Breakdown” is written, produced by and features Nathaniel Whittemore aka NLW, with editing by Rob Mitchell, research by Scott Hill and additional production support by Eleanor Pahl. Adam B. Levine is our executive producer and our theme music is “Countdown” by Neon Beach. The music you heard today behind our sponsor is “I Don't Know How To Explain It” by Aaron Sprinkle. Image credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk. Join the discussion at discord.gg/VrKRrfKCz8.
Reports of civilians being tortured and killed — and the accompanying images that have surfaced this week in the city of Bucha — have raised questions about potential war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. The Biden administration is assisting international investigators in looking into potential war crimes. And some experts say the evidence of such crimes is clear in this highly-documented conflict.
But history shows that drawing a straight line between war crimes and heads of state is challenging.
NPR's Scott Detrow spoke with senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, Yulia Gorbunova, about her reporting of alleged human rights violations in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine.
NPR's Julie McCarthy examines what constitutes war crimes and the prospects of Russian President Vladimir Putin being held to account.
In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
A look at the fallout from Russian attacks in Borodyanka, a suburb of the Ukrainian capitol of Kyiv. As Becky Sullivan reports, Ukrainian officials accuse Russian forces of indiscriminately attacking civilians there. Since 2019, a lawyer named Andrew Mac has served as an adviser to Ukraine's president. He discusses the U.S. response and the assistance it's providing.
Residents of eastern Ukraine warned to get out as Russia regroups. Historic Supreme Court confirmation. Tiger Woods back at the Masters. CBS News Correspondent Steve Kathan has today's World News Roundup.
Russian troops have withdrawn from suburban Kyiv to focus on the eastern Donbas region. With Western weapons for Ukraine flowing in, a grinding war of attrition looms. For our French-election series we meet members of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, which has found success by shifting the focus away from its extremist image. And why a bid to rename Turkey will be so fraught. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer
