Migrant Crisis Sparks Political Turmoil

Tens of thousands of migrants are massing at the border as the US prepares for the end of Covid-era Title 42, which allowed border officials to reject migrants without processing asylum claims.

The surge is creating political turmoil across the nation. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered 500 Texas National Guard troops to guard the border and turn back illegal immigrants.

In New York, suburban county leaders threaten to use local police to block NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to bus hundreds of migrants to their towns.

And in Washington, even Democrats are criticizing the White House, blaming President Biden for not being better prepared for the end of Title 42.

DOT Pushes Compensation for Cancelled Flights

The Department of Transportation is preparing new rules requiring airlines to compensate passengers for canceled flights or long delays.

The payments would come in addition to regular ticket refunds if the delay is for reasons within the airline’s control.

The new proposal comes on top of rules proposed last fall to force airlines to be more transparent about ancillary fees charged for services such as checking baggage. It’s likely to take years to implement the new regulations, if approved.

White House War on Appliances Hits Dishwashers

The Biden administration proposed new rules that would cut water and energy use limits for Americans' dishwashers well below current levels.

The new rules are part of the government’s continuing war against traditional appliances it considers too inefficient, such as gas ranges and air conditioners.

The Dept. of Energy has also targeted crackdowns on washers, dryers, and refrigerators in the coming months.

➤ GOP leaders will meet with President Biden today to try to resolve the debt crisis. The House has already passed a bill to raise the limit but only with spending cuts, and Democrats have refused to negotiate on any cuts. (More)

➤ Robert Kennedy Jr. says he blames the CIA for the assassination of his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, in Dallas in 1963. “The evidence is overwhelming that the CIA was involved in the murder and in the cover-up,” Kennedy said in a bombshell statement during a radio interview in New York. (More)

➤ Democratic operatives in Florida are recruiting NBA talent to take down Rick Scott. Dismayed with the chances of a typical candidate winning in DeSantis country, Democrats are looking to the built-in name recognition of former all-stars Dwayne Wade or Grant Hill. (More)

➤ Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a bill to fund the state’s public broadcasting system. If not overridden, the veto means PBS programming will go dark in Oklahoma this year. Stitt said the state’s public TV network was outdated and its shows were indoctrinating children. (More)

➤ West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins refered to Xavier fans as “Catholic f***s” during a live radio inteview. He quickly issued an apology and says he’ll accept any consequences coming his way.” (Listen)

➤ Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic received a $25,000 fine but no suspension after a controversial tussle in the stands with Phoenix Sun owner Mat Ishbia during the last playoff game between the two teams. (Video)

➤ NASCAR Driver Ross Chastain and competing driver Noah Gragson exchanged punches after a heated race at Kansas Speedway. Gragson confronted Chastain after the race, only to get punched in the face. (Video)

Market Report   5/8/23

➤ Big Stock Move: Tyson Foods stock plunged 16.4% to a three-year low Monday. The company missed revenue targets and said it was facing rising prices and reduced demand for beef, pork, and chicken. (More)

➤ The world’s largest and most valuable collection of private jewelry is expected to fetch upwards of $150 million at auction later this week. Owned by late billionaire Heidi Horton, the collection includes the 90-carat “Briolette of India” diamond necklace from Harry Winston. (Photos)

➤ Anheuser-Busch continues trying to win back wholesaler goodwill, this time by blaming a “third-party ad agency” for a sales-wrecking Bud Light promotion tied to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The company said in a letter to distributors that it had fired the unnamed marketing agency. (More)

➤ Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s space tourism venture, is finally heading back to space after a troubled break of three years. The company says it will test its systems with a four-man crewed mission planned for May 24. (More)

➤ Archaeologists have discovered the underwater remains of a 19th-century quarantine hospital and cemetery on a submerged island in Dry Tortugas National Park. The cemetery is believed to hold the remains of US soldiers stationed at Ft. Jefferson in the late 1800s. (Photos)

➤ Why do roses smell so sweet? Scientists have uncovered a key molecular pathway for how roses produce their distinctive aroma, leading to hopes that new rose hybrids can recover some of the fragrance lost through decades of cross-breeding. (Photos)

➤ Russia attacked Kyiv with a swarm of 60 drones, half of them aimed at the capitol, in one of the largest drone attacks by Russia in months. Ukraine officials said they shot down all of the missiles. (More)

➤ George Alvarez, the driver in the deadly crash in Brownsville that killed 8 people last weekend, has been charged with manslaughter. Police are still investigating whether Alvarez, who has a long criminal record, drove into the crowd intentionally. (More)

➤ GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida has become one of the very few women to become pregnant while serving in Congress. Assuming all goes well when her baby is due in August, she will become the 12th member of Congress to give birth while in office. (More)

Today’s Trivia

What is the largest diamond ever found?