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Federal court blocks redistricting map created to help GOP in Alabama
A federal court put a hold on a congressional map that Alabama Republicans want to use this fall to give themselves an edge in every district in the state.
Three Big Political Story Lines to Watch This Week
Plus, President Trump widened his diplomatic sights, seeking an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and the broader Middle East, in addition to an Iran deal.
HEALTH Yeah! Episode 32: Heavy Bleeding and Pelvic Pain
Learn what’s normal — and not — with menstrual cycles, heavy bleeding, pelvic pain and women’s health care at Stony Brook Medicine.
25 Sports Monday- Normal Community preps for 4A state tourney
The Ironmen finished 3rd in state in 2025.
Students learn about art preservation at NYC’s Met
Many steps are required before an object is exhibited in a museum.
USC scientists discover a hidden Alzheimer’s trigger and a possible way to shut it down
USC researchers have identified potential new drug compounds that may reduce the brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease, especially in people with the high-risk APOE4 gene. The compounds target cPLA2, an enzyme that seems to fuel harmful inflammation while also being important for normal brain activity.
Trump Urges More Countries to Normalize Relations With Israel as Part of Iran Deal
President Trump called for countries in the Middle East to join the Abraham Accords as part of a peace deal with Iran. Analysts say it is unlikely.
Democrats feud over stock trading as they sharpen anti-corruption case against Trump
Democrats are increasingly critiquing each other over their personal stock trades as the party looks to hone its anti-corruption message against President Donald Trump in the midterm elections
Common heart drug taken by millions found useless
A massive international study could upend 40 years of heart attack treatment. Researchers found that beta blockers—routinely prescribed after uncomplicated heart attacks—offered no real benefit for patients whose heart function remained normal, despite being given to millions worldwide. Even more surprising, women taking the drugs faced a higher risk of death, repeat heart attack, or hospitalization for heart failure compared to women who didn’t receive them.
Repeated violence puts spotlight on divisive political speech
Scholars who study rhetoric and extremism say the country’s political language has grown more aggressive and can trigger violent acts.
Crawfish Boil: Altuve & Yordan Updates, Pitching Revival & More
The latest news on the Houston Astros and from around MLB: Jose Altuve doesn’t think his injury is as serious the one he had in 2023: Yordan needed a day off but is feeling better, per Joe Espada: Can the Astros pitching continue to normalize and maintain it’s recent improvement? (Astros starters have a combined […]
How the Silicon Valley-backed steroid Olympics aim to get everyone hooked
As biohacking gains momentum among elites including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Peter Thiel-backed Enhanced Games aims to normalize longevity drugs through a Vegas sports spectacle. Critics call the premise dangerous and unethical.
A Democratic populist tries a comeback in a red state
Sherrod Brown, a lifelong politician, is trying to pull off a “change” message and reclaim a Senate seat in Ohio, which has trended increasingly conservative.
David Brock Smith wins GOP primary for US Senate in Oregon, will face Democratic incumbent Merkley
David Brock Smith has won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Oregon
Culture wars vie with GOP economic message at Trump rally in New York
Trump's rally in a town on the edge of the New York metropolitan region illustrated the political appeal and the liabilities he brings for swing-district Republicans.
Scientists warn that current vitamin B12 guidelines may be putting your brain at risk
Getting enough vitamin B12 to meet current health guidelines may not actually be enough to protect the aging brain. Researchers at UC San Francisco found that older adults with “normal” but lower levels of active B12 showed signs of slower thinking, delayed visual processing, and more damage to the brain’s white matter — the communication highways that help different brain regions work together.
The latest trendy health food? The wellness industry has chosen.
Edith Pritchett cartoon on wellness industry, food health trends.
Call to imprison ‘American Zionists’ and shadowy spending roil Texas runoff
Incendiary comments by Maureen Galindo, a Democratic House candidate in Texas, prompted condemnation from Democrats, who accused the GOP of propping her up.
Poll shows voter confidence in economy plummeting to a nearly 4-year low
Concerns about rising costs are a problem for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections as Trump struggles to deliver on affordability pledges.
Normal LIVE has live entertainment acts for all interests
Normal LIVE is back with another season of programming suited to tickle anyone’s fancy. Music and live entertainment offerings vary widely, from kid-specific programming to brass, country, storytelling, and everything in between. Shows take place ...
Common pesticide linked to hidden brain damage, scientists warn
Scientists have uncovered alarming new evidence that a common insecticide may leave lasting marks on the developing brain before a child is even born. Researchers studying New York City children found that prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos — a pesticide once widely used indoors and still used in agriculture — was linked to widespread brain abnormalities and weaker motor skills years later.
Binghamton students win NY Business Plan Competition
Binghamton student team wins NY Business Plan Competition grand prize
There are more independents than ever. The U.S. is failing them.
The U.S. primary system, Sen. Bill Cassidy’s defeat and more, in readers' eyes.
How to recession-proof your life
The United States is not in a recession, but the normal economic cycle means it will be at some point.
Congrats, new grads! Welcome to job market hell.
New computer science grads are trying to start their careers at a time when many experts predict that AI will make their skills obsolete.
Munson Army Health Center trains staff and patients during full-scale fire drill
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas – Delivering safe healthcare includes preparing for the unexpected. That preparation was on display May 13 as Munson Army Health Center conducted a full-scale fire drill during normal patient care hours.
Health worker shortage will worsen with federal loan limit, 25 states say in suit
The lawsuit comes after the Education Department finalized rules that reduce the amount of money graduate students can borrow from the federal government.
When My Husband’s Favorite Sports Team Is On, He’s Unrecognizable. I’m Actually Scared.
He swears this is normal.
Millions expected to lose Affordable Care Act coverage as costs spike
Congress’s refusal to continue pandemic-era subsidies for ACA beneficiaries is taking a big bite out of consumers’ pocketbooks.
What to watch in Tuesday's primaries as Trump's endorsement is put to the test
Is there a future in politics for Republicans who buck President Donald Trump
International expedition explores the origins of fresh water under the sea floor
Doctoral student Gretl King’s research focuses on Cape Cod’s ancient coastline
A mobile stroke unit helped save this 21-year-old Pennsylvania woman's life: "I could have died"
Life is back to normal for 21-year-old Gianna Parrillo-Shennard, whose life was saved by Jefferson Health's mobile stroke unit.
Apple Watch Ultra 4 Could Get Redesign and Blood Pressure Monitoring
The Apple Watch Ultra 4 could feature a complete redesign and blood pressure monitoring, according to DigiTimes. Apple will apparently add a new high blood pressure notification feature to the Apple Watch that uses the optical heart-rate sensor on the back of the device to analyze how blood vessels respond to each heartbeat, sending alerts when an abnormal pattern is detected. The feature is said to be under FDA review.
Innovation Developed by UT Health Sciences Research Program Passes Landmark Trial for Cardiac Amyloidosis
A new diagnostic tool developed at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences may soon make it significantly easier for physicians to detect cardiac amyloidosis, a progressive and frequently underdiagnosed disease caused by abnormal protein deposits in the heart.
Op-ed: Peru’s Politics of Instability
As Peru approaches new presidential elections, a cycle of political upheaval has normalized instability, raising urgent questions about whether democracy can function when crisis becomes routine.
Op-ed: Peru’s Politics of Instability
As Peru approaches new presidential elections, a cycle of political upheaval has normalized instability, raising urgent questions about whether democracy can function when crisis becomes routine.
18 amazing grads from Binghamton University
Each year, Binghamton University highlights outstanding students as part of our Commencement celebration. Explore the amazing stories of 18 remarkable graduates from the Class of 2026.
The “impossible” LED that could change everything
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have achieved what was once considered impossible by electrically powering insulating nanoparticles to create a completely new kind of LED. Using tiny organic “molecular antennas,” the team found a way to funnel energy into materials that normally cannot conduct electricity, producing ultra pure near infrared light with remarkable efficiency.
Quantum ghost imaging works using only sunlight in stunning new experiment
Scientists have achieved something that once sounded almost impossible: using ordinary sunlight to create quantum-linked photon pairs, a phenomenon normally dependent on precise laboratory lasers. By building a sun-tracking system that funnels sunlight through optical fiber into a special crystal, researchers generated strongly correlated photons capable of performing “ghost imaging,” where images are reconstructed indirectly through quantum correlations. Remarkably, the sunlight-powered setup produced image quality close to that of a traditional laser system, even recreating detailed images like a “ghost face.”
Once a darling of the GOP’s ‘Never Trump’ wing, this Republican decided he’s done
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is launching a leadership institute at Washington College and says he's done with seeking political office.
Scientists reverse Alzheimer’s in mice with breakthrough nanotechnology
A new nanotechnology treatment reversed Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice by restoring the brain’s natural cleanup system. The specially engineered nanoparticles helped clear toxic amyloid proteins from the brain and repair the blood-brain barrier, which normally protects and regulates the brain’s environment. In one striking experiment, elderly mice treated with the therapy later behaved like healthy younger mice.
Trump Returns From China With Little Progress to Reopen Hormuz
Iran said transit through the Strait of Hormuz will normalize once security conditions are restored, after US President Donald Trump returned from a visit to China with an agreed desire to reopen the critical maritime route but little in the way of a path to achieving it.
8 Books That Break the Silence Around Suicide for Mental Health Awareness Month (Exclusive)
"I wrote a story that centers suicide because I know what it feels like for tomorrow to not feel promised," writes 'A Breath Too Late' author and mental health advocate Rocky Callen
The real reason exercise makes you stronger isn’t what you think
Exercise may be training your brain just as much as your body. Researchers discovered that certain brain cells stay highly active even after a workout ends, and those lingering signals appear to help the body build endurance over time. In experiments with mice, blocking these brain cells prevented improvements in stamina, even when the animals still exercised normally.
A North Carolina farmer is testing whether Democrats can still win rural America
In North Carolina, Jamie Ager is distancing himself from his national party to win a congressional seat.
From Normal to Ania Magliano: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Bob Odenkirk’s a put-upon lawman in Ben Wheatley’s latest, and the SNL UK star is back out on tour
Sen. Cassidy battles Trump-backed challenger in Louisiana Republican primary
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is fighting for his political life in Saturday’s primary against a challenger who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump
Andrew Abbott leaned into some science to get his season back on track
Andrew Abbott locked in on the stick-figure graphic of himself. The world of biomechanics is very advanced. But with Abbott going through the worst rut of his big league career, he opened up to some new ideas to get himself back on track. He asked for some help, and he leaned into some sports science. He said the stick figures made it clear, and he credits biomechanics for helping him get his season back on track. Over his last three starts, he has allowed two total runs in 17 ⅔ innings. “There’s a photo of (me) last year and the year before on a graph, and this year is in a different color,” Abbott said. “You see where you are in comparison to that. Where the hands are at this moment, where your feet are, where the knee is, where your head is at, where your shoulders are at, it breaks it all down if you want it.” When Abbott saw his mechanics in this objective way, he recognized exactly what had been going wrong. “When my tempo, my feet and my hands are aligned, then normally my mechanics are sound,” Abbott said. “And when my mechanics are sound, my stuff behaves normally. The fastball is jumpy. I’m up in velo. My extension is better.” Abbott said that he started diving more into his biomechanics in the middle of April. The Reds have a biomechanics team, which works closely with pitching coach Derek Johnson and hitting coach Chris Valaika. Leading the group is biomecahnics manager Franky Mulloy. “I laugh every day,” Francona said. “When Franky starts talking, I start laughing. I remind him to know his audience.” Francona isn’t a scientist. The Reds’ manager jokes about his own comprehension of the data. But it’s easy for him to recognize the value that the biomechanics team is providing. “That’s why we got them,” Francona said. Abbott said that he had his first big biomechanics-oriented meeting in the middle of April. Behind the scenes, there was already a lot of communication going on within the Reds’ staff. “Franky calculates all the things, builds it into these graphs, and DJ gets them,” Abbott said. “They have their internal communication. Then, we go to them and ask what about this or that. The main thing for me is arm angle.” The data shows Abbott how his arm angle evolves from start to start. He hasn’t meant to change it. But just like all of us, our posture might be different from one day to the next. Pitchers’ arm angles can make minor shifts without the pitcher or even coaches noticing. But the data can’t miss a change like that. Abbott recognized that his arm angle had been moving around without him noticing. Now, he checks in with the data to make sure that his mechanics are in sync. “They get into these cool looking graphs,” Abbott said. “I can’t really describe them. I don’t know what they are. But for me, it’s a photo of a stick figure of myself.” The stick figure of his current positioning is superimposed over previous versions of himself. With that format, Abbott can compare his mechanics on any given day to what they were when he was pitching at his very best. “It was very noticeable from the moment I saw this year as black compared to two years ago and last year, it was very, very different,” Abbott said. “I could see with my eyes without having to ask any questions about the difference in the photos.” For any pitcher, there are a lot of moving pieces in your delivery. For Abbott to be the best version of himself, he needs his head, his arm, his hand, his knee and his feet to be on the right “tempo.” “Tempo is a word I’ve used a lot,” Abbott said. “Getting everything in certain areas working together.” He has been much better at that recently. The data backs that up, and so does Abbott’s ERA. The biomechanics data has also given the Reds’ staff and Abbott some better ideas for some training that he can do between starts. He has added drills to shore up areas of his body that Abbott needed to make stronger. “They make a plan based off what they see,” Abbott said. “If things start changing, we know what to revert back to.” Overall, Abbott says that he’s not a very analytical guy. There’s so much information out there, and he says that it’s important for him to not get too analytical when he breaks down his specific pitches. He has learned the value of being “analytical about mechanics.” And the way that the Reds presented that information to him made it easier for him to make the right adjustments without being overloaded by information. “It was a very simple fix,” Abbott said. “It took a long time to finally get there, feel the results and see it. But for the most part, it was very simple to apply it.”
Why Trump (rightly) Fired the National Science Foundation Board
President Trump’s recent firing of all 22 members of the National Science Foundation board ignited the sort of institutional panic one normally associates with medieval villagers spotting a comet.
Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.
Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe
Kentucky Republicans race to replace McConnell while carefully keeping him at arm’s length
Kentucky’s Republican Senate primary to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell is becoming a test of the Republican Party’s transformation under President Donald Trump
Trump courts Xi amid Iran war and trade tensions
Trump praised China’s leader and emphasized their personal bond as both sides sought to steady relations despite tensions over Iran, trade and global power.
Denise Powell wins Democratic primary in Nebraska’s ‘blue dot’ 2nd District
Denise Powell has won the Democratic primary in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District in a contest focused on the state’s “blue dot” status in presidential elections
House launches bipartisan push to combat sexual misconduct in Congress
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are announcing a task force “to make Congress a safer work environment” following several high-profile cases.
Liberals can’t eliminate Trump-style politics — but they might be able to beat it
A rising strategy for global politics’ new normal.
Takeaways from the nation’s oddest Senate primary
Nebraska Democrats knew they couldn’t unseat a GOP senator, so they backed an independent and fielded a candidate who promised to drop out if she won. Then it got complicated.
Amid war, Trump says he doesn’t ‘think about Americans’ financial situation’
Trump said he is only concerned about Iran not having a nuclear weapon. “I don’t think about anybody,” he added.
80 years after the Trinity nuclear test, scientists identify new molecule-trapping crystal formed in the blast
Matter behaves strangely under extreme conditions, and often, remnants of these behaviors are left behind even when conditions return to normal. The Trinity nuclear test in 1945 left behind such remnants, ...
Galaxy Entertainment Group Selected Unaudited Q1 2026 Financial Data
Leading Macau’s Non-Gaming Diversification Through Mice, Entertainment and Sporting Events Q1 2026 Group Normalised EBITDA of $3.6 Billion, Up 21% Year-on-Year, Flat Quarter-on-Quarter Continued to Ramp Up Capella at Galaxy Macau Business A Final Dividend of $0.80 Per Share Payable in June 2026 HONG KONG, May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”, “Company” or the “Group”) (HKEx stock code: 27) today reported results for the three-month period ended 31 March 2026. (All a
Montana voters will be able to register to vote on Election Day, judge rules
A Montana judge has blocked the state from limiting voter registration on Election Day
Trump is normalizing things that would have been scandals in his first term
President Donald Trump is once again looking for loyalty in all the wrong places. But he’s now spent a decade gradually upping the provocations and wearing down his critics’ willingness to raise a fuss.
Supreme Court hands Alabama major boost in redistricting fight
Alabama legislators are hoping to boost the GOP in November’s midterm elections in the wake of last month’s Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.
In Trump administration battle over AI, U.S. spy agencies seek more power
As the White House grapples with cybersecurity threats from artificial intelligence models, intelligence officials want sway in AI policy overseen by Commerce.
Nonprofit sues to stop Trump’s changes to Reflecting Pool, a historic site
President Donald Trump wants to resurface the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool by July 4. A D.C.-area foundation claims he failed to get federal reviews.
Doubling Down
Online sports gambling has been normalized at a breakneck pace. Is there any way to push back against a predatory culture of promo codes and prop bets?
Scientists say this common sweetener may be quietly rewiring your metabolism
Researchers say fructose is not just “empty calories” — it may actively push the body toward fat storage and metabolic disease. A new review found that fructose affects the body differently from glucose, disrupting normal energy regulation and promoting processes linked to obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular problems.
Trump-Xi summit comes with high stakes for Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its own
President Donald Trump has demonstrated greater ambivalence toward Taiwan in his second term
DeSantis’s new House map sparks bipartisan anger in Puerto Rican hub in Florida
The governor said his state needed to redistrict to account for population growth. But in a majority-Hispanic area, that growth could work against him.
Winners and losers from MotoGP’s dramatic French Grand Prix
Following Ducati’s first grand prix win in Jerez, normal service resumed at Le Mans as Aprilia dominated proceedings
Global Business Travel Assoc says travel in Asia proving resilient amid headwinds
Global Business Travel Association CEO Suzanne Neufang says Middle East travel demand is showing signs of stabilising as regional airlines cut fares to win back passengers and adjust to a “new normal”.
RFK Jr.’s crusade against hospital Jell-O is a warning
The only thing worse than hospital food is hospital food picked by D.C. bureaucrats.
Rapid changes in power have become the new normal in American politics. Here’s why
President Donald Trump’s tumbling approval ratings are raising the odds that the 2026 midterm elections will extend one of the most powerful trends in 21st-century American politics.
How minimum wage hikes and food stamps fit in to suicide prevention
Studies show income, debt and access to basic needs shape mental health outcomes, but U.S. strategies have largely focused on clinical care.
Republicans who denied 2020 election results could be governors next year
Electing such candidates for governor would give deniers key oversight of the 2028 presidential election in swing states like Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Cherry Point airshow brings business to Havelock
“Traffic normally is kind of busy. It hasn’t picked up as bad as it was last year,” Montgomery said.
Top Maryland Democrat is fighting for his job after resisting redistricting plan
Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) faces a tough primary challenge after defying Democratic leaders including Gov. Wes Moore on redistricting.
White House prepares to replace FDA leader Marty Makary amid agency turmoil
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has faced criticism over his leadership of the agency that oversees vaccine and drug approvals.
The Wellness Conversation: Let’s Talk About It - The Vaginal Health Episode
Vaginal health can often get overlooked due to embarrassment and misinformation. As women continue to grow and change throughout their lives, it’s important to normalize the conversation surrounding vaginal health. On this episode of The Wellness Conversation, Sarah Froman, MD, OhioHealth OBGYN, helps to break this barrier and empower women by...
Analysis | Republicans’ health care exaggerations are telling
The Washington Post’s essential guide to power and influence in D.C.
Anti-woke Vivek Ramaswamy confronts racism in his run for Ohio governor
Vivek Ramaswamy built a political brand casting racism as an obsession of Democrats. As a Republican running for Ohio governor, he’s facing racism on the right.
Political violence should ‘never be normalized’: Former California GOP chairwoman
Former California GOP chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson and political commentator James Klug discuss growing concerns over political violence in the U.S. on ‘Fox News @ Night.’
Queen City Running Company celebrates 10 years in business with annual run
This weekend the annual Dead Carp run will run 10 miles instead of its normal distance, to celebrate the anniversary of Queen City Running Company.
The British public need to be better prepared for emergencies
Letter: Jean Coussins says a cross-party Lords committee has been tasked with coming up with a plan to normalise resilience in our everyday lives
Karoline Leavitt announces birth of baby girl and will take maternity leave
The first White House press secretary to give birth while in the job will take an unspecified amount of maternity leave.
Analysis | The Vatican has always been political
The Washington Post’s essential guide to power and influence in D.C.
Kenyan politicians trade accusations of 'goonism' as political violence rises ahead of 2027 election
Kenya’s political word of the moment is “goonism,” used to describe gang-related political violence
From cricket’s capital to Olympic ambitions, India’s next play on the world sports stage
India is expanding its influence in international sports, with the 2030 Commonwealth Games set for Ahmedabad and a bid for the 2036 Olympics in the same city
Economic reforms could help pull Thailand away from China
The prime minister is angry about how hard it is to import a chainsaw.
FBI raids business of powerful Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas
The offices of state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, a Democrat, as well as a cannabis dispensary she co-owns were raided. The exact nature and targets of the probe remain unclear.
He wrote about their daughter’s sudden death. Then his wife did the same.
For journalists Danielle Crittenden and David Frum, processing their grief meant telling Miranda’s story, in an essay and in a new memoir, “Dispatches From Grief.”
Health care costs outrank food, vaccine concerns for MAHA voters, poll shows
A poll from KFF found that the affordability of health care is more important than the movement’s causes championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
JD Vance makes his Iowa debut as he campaigns for GOP congressman
The state will play a key role if the vice president decides to run for president in 2028, and other potential GOP candidates have visited in recent months.
FDA halts publication of covid, shingles vaccine studies
News of the studies being pulled comes weeks after the CDC decided it wouldn’t publish a report showing last winter’s covid vaccine cut the likelihood of hospitalizations.
Supreme Court Conservatives Promised That Repealing Roe Would Solve a Major Problem. They’ve Made It Infinitely Worse.
Chaos is the new normal.
GOP offers $1B for White House security, sparking dispute over ballroom
Senate Republicans maintain their budget reconciliation proposal would authorize security construction, but not Trump’s ballroom. The White House disagrees.
Ramaswamy looks to put primary behind him and turn to expensive fall campaign for Ohio governor
Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy aims to put a long and sometimes unpleasant primary season behind him Tuesday
AI Is Great at “Normal Science,” but Breakthroughs Still Belong to People
In a recent capstone presentation, Darden professor Keith McCormick offered a grounded perspective on what AI can and cannot do today. According to McCormick, AI excels at what science philosopher Thomas Kuhn calls “normal science,” but may fall short of reaching artificial general intelligence (AGI) without some new scientific breakthrough that changes the current paradigm.
Three things we learned from the Miami Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli proved that age is no barrier and that he is on track to becoming a Formula One great with his stunning third straight career win. Wolff’s decision to fast-track Antonelli into Mercedes in 2024, before he had passed his normal road car driving test, raised eyebrows.
EDITORIAL: Normalization of misconduct in U.S. politics
President Donald J. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign propelled conversations regarding sexual assault into the national spotlight. A handful of women slowly began coming forward with allegations of unwanted advances and perverse comments over the course of the election cycle, and concerns were further solidified after a secret recording from a 2005 Hollywood Access tape was leaked. Trump had been caught on a hot mic stating he was able to touch women as he pleased, and due to his social status as a "star," they would let him do it. The New York Times published a series of interviews from individuals who had both witnessed and experienced his inappropriate behavior soon after.