Middle East War Drums | Texan Tiger King

Fighting between the Israeli army and Palestinian militants intensified overnight and continued this morning, the worst violence between the two sides in seven years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to extend the offensive, with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh retaliating, “If Israel wants to escalate, we are ready for it.” Israel renewed airstrikes today following a flurry of rocket launches from Gaza overnight that set off explosions in Tel Aviv. U.N. envoy for Middle East Peace Tor Wennesland warned they’re heading for “full-scale war,” while the U.N. Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting today.

Sources: AFP, AP, NYT

2. GOP’s Defiant Liz Cheney Out but Not Down

She will not be silenced. The Wyoming congresswoman is expected to be removed today from her role as the third-ranking Republican in the House. Despite being among the most conservative members of Congress, Cheney was one of few Republicans to criticize former President Donald Trump. But she didn’t go without a fight, telling colleagues, “I will not sit back and watch in silence while others lead our party down a path that abandons the rule of law.” Cheney said Trump has repeatedly lied about winning the election and still poses a danger to democracy. New York Rep. Elise Stefanik is expected to replace her.

Sources: NYT, CNN

3. Cameroon Cracks Down on Transgender Citizens

Two transgender women in Cameroon were sentenced Tuesday to the maximum term of five years in prison for “attempting homosexuality” in a country where it is illegal. Social media influencer Shakiro, who is also identified as Loic Njeukam, was arrested in February after dining at a restaurant with Patricia, also identified as Roland Mouthe. The West African nation is among dozens on the continent that still jail people for homosexuality, with Human Rights Watch recently warning that crackdowns against members of the LGBTQ community are on the uptick. The women's lawyers have vowed to appeal.

Sources: Reuters, AFP

4. SoftBank Makes Hard Bank With Record Annual Profits

The Japanese technology investor recorded the highest-ever annual profit for a company in its home country: $45.9 billion. A number of blockbuster IPOs and recent stock market highs account for billionaire owner Masayoshi Son's pandemic-year success. SoftBank Group’s earnings were on par with those of fellow tech giants Alphabet and Microsoft, who recorded profits in the range of $40 billion, while Apple ranked first in the world with a net profit of $57 billion. With numerous SoftBank holdings preparing to go public, the group’s profit in March 2022 will be one to watch.

Sources: WSJ (sub), Nikkei

5. Also Important …

Arrests and detentions at the U.S. border with Mexico rose to 178,622 in April, the highest monthly total in two decades. A prosecutor in the Atlanta spa shootings case is seeking the death penalty under a hate crime law for the accused, Robert Aaron Long. And Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a tightening of his country’s gun control laws in the wake of a deadly school shooting.

Coronavirus Update: The World Health Organization says the Indian variant of coronavirus has now been found in 44 countries. Hugging will be allowed again in England and Scotland from May 17, when indoor service will also resume in pubs and restaurants.

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Listen up, all you crazy cats and kittens — Joe Exotic might have a new rival for the Tiger King crown. Houston residents were stunned to see a Bengal tiger strolling across their suburban lawns Sunday, and police have now detained its owner, Victor Hugo Cuevas, 26, who was out on bond in a murder case. Cuevas is believed to have kept the massive predator in his rental home, though he denies owning it. Police say “the tiger portion of the investigation is continuing,” and ask anyone with information on the feline’s whereabouts to contact them so they can rescue it.

Sources: Houston Chronicle, AFP

2. What’s a Word’s Worth? Dictionary Auctions Term ‘NFT’

Things just got surreal. Merriam-Webster is selling its definition of the word NFT — as an NFT. Editor-at-Large Peter Sokolowski said the dictionary decided to define “NFT,” or “non-fungible token,” when it became clear the term wasn’t just a fad. “For example, cryptocurrency has been around for about twelve years, but I think we added it to our dictionary about two years ago,” he explained. “COVID-19,” meanwhile, was added to the dictionary about one month after the outbreak. The proceeds of the online OpenSea auction will go to Teach For All, an international education nonprofit.

Sources Gizmodo, OpenSea, Merriam-Webster

3. The New Coronavirus Concern: Black Fungus

As if the effects of COVID-19 — brain fog, fatigue, loss of taste and smell — weren’t scary enough, doctors have identified a link to a condition with a high fatality rate: black fungus. Some patients in India have developed the rare fungal infection called mucormycosis, which is caused by a group of common molds that can be inhaled or enter through cuts and spread through the bloodstream, affecting the brain and heart. With coronavirus compromising people’s immune systems, more cases of black fungus are now being seen, with about 300 already reported in the state of Gujarat.

Sources: LiveScience, The Guardian

4. Billie Eilish Back in Limelight Without Lime Locks

The 19-year-old superstar, who won best international female solo artist at the Brit Awards last night, is everywhere these days. Earlier Tuesday she released her first book — which reveals her parents nearly named her “Pirate” and that her first gig was at a slumber party — and on Monday she performed on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Eilish has drawn both praise and criticism after she recently ditched her trademark green locks and baggy androgenous clothes for a Vogue cover shoot, channeling Madonna in platinum hair and a corset. Her second album, Happier Than Ever, is out July 30.

Sources: Daily Mail, USA Today, Rolling Stone

5. Mohamed Salah Pleads for End to Violence in Israel

The Liverpool striker, one of soccer’s most beloved superstars, has taken to social media calling for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other world leaders to intervene in the crisis in Israel and “do everything in their power to make sure the violence and killing of innocent people stops immediately.” Salah, who hails from Egypt, made the plea after tensions boiled over in the Middle East yesterday, with Hamas firing dozens of rockets at Israel, which responded with airstrikes. Scores of people have been killed or injured on both sides. “Enough is enough,” the 28-year-old tweeted.

Sources: SkySports, Bleacher Report

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