Saturday, May 02
Jack Smith, the special counsel who pursued two federal cases against President-elect Donald Trump, has stepped down from his position. His resignation revealed in a legal filing footnote, marks the end of a tumultuous tenure of courtroom losses and political tension. His resignation was expected before Trump’s inauguration, who had vowed to remove him from his role.
President Joe Biden honoured Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the highest civilian award, recognising his faith, hope, and love impacting the world. Biden conveyed the award to the pope via phone, discussing peace and alleviation efforts. This marks Biden's only presentation of the honour with distinction during his presidency.
The week showcased extreme weather contrasts across America.Initially, numerous regions in the United States experienced severe blizzards and prolonged freezing temperatures, attributed to increasingly frequent jet stream deviations. Subsequently, California faced devastating wildfires, with strong winds propelling flames through drought-affected areas, resulting in Los Angeles' most severe wildfire incident on record.The situation intensified when leading meteorological organisations verified that 2024 surpassed all previous temperature records globally. More concerning was the announcement from four of six monitoring agencies that Earth had exceeded a crucial warming limit for an entire year, a threshold considered vital for preventing severe climate change impacts.Scientists indicate th
Outgoing President Joe Biden criticises Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for discontinuing fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, calling it shameful. Biden expresses concern over false information spreading. Zuckerberg, in a podcast, accused the Biden administration of pressuring Meta to censor true information. Biden also discussed his political stance and potential pardons.
Zuckerberg said third-party fact-checking veered from what the original intent was. "Early on, we made it really limited; we said, ‘All right, we're just going to have a system where third-party fact-checkers handle the worst of the worst stuff.’ Things that are very clear hoaxes—like "the Earth is flat"—not parsing speech about whether something is slightly true or slightly false; that was the original intent."
At a dinner with 22 Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump discussed key issues, including his ambition to acquire Greenland and growing concerns over drone activity. With only 11 days left before his inauguration, Trump sought to establish a cooperative relationship with state leaders.
Earth's average temperature in 2024 reached a record high, surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit set by the Paris Agreement. This increase, linked to fossil fuel emissions and El Nino impacts, is the first full-year breach of this benchmark. Experts warn about the long-term implications, emphasizing urgent action against climate change.
US President-elect Donald Trump plans a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek resolution to the Ukraine conflict, which has persisted for nearly 34 months. Trump has promised a swift resolution, though his aides suggest potential concessions involving Ukrainian territory. Russia welcomes dialogue and awaits formal requests as Trump assumes office.
JD Vance resigns from the Senate to prepare for his role as US vice president alongside President Donald Trump. Vance's time in the Senate was marked by loyalty to Trump's policies. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will appoint a temporary Senate replacement until a special election in 2026.
Canada's Liberal Party announced that a new prime minister and party leader would be chosen on March 9 after Justin Trudeau resigned. Frontrunners include Anita Anand and Chandra Arya. Challenges include Trump's tariff threats and opposition pledges for a no-confidence vote. Current polls show declining Liberal support.
