

1
Judge Blocks Biden from Ending Title 42
The Biden administration’s plan to end the Title 42 public health order – a move that many fear will significantly worsen the situation at the southern border – has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Louisiana. Two dozen states had sued the administration over its intent to ax Title 42, introduced in 2020. The order allowed the federal government to remove most illegal border-crossers because of the COVID-19 health crisis.
A number of Republican attorneys general argued that dropping the order would lead to a significant influx of illegal aliens across the already overwhelmed southern border. Democrats in border states were also angered by the administration’s plan. Judge Robert Summerhays granted a preliminary injunction, acknowledging the states’ claim “that the Termination Order will result in increased border crossings and that, based on the government’s estimates, the increase may be as high as three-fold,” was supported by the record.
2
Pennsylvania Primary Too Close to Call, Recount Likely to Happen
The Pennsylvania Republican Senate primary is still too close to call and could be headed to a statewide recount, widespread reports suggest. If a recount does take place, the results of the electoral battle between the Donald Trump-backed Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick might not be known until June 8. “Here we go again. In Pennsylvania, they are unable to count the mail-in ballots. It is a big mess. It just makes it harder for them to cheat with the ballots that they ‘just happened to find.'”
The Numbers: With 99% of the vote coming in, Dr. Oz has 31.2% of the vote (418,535), while McCormick received 31.1% of the vote (417,465). According to the state’s automatic recount law, there must be at least a 0.5% gap between the candidates. Trump has encouraged Oz to declare victory,
3
Flight Attendant Union President Slams Musk Over Sexual Harassment Allegations
Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants Union, lambasted billionaire Elon Musk over allegations that he engaged in sexually harassed a SpaceX flight attendant. In a statement shared with The Hill, Nelson stated that these reports are a “stark reminder” why flight crew organized nearly eight decades ago. “Musk’s alleged actions in the cabin are a stark reminder of why Flight Attendants first organized 76 years ago: to beat back discrimination and sexual harassment/assault by claiming our power to put misogyny and the privileged corporate class of men in check.”
Denial: Elon Musk dismissed the accusations as “wild” and “utterly untrue,” tweeting that “the attacks against me should be viewed through a political lens — this is their standard (despicable) playbook — but nothing will deter me from fighting for a good future and your right to free speech.”
4
Dow Jones Suffers Longest Losing Streak in a Century
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is going through the longest losing streak since 1923, with the index recording its eighth consecutive weekly loss. The benchmark posted a weekly drop of a little more than 3%. Moreover, the S&P 500 slipped into bear market territory when it tumbled as much as 2% during the May 20 trading session. A bear market is defined as an index that is down 20% from its highs.
Oversold? Investors are panicking on multiple headwinds: inflation, the Ukraine-Russia war, the global supply chain crisis, China on lockdown, the Federal Reserve tightening monetary policy, and the economy potentially slipping into a recession. But market analysts believe that once good news transpires, there could be a notable rebound in the equities arena.
5
Joe Biden Approval Rating His Fresh Low: AP
President Joe Biden’s approval rating hit a fresh low, according to a new poll released on May 20. The latest Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Research poll found that the president’s approval rating fell to 39%. The chief findings of the study were that 20% of adults thought the economy was good, Democratic support stood at 73%, and only 18% of Americans believed that Biden’s policies had done more to help the economy than hurt.
White House on the Defensive: Any time the administration has been confronted with poor polling numbers, officials have insisted that Biden’s policies are supporting the broader economy and fighting inflation. But experts contend that broad-based inflation, baby formula shortages, and renewed chaos at the US-Mexico border are giving voters a different impression.
6
Russia to Stop Gas Flows to Finland Saturday
Russia’s Gazprom announced that it would halt flows of natural gas to Finland beginning on Saturday, accusing a Finnish state-owned gas wholesaler, Gasum, of not making payments for Russian products in rubles. For weeks, Gazprom has demanded European countries pay for its exports in rubles because of sanctions slapped on the Kremlin over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. A majority of gas consumed by Finland originates from Russia. This comes soon after Russia stopped gas flows to Bulgaria and Poland in May.
Notable Quote: “It is highly regrettable that natural gas supplies under our supply contract will now be halted,” Gasum Chief Executive Mika Wiljanen said in a statement. “However, we have been carefully preparing for this situation and provided that there will be no disruptions in the gas transmission network, we will be able to supply all our customers with gas in the coming months.”