Biden is running for re-election
In a video message, President Biden formally kicked off his campaign for the 2024 presidential race, urging voters to “let him get this job done.”
His announcement made no mention of Donald Trump — his most likely opponent — but the subtext of his messages was clear: He considers himself the best person to prevent Trump from regaining the presidency.
At 80 years old, Biden is already the oldest American president in history. (Trump is 76.) Still, he has nearly cleared the Democratic presidential field despite concerns about his age. While polls show that Democrats crave a fresh face in 2024, they just don’t know who it would be.
Kamala Harris, his vice president, is likely to face scrutiny and intense Republican criticism; she would take over if anything happened to Biden, who would be 86 at the end of his term.
Despite low unemployment, a resilient economy and an enviable legislative record, Biden has never completely won over the country, or even the voters in his party. Nearly seven in ten Americans think the US is on the “wrong track”.
While Republicans plan to play on those uncertainties, hammering on Biden’s age and vulnerability, Democrats argue Biden is much better positioned than his Republican rivals.
The race: Trump currently leads the Republican Party, but he could face a strong challenge from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Here’s who else is running.
Ukraine’s risky counter-offensive
Ukraine is preparing a new offensive against Russian forces that could begin as early as next month, US officials say. The stakes are incredibly high: without a decisive victory, Western support could weaken and Kiev could come under pressure to hold peace talks.
The operation is likely to unfold in the south, near Russian-annexed Crimea. Twelve Ukrainian brigades, each with about 4,000 troops, are expected to be ready this month, according to leaked US documents.
Ukrainian officials have said their goal is to break through entrenched Russian defenses and force the Russian army to collapse. But US officials believe the offensive is unlikely to result in a dramatic shift in momentum in Ukraine’s favor.
US and European officials say Russia is preparing new rounds of troop mobilizations to bolster its military’s ranks. Given Russia’s greater reserves of equipment and personnel, U.S. intelligence officials say President Vladimir Putin believes he will eventually prevail if the West’s appetite for supporting Ukraine wanes.
Citable: “Everything depends on this counter-offensive,” said Alexander Vershbow, a former US ambassador to Russia and senior NATO official, both for retaking territory and influencing peace negotiations.
Yoon’s state visit to the US
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend a state dinner hosted by President Biden and the first lady in Washington this week. He will address the US Congress. A major focus of Yoon’s visit is South Korea’s relations with Japan.
During talks at the White House, Biden will likely push for more steps in South Korea’s détente with Japan, which is critical to U.S. strategy in Asia.
Both Tokyo and Seoul are moving closer to Washington as China promotes a world view in which the US has less power. North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threat was also a boost for the countries and the US
Seoul and Tokyo have taken steps to address a long-standing dispute over forced labor during World War II. This week, South Korea restored Japan’s status as a preferred trading partner, a month after Tokyo and Seoul agreed to relax export controls. Yoon also said Japan should no longer be expected to “kneel because of our history from 100 years ago”.
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Kevon Looney, an American basketball star, said he barely survived his first hot yoga class. “I have been lying on the mat a lot. I felt like a top athlete, but they destroyed me.”
Now Looney, a forward for the Golden State Warriors, practices “Joga,” yoga for jocks, before every game to help him cope with the physical and mental rigors of the NBA
Lives lived: Harry Belafonte broke racial barriers with his music in the 1950s and was a leader in the civil rights movement. He died at the age of 96.
Another race to the moon
Ispace, a Japanese company, aimed to complete the first moon landing by a private company. But yesterday it lost contact with the small robotic spacecraft that sent it to the moon.
The loss of the signal could indicate that the lander, which was carrying Japanese and Emirati robots, has crashed on the lunar surface. The spacecraft launched in December and entered lunar orbit in March.
While Ispace’s lunar landing attempt appears to have had a failed outcome, it won’t be the last company to try. Two other landers, both made by US companies and funded by NASA, are scheduled to launch to the moon this year. Also, two more moon landings by Ispace are planned.
