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Your First Look at Today's Top Stories - Daybreak Insider
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Don't miss The Daybreak Daily — scroll to the bottom of these top news stories
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President Biden Says US Will Use Military Force to Defend Taiwan, Administration Walks it Back
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Washington Post: Speaking to reporters during his first trip to Asia as president, Biden said the United States would defend Taiwan militarily if it came under attack by China — despite the U.S. policy of remaining vague on the subject — and that deterring Beijing from aggression in Taiwan and elsewhere was among the reasons it was critical to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for his “barbarism in Ukraine” ( Washington Post). Disclose.tv: Q: Biden says the US would defend #Taiwan militarily against an invasion by China ( Twitter). CNN: The White House quickly downplayed the comments, saying they don’t reflect a change in US policy. It’s the third time in recent months — including during a CNN town hall in October — that Biden has said the US would protect Taiwan from a Chinese attack, only to have the White House walk back those remarks ( CNN). RNC Research: CNN: “Several administration officials were caught off guard” when Biden said the U.S. would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. “This is not the first time. Twice before Biden has suggested the U.S. would intervene” and his staff walked it back ( Twitter).
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Russian Envoy Resigns Over War in Ukraine: “Never have I been so ashamed of my country”
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Public criticism of Russian foreign policy from a government insider is rare. Associated Press: A veteran Russian diplomat to the U.N. Office at Geneva says he handed in his resignation before sending out a scathing letter to foreign colleagues inveighing against the “aggressive war unleashed” by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. Boris Bondarev, 41, confirmed his resignation in a letter delivered Monday morning. “For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24 of this year,” he wrote, alluding to the date of Russia’s invasion ( Associated Press). Hillel Neuer: Russia’s Counsellor to the United Nations in Geneva has resigned. Boris Bondarev: “Never have I been so ashamed of my country.” UN Watch is now calling on all other Russian diplomats at the United Nations—and worldwide—to follow his moral example and resign ( Twitter). Washington Post: Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that dissent won’t be tolerated, saying in March that the Russian people can distinguish between “true patriots from scum and traitors” ( Washington Post).
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Powergrid Overload: Historic Blackouts Across the World Anticipated
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A convergence of events may press power facilities beyond capacity. Bloomberg: Global power grids are about to face their biggest test in decades with electricity generation strangled in the world’s largest economies. War. Drought. Production shortages. Historically low inventories. And pandemic backlash. Energy markets across the planet have been put through the wringer over the past year, and consumers have suffered the consequences of soaring prices. But, somehow, things are on track to get even worse ( Bloomberg). HotAir: The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has released its latest reliability assessment for the summer of 2022 and, to put it mildly, the news is not good. In far too many states, the power grid is already nearly at full capacity, and in the next few months, that capacity will be exceeded. Industry experts know this and have been trying to sound the alarm for several years. Critics are trying to place the blame on climate change (as they do with everything else) in the form of extended droughts and heatwaves. Those factors definitely exacerbate the problem, but this was going to happen in the next year or so anyway ( HotAir). KSL: Forced power outages, also known as rolling blackouts, are initiated during these situations — which is what millions of Americans run the risk of seeing this summer — to prevent long term damage to the grid ( KSL).
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“Incredible Transition”: President Biden Unapologetic Over Soaring Gas Prices
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Daily Mail: Prices at the pump have hit another record high on Monday, the same day President Joe Biden discussed the United States’ and the world’s ‘incredible transition’ away from fossil fuels. The new nationwide average now at just under $4.60 per gallon, the highest ever recorded by the American Automobile Association (AAA)’s gas price tracker. The median gas price is above $4 in all 50 states. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said it’s likely to remain there ‘through this year’ during an interview with a local Fox affiliate ( Daily Mail). RNC Research: Joe Biden: “When it comes to the gas prices, we’re going through an INCREDIBLE transition” ( Twitter). New York Post: Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the US and several of its Western allies cut off all imports of Russian oil and gas — which has contributed to soaring gas prices for Americans. In an effort to counter that, Biden announced the release of 180 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which his administration claimed would cause prices at the pump to “come down fairly significantly” ( New York Post).
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State Farm Donating Transgender Books to Kindergarteners in Florida
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National Review: State Farm, the household name insurance company, has launched a program that would enlist hundreds of staff volunteers across the country to distribute LGBTQ-themed books to teachers, community centers, and libraries, explicitly targeting children as young as kindergartners… “The project’s goal is to increase representation of LGBTQ+ books and support out communities in having challenging, important and empowering conversations with children Age 5+,” the email from Jose Soto, State Farm’s Corporate Responsibility Analyst, to all Florida agents reads. “Nationwide, approximately 550 State Farm agents and employees will have the opportunity to donate this 3 book bundle to their local teacher, community center or library of their choice,” the email added, confirming that the effort will extend beyond Florida ( National Review). Washington Examiner: The promotion of the project in Florida is notable because Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed into law the Parental Rights in Education Bill, prohibiting classroom instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation through third grade… In a zoom call with reporters, Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild noted that the materials promoted by State Farm and produced by the GenderCool Project would be barred from use in public schools once the new law takes effect in July ( Washington Examiner).
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Starbucks Closing All Stores in Russia
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This marks the most recent major business to leave the country. CNBC: After 15 years operating in Russia, Starbucks will exit the market, joining companies like McDonald’s, Exxon Mobil and British American Tobacco in withdrawing from the country completely. The coffee giant announced Monday that it will no longer have a brand presence in Russia. Starbucks has 130 locations in the country, which account for less than 1% of the company’s annual revenue. They are all licensed locations, so the Seattle-based company itself doesn’t operate them ( CNBC). Daily Wire: The company also previously announced its support of the Ukrainian people through its Starbucks Foundation. The foundation has contributed $500,000 to World Central Kitchen and the Red Cross for humanitarian relief efforts for Ukraine, according to the company’s March statement ( Daily Wire).
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Public School Enrollment Decreases by More Than 1.2 Million Since Pandemic
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Daily Caller: The data from the American Enterprise Institute‘s Return to Learn Tracker found that 1,268,000 students had left public schools since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. After school closures during the Spring 2020 semester, enrollment fell by 2.5% in the Fall semester of that year. In the Fall of 2021, schools that returned to in-person learning saw some recovery in enrollment numbers, while those that adopted virtual learning methods suffered ( Daily Caller). Daily Wire: There was very little public school attrition in states that did not lock down schools. In Florida, for example, public school enrollment has stayed strong, despite considerable gains in homeschooling in the state, which suggests that new students are filling the spaces of those who left ( Daily Wire).
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Governor Newsom Considering Mandatory Water Restrictions
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Los Angeles Times: Gov. Gavin Newsom met with leaders of the state’s largest urban water suppliers Monday and implored them to step up efforts to get people to reduce water use as California’s drought continues to worsen. He warned that if conservation efforts don’t improve this summer, the state could be forced to impose mandatory water restrictions throughout the state. Ten months ago, Newsom called for Californians to voluntarily cut water use 15%, but the state remains far from that goal. The latest conservation figures have been especially poor. Water use in cities and towns increased by nearly 19% in March, an especially warm and dry month. Compared with a 2020 baseline, statewide cumulative water savings since July have amounted to just 3.7% ( Los Angeles Times). Daily Wire: The State Water Resources Control Board is set to vote Tuesday on a ban that would apply across the state to providing water to “non-functional” turf on commercial, industrial and institutional properties, and rules mandating local agencies to execute water use limitations. If the Board’s rules are accepted, every urban location across the state will be under a local plan to cut down on water. Right now, local water agencies have placed limitations on around half of Californians ( Daily Wire).
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Mike Pence Weighs 2024 Presidential Run
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New York Times: After four years of service bordering on subservience, the increasingly emboldened Mr. Pence is seeking to reintroduce himself to Republican voters ahead of a potential presidential bid by setting himself apart from what many in the G.O.P. see as the worst impulses of Mr. Trump. He’s among a small group in his party considering a run in 2024 no matter what Mr. Trump decides… Now, on Monday outside Atlanta, Mr. Pence is taking his boldest and most unambiguous step toward confronting his former political patron. On the eve of Georgia’s primary, the former vice president will stump with Gov. Brian Kemp, perhaps the top target of Mr. Trump’s 2022 vengeance campaign against Republicans who didn’t bow to his election lies ( New York Times).
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Governor DeSantis Announces Program to Assist First Responders in Buying First Home
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Daily Wire: Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday the launch of the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program to help Floridians in more than 50 critical professions purchase their first home. The new initiative will be available to state law enforcement officers, firefighters, educators, healthcare professionals, childcare employees, and active military or veterans as part of the $100 million program ( Daily Wire). Ron DeSantis: Gov. DeSantis Launches Hometown Heroes Program ( Twitter).
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Eric Metaxas discusses the convoluted terms and double standards of White Replacement Theory with writer, John Zmirak
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Eric Metaxas: Zmirak is in the house. John Zmirak, welcome.
John Zmirak: Hey Eric, it’s always great to talk to you.
Metaxas: What are we going to talk about, John? There are a thousand things. What’s on your mind.
Zmirak: Well, I did a column at stream.org that I thought was fun. It was lots...
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Sebastian Gorka talks statistics and trends with school choice advocate, Corey DeAngelis
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Dr. Sebastian Gorka: It is the amazing actions across the nation of mothers and fathers saying enough is enough with the indoctrination, the masks. We want our children to be taught, not indoctrinated. How bad is it? How deep does it extend and what can we do about it? We’re going to talk to...
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Dennis Prager narrows the strategy for saving America down to one, single question
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Dennis Prager: The only question is, what Republican is most electable? I have no other thought. If the Democrats return to office, it is very difficult to believe this country is salvageable at this time. Over the long run, it may well be. The damage that the Democrats are inflicting on this...
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Hugh Hewitt cuts to the chase on the baby formula issue
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Hugh Hewitt: Leader McConnell was on with Bret Baier last night and talking about the baby formula shortage. And he said what I’ve been telling you for days. But I like it when the Leader tells it to Bret Baier on Special Report, cut number 28:
Clip of Mitch McConnell: Almost total incompetence....
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Mike Gallagher is a little skeptical about a sudden boost in Covid coverage, especially around election time
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Mike Gallagher: Grandpa Joe is hiding in South Korea, amid multiple crises here in the United States. That’s a good place for him to be right now. Maybe he can do a little bit less damage in South Korea hanging out with all their masks on and worried about their zero-Covid policy in Asian...
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Charlie Kirk warns of this newest tyranny eroding our freedoms and threatening the very sovereignty of America
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Charlie Kirk: So, the fight against tyranny is different for every single generation. There are always people, because of personality types and other reasons, that want to control others. Now, I know for a lot of you this is a foreign concept. For a lot of you, you want to be free. You don’t...
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Dinesh D’Souza celebrates the break out of his movie “2000 Mules,” No. 1 on Amazon and playing in theaters across the country
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Dinesh D’Souza: My documentary “2000 Mules” has broken out into the political and cultural mainstream. It’s now become kind of unstoppable. In fact, today at the European Union, a group — I think they’re Dutch members of Parliament — they have announced a screening of the movie...
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