Newsletter Apr 28, 2024

Quick Six

White House calls for peace on campuses as protests spread
The White House insisted Sunday that pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked US universities must be peaceful, after police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses over the weekend. The wave of demonstrations began earlier this month at Columbia University in New York but they have since spread rapidly across the country. The arrest numbers include 100 at Northeastern University, 80 at Washington University in St Louis, 72 at Arizona State University and 23 at Indiana University.
CAMPUSES TRY TO BALANCE SAFETY WITH FREE SPEECH

Summer interest rate cuts unlikely as Fed holding the line
The Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates unchanged later this week, as policymakers contend with a recent uptick in inflation that has sharply cut the chance of a summer start to interest rate cuts. The Fed's decision to hike interest rates and then hold them at a 23-year high has helped lower inflation, but it remains stuck above the central bank's long-term target of 2%.
FIND OUT IF AND WHEN THE FED IS LIKELY TO CUT RATES

TikTok creators fear economic fallout of a possible US ban
A new US law put TikTok's parent, Chinese tech giant ByteDance, on a nine-month deadline to divest the popular video platform or have it banned in the US, where lawmakers argue that TikTok can be used by the Chinese government for espionage and propaganda as long as it is owned by ByteDance. TikTok has gone from a novelty to a necessity for many US small businesses.
WHAT CREATORS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL COSTS OF A BAN

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* As of market close

Biden targets Trump; protesters spoil dinner

President Joe Biden spoke to and joked with a gathering of journalists, celebrities, and politicians at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, which was interrupted over the Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite the Gaza protesters outside, Biden used the occasion to take jabs at his rival, Donald Trump. However, he balanced these jokes with serious warnings about the potential consequences if Trump were to win the presidency again. Meanwhile, some chants accused US journalists of inadequately covering the conflict and presenting a biased portrayal.

SEE HOW BIDEN TRIED TO BALANCE HUMOR WITH WARNINGS

Musk meets again with China trade officials

Tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in China for talks on Sunday, making his second trip in less than a year to the world's biggest market for electric vehicles. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Musk -- one of the world's richest people -- held a meeting with a top trade official, publishing a photograph of the X owner at Beijing's grand Diaoyutai state guesthouse. Musk has extensive business interests in China and his most recent visit was in June last year.

SEE WHAT MUSK HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH WITH CHINA TALKS

Pope Francis makes rare visit to St. Mark's

Pope Francis presided over mass in Saint Mark's Square in Venice on Sunday, warning of environmental damage and over-tourism in a closely watched visit, the first for the ageing pontiff outside Rome since last year. Fragile health has prevented the 87-year-old leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics from traveling in recent months, his last trip being a visit to the French city of Marseille in September. But the pope appeared in high spirits as he addressed more than 10,000 faithful.

SEE THE POPE'S MESSAGES RANGING FROM WAR TO TOURISM

Extra point

Name the first pope to visit the United States. When, where and why?

Friday's answer: Besides water, tea is the most consumed beverage globally with more than 6.3 million tons drank across the world annually.

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