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Israel split, Trump 'transactionalism' and FAA approval

 
Today's INTERNATIONAL story

Netanyahu vows to 'stand alone' if Biden halts arms

What happened
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant tone Thursday after President Joe Biden threatened to withhold certain American offensive munitions if Israel launches a full ground invasion of Rafah, the Gaza city where 1.3 million Palestinians have sought refuge. Israel says Rafah is Hamas' final military stronghold.

Who said what
"If we need to stand alone, we will stand alone," Netanyahu said. "If necessary, we will fight with our fingernails." Israel has "what we need" in terms of munitions "for the missions in Rafah," said military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. 

"Hamas ♥ Biden," posted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, one of the ultra-nationalists in Netanyahu's Cabinet who has threatened to bring down the government if Israel doesn't invade Rafah. To avoid being "turned out of office," Netanyahu "needs to keep the 'total victory' myth alive — and that is only possible by avoiding a deal with Hamas," Anshel Pfeffer wrote in Haaretz. 

What next?
Cease-fire negotiations in Cairo were paused Thursday. The departing Israeli and Hamas delegations are looking to "blame the other guy" if talks fail, and "the only party that's really in a hurry is Biden," longtime U.S. Mideast negotiator Aaron David Miller told The Associated Press. "Sure, he's worried about Palestinian deaths if Bibi goes big in Rafah" but "also knows it will make any negotiation … all but impossible."

 
 
Today's POLITICS story

Trump pledged pro-oil policy to CEOs, asked $1bln

What happened
Former President Donald Trump told top oil executives and lobbyists at an April 11 Mar-a-Lago dinner they should collectively donate $1 billion to his election campaign, saying it would be a "deal" because he would immediately reverse President Joe Biden's environmental and pro–electric vehicle regulations, The Washington Post and other news organizations reported Thursday. The oil industry has been "drawing up ready-to-sign executive orders" for Trump, Politico said Wednesday.

Who said what
"Trump is selling out working families to Big Oil for campaign checks," Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said. "Trump's 'drill, baby, drill' philosophy aligns much better with the oil patch than Biden’s green-energy approach," oil executive and Trump donor Dan Eberhart told the Post. "It's a no-brainer."

"What Trump was offering is entirely legal and absolutely corrupt," David Graham said at The Atlantic. Maybe "American politics would be healthier if all politicians were so transparent" about such "transactionalism."

What next?
Oil companies, which earned record profits under Biden and are drilling more oil than ever before, are expected to write Trump "large checks" at an oil industry fundraiser later this year, the Post said.

 
 
Today's AVIATION Story

Senate passes FAA bill with new consumer protections

What happened
The Senate voted 88-4 on Thursday to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration and enact a raft of measures aimed at improving air safety and customer service. Senators also approved a one-week extension of FAA authorization, which expires Friday night. The House passed the weeklong extension on Wednesday, before leaving for the weekend.

Who said what
The bill "gives the FAA the stability it needs to fulfill its primary mission — advancing aviation safety — while also making travel more convenient and accessible," said Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

The bipartisan legislation increases the number of air traffic controllers and aircraft safety inspectors, requires airlines to refund customers for flight delays and prohibits them from charging extra to seat families together. 

What next?
The FAA package is "one of the few remaining bills considered a must-pass item this year," The New York Times said. If the House doesn't pass it by May 17, the FAA will have to furlough about 3,600 workers.

 
 

It's not all bad

Consuming more olive oil lowers the probability of dying from dementia, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found. The team analyzed the diets of 92,383 health care professionals over 28 years and determined that consuming at least half a tablespoon of olive oil per day is associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death, compared with those who never or rarely consume the oil. They also found that swapping one teaspoon of mayonnaise for olive oil lowers the risk of dying of dementia by 14%.

 
 
Under the radar

Estonia has accused Russia of jamming GPS navigation devices in the airspace above the Baltic states, raising fears of potential aircraft disasters. The incidents were part of an "ongoing pattern" of GPS interference in Europe, said New Scientist. But there are questions about who's to blame and if it's deliberate. 

Finnair flights from Helsinki to Tartu have been paused for at least a month over "potentially catastrophic" GPS interference, said The Times, and two Finnair flights were forced to return to Helsinki over safety fears. Jamming had worsened around the Baltic Sea over the past six months, said Lauri Soini, a Finnair pilot and the Finnish Pilots Association Safety and Security Committee chair. 

Estonia has pointed the finger firmly at Moscow. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the disruption was due to "completely deliberate actions" by Russia. His remarks come weeks after Germany claimed Russia was probably behind a string of GPS disturbances in the Baltic region. 

Is Russia actively trying to interfere with European civil aviation? "Probably not," said The Economist. European officials say the jamming is likely intended to protect Russian forces from Ukrainian drone attacks, which are growing "more frequent and ambitious." 

Although GPS jamming can sound alarming, most major airports have several navigation tools available if GPS doesn't work, Janis Kristops, an AirBaltic safety manager and a flight captain, told Reuters. Meanwhile, authorities are aiming to train pilots to verify jamming and spoofing sooner.

 
 
On this day

May 10, 1994

Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first modern president of South Africa. The anti-apartheid activist and leader of the African National Congress (ANC) was elected to power in a landslide, and the ANC has governed South Africa ever since. However, this could soon change, with favorability polls shifting away from the ANC ahead of the May 29 elections.

 
 
TODAY’S newspaperS

The "U.S.-Israel divide grows over plan to invade Rafah," The New York Times says on Friday's front page. "Israel holds firm on invasion plan despite U.S. threat" to withhold offensive weapons, The Washington Post says. But President Joe Biden's "weapon threat unnerves Israel," The Wall Street Journal adds. Meanwhile, "Christians in America struggle to navigate bloodshed in Gaza," USA Today says, quoting pastor Bob Roberts, whose Dallas-area church is divided over the war: "Our response is that no war is good."

► See the newspaper front pages

 
 
Tall tale

Panda-monium

Zookeepers in China admitted they dressed up several chow chow dogs as pandas because they didn't have any of the actual animals to put on display. The stand-ins, whose fur was dyed to more closely resemble the black-and-white markings of a panda, made their debut on May 1 at Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu province. The "obvious bamboo-zlement" did not totally put off visitors, said the New York Post. In fact, the dogs attracted "throngs of people."

 
 

Morning Report was written and edited by Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Scott Hocker, Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, Justin Klawans, Harold Maass, Chas Newkey-Burden, Devika Rao, Rafi Schwartz and Peter Weber, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek.

Image credits, from top: Menahem Kahana / AFP via Getty Images; Clive Mason / Getty Images; Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images; Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images