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I politici del Mississippi minacciano di ridisegnare il distretto di Bennie Thompson, l'unico democratico dello stato in Parlamento La decisione della Corte Suprema che ha di fatto svuotato il Voting Rights Act (VRA) "è stata carne fresca per i legislatori repubblicani del sud", ha dichiarato il rappresentante della Camera degli Stati Uniti Bennie Thompson. I legislatori conservatori in Mississippi, dove Thompson è sia l'unico rappresentante nero che l'unico rappresentante democratico in Congress, hanno colto l'occasione per prenderlo esplicitamente di mira, minacciando di ridisegnare il secondo distretto congressuale che egli rappresenta. Continua a leggere...

• Un tribunale della Carolina del Sud ha annullato le condanne per omicidio di Alex Murdaugh, l'eminente avvocato condannato per aver ucciso la moglie e il figlio, aprendo la strada a un potenziale nuovo processo o al rilascio. • La decisione giudiziaria ribalta il caso di risonanza mediatica che ha catturato l'attenzione nazionale e sollevato interrogativi sulle indagini e sullo svolgimento del processo. • L'annullamento segna una significativa inversione legale in uno dei casi penali più monitorati degli ultimi anni che ha coinvolto una ricca famiglia di giuristi.

• Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee e altri stanno spingendo per eliminare i distretti democratici dopo la sentenza della Corte Suprema. • Gli stati del sud degli USA si stanno affrettando a ridisegnare le mappe congressuali per eliminare i distretti democratici e diluire l'influenza degli elettori neri nell'elezione dei candidati; un'offensiva spietata che avviene anche in alcuni stati dove hanno già avuto inizio le primarie congressuali, stimolata dalla decisione della Corte Suprema degli USA di svuotare di significato la sezione 2 del Voting Rights Act. • I Repubblicani del Tennessee hanno già attuato una nuova mappa, dividendo la città di Memphis, a maggioranza nera, in tre diversi distretti congressuali per eliminare l'unico democratico dello stato al Congresso.

• La Corea del Sud sta preparando nuove misure per contrastare i cyberattacchi basati sull'AI a seguito delle preoccupazioni sollevate da Claude Mythos Preview di Anthropic, secondo un riepilogo sulla cybersecurity del 13 maggio. • La risposta politica riportata riflette i crescenti timori che gli strumenti di AI avanzata possano abbassare la barriera per il phishing, lo sviluppo di malware e i tentativi di intrusione automatizzati. • La questione è rilevante poiché la Corea del Sud è un'economia altamente digitalizzata con una forte esposizione nelle reti governative, di telecomunicazioni, finanziarie e manifatturiere.

St John the Divine, Kennington ha creato uno dei programmi corali giovanili più grandi del Regno Unito in un'area segnata dalla deprivazione https://media.gutools.co.uk/images/f691f17c8bec6dd39eb407c2e7bddce5c0148803https://media.gutools.co.uk/images/d8f91c2e89ef1aed515efeda33eadbfe161bafbb Continua a leggere...

I giudici hanno dichiarato che la decisione è dovuta a "impropri influssi esterni sulla giuria" esercitati da un cancelliere del tribunale durante il processo.

• L'indice Kospi della Corea del Sud è crollato fino al 3,2% all'inizio del 13 maggio a causa del mancato accordo salariale tra Samsung Electronics e il proprio sindacato, ma ha rimbalzato nettamente del 2,6% chiudendo al record di 7.708-7.844. • La ripresa è stata favorita dagli sforzi del governo per gestire la situazione sindacale e da un più ampio ottimismo verso l'AI che ha rianimato il sentiment di mercato, nonostante i dati sull'inflazione statunitense e le tensioni con l'Iran. • Questa performance eccezionale ha contrastato i movimenti misti a livello regionale, evidenziando la volatilità della Corea tra questioni sindacali aziendali e la forza del settore tecnologico.

• I hedge fund globali hanno incrementato gli investimenti in Asia, con gli acquisti settimanali di titoli sudcoreani, giapponesi e taiwanesi che hanno raggiunto il massimo di 10 anni per la settimana conclusasi il 7 maggio, secondo un rapporto di Morgan Stanley. • L'impennata, la più consistente in termini di valore nominale in oltre un decennio, è stata guidata da clienti di tutte le regioni e strategie mirate al settore tecnologico asiatico nel contesto del boom dell'AI. • L'esposizione netta degli hedge fund verso Giappone, Corea del Sud e Taiwan è salita ai massimi dal 2010, raggiungendo ora circa il 19% del posizionamento globale, con un focus su semiconduttori e hardware nella supply chain dell'AI.

Il leader repubblicano riconosce le 'probabili conseguenze' per aver resistito alle richieste del presidente degli Stati Uniti di ridisegnare la mappa • I senatori statali della Carolina del Sud hanno sfidato martedì le pressioni di Donald Trump per approvare i piani di ridisegno della mappa congressuale dello stato, dopo che la Corte Suprema degli Stati Uniti ha di fatto annullato il Voting Rights Act. Mentre i repubblicani si affrettano a ridisegnare i distretti chiave, a seguito della decisione della Corte Suprema di rendere inefficace una sezione fondamentale della legge sui diritti civili che preveniva la discriminazione razziale, Shane Massey, leader della maggioranza repubblicana nel senato della Carolina del Sud, ha sostenuto in un discorso straordinario che procedere in tal senso sarebbe contrario agli interessi del suo stato. Continua a leggere...

Month was one of driest on record with rainfall 23% less than average, according to Met Office figuresOne of the driest Aprils on record for central and southern England has left river levels below normal, raising fears of drought in some areas over the summer.The latest UK hydrological survey – which tracks river and groundwater levels – suggests central and southern England and eastern Scotland will experience notably low river flows over the next three months, raising concerns about water shortages if dry weather persists. Continue reading...

• Japanese Prime Minister is eyeing a visit to South Korea around May 19-20, 2026, for summit talks, according to sources cited in Asia Daily on May 11. • The trip aims to strengthen Japan-South Korea relations amid regional security challenges in East Asia. • This follows recent joint military drills involving Japan, U.S., and U.K. paratroopers, signaling deeper defense cooperation.

• iShares MSCI South Korea ETF and iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF have risen 239% and 96% respectively over the past 12 months amid AI mania. • South Korea's KOSPI index hit a record 7,899.32 on Monday with a 4% surge, while Taiwan's TAIEX closed above 42,000 for the first time last week. • Goldman Sachs forecasts South Korea's GDP growth at 2.5% in 2026 with AI-related exports tripling to nearly 30% of GDP; Taiwan's GDP expected to accelerate to 10% with similar export rises.

Temperatures soar in California and Arizona, while deluge continues across Western and Northern CapeHeat is expected to intensify across western parts of the US and Mexico this week as a ridge of high pressure pushes temperatures well above the seasonal norm. Daytime highs are forecast to reach 10-15C above average in some areas.The US National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for parts of California and Arizona, with extreme heat warnings in force on Monday and Tuesday in places such as Palm Springs, where temperatures could reach 40-43C (104-110F). More broadly, temperatures are expected to climb into the high 30s celsius before the heat shifts eastwards towards the midwest later this week. Continue reading...

Station will be first to be given full GBR branding and will directly link city’s Biomedical Campus to London, Brighton and Stansted airportThe delayed Cambridge South station will finally open in late June – and become the first station to be given full Great British Railways branding, the government has announced.The station sits beside the city’s Biomedical Campus, Europe’s largest medical research centre, and will connect it with direct trains to London, Brighton and Stansted airport, as well as up to nine trains an hour to the centre of Cambridge itself. Continue reading...

• President Trump departs Washington on Monday for a key Asia trip, stopping in Japan and South Korea before a two-day summit with China's President Xi Jinping. • The itinerary focuses on diplomatic engagements amid heightened U.S.-China tensions and regional security concerns. • Discussions are expected to cover trade, security alliances, and bilateral relations during the high-stakes visits.

• China's UN Permanent Representative Fu Cong highlighted how the conflict in Sudan and instability in South Sudan are impeding the Abyei area's political process. • The ground situation remains grim on security and humanitarian fronts in both nations, exacerbating delays in negotiations. • This stall threatens long-term stability in the region, affecting US interests in countering instability and humanitarian aid efforts in Africa.

• Asia-focused ETFs representing Japan, China, South Korea, and Taiwan are outperforming in 2026, driven by a structural re-rating of Asian growth prospects as global investors seek alternatives to high-valuation U.S. mega-cap technology stocks. • Semiconductor and hardware infrastructure sectors are the primary beneficiaries of ongoing global AI expansion, with integrated supply chains across Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea attracting significant catch-up trades from international investors. • A broader stabilization in the U.S. dollar is acting as a tailwind for developed and emerging Asian equities, reducing the cost of dollar-denominated debt for regional corporations and improving competitive positioning.

• South Korea's Kospi index surged 78% year-to-date, with Taiwan shares among the world's top performers this month as investors redirect capital flows to Asian equities for the next leg of the global rally. • Morgan Stanley forecasts Asia's fixed asset investment will jump from $11 trillion in 2025 to $16 trillion by 2030, driven by AI infrastructure, energy security, and defense spending reshaping the region's industrial cycle. • Semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. are key beneficiaries, with implied volatility for Taiwan and Korea climbing to peak levels versus the S&P 500 as option costs rise amid investor enthusiasm.

• Shares in South Korea and Taiwan have rallied the most globally this month, with South Korea's Kospi index surging 78% year-to-date amid optimism for tech-driven gains. • Traders are positioning for Asia's technology leaders to lead the next phase of the worldwide stocks rally, focusing on semiconductor and electronics firms in these markets. • The outperformance underscores Asia's pivotal role in global equities, potentially sustaining momentum if U.S. and European markets stabilize.

• A growing measles outbreak in South Carolina, reported in recent days, has seen case numbers rise amid low vaccination rates in certain communities. • Public health officials note multiple exposures and urge unvaccinated individuals to seek MMR shots immediately. • The outbreak underscores U.S. vulnerabilities with national MMR coverage at 92.7%, below herd immunity thresholds, risking wider spread.

• On May 7, 2026, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced the formation of a national AI supercomputing grid, integrating 16 existing data centers into a unified platform with total processing capacity of more than 40 exaFLOPS. • The grid, funded with ₩12 trillion (about $9 billion), will provide subsidized compute access to domestic startups, universities, and automakers, with particular emphasis on training Korean‑language LLMs and autonomous‑driving models. • Seoul positions the grid as a counterweight to China’s state‑backed AI clusters and U.S. hyperscalers, while also tightening export controls on high‑end GPUs integrated into the network.

• Conservative opposition leader Han Dong-hoon on May 8, 2026, launched a fierce attack against progressive President Lee Jae-myung and his ruling Democratic Party. • He criticized the government's aggressive legal campaigns using special counsels against former President Yoon Suk-yeol and associates. • Key Democratic Party plans include dissolving the prosecution service and expanding the Supreme Court bench massively to consolidate judicial influence.

• The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) hopes to keep politics separate from sports when women's clubs from North and South Korea face off in the AFC Women's Champions League semifinals on May 20 at Suwon Stadium, 30 km south of Seoul. • The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time, pitting the two Korean teams against each other in a high-stakes encounter. • AFC officials emphasized maintaining focus on football amid historical tensions between the divided nations.

• Southeast Asian nations are warming to the idea of easing Myanmar's international isolation following the 2021 military coup, with diplomats signaling a potential diplomatic opening to reintegrate the crisis-affected nation. • Regional sentiment has shifted as some countries explore conditions for Myanmar's return to normal diplomatic relations and potential participation in regional forums. • The thaw reflects changing geopolitical calculations in Southeast Asia and could affect ASEAN's cohesion and approach to Myanmar's political crisis.

Men were convicted in Miami federal court for plotting to kill Jovenel Moise at his Port-au-Prince home in 2021Four south Florida men were convicted on Friday of plotting to kill Haitian president Jovenel Moise in 2021 by hiring mercenaries to assassinate him at his Port-au-Prince home, court records show.Prosecutors argued during the nine-week trial in a Miami federal court that the men assembled two dozen former Colombian soldiers and supplied them with money, guns, ammunition and tactical vests in a conspiracy to kill Moise. The 53-year-old president was shot dead in July 2021 at his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince, a killing that left a gaping political vacuum in the Caribbean nation and emboldened powerful gangs. Continue reading...

David Hinton will remain in post while successor is found, utility says, a week after group’s chairman quitThe chief executive of South East Water has announced plans to step down just a week after the group’s chairman quit in the wake of major supply outages in Kent and Sussex.The supplier said David Hinton, who joined the group’s board in 2013, would stay in post to allow an “orderly transition” over the summer while the group hunts for his successor. Continue reading...

• Chinese semiconductor equipment makers CCtech and Nextool Technology are deepening presence in SEA's OSAT centers as Malaysia and Singapore emerge as packaging and testing hubs. • Expansion driven by global supply chain shifts, southbound strategies, surging AI demand, and power electronics growth. • The moves signal a new upcycle for test and packaging equipment amid regional semiconductor boom.