A New Plan for Closer U.S.-Israel Military Cooperation, and the First mRNA Flu Vaccine

Key Points:

• A new proposal in Congress aims to replace the $3.8 billion annual US military aid to Israel with a Pentagon office to facilitate a US-Israel defense industrial partnership, sparking debate over sovereignty and military collaboration.
• The Senate Homeland Security Committee is set to vote on holding Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times during a hearing, with Republicans arguing a presidential pardon negates his right to refuse answers.
• The FDA approved the first-ever mRNA flu vaccine developed by Moderna, expected to be available for Americans 50 and older this flu season, marking a significant advancement in flu prevention technology.
• Investigations reveal Malta as a growing tax haven for major US multinationals like Victoria’s Secret, Kraft Heinz, and Pepsi, exploiting delayed global minimum tax agreements, while the US withdrawal from the initiative under President Trump has facilitated billions in avoided taxes.
• San Francisco’s first AI-run store, managed by an AI named Luna, shows mixed results: while Luna maintains a friendly management style and happy employees, it struggles with operational tasks and has incurred significant financial losses.