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Morning Rundown: Orcas sink boats in abnormal attacks, Bud Light sales keep plummeting and the latest on Super Typhoon Mawar

Three recent incidents of orcas seemingly attacking and sinking boats off the coast of Europe, including one this month, has made a splash in the science world.
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The U.S. and China show signs of deepening distrust. Guam braces for Super Typhoon Mawar. And abnormal killer whale attacks are puzzling scientists.

Here’s what to know today.

What will it take to melt the icy U.S.-China relationship?

Relations between the U.S. and China have been a roller coaster, and there are signs of deepening distrust. 

February’s “spy balloon” incident resulted in a planned trip to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken being canceled. China apologized for the balloon but later took a more defensive stance. 

Beijing also reacted angrily to last week’s Group of Seven summit in Japan. Member countries pledged to cooperate with China economically but be tougher in areas including “economic coercion,” human rights, Taiwan, Hong Kong and more. 

Despite those tensions, President Joe Biden predicted a “thaw very soon” between the two countries. Also, Beijing’s new ambassador arrived in Washington yesterday, striking a cautiously upbeat tone in his remarks. 

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Before high-level diplomacy can move forward — with one of Biden’s Cabinet members visiting Beijing or a call between Biden and Xi — there are a number of obstacles China believes need to be addressed, according to a Chinese diplomat, as well as public comments by Chinese state media and officials. 

Among them is the ongoing FBI investigation into the Chinese balloon shot down by the U.S. Another is the “false accusations,” as the diplomat put it, that China has been illegally operating police stations in New York and elsewhere around the world. 

But favorable conditions will be tough to achieve.

Guam braces for ‘triple threat’ from Super Typhoon Mawar

Winds of over 50 mph were felt and rain began hitting Guam this morning as Super Typhoon Mawar barreled toward the island. The storm is expected to cross Wednesday afternoon or early evening local time and bring with it a “triple threat” of torrential rains, life-threatening storm surge and Category 4 hurricane-force winds, officials said. President Joe Biden signed an emergency declaration yesterday, anticipating a potentially severe impact. Here’s the latest.

Driver in crash near White House wanted to ‘seize power’

Court documents released yesterday revealed the motive of the 19-year-old man accused of deliberately driving a rented box truck into a White House barrier early Tuesday morning. Sai Varshith Kandula, who allegedly told authorities that he admires Nazis, wanted to “get into the White House, seize power and be put in charge of the nation,” according to a statement of facts. When asked how he would achieve power, Kandula told authorities he would “kill the president if that’s what I have to do.”

In the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield, where Kandula lived, acquaintances struggled to link the alleged attack with the “chill” teen they knew.

Elon Musk to host DeSantis’ 2024 announcement

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will announce his presidential bid today during a discussion with Twitter CEO Elon Musk, three sources familiar with the plan said. The talk on Twitter Spaces will begin at 6 p.m. Eastern. While Musk said he is not planning to formally endorse DeSantis during the event, a source said his participation is viewed as a clear sign of support for the governor. 

A string of abnormal orca attacks puzzles scientists 

Three recent incidents of orcas seemingly attacking and sinking boats off the coast of Europe, including one this month, has made a splash in the science world. While some say the whales’ behavior may be coordinated, others aren’t convinced it’s indicative of killer instincts.

One theory put forward by a Portuguese biologist suggested the aggression started from a female orca that perhaps was struck by a boat, a traumatic experience that caused her to start ramming sailing vessels. Other orcas may have then picked up that behavior. 

Monika Wieland Shields, director of the Orca Behavior Institute, says orcas have “certainly had reason” to engage in aggressive behavior toward humans in the past, but historically, they haven’t. Instead, she believes the recent orca attacks are more of a “fad.”

▼ Today’s Talker

Bud Light beer sales are…

still plummeting, reflecting the ongoing backlash to the brand’s decision to hire transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney as a spokesperson. Sales in the week ending May 13 sank 28.4% and 27.7% in the week before, according to data. Given the wide array of alternate choices, it’s easy for beer drinkers to switch to buying a different brand, said one expert, who conceded, “nobody imagined it would go on this long.”

▼ Politics in Brief

Debt ceiling: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said yesterday that a deal to avert a debt limit default is “not there yet,” with talks stuck on federal spending levels.

Trump investigations: The New York criminal trial for the case against Donald Trump involving hush money payments will begin in March 2024, halfway through presidential primary contests.

Classified documents: Lawyers for Donald Trump asked for a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland as a Justice Department investigation of Trump’s handling of classified documents shows signs of winding down. 

▼ Staff Pick

San Francisco’s concrete problem

Living in San Francisco, I’m used to seeing beautiful old Art Deco buildings from the city’s heydays: hotels, office buildings, monuments and more. So when I read in the local media that there was a city-made list of thousands of concrete buildings that might be at particularly high risk in an earthquake, I thought, “I’ve got to see this list.” To my surprise, no one had published it, making it impossible for people to judge their day-to-day risks. I asked the city for a copy, and weeks later, here are my findings. — David Ingram, tech reporter

▼ In Case You Missed It

The New York Police Department is investigating another victim in connection with a robbery scheme largely targeting men visiting gay bars.

A Florida man who lost his arm in an alligator attack shrugs off the loss: “It’s not the end of the world.”

Netflix’s crackdown on password sharing has rolled out in the U.S. Here’s what could happen if you use a shared account.

Yellowstone National Park staff killed a newborn bison after a visitor helped it cross a river.

A man died in Alaska after he became trapped waist-deep in tidal mud flats and was submerged by an incoming tide.

▼ Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Amazon’s Gaming Week recently went live, meaning you can shop deals up to 60% off on top-rated laptops, desktops, controllers and headsets. There are also deals on Fire TVs and other streaming devices, keyboards and even furniture. Here are the seven best deals to shop.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.