Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Capital of Israel: Here’s What We’re Reading

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Here’s what we’re reading today.

1. Trump recognizes Jerusalem as capital of Israel in reversal of longtime U.S. policy

President Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, defying warnings from other Middle East countries and some U.S. allies in a politically risky move that he insisted would not derail efforts to broker a peace deal.

But in a sign that the move could backfire, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas slammed Trump’s announcement as a “declaration of withdraw” by the United States from the peace process, according to the Associated Press.

Washington Post

+1: US Embassy in Jordan warns of violent protests after Jerusalem move – The Hill

2. Ontario Auditor General: Lack of oversight has Ontarians paying $300 million in higher bills

“In her annual report to the Legislature, the last before the June 7 provincial election, auditor general Bonnie Lysyk takes aim at Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals for lax oversight of electricity companies, which has cost consumers $300 million in higher bills.”

Toronto Star

3. Mike Flynn said Russian sanctions would be ‘ripped up’

“Michael T. Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser, told a former business associate that economic sanctions against Russia would be ‘ripped up’ as one of the Trump administration’s first acts, according to an account by a whistle-blower made public on Wednesday.

“Mr. Flynn believed that ending the sanctions could allow a business project he had once participated in to move forward, according to the whistle-blower. The account is the strongest evidence to date that the Trump administration wanted to end the sanctions immediately, and suggests that Mr. Flynn had a possible economic incentive for the United States to forge a closer relationship with Russia.”

New York Times

4. The AI researcher trying to keep racism out of machine learning

“Companies use AI to predict everything from the credit worthiness to preferred cancer treatment. The technology has blind spots that particularly effect women and minorities.”

– Bloomberg

5. Why are so many farmers committing suicide?

“The suicide rate for farmers is more than double that of veterans. Former farmer Debbie Weingarten gives an insider’s perspective on farm life – and how to help”

The Guardian