Tuesday Briefing: Supreme Court jumps into U.S. culture wars with abortion and gun cases

The Reuters Daily Briefing Tuesday, May 18, 2021 by Linda Noakes Hello Here's what you need to know. A devastating cyclone hits India, Biden pitches his electric dream, and the new 'Big Short'? Today's biggest stories The Authority of Law statue outside the United States Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., May 17, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein U.S. The Supreme Court has placed itself back on the frontlines of the U.S. culture wars by taking up major cases on abortion and guns, with rights cherished by millions of Americans - and potentially the future of the nation’s top judicial body itself - on the line. President Joe Biden will make the case for his $174 billion electric vehicle plan, calling for government grants for new battery production facilities during a visit to a Ford plant in Michigan. Republicans are expected to unveil a new infrastructure proposal as early as today as optimism grows about a possible bipartisan deal that would cover a fraction of Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan. Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is clashing with prosecutors over how to determine whether materials seized from his home and offices last month are covered by “attorney-client privilege.” We explain the legal doctrine and whether it could apply. Biden and first lady Jill Biden reported a drop in income as they filed their tax returns for 2020, marking a return to the normal practice of releasing such information by modern U.S. presidents. Waves caused by Cyclone Tauktae crash up on the promenade near the Gateway of India monument in Mumbai, India, May 17, 2021. REUTERS/Niharika Kulkarni WORLD The Indian Navy has mounted a massive air and sea rescue mission for 81 missing oil workers and crew whose barge sank in heavy seas following a powerful cyclone that tore up the west coast of the country. India's total COVID-19 caseload surged past 25 million as the cyclone complicated the health crisis. Cross-border fighting between Israel and Hamas appeared to have abated slightly, with no fatalities logged in Gaza for the first time since hostilities erupted on May 10, and fewer long-range Palestinian rocket attacks. We look at the strain on Gaza's hospitals from COVID and conflict. Hong Kong's government suspended operations at its representative office in Taiwan in a sign of escalating diplomatic tension between the global financial hub and the democratically ruled island that Beijing claims. With a warming climate melting more Arctic ice cover and global industries eager to exploit the region for shipping, fishing, drilling and mining, the United States and Russia have sounded a rare, cooperative note going into an Arctic meeting this week. BUSINESS The family office run by 'Big Short' investor Michael Burry has disclosed a short position against Tesla worth more than half a billion dollars. Burry was profiled in the book and film of the same name for betting against the U.S. housing bubble. Berkshire Hathaway has sold nearly all of its holdings in Wells Fargo, as Warren Buffett abandons a more than 31-year-old investment that was among his most successful before the bank was felled by scandals. Walmart raised its full-year earnings forecast and beat estimates for same-store sales as it benefited from additional stimulus checks that put more money in consumers' pockets and boosted demand for apparel and electronics. Home Depot blew past quarterly same-store sales estimates, as demand remains strong for the top U.S. home improvement retailer's products even as vaccinations open up more traditional avenues for customers to spend their money. Quote of the day "There will be birth. There will be death. There will be romance in the treetops. It's going to be better than an episode of Game of Thrones" Dr. Michael Raupp Professor Emeritus of Entomology at the University of Maryland U.S. awaits chorus of huge, 17-year cicada hatch Video of the day Brazil's Manaus flooded by rising rivers Heavy rains in the Amazon are threatening the state capital with another disaster after it was severely struck by the pandemic. And finally… Baseball card legacy could smash records When Florida physician Thomas Newman died of COVID-19, he left his family a huge legacy - a collection of sports cards worth some $20 million. More from Reuters COVID-19 Investigations Breakingviews Legal News Thanks for spending part of your day with us. Share your thoughts You are receiving this email because you signed up for newsletters from Reuters. No longer want to hear from us? Unsubscribe from The Reuters Daily Briefing. Terms, conditions, and privacy statement © 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036