Israeli military report: The Israeli Defense Forces today released its report on the attack in Gaza that killed seven volunteer workers for World Central Kitchen. The report admits to serious violations of procedures. It says that the personnel who approved the attack believed they were targeting Hamas operatives who were operating as World Central Kitchen volunteers. The report says that two Israeli military officers were dismissed as a result of the mistake. World Central Kitchen’s Chef Jose Andres has called for an independent international investigation into the incident.
Trump cases: Fulton County, Georgia, Supreme Court Judge Scott McAfee has released a decision rejecting Donald Trump’s argument that what he did in trying to get Georgia election officials to falsify results of the 2020 election was free speech. Trump wanted the case against him dismissed based on his free speech claim. At the same time, observers including Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Tribe suggest that Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, the Trump appointee who is presiding in the classified documents case against Trump, has once again helped Trump. In a ruling yesterday, Cannon raised the possibility that she could dismiss the case by ruling in the future that Trump did not violate the Presidential Records Act when he took government secrets and refused to return the documents. Tribe noted that Special Counsel Jack Smith had not charged Trump with violating the Presidential Records Act.
Unemployment: Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 303,000 in March, and the unemployment rate changed little at 3.8%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, government, and construction. Both the unemployment rate at 3.8% and the number of unemployed people, at 6.4 million, changed little in March. The unemployment rate has been in a narrow range of 3.7% to 3.9% since last August.
Armani production: Giorgio Armani Operations, part of the fashion empire Armani Group has been taken over by a court in Milan, Italy, that plans to control what it does. Armani Operations arranges for the production of merchandise bearing the Armani label and has been under investigation by prosecutors for allegedly using Chinese companies that did not pay workers acceptable wages. The Armani Group said it will work with prosecutors to clear up the matter.
Medical acquisition: Johnson & Johnson and Shockwave Medical, Inc., today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Johnson & Johnson will acquire the stock of Shockwave for approximately $13.1 billion. The transaction was approved by both companies’ boards of directors. Shockwave makes products that treat heart problems and the acquisition further extends Johnson & Johnson’s involvement with products that treat coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease. Johnson & Johnson views the area as high-growth.
Drone attack: Ukraine says it staged a drone attack on a Russian military airfield and destroyed six planes of the type used by the Russian military in attacks on Ukraine. Several other aircraft were damaged. Russia did not confirm the attack on the airfield but did say that about 40 Ukrainian drones were shot down in Russian airspace. A Russian official said that an electrical substation was hit causing a blackout in part of the city of Rostov.
