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Semafor

Semafor

Newspaper | United States | Centre-Left

Global news platform with transparent journalism separating facts from analysis and opinion.

Engagement Insights

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Discussions from Semafor

Geopolitics

How should the US and Iran approach their conflicts to promote peace and safety in the region?

The Middle East war has flared again for the first time in a month, with American strikes on Iran prompting retaliation from Tehran on Monday. Here are the latest developments: - Iran attacks Jordan, UAE - Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Monday they attacked two US military air bases with ballistic missiles in Washington-allied Jordan, causing "heavy damage", state media reported

Iran
Healthcare

What are the possible effects of changing the childhood vaccine schedule on public health and families?

President Trump issued an executive order Monday calling for fewer childhood vaccinations, splitting the childhood MMR vaccine into three shots and delivering vaccines at separate medical visits. Why it matters: Controversial vaccine policy changes appear to be roaring back ahead of the midterms. The executive order states that "the combined MMR vaccine should be administered in three separate single-disease shots once such products are domestically available and that, to the maximum extent feasible, all childhood immunizations should be administered at separate medical visits." The big picture: Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s handpicked vaccine advisers last fall called for splitting up the MMR shot and overhauling a central component of childhood immunizations. But the White House urged Kennedy to back off of such contentious policymaking earlier this year. And yet, President Trump has recently questioned Kennedy about the lack of momentum on childhood vaccine policy, per the Wall Street Journal, signaling his continued strong personal interest in the topic. What he's saying: "You have the MMR. We want it in three separate vaccinations, given at separate times," Trump said at an Oval Office signing event. He suggested the MMR vaccine could be "quite lethal" when administered all at once, and likened the volume to "a bottle of soda." Reality check: The CDC says there's "no published scientific evidence [that] shows any benefit in separating the combination MMR vaccine into three individual shots." It says there can be a "very small risk" of febrile seizures and extremely rare cases of serious allergic reactions, but that getting the MMR vaccine "is much safer than getting measles, mumps, or rubella."In addition, vaccine safety experts at CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree the MMR shot is not responsible for recent increases in autism diagnoses. "I'm a doctor. This executive order is wrong. The President does not have the expertise to make the

United Kingdom
Politics

What do you think the rise of the far-right AfD party means for Germany's future and its politics?

Could Europeans awaken next Monday to another shock bellwether moment? German voters could for the first time since World War II give an outright majority to a far-right party in regional elections. We ask about the AfD's push in Saxony-Anhalt and a charismatic lead candidate whose campaign strives to put charm above the vitriol usually associated with a party with pro-Nazi roots

France
Politics

What should be done to improve leadership stability at the Pentagon during times of conflict?

The Pentagon has entered a period of profound institutional turmoil, as a crisis of leadership at home converges with a crisis of capacity abroad. Why it matters: Six months into the Iran war, Pete Hegseth presides over a Pentagon with fewer senior leaders, fewer critical weapons and less public accountability than at any point in President Trump's two terms. Zoom in: The most striking departure yet came Monday from Army Secretary Dan Driscoll — Vice President Vance's close friend and Yale Law classmate, once viewed as a potential successor to Hegseth himself. Driscoll, a rising star whom Trump had tapped for sensitive diplomacy in Ukraine, resigned after months of clashes with Hegseth over the Army's leadership and modernization.His exit, following Hegseth's firing of Army chief Gen. Randy George, leaves the service without Senate-confirmed civilian or uniformed leadership in the midst of the Iran war. Zoom out: Hegseth has fired or forced out senior officers across nearly every service, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Navy's top admiral and the Army chief of staff. The Washington Post counts more than two dozen top officers dismissed under Hegseth, who has remade nearly the entire Joint Chiefs. Only the Marine Corps and Space Force chiefs he inherited are still serving.The New York Times reports that Hegseth has also personally removed at least 45 officers from promotion lists this year — an extraordinary intervention in a system traditionally insulated from political leadership.NBC News reported Tuesday that Hegseth has blocked more promotions in recent weeks, including more than a dozen Black, Hispanic or female officers across the services. State of play: The cumulative effect is a thinner senior command at the precise moment the Iran war is testing the limits of what the U.S. military can sustain. The Post reports that the commanders overseeing Europe, the Pacific and Latin America — along with the Navy's top officer — formally objected to exte

United States