Good Thursday morning! Stores cut prices as brands’ price hikes put pressure on shoppers; competing viral Israel-Gaza AI memes light up Instagram; Mexico’s historic elections will bring a woman to the presidency.

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Good morning,

Panda diplomacy is back in the nation’s capital! Two giant pandas from China will arrive at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC by the end of this year.

• 🐼 Just six months ago a family of three pandas was returned to China from the National Zoo amid growing US-China tensions. There were concerns China would stop loaning out pandas moving forward.

• Who they are: Two-year-old pandas Bao Li (male) and Qing Bao (female).

• Not for free: The zoo will pay $1 million a year to the China Wildlife Conservation Association to support their research and conservation efforts in exchange for the bears.

See you at the panda exhibit later this year!

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

Mo News Podcast: A daily conversation about the news that matters.

📌 MAJOR US RETAILERS CUT PRICES AMID CONSUMER CONCERNS

Walgreens announced yesterday that it will join Walmart, Amazon and Target in cutting prices of 1,000+ items. It comes as inflation at the supermarket has leveled off, but prices have still surged over 20% since 2021 and even more than that since the start of the pandemic. Consumers are starting to spend less, so major retailers are finally blinking.

IN THE HEADLINES
Effective immediately, Walgreens’ new deal puts a jar of vitamins at $12, down a dollar and a half, chips at $2, and Squishmallows toys (for the parents out there) at $20 from $25. Walgreens says it “understands our customers are under financial strain and struggle to purchase everyday essentials.”

• Target said it will be slashing prices on 5,000 popular items — from everyday grocery items to household essentials. Amazon Fresh announced that 4,000 items will be discounted by up to 30%. And Walmart’s CEO said it will cut prices on nearly 7,000 products.

• Fast food chains like Burger King and McDonald's are also trying to get customers back after a slow first quarter with $5 special meal deals. Wendy's, meanwhile, launched a $3 breakfast combo.

• The Biden administration wants to take credit:

WHO THEY ARE TARGETING
Low- and middle-income consumers are starting to pull back on spending. For the most part, they’ve spent pandemic-era benefits and have dipped into savings, increasing credit card debt to pay for the basics.

• Why wait until now: When inflation first began to rise, Americans kept on shopping. But now they’re shopping for just the essentials and not discretionary items.

• Ripple effects: When Americans spend less, it presents a challenge for the whole US economy — two-thirds of which comes from consumer spending.

📲 THE WAR ON INSTAGRAM: ISRAEL-GAZA AI IMAGES GO VIRAL

As Israeli forces have ramped up their offensive in the Gaza city of Rafah, tens of millions of people have taken to Instagram to show their support for Palestinians by re-posting an AI image emblazoned with the words “All Eyes on Rafah.”

• As of Wednesday evening, the viral image had been shared across Instagram story feeds— including from celebs like Dua Lipa, Priyanka Chopra and Bella Hadid— by at least 46 million users.

In response, pro-Israel activists created several memes of their own. They read: “If your eyes are on Rafah, help us find our hostages,” “Where were your eyes on October 7?,” and another simply reads, “Bring them home now.” They have been posted by close to 1 million users as of last night.

ABOUT THE IMAGE
Critics point out that the AI image calling for “all eyes on Rafah” fails to show the city at all, despite numerous images available from the city. It instead depicts what appears to be rows of RVs surrounded by snow-capped mountains.

It is just the latest in what has become a divisive social media battle during the war. We see it playing out daily in the comments on Mo News Instagram (and had to turn off comments for several weeks this year!).

The images also led some activists to question why there is not as much attention being paid to other major crises around the world, including Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, and Yemen. Naturally, they created their own memes to be reshared on Instagram.

🇲🇽 MEXICO LIKELY WILL PUT A WOMEN IN POWER FOR 1ST TIME

Mexicans will go to the polls this weekend in a critical presidential election to decide who will replace populist President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in an election that will have a major impact in the US.

• It comes as US-Mexico relations are tense over the migrant crisis and the flow of drugs. The two nations still have a close relationship and are the other's top trading partners; candidates have expressed a desire to keep that relationship strong.

HOW WE GOT HERE
López Obrador is leaving the office with broad popularity, as he focused on combating corruption and appearing as a down-to-earth politician.

• Elected in 2018 by galvanizing working-class and rural voters, the president is limited to a single, six-year term. While he can’t run again, the election has revolved around him. A ballot measure from his party could reform about a third of the Mexican Constitution, giving his party significantly more power.

THE CANDIDATES

• Leading in the polls by double digits is the former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. She is part of the left-wing Morena party that López Obrador founded and is viewed as his protégée.

  • Sheinbaum is a scientist who did post-grad work at the UC Berkeley and has a daughter and sister who live in the US.

• Trailing in the polls is Xóchitl Gálvez, an opposition senator and tech entrepreneur, running a platform of being tough on crime.

THE ISSUES
López Obrador’s controversial “hugs not bullets” policy to control drug cartels was intended to address the root causes of drug violence. But, violence has not waned, and cartels have expanded their control.

• Crime: Gálvez has declared that “hugs for criminals are over,” while Sheinbaum is expected to continue López Obrador’s focus on educational and economic opportunities.

  • This election season, around 200 politicians have either been murdered or threatened with violence.

• Drugs: Sheinbaum said a “war on drugs” was “one of the most terrible decisions” in recent Mexican history, while Gálvez promised to reverse López Obrador’s policy of using the army for non-security activities (like building railroads).

• Border: Gálvez said she would “establish order” on Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala. Sheinbaum continued with her push for addressing migration with economic mobility.

History being made: Regardless of who wins, a female president will be historic. Mexico has soaring levels of gender-based violence, and a culture of intense “machismo.”

🎧 Mosheh spoke with reporter Ali Vitali, author of “Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House,” last year about why dozens of countries have beaten the US to electing a female leader. Check out the full conversation on the ‘Mo News Podcast’. Apple | Spotify 🎧

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Verdict Today? Trump jury fails to return verdict in first 5 hours, asks several followups to judge (POLITICO)

📌 Jill Biden claims this election is a choice between good and “evil” (MO NEWS)

📌 Justice Alito tells congressional Democrats he won't recuse over flags, blames his wife (CBS NEWS)

📌 RFK Jr. complains to campaign watchdog over CNN debate criteria (NEWSWEEK)

📌 Tennessee gov. approves bill which penalizes adults who help minors receive abortions, gender-affirming care (NBC NEWS)

📌 Farmers must kill 4.2 million chickens after bird flu hits Iowa egg farm (NBC NEWS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Person dies after falling into engine of departing passenger jet at Amsterdam airport (CBS NEWS)

📌 US to boycott UN session today paying tribute to dead Iranian president (REUTERS)

📌 Iran's Supreme Leader seeks trusted hardliner to replace Raisi in June vote (REUTERS)

📌 North Korea sent hundreds of trash-carrying balloons to South Korea (MO NEWS)

📌 South Africans go to the polls in election seen as biggest test yet to ANC’s 30 years in power (CNN)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Nissan warns owners of older vehicles not to drive them (ABC)

📌 Ancient Egyptian skull shows oldest attempt at cancer surgery (NBC NEWS)

📌 Someone wants to go back! Billionaire plans submersible trip to Titanic wreck (BBC)

📌 Gravitational changes, 178-feet drop caused injuries on Singapore Airlines jet that hit turbulence (AP)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 George Clooney, Brad Pitt reunite for first film together in 16 years, watch 'Wolfs' trailer (USA TODAY)

📌 Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi are married, father-of-the-groom Jon Bon Jovi confirms (BBC)

📌 Selena Gomez Reveals She Was Planning to Adopt Kids as a Single Mom Before Falling for Benny Blanco (BILLBOARD)

📌 Kate Middleton seen ‘out and about’ with kids amid ongoing cancer treatment (US)

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🗓 ON THIS DAY: MAY 30

• 1911: The first Indianapolis 500 car race was held and won by Ray Harroun in about 6 hours 42 minutes.

• 1922: Former President Taft dedicates the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. One rejected design was to build it in the style of an Egyptian pyramid.

• 1989: Student protesters in Beijing erected a “Goddess of Democracy” statue in Tiananmen Square, which was later destroyed by the Chinese military as it violently cracked down on the democracy protests.

• 2003: 'Finding Nemo’ premiered in theaters.