Hi readers,
Here’s how to close out your week: China’s president warned Trump directly that Taiwan could lead to war between the two nations, a little-known Georgia Supreme Court election on Tuesday could reshape state law on abortion and voting rights, and more.
Today’s estimated reading time is 3 minutes and 58 seconds.
- The Daily Dip Editor
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY’S SHOW AD-FREE BELOW
Nostalgia Nerd
On this day in 1940, what product went on sale across America for the very first time, sparking lines around city blocks and near-riots at department stores in dozens of cities? (answer revealed below!)
(hint: leg accessory)
Before We Dip In (TL;DR)
In today’s issue:
Xi Jinping warns Trump that Taiwan could spark war. 🌐
GA court race tests Republican dominance. 🏛️
Online streamer faces attempted murder charges. ⚖️
Plus, take today’s poll and check out the Nostalgia Nerd quiz answer down below!
WORLD NEWS
🌐 Chinese President Xi Jinping Warns Trump on Taiwan
During closed-door talks in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly warned President Trump that Taiwan is China’s top priority and mishandling it could risk direct conflict between the two countries. The White House’s public summary of the meeting made no mention of Taiwan, instead focusing on trade and fentanyl cooperation.
Trump also said before the visit that the U.S. was open to discussing arms sales to Taiwan with Beijing, a notable shift from longstanding policy. A confidential intelligence assessment separately found the Iran war has strengthened China militarily, diplomatically, and economically.
The gap: China has reportedly supplied Iran with satellite intelligence and drone and missile components even while discussing nuclear stability with Washington. Intelligence also shows Beijing expanding energy support to U.S. allies as the U.S. pulls back.
POLITICS
🏛️ Georgia Supreme Court Race Could Reshape State Law on Abortion and Rights
On Tuesday, Georgia voters will decide whether to unseat two sitting state Supreme Court justices in a race many residents may not even know is happening. No sitting Georgia Supreme Court justice has lost reelection since 1922.
Federal courts have increasingly pushed major legal questions back to the states, making courts like Georgia’s more influential on abortion access, voting rights, and redistricting. Both incumbents on the ballot voted in 2024 to reinstate Georgia’s six-week abortion ban.
The race: Justices Charlie Bethel and Sarah Hawkins Warren, both endorsed by Governor Brian Kemp, face challengers Miracle Rankin and former Democratic state senator Jen Jordan. Early voting ends today, with Election Day set for Tuesday.
Dipper Poll
:📈 Today’s Poll: Court Crossroads
As federal courts increasingly push legal questions back to states, who controls state supreme courts matters more than ever. Supporters of targeted judicial campaigns argue it is civic engagement at its most impactful; critics warn it politicizes courts that are meant to operate independently.
Should voters treat state supreme court elections as a tool to shift outcomes on issues like abortion and voting rights?
VIRAL NEWS
⚖️ Streamer ‘Chud the Builder’ Faces Attempted Murder Charge After Tennessee Courthouse Shooting
A 28-year-old man known online as Chud the Builder, who built a following of hundreds of thousands by filming confrontational public encounters, faces an attempted murder charge after a shooting outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee, on May 14th.
He was at the courthouse for a civil case involving an unpaid debt. Witnesses described an altercation with another man before a gun was fired; the victim was hospitalized in stable condition.
The record: Existing charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and use of a firearm during a dangerous felony were upgraded when attempted murder was added. His arrest follows a harassment charge last November and a confrontation at a Nashville steakhouse the week prior, and drew renewed attention to past online posts in which he described being prepared to respond with lethal force.
Sweet Dip
Let’s close the week with our roundup of positive news:
Algeria became the 29th nation to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, making history against the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness. A victory decades in the making for communities that faced this preventable disease. 👁️🎉
Scientists found that moringa tree seeds can remove more than 98% of microplastics from tap water, offering a biodegradable alternative to traditional filtration chemicals. Nature may have quietly invented a better Brita filter centuries ago. 💧🌱
After a lifetime of pursuing other paths, a dedicated scholar earned her medical degree at the age of 73, fulfilling a dream she had carried for decades. She is now a practicing physician. If that is not proof it is never too late, nothing is. 👩⚕️🎓
Fun Facts
🪙 Minerals: There is enough gold locked inside the Earth’s core to cover the entire surface of the planet in a layer 1.5 feet thick. Since it’s buried 2,000 miles deep, we are basically living on top of a fortune we can’t reach.
✨ Astronomy: Neutron stars can spin over 700 times per second, meaning parts of them move at a third the speed of light. Space objects really said “no brakes.”
🏛️ Monuments: The Leaning Tower of Pisa started leaning while it was still being built. Builders paused construction for nearly 100 years because of wars, which accidentally prevented it from collapsing. Medieval engineering basically said “uh oh… maybe give it a minute.”
🤯 WTF: It can rain animals. Waterspouts and powerful winds can suck up fish, frogs, or small sea creatures and drop them miles away during storms.
TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWER:
Nylon Stockings
On May 15, 1940, nylon stockings went on sale nationwide for the first time, after DuPont debuted the material at the 1939 World’s Fair and ran a regional test in Wilmington, Delaware, the previous fall. An estimated 4 million pairs sold in a single day as American women lined up for hours outside department stores. When the U.S. entered World War II, nylon production was redirected to parachutes and military gear, and the resulting shortage sent the black market for stockings into overdrive.
Poll Results From May 14, 2026
Did you take today’s poll?
Show Notes
Looking for more specific details on each story? Click here for the full show notes for yesterday’s PDS episode.
Over and Out...
Thanks for checking us out Daily Dippers!
If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, be sure to share with a friend or two and make sure to tune in next time for more news, entertainment, and good vibes 😎