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Hello! I’m AllSides Managing Editor Henry A. Brechter. It’s Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Here’s your AllSides balanced briefing for today.

 

TOP STORIES FOR MARCH 15

See news from left-, center-, and right-rated sources with our Headline Roundups and Balanced Web Search results on these stories:

  • DEFENSE: A Russian fighter jet collided with and took down an unmanned U.S. drone over the Black Sea. Recovery efforts for the drone are reportedly underway, and the U.S. and Russia are trading blame for the incident.

  • FINANCE: The Justice Department and Securities Exchange Commission are investigating Silicon Valley Bank after depositors rushed to pull their money amid the biggest bank failure since 2008.

  • GUNS: President Joe Biden signed an executive order to increase background checks for gun buyers and incentivize safe gun storage.

  • ECONOMY: U.S. inflation rose 6% annually in February, according to the Labor Department. While prices remain high, the pace of annual inflation has dropped every month since June 2022.

  • WINTER: A powerful nor'easter dropped feet of snow on some New England communities, causing widespread power outages and school closures.

  • ENERGY: Biden approved a massive oil drilling project in Alaska this week, while also announcing drilling limitations on federal land in Alaska and the Arctic Ocean.

 

PERSPECTIVES ON FREE SPEECH

Are Florida legislators and Gov. Ron DeSantis moving to curb press freedom and free speech, or to boost legal equality and the right to reputation?

Proposed bills in Florida would redefine long-standing libel and defamation standards, and would lower the bar for news organizations to be sued.

One writer said DeSantis "wants to destroy a fundament of American free speech law." Another said DeSantis was attempting "to provide adequate protection for the right of reputation cherished by all citizens."

See more with our balanced Headline Roundup.

 

2024 CAMPAIGN RHETORIC

"The Republican primary campaign has clearly entered a new stage."

That's according to longtime political commentator Dan Schnur, who spotlighted former Vice President Mike Pence's criticism of Donald Trump at the recent Gridiron Dinner.

"History will hold Donald Trump accountable for Jan. 6," Pence said. "Make no mistake about it." His remarks were among the strongest critiques of Trump from a fellow Republican since campaign rumblings began.

Read more on our blog.

 

BY THE NUMBERS

See data points from left-, center-, and right-rated sources:

  • The percentage of engaged employees in the U.S. economy fell from 36% in 2020 to 32% in 2022. (Gallup, Center bias)
  • A whopping 94% of Silicon Valley Bank deposits were uninsured, as were 90% of Signature Bank's deposits. (Axios, Lean Left bias)

 

TODAY'S WEATHER

See today’s weather radar and temperature maps for your area from the NOAA.

 

GOOD NEWS

A car crash victim is crediting an NFL player and three other strangers with rescuing him from a fiery car wreck in Austin, Texas.

 

Have comments on this briefing? Email us!

Henry A. Brechter is the Managing Editor of AllSides. He has a Center bias.