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This morning’s 3-by-3 travels across an attempted coup in the DR Congo, Cuba’s sugar decline, and a 48-year-old Indian movie at Cannes. Let’s fly!

Politics

• Netanyahu's own cabinet opposes his Gaza strategy

Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel's War Cabinet, threatened to resign if the government does not adopt a new plan for the war in Gaza by June 8, proposing a six-point approach that includes returning hostages, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, and establishing an international cooperative with American, European, Arab, and Palestinian involvement to manage civilian affairs. Yoav Gallat, the third member of the War Cabinet, has also said he will depart his post if Israel reoccupies Gaza, jointly criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu’s far-right “path of fanatics.” As public frustration with the humanitarian crisis grows and global powers warn against further military advancement, Netanyahu finds himself opposed abroad and at home, with polls suggesting that Gantz is likely to become the next prime minister.

• Biden appeals to Black American voters in Morehouse commencement address

President Biden delivered a political commencement address at Morehouse College, a historically Black, men’s college in Atlanta, establishing his track record of financial investment in HBCUs, representation efforts for Black leaders in government, and career-long commitment to the community’s advancement. A recent New York Times poll puts Biden’s support among Black voters at 63%, notably lower than the 87% that voted for him in 2020. Knowing how critical the demographic will be in November’s election, Biden has been frequenting Black organizations on the campaign trail and emphasizing his perceived consequences of a Trump victory: “everything you helped me do, everything we’ve done, they want to undo… from the climate legislation, to not allowing Medicare, to negotiating drug prices, our democracy is really on the line.”

• Attempted coup in Democratic Republic of the Congo involves American citizens

The leader of an unsuccessful coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was killed, and about 50 people were arrested by the DRC army, including three American citizens. Christian Malanga was a self-exiled Congolese politician based in the United States and the founder of the United Congolese Party — "a grassroots platform that unifies the Congolese Diaspora around the world opposing the current Congolese dictatorship." He led the attacks on Felix Tshisekedi’s presidential palace and the home of a parliament member, which have been condemned by the U.S. ambassador and the UN alike.

Business

• American woman steals identities to employ North Korean nationals

US prosecutors have charged Christina Chapman, an American woman from Arizona, and three at-large North Korean nationals with a scheme to secure remote jobs in the US and funnel earnings and information back to North Korea. Chapman managed a “laptop farm” from her home to steal the identities of 60 Americans, enabling North Korean IT workers to pose as US citizens and gain employment with about 300 US companies, including Fortune 500 firms and major tech and defense companies. The scheme generated nearly $7 million since October 2020, enriching Chapman and supporting North Korea's weapons program via the fraudulent employees.

• Cuba sugar industry suffers unprecedented decline

Cuba's sugar harvest has concluded with the lowest yield since 1900, meeting only 71% of the production target and forcing the government to import sugar — a considerable strain on domestic industries like rum, soft drinks, and pharmaceuticals. The island nation’s sugar cane-based alcohol production has dropped over 50% since 2019 due to severe economic challenges, including U.S. sanctions and the pandemic, reducing the availability of essential fertilizer and fuel. While certain sectors can turn elsewhere, the rum industry is dependent on Cuban ingredients and faces a 46% increase in domestic alcohol prices.

• Taiwan is turning away from Chinese business

Taiwan is shifting global trade dynamics and increasing business in the United States, its strongest ally as it seeks to insulate itself from nearby Chinese pressures. According to Taiwan’s official data, the island exported $24.6 billion worth of goods to the U.S. in the first three months of the year, compared with $22.4 billion to mainland China. TSMC, Taiwan’s largest chip manufacture, expanded its U.S. investments to $65 billion, largely fueled by the Biden administration's $6.6 billion incentives to considerably increase the company’s Arizona-based production.

Culture

• Singer Libianca is pressured to take sides in Cameroon war

Libianca, a Cameroonian-American rising star, gained global recognition with her 2022 hit "People.” Despite her success, she has recently faced death threats for performing with a Cameroonian flag, interpreted as support for President Paul Biya amidst the ongoing Anglophone Crisis — a six-year war between the country’s English-speaking separatists and French-speaking government that has claimed more than 6,000 lives. The singer refuses to take sides but has postponed her North American tour due to the threats, hoping for unity and safety among her people.

• Historic Indian movie "Manthan" gets special screening at Cannes

"Manthan," a 1976 Hindi film starring renowned actors Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, and Amrish Puri, was showcased in the Classic category at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Shyam Benegal and nominated for an Oscar in 1977, it was India’s first crowdfunded movie —funded by 500,000 farmers and depicting the birth of the White Revolution in India led by dairy engineer Verghese Kurien. Benegal expressed his delight at the film's restoration, highlighting its role in promoting economic equality and empowering farmers through the cooperative movement.

• Paul McCartney is UK's first billionaire musician

Global icon Paul McCartney has become the first British musician to amass a fortune of 1 billion pounds ($1.27 billion), according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. After lifelong success with The Beatles, the 81-year-old's wealth was recently boosted by his 2023 Got Back tour, the release of posthumous Beatles song “Now and Then,”, and Beyoncé's cover of "Blackbird" on her latest country album. McCartney is ranked 165th among the U.K.'s 350 richest people, with other notable figures including J.K. Rowling and Elton John.

Written by Outer Voice founders & intern Elina Shah

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