Is Joe Biden snubbing King Charles?

+ the risks when vaccines succeed US Edition - Today's top story: Biden's coronation no-show is no snub – more telling is whom he sends to King Charles' big day [View in browser]( US Edition | 27 April 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Americans aren’t ready for record floods]( - [How your brain learns new rules]( - [Kurt Vonnegut’s message to c]([ollege grads]( Lead story I haven’t been invited to the coronation of King Charles III. It’s all right, I’m not offended. I am a Brit, a former royal correspondent and have met “Chaz” a few times, but I’ll get over it. Really, it’s fine. Honestly, I haven’t given it a second thought. As it is, I wouldn’t know what to wear. But do you know who else isn’t going to the Westminster Abbey shindig on May 6? President Joe Biden, that’s who. Now some in the U.K. haven’t taken too kindly to this, accusing the American leader of snubbing the royals. But as Arianne Chernock, a historian at Boston University, points out, Biden’s absence is not at all unusual. In fact, no American president has ever attended the coronation of a British royal. This, of course, makes perfect sense, given the United States' – ahem – slightly antagonistic history with the British monarchy. But as Chernock points out, more important than who isn’t going is who is. She [looks back at the men (and the one woman)]( previous presidents sent to the crowning of Charles’ two predecessors and concludes: “If history is a guide, who is sent across the Atlantic will telegraph particular American ideas and aspirations. The delegation will also reflect the president’s own personal agenda.” [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Matt Williams Senior Breaking News and International Editor Scranton Joe meets Buckingham Chaz. Jane Barlow/Pool Photo via AP [Biden’s coronation no-show is no snub – more telling is whom he sends to King Charles’ big day]( Arianne Chernock, Boston University No US president has ever attended a British royal coronation – but history shows that they signal intent by whom they choose to go in their stead. Science + Technology - [Cognitive flexibility is essential to navigating a changing world – new research in mice shows how your brain learns new rules]( Vikaas Sohal, University of California, San Francisco; Kathleen Cho, Inserm Learning new rules requires the suppression of old ones. A better understanding of the brain circuits involved in behavioral adaptation could lead to new ways to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. - [‘Got polio?’ messaging underscores a vaccine campaign’s success but creates false sense of security as memories of the disease fade in US]( Katherine A. 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