🐶 Was Bobi really the world’s oldest dog?

It’s Wednesday, January 17 — people are talking about Vivek Ramaswamy ending his presidential bid, controversy over the world’s oldest dog, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly. Here at Shades we believe that seeing multiple points of view is the best way to stay informed.

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🗳️ Ramaswamy drops out of the race

Ramaswamy's presidential bid fizzled out after a disappointing finish in Iowa.

🗳️ Fox News: After a disappointing finish at the Iowa caucuses, Vivek Ramaswamy ended his presidential run and endorsed Trump's 2024 run.

🗳️ Money Control blamed Ramaswamy's Trump mimicry for his tanking campaign: He lacked originality and depth.

🗳️ But Wired thinks Ramaswamy's digital-first strategy failed him. His “anti-woke” messaging and influencer collaborations earned him popularity online, but that didn't translate to real-world support.

🗳️ Hot Air notes that Ramaswamy's campaign was always a long shot, but he was still a valuable participant in the GOP race. Who knows if he'll come back to politics again.

🐶 Was Bobi really the world’s oldest dog?

The age of Bobi — the former “world's oldest dog” record-holder — is under fire, with experts skeptical for a variety of reasons including his paw color.

🐶 Amidst skepticism about his real age, CBS reports that Guinness World Records suspended Bobi's title as the world's oldest dog.

🐶 Wired questioned Bobi's record. There’s a lot of expert skepticism, and not much definitive evidence beyond Bobi's owner's claim that the dog was 31 years old when he died.

🐶 The Guardian agrees: Vets aren't convinced — changing paw colors on Bobi from picture to picture are fueling suspicion.

🐶 But @shownzone1001 supports Bobi: Skeptics are being petty. Paw colors don't prove anything.

🐶 A different story in Wired notes that the scandal casts doubt on dog record legitimacy in general, and leaves other old dogs “in limbo”.

Quick hits

🇨🇳 China's population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023. The total number of people dropped by 2.08m. (Reuters)

🤝 Qatar says Israel and Hamas have reached a deal that involves getting medicine to hostages and aid to Palestinians. (CNN)

🏈 The Falcons interviewed Michigan's Jim Harbaugh for their head coach vacancy. Days earlier, they had interviewed Bill Belichick. (Sports Illustrated)

🎶 Coachella released its full lineup for 2024. Headliners include Lana Del Rey, Tyler, the Creator, and Doja Cat. (Pitchfork)

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