Even Before the Gunfire. Many Guests Bore the Scars of Political Violence - The New York Times (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
Live updates: Suspect in White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting expected to appear in court | CNN Politics (Thanks to Sam for this one)
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| Representative Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana, was seen being escorted to a secure room on Saturday. Mr. Scalise was shot at a congressional baseball game practice in 2017. Photo by | Salwan Georges for The New York Times. |
Vaccines reach millions left behind (and 8 more good news stories giving us hope this spring) | The IRC (Thanks to Joe for this one)
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| Epidemiology expert Mebratu travels to communities in Ethiopia for vaccination outreach. Photo: Martha Tadesse for the IRC |
Iran and U.S. Sink Into Awkward Limbo of ‘No War, No Peace’
Each side is betting it can last longer than the other, analysts say. But there are risks in a stalemate without a deal.
What to Know About U.S.-Iran Peace Talks
An Iranian negotiator returned to Pakistan on Sunday, despite the United States abruptly calling off a trip there by its two top negotiators.
Shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
‘Shots Fired!’: Inside the Pandemonium at the Washington Hilton
Guests dived to the floor and took cover as Secret Service agents climbed over tables to protect some of the country’s most high-ranking officials, including President Trump.
Security at Correspondents’ Dinner Worked as Intended, Experts Say
Officials noted that the suspect never made it into the hotel ballroom, where President Trump and hundreds of journalists were gathered for the White House correspondents’ dinner.
What We Know About the Gunman at the White House Press Dinner
The authorities are investigating a motive for the attack by the suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen. Those who know him described him as a “completely average guy.”
Rumors and Speculation Swirl Online After Shooting at Washington Dinner
Influencers jumped to fill the information void with conspiracy theories about the attack at the White House Correspondents’ dinner on Saturday.
Chinese satellites over Mideast battlefield put US on edge
China Publishes Maps Detailing Minerals on the Ocean Floor - The New York Times
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| Chinese AI company MizarVision claims to have tracked the movements of B-52 bombers. |
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| A Chinese submersible in the South China Sea in 2017 during exploration for seabed mineral resources.Liu Shiping/Xinhua, via Alamy |
Musk’s SpaceX Goals Shift Ahead of Its I.P.O. - The New York Times
As SpaceX prepares to go public, Mr. Musk has proposed moonshots that differ from the company’s original aim of reaching Mars.
Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s Epic Fight Heads to Court - The New York Times
A jury trial that is set to start on Monday could shift the course of the A.I. race, with Mr. Musk seeking billions of dollars in damages from Mr. Altman’s OpenAI.
This is not the only tech lawsuit to hit the newspaper:
Justin Sun, one of the largest backers of World Liberty Financial, sued the Trump family’s crypto start-up, accusing it of a fraudulent scheme to pressure him into buying digital coins.
Proposed Lifetime Smoking Ban to Become Law in Britain - The New York Times
The proposal, which was approved by Parliament on Tuesday, will ban the supply or sale of tobacco products to anyone born in 2009 or after, permanently.
Asian jumping worms found in California, officials issue warning (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
They reproduce without mating and there is no way to kill them!
"The jumping worms’ hyper-activity degrades the soil structure, can harm plant roots and accelerate soil drying. This creates a ‘nutrient-poor paradox’ where nutrients are present but unavailable to plants. This can further exacerbate drought conditions, which the state is already in,” the Colorado Department of Agriculture said in a press release.
$106 Billion Loan Reflects E.U.’s View That Peace in Ukraine Is Far Away - The New York Times (Thanks to Matte for this one)
Unlike previous European assistance packages, this one is heavily weighted toward military spending, meant to put Ukraine on solid footing for a long fight.
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| A funeral for victims of a Russian strike in Ternopil, Ukraine, in November.Mauricio Lima for The New York Times |
Senate Adopts GOP Budget, Laying the Groundwork to Fund ICE and Reopen DHS - The New York Times (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
Republicans pushed through a budget plan with a $70 billion increase for immigration enforcement after an overnight session in which they beat back Democratic proposals aimed at lowering costs.
A Wish List for John Ternus, the Man Replacing Tim Cook as Apple’s CEO - The New York Times
John Ternus, an Apple veteran who runs hardware engineering, will take over an extraordinarily profitable company in need of new ideas.
Who Is John Ternus, Apple’s Low-Profile Leader? - The New York Times
John Ternus, a low-profile but influential executive at Apple, is to replace the company’s longtime chief executive, Tim Cook.
MacBook Neo Review: A Surprisingly Great Budget MacBook | Reviews by Wirecutter
Anthropic’s New Mythos A.I. Model Sets Off Global Alarms - The New York Times
Mythos has triggered emergency responses from central banks and intelligence agencies globally, as Anthropic decides who has access to the powerful model.
Unauthorized group has gained access to Anthropic’s exclusive cyber tool Mythos, report claims
Why Anthropic’s Mythos has energised China’s cybersecurity industry | South China Morning Post
Will Bulgaria’s New Leader Cast His Lot With Europe or Russia? - The New York Times
With a record of pro-Russia statements, Rumen Radev handily won elections this week. Now Bulgarians and his E.U. partners wait to see which way he will turn.
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| Rumen Radev campaigning in Sofia, Bulgaria, last week.Spasiyana Sergieva/Reuters |
Some Labubu Dolls Contain Cotton Banned By Forced Labor Law, Testing Shows - The New York Times
A test verified by The New York Times found that clothes for some of the viral dolls contained cotton from the Xinjiang region of China, which is banned in the United States.
The Generals Who Are Now Running Iran - The New York Times
The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ushered in a new form of collective leadership in the country, with more power for the Revolutionary Guards.
Navy Secretary John Phelan Is Leaving the Pentagon and the Trump Administration - The New York Times
John Phelan is leaving the Pentagon after months of tension with Pete Hegseth and other Pentagon leaders. The tumult comes as the Navy has been engaged in war with Iran.
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“Mojtaba is managing the country as though he is the director of the board,” said Abdolreza Davari, a politician who served as senior adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad when he was president and knows Mr. Khamenei.
“He relies heavily on the advice and guidance of the board members, and they collectively make all the decisions,” Mr. Davari said in a phone interview from Tehran. “The generals are the board members.”
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Florida Democrat, Resigns From Congress - The New York Times
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick stands accused of stealing $5 million in federal funds. She said she would step down minutes before an ethics panel was to vote on whether to recommend expelling her.
SpaceX Strikes Deal With Cursor for $60 Billion - The New York Times
The potential acquisition comes as Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite maker, which has been emphasizing artificial intelligence, is preparing to go public.
Investors Fret Over Tesla’s $25 Billion A.I. Bet - The New York Times
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| Michael Truell, the chief executive of Cursor, founded the start-up with three others in 2022.Big Event Media/Getty Images |
Rep. David Scott, Longtime Georgia Lawmaker, Dies at 80 - The New York Times
The former Georgia state lawmaker was an advocate for issues that affected Black communities. He drew attention for his refusal to exit politics amid health problems.
Opinion | Putin’s Army of Drones - The New York Times (Thanks to Melanie for this one)
Russia is reshaping the future of warfare in real time, building artificial intelligence-enabled command and control and, it appears, deploying fully autonomous weapons without the ethical constraints that govern Western militaries.
The stakes extend beyond the war in Ukraine, as the United States has learned firsthand during the war with Iran. Iranian Shahed drones being fielded by Tehran with Russian support have struck American equipment and installations in the Middle East. The advances Moscow is making in autonomous warfare will make such drone attacks even more devastating. Understanding Russia’s approach to the future of warfare is urgent for the United States.
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| A Russian kamikaze drone in Kyiv, Ukraine, last week.Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters |
As Fuel Protests Sweep Ireland, the Left Points to Imperialism as the Culprit | Truthout (Thanks to Chris for this one)
Activists in Ireland are refusing the co-optation of fuel protests by the far right and demanding government action.
FBI Director Kash Patel sues The Atlantic for article that alleged excessive drinking | PBS News (Thanks to Sara for this one)
Related: Another Kash Patel defamation lawsuit was just dismissed
A lawsuit FBI Director Kash Patel filed alleging that former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi defamed him has been dismissed.
In the suit, Patel said Figliuzzi defamed him during an MS Now appearance last May by saying Patel had “been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor” of the FBI’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The bureau said it is not pursuing a case, but the scrutiny is an example of the Trump administration weighing whether to criminalize routine news gathering.
The Books You Should’ve Read at Every Age
What books, movies, music, or art would you put on the list?
US military seizes Iran-flagged ship trying to pass strait of Hormuz blockade | Strait of Hormuz | The Guardian (Thanks to Graydon for this one)
The Touska, the Iranian-Flagged Ship Seized by U.S. Forces, Was Under Sanctions - The New York Times
Marines are searching thousands of containers aboard the Touska, an Iranian cargo ship that the Navy disabled and seized on Sunday.
California Woman Is Arrested at LAX and Accused of Selling Weapons for Iran - The New York Times
Prosecutors said that Shamim Mafi, a legal permanent resident of the United States, helped facilitate millions of dollars in arms transfers from Iran.
Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz, but threatens to close it again as US maintains its blockade | AP News (Thanks to Sonia for this one)
Trump Says U.S. Officials Will Travel to Pakistan for Talks
Vice President JD Vance will again lead the U.S. delegation for talks mediated by Pakistan, a White House official said. There was no immediate comment from Tehran. The Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed. (Note: JD Vance will not be going to the talks due to security concerns voiced by the Secret Service)
For Iran, Flexing Control Over Waterway Is New Deterrent - The New York Times
Iran’s government could emerge from the conflict with a blueprint to keep adversaries at bay, regardless of any restrictions on its nuclear program.
Earth Day spotlight on water and wildlife | Reuters (Thanks to Chris for this one)
A report last year estimated that over 2.1 billion people lack safe drinking water, and more than 3.4 billion live without adequate sanitation.
Global demand for freshwater is expected to outstrip supply by up to 40% by the end of the decade, the World Bank estimates, with water-related shocks already costing some countries several percentage points of annual economic growth.
Pennsylvania May Soon Designate a New ‘Migratory Bird’
What do you think? Is it okay to have two state birds? Our game bird is the Ruff Grouse
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| The Scarlet Tanager. |
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| The Ruffed Grouse. |
