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Today’s headlines
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange agrees to plead guilty to felony Unlawfully obtaining and disclosing national security material in exchange for his release from a UK prison. He is expected to return to Australia following a court hearing later this week, according to newly filed court documents. Under the terms of the agreement, Assange faces a 62-month sentence, equivalent to the time he would have served in the UK, while fighting extradition to the United States.
A supporter of Julian Assange protested in front of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on April 14 while calling for his release from Belmarsh Prison.
Peter Nichols/Getty Images
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Peter Nichols/Getty Images
- 🎧 Many press freedom advocates view criminal charges against Assange as a threat to free speech NPR’s Carrie Johnson, who has covered the case closely for years, reports that it could set a precedent for charging journalists with national security crimes Get up first. Johnson added that the plea deal would resolve the charges, but whether it was the final chapter in this “bizarre saga” remains to be seen.
Immigration and borders are two issues that are sure to come up President Biden and former President Donald Trump will debate later this week.
- 🎧 NPR’s Jasmine Garsd reports from the border, Talk about expediting demolition More than doubled recently Migrant crossings have declined over the past few months. she says morning edition While some of President Biden’s actions may have had an impact, their effects are likely to be temporary.
🎤 Biden and Trump will compete in first presidential debate before rematch in November 2024 election, hosted by CNN in Atlanta. Here’s what you need to know about how to watch and what to expect.
- 🎧 NPR’s Steve Inskeep asks: “How does this all work? What, if anything, can we learn?” He invited former presidential speechwriters who had worked for George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton to the studio. Listen to their conversation here.
After days of heavy rain, the upper Midwest is dealing with catastrophic flooding. Parts of Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa were hardest hit. For some communities in the area, this is the second major flooding in five years.
- 🎧 NPR’s Rebecca Hersher tells the story first up Scientists have noted that rainfall has increased by 25-45% during heavy rains over the past 60 years. Updating flood defenses in the upper Midwest will require significant funding. Some funding has already begun to be distributed through the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed by Congress several years ago.
It meeting has become history. Last night, in hockey’s Stanley Cup finals, the Edmonton Oilers looked to become the second team to win the trophy after trailing 3-0 in the series. But the Florida Panthers managed to come back after a close Game 7 to take home the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
- 🎧 NPR sports reporter Becky Sullivan reports that the game lived up to the hype. In the first seven minutes of the game, both sides scored a goal. Florida scored the game-winning goal in the second quarter and their aggressive defense earned them the win. Sullivan said the Panthers were “very emotional” after losing in last year’s Stanley Cup Final, but this year they will bring a victory home.
image display
Abai Village residents Lee Choo-sun (L) and Lee Jin-soon look for free fish or seafood on a fishing boat in Abai Village, Sokcho, South Korea, Friday, September 8, 2023. I have lived in the village for 70 years and have never returned home due to the border closure.
Yoon Hannah
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Yoon Hannah
Many people don’t know that the Korean War never officially ended. One village in South Korea deals with this reality every day. Thousands of elderly North Koreans have been permanently separated from their homes due to ongoing tensions between North and South Korea. One of them is Kim Yong Jae, who has lived in Abai Village since 1951, when she was just 10 years old. Kim fled the north with her mother and grandmother during the war and considered the village of Abai her home. While many of her friends and her children moved to big cities, she found solace in the village.
- 📷 On the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, Residents of Abai Village, Sokcho City Reflect on the importance of their community. View photos of residents and learn about the legacy of the war and the transformation of the village.
deep dive
Illustration of the human microbiome. Research has found that the bacteria in our gut may affect our mental health.
MEHAU KULYK/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF
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MEHAU KULYK/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF
Do you think the stress is all in your head? Try a little further down. Your gut microbes may influence how you respond to stress. This ecosystem of tiny organisms within our bodies has been an area of research for a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. A study published this month in the journal Nature Mental Health found that people who remained resilient in the face of stressful events had a different mix of bacteria in their guts than those who were more exhausted. Here’s what the researchers had to say:
- Resilience is linked to resistance to inflammatory microorganisms. A neuroscientist who led the new study, her team divided 116 adults without a mental health diagnosis into two groups based on their scores on a resilience scale. Two main patterns emerged in people who were more resistant to stress: Microbiome activity was associated with reduced inflammation and improved gut barrier integrity.
- Microorganisms that “talk” to our nervous system. Recent observational studies have strengthened the evidence for a link between the human gut microbiome and mental health.
- Probiotics for stress? not yet. The study is a starting point for future studies in humans that some researchers believe could eventually lead to treatments. It may also point the way to biomarkers in the microbiome that could help guide decisions about treatment and mental health.
3 things you need to know before you go
The Chang’e-6 space capsule landed on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia early Tuesday morning.
CCTV screenshot from NPR
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CCTV screenshot from NPR
- China has just returned its first batch of samples from the far side of the moon. Scientists say the rocks inside this small space capsule could open a new window into how our nearest neighbor formed.
- Tamayo Perry, Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard, also occasional actor in Hollywood films, died in a shark attack in Hawaii on Sunday. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi described Perry as a “legendary sailor” who grew up on the island.
- if you always forget thingsyou’ll want to listen to and write down these tips. life kit Talk to experts (and knowledge enthusiasts) who share tips for boosting your memory.
This newsletter is edited by Obed Manuel.
