China migrants use social media on long trek to the U.S.

The difficulty of obtaining U.S. visas and the economic after-shocks of China’s COVID lockdowns have led to a sharp increase in Chinese nationals presenting at the U.S.-Mexico border – and some of those arrivals learned about how to come online, migrants, immigration experts, attorneys, and current and former U.S. officials, told Reuters.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-immigration-china/?source=Snapzu

Arrest Made in Shooting Death of Koko Da Doll, Star of ‘Kokomo City’ Documentary

Atlanta Police say a 17-year-old is in custody in connection with the killing of the trans woman featured in the Sundance documentary.
Read more: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/koko-da-doll-death-arrest-made-trans-kokomo-city-1235405594/?source=Snapzu

The first smart gun with facial and fingerprint recognition is now for sale

In the 2012 film Skyfall, Q presents James Bond with a special handgun for his latest mission — a Walther PPK 9mm short — fitted with a sensor encoded to Bond's palm print so only he can fire it. It's a Hollywood version of a smart gun, a firearm that only an authorized user can unlock and fire. There's the movies, though, and there's the real world. And in the real world, the technological challenges as well as some political ones have meant that smart guns haven't become a reality.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/29/1172284298/smart-gun-biofire-biometrics?source=Snapzu

Controversial bill to regulate online streaming becomes law

A controversial government bill to overhaul Canadian broadcasting laws to regulate streaming services has passed the final hurdle in the Senate and received royal assent Thursday evening.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/c11-online-streaming-1.6824314?source=Snapzu

Dwyane Wade, who has trans daughter, says he left Florida because his family 'would not be accepted' there

Wade's daughter came out as trans in 2020.
Read more: https://sports.yahoo.com/dwyane-wade-trans-daughter-says-003851035.html?source=Snapzu

3 soldiers killed when Army helicopters crashed in Alaska

Two U.S. Army helicopters collided and crashed Thursday in Alaska while returning from a training flight, killing three soldiers and injuring a fourth. Two of the soldiers died at the scene of the crash near Healy, Alaska, and a third died on the way to a hospital in Fairbanks. A fourth soldier was being treated at a hospital for injuries, the Army said in a statement.
Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/army-helicopters-crash-in-alaska-killing-3-soldiers?source=Snapzu

Chris Pratt Swore Off Marvel Auditions After Losing ‘Thor,’ ‘Avatar,’ ‘Star Trek’ and More: ‘I Definitely Don’t Have That It-Factor’

Chris Pratt revealed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that he swore off auditioning for Marvel movies after he lost out on roles in “Thor” and more superhero films. The actor would go on to headline Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise. “I auditioned for them all. I had a rough run with Marvel,” Pratt said. “I auditioned for ‘Thor,’ but not even to be Thor — but to be one of the sidekick guys, and I didn’t get a callback.
Read more: https://variety.com/2023/film/news/chris-pratt-marvel-movie-auditions-thor-avatar-1235597951/?source=Snapzu

Tucker Carlson’s Prayer Talk May Have Led to Fox News Ouster: “That Stuff Freaks Rupert Out”

Fox Corp. chair Rupert Murdoch is said to have balked at Carlson’s remarks in a Friday night speech, driving another theory about the prime-time star’s abrupt exit. “He doesn’t like all the spiritual talk,” said a source.
Read more: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/tucker-carlson-fox-news-rupert-murdoch?source=Snapzu

Meet the Software Detective Who Debunked the Mike Lindell’s Election Fraud Claims

Robert Zeidman, a software detective who literally wrote the book on looking for evidence of wrongdoing in lines of computer code (The Software IP Detective’s Handbook), was awarded US $5 million on 19 April by an arbitration panel for winning the “Prove Mike Wrong” challenge. That is, he debunked a claim made by MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who insisted that he had data documenting Chinese interference in the 2020 election.
Read more: https://spectrum.ieee.org/software-detective?source=Snapzu

Robert was wrongly arrested because of a racist algorithm. Are these the hidden dangers of AI?

In January 2020, two Detroit police officers greeted Robert Williams and promptly arrested him for robbery. The reason was because of an algorithm.
Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-26/hidden-dangers-of-artificial-intelligence/102264038?source=Snapzu

Zelenskiy bans Russian placenames to reinforce Ukraine’s national identity

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine has signed two laws that strictly reinforce his country’s national identity, banning Russian placenames and making knowledge of Ukrainian language and history a requirement for citizenship.
Read more: https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2023/04/22/zelenskiy-bans-russian-placenames-to-reinforce-ukraines-national-identity/?source=Snapzu

Gun Violence Is Actually Worse in Red States. It’s Not Even Close.

Listen to the southern right talk about violence in America and you’d think New York City was as dangerous as Bakhmut on Ukraine’s eastern front. In October, Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis proclaimed crime in New York City was “out of control” and blamed it on George Soros. Another Sunshine State politico, former president Donald Trump, offered his native city up as a Democrat-run dystopia, one of those places “where the middle class used to flock to live the American dream are now war zones, literal war zones.” In May 2022, hours after 19 children were murdered at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Republican Gov.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/04/23/surprising-geography-of-gun-violence-00092413?source=Snapzu

Heat waves in India drive leading clean-energy state back to coal

Karnataka's situation foretells the challenge facing India as the planet warms: the need to fall back on coal as the only reliable fuel despite a growing clean energy supply.
Read more: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/04/25/asia-pacific/science-health-asia-pacific/heat-waves-india-clean-energy-coal/?source=Snapzu

Dam fine work: record number of barrier removals helps restore rivers across Europe

More than 300 barriers were taken down last year, boosting the health of waterways and the wildlife they support, say experts
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/25/record-number-of-dam-barrier-removals-helps-restore-rivers-across-europe-aoe?source=Snapzu

Ed Sheeran-Marvin Gaye copyright trial to begin in New York

British singer, 32, accused of violating copyright from 1973 soul classic Let’s Get It On in 2014 hit Thinking Out Loud
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/24/ed-sheeran-marvin-gaye-copyright-trial-new-york?source=Snapzu

Sweden launches research rocket, accidentally hits Norway

A research rocket launched by Sweden Space Corp (SSC) early on Monday from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden malfunctioned and landed 15 km (9.32 miles) inside neighbouring Norway.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sweden-launches-research-rocket-accidentally-hits-norway-2023-04-25/?source=Snapzu

Harry Belafonte, singer, actor and tireless activist, dies aged 96

Chart-topping calypso singer who supported US civil rights movement and African initiatives dies following congestive heart failure
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/apr/25/harry-belafonte-singer-dies-actor-singer-activist?source=Snapzu

Calls to ban books hit highest level ever recorded in the US

Demands to censor, most often for gender themes or sexual detail, rose 38% year on year in 2022, with Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe being last year’s ‘most challenged’ title
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/24/calls-to-ban-books-hit-highest-level-recorded-in-the-us-censorship?source=Snapzu

California’s push to ban natural gas hit a snag. Could it derail the entire effort?

Dozens of California cities have passed laws phasing out natural gas appliances
Read more: https://www.sfchronicle.com/climate/article/california-natural-gas-bans-17908841.php?source=Snapzu

The FDA no longer requires all drugs to be tested on animals before human trials

In a victory for animal rights advocates, drugmakers can take their products to human clinical trials using alternative testing methods that don't involve animals.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2023/01/12/1148529799/fda-animal-testing-pharmaceuticals-drug-development?source=Snapzu

E.P.A. to Propose First Controls on Greenhouse Gases From Power Plants

If the regulation is implemented, it will be the first time the federal government has limited carbon emissions from existing power plants, which generate 25 percent of U.S. greenhouse gases.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/climate/epa-power-plants-pollution.html?source=Snapzu

Ukrainian soldier who lost leg to run London Marathon for unity against Russia

A Ukrainian soldier who lost his leg and has been fighting on the front line wearing a prosthesis will run the London Marathon to raise money and share a message of unity against Russian aggression. Roman Kashpur lost his leg in 2019 when he stood on a mine, but fought on the front line in Ukraine wearing a prosthesis for six weeks after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ukraine-soldier-roman-kashpur-london-marathon-2023-b2325130.html?source=Snapzu

My High-Flying Life as a Corporate Spy Who Lied His Way to the Top

I was just looking to make rent when I stumbled into a part-time gig stealing secrets from Wall Street elite. I made millions once I realized how desperate we humans are for someone who will actually listen.
Read more: https://narratively.com/my-high-flying-life-as-a-corporate-spy-who-lied-his-way-to-the-top/?source=Snapzu

Pilot who offered flights to women for medical care fired from seminary job

About three weeks after the US supreme court last year struck down the federal right to abortion, Greg Williams, a volunteer pilot for a group that provides free flights to people who need to travel for medical care, posted a Facebook message.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/24/pilot-healthcare-flights-fired-seminary-job?source=Snapzu

Jony Ive's lifetime of design work honored with Edison Achievement Award

LoveFrom and ex-Apple chief designer Jony Ive has been given the Edison Awards' most prestigious honor, in a ceremony in Florida. Ive left Apple in 2019, reportedly following frustration at culture changes within the company. He did, however, continuing consulting for Apple until 2022.
Read more: https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/04/21/jony-ives-lifetime-of-design-work-honored-with-edison-achievement-award?source=Snapzu

Wrongfully convicted man freed after nearly 3 decades in prison meets his longtime pen pal for the first time

Lamar Johnson and Ginny Schrappen struck up a fast friendship and corresponded constantly for decades.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lamar-johnson-freed-wrongful-conviction-meets-pen-pal-ginny-schrappen-decades/?source=Snapzu

Texas House passes bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries

Legal experts, librarians and some parents say House Bill 900’s language is so vague and broad that it could ensnare books that are not inappropriate.
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/19/texas-libraries-books-schools-legislature/?source=Snapzu

The Pentagon Is Increasingly Relying on Billionaires’ Rockets. And It’s OK with That.

The U.S. Space Force is not concerned about relying on mercurial billionaires to provide space capabilities, according to top service leaders. The service’s ability to put large satellites in space rests primarily on the shoulders of Elon Musk, whose SpaceX test-flew a new heavy-lift rocket for the first time on Thursday, and Jeff Bezos, whose Blue Origin is slated to deliver engines to United Launch Alliance.
Read more: https://www.defenseone.com/business/2023/04/pentagon-increasingly-relying-billionaires-rockets-and-its-ok/385420/?source=Snapzu

Sudan's army says evacuations of foreign diplomats are expected to begin

The Sudanese army said it was coordinating efforts to evacuate diplomats from the U.S., Britain, China and France out of the country on military airplanes, as fighting persisted in the capital.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/22/1171449274/sudan-army-evacuations-diplomats?source=Snapzu

Russia receiving more energy payments in yuan and rouble, says deputy PM

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday that Russia will continue to accept more payments for energy exports in the country's rouble currency and China's yuan as Moscow works to ditch U.S. dollars and euros.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-receiving-more-energy-payments-yuan-rouble-says-deputy-pm-2023-04-22/?source=Snapzu

NATO allies 'agree Ukraine will become member'

All NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a member, says secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.
Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/nato-allies-agree-ukraine-will-become-member-12862389?source=Snapzu

YSL Trial: Defense Attorney Arrested for Carrying Prescription Drugs

Anastassios Manettas’ arrest embodies a chaotic few days in the sprawling trial of Young Thug and 13 others accused of gang and racketeering charges
Read more: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/young-thug-ysl-trial-lawyer-arrested-1234720466/amp/?source=Snapzu

Who will win 87,000 bottles of wine? 'Drops of God' is the ultimate taste test

If you're looking for the plot that's the surest to suck people in, you could do worse than centering on a contest. Be it Rocky, Pitch Perfect or Squid Game, such stories possess a built-in suspense and drama. They make us ask, "Who's going to win?"
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/20/1171008600/drops-of-god-review-manga-wine?source=Snapzu

1,000-year-old canoe recovered from N.C. lake moves Waccamaw tribe members to tears

When Michael Jacobs first laid eyes on a canoe his ancestors expertly crafted a millennium ago, he says he "couldn't do nothing but cry." Jacobs is the chief of the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe in southeastern North Carolina, where a team of archaeologists and tribe members and local residents recently pulled a 1,000-year-old canoe from the water.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/waccamaw-ancient-canoe-1.6815398?source=Snapzu

Gwyneth Paltrow is not sure about returning to Marvel: 'A 64-year-old Pepper Potts? How great'

Gwyneth Paltrow said that she's not sure about appearing in future Marvel movies as she gets older. Paltrow starred in the first-ever Marvel Cinematic Universe movie "Iron Man" as the titular character's love interest, Pepper Potts. She has reprised the role in six more Marvel movies, with her last being 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," in which Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) sacrificed his life to defeat villain Thanos.
Read more: https://www.insider.com/gwyneth-paltrow-uncertain-returning-marvel-pepper-potts-2023-4?source=Snapzu

R. Kelly Files Appeal Over 30-Year Prison Sentence, Argues Prosecutors Did Not Prove Case

His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, filed Kelly's appeal on Tuesday. This development came after a jury found him guilty on all nine counts of a superseding indictment charging him with racketeering predicated on criminal conduct including sexual exploitation of children, forced labor, and Mann Act violations.
Read more: https://radaronline.com/p/r-kelly-files-appeal-in-new-york/?source=Snapzu

Can Xi Jinping control AI without crushing it?

Artificial intelligence will test the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to shape innovation to suit its purposes
Read more: https://www.economist.com/china/2023/04/18/can-xi-jinping-control-ai-without-crushing-it?source=Snapzu

America's best bet for banning TikTok would have terrible side effects

The leading legislation and bill to ban TikTok, the RESTRICT Act, could encroach on privacy and free speech, and won't actually solve any concerns, experts say.
Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/restrict-act-bill-legislation-regulate-tiktok-2023-4?source=Snapzu

BuzzFeed News Is Shutting Down

BuzzFeed News is shutting down, the once-iconic media brand’s founder and CEO Jonah Peretti announced in a company-wide memo on Thursday. “We are reducing our workforce by approximately 15% today across our Business, Content, Tech and Admin teams, and beginning the process of closing BuzzFeed News,” Peretti wrote in the email.
Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/buzzfeed-news-is-shutting-down?source=Snapzu

The Fox-Dominion Settlement Was a Disappointing Conclusion for Late Night: “That Does Nothing for Our Democracy”

Stephen Colbert lamented losing "six weeks of delicious content," while 'The Daily Show' guest host Jordan Klepper took aim at Fox News' anchors and Jimmy Kimmel called out Dominion: "We naively thought this was about making Fox News take responsibility."
Read more: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/fox-dominion-settlement-late-night-1235391528/?source=Snapzu

India has lost the second-largest forest area among all countries in five years

India lost 668,400 hectares (ha) of jungles on average between 2015 and 2020, a new report has said.
Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/india-lost-second-largest-forest-083500015.html?source=Snapzu

Award-winning photograph revealed to be AI-generated image

Sony World Photography Award winner Boris Eldagsen has refused to accept his trophy during the prize ceremony in London, revealing his lauded photo is actually an AI-generated image.
Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-18/prize-winning-photograph-turns-out-to-be-ai-generated/102234888?source=Snapzu

Egypt nearly supplied rockets to Russia, agreed to arm Ukraine instead, leak shows

Egypt made detailed plans to export rockets at Moscow’s request, but after a diplomatic offensive from Washington, later approved artillery production for Kyiv.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/04/17/russia-ukraine-egypt-weapons-leaked-documents?source=Snapzu

The EPA says Americans could save $1 trillion on gas under its auto emissions plan

The EPA says Americans could save up to $1.1 trillion in gas if the country adopts its proposal to impose the most stringent auto emission regulations ever.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169425576/epa-auto-vehicle-emission-rules-electric-cars-gas-prices?source=Snapzu

Chinese national arrested on blasphemy charges in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani police arrested a Chinese national on blasphemy charges after he allegedly insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, authorities said Monday. Under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, the offense carries the death penalty.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-arrest-china-blasphemy-69be1ac9c22b67a1874eabb0e8a5a437?source=Snapzu

Fears for England’s frog and toad population after drought

Conservationists blame changing weather patterns as low numbers of amphibians found across country
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/17/fears-for-englands-frog-and-toad-population-after-drought?source=Snapzu

The End of the Billionaire Mindset: A Celebration with Douglas Rushkoff

In an entertaining session of stand-up philosophy with Q&A, Rushkoff shares the stories of his encounters with the scientists, technologists, and billionaires hoping to leave humanity behind, while giving us the distance we need to laugh at their hubris and choose a different path.
Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ryB_gjz0us?source=Snapzu

Ghana first to approve 'world-changer' malaria vaccine

The vaccine - R21 - was up to 80% effective in early-stage clinical trials.
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-65252511?source=Snapzu

‘The Tale of Genji’ Is More Than 1,000 Years Old. What Explains Its Lasting Appeal?

The book is often described as the world’s first novel and a touchstone of Japanese literature. But some of its themes, including its take on gender and power, have echoed over centuries.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/15/books/tale-of-genji-japan-women.html?source=Snapzu

Florida lawmaker calls for eradication of LGBTQ+ community

Florida Republican lawmaker Randy Fine has appeared to call for the eradication of all queer people, while defending his drag-ban bill.
Read more: https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/04/13/florida-randy-fine-drag-bill-erase-lgbtq-community/?source=Snapzu