Today's essentials: Trump's latest moves, India-Pakistan tensions, Department of Justice concessions, findings from Jewish surveys, and National Science Foundation updates.
Here's the rewritten article:
Hey there! Here's your daily dose of what's happening in our crazy world:
Weather Service Gonna Rock Your Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and More!
Good news, friends who aren't fluent in English: the National Weather Service just announced that they'll be bringing back their forecasts and alerts in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan. This is awesome news because earlier this month, the service had to take a break on their translation services when their contract with the AI company that provided them lapsed. And let's face it, nobody wants to miss out on life-saving weather warnings because they didn't understand a few words, right?
Trump and the Judges: Not-So-Secret Rumble
President Trump had quite the week, going toe-to-toe with the judicial system. What do I mean? Multiple judges, even some appointed by Trump himself, were like, "Nah, bro, we can't let that happen." They were referring to actions taken by the Trump administration. For example, three judges ruled against a Department of Education policy that tried to pull the plug on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools. One of them even called the administration's policy "textbook viewpoint discrimination." Oh, and a federal judge also barred the administration from denying or conditioning the use of federal funds to "sanctuary" jurisdictions.
On top of that, another judge halted parts of Trump's executive order that required voters to prove their citizenship when registering to vote. The judge said, "Our Constitution entrusts Congress and the States – not the President – with the authority to regulate federal elections." It's like Trump was trying to host a party without inviting the right guests!
India-Pakistan: A Recipe for Tension
Things are heating up between India and Pakistan after a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Gunmen killed at least 26 people and injured a dozen others in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination. Almost everyone who was killed was an Indian citizen, and New Delhi is pointing the finger at Pakistan, which has denied involvement. India responded by downgrading ties between the two nations, shutting down a key border crossing, canceling visas for Pakistani nationals, and suspending its participation in a crucial water-sharing treaty. Pakistan, on the other hand, has suspended trade with India, closed its airspace, and expelled Indian diplomats. And if that's not enough, Pakistan said that any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to the country would be considered an act of war.
The Department of Justice: Chopping Grants
The Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to cancel more than 350 federal grants this week, sending shockwaves through grantee organizations. Some of the canceled grants were used to fight hate crimes, gun violence, and opioid abuse, and other grants funded trauma recovery centers and programs to reform policing and the juvenile justice system. When asked why the grants were cut, a DOJ spokesperson said the agency is focusing on prosecuting criminals, getting illegal drugs off the streets, and protecting American institutions from "toxic" diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and sanctuary city policies.
Jewish Surveys: PEW, PEW, Pew-ew
employees at Columbia University and Barnard College received text messages from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission this week asking if they were Jewish, Israeli, had Jewish/Israeli ancestry, or practiced Judaism. The text messages were part of a federal investigation into workplace practices at the schools. Some staffers were rattled by the questions and the method of communication, while others were upset that the schools had given their personal contact information to the government.
Jewish Surveys (Part 2): Wait, What Now?
The Director of the National Science Foundation, Sethuraman Panchanathan, resigned this week after demands from the Department of Government Efficiency to cancel hundreds of grants totaling more than $230 million and begin sweeping cuts of its workforce. Much of the terminated research was undertaken by scientists on college campuses and was related to diversity, equity, and inclusion or the study of misinformation and disinformation.
Breakfast Browse: Jelly Roll, Netflix, and More
- Is Jelly Roll about to get a pardon? The Grammy-nominated country star has been recommended for a pardon by the Tennessee Board of Parole and is now waiting for a final decision from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. Jelly Roll has been open about his history of drug crimes and incarceration, but his criminal record is making it difficult for him to travel overseas.
- "Saturday Night Live" has announced the final two celebrity hosts for its 50th season: Walton Goggins will make his debut on the show's May 10 broadcast, while Scarlett Johansson will host for the seventh time andBad Bunny will serve as the musical guest for the season finale on May 17.
- "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" is returning to theaters next week to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The movie will be shown in several formats, including the brand-new 4DX experience.
- A new analysis of fossils has suggested that the Deinosuchus riograndensis, a dinosaur-eating crocodile, should be relocated on the crocodilian family tree.
- Taco Bell has brought back chicken nuggets, and McDonald's has announced that it is returning chicken strips to its menu after a five-year absence. The tenders will be served in three or four pieces, along with a variety of dipping sauces.
Quiz Time: Women's Ice Hockey
The US defeated which team to win the women's ice hockey world championships?
A. GermanyB. CanadaC. FinlandD. Russia
Take the quiz to find out!
Today's Number: The Power of EU
The EU fined Apple and Meta a combined amount of $797 million in the first enforcement of its landmark digital competition law.
Today's Quote: American Patriotism
"We're putting up a beautiful, almost 100-foot-tall American flag on this side, and another one on the other side. Two flags - top of the line." – President Trump, commenting to reporters after surveying the north grounds of the White House for a new installation of flags.
Today's Weather
Check your local forecast here>>>
And Finally...
A wild-born female jaguar was flown from the Iberá Wetlands to the Gran Chaco forest in the hopes of reviving a dwindling population of jaguars in Argentina.
### Enrichment Data | Selective Use On April 1, 2025, the National Weather Service paused its translations of forecasts and advisories in six additional languages due to a lapsed contract with an AI translation company, Lilt. This gap in multilingual communication may pose a risk for millions of non-English speakers across the United States who rely on these translations for critical weather updates. However, the good news is that, as of early May 2025, the contract for common language translations for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) products has been reinstated, potentially resuming translations soon.
- Subscribe now to our newsletter and stay updated on the National Weather Service resuming translations of forecasts and advisories in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and Samoan, ensuring every non-English speaker receives critical weather updates.
- If you're interested in education-and-self-development and staying informed about politics, general-news, crime-and-justice, and sports, make sure you don't miss our daily roundup.
- In a headline news event, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently canceled over 350 grants focusing on fighting hate crimes, gun violence, opioid abuse, trauma recovery centers, and programs to reform policing and the juvenile justice system, sparking concern and debate.
- Education leaders are seeking answers after employees at Columbia University and Barnard College received text messages from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission asking about their Jewish, Israeli, Jewish/Israeli ancestry, or Jewish practices as part of a federal investigation into workplace practices.
- In a surprising turn of events, the Director of the National Science Foundation, Sethuraman Panchanathan, resigned due to demands from the Department of Government Efficiency for sweeping cuts in research related to diversity, equity, and inclusion or the study of misinformation and disinformation.
