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As we speak’s prime tales
As we speak, we are going to obtain a snapshot of how the job market appeared simply earlier than the financial chaos of latest weeks. The Labor Division report is predicted to indicate comparatively strong progress. It won’t embody the tens of hundreds of firings within the federal authorities.
- 🎧 The report comes from a survey in the course of the week main as much as lots of the federal job cuts that occurred on Feb. 14, NPR’s Scott Horsley tells Up First. Horsley says that although the report will look good on the floor, there are nonetheless some warning indicators. The outplacement agency Challenger, Grey & Christmas retains a tally of layoff notices. Its February determine reveals the largest job cuts since 2020. Andy Challenger says there have been 172,000 layoffs introduced in February, together with greater than 62,000 within the federal authorities.
President Trump signed an govt order final evening to create a strategic bitcoin reserve. The transfer is a significant step towards his marketing campaign promise of constructing the U.S. the “crypto capital of the planet.” He is anticipated to communicate at present in regards to the reserve at a White Home summit on cryptocurrency.
- 🎧 The White Home argues the U.S. is shedding cash by promoting the bitcoin they’ve already seized from court docket proceedings, in line with NPR’s Deepa Shivaram. David Sacks, the White Home czar for AI and cryptocurrency, described the reserve as a “digital Fort Knox,” the place bitcoin might be saved. Folks within the crypto house see at present’s summit as a possibility to speak about constructing a regulatory framework for the foreign money, which did not occur below the Biden administration. Biden was extra targeted on enforcement and cracking down on crypto.
The primary section of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas ended with out any settlement on subsequent steps. Trump has stated his earlier threats compelled the ceasefire that started six weeks in the past. This week, Trump issued his “last warning” to Hamas after assembly with former Israeli hostages.
- 🎧 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not ship negotiators to hammer out particulars of a second section as a result of he needs a special deal that does not completely finish the struggle, NPR’s Aya Batrawy says. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Center East envoy, developed a brand new plan that provides the prime minister what he needs. Witkoff’s plan would have Hamas launch half of the remaining hostages at present held in Gaza in change for under the promise to barter an enduring finish of the struggle after six weeks. To strain Hamas into the brand new deal, Israel has blocked meals, gasoline and support in Gaza for six days.
Deep dive
President Trump joked that “nobody has ever heard of” the southern African nation of Lesotho throughout his tackle to Congress on Tuesday evening. He was defending his administration’s humanitarian support cuts to totally different nations, together with Lesotho. The nation’s international minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, says the U.S. authorities has an embassy in his nation, and the 2 nations have had “a long cooperation.” Mpotjoane invited Trump to go to the nation.
- 🌍 Lesotho is likely one of the nations most severely affected by the AIDS epidemic. Nearly all of USAID funds despatched to the nation go towards HIV prevention. Some epidemiology consultants concern that with out these funds, there might be a resurgence of the illness.
- 🌍 Regardless of being wealthy in diamonds, the nation is poor, and its financial system depends closely on promoting water to South Africa.
- 🌍 Britain’s Prince Harry is a giant fan of the nation. He’s near Lesotho’s king and queen and even arrange a youngsters’s HIV/AIDS charity named Sentebale with Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso in 2006.
Be taught extra in regards to the nation right here.
Weekend picks
Emily Bett Rickards, proper, performs the lead position of twentieth century ladies’s wrestling champion and trailblazer Mildred Burke in Ash Avildsen’s new movie Queen of The Ring.
Steve Squall/Sumerian Photos
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Steve Squall/Sumerian Photos
Take a look at what NPR is watching, studying and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Motion pictures: The Queen of the Ring explores the rise of girls’s wrestling and the way Mildred Burke might be a robust champion within the ring and, at instances, powerless outdoors of it.
📺 TV: In Daredevil: Born Once more, the hero, Matt Murdock, turns his again on superhero life, satisfied he brought about as a lot hurt pretty much as good. This is what NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says in regards to the present.
📚 Books: Deb Dana’s Glimmers Journal: Mirror on the Small Moments That Carry You Pleasure, Security, and Connection is about appreciating the tiny issues in your life that carry pleasure. Take a look at this excerpt from the e-book. (through WBUR)
🎵 Music: It is new music Friday! Dozens of recent albums, EPs and mixtapes from digital to hip-hop have hit streaming providers. Take a look at the the playlist that is up to date weekly.
❓ Quiz: I did not get the bonus query proper… however apart from that, 10 out of 10! That is a reasonably nice comeback. Are you able to match or beat me?
3 issues to know earlier than you go
A brand new report finds butterfly populations are declining within the U.S.
twomeows/Getty Photographs/Second RF
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twomeows/Getty Photographs/Second RF
- The variety of butterflies within the U.S. has fallen by 22% on common since 2000. Each area of the nation noticed a decline, although the southwest noticed the largest drop.
- Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, which means nearly all of clocks within the U.S. will spring ahead one hour. Put together for the time change by signing up for Life Equipment‘s Information to Higher Sleep. This one-week publication collection will ship you methods that can assist you sleep higher, deeper and longer.
- The musical Hamilton is canceling its 2026 run at The Kennedy Heart in Washington, D.C., in response to Trump’s choice to take over the establishment.
This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
