Wednesday headlines: Lamb to the water
Russia agrees to a ceasefire in the Black Sea following talks in Saudi Arabia, then almost immediately demands new terms. / Semafor
Unrelated: President Donald Trump is gifted a new portrait from Vladimir Putin. / BBC News
Consumer confidence in the United States falls to a four-year low. / Al Jazeer
The US put tariffs on goods from Canada in the late 1800s, thinking the country might join the Union—instead, nationalist sentiment surged. / TIME
Security officials say “heads are exploding” after a journalist was added to an administration group chat on Signal. / NPR
The White House insists nothing clasified was shared—so the Atlantic decides to publish the entire chat. / The Atlantic
There are few things more dangerous than firing a spy—and a researcher says Chinese intelligence networks are already recruiting ex-USG officials. / The Associated Press, Reuters
Unrelated: Everything you need to know about Elon Musk’s new restaurant in Los Angeles. / Eater
Business jets operating at Mach 5 are becoming closer to “a workable reality.” / Robb Report
Malcolm Harris reviews a new book by Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein, who can “brook no structural conflict between social classes” and believe abundance requires no tradeoffs. / The Baffler
The average non-elderly American household only has 46 days of cash savings. / People’s Policy Project
A paralysed man can stand on his own after receiving an injection of stem cells to treat a spinal cord injury. / Nature
From last year, a round-up of the 10 hardest dayhikes in the US. / Backpacker
The winners of this year’s British Wildlife Photography Awards are said to “celebrate the diversity of animal life across Great Britain.” / Colossal
Photographs capture Mexico City’s water crisis. / Long Lead
A trendy new way to microdose alcohol? A shot-and-fake-beer setup. / Punch
Gay men recall the kindly waitresses at Hooters who made their restaurants “a secret sanctuary.” / The New York Times [+]