Battle, battle, battle, battle, battle, battle
Millions are preparing for tomorrow’s round of “No Kings” protests in the United States, which some Republican leaders call “anti-American.” / The Guardian, CNN
Los Angeles County declares a state of emergency in response to the Trump administration’s immigration raids. / CityLab
Whooping cough surges in Florida, thanks to a plunge in immunization. / Semafor
Ukrainian President Zelensky hopes his meeting today with Trump will yield new weapons systems. / Newsweek
The latest updates on Madagascar’s new government, plus news about elections in Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon. / This Week in Africa
Unrelated: Why is Meta investing heavily in a 28,000-mile submarine cable wrapped around the African continent? / The Dial
“Talibros” are alt-travel influencers who encourage visiting places like the Taliban’s Afghanistan, selling “contrarianism and conspiracy theories.” / The New Yorker
For the first time in 20 years, a US passport is not among the 10 most powerful. / The Points Guy
Why is Switzerland so rich? “There’s much to like about Switzerland for people of most political stripes.” / Simon Grimm
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The resale value of electric vehicles is collapsing worldwide. / rest of world
YouTube generated more than $36 billion in advertising revenue in 2024. / The Hollywood Reporter
A film fan sees Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film six times in six formats in six days. / IndieWire
OpenAI says it’s “pausing” users’ ability to generate videos of Martin Luther King Jr. with Sora. / TechCrunch
See also: Families of dead celebrities complain of being horrified by Sora videos. / The Washington Post [$]
AI-generated songs are expected to account for 20 percent of streaming platform revenue by 2028. / Platformer
A day in the life of a hospital librarian involves dealing with a lot of AI trash. / Culture Study
Unrelated: A toilet-cleaning pod doubles as a kidney disease screening device. / dezeen
“Aside from twats like me, it was generally friendly.” A remembrance of what it was like to experience the internet in 1995. / Gyford
Kanchha Sherpa passes away, the last living member of the 1953 expedition that first summited Everest, during which he had “no prior mountaineering experience.” / BBC
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