This is what is being stolen

Takeaways from Kennedy’s senate hearing, where he brushed off accusations he’s “effectively” denying vaccines through misinformation, even as he sowed confusion over mRNA vaccine safety. / The Washington Post [$], Rolling Stone

To combat Kennedy’s dismantling of the CDC, California, Oregon, and Washington are joining together to pursue evidence-based vaccine guidelines. / The New Republic

Probably the biggest threat to Kennedy at this point: Pfizer’s CEO says Trump deserves the Nobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed. / Axios

Autism advocates worry about Kennedy’s plans to announce autism’s causes this month: “It’s highly unusual to announce you have the results of a study before the study even begins.” / CNN

According to a new report, people in England with learning disabilities and autism are dying an average of 19.5 years earlier than the rest of the population, due to lack of treatment. / BBC 

Following talks in Beijing, Russia says it will help China surpass the US as the world's biggest nuclear power producer. / Reuters

Putin and Xi are caught on a hot mic discussing the potential for living to 150 through organ transplants, which isn’t currently how organ transplants work. / NBC News, BBC

See also: “TRUMP [dying]: Avatar. Think about that. You leave your old body behind and become blue. You become blue and huge and beautiful. You ride dragon” / X

Unrelated: Buzz is growing over an immunosuppressant used in organ transplants that might aid in extending lifespans by protecting DNA. / Semafor

Newsmax is suing Fox News for engaging in anti-competitive practices and monopolizing the right-wing audience. / Gizmodo

A man has been sentenced to six months in prison for attempting to smuggle 590 Egyptian antiquities through JFK airport. / ARTnews

In 1985, authorities arrested the thieves behind a string of burglaries of artifacts from the Santa Ana Pueblo in New Mexico—finally, the stolen goods are being returned. / Hyperallergic

See also: An upcoming documentary will tell the story of how Paul McCartney was recently reunited with a bass guitar stolen from him in the early 1970s. / Variety

The scale of IP theft perpetrated by the world’s top AI companies is staggering, according to a new report: “We are seeing tens of millions of works being infringed daily.” / Billboard

In a particularly malicious threat, hackers who breached a site connecting artists to buyers say if their ransom isn’t paid, they’ll release the stolen art for AI training. / 404 Media

A high school senior on how AI has hollowed out debate competitions, where chatbots are “being used for research and to construct arguments between rounds.” / The Atlantic [$]

Fighting back against anime-style AI slop, the Japanese Portrait Collection is partnering with professional artists to create personalized art based on user photos. / Creative Boom

See also: The hand-drawn hits that Hollywood isn't making. / Animation Obsessive

“Every dispute becomes an opportunity to reiterate the project’s rules and principles.” Wikipedia is resilient because it is boring. / The Verge

In a blog post, Morrissey announces he’s selling off his share of the Smiths catalog, only that’s not how you do it—and anyway, the email bounces. / The Guardian

Starting this year, Georgia elementary school students are once again learning cursive. / 11Alive

From the archives: On the demise of cursive, and what’s lost when an everyday art fades away. / The Morning News

“The energy I usually spent jockeying for position was replaced with … nothing? Or actually: everything.” Nathan Deuel learns to drive slow. / The New York Times Magazine [$]

In the members area, unlocked links from the Washington Post, the Atlantic and the New York Times Magazine ↓