Extra, Extra
Hostage Rescue Raid: “The Biden administration is deeply concerned about an Israeli operation that rescued two hostages out of Rafah but may have also resulted in some one hundred Palestinians being killed as part of that operation, according to a senior administration official. The hostages — 60-year-old Fernando Simon Marman and 70-year-old Louis Har — were rescued Monday morning after spending 128 days in captivity.” Here’s the latest from CNN.
+ Violent But Silent: “The number of murders across the country surged by nearly 30% between 2019 and 2020, according to FBI statistics. The overall violent crime rate, which includes murder, assault, robbery and rape, inched up around 5% in the same period. But in 2023, crime in America looked very different.” Violent crime is dropping fast in the U.S. — even if Americans don’t believe it. (I’m convinced 40% of Americans think the Las Vegas Sphere is flat…)
+ Too Short a Run: NPR: Kelvin Kiptum, men’s marathon world record holder, dies in a car crash. BBC: The Kenyan marathon runner destined for greatness. “The 24-year-old, who six years ago was unable to afford a pair of shoes to run in his first major competitive race, had recently been talked about as one of the best marathon runners the world had ever seen. Given that before 2022 he had never even run the full distance, his rapid ascent to the peak of the sport left many breathless.”
+ Mourning the Morning: Bob Edwards, the veteran broadcaster and longtime host of Morning Edition who left an indelible mark on NPR’s sound, has died. He was 76 years old.
+ Paste Embraced: “It was a brand with a lot of uses … But nobody used it.” That was until one social media influence started “hinching.” NYT (Gift Article): What Happens When TikTok Is Your Marketing Department. “The Pink Stuff, a home cleaning paste, went from total obscurity to viral sensation — and Walmart staple — thanks to one ‘cleanfluencer’ and her legion of fans.”
+ School Bard: Need some Monday inspiration? Check out podcaster Pete Dominick standing up local schoolboard bullies for creating fake controversies and punching down.
