First Watch: Signals
Medvedev warns U.S. on Ukraine – Russia’s former leader says Trump’s peace ultimatum risks war; Trump says he’s moved two nuclear subs in response.(WNG)
Fed holds rates steady – The U.S. Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged as Trump keeps criticizing Chair Jerome Powell. (WNG)
ELCA picks new president – The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has elected a new leader. (WNG, RNS)
Oldest “snowflake” baby born – An Ohio couple welcomed a child conceived from an embryo frozen 30 years ago. John Gordon, who runs the pro-life fertility clinic says his faith drives his actions: “Every embryo deserves a chance at life and that the only embryo that cannot result in a healthy baby is the embryo not given the opportunity to be transferred into a patient.” (The Guardian)
EU to require biometric scans – Travelers will need facial scans, fingerprints, and names logged, with the system replacing passport checks next year. (WNG)
Anthropic cuts off OpenAI – The rival AI company has blocked OpenAI from using its Claude models, accusing it of using Claude to build a competing service. (TechCrunch)
Second Watch: Field Notes
Lives saved – A new report from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America says that dozens of Planned Parenthood clinics will close this year after President Trump’s budget bill cut off taxpayer funding for organizations that perform abortions. In another win for life, Biden-era abortion drugs are set to be destroyed. State Department spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, announced that overseas stockpiles of abortifacient and contraceptive drugs, purchased under foreign aid contracts, will be destroyed to align with the Administration’s reinstated Mexico City policy. (WNG, WNG)
Public broadcasting faces shutdown – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will “wind down” operations after Congress clawed back its funding. CPB has long funneled federal grants to local radio and TV stations, as well as to PBS and NPR programming. (The Hill, ABC News)
Third Watch: Daybreak, light and song
🍯 Beware of any non-water floods
🌱AI-generated plant scams? What a time to be alive
🦚 Apparently, peacocks can shoot lasers from their feathers..
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