Get Your Mind Into the Sewer

"If you live in London, Dr Leon Barron knows what you’re up to. He knows what prescribed drugs you’re on – painkillers, antidepressants, antipsychotics or beta blockers – and what illicit ones you’re taking for fun. He knows if you’ve been drinking and when (“Friday and Saturday are the main ones”); perhaps even if you’re worried about your dog getting fleas." The study of wastewater seemed to hit its stride just in time for the science to be used as a remarkably effective way to track the rise and fall of Covid cases in distinct regions. As the tech advances, researchers can learn a lot about what going on (and in and out) across local populations. There's something in the water. And it's the story of us. The Guardian talks to a water detective who studies London's wastewater. ‘I see cocaine in wild shrimp in Suffolk’: meet the scientist who analyses our wastewater.

2

Case Breakers

"On Sunday, Mexican authorities announced that the bodies of the three tourists, found at the bottom of a well with gunshot wounds to their heads, had been identified by their families. The men had been killed in a carjacking gone wrong, the authorities said, and suspects had been detained within days of the men’s disappearance. More people are being investigated. It was a tragic yet somewhat fast resolution to a case that had drawn international attention." What shocked Mexicans wasn't necessarily that the crime had occurred, but rather how quickly the investigation has moved. NYT (Gift Article): Where 3 Dead Tourists Were Found Fast, Thousands Remain Missing. "The message those of us who work on these issues get is that there are lives that matter, and there are others that don’t."

+ Part of the urgency to solve the crime is that it happened in place that attracts a ton of tourists. "Today, [Ensenada is] the third biggest city in the state with both a booming tourist industry and a thriving ex-pat community. Thousands of foreigners - from silver-haired retirees to digital nomads - have settled in the city to enjoy its beachfront properties, warm climate and relaxed atmosphere amid the rising cost of living in the US. And, of course, it attracts huge numbers of surfers every year." Surfer murders shock peaceful Mexico community.

3

The Fog of Negotiation

"In fact, Hamas did not 'accept' a cease-fire deal so much as make a counteroffer to the proposal on the table previously blessed by the United States and Israel — a counteroffer that was not itself deemed acceptable but a sign of progress. At the same time, Israel’s strikes in Rafah evidently were not the start of the long-threatened major operation but targeted retaliation for Hamas rocket attacks that killed four Israeli soldiers over the weekend — and along with the warning to civilians, a way to increase pressure on Hamas negotiators." NYT (Gift Article): Inside the White House Scramble to Broker a Deal in Gaza. The region, the players, the stakes. The situation couldn't be much more tense, and it seems like the White House sometimes finds out details about the same time the rest of us do.

+ Negotiations continue, Biden calls out the rise in antisemitism, Rafah on edge. Here's the latest from CNN.

+ "The survey found that three times as many college students blame Hamas for the current situation in Gaza than they do President Biden. Some 34% blame Hamas, while 19% blame Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 12% blame the Israeli people and 12% blame Biden." A new poll has some interesting numbers related to how college students view the Middle East crisis. Most interesting is that it's yet another survey that found the issue really doesn't rank very high on the list of the average college student's concerns.

4

Trump Ruins Porn

My favorite Trump cartoon was drawn by the New Yorker’s Barry Blitt: Donald Trump is on a therapist’s couch. In the chair next to him sits a psychologist holding his pen to a notepad. But when you scan up, you realize that the shrink’s head has exploded. It was hard not to see that cartoon as understated during some of today's much-anticipated testimony from Stormy Daniels. I mean, this headline: Adult Film Star Stormy Daniels Testifies That Donald Trump Told Her She Reminded Him of 'His Daughter.' Here's the latest from NBC and The Guardian. (Here's one thing to note: Stormy Daniels testified that she didn't care about the money and that she didn't want the sex with Trump story to go public either. Trump not only committed election fraud, he once again made a terrible deal.)

5

Extra, Extra

Your Phone Has Your Number: "Over the last several years, academic researchers and startups have built AI-powered apps that use phones, smart watches, and social media to spot warning signs of depression. By collecting massive amounts of information, AI models can learn to spot subtle changes in a person’s body and behavior that may indicate mental health problems." Your phone can tell when you’re depressed. (That doesn't seem all that hard. About five times a day while reading the news I say out loud, "Oh man, I'm so f-cking depressed...")

+ Textbook Authoritarianism: Putin's plan is to "to imbue the country’s education system with patriotism, purge universities of Western influences, and quash any dissent among professors and students on campuses that are often hotbeds of political activism." To please Putin, universities purge liberals and embrace patriots. (What, does this guy think he's living in Florida?) If you missed yesterday's lead item about Anne Applebaum's look at the new propaganda war, don't. You Had Me at Jell-O.

+ TikTok Block: In the least surprising legal news of the day, TikTok sues to block prospective US app ban.

+ Press Coverage: Here are the winners of the 2024 Pulitzer Prizesin journalism.

+ Where's the Beef? "After nearly 15 tumultuous years in the game, it’s no surprise that Drake has once again found himself on the receiving end of some hate. At first, it seemed like this latest feud was exactly what rap’s sensitive king needed in a rather uninspired era in his career, defined by a rather dull musical output and gross jabs at women. However, following Lamar’s verbal lashings, a PR cleanup may be needed." The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud, explained. (Once Middle East peace negotiators finish over there, they might want to come help out on this.)

+ Don't Bring a Knife to a Pun Fight: "In response to an increasing number of countries imposing bans or restrictions on carrying knives, Victorinox, the Swiss firm that produces the pocket tools, is in the early stages of developing the first bladeless version of its product." Swiss army knife maker to produce version without a blade.

+ The Night We Never Met: Not that you're interested in such things, but here's a roundup of looks from the Met Gala.

6

Bottom of the News

"Reum’s deal with the team included a loan, described as in the six figures, to ease the club’s financial pressure, as well as potential future investment and access to Reum’s extensive business and finance network." WSJ (Gift Article): The Newest Rookie in Pro Soccer Is a 45-Year-Old Finance Bro.

+ North Yorkshire Council to phase out apostrophe use on street signs. And as any newsletter writer can tell you, people take therethey're their punctuation pretty seriously. Thus, all hell is breaking out in North Yorkshire...