U.S. to cut ties to Boy Scouts; Comey, James cases : NPR

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Today's top news

Yesterday, a federal judge dismissed criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both were charged by a lawyer who was willing to follow President Trump's demand for criminal charges after other prosecutors found no case. The judge found that Lindsey Halligan, the lead prosecutor, was illegally appointedmarking a major setback in the president's efforts to pursue his perceived political enemies.

• 🎧 Judge Cameron Curry wrote that the actions stemming from Halligan's misappointment constituted an unlawful exercise of executive power. and they should be put aside, says NPR's Carrie Johnson Up first. The judge dismissed Comey's and James' cases because Halligan was the only prosecutor in the grand jury room to review the indictments and the only one to sign them. The Justice Department reserves the right to appeal the judge's decision. Comey says he believes Trump could come after him again, but he has faith in the federal judiciary. Johnson says that four times this year, different courts have ruled that U.S. attorneys were not legally appointed. emphasizing that the power of the President the appointment of prosecutors has some restrictions.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to have the military sever all ties with Scouts America.formerly known as the Boy Scouts. According to documents reviewed by NPR, Hegseth claims the organization is no longer a meritocracy and has become an organization dedicated to “attacking boy-friendly spaces.” In a draft memorandum to Congress, he criticizes scouting for being “genderless” and to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. The military supported the Scouts for more than 100 years and formalized their relationship in 1937.

The 28-point peace plan the US proposed to help end Russia's war in Ukraine appears to be off the table. Ukraine and Europeans say the plan was a Kremlin wish list. Now European leaders have put forward their own proposal.

• 🎧 The European proposal is very similar to the one presented in April 2022.says NPR's Eleanor Beardsley. Although the plan didn't work then, Beardsley says. The key difference now is attrition and the heavy losses felt after four years of conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the European plan is constructive and could actually end the war. A Kremlin adviser has already rejected the plan, saying it won't work. During the negotiations, Russia did not abandon any of its maximalist goals.

The Trump administration has designated the Cartel de los Soles, led by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization. It's the latest step in a pressure campaign to prevent drug traffickers from entering the United States. The Federal Register published the determination yesterday after months of deadly strikes on ships leaving Venezuela and as Trump weighs whether to take military action against the country.

• 🎧 NPR's Franco Ordoñez says a growing number of foreign officials and international experts he talks to see the administration is potentially preparing for a military strike in Venezuela. Eat political implications Trump must weigh when it comes to military action against the country, including whether the decision is consistent with his “America First” agenda. The White House says stopping drug ships and saving American lives is consistent with its campaign. However, Ordoñez notes that these actions carry the risk of creating long-term liabilities.

Deep Dive

Technology companies are investing billions of dollars in the artificial intelligence industry, and business executives and investors say the artificial intelligence boom is already underway. To avoid depleting cash reserves too quickly, large Silicon Valley companies like Meta are using private equity and debt to finance data center construction. But financial analysts are concerned that instead of an artificial intelligence boom, there may be an artificial intelligence bubble – and it may burst soon.

• ➡️More and more research shows that AI chatbots do not impact the bottom line of most tech companies. Only 3% of people pay for AI, but companies are investing heavily in it.
• ➡️ Morgan Stanley analysts predict that by 2028, large technology companies will invest about $3 trillion in artificial intelligence infrastructure, with only half of the funding coming from their own cash flows. If AI market growth stabilizes, oversupply could lead to worthless debt and financial losses for institutions.
• ➡️ Some analysts argue that the cyclical nature of investments, such as when chip giant Nvidia subsidizes one of its largest customers, artificially inflates real demand for artificial intelligence technologies.

Picture show

Deborah Willis, author Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers from 1840 to the Presenthas dedicated her career to uncovering, cataloging and exhibiting the work of Black photographers and photographs of Black people. Now, 25 years after publication, a new edition has been published Reflections in black came out with 130 new images and an accompanying gallery exhibition inspired by the book. In this expanded edition, Willis explores the impact of migration and highlights the importance of images for those forced to leave their homes. Take a look at some photos from the book.

3 things you need to know before your trip

1. Scientists studying innovative ways to fight cancer discovered a promising new lead in bowhead whale DNA, according to data published in the journal Nature.
2. In 2007, a costly divorce left Jolena Rothwell without money. When she asked her colleague Stephen Green if she could borrow $20, he surprised her the next day with $200 and a note saying she didn't need to pay it back. Instead, he asked her to pay in advance. The act of her unsung hero created a chain of kindness.
3. Jimmy Cliff, a Jamaican musician and actor who helped bring reggae to the world's attention, died at 81. He was known for hits such as “Many Rivers to Cross.”

This newsletter has been edited Suzanne Nuyen.