Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,044 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Germany criticizes Israel over Gaza attacks

• Crypto kidnapper comes clean

• Most affordable cities to buy a home

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Stories

NPR vs Trump

NPR is fighting back against Trump's order to cut federal funding with a lawsuit claiming First Amendment violations.

• National Public Radio filed the suit Tuesday alongside three member stations, asking courts to permanently block the May 1 executive order and declare it unconstitutional.

• Trump's order claims government funding of news outlets is "corrosive to journalistic independence" and allows taxpayer-funded media to support particular political parties. The White House argues that NPR and PBS create biased content that favors one political party over another.

• NPR's lawyers fired back, calling the order "textbook retaliation and viewpoint-based discrimination" that violates First Amendment protections and steps on Congress' constitutional authority to allocate funding. They argue the order specifically targets NPR for journalism that the administration considers "biased."

• The funding fight centers on a complex system: federal money flows through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to local stations, which then pay NPR for programming. While only 1% of NPR's revenue comes directly from the federal government, about 30% comes indirectly through member station fees funded in part by federal dollars. Corporate sponsorship makes up the largest chunk at 36%.

CDC Drops Vaccine Recommendations

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that COVID-19 vaccines will no longer appear on the CDC's immunization schedule for healthy kids and expecting mothers.

• The move could reshape how doctors advise patients and what insurance plans cover, since the CDC schedule typically determines coverage for private insurers and Medicaid programs.

• The change follows last week's FDA decision to restrict Covid vaccines to older adults and people with underlying medical conditions. New Covid shots for healthy people will now require lengthy placebo-controlled clinical trials before approval - a process that could delay or eliminate fall boosters.

• Meanwhile, a new variant called NB.1.8.1, linked to hospital surges in China, has been detected in multiple US locations since late March through airport screening programs for international travelers. While it doesn't cause more severe illness than previous strains, experts say it spreads more easily and causes familiar symptoms like cough, sore throat, fever, and fatigue.

Germany Breaks Ranks

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz broke decades of unwavering support to sharply criticize Israel's Gaza offensive.

• Chancellor Merz called out Israel's military campaign Monday, saying he "no longer understands" the army's goals in Gaza and can't justify harming civilians "to such an extent."

• Germany considers Israel's security a core "reason of state" due to its Nazi past, making German leaders extremely reluctant to publicly criticize Israeli military actions. Merz's conservative party has been especially supportive, so his comments signal a potential major shift in Germany's position amid Israel's renewed offensive and an 11-week aid blockade.

• Merz joins other world leaders who recently condemned Israel's "intolerable" humanitarian impact, including Britain, France, and Canada. Netanyahu fired back, accusing these allies of rewarding Hamas terrorism and inviting future attacks by demanding Israel end its defensive war.

• The humanitarian crisis Merz referenced played out in real time Tuesday when thousands of desperate Palestinians stormed a new US-backed aid distribution center near Rafah, making off with food boxes while Israeli soldiers fired live rounds to disperse crowds.

Quick Stories

US News

• Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville announced his Alabama governor campaign on Tuesday. The former Auburn and Cincinnati football coach won his Senate seat in 2020, his first elected office. (More)

• Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano shot lava fountains over 1,000 feet high during a six-hour eruption, the 23rd episode in a series that began last December in Hawaii. (More)

• A second suspect, William Duplessie, surrendered Tuesday in the alleged kidnapping and torture of an Italian tourist in a NYC luxury apartment over bitcoin passwords. (More)

World

• North Korea condemned Trump's planned "Golden Dome" missile defense system, warning it could militarize outer space and potentially turn it into a dangerous nuclear battlefield. (More)

• Swedish authorities charged convicted terrorist Osama Krayem for the 2015 killing of a Jordanian pilot in Syria. He's already imprisoned for other attacks, and his trial begins June 4. (More)

• EU ministers approved a €150 billion arms fund amid Russian attack fears and doubts about US security commitments. Twenty-six countries, excluding Hungary, backed the SAFE scheme. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Tuesday (S&P +2.05%, Nasdaq +2.47%, Dow +1.78%). The S&P and Dow snapped a four-day losing streak on news of Trump delaying European tariffs until July. (More)

• Southwest Airlines will begin charging passengers for checked bags today. The first bag will cost $35, and the second bag will run $45. (More)

• Salesforce agreed to buy data management platform Informatica for $8 billion to boost its AI competitiveness. The deal resumed after failed talks last year amid activist investor pressure. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 130-121 to go up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. (More) Former NBA star Shawn Kemp pleaded guilty to an assault charge for shooting at two men in 2023. (More)

• The Broncos will induct Demaryius Thomas into their Ring of Fame in Week Seven, honoring him and celebrating the 10th anniversary of their Super Bowl 50 win. (More)

• HBO cast its Harry Potter TV series leads: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron. Over 30,000 actors auditioned for the roles. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• A new study found vitamin D supplements may slow biological aging by protecting telomeres. It can reduce wear equivalent to nearly three years of aging in adults over 50. (More)

• WhatsApp launched its official iPad app Tuesday, supporting video calls with 32 people, screen sharing, and iPad multitasking features like Split View. (More)

• Spanish scientists discovered the oldest human fingerprint on a 43,000-year-old rock resembling a face, suggesting Neanderthals made art by painting with red pigment in abstract ways. (More)

Extra Credit

See billions of fireflies light up an Indian wildlife reserve. 

You can take a selfie in space thanks to a YouTuber’s $5M satellite. 

Mapping the most affordable US cities to buy a home in 2025.

Watch a kite boat break a speed record by crossing 67 mph.