Good morning! The weekend edition is 642 words, a 3 minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Mexico’s warning to US gunmakers

• Homicides decline in 2024

• Best time to nap

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*Editor’s note: I’ll be taking off Monday for President’s Day. The Neutral will be back in your inbox on Tuesday morning. -Adam

Today’s Big Story

Mayor Adams and the DOJ Fallout

A federal prosecutor named Ed Sullivan filed a motion to dismiss criminal corruption charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams.

• Sullivan stepped up to protect his colleagues from possibly losing their jobs if they refused. Some attorneys had considered quitting all at once instead of filing the motion.

• Seven high-ranking Justice Department officials have already resigned rather than comply with the order to drop the case. They include Manhattan's top federal prosecutor Danielle Sassoon and the acting head of the Public Integrity Section.

• Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove's drop order on Monday explained the decision to dismiss the charges was due to their political impact, and the strength of evidence didn’t influence the directive. He wrote that the case interfered with the upcoming 2025 mayoral election and Mayor Adams' ability to manage immigration and crime issues. (Read memo)

• Adams was indicted in September for bribery, wire fraud, and illegal campaign contributions. Prosecutors say he took luxury trips and foreign donations, pressured officials to approve a Turkish consular building without inspection, and used straw donors to secure $10M in public funds. He faced up to 40 years in prison if he was convicted.

Saturday’s Quick Hits

• Mexico's president warned US gunmakers they could face legal charges as accomplices to terrorism if drug cartels are labeled terrorist groups by the Trump administration. She claimed that 74% of weapons used by Mexican criminals come from the US, with up to 500,000 smuggled yearly. (More)

• A drone carrying explosives struck the outer shell of Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear plant, creating a hole and causing a brief fire. Ukraine blamed Russia, but Russia denied involvement. The UN's atomic agency confirmed no radiation increase occurred, and the plant's inner containment wasn't damaged. (More)

• Southwest Airlines has launched its first-ever overnight flights, starting with five redeye routes connecting West Coast cities to eastern destinations. The new service includes flights from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix to Baltimore, Orlando, and Nashville. It will increase redeye flights to 33 per day in June. (More)

• The Coast Guard ship Waesche seized over 37,000 pounds of cocaine worth $275 million during a two-month mission in the Eastern Pacific. The ship intercepted 11 suspected drug smuggling vessels near Mexico and Central America between December and February. The ship also lost one crew member during the deployment. (More)

• Hamas announced three Israeli hostages for weekend release: Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel Chen, and Alexander Troufanov. The ceasefire deal almost broke down when Hamas threatened to delay releases, claiming Israel wasn't providing enough aid to Gaza. Israel warned it would resume fighting if hostages weren't freed. (More)

Weekly Dose of Positive

• Joshua Andrew, 23, saved his father David's life twice - first by donating bone marrow to treat his cancer, then by giving him one of his kidneys. (More)

• In 2023, Denver launched its "All In Mile High" program to tackle homelessness, focusing on helping veterans off the streets. By late 2024, they housed 2,200 people and eliminated veteran street homelessness. (More)

• Homicides in the US dropped significantly in 2023 and 2024, falling 11.6% and 16%, respectively. Data from 29 cities shows 631 fewer murders, marking historic declines in violent crime. (More)

• A stolen Labrador named Daisy was reunited with her family after 7 years. Found 200 miles away, she was likely used for illegal breeding before being identified by microchip. (More)

Extra Credit

😴 Researchers have found the best time to nap.

💰️ Man wants to buy a city dump to recover $800M in Bitcoin.

🚗 Why you should keep washing your car in winter.

😷 After 5 years, Americans look back on the pandemic.