Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,099 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Tulsi Gabbard gets Senate confirmation

• Rock Hall of Fame inductees

• Annual corruption index

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Big Story

Trump Speaks with Zelenskiy & Putin

President Donald Trump had phone calls with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskiy about the war in Ukraine.

• The calls were lengthy - about an hour with Zelenskiy and an hour and a half with Putin. Trump announced that both leaders wanted peace and that their teams would start negotiations right away. Putin invited Trump to visit Moscow for a meeting.

• Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made some major statements about the administration’s stance on the war. He said that Ukraine probably won't be able to get back all the land Russia has controlled since 2014, and that Ukraine joining NATO isn't likely to happen. He also said that while the US wants Ukraine to be independent and successful, American troops won't be sent there.

• Several European countries, including France, Germany, and Spain, stressed that Ukraine needs to be actively involved in any decisions about its future. France's Foreign Minister said that even if Ukraine can't join NATO right away, European countries would help guarantee Ukraine's security.

Big Story

Australia Nurse Investigation

Two nurses at Sydney's Bankstown Hospital in Australia were suspended after making threatening comments about Israeli patients during an online video chat.

• During a night shift, they spoke with Israeli influencer Max Veifer via video. One nurse claimed she would harm Israeli patients, and the other made a throat-slashing gesture.

• The hospital is now checking patient records, though they've found no evidence that any Jewish patients were harmed. Police have started investigating the incident as a potential hate crime. Health Minister Park apologized to the Jewish community and promised they would continue to receive excellent care at hospitals.

• This incident is part of a larger pattern of antisemitic attacks in Australia since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023. About 85% of Australia's Jewish population lives in Sydney and Melbourne, where officials are investigating other serious incidents, including arson attacks on synagogues and the discovery of explosives with a list of Jewish targets.

Big Story

Gabbard Confirmed

The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence under President Trump by a close vote of 52-48.

• Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii and military veteran, was an unusual choice for this role because she had no previous intelligence agency experience. Senator Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote against her confirmation.

• Many lawmakers were worried about Gabbard's past actions and views. She had met with Syrian President Assad, made comments that seemed to support Russia, and previously backed Edward Snowden, who leaked secret government information.

• During her confirmation process, Gabbard explained the controversial positions. She said that while Snowden revealed important information about unethical government surveillance programs, he broke the law by sharing classified secrets. She also defended her meeting with Assad, saying she used it to question him about human rights issues.

• See a full updated list of Trump Cabinet confirmations here.

Quick Stories

US News

• Kilauea volcano in Hawaii resumed erupting Tuesday, with lava shooting 330 feet high from its summit crater. It is the ninth eruption since Dec. 23, with episodes lasting between 13 hours and eight days. No residential areas are threatened. (More)

• Belarus released three prisoners Wednesday, including one US citizen who wishes to remain anonymous and journalist Andrey Kuznechyk. US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler confirmed that America gave nothing in return. (More)

• The FBI found 2,400 new JFK assassination records to be declassified following Trump's executive order. These will join the National Archives collection, where thousands of files remain unreleased from the 5-million-page archive established in the 1990s. (More)

World

• In a massive operation, police arrested between 150 and 180 suspected Mafia members in Sicily, reportedly making it the largest crackdown against La Cosa Nostra in 40 years. It still controls the region, but the raid seriously weakened the criminal organization. (More)

• A monkey caused a nationwide blackout in Sri Lanka after touching a power station grid transformer near Colombo. The incident left millions without electricity in hot weather, with some areas remaining dark overnight despite efforts to restore power. (More)

• Britain's Labour government has banned migrants who enter the country illegally via dangerous routes from ever becoming citizens, replacing the previous 10-year waiting period. The move comes as the right-wing Reform UK party gains support among voters. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed lower on Wednesday (S&P -0.27%, Nasdaq -0.03%, Dow -0.50%). A hot consumer inflation report sent stocks downward. (More)

• The January 2025 CPI data revealed a historic shift: Eggs are now more expensive than ground beef per gram of protein, with eggs costing about half a cent more. (More)

• Reddit's stock dropped 15% after missing user growth targets despite beating earnings expectations. The platform reported 101.7 million daily active users, falling short of analysts' predicted 103.1 million. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Diddy has sued NBCUniversal, Peacock TV, and Ample Entertainment for $100 million, claiming their documentary "Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy" defamed him with false accusations of murder and sex trafficking. (More)

• The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced 14 nominees for 2025, including Mariah Carey, OutKast, and Cyndi Lauper. Eight first-time nominees join returning artists, with feuding brothers from both The Black Crowes and Oasis among the candidates. (More)

• Kevin Durant became the NBA's eighth player to reach 30,000 career points, joining LeBron James (41,623), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), Kobe Bryant (33,643), Michael Jordan (32.292), Dirk Nowitzki (31,560), and Wilt Chamberlain (31,419). (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Japanese scientists created a biohybrid hand that moves using lab-grown muscle tissue rolled into bundles. The hand can move objects and make scissor motions. (More)

• Scientists found that unique bacteria transferred during sex could help identify sexual assault perpetrators since each person's genital bacteria leaves distinct traces that can be detected even when no sperm is present. (More)

• Apple TV+ launched on Android devices Wednesday, marking a rare Android app release for Apple. The move gives it access to Android's 72% global market share. (More)

Extra Credit

🛏️ Is it necessary to rotate your mattress?

🇺🇸 The US slips to a new low on the annual corruption index.

🤖 Watch: Humanoid robot mimics famous athletes. 

🌕️ Tonight is the last full rise of the Snow Moon.