Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,069 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• House approves budget resolution

• Universal theme park on deck for Europe

• Why do people have seasonal allergies

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Big Story

NYC Helicopter Crash

A Bell 206 helicopter broke apart while flying over the Hudson River Thursday, crashing upside-down between Manhattan and New Jersey and killing all six people aboard.

• Witnesses reported seeing the tail and propeller separate from the aircraft before it hit the water around 3:17 PM. The crash killed five members of a Spanish family (two adults, and three children) and the pilot. (See video of the crash here)

• The New York Helicopters-owned aircraft was conducting a "flightseeing" tour of NYC landmarks when it went down. FlightRadar24 data shows the helicopter took off from lower Manhattan at 3 PM, circled the Statue of Liberty, flew north over the Hudson past the George Washington Bridge, and was returning when the crash occurred.

• Elsewhere, a plane carrying seven House Representatives was clipped by another aircraft Thursday at Reagan National Airport. The airline confirmed no injuries occurred. This is the second incident at Reagan this year after a midair helicopter and a passenger jet collision killed 67 people in January.

Big Story

Real ID Deadline

Starting May 7, 2025, standard driver's licenses won't work at airport security checkpoints anymore.

• Travelers will need a Real ID-compliant license (marked with a star in one corner) or an acceptable alternative like a passport. This comes after nearly 20 years of delays since the law was passed in 2005 following 9/11 Commission recommendations. (Real ID FAQs here)

• The TSA reports that 81% of travelers already use compliant identification, but enforcement details remain fuzzy. Officials have mentioned a "phased approach" that might include warnings rather than immediately turning away non-compliant travelers.

• Beyond airports, Real IDs will also be required to enter certain federal facilities and nuclear power plants. Children under 18 won't need identification for domestic flights.

Big Story

House Approves Budget Framework

House Republicans narrowly passed a budget resolution Thursday that aligns with the Senate's version.

• The resolution creates a framework for a massive bill that would implement Trump's priorities without requiring Democratic votes. The resolution establishes the path for extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts while allowing new spending and revenue changes.

• The Senate plan is tax-cut heavy, allowing for an extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts (adding $3.8 trillion to the deficit) plus an additional $1.5 trillion in new tax cuts for priorities like eliminating taxes on tips and overtime. It requires virtually no spending cuts, only including a non-binding target of eventually finding $2 trillion in savings.

• By contrast, the House plan mandates at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years, with $880 billion coming from programs under the Energy and Commerce Committee. This has raised concerns about potential Medicaid cuts, but Republican leaders insist they can find savings through eliminating "waste, fraud and abuse" without reducing benefits.

• The two chambers must now reconcile their different approaches as they craft the legislation.

Quick Stories

US News

• The House approved the SAVE Act Thursday, requiring documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration. The bill now heads to the Senate, where Republicans lack enough votes to overcome a potential Democratic filibuster. (More)

• Colorado Governor Polis signed a law Thursday that requires background checks and safety courses for buying most semiautomatic guns with detachable magazines. (More)

• Alleged MS-13 leader Henrry Santos opposes the Justice Department's move to dismiss his case and deport him. He asked a Virginia judge to delay dismissal, fearing immediate deportation to El Salvador's CECOT prison without due process. (More)

World

• Australia rejected China's proposal to jointly resist Trump's tariffs, even though China is Australia’s largest trading partner. PM Albanese said Australia would "speak for ourselves" rather than partner with Beijing against Washington. (More)

• Russia released Russian-American Ksenia Karelina in a prisoner swap with the US. She spent a year in prison after pleading guilty to donating $51 to a Ukrainian organization following Russia's 2022 invasion. (More)

• President Macron said France plans to recognize Palestinian statehood as early as June. He hopes the move at the upcoming Saudi-French conference will encourage attendees who don't recognize Israel to do so in exchange. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed lower on Thursday (S&P -3.46%, Nasdaq -4.31%, Dow -2.50%). Stocks reversed some of Wednesday's historic gains after Trump announced a 90-day break on some of his reciprocal tariffs. (More)

• Prada Group acquired Versace from US luxury group Capri Holdings for $1.4 billion on Thursday. Capri paid $2 billion for Versace in 2018. (More)

• Consumer price inflation decreased more than expected in March, with the CPI falling 0.1%. The 12-month inflation rate dropped to 2.4% from February's 2.8%, while core inflation hit its lowest level since March 2021. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Justin Rose grabbed the Masters spotlight with a 7-under 65, taking a three-shot lead in Thursday’s first round. Scheffler shot a bogey-free 68, while McIlroy struggled late with two double bogeys, finishing with a 72. (More)

• Author Jillian Lauren, wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner, was shot by LA police after pointing a gun at officers from her yard. Police arrested her on suspicion of attempted murder. (More)

• Universal will build its first European theme park in the UK, expanding its global presence beyond existing parks in Orlando, Los Angeles, Japan, Singapore, and China. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Scientists discovered an ancient Denisovan jawbone in Taiwan on Thursday. The rare find adds to the very limited fossil record of these human ancestors, which previously included only partial remains from caves in Siberia, Tibet, and Laos. (More)

• Canva doubled down on AI Thursday by introducing Canva AI, which creates images from instructions, suggests design ideas, writes copy, and builds documents. (More)

• Georgia and Florida wildlife officials are battling invasive Argentine tegus. These lizards are now spreading into South Carolina as well. Unlike native gators and reptiles, they threaten local ecosystems. (More)

Extra Credit

🇨🇦 Aggressive Canadian goose traps students at home for days.

🤧 Watch: Why do people have seasonal allergies?

💵 Why do we call a dollar a “buck”? 

🛻 Secretive EV startup Slate Auto’s pickup truck is spotted in the wild.