Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,042 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Supreme Court hears birthright citizenship case

• Mexican influencer killed in her studio

• Average hourly income by state

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Big Stories

CRISPR Medical Milestone

Six-month-old KJ Muldoon became the first infant to receive a custom CRISPR gene therapy for his life-threatening genetic disorder.

• Born with CPS1 deficiency, a condition where he couldn't break down proteins in food, KJ faced deadly ammonia buildup that could destroy his liver and cause permanent brain damage.

• Half of babies with this rare metabolic disease die within their first week. Survivors typically receive medication that's only partially effective until they're old enough for liver transplants at age one, often too late to prevent irreversible neurological damage.

• Researchers from UC Berkeley and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia fast-tracked a bespoke CRISPR base-editing therapy specifically designed for KJ's exact DNA mutation. After receiving FDA approval, doctors delivered three infusions of the gene-editing treatment wrapped in protective fatty molecules directly to his liver. (Watch how CRISPR works here)

• Early results show promising improvement – KJ needs less medication to prevent ammonia buildup and has reached developmental milestones his parents feared impossible. The case potentially opens the door for similar treatments targeting different genetic diseases.

Harvard’s Hidden Treasure

Harvard unknowingly housed an authentic $20+ million Magna Carta for 80 years.

• Harvard Law School paid $27.50 in 1946 for what it thought was just a copy of Magna Carta. Turns out, it's an authentic original from 1300.

• Two medieval history professors from King's College London and the University of East Anglia spotted digitized images of the document online and spent a year investigating. Through detailed analysis of handwriting, dimensions, and text, they confirmed it's one of only 24 surviving originals from various editions between 1215 and 1300.

• The Magna Carta, first issued by King John in 1215, established that even royalty must follow the law and guaranteed subjects' rights and freedoms. The charter shaped constitutions worldwide and remains a cornerstone of Western democracy.

• A similar 1297 version sold for $21 million in 2007, suggesting Harvard's newly authenticated treasure could command a similar fortune.

Birthright Battle

The Supreme Court heard arguments today on Trump's request to lift nationwide injunctions blocking his executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants.

• Trump's January 20th order would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children without at least one parent who is a citizen or green card holder. The order could affect an estimated 150,000 children annually.

• The case hinges on whether individual judges should have the power to block presidential policies nationwide. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued this creates an unfair system where "the government must win everywhere, while plaintiffs can win anywhere."

• Without nationwide injunctions, Trump's order could take effect in parts of the country during litigation, creating a patchwork citizenship system. Justice Jackson warned that this approach forces citizens to file individual lawsuits to protect their rights.

• For over a century, courts have interpreted the 14th Amendment to grant citizenship to anyone born in the US, regardless of parents' status. A ruling is expected in June.

Quick Stories

US News

• Governor DeSantis signed Florida's new Farm Bill, making municipal water fluoridation illegal starting July 1. The law doesn't mention fluoride directly, but removes it from acceptable "water quality additives." (More)

• A military-civilian air traffic controller hotline in D.C. hasn't worked for three years, possibly causing another near miss when Army helicopters resumed flying after January's deadly collision. FAA demands that it be fixed before helicopters can resume flying around Ronald Reagan Washington Airport. (More)

• A Russian Harvard Medical School researcher held by ICE since February has been arrested for smuggling biological material. She failed to declare frog embryos and other embryonic samples when entering the US. (More)

World

• Three New Zealand Māori Party MPs were temporarily suspended for performing a haka during parliament's vote on a controversial treaty bill. The protest went viral globally after one MP tore up the legislation. It's the harshest parliamentary penalty ever. (More)

• Guyanese soldiers withstood three attacks in 24 hours by armed civilians in the oil-rich Essequibo region, which Venezuela also claims. The territorial dispute escalated after ExxonMobil discovered vast crude reserves there in 2015. (More)

• Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Márquez, 23, was shot dead during a TikTok livestream at her salon on Tuesday. Police are investigating the murder as femicide. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P +0.41%, Nasdaq -0.18%, Dow +0.65%). Treasury yields fell, boosting stocks and the S&P to a fourth positive session. (More)

• Cryptocurrency firm Coinbase reported that cybercriminals bribed overseas support agents to steal customer data for social engineering attacks. The incident could cost them $400 million. (More)

• Dick's Sporting Goods is buying struggling Foot Locker for $2.4 billion, the second major footwear buyout in two weeks. Dick's will run Foot Locker as a standalone and keep all brands including Kids Foot Locker, Champs, and WSS. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 5, advancing to the NHL Playoffs Eastern Conference final. (More) See the full playoff bracket here.

• NFL owners will vote next week on letting players compete in the 2028 Olympic flag football event. The resolution argues this would boost fan interest, expand the NFL's global reach, and create more engagement opportunities. (More)

• Live Nation's "$30 Ticket to Summer" starts May 21, offering tickets to 1,000 concerts featuring Nelly, Halsey, and blink-182. Unlike last year's week-long deal, this promotion runs all summer with ongoing ticket releases. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Objects moving at speeds similar to saccades—the rapid eye movements we make several times per second—can become invisible to us. People with faster eye movements perceive fast objects better. (More)

• Scientists discovered why cats are ginger: they're missing a piece of DNA that activates the ARHGAP36 gene, causing cells to produce lighter colors. (More)

• Scientists in Australia found the oldest reptile-like fossil footprints, dating back 350 million years. The previous earliest known reptile footprints dated back 318 million years. (More)

Extra Credit

New Zealand’s unofficial national fruit is not the kiwi.

Average hourly income by state in 2025.

Five sinister ways people made bugs into bombs.

…and 12 must-see rocks in National Parks.