Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,089 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Supreme Court temporarily blocks deportations

• Pope Francis’ Easter greeting

• Navigating the world’s most dangerous roads

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Big Story

Supreme Court, For Now, Blocks Deportations

The Supreme Court temporarily stopped the Trump administration's attempt to deport Venezuelans held in Texas using an obscure 18th-century wartime law.

• Five of seven justices voted to disallow the Trump administration from removing Venezuelans in the Bluebonnet Detention Center “until Further order of this court.”

• The emergency action came after the ACLU warned that immigration officials were labeling Venezuelan detainees as members of the Tren de Aragua gang to justify their deportation under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. This rarely-used law has only been invoked three times before, most recently to intern Japanese-Americans during WWII.

• The Supreme Court had previously ruled in April that deportations could only proceed if immigrants had "a reasonable time" to contest their removal in court. The Trump administration has vowed to fight the latest hold.

Big Story

Not Your Parents' Pot 

Cannabis potency has skyrocketed since the 1990s.

• Average THC levels quadrupled from less than 4% in 1995 to over 16% in 2022 - and they’re still climbing. Today, dispensaries rarely stock anything below 20% THC, creating risks for new or returning users expecting the milder effects of decades past.

• The market has moved beyond natural plant limitations entirely, with manufacturers now extracting and concentrating THC to create supercharged products like infused pre-rolls and dabs.

• Seniors are particularly vulnerable to these potency changes, with cannabis-related ER visits among adults 65+ relatively increasing 1,808% in California between 2005 and 2019. Similar spikes occurred in Canada after legalizing flower (2018) and edibles (2020).

• Research director Ziva Cooper calls the situation "very concerning," noting these high-potency products in legal dispensaries haven't undergone proper safety testing despite their widespread availability.

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“Easter Truce”

Russia's President Putin declared a temporary Easter ceasefire in Ukraine starting Saturday at 6 p.m. Moscow time through midnight Sunday.

• The announcement coincided with the largest prisoner exchange since the war began, with 277 Ukrainians and 246 Russians returning home. Additionally, Ukraine exchanged 15 wounded Russian soldiers for 31 of their own wounded.

• However, the truce may have never happened. President Zelenskyy said that Russia continued assault operations, drone strikes, and artillery shelling at the front line through the ceasefire. Russia’s Defense Ministry fired back, saying Ukrainian forces launched an overnight attack and sent 48 drones into their territory.

• Meanwhile, Russia claims to have retaken nearly all territory in its Kursk region, where Ukraine staged a surprise incursion last year. According to Russian military chief Gerasimov, they've recaptured 99.5% of the area, though Kiev maintains it still holds positions there to prevent Russian offensives into Ukraine's Sumy region.

Quick Stories

US News

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared sensitive details about a Yemen Houthi attack with his wife, brother, and lawyer in an unclassified message group before being confirmed. The news follows a similar leak involving Trump's national security team last month. (More)

• A draft executive order obtained by CNBC shows the Trump administration plans to reorganize the State Department, closing embassies in Southern Africa. It also overhauls the process for selecting and training US diplomats. (More)

• Democrat Barbara Lee won Oakland's mayoral race after opponent Loren Taylor conceded. The 78-year-old, who retired from Congress last year after two decades, inherits a city facing economic stagnation, crime, and homelessness. (More)

World

• A Tunisian court sentenced businessman Kamel Ltaif to 66 years and opposition politicians to 13-48 years in a mass trial. Critics call the sentences a show of President Saied's authoritarian control over the court system. (More)

• Israel fired a deputy commander after an investigation found "professional failures" led to Israeli forces killing 15 Palestinian medics last month. The commander wrongly assumed ambulances were Hamas militants, despite visible flashing lights and logos. (More)

• Recovering from pneumonia, Pope Francis greeted Easter crowds and delivered his "Urbi et Orbi" speech through Archbishop Ravelli, calling for global disarmament and peace in Gaza, Ukraine, and South Sudan. (More)

Business & Economy

• The median age of first-time homebuyers reached 38 last year, up from 35 in 2023 and nearly a decade older than in the 1980s. Gen Z and millennial homeownership stalled while older generations continued standard gains. (More)

• Wawa opened its first Ohio store in Liberty Township this week. The company plans to build 60 new stores across Ohio over the next decade, with 10 opening in 2025. (More)

• DHL will temporarily stop US e-commerce shipments exceeding $800 because import specialists can't handle the extra paperwork required since April 5, when US customs authorities lowered the threshold for simplified entry from $2,500 to $800. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The Oklahoma City Thunder crushed the Memphis Grizzlies 131-80 in their playoff opener, setting an NBA record for largest Game 1 victory margin. Six Thunder players scored double figures. (More)

• The NBA announced its MVP finalists: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the Thunder to 68 wins; Giannis Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.4 points with career-high assists; and Nikola Jokic, who made NBA history with triple-double season averages. (More)

• Justin Thomas sank a 20-foot birdie putt in a playoff to beat Andrew Novak at the RBC Heritage, ending his three-year victory drought since winning the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Stimulating vagus nerves that carry messages from the brain to major organs effectively treats severe depression. In a clinical trial with 493 adults, participants receiving nerve stimulation showed improved symptoms, quality of life, and ability to perform daily tasks. (More)

• Despite worries about tech eroding cognitive skills, a new Texas study analyzing data from 57 previous studies shows tech use reduces dementia risk by 58 percent in people over 50. (More)

• Veteran astronaut Don Pettit celebrated his 70th birthday while returning to Earth after a seven-month space station mission. He's completed four spaceflights, logged 590 days in orbit, and is the oldest active US astronaut. (More)

Extra Credit

🚛 Watch: How truck drivers in India navigate one of the world’s most dangerous roads.

💐 Love flowers but hate the upkeep? Try “chaos gardening.”

👷 Here are 9 of America’s oldest companies still in operation. 

💰️ How long 2$ M in retirement savings lasts in each state.