State of the Union, TikTok ban, and an armadillo building.

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Big Stories

Nigerian students abducted

Armed men attacked a school in Nigeria, kidnapping at least 287 students.

• The attackers stormed a government primary school early in the morning and abducted the children before help could arrive. Security forces arrived hours later and have begun a search operation.

• Abductions of students from schools in Nothern Nigeria have become common in recent years. The area is home to dozens of armed groups who often target villagers and travelers for ransom.

• This is the second kidnapping in less than a week in the region. Extremists stole more than 200 people, mostly women and children, days before.

• Nigeria elected Bola Tinubu as president last year after he promised to end violence in the country. There has been “no tangible improvement in the security situation yet”, according to the Africa-focused Institute for Security Studies.

Biden’s State of the Union address

President Biden gave his third State of the Union address on Thursday as he begins to ramp up his re-election campaign.

• Biden focused on reproductive rights, pledging to restore Roe v. Wade if Democrats gain control of Congress and the White House. He highlighted the importance of reproductive freedom and criticized those who boast about overturning Roe v. Wade.

• He vowed to end tax breaks for the wealthy and large corporations and promised to fight for fairness. He also highlighted his support for unions, efforts to lower prescription drug prices, and criticized Republicans for opposing his infrastructure package.

• Biden also announced an emergency mission led by the US military to construct a new pier on the Mediterranean coast of Gaza. The pier will help deliver essential supplies such as food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters to Gaza without requiring US troops to land in the territory.

TikTok ban

TikTok launched a campaign to alert users about the potential shutdown of the app in the US.

• The alert came after a bill targeting TikTok over surveillance concerns gained momentum in the House. The bill would force ByteDance — TikTok’s Chinese parent company — to divest ownership of the app within 165 days. It unanimously passed the committee with a 50-0 vote and may soon proceed to a full House vote.

• Congressional offices are dealing with a flood of calls from angry constituents after TikTok sent a notice on its app warning users of a “total ban” that would cut off access to the platform. TikTok asked users to enter their ZIP Code, then directed them to call their representative in Congress to let them “know what TikTok means to you and tell them to vote NO.”

• Lawmakers said that TikTok won’t be banned if ByteDance divests its ownership.

Little Stories

• A US Army sergeant, Korbein Schultz, has been charged with leaking classified information to China for $42,000. He allegedly sent sensitive documents about advanced military weapons to a person claiming to live in Hong Kong, using his Top Secret clearance to access the documents. (More)

• Discount grocer Aldi plans to open 800 new stores nationwide by 2028. Aldi is the fastest-growing grocery chain in the country, and the expansion will strengthen its presence in the Northeast, Midwest, Southern California, and Phoenix regions. (More)

• Cole Brauer made history by becoming the first American woman to complete a solo circumnavigation of the globe without making any stops. Piloting her 40-foot yacht, First Light, Brauer arrived back in northwest Spain, where she began her journey four months ago. (More)

• US kids are overdosing on their parents’ stash of melatonin supplements because the products often look and taste like regular gummy candy. 11,000 kids have landed in the ER in recent years after eating it while unsupervised. (More)

• Jake Paul, the social media influencer turned boxer, is set to fight former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on July 20 at AT&T Stadium. Netflix will stream the event live, marking its first venture into live sports production. (More)

Extra Credit

Merriam-Webster’s list of beautiful and useless words.

Campbell’s has put grilled cheese into its tomato soup. 

Las Vegas’ new stadium is a “spherical armadillo.”

…and 12 more buildings shaped like animals.