Leonne's Daily Post
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Thursday, May 7
How a Congressional Primary Became a Proxy Battle Over A.I.

A congressional primary race has become a battle over AI policy, with OpenAI and Anthropic quietly backing competing candidates who hold vastly different regulatory views.

Continue reading at The New Yorker
The Real Cost of Downsizing Social Security

Social Security's shift toward centralized operations has made it harder for millions to get help with benefits, raising questions about accessibility under new leadership.

Continue reading at The New Yorker
Campaign staffers tell NPR they make 'thousands' betting on their own candidates

Campaign staffers are using private polling data to make thousands betting on their own candidates in prediction markets, raising questions about conflicts of interest and information asymmetry.

Continue reading at NPR Politics
In a new poll, Americans voice broad bipartisan support for age caps in Congress

A new poll shows overwhelming bipartisan support—eight in ten Americans—for age limits on Congress members, though legislative action remains unlikely.

Continue reading at NPR Politics
As federal scientists faced turmoil, the Devils Hole pupfish reached a crisis point

The Devils Hole pupfish—found nowhere else on Earth—crashed to just 20 individuals as federal scientists faced upheaval, forcing wildlife officials to take an irreversible conservation step.

Continue reading at NPR Science
Researchers say closing a top USDA research lab will slow responses to honeybee deaths

The Trump administration's plan to close a key USDA honeybee research lab has beekeepers and scientists worried about their ability to respond to future colony die-offs.

Continue reading at NPR Science
Spooked by Mythos, Trump suddenly realized AI safety testing might be good

After initially dismissing AI safety testing, the Trump administration abruptly reversed course and signed agreements with major AI labs to conduct government safety checks on their models.

Continue reading at Ars Technica
Why Fears Are Growing Over the Fate of a Key Atlantic Current

Scientists are increasingly alarmed that a critical Atlantic ocean current system may be approaching a tipping point, with cascading consequences for global climate.

Continue reading at Yale E360
Close calls at Michigan’s dams are a climate warning to America

Northern Michigan's recent flooding pushed rivers to record levels and tested aging dam infrastructure to dangerous limits, a warning about climate risks to aging infrastructure nationwide.

Continue reading at Grist
Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa, on proposed legislation to cut off funding for Iran war

A Democratic congressman discusses proposed legislation that would cut off U.S. funding for military operations in Iran, signaling growing push-back from lawmakers.

Continue reading at NPR Politics
Iran reviewing US proposal as Trump pressures Tehran for agreement on deal to end war

Iran is weighing new U.S. proposals to end the war while Trump threatens escalated bombing, raising questions about whether negotiations can move forward under pressure.

Continue reading at KETV Omaha
Iran considering US proposal as Trump says war will be 'over quickly'

Iran is reviewing U.S. proposals to end the war as Pakistan tries to broker a permanent ceasefire, though Trump's timeline suggests he expects quick resolution.

Continue reading at BBC News
Israel strikes Beirut for first time since Hezbollah ceasefire

Israel conducted its first strike on Beirut since the Hezbollah ceasefire began in mid-April, targeting a senior militant figure and raising questions about the truce's durability.

Continue reading at BBC News
DR Congo president hints at extending his term and delaying polls

DR Congo's president hints he may run for a controversial third term, suggesting he might delay elections despite being constitutionally bound to step down in 2028.

Continue reading at BBC News
US and Russia fuelling separatist debate in Canada, new report says

A new report warns that the U.S. and Russia are both fueling Alberta's separatist movement, raising alarms about foreign interference in Canadian democratic integrity.

Continue reading at BBC U.S.
'Pray for Mississippi,' Governor says as tornado emergency strikes areas of state

Multiple tornadoes tore through central and western Mississippi, destroying homes and leaving residents trapped, prompting the governor's urgent plea for prayer and aid.

Continue reading at KETV Omaha
Psychiatrists say RFK Jr.'s take on SSRIs is an 'oversimplification' of the problem

Psychiatrists push back against RFK Jr.'s claims about SSRIs, pointing out that mental health care access—not just medication safety—is the real systemic problem.

Continue reading at NPR Politics
Border czar promises 'mass deportations are coming' to fulfill Trump's promises

The Trump administration's border czar is doubling down on promises of mass deportations, a harder line than his earlier, softer rhetoric suggested.

Continue reading at NPR Politics
Court strikes down FCC anti-discrimination rule opposed by Internet providers

A federal appeals court struck down FCC anti-discrimination rules for broadband, handing a victory to telecom giants who argued the regulations overreached.

Continue reading at Ars Technica
Wayne State University partners with JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services for discovery and impact

Wayne State University is joining JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services to share its distinctive digital collections and reach broader audiences through enhanced discovery and accessibility.

Continue reading at Library Technology Guides
NISO approves working group to develop recommended practice for identification of trust markers for increasing credibility of scholarly research

NISO has approved a working group to develop standards for identifying 'trust markers' in scholarly research, helping readers distinguish credible publications.

Continue reading at Library Technology Guides
Coherent Digital launches Global Technical Reports: Preserving the record of government-funded science

Coherent Digital launched a new collection preserving government-funded research reports, filling gaps in coverage and expanding the scope to international technical publications.

Continue reading at Library Technology Guides
Clarivate launches Web of Science Research Intelligence

Clarivate launched Web of Science Research Intelligence, an AI-powered platform designed to help research institutions make strategic decisions about funding and impact.

Continue reading at Library Technology Guides
Docuseek launches streaming platform bringing 3,000+ award-winning documentaries to public libraries

Docuseek launched a new streaming platform delivering over 3,000 educational documentaries to public libraries under a simple, unlimited-use subscription model.

Continue reading at Library Technology Guides
Research Solutions' Scite launches Claude Connector for citation-backed research

Research Solutions' Scite launched a Claude connector bringing citation-backed research directly into Anthropic's AI assistant, expanding researchers' access to scientific literature.

Continue reading at Library Technology Guides
Ted Turner, media mogul who revolutionised TV news by launching CNN, dies at 87

Ted Turner, the media mogul who created CNN and revolutionized 24-hour news culture, has died at 87, leaving behind a complex legacy in journalism.

Continue reading at BBC News
Shell latest oil giant to see profits surge due to Iran war impact

Shell's profits surged by nearly 25 percent as oil companies benefit from global instability surrounding the Iran war and volatile energy markets.

Continue reading at BBC News
TSMC taps wind power as AI chip demand soars, Taiwan feels energy crunch

Taiwan's leading chipmaker TSMC is securing massive offshore wind power to meet AI's soaring energy demands while helping the island pivot away from fossil fuels.

Continue reading at Ars Technica
Anthropic raises Claude Code usage limits, credits new deal with SpaceX

Anthropic announced a major deal with SpaceX to use its Memphis data center capacity, allowing the company to double usage limits for its Claude AI assistant subscribers.

Continue reading at Ars Technica
SpaceX is starting to move on from the world's most successful rocket

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is launching less frequently as the company pivots focus toward its larger Starship, a modest but telling shift in the company's ambitions.

Continue reading at Ars Technica
Endangered eel population boost hopes

The European eel population shows signs of recovery after decades of steep decline, offering cautious hope for a species long threatened by environmental pressures.

Continue reading at BBC Science
A New Enbridge Pipeline Spurs Opposition in Central North Carolina

A 28-mile natural gas pipeline planned for central North Carolina is sparking fierce local opposition, part of a larger buildout tied to Duke Energy's data center expansion plans.

Continue reading at Inside Climate News
Faster Slaughterhouse Line Speeds Are Increasingly a Climate Problem

Proposed faster slaughterhouse line speeds under the Trump administration raise concerns not just about worker safety but also about food safety and animal welfare.

Continue reading at Inside Climate News
Trump Shows He’s Still Got Juice

Despite poor poll numbers, economic headwinds, and a war raising gas prices, Trump maintains tight control over Republicans who are reluctant to defy him.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
Kash Patel’s Personalized Bourbon Stash

FBI Director Kash Patel is embracing branded merchandise in a way J. Edgar Hoover's successors carefully avoided, reviving the cult of personality around a federal law enforcement leader.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
Misoprostol Could Be Next

After a court blocked mifepristone access, reproductive-health providers nationwide scrambled to figure out how to offer medication abortion with only misoprostol—raising new questions about care options.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
Islamic State-linked women arrive home in Australia from Syria

Nine women and children with ISIS affiliations have been repatriated to Australia from Syria, marking a significant shift in how some countries are handling foreign fighters' families.

Continue reading at BBC News
Hantavirus-hit cruise ship on way to Canary Islands after three evacuated

A cruise ship headed to the Canary Islands after three passengers displayed hantavirus symptoms, highlighting the virus's rare person-to-person transmission risk.

Continue reading at BBC News
Design plan laid out for major project along 24th Street

Local organizations unveiled design plans for a major North 24th Street corridor project, signaling significant development ahead for Omaha's urban landscape.

Continue reading at KETV Omaha
Get The Facts: Nebraska Voter ID

A practical guide to what Nebraska voters need to know about ID requirements before heading to the polls in the upcoming primary.

Continue reading at KETV Omaha
Wednesday, May 6
A Dangerous New Attack on Press Freedom

The FBI has opened a criminal investigation into Atlantic journalist Sarah Fitzpatrick related to her reporting on FBI Director Kash Patel's alleged misconduct, marking an alarming escalation in press-freedom attacks.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
The FBI Is Reportedly Investigating a Leak to an Atlantic Writer

The FBI's criminal leak investigation focusing on Atlantic writer Sarah Fitzpatrick has sparked concern among agents themselves, raising questions about whether the probe is politically motivated.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
FDA vaccine studies censored by Trump admin after finding benefits of shots

The FDA has reportedly suppressed studies showing vaccine safety and efficacy under the Trump administration, contradicting pledges of transparency from Health Secretary RFK Jr.

Continue reading at Ars Technica
Rising Seas Could Encircle New Orleans by the End of This Century

Rising seas could render New Orleans uninhabitable before century's end, according to a new analysis calling for managed retreat from the vulnerable city.

Continue reading at Yale E360
What Causes Lightning? The Answer Keeps Getting More Interesting.

A physicist who studied cosmic lightning has spent years unraveling the mysteries of Earth's lightning, discovering that our understanding keeps evolving in surprising ways.

Continue reading at Quanta Magazine
Colorado Warns of Severe Fire Risk in Southwestern States. It May be Difficult to Share Resources.

Colorado faces a significantly elevated wildfire risk this summer and warns neighboring states may struggle to share firefighting resources when blazes spread across borders.

Continue reading at Inside Climate News
‘Keystone Light’: These Wyoming oil tycoons are reviving the controversial pipeline

Wyoming oil tycoons are reviving the Keystone XL pipeline concept with Trump administration support, five years after Biden killed the project as an environmental victory.

Continue reading at Grist
How to Survive Losing a Child

In a podcast conversation, David Frum and his wife Danielle discuss her new memoir about grieving the loss of their daughter Miranda, exploring how families survive devastating loss.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
The Attention-Span Panic

An essay argues that anxieties about shortened attention spans are real but often misdirected, and that the internet's design—not human nature—bears much of the blame.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
The Perverse Tyranny of a Perfect Transcript

Harvard's shift to rampant grade inflation—66 percent A's last year—has created a perverse tyranny of perfection where extraordinary distinction becomes meaningless.

Continue reading at The Atlantic
One dead, 22 injured in shooting at lake party in Oklahoma, police say

A shooting at a lake party near Edmond, Oklahoma left one dead and 22 injured, adding to the ongoing toll of gun violence in the state.

Continue reading at BBC U.S.