Top Stories
📌 Chemical Weapons, “Bitcoin Jesus,” Rolling Stones
TOP STORY
TOP STORY
Ukrainian troops exposed to choking agents
The State Department said it had “made a determination… Russia has used the chemical weapon chloropicrin against Ukrainian forces in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).”
Chloropicrin was widely used as a chemical warfare agent in World War I but is no longer authorized for military use.
The State Department added Russia had used tear gas in violation of the CWC. The statement tallies with Ukrainian troops’ testimony of encounters with gas and other irritant chemicals.
Nearly 300 sanctions were announced against companies and figures in China, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey and the UAE for their support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
LAW
LAW
‘Bitcoin Jesus’ charged with tax fraud
Ver allegedly evaded at least $48 million in taxes, according to Tuesday's indictment. He failed to report a portion of the 131,000 bitcoin he owned in 2014.
Ver made his first million from bitcoin in 2011. He said Bitcoin Foundation founder Peter Vessenes nicknamed him “Bitcoin Jesus” while watching him explain bitcoin to high school students.
Ver renounced his US citizenship after becoming a citizen of the Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Becoming a US expat requires an individual to pay a special tax to Internal Revenue.
Ver was arrested in Spain, where the US is seeking his extradition to face trial on eight counts related to tax evasion, mail fraud and filing false tax returns.
If convicted, Ver’s felony charges could see him return to federal prison, where he spent 10 months in 2002 after pleading guilty to selling explosives called “Pest Control Report 2000” on eBay .
ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT
Rolling Stones to rock New Orleans
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival features musical acts playing simultaneously on stages spread throughout the sprawling infield of a historic horse racing track.
That changes today when 13 stages go silent before The Rolling Stones first appear at the 54-year-old festival.
“We didn’t want to have 13 empty stages, and no people in front of them when the Stones start singing favorites like ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ and ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash,’” festival producer Quint Davis said.
The tour supports their first album of original material in 18 years. If they perform some of their older hits, surely “Time Is On My Side” must figure. As it certainly is on their side.
HEALTH
HEALTH
Biodiversity key to mental health benefits
A smartphone application was created for nearly 2,000 users to collect real-time reports on their mental well-being and natural diversity, defined as the presence of trees, plants, birds and water.
Participants completed three assessments a day over 14 days. On compiling the results, mental well-being was found greater with more natural elements—the benefits lasted up to eight hours.
"This means moving away from… parks of mown grass… towards spaces that mirror natural ecosystems,” said lead author Ryan Hammoud, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London.
Senior author Andrea Mechelli said, “It is time to recognize that biodiversity brings co-benefits for planetary and human health and needs to be considered vital infrastructure within our cities.”
BUSINESS
BUSINESS
Eating at home pinches fast-food sales
Menu prices have risen over the past year as companies try to mitigate higher commodity and supply chain costs. This has hurt demand and boosted consumers' desire to eat at home.
McDonald's, which is more exposed to the lower-income cohort, saw its global sales decline for the fourth straight quarter, forcing it to focus on improving its meal offerings.
Packaged food companies are also feeling the pinch of weak consumer spending, especially from low-income households, as their cookies and baked snacks see a slowdown in sales.
RELIGION
RELIGION
United Methodists repeal LGBTQ clergy ban
The church voted 692–51 at its general conference to remove a rule that bans “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as a minister.
In the past, elders have reinforced the LGBTQ ban at the church's annual conference in Charlotte, NC. But it has moved more progressively after many conservative members left.
Nearly 8,000 conservative congregations across the US disaffiliated from the church in 2019–2023 after it did not enforce its bans on LGBTQ communities.
The change doesn’t mandate or explicitly affirm LGBTQ clergy members but means the church no longer forbids them from serving churches across the country.
Later this week, delegates will vote on more petitions that could remove the denomination’s long-time stance that “the practice of homosexuality” is “incompatible with Christian” beliefs.
OFFBEAT
OFFBEAT
New York Mets fan pelted with hot dogs
The fan wore a hot dog hat and a custom T-shirt, which he wrote on to tally his hot dog and beer consumption. The shirt read "bad day to be a glizzy,” referring to the nickname for a hot dog.
Fans started launching hot dogs at him later in the game before several police and security staff went down to his section and escorted him out of the area.
According to his shirt tally, he had consumed nine hot dogs and ten beers before his departure. He was later seen riding on a subway train, while still wearing his hot dog hat.