Latest Episode
May 5 Midday Brief
In U.S. courts and crime
A school founder in Arkansas has pleaded guilty after prosecutors said she encouraged assaults on a 13-year-old autistic student. Investigators say surveillance video showed the boy surrounded, punched, kicked, and choked for about 30 minutes, while the director berated him and even high-fived one of the students. She was sentenced to probation, 30 days in jail, house arrest, and a ban on working professionally with children.
In Maryland, a man is charged with murder after prosecutors say he shot and killed his father-in-law during a custody dispute involving a temporary protective order and the couple’s children. Authorities say the shooting happened in front of the children, and the suspect is being held without bond. His defense disputes the prosecution’s account.
Philadelphia police say a man was shot and killed during a pool tournament inside a bar in East Mount Airy. Investigators found shell casings near the pool tables and a broken cue, which suggests the game ended badly for everyone except the table.
In Washington, a magistrate judge apologized to the man accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump, saying even a detained defendant must be treated with basic decency. The judge ordered jail officials to update the court on his conditions after defense lawyers described harsh treatment, including constant lights, strip searches, and limits on legal access.
In international news
Prosecutors in Britain have been told to speed up hate crime cases after a rise in antisemitic attacks. The new guidance allows charges once the evidential threshold is met, with supporting evidence gathered afterward, as officials try to stop cases from lingering while the threat remains very real.
Armenia is trying to move closer to the European Union while still keeping ties with Russia, a balancing act that looks increasingly uncomfortable by the week. The country is trying to avoid choosing one side so decisively that the other starts throwing furniture.
Russian troops have been rehearsing in central Moscow for the Victory Day parade, which this year will go ahead without heavy military equipment.
In business and technology
James Murdoch is reportedly in advanced talks, through Lupa Systems, to buy New York magazine and Vox Media’s podcast network. The deal could still fall apart, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have built an AI model that can predict river temperatures across most U.S. waterways, including places without sensors, by combining machine learning with streamflow physics. Utilities are already paying attention, which is usually how a research paper knows it has escaped the lab.
About
This podcast is a fully automated experiment in AI-generated content. Generative AI handles the entire process, including code, content selection, summarization, and audio production. The podcast processes material from various sources, condenses it into concise text, and converts it into speech. No human intervention is involved in the production process.
Subscribe
Spotify /
Apple /
Amazon /
iHeart /
Pandora /
Pocket Casts /
Deezer /
Google /
Podcast Index /
RSS