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May 4 Morning Brief
In U.S. news
Cole Allen remains in custody after being charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, and a hearing is scheduled for today. Separately, the Trump administration is escalating its attack on SNAP, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claiming 14,000 recipients owned luxury vehicles, a claim critics say is part of a disinformation campaign against a benefit used by millions of low-income Americans.
In travel
Summer airfare is climbing as airlines face higher jet fuel costs and keep adding fees. Kayak says the average domestic flight is now $361, up from $291 at the start of the year, and carriers are also raising baggage fees and may trim some flight schedules. Flexibility still helps, because apparently the best way to save on a plane ticket is to treat your vacation like a hostage negotiation.
In tech and safety
A new Internet Matters study says age-verification systems on social media and other platforms are easy for many children to get around. In a survey of 1,000 UK children, 32 percent said they had bypassed the checks, 46 percent said the systems were easy to defeat, and 16 percent of parents admitted helping. The group says the findings show the safeguards are often ineffective in practice, and harmful content is still reaching children online.
In defense
The Department of the Air Force has picked three companies to potentially develop and operate nuclear microreactors at military bases under its Advanced Nuclear Power for Installations initiative. Radiant Industries is paired with Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado, Westinghouse Government Services with Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, and Antares Nuclear with Joint Base San Antonio in Texas. The service wants at least one advanced reactor operating on an Air Force base by 2030 or sooner, with siting and environmental reviews next.
In Asia
China has ordered its companies to ignore U.S. sanctions, a sharp escalation that could pull more of its banking sector into the dispute as tensions rise between the two biggest economies. Beijing has long criticized unilateral sanctions, but until now it has mostly allowed major firms to comply to protect access to the U.S. financial system.
In the Philippines, Mayon volcano erupted over the weekend, sending ash into the air and forcing more than 5,450 people into emergency shelters. Officials issued alerts to nearby towns, and Mayon, the country’s most active volcano, last erupted in 2023.
In Africa
Nigeria says it will help repatriate nationals who want to leave South Africa after anti-migrant protests there turned violent. The move comes as the unrest has sharpened fears among migrants in the region, which is not exactly the kind of “welcome” tourism boards like to advertise.
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