Kyiv Shelled, James Webb Deploys, and Bunnies in Midair

Russia shells Kyiv following the visit of the UN chief. This and more in this weekend's digest.

Good morning. It's Saturday, April 30, and in this weekend edition, we're covering the aftermath of Russian missiles, another milestone for the James Webb telescope, and much more. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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ONE BIG HEADLINE

Russia's Attack on Kyiv

At least one person died and 10 people were injured after Russian missiles targeted Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv shortly after a meeting between UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Airstrikes hit a residential high-rise and another building Thursday night. A body was found Friday and identified as Vira Hyrych, a journalist for the US-funded Radio Free Europe.

Separately, a former US Marine, Willy Joseph Cancel, was confirmed Friday to have been killed this week while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Cancel, 22, was a corrections officer in Tennessee and was hired in February by a private military contracting company, according to his mother. Cancel agreed to fight in Ukraine when the war broke out.

Meanwhile, Ukraine hopes to evacuate civilians who are hiding in the massive Azovstal steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol.

See updates on the invasion here.

QUICK HITS

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge rises.

The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 6.6% year-over-year in March, up from a 6.3% annual rate in February. The index measures costs that consumers pay across a wide swath of items.

NASA's James Webb telescope alignment is now complete.

The telescope has captured images of stars in sharp focus and is one step closer to being fully operational. NASA expects to begin scientific operations this summer.

The US arrests British Virgin Islands government leader.

Premier Andrew Fahie was detained in Miami on cocaine-smuggling and money-laundering charges after a sting operation led by the US Drug Enforcement Agency.

Elon Musk sells $8B worth of Tesla shares.

The billionaire entrepreneur's sell-off was reportedly made to fund his deal to buy Twitter for $44B. Musk said he doesn't have further plans to sell more Tesla stock.

Giant marine reptile fossils found in the Swiss Alps.

Known as ichthyosaurs, the marine creatures appeared in the ocean about 250 million years ago. Researchers found the fossils at an altitude of 9,186 feet, noting the rock formations were once part of a lagoon.

Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe bids $5.3B for Chelsea Football Club.

The offer from Ratcliffe, one of Britain's richest, comes more than two weeks after the deadline for final offers to purchase the Premier League club from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

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BOOKKEEPING

$66B: The money Russia has made in fossil fuel exports since its Ukraine invasion.

$1.53M: The selling price of a rare baseball card known as the T206 Honus Wagner.

120,872: The pounds of ground beef products recalled due to possible E. coli.

150: The number of ancient skulls found in a Mexican cave near the Guatemalan border.

32: The percentage of college students who have considered withdrawing from classes.

HUMANKIND

Meet the man who evacuated 200 people from Mariupol in a battered van. (More)

Hair braiding class for dads sells out with a long waitlist. (More)

A man sends a heartfelt letter to his neighbors after watching their pets. (More)

Nine-year-old boy's lemonade stand raises $2K for Idaho Humane Society. (More)

Nonprofit founder offers free services to thousands of homeless people. (More)

A 12-year-old woodworker raises over $300K for Ukraine, raffles custom bowl. (More)

From our partners: Walk in someone else’s news. Worried that your digital life is an echo chamber? Break free from the algorithm with Ground News. This industry-busting app makes it easy to compare how a single story is being framed across the political spectrum and highlights stories that are underreported by both the left and the right. Start having better discussions that start from a place of empathy instead of outrage. Download Ground News today.

HUMANKIND(NESS)

Today, we're sharing a story from reader Catherine L. in Shanghai, China.

"I'm an American living in Shanghai and currently in the lockdown ... We have gotten to know our neighbors, who were previously strangers to us. Everybody is helping each other. We ran out of sugar and within hours had received three bags at our door. This is just one small example. This kindness is going on across the city ... It is so heartwarming to see people taking care of each other."

What act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us your story.

ETCETERA

Browse

> Photographers capture bunnies fighting in midair.

> A family finds half-a-century-old McDonald's fries in their walls.

> A list of upcoming Netflix original movies and TV shows.

> ... and a list of upcoming HBO Max original content.

Listen

> The Hungerford Deed: A family feud and the founding of the Smithsonian.

Watch

> Inside Henry Ford's failed Amazon city.

> How school lunches are made in Japan.

> A sea lion takes a seat poolside after a quick dip at a resort.

Long Read

> Arsenic and gold: A family's role in the poisonous legacy of Giant Mine.

> A stunt artist reflects on 30 years of bringing "Power Rangers" action to life.

Best of the Week: Gaza farmer finds 4,500-year-old statue of a Canaanite goddess.

Historybook: George Washington inaugurated (1789); RIP aviator Bessie Coleman, first African American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot license (1926); RIP blues musician Muddy Waters (1983); World Wide Web launches into public domain by computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee (1993).