Biden’s ‘stark warning.’ That’s how the AP describes the president’s message to Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu—threatening to rethink U.S. support if Israel doesn’t change course and let more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
■ Conceding a “grave mistake,” Israel has dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others over the drone strikes that killed World Central Kitchen Workers Monday.
■ The war’s put Vice President Harris and her Jewish husband in an awkward place.
■ Semafor: Democratic pressure’s growing to separate U.S. aid for Ukraine from a broader package that includes money for Israel …
■ … and to include more humanitarian aid for those wars and others.
■ A new game parodies The New York Times’ coverage of the war in Gaza.
94%. That’s how much of the sun will be covered by the moon for viewers in Chicago Monday.
■ … which—unlike Chicago—has a promising forecast for clear skies.
■ Consumer Reports: How to watch it safely.
■ No glasses? You can see it online …
■ … or craft one of those pinhole cameras.
■ The Conversation: How to share the eclipse with those who can’t see.
■ Daily Show host Desi Lydic: “We’re all looking forward to having one brief moment when you can look up into the sky and see something other than the door of a Boeing airplane plummeting toward the ground.” (Stick with that video to see Ronny Chieng and Jordan Klepper debate the moon versus the sun.)
‘I’m not an historian, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time a judge has ever had to say that.’ Jimmy Kimmel marveled last night at a judge’s ruling in a criminal case against Donald Trump that “Hush money paid to an adult film star is not related to a president’s official acts.”
■ The AP surveys all the former Trump administration officials who’ve spoken out against his return to the White House.
■ Count the ostensibly bipartisan “No Labels” group out of the presidential race.
‘The unthinkable is upon us.’ Columnist and former Sun-Times CEO Edwin Eisendrath shares his personal fear: “MAGA has plans to … keep Mr. Trump in power for life.”
■ Press Watch proprietor Dan Froomkin takes aim at the new lead writer for The New York Times’ political newsletter: “We are one election away from becoming a Christian nationalist state, losing our democracy as we know it, and putting the fate of our country in the hands of a corrupt madman filled with fever dreams of retribution. And yet political journalists seem to think this is … fun.”
New York quake. The Big Apple was rattled awake by a 4.7 tremor this morning.
■ Three students from Chicago survived this week’s earthquake in Taiwan.
Pink slime alert. Square reader Barry Koehler condemns one of those fake partisan operations masquerading as local news—for publishing voters’ birth dates, addresses and voting histories.
■ Mention of this blight in yesterday’s Square prompted reader Steve Ignots to ask, “How do we, the great unwashed, fight against pink slime?” Some answers:
■ First of all: Take a shower. Or a bath.
■ Then, follow the unofficial motto of the gone-but-not-forgotten City News Bureau: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” If a suspect “pink slime” site doesn’t pass the stink test (for instance, check Google’s “News” tab to see what others have said about it), shoot it down wherever you see it: Tell friends sharing stuff from “pink slime” sites to stop it—and explain why.
■ More guidance from Poynter here.
Dingus Madness. The final matchup in Men Yell at Me columnist Lyz Lenz’s bracket pits Sen. Mitch McConnell against the Supreme Court.
■ Vote here.
Phone-y concerns. Nieman Lab: A newsletter about people’s uneasy relationship with their phones—Reclaim Your Brain—has become The Guardian’s fastest-growing email list ever.
■ You can sign up free here.
To quiz or not to quiz: Those are the (8) questions. Time again for past Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions winner Fritz Holznagel to serve up his weekly news challenge.
■ Get more than 5/8 correct for bragging rights over your Chicago Public Square columnist—who blew the first question.
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■ Join their ranks for any amount—even just $1, once—and you’ll see your name listed first in this space Monday.
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