“I was raised a devout Catholic, and in my early teens I kept a book of saints by my bedside, arranged in the pages from January to December following the order of their feast days. Each evening, I would read the day’s entry before going to bed, committing the saints’ names to memory." (Marta Figlerowicz/The Paris Review)
Tweets by Uganda president’s son spark ‘concern’ over succession question (France24)
How has the Saudi-Iran divide affected the Middle East? (Al Jazeera)
Japan’s New Security Policies: A long road to full implementation. (Brookings)
‘Ahsoka’ Trailer Puts Rosario Dawson at Center of ‘Star Wars’ Galaxy (THR)
“Two years on, there is no clear winner in Myanmar’s unmitigated conflict. Pictures accompanying current articles and op-eds on the country still showcase peaceful protesters with their three-fingered salutes but these images no longer summarize the country’s political turmoil. Instead, it resembles a grim kaleidoscope of political violence marked by images of bullet-riddled bodies, burnt-out villages, and displaced families.” (The Diplomat)
Inside Kevin McCarthy’s meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (SEMAFOR)
"Instead, a meeting between Tsai and Pelosi’s successor, Kevin McCarthy, now third-ranking after the president and vice-president, has dashed any hope of that, prompting strong condemnation from Beijing. China sees Tsai’s transit through the US and meeting with McCarthy and a congressional delegation, like Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, as a violation of sovereignty and the ‘one China’ principle – the political foundation of Sino-American ties." (SCMP)
“Indeed, China had warned of a ‘resolute response’ to the Simi Valley meeting, which while officially unofficial, was the first of its kind on U.S. soil since Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. The U.S. was ‘playing with fire’ over Taiwan, Xu Xueyuan, chargé d’affaires at Beijing’s embassy in the U.S., told reporters last week.” (Time)
Russia's Lavrov in Turkey to discuss Syria, Caucasus, possible Putin visit (Al Monitor)
Trump Is Winning the 2024 Endorsement Race—and Gaining Potential Enemies (Joe Perticone/The Bullwark)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Bets on New Hampshire to Boost a Very Unlikely Presidential Bid (The Nation)
“Covid Was Bad in New York City. See How Bad on a 200-Year Timeline. New Yorkers’ life span dropped by 4.6 years in 2020 from the previous year. Health officials say it may take the city years to recover." (NYT)
“For months, they had battered Democrats on crime, inflation, and wokeness; it didn’t take. Six months later, it still hasn’t.” (TNR)
"The most recent of a string of revelations about Thomas’s disregard for ethical norms comes from ProPublica, which reports that he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of luxury trips from businessman, right-wing activist, and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow." (NYM)
Several prominent QAnon adherents, COVID-19 misinformers, and other extremists celebrated the announcement of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s upcoming presidential campaign, with some right-wing media personalities also touting the anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist as a courageous candidate. (Media Matters)
Start Making Sense: John Nichols on Recent Progressive Victories and Chris Lehmann on Trump's Indictment (The Nation Podcast)
MAGA Kryptonite (Joe Trippi podcast)
Happy Easter!