It was the deadliest police operation in Rio de Janeiro’s history. A raid on drug dealers in a favela in the Brazilian city left 25 people dead yesterday, including a police officer. Residents and activists have accused authorities of using excessive force in their efforts to clamp down on a drug gang known as Comando Vermelho, or Red Command. “There were executions of people who had already surrendered,” said Nadine Borges, vice president of the human rights commission at Brazil’s bar association, deeming it “barbarism.” The Public Ministry, a prosecutorial body, says it will investigate any alleged abuses.

Sources: NYT, BBC, CNN

2. Sixth Grade Girl Opens Fire at Idaho School

A middle school girl opened fire on her classmates at a school in Rigby, Idaho yesterday, injuring two children and one adult before being disarmed by a teacher. “This is the worst nightmare any school district could ever face,” said Jefferson School District Superintendent Chad Martin. “We prepare for it and we're never truly ready for it.” The three people who were shot are not in critical condition. But it could have been worse, as the sixth grader, who has not been named, fired multiple rounds inside and outside the school. Police are investigating her motive and she could face three counts of attempted murder.

Sources: Reuters, ABC

3. Mountaineers Scale Everest as Nepal’s COVID Cases Climb

There are growing concerns over a coronavirus outbreak on Mount Everest as cases skyrocket in Nepal. The country has seen record infections, prompting concerns it could soon look like neighboring India, which is in the midst of a catastrophic surge. An average of 6,700 cases are now reported per day, an increase of over 1,000 since a week ago. Meanwhile, a record number of expedition permits have been issued to climb the world’s tallest peak. And multiple people  recently evacuated from basecamp have tested positive for the virus. Nepal’s health ministry has warned that hospital beds are running out. 

Sources: The Guardian, Washington Post

4. Chicken Sandwich Wars: Short Supply and High Demand

It’s a fowl situation. Restaurants across the U.S. are running short of chicken and paying steep prices for the birds. Amid record wing prices, chicken breast costs have also more than doubled since the beginning of the year, up from $1 a pound to $2.04. KFC is limiting sales of its new chicken sandwich, and last month removed chicken tenders and Nashville Hot chicken items from online menus in the U.S. Other reasons for the high prices include chicken suppliers struggling to get enough workers, and that other fast food chains like McDonald’s and Popeyes Louisiana have introduced new chicken sandwich offerings. 

Sources: WSJ (sub)

5. Also Important …

A Texas bill that would limit voting rights passed early this morning in the state legislature, despite an all-night debate with Democrats. The International Criminal Court has sentenced a commander from Joseph Kony’s rebel Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda to 25 years in jail. And does she ever sleep? As well as helping to turn her state of Georgia blue last year, Stacey Abrams also managed to write a political thriller While Justice Sleeps, which will be published next week.

Coronavirus Update: Despite the health crisis ravaging India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing ahead with a $1.8 billion renovation of the parliament in New Delhi. An Australian man who went all over Sydney on a shopping quest for barbeque supplies has been identified as the super-spreader responsible for the city’s new restrictions.

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Prince Charming might be canceled. Conservatives are in an uproar after a San Francisco newspaper article criticized a ride at Florida’s Disneyland. Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, which debuted when the park reopened last week, includes the moment from the tale when the prince kisses a sleeping Snow White. After the SFGate article calling it an “old-fashioned” idea of what a man can do to a woman, critics hit back saying the “woke” agenda is ruining the fairytale and fun that is Disneyland. British commentator Piers Morgan said trying to stop the “non-consensual” kiss was “a sickening new woke campaign to leave [Snow White] dead.”

Sources: The Mirror, Washington Post

2. US Dogged by Criticism After Chinese Student Visa Tweet

They’re in the doghouse. Chinese netizens are furious after the U.S. Embassy in Beijing posted an ad many deemed racist or offensive. The social media post was announcing that student visa applications had resumed, but its cutesy tone fell flat. The line, “ Are you like this puppy desperate to go play?” appears alongside a picture of a pup. Weibo users called the post out and the hashtag for the topic was viewed over 5 million times. Many insults in Chinese, like “running dog” for someone who grovels, use canines as an insult. The U.S. Embassy has apologized and removed the post, saying it meant no offense.

Sources: The South China Morning Post, Daily Beast

3. California Governor Recall Turns Into a Circus

It’s been a bad week for bears. First, Romania’s biggest bear was shot and killed by a European prince. Then a Republican candidate hoping to replace Gavin Newsom as California governor hired a bear — the state animal — for a campaign event, sparking criticism that the move was exploitative. Animal rights groups are investigating the stunt by John Cox, who recently changed his Twitter handle to @BeastJohnCox. The “beast” he brought on stage was Tag, a hefty Kodiak bear, who once starred in a TV series with Kevin Costner. Meanwhile, a spoof Twitter account has been sent up for a Tag called @SadJohnCoxBear.

Sources: NYT, AFP

4. Bye-Bye Miss American Pie: Homecoming Queen Charged

It was some royally bad behavior. A Florida teen and her mother hacked a school computer system in order to rig the vote for homecoming queen. Emily Rose Grover, 18, is being tried as an adult, despite being 17 when the offence occurred. She faces up to 16 years in prison. Authorities discovered the fraud in October and traced hundreds of votes to the teen’s mother Laura Rose Carroll. Her mother, an assistant principal at another school, accessed the school district’s internal system for her daughter to cast the votes, and now faces the same sentence. They are due to appear in court on May 14.

Sources: ABC, AP

5. Week of Fighting and Fines for the Rangers

The team has been fined $250 for a statement calling for the NHL head of player safety to be fired. The Rangers made the comments after Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson punched their forward Pavel Buchnevich in the head, injured their leading scorer Artemi Panarin — and only received a $5,000 fine. Frustrated that Wilson wasn’t suspended after Monday’s game at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers said the head of player safety George Parros should be sacked. Things were equally heated in Wednesday’s rematch, with six fights and 13 penalties in the first five minutes. 

Sources: Bleacher Report, Fox

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