Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.
Trump promised he would not send troops to UkrainePresident Trump said today that no American ground troops would be deployed to Ukraine as part of the security guarantees that the U.S. and its NATO allies have promised to offer Kyiv. That leaves open the possibility that European countries could agree, as part of a peace deal with Russia, to deploy troops to Ukraine with the potential backing of U.S. air support. The leaders of Britain, France and Germany met today to discuss their role in a postwar Ukraine. Ukrainian officials argue that only a binding agreement that would oblige allies to defend the country could deter Russia from invading Ukraine again. But Russia has flatly rejected the idea of an international force deploying to Ukraine, which suggests that the path to a peace deal remains elusive, even after yesterday’s extraordinary White House meeting. Trump has described a potential meeting between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine as an achievement of the talks, and the White House spokeswoman said that Vladimir Putin had already agreed to it. The Kremlin has played down the idea. For more: Trump described his motivation for brokering an end to the war in Ukraine: “I want to try and get to heaven, if possible,” he said. Analysis: Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and his European allies have learned how to sway Trump — present a unified front, tug on his heartstrings, and lean heavily into flattery.
Hundreds more troops are headed to WashingtonTennessee is planing to send about 160 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., making it the sixth Republican-led state to announce it will send troops to support Trump’s crackdown in the nation’s capital. So far, Army officials have placed troops largely around tourist spots, not high-crime areas. In Southeast Washington, many residents said they did not reject safety measures outright, but felt suspicious of the president’s motives. The president’s critics have used Washington’s declining violent crime rate as evidence that he is overreaching. Now, the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington has opened an investigation into whether city police officials falsified crime data. In other Trump administration news:
OpenAI could become the most valuable private companyOpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is in talks to sell $6 billion in shares owned by its current and former employees to investors. The deal would value the San Francisco-based A.I. lab at roughly $500 billion, which, according to data from the start-up tracker CB Insights, would make it the world’s most valuable privately held company. Less than a year ago, OpenAI raised money at a $157 billion valuation. For more: When ChatGPT was updated this month, it became less overly agreeable, and some users felt they lost a friend. OpenAI agreed to backtrack. Related: Meta internally announced a new restructuring of its A.I. division amid internal tensions.
Rainforests in Indonesia are being cleared to build your R.V.Recreational vehicles — the rolling homes that have grown increasingly popular in the U.S. — rely on a tropical hardwood called lauan. The U.S. has imported more than $900 million of it since 2020, most of it processed into plywood for R.V.s. Manufacturers say that the wood is irreplaceable for features like cabinets and interior walls. Conservation groups say the industry’s demand for lauan has accelerated deforestation in Borneo, where tens of thousands of acres of rainforest have been chopped down for the wood in the past five years, often without the government’s permission. More top news
After the fire, they created a new Wonderland onstageAveson School of Leaders was once the most beautiful elementary school campus in Los Angeles County. The Eaton fire turned it into a charred ruin. Many students left for other schools or other states. But school officials decided that the tragedy wouldn’t stop them from putting on their spring musical, “Alice in Wonderland.” We spent five months with a group of roughly 40 students as they prepared for a big performance against a backdrop of staggering loss. For some, the rehearsals became a lifeline — a reminder of the way things used to be.
Do food expiration dates really matter?Inside your refrigerator, just about every packaged item probable comes with some sort of expiration date. This would make sense if those dates named the moment after which you should no longer consume the food. But that’s often not the case. The reality is that food expiration dates are a jumbled mess, with many different state laws, industry norms and company preferences playing a role. Here’s how to navigate them.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Chamoy is a vibrant and tangy Mexican condiment that’s good on everything. Read: A tender new biography emphasizes James Baldwin’s romantic side. Plan: A.I. travel tools are good at some things and lacking at others. Here’s what to know. Wear: Take inspiration from our fashion photographer’s look of the week. Consider: Kiwis may be the perfect healthy snack. Preserve: Wirecutter has six tips for making your phone last longer. |
