A U.S. drone struck down by Russia
A Russian warplane struck a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea yesterday, hitting the drone’s propeller and causing its American operators to bring it down in international waters, according to the Pentagon. It was the first known physical contact between the Russian and American militaries since the war in Ukraine started last February.
It immediately escalated tensions between the White House and the Kremlin as the U.S. accused the Russian forces involved in the incident of behaving dangerously. U.S. military officials said the unarmed MQ-9 Reaper drone had been flying a typical reconnaissance mission when it was intercepted by two Russian Su-27 fighter jets about 75 miles southwest of the Crimean Peninsula.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the military’s European Command said in a statement. “This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”
Context: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington and has effectively turned the Black Sea into a battle zone. Russia has blockaded Ukrainian vessels within their own ports, although Ukraine has been able to export its grain across the sea under a deal signed last July between the two warring countries.
Nearly 200 killed in Malawi
Cyclone Freddy, a record-breaking storm that barreled into the landlocked southeast African nation of Malawi over the weekend, brought with it a deluge of mud and floodwaters that has left nearly 200 people dead. The cyclone, which had lasted 36 days as of yesterday, is the longest-lasting storm in the Southern Hemisphere. Officials said they believed that it would dissipate today.
The storm formed in February off the northern coast of Australia and cut an unusual path by traveling 4,000 miles across the southern Indian Ocean before it hit southeastern Africa. The cyclone swirled in the Indian Ocean, making landfall twice in both Mozambique and Madagascar, where it killed nearly 50 people.
As the storm traveled inland, it battered Malawi. The country’s death toll was expected to climb as rescue workers continued digging through sludge and rubble. In Blantyre, the city hit hardest by the cyclone, houses slid from their foundations, and winds ripped trees out of the ground. More than 20,000 people have been displaced by the destruction.
Health concerns: At least 500 cases of cholera, and 13 deaths, have been recorded in Malawi since the storm, the W.H.O. said. Floodwaters may spread the disease more widely, while hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed or destroyed.
Investigations into Silicon Valley Bank
Both the S.E.C. and the Justice Department are said to have opened investigations into the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. The failed California lender was taken over by federal regulators last week after its customers rushed to pull their money out of the bank.
The investigation is in its early stages, and it is unclear what the prosecutors are focusing on, but one potential item could be sales of company shares by several executives in the weeks before the bank’s failure, several legal experts said. The sales generated millions of dollars in proceeds, though some of the bank’s executives sold stock as part of insider selling plans that set the timing of such sales in advance.
Markets closed up yesterday after investors seemed to shrug off the recent collapse of two midsize banks and the threat of a crisis appeared to wane. Fresh inflation data, largely in line with expectations, also added to the sense of relief.
For more: Washington remains haunted by the 2008 financial crisis. The idea of more bailouts has leaders of both parties spooked.
What do your spring festivals look like?
Spring starts next week.
The new season — and the warming weather — usher in a time of outdoor festivals across Europe. Some are hyperlocal affairs that are deeply rooted in tradition, and others are sprawling events that welcome people from all over the world. They run the gamut from mainstream to decidedly quirky.
We’re asking readers about local spring festivals and traditions where they live. How does your community mark the arrival of spring? And what does participating in this event mean to you?
If you’d like to share your story, you can fill out this form. We may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.
THE LATEST NEWS
Around the World
Should a college that proclaims itself as a place for “women who will make a difference in the world” open admission to all nonbinary and transgender applicants — including trans men?
Opponents at Wellesley College say to do so would rewrite the university’s mission, as one that was founded to educate women. Supporters say women’s colleges have always been safe havens for people facing gender discrimination — and that what is important is the spirit, rather than the letter, of its founding.
SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC
From on loan to the Premier League’s costliest signing: Less than two years ago, Enzo Fernandez was learning his trade at a small club in Buenos Aires. Now he’s a $130 million World Cup winner.
Intrigue at Inter Milan: Inter is saddled with an old roster, and uncertainty surrounds its move to a new stadium — issues that may stifle a sale.
How Europe’s giants are fighting over Josko Gvardiol: A line is forming across Europe for one of soccer’s brightest talents, but the Croatian defender’s future is not clear.
ARTS AND IDEAS
A new chatbot
ChatGPT has gotten an upgrade. OpenAI, the company behind the revolutionary A.I. chatbot, announced the release yesterday of GPT-4 — a more sophisticated version of the technology that has upended Silicon Valley. Our reporter’s verdict? It’s more precise, but some of the same problems remain. See how GPT-4 differs from its predecessor.
Upgrades: ChatGPT has learned to be more precise and accurate. It can ace standardized tests, offer medical advice to doctors and give detailed descriptions of images. And its jokes are almost funny.
Issues: The bot still makes things up, a problem that researchers call “hallucination.” It can’t come up with original ideas or discuss the future.
Related: A gold rush into A.I. start-ups has become a full-blown mania.
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