“Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida resigned on Tuesday moments before a hearing was to begin to consider what punishment to recommend after a House ethics panel found she had committed numerous campaign finance and reporting violations. The congresswoman was facing the possible threat of expulsion, something that has only occurred six times in the history of the House. Support from her own party was increasingly in doubt. In a statement, Chefilus-McCormick said her resignation was ‘effective immediately.’ ‘But let me say this plainly: we should be very careful about the precedent we are setting in this country, we do not punish people before due process is complete,’ she said. ‘We do not allow allegations alone to override the will of the people. …’ The committee had previously determined she committed 25 violations of House rules and ethical standards, including breaking campaign finance laws.” (04/21/26)
“A new report commissioned by Coinbase sounds a cautious, but urgent, alarm: Quantum computing won’t break crypto tomorrow, but the industry can’t afford to wait. The 50-page paper, authored by an independent advisory board that includes prominent cryptographers and academics like Dan Boneh of Stanford University, Justin Drake of the Ethereum Foundation and Sreeram Kannan of Eigen Labs, concludes that while today’s blockchains remain secure, a future ‘fault-tolerant quantum computer’ capable of breaking widely used encryption is increasingly plausible, and preparation must begin now. … Rather than a single solution, the report outlines multiple transition strategies, including hybrid systems that combine existing cryptography with post-quantum updates or allow a gradual switch when needed.” (04/21/26)
“U.S. forces have boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia, the Pentagon said Tuesday, as it puts into place a global warning to track down vessels tied to Tehran. U.S. forces ‘conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction’ and boarded the M/T Tifani ‘without incident,’ the Pentagon said on social media. The Tifani was captured in the Bay of Bengal — between India and Southeast Asia — and was carrying Iranian oil, according to a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing military operation. The U.S. military will decide in the next four days what to do with the vessel, such as tow it back to the U.S. or turn it over to another country, the official said.” (04/21/26)
“Florida’s attorney general said his office was issuing subpoenas to OpenAI on Tuesday morning, seeking information about how the leading AI company approaches user threats of harm to themselves and to others. The subpoenas are part of a new criminal investigation into the company, James Uthmeier said in a press conference. The actions are an escalation from his previously announced probe of the artificial intelligence company, which he said will continue as a civil investigation alongside the newly announced criminal investigation. On April 9, Uthmeier said he would launch an investigation into OpenAI and its ChatGPT tool over national security and safety concerns. Among other concerns, he is investigating whether ChatGPT provided any planning assistance to the alleged gunman in the Florida State University mass shooting that left two people dead in April last year.” (04/21/26)
“Just days before the US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments related to glyphosate’s health risks, the Environmental Working Group on Tuesday sued the Trump administration for unlawfully delaying its response to an EWG petition seeking stronger restrictions on ‘the most widely used herbicide in the United States and globally.’ The filing at the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit calls out the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to act on evidence that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, ‘is exposing infants and young children to harmful levels through everyday foods.’ EWG and its co-petitioners filed a formal administrative petition under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 2018 …. They want the EPA to revoke or modify the glyphosate policy for oats, so it’s stricter, and restrict its use as a pre-harvest drying agent.” (04/21/26)
“New York’s attorney general sued Coinbase Financial Markets and Gemini Titan on Tuesday, claiming their prediction markets violate state laws against illegal gambling. In complaints filed in a state court in Manhattan, Attorney General Letitia James said Coinbase and Gemini failed to obtain New York State Gaming Commission licenses to operate their markets, where people trade based on the predicted outcomes of events such as sports and elections. James said Coinbase’s and Gemini’s so-called event contracts are ‘quintessentially gambling’ because event outcomes are outside bettors’ control or amount to games of chance. She also objected to Coinbase and Gemini letting 18- to 20-year-olds use their platforms, despite a state law setting a minimum age of 21 for mobile sports betting.” (04/21/26)
“NASA shut down one of Voyager 1’s science instruments to conserve dwindling power and keep the nearly 49-year-old spacecraft operating as it continues its journey through interstellar space more than 15 billion miles from Earth. Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California sent commands Friday to turn off Voyager 1’s Low-Energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment, a long-running instrument that has operated almost continuously since the spacecraft launched in 1977. The move comes as the nuclear-powered probe loses about 4 watts of power each year, and mission managers work to stretch its remaining lifespan. ‘While shutting down a science instrument is not anybody’s preference, it is the best option available,’ Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager at JPL, said in a statement.” (04/21/26)
“Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is launching his next political endeavor: a federal political action committee that will seek to recruit and support Democrats in rural communities nationwide. Walz announced the creation of the Small Town PAC on Monday, April 20, saying he wants to help build a new pipeline of candidates rooted in the places Democrats have struggled to win in recent years. … Walz, who has served two terms as governor and was the party’s vice presidential nominee in 2024, told the Minnesota Star Tribune last month that he planned to play an active role in this year’s midterm elections, particularly in governors’ races. He serves as finance chair of the Democratic Governors Association. But Walz faces a harsh political reality as he begins his new venture: His approval rating has plummeted in greater Minnesota in recent years.” (04/20/26)
“Nigerian authorities have charged six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, with terrorism and treason, over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, according to a charge sheet seen by The Associated Press on Tuesday. The six were all in custody. A seventh suspect, former Bayelsa state Gov. Timpre Sylva, is accused of helping to conceal the plot and is still at large. … The Nigerian government first said it had foiled a coup attempt in January, when it announced that several military officers would stand trial.” (04/21/26)
“A 7.7 magnitude earthquake Monday off northern Japan sparked a short-lived tsunami alert and an advisory of a slightly higher risk of a possible megaquake for its coastal areas. The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a megaquake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches. Officials said the advisory was not a prediction but urged residents in 182 towns along the northeastern coasts to raise their preparedness while continuing their daily lives. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to confirm their designated shelters and evacuation routes and to check emergency food and grab bags so they can run immediately when a megaquake hits.” (04/21/26)
