Iran Truce Extended, Low-Tech Learning & Happy Earth Day - Wednesday, April 22, 2026 - The NewsWorthy

Loading summary

Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
A
Today is Wednesday, April 22. What to know about a last minute extension of the U. S. Iran ceasefire. How it changed from what President Trump had said just hours earlier and why there are still questions about what comes next. Also, for the third time this month, a member of the US House decided to step down. We'll explain. And what the new nominee for Fed chair had to say about AI, interest rates and independence, all at yesterday's confirmation hearing. Plus why the military's vaccine requirements are changing, what's being called a drastic measure to limit students screen time. And how to get in on today's ticket drop for the World Cup. That tournament will be here in the US in just 50 days. Those stories and even more news coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy all the Days News in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. The ceasefire between the US And Iran has now been extended indefinitely. President Trump made the announcement just hours before the last truce was set to expire and it marked a big change from what he had said just earlier in the day. Trump had been saying he would not go for an extension and he specifically told CNBC if Iran did not agree to his demands that, quote, I expect to be bombing. The president says he changed his mind after a request from Pakistan, which has been trying to act as a mediator. But one Iranian senior advisor said the extension means nothing and that Iran should respond militarily. Now, it's still not clear what comes Next. Vice President J.D. vance's trip to Pakistan for a second round of peace talks was put on hold. But even if the two sides do return to the negotiating table, there's a lot to be worked out. Sticking points still include the Iranian nuclear program, Iran's support for militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and shipping routes in the region. Speaking of which, President Trump says the US Blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports will continue. Plus, the US Naval operations against Iran have expanded even beyond the Middle East. Yesterday, the US Says it stopped and boarded a tanker in the Indian Ocean that was apparently carrying oil from Iran. Reports say the US Will determine the next steps for the ship and its crew in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, US Marines are still searching shipping containers on board the Iranian flagged cargo ship that was seized on Sunday as it moved through the Arabian Sea, seemingly headed for Iran. A third US Aircraft carrier is expected to show up in the Middle east in the coming days. And at that point, the U.S. navy will have more firepower in the region than at any time since the start of the war to be continued A Democratic lawmaker accused of stealing money from disaster aid resigned from the US House yesterday, just 20 minutes before an ethics panel was supposed to vote on whether she should be expelled. Sheila Sherfilis McCormick is charged with embezzling $5 million in FEMA funds and using it for her campaign. The ethics panel had been investigating the matter for more than two years, reviewing tens of thousands of documents related to the accusations. Most of her colleagues in both parties had been expected to vote to remove her, and in her resignation letter, Sherphilis McCormick said the whole thing has been a witch hunt. Her departure immediately expands Republicans narrow majority to 217 to 213, but the GOP may not keep that majority for much longer. Yesterday, Virginia voters cleared the way for new state congressional districts that could help Democrats flip multiple Republican held seats in the House. As the AP reports, the referendum passed with 50.3% of the vote. The new map is now set to go into effect before November's midterms. President Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve faced an intense round of questioning at his confirmation hearing. Kevin Warsh fielded questions from lawmakers, some who grilled him and others who praised him. On the more critical side, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren branded Warsh as a sock puppet for Trump since the president has suggested that if Warsh is confirmed, he'll abide by the Trump agenda and lower interest rates. But Warsh promised to keep the Fed independent. He said Trump never asked him to commit to any interest rate decision and that even if he had, he would not agree to it. Still, even before he was nominated, Warsh publicly supported rate cuts. One reason is he believes artificial intelligence has made labor so productive that companies won't have to raise prices. Well, one Republican senator, John Kennedy, warned the nominee on that argument, saying he worries talk about AI making America more productive is, quote, a bunch of hype by people who want to sell stock and an ipo. But Wersh also got plenty of support, mostly from other Republicans who called him well qualified. The nominee is a former Morgan Stanley banker who served as a Fed governor during the 2008 financial crisis, acting as a liaison between the central bank and Wall Street. At yesterday's hearing, Warsh also spoke about changes he wants to see at the Fed, including what he called a regime change, as well as an overhaul of how it measures inflation and communicates policy changes. Current Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell's term ends in May. A prominent civil rights group is now accused of money laundering and fraud. The U.S. justice Department charged the Southern Poverty Law center with financial crimes. Specifically, it says the SPLC defrauded donors by using their money to secretly pay informants inside extremist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan nations, and the nationalist Socialist Party of America. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says basically the SPLC is doing the opposite of what it's supposed to funding extremism instead of dismantling it. He also accused the group of manufacturing racism to justify its existence. The SPLC was created 55 years ago as a civil rights focused law practice for people who were poor or disenfranchised. Some of the earliest cases resulted in the desegregation of recreational facilities and other reforms. But more recently, Republicans have accused the group of unfairly targeting conservative and Christian organizations and labeling them as extremists. Well, now the SPLC says it's just being targeted for political reasons. It also clarified that it no longer works with paid informants, but defends its use of them in the past, saying they, quote, risk their lives to infiltrate and inform on the activities of our nation's most radical and violent extremist groups. The SPLC says that work saved lives. Either way, this investigation is ongoing. Today is Earth Day. For the last 56 years, the holiday has served as a day to appreciate nature as well as raise awareness about environmental challenges. It's now the most widely observed secular holiday around the world. More than a billion people in almost 200 countries mark this occasion, and this year the official theme is Our Power, Our Planet. It calls for collective action against environmental impacts. There are several events, rallies and protests planned all over the world today. Many communities will also get together to clean up litter, plant trees, go green in some other way, or simply reflect in all of Earth's beauty. If you want to find an Earth Day event near you, we've posted a link to help you find one. Go to thenewsworthy.com, click episodes, then today's date and you'll see the links for this story. We have much more news for you still coming up. But first, this episode of the Newsworthy is brought to you by Wild Grain, the first baked from frozen subscription box for sourdough breads, artisanal pastries and fresh pastas. Being a busy parent, I'm always looking for convenient options with clean, high quality ingredients. And with Wild Grain, I love that I can leave everything in the freezer until I need them so there's no food waste. And then all those items conveniently bake in 25 minutes or less with no thawing required and it always turns out perfect. I cannot mess this up. Whether we've decided on a loaf of sourdough bread for a weeknight dinner or the flaky croissants for a weekend brunch, or the giant chocolate chunk cookies for a special dessert. So good. My family and friends are always so impressed with Wild Grain. You can get the variety box, a gluten free box, vegan box or a new protein box. Imagine having fresh bakery quality bread, pastries and pasta at home ready to go in the freezer without any trips to the store. I love it. And don't just take my word for it. They have over 40,000 5 star reviews and have been voted the best food subscription box by USA TODAY for three years in a row. For a limited time, Wild Grain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box plus free Croissants for Life when you go to wildgrain.comnewworthy to start your subscription today. That's $30 off your first box and free Croissants for Life when YOU visit wildgrain.comnewworthy or you can use our promo code Newsworthy at checkout. Now back to the news. The US Military is doing away with its long standing vaccine policy that required service members to get a flu shot. In announcing the change, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, quote, we're seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our WARF fighting capabilities. But some public health experts say the military's new policy update just means more hospitalizations and more otherwise healthy troops being sidelined, especially since they live in close quarters where the flu can spread quickly. To be clear, other vaccines like those for measles, polio and tetanus will stay mandatory in most cases, and any service member who wants to get a flu shot still can't. Los Angeles has become the first major American school district to require screen time limits on classroom technology. Basically, the LA school district is putting more emphasis on paper and pen learning instead of laptop and tablet learning. Despite the district's years of tech investments, the school board unanimously approved the measure yesterday. It bans all district issued devices for first graders and younger students, limits screen exposure during lunch and recess for older kids, and keeps all students from freely browsing YouTube on school devices. Plus, district leaders will have to track student screen use and report it regularly to families. The policy change also gives parents more authority to opt their children out of classroom technology completely, and it orders a full audit of the district's EdTech contracts. It's a big change since in the past the Los Angeles school superintendent championed universal access to devices as a matter of equity, and even this week the district defended its technology push. But the board's vote signals a broader shift, and now board members say they're hoping it's one that will trickle down to the rest of the US Very quickly. Already organized local coalitions of parents have formed across the country, calling on other districts to make similar policy changes. Legislation has been proposed in 16 states calling for some kind of restriction on school provided screen time or Internet use in schools. Remember how we told you about Anthropic's new AI model called Claude Mythos that's too powerful to be released to the public? Well, Bloomberg now reports a group of unauthorized users in an online forum has been able to access it, and the group has reportedly been using Mythos regularly since then. At this point, it's not clear what exactly it's using it for, but Bloomberg reports it's not cybersecurity. As we told you earlier this month, that's the only reason Anthropic is wanting Mythos to be used at this point. It made the model available just to select organizations to find and patch security vulnerabilities. But it warned that if the model were to end up in the wrong hands, it could also become a powerful hacking tool. Anthropic now says it's investigating Bloomberg's report. Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence company is busy investing and expanding. Just this week, it agreed to commit more than $100 billion to Amazon's AWS Cloud Platform over the next 10 years to train and run the Claude Chatbot. On the other end of the deal, Amazon is investing $5 billion immediately and another $20 billion in the future. It's a similar deal to the one Amazon struck with OpenAI just two months ago. Starting today, more tickets are going on sale for all 104 matches of the 2026 World cup in the U.S. mexico and Canada. This comes three weeks after what soccer's worldwide governing body, FIFA, had said would be the final phase of ticket sales. Now it says more tickets are still available at different price levels. Not every price level will be an option for every game, though, whether these tickets sell out or not, this is set to be the largest World cup in history, since more than 5 million tickets have already been sold. The previous tournament attendance record was three and a half million, set back in 1994. Today's ticket drop is scheduled to begin at 11am Eastern. The 2026 World cup runs from June 11 to July 19. And that's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Work Wednesday when we break down one interesting career or work related news story every Wednesday. But first, a break to tell you about our sponsor. I'm sure we've all felt the impact of sleep, or lack thereof, since sleep restores and repairs our bodies, strengthens memory and learning, and regulates our mental health and emotions. And the mattress we sleep on can make a big difference. That's why I'm thrilled to now have a Birch natural mattress. It's super comfortable, it gives me the support I need, and it's even breathable. Not only does it help me have a great night's sleep and feel comfortable, but it's also crafted with responsibly sourced materials. This part is just as important to me as the comfort. Since we spend so much time beds, Birch sources only the finest quality materials like organic fair trade cotton, organic wool and natural latex. And get this, Birch offers a 120 night risk free trial to see how your body adjusts. I want all my listeners to be able to enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress From Birch, go to birchliving.comnewworthy for 20% off sitewide. That's birchliving.comnewworthy and get 20% off to sitewide birchliving.comnewworthy now back to work Wednesday. The class of 2026 could actually end up graduating into a friendly job market. There are new signs that entry level hiring is picking up. One widely watched survey came out this week from the national association of Colleges and Employers. It shows employers plan to boost new graduate hires by nearly 6% this spring as compared to a year ago. That's a big turnaround from the much grimmer forecast that came out just a few months ago. And meanwhile, things seem to be going better for young adults who have already graduated. Bank of America Global Research looked at unemployment among 20 to 24 year olds with bachelor degrees and higher, and its analysis found the unemployment rate among that group alone dropped sharply last month to just over 5%, down from nearly 9% last fall. Granted, the numbers don't give us specifics about which jobs have become available, and a ZipRecruiter economist says the rebound could reflect college grads adjusting their own expectations. For example, they might have decided to work at a fast food place instead of a Fortune 500 company. But that's not always the case either. One career coach told the Wall Street Journal he's seen more hiring for first jobs in fields like healthcare and AI related roles. Big companies who have confirmed they have entry level openings include IBM, McKinsey, and so on. Thank you so much for listening today. We'll be back tomorrow with the latest news. Until then, have a great day. Sam.

Summary6 min read

The NewsWorthy — Podcast Summary

Host: Erica Mandy
Episode: Iran Truce Extended, Low-Tech Learning & Happy Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The NewsWorthy, hosted by Erica Mandy, covers major headlines from around the globe in a quick, approachable style, focusing on significant political updates, tech and education trends, business, and cultural moments. The main event is the last-minute extension of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire, setting the stage for uncertain diplomatic developments. Other stories include a congressional resignation amidst scandal, scrutiny over the Federal Reserve nominee, significant shifts in military policy and education technology, and celebratory events for Earth Day. The episode also highlights the new round of ticket sales for the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

Main News Stories

1. U.S.–Iran Ceasefire Extension (00:46)

Sudden Policy Shift: President Trump announced an indefinite extension of the U.S.–Iran ceasefire, hours before its expiration. This reversed his earlier stance, wherein he declared, “I expect to be bombing,” if Iran didn’t meet his demands (01:10).
- Trump attributed his reversal to a request from Pakistan, which is acting as mediator.
- Iranian officials responded dismissively. One senior advisor commented, “the extension means nothing and Iran should respond militarily.”
Peace Talks in Limbo: Vice President J.D. Vance's trip to Pakistan for further talks is on hold.
Major Sticking Points: Disagreements persist over Iran’s nuclear program, support for militant groups, and control of shipping routes.
U.S. Escalation: Ship blockades and naval operations have expanded beyond the Middle East.
- The U.S. stopped and boarded an Iranian tanker in the Indian Ocean, and continues searching a seized cargo ship (03:01).
- A third U.S. aircraft carrier is en route to the region, representing the largest naval presence since the start of the conflict.
Quote (Erica Mandy, 03:30): “To be continued.”

2. Congressional Resignation: Scandal and Political Impact (03:32)

Resignation of Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick: Stepped down 20 minutes before a scheduled ethics vote regarding allegations she embezzled $5 million in FEMA funds for her campaign.
- Investigation lasted over two years, with bipartisan support for her removal.
- In her resignation letter, she called the process a “witch hunt.”
Political Consequences: GOP’s narrow majority expands to 217–213, but could be at risk due to looming redistricting.
- Virginia voters narrowly passed a referendum (50.3%) to redraw congressional maps, potentially favoring Democrats.

3. Federal Reserve Chair Nominee Faces Congress (04:44)

Kevin Warsh’s Confirmation Hearing:
- Criticized by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who called him a “sock puppet for Trump.” (05:10)
  - Warren objected to Trump’s expectation that Warsh would lower interest rates.
- Warsh insisted on keeping the Fed’s independence, stating, “Even if he [Trump] had asked me, I would not agree to it.”
- Warsh supports rate cuts, citing AI-driven productivity: “Artificial intelligence has made labor so productive that companies won’t have to raise prices.”
- Skepticism from Republicans like Sen. John Kennedy: “Talk about AI making America more productive is, quote, a bunch of hype by people who want to sell stock and an IPO.” (05:40)
- Warsh called for a “regime change” at the Fed, including new inflation measures and communication strategies.

4. Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Indictments (06:41)

Federal Charges: DOJ charged SPLC with money laundering and donor fraud, alleging they paid informants inside extremist groups using donor funds.
Official Critique: Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “The SPLC is doing the opposite of what it’s supposed to—funding extremism instead of dismantling it.”
SPLC Defense: Organization says it’s being targeted for political reasons and insists work with paid informants “saved lives.”
Impact: Investigation ongoing; allegations have revived longstanding political debates over SPLC’s classification of groups as extremist.

5. Earth Day 2026: "Our Power, Our Planet" (08:30)

Global Celebration: Earth Day marks its 56th year, now the most widely observed secular holiday, celebrated by over a billion people in nearly 200 countries.
2026 Theme: “Our Power, Our Planet,” emphasizing collective environmental action.
Quote (Erica Mandy, 09:16): “Many communities will also get together to clean up litter, plant trees, go green in some other way, or simply reflect in all of Earth’s beauty.”
Resources: Listeners encouraged to find local events via the NewsWorthy website.

6. Military Drops Flu Shot Requirement (11:23)

Policy Change: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the end of mandatory flu vaccines for service members.
- Hegseth: “We’re seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities.”
Public Health Concerns: Experts warn that this could lead to more illness and hospitalizations among troops.
Note: Other vaccines remain required; flu shots still available voluntarily.

7. Los Angeles Schools Limit Classroom Screen Time (12:03)

Groundbreaking Policy: First major district to require screen time caps and revert to pen-and-paper learning for youngest students.
- District-issued devices banned for 1st grade and younger.
- Screen exposure now limited for older kids during lunch/recess; students barred from browsing YouTube.
- Mandates parental opt-out rights and orders a full audit of EdTech contracts.
- Movement is part of a growing national shift; similar legislation proposed in 16 states.

8. Anthropic AI Model Leak and Big Tech Investments (13:30)

AI Controversy: Anthropic’s new Claude “Mythos” model, supposedly too powerful for public release, accessed by unauthorized online users.
- Model originally limited to cybersecurity use only.
- Company investigating leak reports.
Business Expansion: Anthropic pledges $100 billion to AWS over 10 years for AI training; Amazon investing $25 billion.
- Mirrors similar deals between Amazon and OpenAI.

9. World Cup 2026 Ticket Drop (14:35)

New Ticket Sale: Additional tickets released for all 104 matches in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
- Over 5 million tickets already sold, surpassing past records (3.5 million in 1994).
- Ticket drop began at 11:00am Eastern; tournament runs June 11–July 19.

Work Wednesday (16:02)

Improving Job Market for Grads: Employers plan to increase new graduate hires by nearly 6% this spring (report by National Association of Colleges and Employers).
- “A big turnaround from the much grimmer forecast that came out just a few months ago” (Erica Mandy).
Youth Unemployment Drops: Unemployment for 20–24-year-olds with degrees fell to just over 5%, from nearly 9% last fall.
- Growth likely in healthcare and AI; big employers hiring include IBM and McKinsey.
- Some grads may be adjusting expectations, taking entry-level roles outside their fields.

Notable Quotes & Moments

On the Iran Ceasefire Reversal:
- President Trump: “If Iran did not agree to his demands… I expect to be bombing.” (01:10)
- Iranian advisor: “The extension means nothing and Iran should respond militarily.” (02:23)
On AI and Economics:
- Sen. John Kennedy (Federal Reserve hearing): “Talk about AI making America more productive is, quote, a bunch of hype by people who want to sell stock and an IPO.” (05:40)
On Military Vaccine Mandates:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: “We’re seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities.” (11:23)
On Earth Day Participation:
- Erica Mandy: “Many communities will also get together to clean up litter, plant trees, go green in some other way, or simply reflect in all of Earth’s beauty.” (09:16)

Key Segments & Timestamps

Extension of Iran Truce: 00:46 – 03:30
Congressional Resignation & Political Shifts: 03:32 – 04:43
Federal Reserve Confirmation Hearing: 04:44 – 06:40
SPLC Fraud Investigation: 06:41 – 08:29
Earth Day 2026: 08:30 – 09:20
Military Vaccine Policy Change: 11:23 – 12:02
L.A. School District Tech Policy: 12:03 – 13:29
Anthropic AI News: 13:30 – 14:34
World Cup Ticket Drop: 14:35 – 15:02
Work Wednesday & Job Market: 16:02 – 17:32

Overall Tone & Style

Erica Mandy maintains a brisk, clear, and friendly tone throughout, focusing on factual clarity and balanced coverage. She frequently adds small personal interjections, encouragement, and practical resources, staying accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

This summary provides a digestible, engaging, and detailed recap of all the critical news discussed in the episode, capturing the original intent and content for those who missed the broadcast.

Loading summary

Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
A
Today is Wednesday, April 22. What to know about a last minute extension of the U. S. Iran ceasefire. How it changed from what President Trump had said just hours earlier and why there are still questions about what comes next. Also, for the third time this month, a member of the US House decided to step down. We'll explain. And what the new nominee for Fed chair had to say about AI, interest rates and independence, all at yesterday's confirmation hearing. Plus why the military's vaccine requirements are changing, what's being called a drastic measure to limit students screen time. And how to get in on today's ticket drop for the World Cup. That tournament will be here in the US in just 50 days. Those stories and even more news coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy all the Days News in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. The ceasefire between the US And Iran has now been extended indefinitely. President Trump made the announcement just hours before the last truce was set to expire and it marked a big change from what he had said just earlier in the day. Trump had been saying he would not go for an extension and he specifically told CNBC if Iran did not agree to his demands that, quote, I expect to be bombing. The president says he changed his mind after a request from Pakistan, which has been trying to act as a mediator. But one Iranian senior advisor said the extension means nothing and that Iran should respond militarily. Now, it's still not clear what comes Next. Vice President J.D. vance's trip to Pakistan for a second round of peace talks was put on hold. But even if the two sides do return to the negotiating table, there's a lot to be worked out. Sticking points still include the Iranian nuclear program, Iran's support for militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and shipping routes in the region. Speaking of which, President Trump says the US Blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports will continue. Plus, the US Naval operations against Iran have expanded even beyond the Middle East. Yesterday, the US Says it stopped and boarded a tanker in the Indian Ocean that was apparently carrying oil from Iran. Reports say the US Will determine the next steps for the ship and its crew in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, US Marines are still searching shipping containers on board the Iranian flagged cargo ship that was seized on Sunday as it moved through the Arabian Sea, seemingly headed for Iran. A third US Aircraft carrier is expected to show up in the Middle east in the coming days. And at that point, the U.S. navy will have more firepower in the region than at any time since the start of the war to be continued A Democratic lawmaker accused of stealing money from disaster aid resigned from the US House yesterday, just 20 minutes before an ethics panel was supposed to vote on whether she should be expelled. Sheila Sherfilis McCormick is charged with embezzling $5 million in FEMA funds and using it for her campaign. The ethics panel had been investigating the matter for more than two years, reviewing tens of thousands of documents related to the accusations. Most of her colleagues in both parties had been expected to vote to remove her, and in her resignation letter, Sherphilis McCormick said the whole thing has been a witch hunt. Her departure immediately expands Republicans narrow majority to 217 to 213, but the GOP may not keep that majority for much longer. Yesterday, Virginia voters cleared the way for new state congressional districts that could help Democrats flip multiple Republican held seats in the House. As the AP reports, the referendum passed with 50.3% of the vote. The new map is now set to go into effect before November's midterms. President Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve faced an intense round of questioning at his confirmation hearing. Kevin Warsh fielded questions from lawmakers, some who grilled him and others who praised him. On the more critical side, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren branded Warsh as a sock puppet for Trump since the president has suggested that if Warsh is confirmed, he'll abide by the Trump agenda and lower interest rates. But Warsh promised to keep the Fed independent. He said Trump never asked him to commit to any interest rate decision and that even if he had, he would not agree to it. Still, even before he was nominated, Warsh publicly supported rate cuts. One reason is he believes artificial intelligence has made labor so productive that companies won't have to raise prices. Well, one Republican senator, John Kennedy, warned the nominee on that argument, saying he worries talk about AI making America more productive is, quote, a bunch of hype by people who want to sell stock and an ipo. But Wersh also got plenty of support, mostly from other Republicans who called him well qualified. The nominee is a former Morgan Stanley banker who served as a Fed governor during the 2008 financial crisis, acting as a liaison between the central bank and Wall Street. At yesterday's hearing, Warsh also spoke about changes he wants to see at the Fed, including what he called a regime change, as well as an overhaul of how it measures inflation and communicates policy changes. Current Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell's term ends in May. A prominent civil rights group is now accused of money laundering and fraud. The U.S. justice Department charged the Southern Poverty Law center with financial crimes. Specifically, it says the SPLC defrauded donors by using their money to secretly pay informants inside extremist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan nations, and the nationalist Socialist Party of America. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says basically the SPLC is doing the opposite of what it's supposed to funding extremism instead of dismantling it. He also accused the group of manufacturing racism to justify its existence. The SPLC was created 55 years ago as a civil rights focused law practice for people who were poor or disenfranchised. Some of the earliest cases resulted in the desegregation of recreational facilities and other reforms. But more recently, Republicans have accused the group of unfairly targeting conservative and Christian organizations and labeling them as extremists. Well, now the SPLC says it's just being targeted for political reasons. It also clarified that it no longer works with paid informants, but defends its use of them in the past, saying they, quote, risk their lives to infiltrate and inform on the activities of our nation's most radical and violent extremist groups. The SPLC says that work saved lives. Either way, this investigation is ongoing. Today is Earth Day. For the last 56 years, the holiday has served as a day to appreciate nature as well as raise awareness about environmental challenges. It's now the most widely observed secular holiday around the world. More than a billion people in almost 200 countries mark this occasion, and this year the official theme is Our Power, Our Planet. It calls for collective action against environmental impacts. There are several events, rallies and protests planned all over the world today. Many communities will also get together to clean up litter, plant trees, go green in some other way, or simply reflect in all of Earth's beauty. If you want to find an Earth Day event near you, we've posted a link to help you find one. Go to thenewsworthy.com, click episodes, then today's date and you'll see the links for this story. We have much more news for you still coming up. But first, this episode of the Newsworthy is brought to you by Wild Grain, the first baked from frozen subscription box for sourdough breads, artisanal pastries and fresh pastas. Being a busy parent, I'm always looking for convenient options with clean, high quality ingredients. And with Wild Grain, I love that I can leave everything in the freezer until I need them so there's no food waste. And then all those items conveniently bake in 25 minutes or less with no thawing required and it always turns out perfect. I cannot mess this up. Whether we've decided on a loaf of sourdough bread for a weeknight dinner or the flaky croissants for a weekend brunch, or the giant chocolate chunk cookies for a special dessert. So good. My family and friends are always so impressed with Wild Grain. You can get the variety box, a gluten free box, vegan box or a new protein box. Imagine having fresh bakery quality bread, pastries and pasta at home ready to go in the freezer without any trips to the store. I love it. And don't just take my word for it. They have over 40,000 5 star reviews and have been voted the best food subscription box by USA TODAY for three years in a row. For a limited time, Wild Grain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box plus free Croissants for Life when you go to wildgrain.comnewworthy to start your subscription today. That's $30 off your first box and free Croissants for Life when YOU visit wildgrain.comnewworthy or you can use our promo code Newsworthy at checkout. Now back to the news. The US Military is doing away with its long standing vaccine policy that required service members to get a flu shot. In announcing the change, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, quote, we're seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our WARF fighting capabilities. But some public health experts say the military's new policy update just means more hospitalizations and more otherwise healthy troops being sidelined, especially since they live in close quarters where the flu can spread quickly. To be clear, other vaccines like those for measles, polio and tetanus will stay mandatory in most cases, and any service member who wants to get a flu shot still can't. Los Angeles has become the first major American school district to require screen time limits on classroom technology. Basically, the LA school district is putting more emphasis on paper and pen learning instead of laptop and tablet learning. Despite the district's years of tech investments, the school board unanimously approved the measure yesterday. It bans all district issued devices for first graders and younger students, limits screen exposure during lunch and recess for older kids, and keeps all students from freely browsing YouTube on school devices. Plus, district leaders will have to track student screen use and report it regularly to families. The policy change also gives parents more authority to opt their children out of classroom technology completely, and it orders a full audit of the district's EdTech contracts. It's a big change since in the past the Los Angeles school superintendent championed universal access to devices as a matter of equity, and even this week the district defended its technology push. But the board's vote signals a broader shift, and now board members say they're hoping it's one that will trickle down to the rest of the US Very quickly. Already organized local coalitions of parents have formed across the country, calling on other districts to make similar policy changes. Legislation has been proposed in 16 states calling for some kind of restriction on school provided screen time or Internet use in schools. Remember how we told you about Anthropic's new AI model called Claude Mythos that's too powerful to be released to the public? Well, Bloomberg now reports a group of unauthorized users in an online forum has been able to access it, and the group has reportedly been using Mythos regularly since then. At this point, it's not clear what exactly it's using it for, but Bloomberg reports it's not cybersecurity. As we told you earlier this month, that's the only reason Anthropic is wanting Mythos to be used at this point. It made the model available just to select organizations to find and patch security vulnerabilities. But it warned that if the model were to end up in the wrong hands, it could also become a powerful hacking tool. Anthropic now says it's investigating Bloomberg's report. Meanwhile, the artificial intelligence company is busy investing and expanding. Just this week, it agreed to commit more than $100 billion to Amazon's AWS Cloud Platform over the next 10 years to train and run the Claude Chatbot. On the other end of the deal, Amazon is investing $5 billion immediately and another $20 billion in the future. It's a similar deal to the one Amazon struck with OpenAI just two months ago. Starting today, more tickets are going on sale for all 104 matches of the 2026 World cup in the U.S. mexico and Canada. This comes three weeks after what soccer's worldwide governing body, FIFA, had said would be the final phase of ticket sales. Now it says more tickets are still available at different price levels. Not every price level will be an option for every game, though, whether these tickets sell out or not, this is set to be the largest World cup in history, since more than 5 million tickets have already been sold. The previous tournament attendance record was three and a half million, set back in 1994. Today's ticket drop is scheduled to begin at 11am Eastern. The 2026 World cup runs from June 11 to July 19. And that's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Work Wednesday when we break down one interesting career or work related news story every Wednesday. But first, a break to tell you about our sponsor. I'm sure we've all felt the impact of sleep, or lack thereof, since sleep restores and repairs our bodies, strengthens memory and learning, and regulates our mental health and emotions. And the mattress we sleep on can make a big difference. That's why I'm thrilled to now have a Birch natural mattress. It's super comfortable, it gives me the support I need, and it's even breathable. Not only does it help me have a great night's sleep and feel comfortable, but it's also crafted with responsibly sourced materials. This part is just as important to me as the comfort. Since we spend so much time beds, Birch sources only the finest quality materials like organic fair trade cotton, organic wool and natural latex. And get this, Birch offers a 120 night risk free trial to see how your body adjusts. I want all my listeners to be able to enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress From Birch, go to birchliving.comnewworthy for 20% off sitewide. That's birchliving.comnewworthy and get 20% off to sitewide birchliving.comnewworthy now back to work Wednesday. The class of 2026 could actually end up graduating into a friendly job market. There are new signs that entry level hiring is picking up. One widely watched survey came out this week from the national association of Colleges and Employers. It shows employers plan to boost new graduate hires by nearly 6% this spring as compared to a year ago. That's a big turnaround from the much grimmer forecast that came out just a few months ago. And meanwhile, things seem to be going better for young adults who have already graduated. Bank of America Global Research looked at unemployment among 20 to 24 year olds with bachelor degrees and higher, and its analysis found the unemployment rate among that group alone dropped sharply last month to just over 5%, down from nearly 9% last fall. Granted, the numbers don't give us specifics about which jobs have become available, and a ZipRecruiter economist says the rebound could reflect college grads adjusting their own expectations. For example, they might have decided to work at a fast food place instead of a Fortune 500 company. But that's not always the case either. One career coach told the Wall Street Journal he's seen more hiring for first jobs in fields like healthcare and AI related roles. Big companies who have confirmed they have entry level openings include IBM, McKinsey, and so on. Thank you so much for listening today. We'll be back tomorrow with the latest news. Until then, have a great day. Sam.