It’s Monday morning, so don’t do too much, too fast. Wake up slowly with these news headlines.
1. A champion for stem cell research
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan died yesterday at the age of 94. A former film star, Mrs. Reagan championed her husband’s political career from his start as governor of California to his two terms as president. In her later years, she was a voice for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, from which her husband suffered, and supported stem cell research into potential cures for that and other afflictions. She is survived by her son and daughter, a stepson and a brother. — The New York Times
More: 10 quotes that exemplify Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s enduring love and commitment
2. The dream of the ’90s is alive in Michigan
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton met in Flint, Michigan, last night for the final debate before that state’s primary tomorrow. Sanders, facing increasing pressure to stall Clinton’s momentum in the race for the presidency, kicked his criticism of her into overdrive. He sought to paint her a longtime supporter of free trade, which would hurt her standing with the Rust Belt Democrat. She has criticized some trade deals, which Sanders criticized as too little, too late. Clinton, defending herself and her husband, noted that tens of millions of new jobs were created in the ’90s and that income went up. — The New York Times
3. Not his fault, natch
Michigan’s governor Rick Snyder immediately responded to Clinton and Sanders’ discussion of the Flint water crisis at the debate last night, and naturally nothing is his fault. Clinton and Sanders both noted that Flint needs money for infrastructure repairs; Snyder immediately responded on Twitter by saying, “This was never about money” — that the water crisis was a failure of government and bureaucracy. Snyder’s sticking to his party’s line that government, not crumbling infrastructure, is the problem. Isn’t he part of the government? — Slate
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4. Ouch
Lena Dunham has been hospitalized for a ruptured ovarian cyst. Dunham has been open about her difficulties with endometriosis, and has stepped back from publicity obligations for the fifth season of Girls in order to manage her current bout with the chronic condition. Dunham’s rep said Saturday that she’ll be having surgery at an undisclosed hospital. Endometriosis is a condition that affects one in 10 women. — CNN
5. Prayers
An Idaho pastor who delivered the invocation at Saturday’s rally for Ted Cruz has been shot and critically wounded. Tim Remington, the senior pastor at Altar Church in Coeur d’Alene, which he founded with his wife in the 1990s, was shot in the church parking lot on Sunday by a gunman believed to be Kyle Andrew Odom, age 30. The gunman is still at large. Remington is a prominent spokesman for conservative causes. — NBC News
6. Unlivable conditions
European leaders are meeting this morning to address the refugee crisis as thousands of migrants wait in Greek camps. The summit, in Brussels, was convened to pressure Turkey to manage the flow of migrants, to ramp up assistance to Greece, and to possibly close the “Balkans route,” which has provoked serious criticism from human rights organizations. An estimated 10,000-13,000 refugees, most of them women and children, are camped out in what have been described as “just horrible” conditions. The photographs are heartbreaking. — NBC News
7. We have met the enemy
Donald Trump said yesterday he would broaden the law to allow torture on detainees. He had previously said that he would bring back waterboarding and torture suspected terrorists’ families, and then he said he would never break the law or encourage the military to break the law. On Sunday, he said he would expand the law to allow waterboarding and other forms of torture. This is because we “have to beat the savages.” OK. — CNN
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