Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.
Revelations of Cesar Chavez’s abuse spur a widespread outcryA Times investigation published today found extensive evidence that Cesar Chavez, the Latino civil rights icon, groomed and sexually abused girls who were connected to his movement. Two women who knew Chavez when they were children shared their stories for the first time publicly. One of them, Ana Murguia, described being molested and sexually abused by Chavez dozens of times, starting when she was 13. Another, Debra Rojas, said she was 12 when Chavez first touched her inappropriately. When Rojas was 15, Chavez had sexual intercourse with her — rape, under California law. The abuse appeared to be part of a larger pattern of sexual misconduct by Chavez, much of which has never been publicly revealed. He used many of the women who worked in his movement for his own sexual gratification. Dolores Huerta, a prominent activist who helped run the United Farm Workers union with Chavez, said in an interview that he had forced her to have sex with him in the 1960s, a secret she had kept for nearly 60 years. “I can no longer stay silent,” Huerta said. Read the biggest takeaways from our nearly five-year-long investigation, which has prompted widespread fallout. Within hours, organizations tied to Chavez, who died in 1993, moved to distance themselves. Celebrations honoring him were canceled across the nation, and officials said they would consider quickly renaming the many streets and schools named in his honor.
Oil prices jump after airstrikes hit a crucial energy siteIn the most significant attack on Iran’s energy production so far in the war, airstrikes damaged facilities connected to a giant natural gas field under the Persian Gulf. Prices of oil and natural gas spiked in the aftermath. The energy attacks came hours after an Israeli airstrike killed Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib. He was the latest official to be targeted in a campaign that Israel’s leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, hopes will lead to an uprising in Iran. But Tulsi Gabbard, the top U.S. intelligence official, said that the Iranian government still “appears to be intact.” In related news:
Mullin offers a softer vision for Trump’s immigration crackdownToday’s confirmation hearing for Senator Markwayne Mullin, President Trump’s pick for homeland security secretary, began with a fiery personal clash: Senator Rand Paul, a fellow Republican, accused Mullin of having “anger issues” and questioned whether he had the temperament to lead the department. Later in the hearing, Mullin struck a softer tone. He committed to working with Democrats and the leaders of sanctuary cities, and said that he wanted ICE to focus on deporting migrants who were already in jail rather than being on the “front lines.” His comments were in line with a broader shift among Republicans, who have acknowledged at times that the president’s aggressive approach could cost them votes. Mullin also said he would end the policy that slowed federal disaster aid.
JB Pritzker flexes his political power in IllinoisLt. Gov. Juliana Stratton of Illinois is poised to become only the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate after beating out two veteran members of Congress in the state’s Democratic primary. Her victory showed voter interest in an unapologetically progressive candidate who vowed to be a “fighter” against Trump’s agenda. It also demonstrated that JB Pritzker, the state’s billionaire governor, has the clout to help push a relatively little-known ally past candidates with more money, more name recognition and more experience. Pritzker is widely seen as having presidential aspirations in 2028. More top news
This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. Which animal recently hitched a ride from England on a cargo ship, ending up at the Bronx Zoo?
Who pulled off the largest art heist in U.S. history?On this day 36 years ago, two men dressed as police officers pulled off the largest art theft in American history. They tied up the guards on duty at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and walked away with 13 items, including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. The perpetrators were never caught. Many theories were hatched about who was behind the theft: Was it the Corsican mob? The Irish Republican Army? Or was it an inside job? This month, the F.B.I. agent who investigated the heist is out with a book outlining who he really believes committed the crime.
Wirecutter announces its best new picksMy colleagues at Wirecutter tested more than 4,300 products over the past year — including computers, watering cans, sweatpants and detergent — in an effort to recommend things that are actually worth the money. Now, they’ve put together a list of their 71 favorite picks — the kinds of items they couldn’t stop telling their friends and families about. Here is the full list.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Try this Zanzibari take on pizza, which is filled with eggs, meat, onions and cheese. Read: In her new book, Caroline Tracey explores the mysteries and beauty of salt lakes. Travel: The climber Alex Honnold recommends his five favorite places in Nevada. |
