Intense Smoke Fills Skies of Northern U.S.

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Good morning,

This morning, how about some olive oil with your coffee?

Starbucks is expanding its olive oil-infused coffee line to more cities, meaning so far, this launch has been a success. Each coffee drink has a spoonful of olive oil. Apparently it is the brainchild of the company’s founder Howard Schultz, who was introduced to the Italian practice of consuming a tablespoon of olive oil daily.

So far, the reviews are mixed. If you try it, tell us what you think.

~ Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney

🗞 UNHEALTHY AIR ALERT

It looks (and kind of feels) like the end of the world in New York. More than 75 million people across the northeastern United States are facing another day of serious air pollution and hazy skies— courtesy of smoke from Canadian wildfires.

STATUS UPDATE
Most of New York State is under an air quality health advisory alert. At one point Wednesday the FAA issued a ground stop at New York’s La Guardia Airport because of the smoke. Philadelphia was under a “code red,” which means vulnerable people are at risk. There have been warnings as far south as Atlanta. As for today, the worst of the pollution could be headed to the DC area and NY could get a (brief) reprieve. (More on that later.)

STAY INSIDE OR WEAR A MASK
New York City’s Health Commissioner, Ashwin Vasan, says the air quality in the city is now the worst it’s been since the 1960s. He’s warning the elderly, infants, pregnant women, and anyone with health issues to stay inside. And if people do need to go outside, they’re advised to wear high-quality masks like N95s.

THE RISKS
The NYC Health Commissioner says: "The fine particulate matter in the air can get into people's lungs, cause inflammation and worsen conditions like asthma, chronic lung disease, or underlying heart conditions… Older adults may be particularly vulnerable due to declines in lung function and weaker immune systems. Children may also be more susceptible due to poor air quality because their lungs are still developing."

SOME OF THE WORST AIR POLLUTION IN THE WORLD
At one point, the Air Quality Index was above 300 in NYC, which means it could have widespread negative effects even among healthy people. That reading is similar and worse to what’s seen in some of the smoggiest cities in the world like Jakarta or New Delhi.

WHAT’S BEHIND IT?
This is all due to hundreds of wildfires burning in eastern Canada – they’ve been burning for weeks. As of early Wednesday, Canadian officials said there were 400 fires burning, and more than 240 of them are considered “out of control.” This spring was the driest in decades and set off one of the worst and earliest wildfire seasons in Canada’s history.

The fires are prompting evacuations and threatening critical infrastructure in the country.

On Tuesday, as wind patterns shifted south, the smoke from those fires started to drift across the US border over parts of the Northeast and Midwest.

HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST?
The National Weather Service says the smoke could linger for a couple more days because the weather system that pushed it south is pretty stagnant. DC could be in the bullseye today. But NY probably won’t get substantial relief until Saturday. CBS meteorologist David Parkinson put out smoke projections. Bottom line: It appears most of the US will be in the clear by this Monday night.

⏳ SPEED READ

📌Justice Department informs Trump he is target in classified documents probe, sources say (CNN)

📌 Mike Pence Launches 2024 GOP Presidential Campaign, Questions Trump’s Conservatism; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also joins Republican field (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

📌 Flood Rescuers Press On in Southern Ukraine After Dam Disaster. As residents sought safety from engulfed communities, President Zelensky warned that hundreds of thousands could lack drinking water. (NY TIMES)

📌 Instagram Connects Vast Pedophile Network. The Meta unit’s systems for fostering communities have guided users to child-sex content; company says it is improving internal controls (WALL STREET JOURNAL)

📌 CNN Boss Chris Licht out after just a year in charge of cable network (NY TIMES)

📌 Woman arrested in fatal shooting of Black neighbor, a mother of four, Florida sheriff says.(USA TODAY)

📌 Bud Light Dethroned as Top-Selling Beer Brand in U.S. After Boycott. (NEWSWEEK)

📌 Main suspect in 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway being extradited to US (AP NEWS)

📌 World Bank to assess damage after Ukraine dam destruction (REUTERS)

📌 Argentina legend Lionel Messi will join American side Inter Miami after his exit from French champions Paris St-Germain. The former Barcelona forward is set to reject a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The Miami deal includes collaboration from brands like Adidas and Apple. (BBC)

📌 Abdominal surgery on Pope Francis was successful, doctors say (REUTERS)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: JUNE 8

• 1504: Michelangelo's David is believed to have been installed in Florence. Commissioned in 1501, it’s considered the prime statement of the Renaissance ideal of perfect humanity.

  🗞 In The News: A Florida principal resigned after parents at her school said that showing students a photo of Michelangelo’s David statue was “pornography.” She has since traveled to Florence, Italy, following invitations from the museum director and mayor of Florence.

• 1968: Authorities announced the capture in London of James Earl Ray, the assassin of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

• 1949: George Orwell publishes Nineteen Eighty-Four, his nightmarish description of a totalitarian society set in the year 1984. It’s one of the best-known novels of all time. It’s also where we got the phrase: Big Brother is watching you.