The Week Evening Review
A pivotal Jan. 6 case, a meteorite's revelations and dangerous kids' meals

 
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION

How could one Jan. 6 trial impact Trump's?

There is little question that Joseph Fischer participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. By his own attorney's admission, Fischer entered the Capitol complex and "pushed his way through the crowd" before he was pepper-sprayed. Fischer not only yelled "charge" toward a phalanx of Metropolitan Police Department officers, federal investigators alleged, but also urged fellow rioters to "hold the line" and said he wanted to take Democratic lawmakers "to the gallows."

Fischer was arrested by the FBI and faces a host of criminal charges, including obstructing a congressional proceeding. This is one of the same charges brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith against former President Donald Trump for allegedly working to subvert the results of the 2020 election. But these charges could change after the Supreme Court heard arguments to waive Fischer's obstruction charge. Lawyers argued the charge had been improperly applied in this case — and potentially hundreds of similar Jan. 6 cases, including Trump's. 

What did the commentators say?
Tuesday's oral arguments marked the first time the Supreme Court had addressed "fallout from the Jan. 6 attack head-on," CBS News said. Fischer's case is a "sleeping giant" that could "knock out half of Smith's counts against Trump" and others, Politico said. Should the court rule in Fischer's favor, "chaos will erupt," with "dozens of cases overturned and/or not brought to trial at all," Esquire said. Trump, meanwhile, will "try to sell the fact that the dismissal of two charges means his whole bill of indictment is wiped clean."

The majority-conservative court has been "skeptical of prosecutors when they assert broad applications of criminal provisions" like the government's interpretation of the obstruction charge, NBC News said. After Tuesday's arguments, the "government's approach appeared vulnerable to being rejected," The Wall Street Journal said, even though it is "far from certain" whether a win for Fischer would ultimately benefit Trump. 

What next?
The court is expected to issue its ruling in July. No matter how the case is decided, Special Counsel Smith has "indicated … the charges against Trump would survive," NPR said, as Trump's alleged behavior is more directly tied to a narrower reading of the statute. Because Smith's indictments were "based on the fake slate of electors the former president attempted to have submitted to Congress" and not the Jan. 6 riot itself," his case against Trump may "still stick even if Fischer wins his case," CNN said.

 
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QUOTE OF THE DAY

'Everybody knows that people were tortured at Abu Ghraib; this is a fact that cannot be covered up or hidden. But there are a lot of people who got away with it.' 

Freelance journalist Salah Al-Ejaili speaking to The Guardian about his traumatic experience as a prisoner at the infamous U.S. Army detention center in Iraq. He is set to testify in a Virginia federal court for a lawsuit he and three other men brought against the private company that provided the U.S. government with interrogators in the prison.

 
 
The Explainer

A meteorite may reveal how water came to Earth

A recovered space rock that fell to earth in a Gloucestershire village may hold the answer to a question that has long puzzled scientists: Where did our planet's water come from? The Winchcombe meteorite "streaked from space into the atmosphere as a spectacular green fireball" in 2021, said The Times. Now, a new analysis published in the Meteoritics & Planetary Science journal has revealed how it was heavily altered by water, smashed apart and reformed multiple times before falling to Earth. 

What's so important about this meteorite? 
Search teams recovered the meteorite from several sites around Winchcombe within days. This speedy response meant that the rocks weren't exposed to the Earth's atmosphere for an extended period, unlike most recovered meteorites. Scientists were able to carry out a level of analysis "virtually unprecedented for materials that weren't directly returned to Earth from space missions," said study co-author Dr. Leon Hicks of the University of Leicester. 

What did the analysis reveal? 
Closer analysis indicated that the meteorite was formed from eight types of CM chondrite, the most common variation of carbonaceous chondrite. The findings suggest the asteroid from which the meteorite originated had been smashed apart and reformed multiple times, possibly following collisions with other asteroids early in the solar system's history. 

What does it tell us about Earth's water? 
The new analysis also provided "insight into the very fine detail of how the rock was altered by water in space," said Luke Daly of the University of Glasgow who led the research. One leading theory of how water came to Earth is that some was carried here in carbonaceous asteroids, much like that from which the Winchcombe meteorite originated. 

The Winchcombe sample supports this idea, because the isotopic signatures of the hydrogen and oxygen (the atomic ingredients for water) found in the meteorite are a close match for those seen in the ocean. But carbonaceous chondrites probably aren't the only sources of the Earth's water. One leading theory suggests that much of it has been here since the Earth first formed.

 
 

Statistic of the day

50,000: The number of Russian soldiers that have died in Ukraine since the start of the war. The war became especially deadly in its second year; Russia's death toll on the frontlines was 25% higher than in the first year. 
BBC

 
 
In the Spotlight

Lunchables are raising concerns over children's health

Lunchables were introduced in 1988 and have since become one of the most popular meals for children to bring to school. However, a consumer watchdog's recent report has startled parents nationwide with an eye-raising claim: Lunchables kits are not as healthy for kids as previously thought. 

What did the study find?
For the report released on April 9, Consumer Reports tested 12 store-bought lunch kits, including products from Lunchables, Armour, Oscar Mayer and Target store brand Good & Gather. It was found that all of these products contained high levels of lead, but the three Lunchables kits tested had by far the most. The Lunchables Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stackers kit contained 74% of the maximum allowable dose level of lead, the Pizza with Pepperoni kit contained 73%, and the Extra Cheesy Pizza kit contained 69%. 

Even in small amounts, metals like lead can "cause developmental problems in children, as well as hypertension, kidney damage and other health problems in adults," Consumer Reports said, and "no safe blood lead level in children has been identified," said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

How could this affect school lunches? 
Consumer Reports is urging the USDA to ban Lunchables and similar meal kits from school lunch menus, with its website allowing users to sign a petition to "do better for our kids' health!" Lunchables are "not a healthy option for kids and shouldn't be allowed on the menu as part of the National School Lunch Program," Brian Ronholm, the director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in a press release. 

The kits are a "good source of protein, offering nutrients through meats and cheeses," Kraft Heinz, the company that manufactures Lunchables, said in a statement to USA Today. All of its food products "meet strict safety standards that we happily feed to our own families," the company said. In addition, the two Lunchables kits that Kraft Heinz manufactures specifically for school lunch menus use a "specialized recipe that incorporates more protein and whole grains to keep kids powered throughout the day."

 
 

Good day ⚒️

… for miners. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) revealed new rules to protect coal and other miners from exposure to toxic silica dust, a "growing problem in mines that has left thousands sick and dying," said NPR. The agency took action after an investigative report exposed a "once-hidden epidemic of severe, incurable and fatal black lung disease" among thousands of miners.

 
 

Bad day ?

… for journalist Gregg Doyel. During a press conference introducing star basketball player Caitlin Clark as a member of the Indiana Fever, the columnist made the heart gesture with his hands that Clark makes to her family when on the court. When she acknowledged the gesture, he replied, "Start doing it to me, and we'll get along just fine." After his comments were swiftly condemned as inappropriate, Doyel apologized on X for his "clumsy and awkward" comment. "I will do better," he said.

 
 
Picture of the day

Indonesia eruption

The Mount Ruang volcano erupted over Indonesia's Tagulandang island at least five times since Wednesday. Authorities closed an airport and evacuated residents due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami.
Associated Press / Alamy Stock Photo / Hendra Ambalao

 
 
Puzzles

Test your general knowledge with The Week's daily crossword, part of our puzzles section, which also includes sudoku and codewords

 
 
The Week recommends

Not much can rival the thrill of white-water rafting. Every run is an adventure, with the spray hitting your face as you whoosh down the river. All rafters have to start somewhere, and beginners can hit the Class I rapids, which are gentler and have minimal obstacles, while seasoned pros can tackle the challenging Class V rapids. Get those oars ready. 

Snake River, Wyoming
While rafting down the Snake River, you see parts of Wyoming only visible from the water, with the added excitement of Class II and III rapids. Start your trip near Jackson, and hit the famous Big Kahuna and Lunch Counter rapids. If time allows, plan a separate floating trip in Grand Teton National Park. 

Kennebec River, Maine
The Kennebec River winds through pristine wilderness, and it is not unusual to see a bald eagle soaring above the water. Begin your journey below the Harris Station hydroelectric dam, and prepare for mile after exhilarating mile in Class II to IV rapids. Those up for the challenge can plan their excursion around huge water releases from the dam.

Gauley River, West Virginia
There are two sections on this river: the Lower Gauley with Class II to IV rapids and the Upper Gauley with five extreme Class V rapids. No two runs are the same, but you can expect a raucous time tumbling and crashing through the waves. Rafting season at Gauley River National Recreation Area begins Labor Day weekend and goes for six weekends.

 
 

Poll watch

More than 7 in 10 student loan borrowers have delayed major life events due to loan debt, according to a new Gallup poll. The poll surveyed more than 11,000 borrowers and found that 71% have delayed a life event because of their loans, including buying a home, buying a car and starting a family. 

 
 
INSTANT OPINION

Today's best commentary

'What USC got wrong when it canceled its valedictorian's speech'
David Kaye at Slate
The University of Southern California's decision to cancel the graduation speech of its pro-Palestinian valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, was a "troubling" violation of free expression, says David Kaye. Provost Andrew Guzman said the move was necessary to maintain campus safety during the ceremony. But Guzman failed to justify the "draconian measure," which came after pro-Israel groups launched a campaign against Tabassum, with any evidence the "hardworking" young scientist planned to "incite any kind of disruption."

'How to burn tax dollars and have little to show for it'
Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board
The "progressive paradise of California" has spent $24 billion in five years to "attack homelessness," says the Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board. But the problem has only gotten worse. Still, the Democrats who rule the "one-party progressive Eden" appear "wholly uninterested in determining whether spending billions in taxpayer money under the guise of getting people off the streets does indeed get people off the streets." Californians can't complain. They're getting "what they voted for."

'The kind of surprise no one likes — a medical bill'
Nedra Rhone in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
America needs "more transparency in medical billing," says Nedra Rhone. A Federal Reserve study found that more than 20% of U.S. adults had "received major, unexpected medical bills," the priciest often coming from out-of-network providers working under contract with in-network providers. Patients didn't know they were "even receiving out-of-network services" until the bill arrived. Many of us are equipped to fight iffy bills from mechanics or contractors, but few know how to fight the "medical bureaucracy."

 
 
WORD OF THE DAY

Felixer

A solar-powered machine that sprays passing cats with a toxic gel, created by ​​ecologist John Read as a solution for Australia's feral cat problem. Over 200 devices have been deployed across Australia, Read said to The New York Times.

 
 

Evening Review was written and edited by Sorcha Bradley, Theara Coleman, Nadia Croes, Catherine Garcia, Scott Hocker, Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, Justin Klawans, Harold Maass, Joel Mathis, Summer Meza, Devika Rao, Rafi Schwartz, Anahi Valenzuela and Peter Weber, with illustrations by Stephen Kelly and Julia Wytrazek.

Image credits, from top: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images / AP; Chris Jackson / Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Gunter Marx Photography / Getty Images