Air India Plane Crash Kill Hundreds

Good morning.

Before we get to today’s stop stories, we’re following some breaking news out of the Middle East. Here’s what you need to know:

• Israel launched a wave of attacks on Iran early Friday morning. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes targeted nuclear sites and warned that the operation would continue for many days. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US wasn’t involved in the attacks.

• Iranian state TV said the strikes killed the Iranian military's commander in chief, other top generals, and nuclear scientists. An Israeli military official said Iran launched 100 drones toward Israel — raising concerns of a wider conflict in the region.

• The Israeli strikes came amid ongoing nuclear talks between the US and Tehran, casting doubt on the future of the negotiations. They also followed Iran’s announcement of a new nuclear enrichment facility.

We’ll continue to monitor the latest. Now, let’s get to the other headlines…

— The Editors

What's Happening

International

Air India Plane Crash Kill Hundreds

What's going on: An Air India passenger jet crashed moments after takeoff Thursday, striking a medical college in the western city of Ahmedabad. Over 260 people died, including passengers and people on the ground. The flight was headed to London. Of the 242 on board, only one survived: a British man assigned to seat 11A. He’s now hospitalized with multiple injuries, but a doctor who examined him told The AP he seemed to be “out of danger.” The New York Times verified a harrowing rooftop video that showed the jet as it descended steadily over city buildings before it crashed and erupted into flames. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words.”

Tell me more: The cause of the crash remains unclear, and investigators say it could take months — or even years — to determine what went wrong. It’s the first major incident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — though it has been under scrutiny for years, including by the Federal Aviation Administration. Boeing’s broader reputation has taken repeated hits recently — especially after the 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. It’s also been a challenging year for the airline industry at large — the fatal crash of a regional jet in DC in January only heightened public concern.

Related: What We Know About the Air India Crash Victims (BBC)

US News

Reaping What the Trump Administration Sowed

What's going on: President Donald Trump acknowledged Thursday that his “very aggressive” immigration crackdown has impacted much more than just border policy — it’s gutted the agricultural workforce, too. Long-time farm laborers are being swept up in raids, and farmers say replacing them with American workers won’t be easy (as Stephen Colbert once famously argued in Congress). The president said of these laborers: “They’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be ... great.” He hinted at an executive order to revise his approach. This isn’t the only thing hurting farmers — analysts say Trump’s tariffs and cuts to federal programs are squeezing them from all sides.

What it means: The president has previously acknowledged how his trade policies could impact farmers, warning there’d be “a little bit of an adjustment period.” But for many farmers, the ground’s already crumbling beneath them. Cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and ag-focused research programs have stalled development of crop-protecting technology, for example. Another hit: the government slashed funding for a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that allowed schools and food banks to buy from local farms. With markets tightening, many farmers now face a long season of financial strain. As one expert told The New Yorker, “By killing these programs, you’re putting America at a competitive disadvantage. You’re setting farmers up to not have the tools they need to survive in a changing world.” 

Related: Appeals Court Blocks Ruling On Trump’s National Guard Deployment in LA (Politico)

Family

Forget the "Fertility Fallacy" — This Might Be the Real Problem

What's going on: Governments are asking the same question as nosy relatives: When are you going to have kids? From Vietnam to Russia to the US, nations are taking different approaches to boost birth rates. It’s not working. Many policymakers operate under the assumption that people don’t want children, a notion known as the “fertility fallacy.” They tend to blame young people — especially women — for embracing the DINK (dual income, no kids) lifestyle. But a new United Nations report points to a more obvious culprit: money (as if we didn’t know that). Plenty of people still want children, but rising costs are pushing that dream out of reach. The report doesn’t fully address immigration or how tech is reshaping jobs, but the trend is hard to ignore.

What it means: The report raises a bigger question: Should governments focus on making people have more babies, or on making life better for the ones already here? The New York Times reports that many proposed “solutions” only work in the short term (like baby bonuses), whereas improving parental leave and housing costs would be more effective. One expert told The New York Times the data shifts away from an “alarmist perspective around population decline.” But if governments don’t adapt, the fallout could be severe: fewer workers, fewer caregivers, and less tax revenue to support an aging population. Maybe don’t roll your eyes at that next baby shower invite.

Related: What Dropping Birth Rates Could Mean for Democrats (The Atlantic)

Settle This

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Extra Credit

See

If you, like us, miss the good old days of cheesy, perfectly predictable '90s and ’00s rom-coms (think: messy love triangles, designer wardrobes, devastatingly attractive leads), we’ve got good news: Materialists is here to fill the Kate Hudson-shaped void in your heart. Directed by Celine Song (of Past Lives fame), the film — which was inspired by Song’s brief stint as a matchmaker — follows Lucy (Dakota Johnson), an elite NYC matchmaker who finds herself torn between rich bachelor Harry (Pedro Pascal) and her broke ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans). Who will she choose? Who knows. But we’re betting on at least one kissing-in-the-rain scene.

Game Time

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