The Breakdown: Deadly Bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday

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The One Big Thing

Bombings in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday Kill at Least 290

On Sunday morning, ISIS targeted churches and hotels across Sri Lanka in a series of terrorist bombings. Over 290 people have been killed and 500 more injured. As Buzzfeed News reports, “Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks and called on people to ‘avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation.’” Already thousands of ordinary citizens have stepped up to help those in need: blood banks received thousands of donors, interfaith groups across the world hosted vigils, and generous folks around the world have donated much-needed funds.

(Pop) Culture Shock

Instagram Looks to Prioritize Mental Health of Platform Users

Instagram is currently testing a new feature that would hide the number of likes that your posts receive from your followers.”We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get,” reads an in-app message. “During this test, only the person who shared a post will see the total number of likes it gets.’” With social media as a major point of stress in a our lives, Instagram’s dedicated effort to making their platform more friendly to mental health is an approach that puts young people at the center, much like the apps that young people are already developing.

The Good News Is...

New York Passes Its Own Version of the Green New Deal

New York City just passed sweeping climate change reforms that will require major buildings to cut back on emissions or face serious fines by 2030, aligning the city with the targets outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. This Climate Mobilization Act is a major win for climate change advocates, including the thousands of young people like you, who walked out of school to demand action on climate change. New York is the first city to lay out emissions standards like this (#NewYorkersDoItBetter 💁), but DC and Los Angeles are not far behind. Stay tuned: student climate activists are planning another massive strike on May 3.

That's What He Said

“I’ve got kids who look up to me. When people see me on TV or social media, it’s the perfect platform for me to be able to do something...to affect others people’s lives as best I can."

-NBA star Mike Conley, who’s recently topped $1 million in donations to a sickle cell clinic in Memphis.

Quick Hitters

Why aren’t more people talking about… the protests at Yale, where police officers shot an unarmed woman, Stephanie Blackwell, 22, in the face.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines... a powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck north of Manila, killing 8.

My hero today is… the high school journalists who called out Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos for failing to get input from students on her new policies.

I’m obsessed with… The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I finally got the chance to finish Part 2 and I’m absolutely obsessed with the Dark Lord.