CA's $20 minimum wage directly linked to job losses: "The science is settled" is not something that any serious scientist would say, but it seems fairly clear that the $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers is related to the 23,100 jobs that the California fast-food industry has lost in the last year. That loss represents 3.2% of the positions in California, and it occurred as the sector grew by 0.8% nationally. Minimum wage supporters argue there is no direct evidence that the job losses are related to the sky-high minimum wage, but Pepperdine University and the Employment Policies Institute say this is a solid link: higher minimum wages destroy jobs. Meanwhile, In-N-Out Burger, a California icon, has announced it is moving its headquarters to Tennessee, where it plans to open nearly three dozen restaurants.
Headlines
55% of leftists say they could "somewhat justify" a Trump assassination (Daily Wire)

MTA, Trump admin reach congestion pricing agreement that would keep tolls in place until the fall (NY Post)

Kathy Hochul's gun control plan includes credit card surveillance of ammo sales (Daily Fetched)

In Oregon, the best girl in track is ... a boy (Hot Air)

Colorado Democrat bill would give custody of kids to parents who push trans mutilation (The Federalist)

Nashville school shooter ranted about wanting to "kill all the white kids" in newly revealed diary entries (NY Post)

Pool competition ends with trans-on-trans final after two men beat all the women (Daily Wire)

Humor: China retaliates against tariffs by putting worse fortunes into cookies (Babylon Bee)

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Green group behind Biden's gas stove ban gets grants canceled: Some $7 million in Biden-era grants to the Rocky Mountain Institute, a green energy outfit, have been canceled. The reason has everything to do with the group's anti-fossil fuel agenda, which was instrumental in the Biden administration's efforts to ban gas stoves. Noting the Trump administration's "pledge to lower energy costs," a Department of Energy spokesman explained, "These contracts failed to advance any of these goals or priorities, and the department acted in the best interest of the American people by terminating them." Energy Secretary Chris Wright contends, "The biggest barrier in energy development the last few decades is people, for political reasons, calling climate change a crisis." Expect many more cancellations of DOE grants like this to green energy groups as Wright refocuses the department on promoting an agenda that seeks to meet the nation's ever-growing energy needs.

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Maine is being ornery: Maine's Democrat leaders want to hold onto their pro-transgender lunacy so badly that they have elected to sue the Trump administration after the U.S. Department of Agriculture halted taxpayer funding to the state for refusing to comply with Title IX protections for girls' and women's sports. Maine claims in its lawsuit that it has not run afoul of Title IX and points to court rulings as evidence. This move comes just days before the Department of Education is set to refer Maine's Title IX noncompliance to the Justice Department. State Rep. Laurel Libby, who was censured for speaking out against males competing in female sports, blasted the lawsuit, stating on X: "Maine is continuing to double down on discriminating against women and girls, and suing the Trump administration for the 'right' to do so and still receive federal funds."

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U.S. and Iran plan direct (or not-so-direct) talks: At the end of March, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected direct talks with the U.S., though he conceded that indirect talks were still an option. Yesterday, however, while meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu, President Trump announced that the U.S. would enter into direct talks with Iran this Saturday and that Iran is "going to be in great danger" if the talks don't go well. This comes after the U.S. deployed the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group to the area to support the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that the talks will take place Saturday and that he will lead the delegation to negotiate with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Perhaps it's just wordsmithing, but Araghchi referred to these as "indirect high-level talks" instead of direct talks.

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Israel, Japan enter tariff negotiations, China escalates: The first two countries to negotiate after Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs will likely be two of America's strongest supporters in recent decades: Israel and Japan. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Trump yesterday and offered to eliminate the $7.4 billion trade deficit Israel has with the U.S. Israel dropped all tariffs on American goods last week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been tapped to begin negotiations with "a top team" sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Trump's 25% tariff on auto imports is likely to be a top item under discussion. China, meanwhile, promised to "fight to the end" against "the blackmailing nature of the U.S." On Friday, China slapped a 34% tax on all U.S. imports. Trump promised an additional 50% tariff on Chinese goods if they don't drop the tax.

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