Plus: Thousands of MLK Assassination Files Declassified — Did We Learn Anything New?

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Good evening,

Anyone thirsty? Coca-Cola announced it will be bringing Coke sweetened with cane sugar to the U.S. market later this year, and at least one American is sure to be excited about it: President Donald Trump. Last Wednesday, Trump, a well-known fan of Diet Coke, said he persuaded the soda company to sell the cane sugar recipe in the U.S.

Coca-Cola already sells cane sugar-sweetened colas in other countries. Americans are most familiar with the version of the product sold in glass bottles in Mexico, often referred to as “Mexican Coke.”
- Many consumers prefer the taste of “Mexican Coke” compared to the American Coca-Cola recipe, which is sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup.
- Medical experts say both versions of Coke are “equally bad for you.”

It looks like this will be an additional product, not a replacement for Coca-Cola’s flagship drink.
- Coca-Cola currently sells Mexican Coke in the U.S., but often at nearly double the price of standard U.S. cola: A four-pack of Mexican Coke retails for over $7, while a 12-pack of the American product sells for around $8.50.

Fun fact: Coca-Cola has spanned multiple centuries and has used various recipes over the years. Its most infamous ingredient from back in the day— (although never officially confirmed by the company) cocaine, derived from the extracts of a coca plant. The drug was legal in the late 1800s and used in medicines. They took that one off the market in early 1900s.

Ryan,
Editorial Intern

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🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Scrutiny On U.S. Organ Transplants: Reports Of Donor Patients Showing Signs Of Life

The U.S. transplant system is under growing scrutiny after reports of premature or mishandled organ retrieval attempts — with some patients reportedly showing signs of life during the process.

The New York Times found 12 alarming cases in 9 states, with medical workers reporting signs of crying and physical resistance from patients who have yet to pass but who are starting the transplant process.

BY THE NUMBERS
Last year, 48,000 transplants were performed in the U.S. Still, more than 100,000 people remain on the waitlist, and about 12 people die every day waiting for an organ. 173 million Americans are registered organ donors — most via their state DMV (look for the small red heart on your driver’s license).

To meet demand, hospitals and Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) — nonprofits that coordinate donations — have been aggressively expanding a practice known as Donation After Circulatory Death (DCD), which made up about a third of organ donations last year. That’s triple from just five years ago.
- Most donations come from people who have been declared brain dead. But, in these DCD cases, a family can choose to withdraw life support.
- Once the life support is withdrawn, there is a short window when organs are viable and when the heart must stop for the organs to be taken.

TROUBLING CASES
Lawmakers are now investigating whether the rush to retrieve organs has crossed ethical lines. The New York Times looked at these troubling cases:

Kentucky: Anthony Thomas Hoover woke up as doctors prepared to remove his organs in 2021. He is still alive.
Alabama: Misty Hawkins choked on a sandwich and was declared dead after 103 minutes off life support — but her heart was still beating and she was breathing when surgeons began cutting. They stopped, and her organs were not taken. She died shortly after.
New Mexico: A woman began regaining consciousness during donation prep and later fully recovered.
Florida: A man cried and bit his breathing tube — but was still removed from life support.
West Virginia: Doctors were stunned when coordinators asked a paralyzed man just coming off sedatives for organ donation consent.

During Tuesday’s House hearing on U.S. organ procurement, Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) pressed Dr. Raymond Lynch, chief of the Organ Transplant Branch at the Health Resources and Services Administration, on whether these cases violated protocols.

Dr. Lynch emphasized that signs of life should stop the organ procurement process, but also said that DCD requires careful evaluation to ensure patients who might recover are not subjected to harm.

🚨 ONE THING WE’RE REVISITING

Trump Admin. Releases Thousands Of Govt. Docs On MLK Jr.’s Death

The Trump administration released around 230,000 pages on Monday related to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The National Archives said more files are expected to follow.

The files, now available online, include details about the FBI’s investigation, internal memos about leads, and information from James Earl Ray’s former cellmate.
- Ray pleaded guilty to the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1969, but in 1974, he tried to recant his plea. He maintained his innocence until his death in 1998.

Not included: Tapes or transcripts of the FBI's wiretapping of the civil rights leader. Those could remain sealed until 2027 — 50 years after the FBI transferred the files to the National Archives.

WHO DONE IT?
King’s family has long questioned whether Ray acted alone or if he was even involved.

In 1999, the King family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit in Tennessee. The jury concluded that Loyd Jowers, the former Memphis tavern owner who said he had hired someone other than Ray to kill King, and unspecified government agencies,
were responsible for King’s murder, and that Ray was set up for the crime.
- The Department of Justice has asserted that Jowers fabricated his allegations.
The newly released files also explore the idea that someone named Raoul orchestrated King’s murder, using Ray as a pawn.
- Jowers referenced a name that sounded like “Raoul” when he described the other people who were participating in the conspiracy to kill King.

Bottom line: So far, it does not look like the release had anything groundbreaking, with multiple King historians telling the New York Times that there was little of note.

FYI: In 1998, King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, asked for the probe into MLK’s assassination to be reopened. Then-Attorney General Janet Reno directed the Civil Rights Division of the US Justice Department to take a new look.
- The Justice Department said it “found nothing to disturb the 1969 judicial determination that James Earl Ray murdered Dr. King.”

KING’S FAMILY REACTS
King’s two surviving children said they "object to any attacks on our father's legacy or attempts to weaponize it to spread falsehoods" with the newly released records.

King has been accused of having extramarital affairs, fathering a child with a mistress, and being present in a hotel room when a friend raped a woman — claims that remain controversial and unverified.

Bernice King, King’s youngest daughter and the C.E.O. of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, had another message to Trump after he released the records:

BEEN HERE BEFORE
When Trump began his second term, he signed an executive order calling for the declassification of records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and MLK Jr. The JFK records were unsealed in March, and RFK files followed in April. Similarly, there were not any major revelations.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

Hunter Biden blames Ambien for Joe Biden’s disastrous presidential debate against Trump (MO NEWS)
Trump pushes Texas GOP to redraw house districts to pick up more seats (MO NEWS)
House cancels vote amid fight over Jeffrey Epstein files (NBC), House Oversight Committee votes to subpoena Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell (MO NEWS)
Trump announces trade agreement with the Philippines and a 19% tariff (CNN)
Pentagon orders 700 Marines to withdraw from Los Angeles as stability returns following ICE protests (FOX)
Trump administration withdraws from UNESCO again, only 2 years after US rejoined (AP)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

World Health Organization says its staff residence in Gaza attacked by IDF (ABC) Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says 33 people died from malnutrition in 48 hours (BBC) France pushes Israel to let media into Gaza (POLITICO)
Two Israelis questioned after attending Belgium's Tomorrowland festival (BBC)
Russian bill would punish online searches for information deemed to be ‘extremist’ (PBS)
Stranded UK F-35 fighter jet leaves India after triggering barrage of memes (EURO NEWS)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

General Motors reports $1.1 billion tariff impact as automaker works to ‘greatly reduce’ exposure (CNBC)
UN report says green energy hits global “positive tipping point” where solar and wind power will become even cheaper and more widespread (AP)
Humans triumph over AI at annual math Olympiad, but the machines are catching up (CBS)
First-ever Tesla Diner opens in Hollywood (FOX)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76, weeks after farewell show (MO NEWS)
Former QB Philip Rivers announces he is retiring as a Charger (ESPN)
FKA twigs and Shia LaBeouf reach settlement over sexual battery lawsuit (GUARDIAN)
Beyoncé dedicates her website to Malcolm-Jamal Warner as tributes pour in after actor's death (NBC)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it…The Late Show host Stephen Colbert featured a segment on his show Monday featuring Weird Al Yankovic and Lin-Manuel Miranda performing a Coldplay parody.

As the two strummed the intro to “Viva La Vida,” a spotlight shined on Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and other celebs watching in the studio audience. The bit was a nod to the viral Coldplay concert jumbotron moment last week that caught a CEO having an affair. But before Miranda and Yankovic started singing, Colbert interrupted the performance with a note that their song had been canceled, signed by Paramount.

Dark humor, right? CBS announced The Late Show was being canceled last Thursday after the end of its next season in May 2026.