View online

April 16, 2025

1/ Democrat Mary Peltola defeats Sarah Palin to become first Native Alaskan woman to win congressional race

Former state legislator Mary Peltola has beaten former Republican governor Sarah Palin to become the first Democrat to represent Alaska in Congress in almost fifty years.

Ms Peltola, a former state representative whose mother was Yup’ik, will also be the first Native Alaskan to represent the state since it formally joined the union as a state in 1959.

She followed-up by tweeting: “It is a GOOD DAY.”

Her victory serves as a boon to Democrats after they held a seat in New York last week in a special election, while showing the salience of protecting abortion rights after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade earlier this year, which she campaigned heavily on. 

Ms Palin has meanwhile been at the centre of Truth Social claims of election fraud, which are unfounded but follow Donald Trump's efforts in 2020 to further election lies. 

2/ California freeway near Los Angeles shut down by wildfire as heatwave scorches state

Seven firefighters injured as The Route Fire burns 600 acres

3/ Justice Department likely to wait till after midterms to pursue any criminal charges against Trump

According to Bloomberg, federal prosecutors will wait to avoid 'political interference' 

4/ US life expectancy plunged again in 2021, down nearly a year

Life expectancy dropped for the second consecutive year in 2021,

5/Russia now so short of soldiers it may start using convicted criminals, US official says

Country could also start ‘compelling wounded soldiers to re-enter combat’

The Big Question

Why has the Solomon Islands blocked foreign ships from its waters and is China behind it?

The Solomon Islands has moved to temporarily stop all foreign naval vessels from using its waters, apparently as part of a bid to shore up control over its exclusive economic zones.

Manesseh Sogavare, prime minister of the South Pacific archipelago, said on Tuesday that the suspension would be in place until the adoption of a new approval process for ships seeking access to its ports was agreed in the wake of the Oliver Henry and HMS Spey – vessels belonging to the US Coast Guard and Royal Navy respectively – being turned away last week when they made refuelling requests.

While a change of administrative protocol might not immediately strike the West as cause for concern, relations between the Solomon Islands, the US and its allies have become more tense since the country struck a security pact with China in late March, as experts fear Beijing’s influence is becoming ever-more apparent.

Read the full story >

Watch/ Alfredo sauce splashed across Memphis interstate after semi-truck crash

NUMBER OF THE DAY

27cm

– The height by which sea levels will rise as a result of ‘unavoidable’ Greenland ice melt.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the irony of Don’t Look Up is lost on the people it was really intended for because it is so painfully close to what’s happening right now.”

– ‘Science Guy’ Bill Nye says Netflix’s climate crisis satire is almost too close to the mark.  

Other stories you might like

Articles available exclusively to subscribers

Rory Sullivan, The Independent - Navalny thrown into solitary confinement for third time in a month

Other newsletters you might like

Please do not reply directly to this email

You are currently registered to receive The Independent's US Morning Headlines newsletter.

Add us to your safe list of senders.

If you do not want to receive The Independent's US Morning Headlines newsletter, please unsubscribe.

If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent,
you can unsubscribe here.

This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345.

Read our privacy notice and cookie policy.