What's Happening

Politics

New Details Emerge About the Apparent Assassination Attempt on Trump

What's going on: The suspect in the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump set up camp outside a Florida golf course and waited nearly 12 hours for the former president, according to a criminal complaint. The Secret Service also revealed the 58-year-old suspect did not fire his weapon and that Trump wasn’t in his line of sight. The updates on Sunday’s incident come as authorities reveal more details about the suspect’s background. Officials said he has a lengthy criminal record, including a felony conviction that prohibits him from possessing a firearm. He appeared in court yesterday and is facing two federal gun charges. Additional charges are expected as the investigation unfolds.

What it means: The apparent attempt on Trump’s life has put growing concerns about political violence front and center, with some experts worried that it’s becoming normalized in the US. Sunday’s incident took place roughly two months after the former president was wounded in an attempted assassination in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, experts say the country’s sharp polarization has stretched national security officials thin. That’s as the Secret Service is already facing scrutiny over its protocols. Yesterday, the agency’s acting director said they need “a paradigm shift” so that it’s not reacting to these types of incidents but preventing them.

Related: President Joe Biden Says the Secret Service “Needs More Help” After This Weekend (CNN)

US News

Sean “Diddy” Combs Arrested in New York

What's going on: Federal agents arrested 54-year-old Sean “Diddy” Combs at a Manhattan hotel yesterday after a grand jury indictment. The US attorney for the Southern District of New York said they expect to unseal the indictment this morning. In the meantime, The New York Times reports that Combs could face sex trafficking and racketeering charges, citing the music mogul’s lawyer. Combs relocated to New York last week in anticipation of the charges and is cooperating with the investigation, according to his attorney. In a statement, Combs’ legal team also called the arrest an “unjust prosecution” and said their client “looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Tell me more: Combs’ arrest comes amid a wave of sexual assault lawsuits filed against him and a federal probe. Homeland Security has been investigating the singer for sex trafficking, raiding his Miami and Los Angeles mansions in March and quietly building their case. Last year, the music mogul settled a lawsuit filed by R&B singer Cassie, denying her allegations of abuse and rape. But surveillance video showing Combs physically assaulting Cassie surfaced earlier this year, prompting him to issue a public apology. Combs’ legal team has denied the allegations brought forth in the other lawsuits.

Related: A Timeline of the Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Diddy (Billboard)

Health 

Study Suggests the Brain May Reorganize Itself During Pregnancy

What's going on: More evidence is illustrating how the brain can change profoundly during pregnancy — shrinking and later expanding again after birth. A new study in Nature Neuroscience expands upon the idea that these changes may help prepare pregnant people for parenthood. The research involved scanning one woman’s brain 26 times throughout her pregnancy journey, starting before she conceived, checking back during pregnancy, and following up for two years after her son was born. The scans showed reductions in gray matter volume and thickness, which the scientists suggested is similar to what happens to the brain during puberty due to hormonal shifts. Previous research found the loss of gray matter could help the brain prepare for parenthood by developing skills such as nurturing, heightened vigilance, and teaching.

What it means: Somehow, this study is the first to follow someone throughout the whole pregnancy process, rather than just capturing general snapshots. The findings are a step toward a better understanding of the maternal brain and could potentially help identify patients at risk for conditions like postpartum depression. It might also shed light on whether “pregnancy brain” is real (it’s way too real in our book). The study also underscores the historical lag on women’s health research, which has suffered for decades, thanks, in part to a lack of funding and gender bias. As one of the researchers on this study put it: “There is so much about the neurobiology of pregnancy that we don’t understand yet and it’s not because women are too complicated, it’s not because pregnancy is some Gordian knot — it’s a byproduct of the fact that the biomedical sciences have historically ignored women’s health.”

Related: Yes, Women’s Health Research Is Still Lacking (The Guardian)