NUCLEAR OPTION. John McCain calls out the GOP for plan to use nuclear option in Gorsuch nomination, but says he’ll go along with them. “I think it’s a dark day in the history of the United States Senate.”
35 PERCENT. Trump approval rating hits new low.
ST PETERSBURG. Trump offers Putin “full support” of the U.S. in investigating terror attack.
BACK CHANNEL DEALING. UAE arranged secret meeting between Blackwater founder Erik Prince and a Russian close to Putin to establish communication channel between Trump and Putin: “The meeting took place around Jan. 11 — nine days before Trump’s inauguration — in the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, officials said. Though the full agenda remains unclear, the UAE agreed to broker the meeting in part to explore whether Russia could be persuaded to curtail its relationship with Iran, including in Syria, a Trump administration objective that would be likely to require major concessions to Moscow on U.S. sanctions.”
THE PRESIDENT SHOW. Donald Trump impersonator is getting his own Comedy Central show.
INTERNET PRIVACY. Trump takes away internet privacy by signing repeal bill: “The FCC regulations would have required broadband companies to get permission from their customers in order to use their “sensitive” data — including browsing history, geolocation and financial and medical information — to create targeted advertisements.”
BILL O’REILLY. Top advertisers flee FOX News host in wake of new sexual harassment allegations: “Seven more advertisers pulled out of Bill O’Reilly’s Fox News show Tuesday — meaning nine altogether have left the program after a report of his sexual harassment history. BMW and Allstate were among the biggest names to flee from “The O’Reilly Factor” in light of the allegations.”
PHOENIX. Pride parade marchers confront immigration activists in ugly display of intolerance. “It looked like something from a Trump rally — except that this time, the angry white men were wearing rainbow beads, and were at an event that’s supposedly about tolerance and equality.”
NYC. Subway hero. “Brave Con Edison supervisor Jonathan Kulig, jumped into the Union Square subway tracks at the Third Avenue L train station, to rescue an unconscious man who fell in New York City.”
H2O. New graphene based sieve turns ocean water into drinking water: “The sought-after development could aid the millions of people without ready access to clean drinking water. The promising graphene oxide sieve could be highly efficient at filtering salts, and will now be tested against existing desalination membranes.”
SPACE. Boeing unveils concept designs for Mars Transporter and Deep Space Habitat: “The first base – known as the Deep Space Gateway – will orbit between Earth and the moon and is expected to launch as early as 2020. The habitat will support critical research and open up opportunities for future exploration of deep space, as well as a return to the moon and missions to Mars.”
HELLO DOLLY. Bette Midler greets fans outside the Broadway show.
GLEEFUL. Ivanka Trump’s neighbor watched the Queer Dance Party protest with a glass of wine.
https://twitter.com/etherealcabello/status/848974137297186816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fthecut%2F2017%2F04%2Fivankas-neighbor-gleefully-watched-the-protests-against-her.html
THE NETHERLANDS. Dutch authorities trying to dismantle gay cruising spots: “At least 10 municipalities across the Netherlands are trying to get rid of gay cruising spots in an effort to reduce intimacies in public parks, the Volkskrant reports. The municipalities are doing so by placing fences,cutting down bushes and fining public nudity, according to the newspaper.”
PREVIEW OF THE DAY. Grizzly Bear is about to birth new music, the first since 2012.
FIONA. This is a baby hippo having a dream.
TOO HOT TUESDAY. St. Jon.
