Colorado attack suspect; Ukraine’s stolen children : NPR

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Today’s top stories

Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the 45-year-old man arrested for throwing Molotov cocktails at people in Boulder, Colo.on Sunday, is facing a federal hate crime charge and multiple felonies, authorities say. He threw the fire bombs at people marching in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Soliman stated he “wanted to kill Zionist people,” and that he’d do it again. Soliman informed police he had been planning the attack for a year.

• 🎧 Authorities say Soliman, an Egyptian national without legal status to be in the U.S., tried to buy a gun but wasn’t able to do so legally, Allison Sherry of NPR network station Colorado Public Radio tells Up First. After failing to get a firearm, he learned from YouTube how to make Molotov cocktails. Soliman planned on killing himself as he doused himself in gasoline. He had 18 incendiary devices, of which he allegedly threw two. Sherry says more charges are expected to be filed in federal and state courts.
• ➡️ Here’s how the Boulder community and people across the state are reacting to the attack. (via CPR)

Ukraine and Russia ended ceasefire talks abruptly yesterday without reaching an agreement. However, Ukraine took this opportunity to provide Russia with a list of 400 Ukrainian children who have been abducted during the war, requesting their immediate return. According to Ukrainian researchers, nearly 20,000 children have been abducted as a result of the Russian invasion and occupation of certain areas of the country.

• 🎧 The biggest challenge is that Russia is not willing to return them or even reveal how many are currently in Russia, Khrystyna Shkudor, an advocate for abducted children and their families, tells NPR’s Joanna Kakissis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia is accusing Ukraine of using the issue to pander to the West and noted that at least Russia now admits to taking the children. Russia said it would consider returning 10 children, but said they were not abducted, but saved from a war zone. The two countries did agree on exchanging bodies of soldiers killed in action.

Polls will soon close in South Korea, where the country is electing a new president. The election comes after Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached for trying to overturn the constitution. Candidate Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party is projected to win. He has maintained a double-digit lead in polls over his conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo, throughout the race.

• 🎧 Many people turned against the conservative party after the former president’s actionswhich shook many South Koreans’ confidence in their democracy, NPR’s Anthony Kuhn says. Many people defended their democracy in the streets and went to the polls to hold politicians accountable. But Lee has been dogged by allegations of corruptionallowing the Conservative Party to close the gap in the election. Chang Cheol-ho, a voter, says, “If that kind of criminal becomes president, I think there will be no future for South Korea’s democracy.” Conservatives in the country are distrustful of China and see Lee as too friendly with the powerful neighbor.

Today’s listen

Concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein has had a stellar career for decades; she even has a new album, Complicity. Despite her success, she has struggled with performance anxiety and panic attacks, which have crippled her confidence onstage. She found herself particularly worried about the expectations that come with classical music, where soloists are expected to perform from memory rather than using sheet music. Even dedicating hours to practice each day couldn’t alleviate her feelings of fear surrounding performance. Now, Dinnerstein is opening up about her experiences and discussing how one common device helped her conquer her anxiety. Listen to her conversation with Morning Edition or read the article here.

Living better

Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.

Rubbing animal fat on your skin may not sound appealing, but it has become a popular skincare trend. Some claim that using rendered beef tallow as skincare can help clear up acne, benefit dry skin, and even make you look younger. In a viral TikTok video, one influencer can be seen dipping her fingers into a jar of Good Ol’ Days Tallow Co. and licking her fingers, suggesting that you should be able to eat your skincare products. However, dermatologists warn that not everything edible is suitable for the skin.

• 🐄 Tallow, a saturated fat with a high lipid content, can make your skin look plump and dewy. However, shea butter and olive oil also contain lipids that create the same effect.
• 🐄 Beef fat can make acne worse, even though TikTok creators claim otherwise, according to Dr. Delila Foulad, a board-certified dermatologist at UCLA Health. There is also a chance of an allergic reaction. Those with psoriasis or eczema should be extra cautious with their already compromised skin barrier.
• 🐄 Tallow balm probably won’t hurt you, but you should be wary of claims that it’s better just because it’s natural. The best course of action is to consult a dermatologist who can help select products for your skin.

3 things to know before you go

1. In Papua New Guinea, clownfish, the saltwater fish featured in Finding Nemoare temporarily shrinking due to heat stress from climate change, according to a new study.
2. Italy’s Mount Etna, Europe’s highest active volcano, produced a spectacularly explosive eruption yesterday, sending reddish clouds rippling from its summit.
3. Comedian Marc Maron announced yesterday that his podcast, WTF, will end this fall. Since 2009, it has produced over 1,600 episodes and featured interviews with famous people such as Robin Williams.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.