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Bernie Sanders makes surprise appearance at Coachella

(NYT) — Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., one of the country’s leading progressives, delivered an impromptu speech onstage at the Coachella music festival in California on Saturday night in which he implored young people to oppose President Donald Trump’s policies.

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Sanders, who had spoken earlier in the evening at a packed rally in downtown Los Angeles as part of a Western tour, made his comments before introducing singer-songwriter Clairo.

“This country faces some very difficult challenges, and the future of what happens to America is dependent upon your generation,” Sanders, 83, said during his brief address, which received cheers from the crowd. “We need you to stand up to fight for justice, to fight for economic justice, social justice and racial justice.”

The senator’s appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is consistent with his popularity among young progressives who admire him as an uncompromising and outspoken firebrand.

China pledges $137 million for Myanmar earthquake relief

BEIJING (Reuters) — China has pledged emergency humanitarian assistance of 1 billion yuan ($137 million) to earthquake-stricken Myanmar, its embassy in the southeast Asian nation said.

The March 28 quake of magnitude 7.7 was one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, killing 3,645, as it toppled buildings, flattened communities and deprived many of food, water and shelter.

In a statement on Thursday, the Chinese embassy said the funds would provide urgently needed food, medicines and prefabricated homes, as well as pay for medical, epidemic prevention and disaster assessment expert groups.

Beijing has sent first-response teams, including dozens of medical workers, earthquake experts, field hospital workers and rescue dogs to alleviate the suffering.

China, which has sent more than 30 rescue teams to Myanmar, has said it would participate in disaster loss assessment and reconstruction. The Chinese Red Cross has also provided about 1.5 million yuan ($206,000) in cash.

Man pleads guilty to selling sperm whale teeth and bones

(NYT) — A South Carolina man pleaded guilty Thursday to importing sperm whale teeth and bones from four countries and selling them in the United States, federal prosecutors said.

Lauren H. DeLoach, 69, of St. Helena Island, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to Lacey Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act charges for importing and selling sperm whale parts, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of South Carolina.

DeLoach admitted to importing the sperm whale teeth and bones to South Carolina, including at least 30 shipments from Australia, Latvia, Norway and Ukraine, from July 2022 through September 2024, according to court documents and statements made in court.

DeLoach sold at least 85 pieces on eBay worth more than $18,000 and labeled the items as “plastic” to avoid detection by U.S. customs officials, prosecutors said.

Authorities said they had seized about $20,000 worth of sperm whale parts during a search of his residence.