Local:

  • A group of pro-Palestine student activists from four California State University campuses, including SF State and San Jose State, launched a hunger strike this week, urging the CSU system to divest from companies tied to weapons, surveillance, and human rights violations. The strike follows SF State’s landmark agreement to pull investments from major defense contractors, and students aim to expand that model systemwide while highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. [KQED]
  • A year after UCSF entered talks to anchor the Potrero Power Station redevelopment, the state has approved $575 million in bond financing for the proposed medical building on Block 2. The nine-story, 300,000-square-foot facility — planned as a clinic, precision cancer center, and health tech incubator — could break ground as soon as this year and be finished in 2029. [TheRealDeal]
  • The Lawrence Hall of Science lost $6 million across nine grants due to Trump administration funding cuts, halting projects including a landmark interactive Ohlone science exhibition. The museum says the cuts are “extremely traumatic” for staff and threaten programs supporting underserved communities and inclusive STEM education. [Berkeleyside]
  • Gas prices are rising across California after a fire shut down the Valero refinery in Benicia, tightening fuel supply and sending most Bay Area prices above $5 per gallon. [SFGate]
  • A Fremont bonded warehouse is tripling in size as U.S. tariff hikes drive demand for duty-deferred storage, with Lynx Logistics expanding to accommodate a surge in importers looking to shield inventory from trade war costs.  [KPIX]

National:

  • A Soviet-era Kosmos-482 spacecraft is set to re-enter Earth's atmosphere after 53 years. The returning craft, which poses minimal risk, was originally programmed to land on Venus but ended up stuck in the Earth’s orbit due to a rocket malfunction. [NBC News]
  • After Shiloh Hendrix raised over $600K for a campaign following a racist incident, activist Kiandria Demone is working to stop the payout and hold platforms like GiveSendGo accountable for profiting from hate. Demone, using her tech skills, has led a campaign to pressure payment processors and raise awareness about the platform's ties to white supremacy. [The Grio]
  • Over 100 current and former Amtrak employees, in collaboration with New York medical professionals, defrauded the company's healthcare plan out of more than $12 million through a scheme involving fraudulent claims, leading to criminal charges for twelve employees and three healthcare providers. [CBSNews]

Video of the Day:

  • Terence Blanchard, music legend and executive artistic director at SF Jazz, gave a one-of-a-kind performance on a BART ride through town recently. BART and SF Jazz have introduced their new partnership, SFJAZZ At Home, in which riders can stream performances and music content during their trip or on the way to the SFJAZZ Center.

Image: Leanne Maxwell/SFist