Greetings! It’s April 29, and we’re tracking today’s top stories: Qatar and China Are Pouring Billions Into Elite American Universities, Critically endangered Fijian iguanas trafficked in Spain arrive at San Diego Zoo, How the cartels use crypto to launder the proceeds of narcotics trafficking, The Inside Story of L’Affaire Kim Kardashian as the Paris Jewelry Heist Finally Heads to Trial, and much more…

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🎯 FEATURED STORY

Qatar and China Are Pouring Billions Into Elite American Universities. Foreign countries have poured $29 billion into campuses over the past few years. ‘Hostile powers are buying influence on American campuses at an industrial scale.’ Free Press

U.S. Universities Don't Like Unmasking Their Foreign Donors Free Beacon

🔥 TOP STORIES

Critically endangered Fijian iguanas trafficked in Spain arrive at San Diego Zoo NBC 

🔐 Featured Report: Sanctions and terrorism — How the cartels use crypto to launder the proceeds of narcotics trafficking Elliptic

The Inside Story of L’Affaire Kim Kardashian as the Paris Jewelry Heist Finally Heads to Trial Vanity Fair 

Trump’s ‘Buoyant’ Trade Warrior Flexes His Power Over Global Business NYT 

Crypto leaders press White House to drop Tornado Cash criminal case DL News

Mastercard Unveils End-to-End Stablecoin Capabilities, Will Launch Card With OKX CoinDesk

US sanctions target deliveries of oil and gas to Houthis Reuters

Shinhan Bank freed from US money laundering oversight after 8 years Korea Herald

Wells Fargo nears full regulatory relief as CFPB lifts consent order Reuters

Modernizing the tools of economic statecraft to meet the challenges of today Atlantic Council

🚩 RUSSIA & CHINA

Putin thanks North Korea for troops deployed in Russia Hill

White House reveals possible penalties on Putin amid peace push Fox

Harvard Quietly Trained Members of Sanctioned Chinese Paramilitary Organization Free Beacon

Cyber-espionage campaign found targeting exiled Uyghurs Record

Microsoft says U.S. can’t afford falling behind China in quantum computers CNBC

💸 CORRUPTION & FINANCIAL CRIME

Illegally fired FTC commissioners on Meta, bribes, and fighting for privacy Verge

Trump Launches Probes of Harvard Law Review’s Racial Preferences Free Beacon

Inside the corruption scandal at Philly's 30th Street Station Axios

To Fight Fraud, Inspectors General Need Help Identifying Companies’ Ownership GAO

🔐 CRYPTO & CYBER

Trump’s hasty Take It Down Act has “gaping flaws” that threaten encryption Ars

The group chats that changed America Semafor 

Monero’s XMR soars as suspected hacker purchases $330M DL News

Cybersecurity vendors are themselves under attack by hackers Cyberscoop

🚚 TRAFFICKING

The White House threatens sanctuary cities in another EO, but courts are skeptical NPR

How local agencies are partnering with ICE to arrest an increasing number of immigrants CNN

ICE seeking out unaccompanied immigrant children to deport or prosecute Guardian

“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” —Joseph Campbell

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