|
|
May 4, 2026
|
|
|
Good morning. President Trump said that the U.S. would help guide stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, giving few details about how. And the Met Gala is tonight in New York City. Who are you wearing?
We’ll get to more news below. But first, let’s answer some of your questions.
 |
| Military recruitment is the subject of one reader question. Kenny Holston/The New York Times |
Asked and answered
One of the great things about working on The Morning is that we can call our colleagues in the newsroom to ask questions about their areas of expertise. Their answers are this newsletter’s beating heart.
Today the questions come from you, our indefatigably curious readers. Among other things, they’re about how wise it is for the president to bring his whole cabinet to events like the White House correspondents’ dinner, the reality of a military draft and whether it’s worse for the environment to eat meat or use A.I. Answers, please!
Government
Is it normal (or advisable) for the president and vice president and many members of the cabinet all to attend the same event, as they did at the White House correspondents’ dinner? | Paula Emery | Plainfield, Vermont
Luke Broadwater, a White House correspondent, writes:
It’s not unusual. But the recent shooting raises questions about whether it’s prudent. White House officials are mulling whether the vice president should attend when the dinner is rescheduled. The executive branch also makes sure everyone from the line of succession is never in the same place at the same time.
Is it true that there will be an automatic draft registration for men between the ages of 18 and 25 starting in December? | Kathy Edelen | Cincinnati, Ohio
Eric Schmitt, who covers the Pentagon, writes:
Yes, under a rule pending final approval. No one has been drafted since the all-volunteer military was established in 1973 — and that’s not going to change anytime soon. But young men (yes, it’s only men) have been required to register for the draft, just in case the military needs them. Now, instead of filling out a form online, they’ll be automatically enrolled by the government.
Is eating meat as harmful for the environment as using ChatGPT or other A.I. tools? | Emily Osborn | Salt Lake City, Utah
Evan Gorelick, a reporter for The Morning, writes:
This is a little like comparing apples to oranges, so the numbers won’t be perfect. But let me try:
Asking a medium-length question on ChatGPT can use 20 to 30 watt-hours of energy, according to recent estimates. (That’s enough to toast a slice of bread!) The carbon footprint depends where the data centers are and where their electricity comes from — though it’s mostly from fossil fuels, which emit lots of carbon. Researchers estimate that a chatbot query can emit the equivalent of between seven and 15 grams of carbon dioxide. Call it 11 grams. So in 30 minutes, you might spew something like 110 grams.
Beef, the most carbon-intensive meat, emits the equivalent of around 6,040 grams of carbon dioxide per serving — a lot more than an A.I. prompt.
But prompting isn’t the only way A.I. affects the environment. There’s also the water it drains and the energy that goes into training new models. OpenAI’s older model consumed about 50 gigawatt-hours during its training. (That’s enough to toast nearly two billion slices of bread!) Newer and bigger models could consume significantly more. On a per-person level, the carbon output is still probably less than cow farming, but it’s rising quickly.
What happened to the big U.S. push toward electric vehicles? Now that the price of gas is surging, has their time come? | Marc Posnock | New York City
Jack Ewing, who covers the auto industry, writes:
Washington turned against electric vehicles after Donald Trump became president. Congress eliminated a $7,500 tax credit for buyers last year, causing sales to plunge. But rising gas prices strengthen the argument for E.V.s, because electricity is almost always cheaper. And electric vehicles are becoming more affordable: Used models sell for about the same as comparable gasoline-powered cars. All of which may explain a recent revival. Monthly sales of new E.V.s rose 20 percent in March. Used ones soared 54 percent.
Is there any good news (from anywhere in the world) regarding shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources? | Monika C. Jansen | Evergreen, Colorado
David Gelles, who covers the climate, writes:
Yes! The adoption of renewable and low-carbon energy sources is booming around the world. Solar is now the cheapest form of energy in human history. From installations that can power cities to single panels on residential balconies, solar panels are getting installed at unprecedented rates. We’ve also seen tremendous growth in wind energy, electric vehicles and grid-scale batteries. Other renewable technologies — including nuclear, geothermal and even fusion — are progressing toward the marketplace.
Got a question for The Morning? Ask it here.
Take-home writing assignments, once inescapable in your English and history classes, are on the way out. It’s too easy for students to cheat with artificial intelligence. Chatbots can generate polished essays in seconds — analyzing Supreme Court cases, parsing symbolism in “The Great Gatsby,” explaining the science behind the Artemis mission.
But teachers have a fix: They’re making students write inside the classroom, where they can be observed. The assignments have changed too. Some educators ask students to reflect on their personal reactions to what they’ve read — the type of writing A.I. struggles to produce.
Read more about the resurgence of paper and pencil.
Politics
Around the World
Other Big Stories
Yuppies — young urban professionals — changed America. That change wasn’t always for the best, Dylan Gottlieb writes.
The race for governor of California is full of uninspiring candidates, Michelle Cottle writes. She says Democrats risk a shutout if the party cannot pick a favorite.
Here’s a column by Ezra Klein on why A.I. probably won’t produce a job apocalypse.
Focus on fun. Play without ads. 75% off.
Subscribe to New York Times Games for 75% off your first year and play in the app without any distractions. You’ll also get full access to Wordle, Spelling Bee, Connections, the Crossword and more.
Is it urgent? We asked experts when you should use urgent care, and when you’re better off visiting an ER or primary care doctor.
A 2-million-square-foot equalizer: Hatred of data centers is, according to one comedian, “the most bipartisan issue since beer.”
Three generations lost: After his mother, brother and 15-month-old niece died when fire tore through an apartment complex, one man is fighting to hold the Hong Kong authorities accountable.
Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was a video of a massive sea lion.
Metropolitan Diary: Bargain basement advice.
Witness: Jack Thornell’s photographs captured the shooting of James Meredith, the funeral of Martin Luther King Jr. and other wrenching moments of the civil rights struggle. He died at 86.
N.B.A.: The Detroit Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 116-94 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 7 of their first-round series.
Golf: The DC Preservation League filed an emergency stay request to halt the Trump administration’s plans to take over and renovate the East Potomac Golf Links, Washington’s largest public golf course.
A new newsletter: No Offseason will catch you up on the biggest stories in women’s basketball. Sign up here.
I made these baked chicken thighs the other day to serve alongside roasted potatoes — those little ones, smaller than golf balls, that have lately become a supermarket staple — and a simple slaw of sliced red cabbage and lacinato kale tossed with a creamy, herb-laden vinaigrette. I dusted the finished potatoes with Old Bay seasoning because it tastes of summer, a season I am very much looking forward to. Weeknight cooking doesn’t have to be difficult. The meal was delicious.
— That is roughly how many single-family homes in the United States are empty but not for sale. For many owners, putting these “zombie homes” on the market just isn’t worth it. Why is that?
Kate Hudson and Brenda Song star in “Running Point,” the Netflix sports comedy series about a dysfunctional family that owns a fictional Los Angeles basketball team. They came to our studio kitchen recently to make pretzels with my colleague Melissa Clark. Roll it. 🏀🥨
Consider Yoko Ono. T Magazine did: Amanda Fortini unpacks the modern relevance of Ono’s radical art.
Use a park bench to get a full-body workout. No gym required!
Embrace the dad aesthetic and install one of these smart bird feeders recommended by the amateur ornithologists at Wirecutter. You’ll thank me when your phone alerts you to the scarlet tanager in your yard.
Take our news quiz.
Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was turncoat.
And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands.
Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam
Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com.
