Luigi Mangione; Kroger and Albertsons merger; Syria : NPR

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Today’s top stories

Syrians are transitioning from celebrating the ousting of long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad and the toppling of his regime to thinking about the huge challenges facing the war-torn country. Ahmed al-Shara, who is at the forefront of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, is at least nominally in charge of the country. Here are five things to watch as Syria looks toward a new future.

• 🎧 “What is quite extraordinary is they seem to now be handling a relatively managed handover of power,” NPR’s Ruth Sherlock tells Up First. A new transitional government has been formed, which includes some politicians from the old regime. Soldiers conscripted into military service are being pardoned, and leaders are working to dismantle the regime’s feared security apparatus. Sherlock visited the Sednaya prison, one of the most feared complexes known for torture and mass executions. It is now open, and rebels have released prisoners. Many of those who were imprisoned are still missing, and the facility is full of their loved ones looking for clues as to where they may be.
• ➡️ More than a million Syrians now live in Germany after fleeing Syria due to violence under Assad’s regime. Now, many are debating whether to return. Some Syrians share their thoughts with NPR’s Rob Schmitz about whether to go back.
• ➡️ Journalist Austin Tice went missing 12 years ago during a reporting trip in Syria. After the fall of the Assad regime, there has been increased hope that he is still alive. U.S. officials say they are working with sources on the ground to get information about Tice.

Investigators and some extremism researchers are looking into whether there’s evidence of a clear ideology behind the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing after details about suspect Luigi Mangione surfaced online. Mangione is a member of a prominent Maryland family, graduated top of his class from an elite prep school and received two Ivy League school degrees. He reportedly suffered a major back injury and underwent surgery a couple of years ago.

• 🎧 Mangione had several social media accounts, including one on Goodreads where he posted an excerpt from the writings of Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, NPR’s Odette Yousef says. One of the photos on his X account is an X-ray of a spine with four large screws inserted. It isn’t certain that this is his X-ray. His digital footprint doesn’t clarify much because it cuts off in the spring. Police found a handwritten note conveying a deep anger towards the healthcare industry and a feeling that someone had to take action, Yousef says.
• ➡️ Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO, was likely killed with a ghost gun. Here’s what they are and how they are made.

Two separate judges blocked the $24.6 billion merger deal for Kroger and Albertsons yesterday. One of the cases was brought by federal regulators while the other was presented by the Washington state attorney general. It would have been the biggest grocery merger in U.S. history. Now, after two years of delays, its fate is unknown.

• 🎧 The block is technically temporary and Kroger and Albertsons could keep fighting and appeal, NPR’s Alina Selyukh says. The state judge ruled the merger violated state consumer protection law and the federal case blocked the merger nationwide. Government lawyers argued the merger would leave shoppers worse off. Kroger and Albertsons made the case that the merger was a matter of survival and that their biggest rivals are not conventional supermarkets but giants like Walmart and Costco. The companies say they are disappointed and disagree with the decision and are currently weighing their options going forward.

Life advice

It can be hard to know what to say to someone whose loved one has died. You want to show love and support, but you also know there isn’t much you can say to heal their pain. If you feel at a loss for words, psychologist and grief consultant Mekel Harris and author of Grief is Love Marisa Renee Lee have some dos and don’ts when expressing condolences.

• ❤️ Don’t start anything with “at least.” This phrase may minimize your friend’s experience and could impose a viewpoint that may not ring true.
• ❤️ Saying “no need to respond” releases the grieving person from any pressure or expectation to reply.
• ❤️ Clichés like “time heals all wounds” can sound hollow and impersonal.
• ❤️ Keep reaching out, even months after the death. Grief is a long road, and each person heals at their own pace.

Check out the more tips here.

Picture show

Clockwise, from top left: Laura Forer, Michelle Alette, Domenique Rice, Jen Loga, Dr. Patty Ng and Marise Angibeau-Gray

Nancy Borowick

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Nancy Borowick

Nancy Borowick found that photography was therapeutic for her after she lost both of her parents within 364 days of one another. It continued to have healing power when she found herself deep in depression 13 months after the traumatic birth of her son. Borowick turned to social media to ask others about their experiences with birth trauma. One grandmother asked her, “Are you looking for stories about stillbirth?” The question prompted her to start The Loss Mother’s Stone, a project she hopes will draw awareness to women’s stories, educate Americans and destigmatize the conversation between doctors and patients.

3 things to know before you go

After The Onion was named the winning bidder for Alex Jones’ assets at a bankruptcy auction last month, the losing bidder tried to stop the sale, saying the process was rigged and “fatally flawed.”

Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

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Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

1. A bankruptcy judge has rejected a bid by The Onion’s owners to buy Alex Jones’ Infowars, saying the offer and process were flawed.
2. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a new law Monday that limits how a book can be banned in schools and public libraries and protects librarians from lawsuits. (via WHYY)
3. The U.S.’ first state-sanctioned facility for people to use illegal drugs under medical supervision opened yesterday in Rhode Island. The facilities are part of an effort to prevent overdoses. (via The Public’s Radio)

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.