The 7: Discovery of the most distant star; what Putin’s advisers may not be telling him; Jan. 6 investigation grows; and more
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| | | | | | | | | Good morning. It's Thursday, March 31, and we want to know what you think about The 7. Click here to take a short survey. Now let's get to the news. | | |  | Vladimir Putin's advisers may be misleading him on Ukraine. | - What's happening? The Russian president is being shielded from how badly the invasion is going, according to U.S. intelligence.
- What that means: Russian negotiators may be approaching the ongoing peace talks with misinformed expectations.
- On the ground: Russian troops are using very basic forms of camouflage, like tree branches and straw. Here's what that shows.
| | |  | The criminal investigation into the Jan. 6 attack has expanded. | - What's new? The Justice Department has asked to talk to some officials in Donald Trump's orbit who helped plan and fund the rally that took place before a mob stormed the Capitol in 2021.
- What this shows: The investigation, already the largest in U.S. history by number of defendants, has grown wider to examine the events leading up to the riot.
| | |  | The U.S. is expected to announce a massive release of oil reserves today. | - The plan: To send out 1 million barrels a day from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve for several months.
- Why? The Biden administration is trying to lower gas prices, which have risen sharply since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But the effect this will have isn't immediately clear.
| | |  | Pregnant people seem to have a higher risk of covid breakthrough. | - The finding: Even those vaccinated against the coronavirus are nearly twice as likely to get covid-19 as people who aren't pregnant, according to a new study.
- Why it's significant: Pregnant people appear to have less protection from the virus than many patients with serious medical problems. Experts recommend taking extra precautions, such as distancing and wearing masks.
| | |  | The U.S. plans to lift a pandemic-era restriction on immigration. | - The policy: Title 42 allows the government to send migrants back to their home countries right after they're caught by the Border Patrol.
- Why that makes a difference: Migrants under this system can't request asylum proceedings, which would let them live in the U.S. while their cases go through the courts.
- Timeline: The controversial policy is expected to be phased out by May.
| | |  | Will Smith refused to leave the Oscars after the slap, the academy said. | - New details: The academy warned last night that it could take disciplinary action against Smith for hitting Chris Rock onstage after he made a joke about Smith's wife during Sunday's ceremony.
- Rock's reaction: At a show last night, the comedian said he's "still kind of processing" what happened.
| | |  | The Hubble telescope detected the most distant star ever seen. |  The star Earendel, indicated by arrow. (NASA/AP) | - What to know: Earendel — which means "morning star" — formed less than a billion years after the big bang, when the universe began expanding, according to a new report.
- The new Webb telescope, which is more powerful than Hubble, will take a look, too, and give scientists a better understanding of the discovery.
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow. But before you go … try our last Women's History Month crossword puzzle: If you've read bell hooks, you may know the answer to one of this week's clues.  (Jordan Robertson for The Post) | Do you know someone who would like this newsletter? Share it with them. Prefer push notifications? Download The Post's app to get one when The 7 publishes. | | | | | | | | | |
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