Monday, July 29, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-29

The picture of early-human origins in Africa grows more complex: Researchers say multiple groups of early modern humans intermingled and spread across Africa, not just in small areas in the east and south, before moving to Europe and Asia. 

With Vance’s rocky debut, Republicans ask if Trump’s VP bet will pay off: Sen. JD Vance has had a challenging start as the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee, leaving the Trump campaign to try to clean up his controversial past comments.

How Kamala Harris took control of the Democratic Party: Party officials and campaign aides raced to flip an entire brand from fading hope to salute emojis.

Sanctions crushed Syria’s elite. So they built a zombie economy fueled by drugs.

How India’s warm embrace of Kamala Harris grew chilly: India was excited about Kamala Harris in 2020. Four years later, the reaction to her presidential bid is more complicated.

Maduro declared winner of disputed Venezuelan election: The opposition, which had warned of the potential for fraud, was expected to challenge the result.

How Elon Musk came to endorse Donald Trump: The world’s richest man favored Biden in 2020, but he has since become a vocal Trump supporter.

With Biden out and Harris in, down-ballot Democrats plot 2024 gains: “The additional enthusiasm that the Democrats have shown will obviously help down-ballot races,” GOP political consultant Whit Ayres said. “Whether that will be enough to overcome the other negatives and challenges remains to be seen.”

For Ukrainian diver, 10 meters from water, 1,500 miles from father at war: Oleksii Sereda, 18, is at his second Olympics, but the first since Russian invasion.

They have jobs, but no homes. Inside America’s unseen homelessness crisis.: Homelessness, already at a record high last year, appears to be worsening among people with jobs. - "Many who spoke with The Washington Post said they’re trapped in an impossible position — making too much money to qualify for food stamps and other types of government assistance, but not enough to secure housing."

Inside the powerful Peter Thiel network that anointed JD Vance: A small influential network of right-wing techies orchestrated Vance’s rise in Silicon Valley — and then the GOP. Now the industry stands to gain if he wins the White House.

Justice Dept. settles with ex-FBI officials over leak of anti-Trump texts: Fired FBI agent Peter Strzok will receive $1.2 million, and former bureau lawyer Lisa Page will receive $800,000 to resolve their claims that the Trump administration’s Justice Department violated the Privacy Act.

He finally met his son — then killed the mom and grandmother, a jury found.: Prosecutors argued that Keanan Turner killed Ebony Wright and her mother after Wright filed for custody and child support to help care for their son.

For some District ANC commissioners, a difficult decision to run again: Data from the D.C. Board of Elections shows that as of Friday, 117 out of 345 commissioner seats did not have a single interested candidate.

Amtrak just took over Union Station. What does it mean for riders?: After years in court, Amtrak gained control of Union Station on Monday. Here’s how it’ll affect the station experience.

Far-right in uproar after Israel detains reservists over Gaza detainee abuse: Far-right demonstrators broke into Israel’s Sde Teiman base to protest the detentions of guards.

Paris Olympics organizers sorry for Last Supper at Opening Ceremonies: The tableau included a woman in the role of Jesus and drag queens and gay icons as disciples. It was crashed by a man in blue as Dionysus, the Greek god of revelry.

Biden endorses Supreme Court reforms, amendment to limit immunity: For Biden, who has long resisted calls for Supreme Court reform, the call marks a major shift in his posture toward one of the three branches of government.

Walking the Line: Chinese migration surge tests President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping - "Republican lawmakers say the concerns are more than justified. They point to media reports of at least 100 incidents in recent years in which Chinese nationals were caught or suspected of trying to gain access or information about U.S. military installations.

...

"Likely part of Beijing’s concern, analysts and lawyers say, is the potential for politicized Chinese migrants to become part of dissident communities abroad. 

"'The [Chinese] police told my parents, tell your son not to speak any more or do any protests,' said Zhou Zheng, a recent migrant living in Los Angeles who joined groups that protested Xi’s November visit to San Francisco. He’d made the decision to walk the line after he was detained during protests in China.

"While the number of Chinese migrants is relatively tiny in terms of the country’s population, its impact is significant for a government that has sought to advertise its political system abroad. 

"'It’s never looks good when people are willing to trek through the Darien Gap to get out of your country,' said Meredith Oyen, associate professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, referring to the dangerous jungle crossing between Panama and Colombia."

How the "Working Class Republican" Scam Works: A brief description of how this is all gonna go.

How to Jujitsu the Culture Wars: It’s time to make Republicans regret that they ever posed as anti-elites.

Meet the queen of the ‘trad wives’ (and her eight children): Hannah Neeleman, known to her nine million followers as Ballerina Farm, milks cows, gives birth without pain relief and breastfeeds at beauty pageants. Is this an empowering new model of womanhood — or a hammer blow for feminism? - "That is the biggest paradox: in selling the life of a stay-at-home mother, Neeleman and the other trad wives have created high-earning jobs. They are being paid to act out a fantasy. 'So for me to have the label of a traditional woman,' she continues cautiously, 'I’m kinda like, I don’t know if I identify with that.'

...

"One day she mentioned to Daniel that she was getting the five-hour flight from Salt Lake City to New York, back to Juilliard. She didn’t realise his dad owned the airline. 'So Daniel was, like, 'I’m on that same flight!' ' she says. 'I remember checking in and them saying, 'You’re 5A and you’re 5B.' I just thought, no way, that’s crazy!' Daniel smiles: 'I made a call.' He had pulled strings at JetBlue. And so began their first date." [ed. note: this piece is vicious]

My day with the trad wife queen and what it taught me: An interview published last weekend with internet star Hannah Neeleman at her Utah home, Ballerina Farm, has sparked a global social media debate. Our writer, Megan Agnew, revisits her time with the mother of eight - "But it was also a life of contradictions. Children not allowed screens, but who are reality TV characters online for millions. A stay-at-home mother who has made a career out of being so. An analogue, old-fashioned farm, only working because it is underwritten by social media cash. A choice — modern in her ability to have one — to do something so very traditional.

..

"Women who work in a paid job feel terrified that by promoting the seeming peace and harmony of a traditional home life, Neeleman is threatening their ability to choose otherwise. They fear they are going to experience guilt or resistance if other women do choose otherwise. 

"Women who look after their children full-time feel judged or patronised for doing so by the women who haven’t, their choices seeming threatened, too. And so, out of fear comes anger, like a bloke punching a wall when his wife leaves him."

I lived as a trad wife for a week. It was awful: Modern women are falling for traditional wife influencers. There’s a darker side, says Harriet Walker

Sunday, July 28, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-27

Russia, adapting tactics, advances in Donetsk and takes more Ukrainian land: The new offensive focus comes as Ukraine faces depleted forces, sweltering heat and turmoil in a potentially consequential U.S. election.

Their acne medications set off a rare chain reaction that killed them: After losing their daughters to DRESS syndrome, two mothers work to raise awareness of the rare but deadly drug reaction.

Opinion  ‘Every teacher’ in Oklahoma must teach the Bible? That’ll keep them from leaving.: Readers respond to Oklahoma’s superintendent ordering each teacher to teach the Bible in their classroom.

Usha Vance told friends Trump appalled her. Now she’s working to elect him.: The potential second lady found Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 “deeply disturbing,” a friend said. But ambition and devotion to her husband ultimately drove her to a place in the former president’s campaign.

House Republicans continue to flail, further endangering their majority: GOP members struggled with basic tasks this summer, heading for a long break with few accomplishments.

Trump faces backlash for ‘in four years, you don’t have to vote again’ remark: Some Democrats say his comments, directed at a Christian audience, signaled his plans to be a dictator. His campaign says he was talking about ‘uniting’ the country, and experts point to his ‘deliberately ambiguous’ speaking style. - "Levitsky’s co-author, Daniel Ziblatt, also a professor of government at Harvard, put a finer point on the significance of Trump’s comment. 'I can’t think of a major candidate for office in any democracy on Earth since at least World War II who speaks in such overtly authoritarian ways,' said Ziblatt. 'Not Victor Orban in Hungary, not Recep Erdogan in Turkey. Nowhere.'"

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-26

Three shot, one fatally, in Shaw neighborhood of Northwest Washington: Police said they are investigating whether the shooting is related to another one a half-hour earlier in Southeast.

His fixer-upper wasn’t perfect. Now the city wants to auction it off.: As building inspectors move on blighted and vacant properties, a retired mechanic working on his old house got caught in the sweep.

Trump’s second-term agenda plans a purge of the federal workforce: Trump’s platform calls for firing “rogue bureaucrats.” He and a think tank want to limit civil service protections, allowing in more political appointees.

Top Sinaloa cartel leader taken into U.S. custody alongside son of ‘El Chapo’: Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was fooled into boarding a U.S.-bound private plane with Joaquin Guzmán, El Chapo’s son, who was also detained, a DHS official said.

Mexico wasn’t told of cartel arrests until kingpins were in U.S. custody: The capture of Sinaloa cartel leaders Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López were a historic coup for U.S. agents against a syndicate that’s flooded the United States with fentanyl.

Russia wary of U.S. and France election surprises, especially Kamala Harris: Harris, largely unknown to the Russians, is viewed with alarm.

Massive Park Fire continues spread after start from flaming car, officials say: A man was arrested in connection with California’s largest fire this year after a woman said she saw him push a burning car down a ravine.

What we know about Ronnie Stout, suspect in California’s Park Fire: Butte County authorities say a witness saw Stout push a burning car down a ravine prior to the ignition of what is now California’s biggest fire of the year.

Trump White House was warned sanctions on Venezuela could fuel migration: The internal debate over the policy underscores how U.S. financial measures can sometimes lead to unintended consequences.

Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris for president: The Obamas are the final key leaders in the Democratic Party to unite behind Harris after President Biden ended his bid for a second term.

Harris embarks on sprint to find Democratic running mate: The likely presidential nominee is mulling roughly a dozen potential vice-presidential candidates and plans to make a decision by Aug. 7.

Why no one’s building middle-income housing in American cities - "When residents oppose new construction in their neighborhoods to fight 'luxury housing,' they are fostering the environment in which those very high-rent projects thrive."

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-25

The Breathtaking Emptiness of J.D. Vance: How a Hillbilly Superstar Becomes the Thing He Once Loathed

William & Mary lands $100 million gift to expand marine sciences school: Philanthropist Jane Batten’s donation, the largest in William & Mary history, will fund the university’s coastal and marine sciences school.

U.S. flag set ablaze, 23 arrested as thousands protest Netanyahu’s D.C. visit: Thousands protested in D.C. as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress. Though most marched peacefully, there were some clashes with police. - "Outside Union Station, pro-Palestinian protesters set an American flag ablaze, along with an effigy of Netanyahu, and spray-painted the Christopher Columbus fountain and adjacent Liberty Bell reproduction with messages like 'Free Gaza,' 'All zionists are bastards,' and 'Free Palestine.' Police appeared to hit some demonstrators with a chemical irritant at multiple points during the day." [ed. note: burning the American flag is self-sabotage at work]

‘End of the people’s airline’: Southwest abandons open seating after 53 years: The carrier will end its practice of open seating and offer preferred seating with more legroom.

Refrigerating produce in jars looks great, but it can breed bacteria: Fresh produce has various needs, including air circulation, that a sealed jar won’t provide.

Biden the anti-icon: In his televised address, Biden was pragmatic, muted and self-effacing.

‘The Decameron’ is the best apocalyptic ensemble comedy since ‘Clue’: This is the pandemic show no one knew we needed.

‘Childless cat ladies,’ Jennifer Aniston, and Swifties take on JD Vance: Celebrities including Jennifer Aniston and Whoopi Goldberg cite many reasons women don’t have kids. Others are embracing being a childless cat lady like Taylor Swift.

In Vance’s ‘Hillbilly’ home, his story rings true — but not always his message: JD Vance shaped his image in his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” about his roots in rural Kentucky. Many there question his theories about the White working class. - "In fact, many in Jackson say government help is a key lifeline in a distressed region. At Jackson’s city hall, on a downtown street near closed-up storefronts, Mayor Laura Thomas ticked off the recent run of calamities that have required help from federal agencies: After the steep decline of coal-mining came the pandemic and then two successive historic floods in 2021 and 2022."

Opinion How the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling could really backfire: The recent decision could turn the CIA into a political tool once again. - "The Trump decision thus manages to turn the essence of the Nuremberg trials — that “just following orders” is not a defense to a war crime — on its head: It provides absolute immunity for the president, unqualified authority to pardon in advance underlings who follow illegal orders and no legal accountability for obvious criminal activity."

An online army rises, this time on Kamala Harris’s side: A grassroots network of TikTok creators, energized by the new likely Democratic nominee, are using their skill at playful video collages to build Harris a viral political powerhouse from scratch.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-24

Trump allies crush misinformation research despite Supreme Court loss: High court ruling green-lighting contact between government and tech companies to stymie falsehoods online hasn’t deterred a GOP campaign against academics, nonprofits and tech industry initiatives aimed at addressing their spread.

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT SALMON FROM ITS PACKAGING

Opinion  Libraries can help end the culture wars. That’s why they’re under fire.: Nothing threatens authoritarianism like a quiet place to explore knowledge. - "Many school librarians have quit, exhausted by harassment and even death threats; during the 2021-2022 school year, 35 percent of districts nationwide had no librarian at all."

Harris’s campaign will have to contend with DEI, culture war attacks: In the wake of Biden’s announcement that he would not run for a second term, attacks based on Harris’s racial identity were the most common form of criticism of her on X, according to recent data.

Harris’s ascent fills some Black women with jubilation — and fear: Interviews with more than a dozen Black women revealed excitement as well as concern about Harris’s ability to win at a moment when racism and sexism are palpable.

Scientists find ‘dark oxygen’ being produced from metals on the seafloor: Organisms normally need light to produce oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis.

Sharks test positive for cocaine in Brazil’s drug-polluted waters: Brazilian sharpnose sharks found with cocaine in their livers and muscles highlight the impact of the illegal drug trade on marine life, scientists say.

House GOP leaders ask members to stop making racial attacks against Harris: Almost immediately after President Biden announced Sunday that he was endorsing Harris to replace him on the ticket, Republicans began their offensive against Harris.

J.D. Vance said Kamala Harris has no kids. Stepparents would like a word.: The vice president is stepmother to two children, but that hasn’t stopped her opponents from suggesting she isn’t a real parent.

How ‘carbon cowboys’ are cashing in on protected Amazon forest: A six-month investigation reveals that many carbon credit ventures reap profits from public lands they have no right to and fail to share revenue with those protecting the forest.

Conspiracy theories about Biden’s covid built on years of Trump rhetoric: Top right-wing figures tied together the major news of the past weeks to fuel falsehoods.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-23

How deeply political D.C. reacted when Biden dropped out of presidential race: In the District, where politics has always been king, Biden’s historic decision reverberated across the city.

‘Psychic’ and family of extortionists scam Md. man out of $4.2 million: The deception, prosecutors allege, was part of an elaborate extortion scheme in which the woman and her family netted millions of dollars.

Opinion  Defeating Trump in November will not save democracy: Today’s aspiring autocrats are mobilizing voters to dismantle checks and balances. - "The acknowledgment of gender inequities and the acceptance of formerly proscribed gender identities; the critique of colonialism, racism and xenophobia; the rise of environmentalism — all challenge a cohort that once determined the status quo. The old mainstream culture feels under siege; political entrepreneurs promise to return to old norms, if only they are given the power."

Opinion  Harris has some good VP choices. The best one is Mark Kelly.: The Arizona senator and former astronaut would help inoculate Harris against her greatest vulnerabilities.

Harris packs first rally as Trump retools for new opponent

Trump wants to take over D.C., but can Harris make it the 51st state?: This is a supremely consequential election for Washington, which usually weathers the churn of administrations, but now faces a reckoning in 2024.

You can forage a delicious meal almost anywhere. Here’s how.: Foraging — the act of finding wild, edible food — is a lost art in modern society. It’s time for a revival. [ed. note: this is extractive and also dangerous]

What key-state voters think about Kamala Harris replacing Joe Biden: The Post and GMU’s Schar School asked 152 voters in key states what they think about Harris potentially becoming the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.

Opinion  Yes, ‘Kamala is a cop.’ This time, it could help her win an election.: Harris’s prosecutorial background could be a huge asset.

Opinion  Democrats should not fear running a woman — heck, they should run two: There’s a deep bench of potential female VPs

Bodycam video shows deputy fatally shoot woman who called 911 for help: Sean Grayson, an ex-sheriff’s deputy in Illinois, is charged with murder in the shooting of Sonya Massey as she held a pot of water in her kitchen during a call for help.

$30 million gift will fund center to push for Supreme Court overhaul: Private equity investor Jim Kohlberg will fund research, public outreach and policy advocacy on the Supreme Court, through the Brennan Center for Justice.

Why does China care about a rust bucket in the middle of the sea?: Beijing and Manila have struck a provisional deal to allow the resupply of the dilapidated Sierra Madre in the South China Sea, which has become a potential conflict point.

They wanted to foster a child. Overnight, they got 3: ‘Can we do this?’: “These kids needed a place to live, and they needed to be together,” said PJ McKay, who documents his fatherhood journey with his husband.

Kamala Harris said 19 words in 2018 that taught us all we need to know: Curious about what kind of candidate she’ll be? Her dismantling of Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his confirmation hearing is worth a rewatch. - "'Can you think of any laws,' she asked the nominee, 'that give the government the power to make decisions about the male body?'

...

"But the version of Harris that always struck me as the most authentic and the most reassuring was the one we were introduced to in 2018, when Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick turned up on Capitol Hill with the confidence of an altar boy who’d never before had to account for some missing Communion wine."

Historians say Biden’s withdrawal shows American democracy is working: ‘This is not chaos,’ but the move comes as Americans seem to be losing confidence in their representative democracy — and have differing views of what it means.

Monday, July 22, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-22

Kamala Harris’s first presidential campaign was a failure. Has she changed?: The vice president has learned to communicate better and is facing a much different political landscape, which plays to her strengths, supporters argue.

After Biden’s exit, Zoom led by Black women mobilized 44,000 for Harris: The call, which also raised more than $1.5 million, left women feeling energized and galvanized to support the Vice President’s bid for president.

DNC delegates face unprecedented role of choosing nominee after Biden’s exit: More than 14 million Democratic primary voters cast ballots supporting Biden as the nominee. Now a few thousand of his delegates will pick his replacement, prompting questions about the democratic process.

Trump’s age and health under renewed scrutiny after Biden’s exit: As president, Donald Trump released a report that experts said showed he had heart disease and was obese. But as a candidate, he has refused to release bloodwork results, his weight or other key information.

RFK Jr. sought job in a Trump White House as he weighed endorsing Trump: The independent candidate suggested being given a senior job overseeing a portfolio of health and medical issues, an idea that the Trump campaign rejected. - "Trump and Kennedy’s private effort to cut a deal with each other contrasts with Kennedy’s public opposition to a second term for Trump or President Biden, who on Sunday bowed out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Harris."

Opinion Biden flips the script — and Republicans forget their lines: It’s a disoriented GOP that must ask: What now?

What coconut trees and Charli XCX’s ‘Brat’ have to do with Kamala Harris: A Vice President Harris line – “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” – is all over social media paired with a Charli XCX “Brat” song this summer.

GOP eyes legal challenges as Harris assumes control of Biden’s war chest: The issue, involving tens of millions of dollars, could get tied up in the Federal Election Commission and then in court.

Most birds avoid hurricanes. This species chases them, scientists say.: A study found that Desertas petrels, rare seabirds that live on a Portuguese island, follow hurricanes for days to search for prey in the Atlantic Ocean.

Venezuela’s presidential election: How to run against an autocrat: Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, trailing challenger Edmundo González in polls, has stepped up repression ahead of what he pledged would be a free and fair election.

Opinion  Hey, corporate greed is gone! Just look at the price of a Big Mac.: Consumer spending data provides an economics lesson, with a side of fries.

Opinion  Are Democrats really going to do this?: Democrats’ rush to Kamala Harris bypasses the question of who has the best chance of beating Trump. [ed. note: Trump apologist]

‘Call Me Baseball’: Carly Rae Jepsen threw postgame party at Nationals Park: Thousands of the pop star’s fans took in a baseball game Friday, blending with a typical Nats crowd for a buoyant summer night at the ballpark.

Melting on Minnesota Avenue: A relentless struggle against record heat: D.C. first responders know well this stretch of Minnesota Avenue between the Deanwood and Anacostia neighborhoods.

A Chinese actor was enslaved in a compound running online scams: The United Nations estimated in a report last August that more than 200,000 people are being forced to work as scammers in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

Netanyahu goes to Washington in the shadow of Middle East disaster: The Israeli prime minister is poised to address Congress with months of trauma and ruin looming behind him, and a murky political future ahead of him.

How can I get healthier hair? Here’s what the science says.: Washing less frequently and using “sulfate-free” products can help protect your scalp microbiome.

Biden dropped out. This is how it happened.: The president had all but made up his mind Saturday night to bow out of the race and endorse Kamala Harris as his successor.

She called 911. The deputy who responded is charged with murdering her.: Prosecutors say an ex-sheriff’s deputy in Illinois, Sean Grayson, shot Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman, in the face in her kitchen and failed to render aid.

Reading archive 2024-07-21

In this city, people say Russia must defeat Ukraine and the West at any cost

Lack of motive in Trump attack frustrates public, but fits a pattern: Terrorism analysts say Trump’s would-be assassin is among a string of high-profile assailants with unknown or murky reasons for turning violent.

Tossing Trump’s case was risky for Judge Cannon — at least for now: Judge Aileen Cannon sidestepped key legal rulings to find that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed to investigate Donald Trump.

Opinion  For Joe Biden, who never gave up: In a political career of more than half a century, he never stopped looking for one more hand to shake.

School turned him liberal. His mom loves Fox News. Will their bond survive?: After a mother sent her son to a new school, his views shifted left — bringing the nation’s political division home.

Opinion  China was home for 25 years, but I can’t go back. Here’s why.: Foreigners are frequently detained in the country over a commercial dispute or debt.

Friday, July 19, 2024

Thursday, July 18, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-18

Buzzard Point is emerging on D.C. waterfront: Development continues as the neighborhood begins taking shape.

U-Va. bans second fraternity following hazing allegations: Investigators found new members got sick after being forced to eat a “mixture of heinous/unknown items and habanero peppers."

Gunman’s Phone Had Details About Both Trump and Biden, F.B.I. Officials Say: The disclosure, during private briefings to lawmakers in the House and Senate, offered more details from the early stages of the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. - "Among the other prominent figures the gunman searched for using one of his phones, besides Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, were the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray; Attorney General Merrick B. Garland; and a member of the British royal family, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter publicly."

Maryland wants invasive fish out of the water — and on your dinner table: As northern snakehead and blue catfish continue to proliferate, the state is trying to get more people to eat them.

How fracking could unlock a clean energy future: Technology pioneered by the oil and gas industry is fueling a new type of carbon-free power plant.

DONALD TRUMP’S FIRST TERM IS A WARNING

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-17

Opinion  How Baltimore made its Inner Harbor (almost) swimmable: Baltimore has improved the quality of its public waterways. Other cities can, too.

Opinion Off the record, I am resigned to the Big Bad Wolf: Look, if I lived in a straw house myself, I would be very concerned. - "Do I think that if enough of us stepped forward instead of just sitting backward, we could figure out a strategy to stop him? Sure! I would gladly join a courageous majority of people who were stepping forward, provided that the majority was already assembled by somebody else."

‘Betrayed’: Unions, White House irate over Teamsters president’s RNC speech: One Teamsters executive board member said he was “embarrassed” by Sean O’Brien’s speech at the Republican National Convention. - "Biden secured a pension bailout that restored retirement accounts for around 350,000 Teamsters members, appointed staunchly pro-labor allies to the National Labor Relations Board and instituted labor requirements for federal contracts. The backlash against O’Brien’s speech reflects the high stakes of the 2024 presidential election for the nation’s labor movement, which fears Trump will undo these policies."

Dow soars more than 700 points to close at another record high: Strong earnings reports and expectations the Federal Reserve will cut rates are driving the rally.

‘Economic nationalism’ at the RNC clashes with Trump’s pitch to donors: Even as Donald Trump woos unions at the convention, he has continued to make clear that he views himself as the best choice for billionaires and big business. - "In an interview with Bloomberg published Tuesday, Trump also called for cutting the corporate tax rate to 15 percent from 21 percent — something some of his advisers have said he would not try to do — while suggesting he could pick JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, a billionaire, for treasury secretary."

Many Republicans don’t align with new messages at GOP convention: Trump Republicans have come to expect all-you-can-eat red meat and conservatism. They might be surprised at the menu this week in Milwaukee.

D.C. online sports betting is suspended amid budget uncertainty: Sports gamblers in Washington woke up Tuesday to find that their lone mobile option was not operational.

D.C. restaurant Swahili Village must pay $526,000 in wage theft case: The Kenyan fine-dining restaurant allegedly failed to pay overtime, distribute tips or provide sick leave for several years.

Again: Polls are not going to make Democrats’ case on Biden: That holds true for those who want to keep him as president and those who don’t.

Opinion Trump to D.C.: I’ll clean up the graffiti. Gee, thanks, Don!: Trump vows to clean up the capital’s streets and zap crime. Just like when he was president?

Red Cross revokes lifeguard credentials over ‘substandard’ training at Md. club: The D.C.-based nonprofit took the rare step of permanently banning two instructors, including a private school swimming coach, after learning of a truncated course at a Bethesda country club.

Hogan outpaces Alsobrooks in fundraising, while super PAC amasses more: A super PAC created days after Hogan launched his Senate bid has stockpiled more than $15 million.

Gold bar scammers bilk nearly $1M from Maryland woman, police say: Gold bar fraud trend involves parcels of precious metals, parking lot meet-ups and fake federal agents. - "In the case involving Weng, police say, a man posing as an 'undercover agent' met the victim at a Wendy’s restaurant on May 3 and took possession of $266,948.75 worth of gold bars. The scammers then convinced her to buy several hundred thousand dollars more in gold bars, met her at a shopping center, and stole it, according to police.

"Still on the hook, and still scared she would lose her savings if she didn’t act, the woman purchased $2.55 million more in gold bars from a company based in Massachusetts. But she grew suspicious, police say, and the new gold orders were stopped before they were shipped." [ed. note: better late than never]

Former DCist staff launch the 51st, new local news site for Washington: The worker-run newsroom will attempt to fill a niche its founders say opened when WAMU closed DCist.

Why scientists are marveling at a potential spade-toothed whale sighting: If scientists confirm the creature belongs to the rare species, it will mark only the seventh such specimen ever studied.

LGBTQ flags and quinoa: The liberal Va. enclave where J.D. Vance lives: One resident said he’s okay with the senator living in the neighborhood because “it says a lot about Del Ray — he picked a place that’s a great place to live.” - "'He railed against the liberal elites and then he picked the wealthy liberal neighborhood outside D.C. to bring up his kids,' said Kreutzer, 35, a commercial real estate broker who lives a few doors away. 'He’s more aligned, truly, with people like me than he is with your typical Trump voter.'"

They love Trump. They reject that Biden inspired the rally shooting.: Top Republicans, including running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, blamed the president. But those who live near the tragedy see different culprits.

Firefighter Corey Comperatore’s widow refused Biden call after Trump rally shooting: ‘Didn’t want to talk to him’ - "She said the former president has not reached out — but Biden’s call wasn’t welcome."

Opinion Let Ukraine fly its jets from ‘sanctuary bases’ on NATO territory: For too long, Russia has benefited from Western fears of escalation. It’s time to turn the tables.

Mike Lindell won’t give it a rest: The pillow magnate, blanketed by legal and financial woes, is doubling down on Donald Trump.

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-16

His family sought answers for 3 years. Now police think he was killed.: Zack Freeling was found shot to death in his D.C. home in 2021. Now the medical examiner has ruled the case a homicide.

Tortured by rat infestation, they’re fighting rodents — and their landlords: Residents at a pricey Washington, D.C., building say the rodent invasion has left them exhausted, scared and demanding answers from building management.

This butterfly went extinct. That’s not the end of the story.: The Xerces blue butterfly vanished from San Francisco in the 1940s. Scientists just released dozens of butterflies from a related species to take its place. - "While the group that bears the butterfly’s name did not oppose the project, 'we do not see it as a priority when there is so little funding for insect conservation,' said Scott Black, [Xerces] executive director. 

"'We should invest limited funding in the protection of and habitat restoration for the butterfly species that are currently facing extinction rather than introducing a common species into new areas,' Black added."

Call it what you want. Iowa's climate reckoning is here.: The extreme effects of climate change don’t have a political party. Heat waves, powerful storms, or devastating floods don’t care who you vote for or whether you live in a red or blue state.

Housing, once the ticket to wealth in China, is now draining fortunes: Communist Party officials are meeting this week to try to stabilize the slowing Chinese economy. But they’re not tackling the biggest problem: the property crisis.

Dismissal draws new scrutiny to Judge Cannon’s handling of Trump case: Trump-appointed federal judge tossed what many legal scholars considered the strongest criminal case against the former president.

Fact-checking Day 1 of the 2024 Republican National Convention: Speakers made false or misleading claims about border crossings, gas prices, tax cuts, the relative wealth of young Americans and Easter Sunday.

Jan. 6 marchers at Republican convention complicate efforts to avoid subject: Several delegates were in the mob outside the Capitol or involved in organizing alternate electors falsely claiming Donald Trump won in 2020.

Democrats clash over timing of formally nominating Biden: DNC leaders demand a quick virtual nomination ahead of late August convention, sparking pushback. [ed. note: it's Donna Brazile, Howard Dean, and Terry McAuliffe. That's Al Gore's campaign manager, the Scream Heard 'Round the World, and the guy who lost to Glenn Youngkin]

DeSantis-stacked panel approves ‘dirty trick’ language for abortion referendum: The language states that Florida’s abortion referendum will “negatively impact the state budget” if passed.

Biden, addressing NAACP, bashes Trump in bid to move beyond age questions: President seizes on recent news about Trump in an effort to return to his original plan: make the election a referendum on his opponent.

Biden set to announce support for major Supreme Court changes: Plans include proposals for legislation to establish term limits for the justices and an enforceable ethics code.

Monday, July 15, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-15

Savannah Bananas pack Nationals Park with their unique brand of baseball: “Keep it fun, keep it quick”: The barnstorming Bananas brought 42,000 to Nationals Park on Saturday night.

Man killed, woman injured after vigil for Wise High School crash victims: Gunfire broke out at the school in Prince George’s County after a ceremony for three former athletes.

These essential oils have science-backed health benefits: Research has found that peppermint, lavender and tea tree oils can help treat certain health conditions. The claims behind others, such as citronella and rose, are lacking in evidence.

Trump’s classified-documents case dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon: The Florida judge accepted a long-shot legal argument, embraced by conservatives, that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed.

How to avoid falling for misinformation and conspiracy theories: There’s a flood of real, misleading and fake breaking news and information online. Proceed with caution.

Even Donald Trump can’t shift the momentum of Trumpism: Trump’s allies were quick to blame his critics for this weekend’s assassination attempt, while Trump pledged a new dawn. The former impulse is likely to prevail. - "This idea that Trump has the opportunity to reform his approach to politics and/or unify the nation is as old as Trump’s career as a national politician. And, sure, maybe this time it will happen, who knows? But after he won the election in 2016, he claimed that he would seek to unify the country. That quickly manifested as an insistence that Americans should rally around his presidency and his policies."

J.D. Vance pick unnerves GOP’s business elite, thrills populists: Ohio senator leads GOP faction sharply breaking with party ideology on free markets, trade and other policies - "“What they’re trying to do is tap into white working-class cultural and social signifiers, while doing as little as possible to actually reduce incomes at the top and actually redistribute them down. It’s a delicate game they play,” said Matt Bruenig, co-founder of the People’s Policy Project, which advances left-wing policies."

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-14

Opinion A foreign policy that sees the world: I coined the term “progressive realism.” What does it mean? - "The trouble with Biden’s Manichaean mantra begins with the fact that it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. The sanctioning of autocratic and authoritarian nations naturally drives them into closer linkage with one another, reinforcing the Western perception that they represent a monolithic, ideologically motivated threat, a perception that can then lead to more sanctions, still closer linkage, and so on." [ed. note: Biden didn't corner China into supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine; China has done that all on its own. But otherwise a very comepelling read]

Trump rally shooter Thomas Crooks appears to have acted alone, FBI says: A “rudimentary” explosive device was discovered in his car, but agents see no immediate ideology.

‘BlueAnon’ conspiracy theories flood social media after Trump rally shooting: Researchers who track online conspiracies say liberals are increasingly vulnerable to — and generating — QAnon-like bursts of misinformation. [ed. note: also covers Republican conspiracy theories]

Opinion How Stanford can do away with campus antisemitism: Restoring a culture of tolerance at U.S. universities will require confronting painful realities.

As Gambia weighs end to genital-cutting ban, this girl was cut behind mother’s back: The West African country could become the first in the world to overturn a prohibition on female genital mutilation.

Reading archive 2024-07-13

Opinion  Biden remains in denial. He needs to come to grips with reality.: The time has come for the president’s allies to have a candid conversation with him.

‘Everyone is drinking it’: Why this type of ‘forever chemical’ seems to be everywhere: Scientists are beginning to focus on new types of “forever chemicals” that are far more widespread than earlier realized.

In a first, sea-level rise drove a cactus to extinction in U.S.: The Key Largo tree cactus is first plant of its kind to go extinct in the United States from sea-level rise, scientists say.

Jeffries delivers message from House Democrats to Biden: Democratic fretting over the president’s ability to win was widespread on Capitol Hill this week.

Trump allies immediately blame Biden, Democrats for spurring shooting: Supporters argued that Democratic portrayals of Trump as a threat to democracy led to the violence, though the shooter’s motive was not apparent at the time of their remarks.

Friday, July 12, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-12

He went viral after signing with the Nats. Now he’s a star for the Savannah Bananas.: RobertAnthony Cruz will make his Nats Park debut on Saturday, when the exhibition barnstorming team visits Washington.

Video of Fetterman crash aftermath released by Maryland police: Maryland State Police officers who responded to a car crash involving Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) discussed how the lawmaker was speeding when he collided with another vehicle, according to body-camera footage.

Opinion Are we really going to give Trump a pass? C’mon, man.: The national discussion needs to shift back to where it should be: on Trump’s fitness for office.

Opinion The real reason the frenzy over Biden is so unsettling: The herd-like reversal of certain institutions on Biden’s abilities reflects a loss of political freedom. - "This is a fight over power more than values, and it’s driven by fear more than reason, on both sides. Part of me wants to see Biden overpowered as a comeuppance for his hubris and egotism. But part of me wants to see Biden overpower the noisy hysterics who closed ranks around him out of fear and are now fleeing for the same reason."

RFK Jr. sent text apologizing to woman who accused him of sexual assault: The woman called the unsolicited late-night message “disingenuous and arrogant.”

In its third life, D.C. office building becomes first housing conversion: Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) joined developer Gary Cohen to cut the ribbon at the Elle, which was formerly home to the U.S. Peace Corps.

D.C. gets mixed grades for its handling of the NATO summit: Commuters bemoaned traffic and some businesses lost revenue, but at least one biker said it was easy to navigate the city.

Friends remember D.C. woman killed by tree: ‘Effortless, elegant’: Sarah Noah, 35, of Southeast, was found pinned beneath a large branch in Garfield Park and was not conscious or breathing when D.C. police arrived Wednesday.

Who killed the Kennedys? The Rolling Stones won’t tell you anymore.: The rock legends stopped singing a sinister lyric from “Sympathy for the Devil.” Why?

Surprised by Tony P’s NATO video? He was too.: The 25-year-old Instagram influencer shrugs off the naysayers and says he just wanted to help.

He wanted to focus on issues students cared about. Then the crises began.: Sami Saeed, 18, became Montgomery County’s student board member during one of its hardest years.

After 4-month trial, jury finds 3 men guilty in killing of 13-year-old: Malachi Lukes was walking to play basketball with his friends in Shaw when prosecutors say several men sprayed the area with bullets in a turf war. - "Freeman’s attorney told Judge Rainey Brandt that his client wants to be sentenced under the District’s Youth Rehabilitation Act, a controversial city law that gives individuals 25 years of age or younger at the time of their crime a chance to receive a lighter sentence and have their criminal records sealed should they successfully complete probation." [ed. note: god help us]

‘Black Pill’ is a disturbing look at how ‘meme magic’ captured the GOP: Elle Reeve’s deeply reported book explores the slippery irony and dangerous absurdities at the heart of what was once the alt-right and is now Trump’s Republican Party.

Opinion About time: Senators demand special counsel to investigate Clarence Thomas: For once, Attorney General Merrick Garland should act quickly.

This Trader Joe’s seasoning is a hot item. In South Korea, it’s illegal.: Jars of Everything But the Bagel seasoning are being seized at the airport because they contain poppy seeds, which South Korean law classifies as a narcotic.

U.S., Germany foiled Russian plot to assassinate CEO of arms manufacturer, officials say: Armin Papperger is the head of Rheinmetall, a major German arms manufacturer that has been a key supplier of artillery shells and tanks for Ukraine.

Russia vows response if U.S. puts longer-range missiles in Germany: A Kremlin spokesman said the stationing of Tomahawk and hypersonic weapons in Europe was a “very serious threat to our national security.”

Opinion Hong Kong is more Chinese, but don’t call it ‘another Chinese city’: As expats leave, officials say they’re unconcerned — but their reaction to criticism says otherwise.

Hawaii isn’t protected by NATO. Some senators are trying to change that.: The archipelago became a state 10 years after NATO was born, but remains outside of the treaty’s geographic scope. - "Article 5 of the treaty states that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all, but Article 6 clarifies that such protections only apply to land, forces, vessels or aircraft north of the Tropic of Cancer. Hawaii, as well as the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico, are south of that line. American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands are also south of the Tropic of Cancer.

...

"He added that any effort to amend the treaty to include Hawaii would be 'unlikely to gain consensus' because other allied nations also have territory outside the geographic scope of the agreement. (Martinique, an island in the Caribbean home to nearly 400,000 people, is a French 'overseas department' south of the Tropic of Cancer.) Such a discussion would 'open something of a Pandora’s box,' Blinken said. 'I’m not sure that we could get there.'"

Inside the glitzy fundraiser where Biden lost George Clooney: Some donors who attended the June 15 event at L.A.’s Peacock Theater said this week that they noticed Biden seemed slow. He seemed frail. As he greeted donors lined up for photos, he trailed off or spoke too quietly to be heard.

Reading archive 2024-07-11

Butterflies at wedding moved bride to tears. Soon strangers were weeping too.: “It was just the craziest thing to watch,” said photographer Brit Perkins. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Kenyan police begin patrols, but Haiti’s gangs are unperturbed: Haitians are growing frustrated at the lack of action or an apparent plan to take on the heavily armed criminals.

Inflation eased further in June, helping cement path to rate cuts: Fed watchers increasingly think a first cut could come in September -- as long as the data continues to cooperate.

Is a hazy 2-point shift enough to warrant dumping Biden?: Baked-in views and incremental shifts add to uncertainty about November — and give the president cover.

Most Democrats want Biden to drop out, but overall race is static, poll finds: More than half of Democrats say Biden should end his candidacy. Overall, 2 in 3 adults say the president should step aside, including more than 7 in 10 independents.

From burn scar to wetland: After wildfires destroyed Lahaina, the battle to restore an ancient ecosystem will shape the town’s future.

Outrage in China after reports of fuel tankers transporting cooking oil: Multiple investigations are underway after revelations that tanker trucks used for carrying chemicals and waste then carried edible oil — without being cleaned.

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-10

Double-murder case dismissed after errors by judge, prosecutors: The order left relatives of the victims feeling they had been denied justice. Legal experts called the decision a teaching tool.

These GOP women begged the party to abandon abortion. Then came backlash.: The fight waged at the Texas Republican Convention highlights the deep divisions on abortion within the Republican Party.

Woman killed by falling tree limb in D.C. park, authorities say: Emergency personnel were called at about 7:30 a.m. to Garfield Park in Southeast, where they found a tree on top of the woman.

U.S. marshal shoots teen in carjacking attempt near Sotomayor home, police say: A deputy U.S. marshal wounded an 18-year-old who tried to carjack him near the home of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, according to authorities and court documents.

Fed up with tourists, Barcelona protesters blast them with water guns: Locals marched and delivered a manifesto on tourism’s cost-of-living impact, the latest backlash against a global travel surge since the end of pandemic limits.

Yellowstone gunman allegedly threatened mass shooting on July 4: Police killed a Florida man who was firing a semiautomatic rifle at a lodge with roughly 200 people inside.

Black man dies, crying for help, after hotel guards pin him down, video shows: Milwaukee police are investigating the killing of Dvontaye Mitchell, whose death has drawn comparisons to George Floyd’s.

Why a New Conservative Brain Trust Is Resettling Across America: Pro-Trump professionals aren’t just talking about remaking Western civilization. Some are uprooting their lives to show that they mean it.

Copenhagen’s new sustainability push? Free coffee for tourists.: An initiative from Copenhagen’s tourism office offers perks for visitors who pick up trash or take public transportation.

Russia orders arrest of Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Putin’s nemesis: Russia’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Navalnaya on the same day India’s prime minister was visiting Moscow sent a loud message to Putin’s critics, including in Washington.

NATO leaders move to ‘Trump-proof’ the alliance in Washington: Fears that the former president could soon be back in the White House have NATO leaders looking to lock in support for Ukraine — and the alliance itself.

A nuclear accident made Three Mile Island infamous. AI’s needs may revive it.: Closed nuclear power plants are getting a second look amid a surge in demand for electricity from data centers and other customers. - "Some New York experts regret the closure of Indian Point near New York City in 2021 after years of pressure from environmentalists. The state was unable to secure enough clean energy to replace the power it produced, forcing New York to fall back on gas generation. Emissions surged, according to Environmental Protection Agency data."

A stinging portrait of just how badly the Kennedy men treated women: Maureen Callahan’s “Ask Not” delivers damning details about the exploits of three generations of the storied family.

GOP jump-starts 2024 election challenges with Trump-inspired lawsuits: Democrats view the lawsuits as legally frivolous but still damaging to public confidence and a potential precursor to efforts to overturn the vote

Opinion Rural America is vanishing. This tiny county is fighting back.: Tensions between development and rural character are playing out across the country. - "But Supervisor Gary Deal lectured constituents that they 'have to understand that we have to plan for the future.' That future, he said, involves millions of dollars in tax revenue from data centers. 'We have a low tax rate right now,' Deal acknowledged, but he thinks Culpeper can 'even do better.'" [ed. note: destroying the countryside in hopes of further lowering taxes, yikes]

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-09

Russian missile attack kills 37 in Ukraine, hits children’s hospital: Among those killed in Monday’s attack were three children, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Another year of heat and floods spurs China’s climate-change awakening: Beijing has made adapting to extreme weather a policy priority, and weather officials issued an unusually direct warning about the intensifying heat and rainfall.

Opinion America’s best recession indicator is flashing yellow: The economy looks great now, but a seemingly trivial rise in unemployment contains a warning sign.

‘Hawk Tuah Girl’ found a familiar path to viral fame. What happens now?: After a bawdy declaration in an online video clip in June, Haliey Welch could capitalize on her newfound attention in a number of ways. Or not.

A billionaire is boosting a major defamation lawsuit against Fox News: LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, a longtime funder of left-leaning causes, has invested in Smartmatic, the election technology company suing conservative media outlets over false claims of 2020 vote-rigging.

Ukrainian attacks on supply lines slowed Russians in Kharkiv, intercepts show: Russian troops invading Ukraine’s Kharkiv region are short of food and water, Ukrainian soldiers say, citing intercepted communications and interrogations of POWs.

Opinion The words about Joe Biden I never wanted to write: It’s hard to acknowledge that those who worried about Biden’s age may have been right all along.

Divided France enters uncharted political territory after historic vote: While an alliance of leftist parties came in first, with more than 180 seats, it is politically divided and needs 100 additional seats for a majority.

Guilty: Inside the high-risk, historic prosecution of a school shooter’s parents: A Post reporter embedded with Michigan prosecutors as they pursued homicide charges against Jennifer and James Crumbley, whose son killed four students at Oxford High.

Officials plan to kill 450K invasive owls that are endangering native owls: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to kill about 450,000 invasive barred owls to save spotted owls in the Pacific Northwest.

The ‘dad bod’ is not inevitable, even if evolution helped make it happen: Lower testosterone can drive a less toned physique. Pushing back should be less about perfection and more about men remembering to take care of themselves.

Modi bear-hugs Putin in Moscow, marking deep ties between Russia and India: Despite Washington’s efforts to woo Prime Minister Narendra Modi and isolate President Vladimir Putin, the visit shows continuing close relations between their countries.

Opinion Trump says he knows ‘nothing’ about his party’s dystopian plans. Right.: It’s preposterous for Trump to feign ignorance of Project 2025, conceived by his closest advisers.

Biden is seeing a different world than other Democrats: At his rallies, he is embraced by enthusiastic crowds. Outside, others in the party want him to step aside.

D.C. Council passes emergency measure to curb teen truancy: The measure will pilot a new approach to keeping kids in class at five high schools this upcoming academic year.

U.S. sailor sought access to Biden’s medical records, Navy says: Military officials said that the incident occurred months ago and that the president’s personal information was never compromised.

Reading archive 2024-07-08

Debate brings scrutiny of whether aides shielded signs of Biden’s aging: President, aides grapple with accusations they strongly reject that they were not candid with the public about how his age affected his ability to do the job.

Students Target Teachers in Group TikTok Attack, Shaking Their School: Seventh and eighth graders in Malvern, Pa., impersonating their teachers posted disparaging, lewd, racist and homophobic videos in the first known mass attack of its kind in the U.S.

After a four-year debate, Northern Va. community moves to save farmland: Loudoun County has wrestled since 2020 over how to save prime farm soil in rural areas undergoing development without harming a popular land conservation program.

Connect Kennedy Center to the National Mall? It’s urban planners’ dream.: Urban planners have long wanted to redesign the area between the National Mall and the Kennedy Center. Now they’ve drawn up a plan for what it might look like.

THE DROWNING SOUTH: A RISING FORTRESS IN SINKING LAND: A massive sea wall around a Louisiana gas facility poses a question: How far will the fossil fuel industry go to protect itself from climate impacts it helped cause?

Two dead, one injured after police pursuit in Maryland ends in D.C.: Anne Arundel County police and U.S. Park Police pursued a vehicle authorities suspected was connected to multiple robberies into the District.

As Biden digs in, another elected Democrat calls on him to exit race: Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), who is in a competitive race, on Saturday morning called on Biden to drop out.

Biden scrambles to head off defections on Capitol Hill as lawmakers return: Members of Congress are back in Washington for a pivotal week in Biden’s fight for survival.

What would happen if Russia detonated a nuclear bomb in space?

Opinion It’s not fair, Mr. President, but it’s reality: His interview with George Stephanopoulos did nothing to reassure people worried about a Biden defeat.

Opinion Biden has a new outsider strategy. Can he pull it off?: The president’s new approach could work — if he can manage not to prove the “elites” right.

There’s real danger in digging deep holes on a sandy beach: Experts recommend never digging a hole deeper than the knee height of the shortest person in your group — with two feet being the maximum depth. - "Experts recommend never digging a hole deeper than the knee height of the shortest person in your group — with two feet being the maximum depth."

France’s Jordan Bardella, the immigrant’s son who would target migrants: If his party wins Sunday’s election, Bardella would become France’s first far-right head of government since World War II.

Watching Biden, many see the heartbreaking indignities of aging: “Painful and sad: Those were my two words,” said Jean Moelter, 63, a retired high school English teacher from River Falls, Wis.

Debate brings scrutiny of whether aides shielded signs of Biden’s aging: President, aides grapple with accusations they strongly reject that they were not candid with the public about how his age affected his ability to do the job.

A Frenchie was taken at gunpoint. His owner set up a sting to get it back.: The dog’s owner said she invited those demanding money for her beloved Yurman to meet her at a pizza shop, then told police about it.

A crash, a gun down the drain and a killing on K Street — but no arrests: A downtown restaurant owner admitted to washing away evidence in the deadly shooting of a man who family members say was killed trying to look out for his friend.

Saturday, July 6, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-03 through 2024-07-05

D.C. Council Bills Seek to Address Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy: A bill from Mayor Bowser directs the attorney general to file criminal charges in cases where a student misses 25 days of school.

Vatican excommunicates Archbishop Viganò for refusing to recognize Pope Francis: In a rare trial, the Vatican acted against Carlo Maria Viganò, a former ambassador to the U.S. and one of Pope Francis’s most vociferous internal critics.

Opinion Who’s the least bad choice to be Trump’s VP?: Of three top contenders, J.D. Vance would be terrible, Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum possibly much better.

She took on a small Mississippi town’s police. Then they arrested her.: How civil rights lawyer Jill Collen Jefferson convinced the Justice Department to investigate allegedly racist and abusive policing in tiny Lexington, Miss.

A shift in how Democrats talk about Biden’s dropping out: It’s subtle, but it’s unmistakable. While the Biden campaign says this isn’t on the table, big-name Democrats suggest it should be.

Justice Dept. plans to pursue Trump cases past Election Day, even if he wins: If Donald Trump is elected president, the finish line for federal prosecutors is Inauguration Day, not Election Day, people familiar with the discussions said

Opinion Some fun ideas for Louisiana classroom walls: The Louisiana law mandating the commandments’ display fails to further historical education.

One year in, Threads hasn’t overtaken X. Meta still thinks it can.: The goal is to build “a less angry place for people to share their ideas,” Instagram chief Adam Mosseri says. Not everyone’s happy about that.

Doing Nothing About Biden Is the Riskiest Plan of All

This Isn’t All Joe Biden’s Fault - "But rather than act as a check on Biden’s decisions and ambitions, the party has become an enabler of them. An enforcer of them. It is giving the American people an option they do not want and then threatening them with the end of democracy if they do not take it." [ed. note: the party is right, but voters are morons]

Joe Biden should drop out: Denying Joe Biden's decline has put Democrats in a terrible position.

Trump advisers hope Biden stays in race, as they eye alternate scenarios: After dismissing suggestions the president could withdraw, the Trump campaign is beginning to consider having to tweak its message.

Democrats begin to consider Harris at the top of their ticket: Several party leaders suggest that if Biden steps aside, Harris would have to be his replacement.

Biden faces growing political crisis over response to debate performance: The president has told allies in recent days that he is in a tough moment and that he has to prove to voters that he is up for the job.

Biden’s aging is seen as accelerating; lapses described as more common Aides, foreign officials, members of Congress and donors say: President Biden has seemed slower and more often loses his train of thought in recent months, though close aides insist he remains mentally sharp.

Why More French Youth Are Voting for the Far Right: Most young people in France usually don’t vote or they back the left. That is still true, but support has surged for the far right, whose openly racist past can feel to them like ancient history.

The short answer on office shorts: No: Ask yourself these questions before you free your knees.

Why scientists think they may finally have found a way to recycle clothes: It’s almost impossible to turn old threads into new clothes, but scientists are working to change that.

Tempers flare as Trump reviews revised abortion plank for Republican platform: The former president wants the platform to endorse leaving the issue to the states rather than a federal ban in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s demise.

Business leaders, pro-Democracy activists send letter asking Biden to withdraw: The letter sent to the White House is the latest outreach from the donor and activist community pushing for a new nominee after the president’s debate performance.

Sen. Mark Warner works to gather Senate Democrats to ask Biden to exit race: There’s increasing sentiment among Democratic senators that President Biden cannot stay in the race.

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-02

Petition to change D.C. elections gets thousands of signatures. What’s next?: If enough signatures are found to be valid, Initiative 83 would appear on the November ballot — and if voters approve it, I-83 could shake up D.C. elections.

Biden team courts skittish Democrats as path to replace him narrows: The president and his aides signal their intent to push ahead as the party anxiously awaits the post-debate polls.

Judges order hate groups to pay millions for 2017 Charlottesville rally: More than a dozen of the nation’s most prominent white supremacists and hate groups owe about $9.7 million in damages, attorney’s fees and costs.

Manchin threatened to break with Biden before senior Democrats intervened: “Nobody wants to be the first one to knife Julius Caesar,” one Democratic Party official said.

What conservative justices said about immunity — before giving it to Trump: Most of them assured Americans that a president isn’t “above the law.” Some went further. - "'In the majority’s view, while all other citizens of the United States must do their jobs and live their lives within the confines of criminal prohibitions, the President cannot be made to do so; he must sometimes be exempt from the law’s dictates depending on the character of his conduct,' Jackson wrote.

"'Indeed,' she added, 'the majority holds that the President, unlike anyone else in our country, is comparatively free to engage in criminal acts in furtherance of his official duties.'

Monday, July 1, 2024

Reading archive 2024-07-01

In head lice outbreaks, ‘selfies’ may be a surprising culprit: Getting close for group selfies could give lice an opportunity to crawl from one head to another, as they cannot jump or fly.

Opinion Denmark’s model for assimilation: Send in the bulldozers: The Danish plan has drawn criticism as ethnic discrimination. Others in Europe may be watching.

D.C. police respond to 6 shootings and a stabbing in 12-hour period: Two people were killed and seven were injured in the seven incidents.

No charges in fatal fight outside of D.C. restaurant: Vivek Taneja’s family says he was attacked while defending himself and his friends; prosecutors assert Taneja was the initial aggressor.

He never saw himself as disadvantaged. Then the government had him write an essay.: It had never occurred to Curtis Joachim to blame racism for his professional setbacks until an SBA application forced him to think differently about his life.

The most religious, and religiously diverse, places in America: This week, we mine the U.S. Religious Census, a decennial count of America’s faithful, for insights into the geography of religious devotion. We also compare people’s claims on church attendance to their actual behavior.

Russia’s devastating glide bombs keep falling on its own territory: Internal Russian documents show how often its glide bombs hit its own territory, likely due to faulty guidance systems, say experts.

What Taiwan is learning from the war in Ukraine: For the Taiwanese public, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has revealed the dangers at their own doorstep, said Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in Washington.

Opinion God save us from this dishonorable court: An egregious, unconscionable ruling on presidential immunity from the Supreme Court. - "Sotomayor was similarly apocalyptic. 'With fear for our democracy, I dissent,' she closed her dissent. Both Sotomayor and Jackson abandoned the customary 'respectfully' — for good reason."

Justice Sotomayor dissent: ‘The President is now a king above the law’: Liberal justices said the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling makes even corrupt presidents immune from criminal prosecution.

Opinion The Trump immunity decision isn’t the end of democracy — but it is bad: The Supreme Court’s opinion is much bigger than Trump.

Opinion Biden’s 2024 survival requires a lot more than hope: If the president falls significantly behind in polls, the party must intervene and find alternative candidates.