Reading archive 2025-12-18

The lasting impact of Trump’s federal surge on one D.C. neighborhood

Why U.S. and Chinese satellites are ‘dogfighting’ in orbit

Dan Bongino announces he is leaving FBI deputy director job in January: Bongino told colleagues more than a week ago that he would not be returning to Washington headquarters this year, according to people familiar with the matter.

Jack Smith defends his cases against Trump during hours-long deposition: Former special counsel Jack Smith was giving a closed-door deposition to the House Judiciary Committee. He had asked to testify in public.

Fast, harsh, alone: Trump beams into prime time with uncertain results: Supporters said they’d never seen Trump like this before and wondered if he’d achieved his purpose of assuaging concerns about the economy.

The Most Scathing Book Reviews of 2025 "Historians will study how bad this book is."

What I’ve learned by mapping the impacts of NIH cuts: The effects have been widespread but could have been worse — and may yet be - "NIH-funded research contributed to more than 99% of FDA-approved drugs between 2010 and 2019."

The Worsening Geopolitics of Water in the Middle East

Iran president says capital move now a necessity as water crisis deepens

Rare sight of mother polar bear adopting a cub captured by camera: A polar bear mother was seen with one cub in the spring — but by fall she had adopted a second, according to Canadian researchers.

Democrats will not release the autopsy of their 2024 loss: Party leaders hope to avoid contentious fights over the party’s failing as it attempts to reboot for the 2026 midterms.