Reading archive 2026-07-31

A new Colorado River plan requires water cuts for three states. Deeper cuts are still possible.: Arizona, California and Nevada will be required to curb their use of the water from the river by a combined 20 percent over the next two years, according to three officials. - "In the Upper Basin, home to the snowcapped mountains and winding tributaries that feed the river, there are few reservoirs to provide long-term water storage, leaving users reliant on natural flows. That means the Upper Basin takes an automatic cut during dry years, officials argue. They say responsibility for restoring water to Lakes Powell and Mead should fall on the Lower Basin states that use them. 

"Yet about three-quarters of the people who depend on the Colorado live in the Lower Basin. The region is also home to major cities and sprawling farms that provide most of the nation’s winter vegetable supply. Officials from these states say they have already curbed their water consumption by millions of acre feet in recent years. Overuse of the river is universal, they argue, and so too is responsibility for saving it."

Airports, nursing homes and schools brace for disruption without Haitian workers: The Trump administration and courts are at odds over whether about 350,000 Haitians have officially lost humanitarian protections, but employers are already letting workers go.

Why 600,000 Mosquitoes Are Being Released in DC This Summer: A Silver Spring pest control company is releasing mosquitoes that don't bite, to stop the ones that do.

Bowser, warning of $837M ‘fiscal cliff,’ declines to sign D.C. budget: It’s not a veto, but it’s the mayor’s way of voicing her disapproval with the D.C. Council.

New report details ‘prolonged, systemic breakdown’ in D.C. crime reporting: The report comes amid internal and external probes into a wide-ranging crime data manipulation scandal.

Inside the deal to clinch Lindsey Graham’s ‘sanctions bill from hell’: The late senator pushed for a bipartisan financial bill that could curb Russia’s main source of income.

Will Maine uproot Susan Collins? I went to a potato festival to find out.: The Senate race pits seniority against a working-class playbook.

What’s tucked inside the Senate’s Russia sanctions bill: Its tariff proposals could affect other countries more than Russia. - "In sum, the legislation gives Trump an awful lot of authority to impose massive tariffs on a number of countries, notably India and China, if they don’t cut off all Russian energy imports. They are unlikely to do so, because both India and China are heavily reliant on Russian energy — all the more since the U.S.-Iran war has reduced oil exports from the Persian Gulf. Trump’s efforts to use 25 percent tariffs to wean India from Russian energy imports already failed last year.

"The problem is that there is nothing to stop Trump from imposing tariffs on any of those countries for some other reason and using the Graham bill as legal justification. He might even use the legislation to go after U.S. allies in Europe and Asia."

Reading archive 2026-07-27

Police vetted dubious allegation only after Buttigieg was separated from children: The Michigan attorney general’s office is investigating how the accusation that prompted the ex-Cabinet secretary’s separation from his 4-year-old twins was handled.

Amid Trump’s unpredictability, a region rises to face China: Governments across the region are assuming more responsibility for their countries’ security. - "No single development is transformative on its own, nor do these arrangements amount to a NATO-style mutual-defense pact. Instead, governments are building a flexible web of overlapping partnerships, logistics planning and intelligence sharing. The result is a more connected, resilient region, better able to respond in a conflict. 

"This restructuring reflects two converging judgments. The first is that Chinese bullying is no longer episodic. Under leader Xi Jinping, Beijing has combined military pressure on Taiwan, maritime coercion against Japan and the Philippines, and economic retaliation against other neighbors. Isolated disputes increasingly look like a broader campaign to bend the region to China’s will.

"The second judgment concerns American predictability. President Donald Trump’s transactional approach to alliances and preference for personal diplomacy with Xi have raised doubts about Washington. The U.S. remains Asia’s indispensable military power. Yet allies are increasingly unwilling to rely on American guarantees alone. Instead, they are investing more heavily in one another and assuming greater responsibility for their own security."

A desert town may run out of water. Others could face the same fate.: An Arizona community nearly dried up and imposed strict limits, and its crisis may be a glimpse of the West’s future.

Napa’s Groundwater: Past, Present, and Future, by Arya Adhye

Ukraine is teaching Russia a lesson. The U.S. should take notes.: Ukrainian drones and rockets have punished underprotected Russian assets on Crimea.

The states that need immigration most? You’d be surprised.: The policy that would help rural states most is one their voters and officials are most likely to resist. - "Employers in rural states have struggled for years to attract and retain workers. Now many of the tightest labor markets in the country are in some of the most rural places. North and South Dakota currently have the two lowest unemployment rates in the nation. These lower numbers reflect not just lower job turnover and better skills matches than the rest of the country, but also difficulty in finding workers. As the latest numbers collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed in December, North and South Dakota each had about two job openings for every unemployed worker.

"This creates a political and economic paradox. The policy most likely to help many of these states gain the workers they need is also the one many of their voters and elected officials are most likely to resist: more legal immigration."

Judges accused of denying Sikh student points in national civics contest: His parents and a congressional caucus questioned the results after the teen’s answers were rejected. [ed. note: guess what the three finalists look like]

Trump’s insult-laden speech to press dinner draws mostly stunned silence: The president addressed a smaller, heavily secured gathering Friday as his administration intensifies its legal and rhetorical attacks on journalists.

Zeus’s Law: Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey - "The Trojan War is challenging to turn into a film, not just because of the scale involved and the inevitable risk of camp and corniness, but because the characters are so unlikeable in the the original. Indeed, one joy of the classics is the insight it gives into a culture that was very alien, and in many ways repulsive. It’s not our culture, and our worldview is instead shaped by a different eastern Mediterranean civilisation."

The last shall be first and the first last: All you need is love: how the Christian revolution shaped our world - "The #metoo scandal played a part in the Great Awokening, the radical shift in values that began around 2013, spurred by social media, and especially focussed among America’s elites. The social justice theory of intersectionality is just the latest sub-strand of western thinking that owes its origins to Christianity, a hierarchy of victimhood that could be best summed up as 'The last were to be first, and the first were to be last.'

...

"Christianity’s revolutionary message lies at the heart of our cultural assumptions, especially on the – theoretically more secular – political left. Angela Merkel opened up Germany’s borders to Middle Eastern refugees for this reason 'The daily message was: Love your neighbour as yourself. Not just German people. God loves everybody.'" [d. note: interesting Christian apologia]

Marco Rubio wants to defend America — from largely imaginary threats: The secretary of state picks enemies that, unlike Russia or Iran, probably won't push back. - "A 2025 study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that left-wing violence in the U.S. has been rising in recent years but remains very low: 'In the past decade … left-wing attacks have killed 13 victims, compared with 112 and 82 victims for right-wing and jihadist attacks, respectively.' The highest-profile recent cases of leftist violence were the horrifying killings of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but in neither instance has evidence emerged linking the suspect to antifa or any other group. 

"The U.S. government should battle violent extremists of all persuasions — not just leftists. Unfortunately, Trump pardoned the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters, who committed the most serious act of political violence in modern U.S. history."

The Social Security Reckoning Is Finally Coming: Senators elected this November will be in office when America’s most popular federal program is on track to run out of money.

Reading archive 2026-06-07

Democrats’ midterm ‘blue wave’ dreams face an icy challenge: Negative partisanship rules as voters mildly like their own party but detest the opposition.

Flesh-eating screwworm found in Texas, sparking fears for U.S. cattle: The parasite was found in a 3-week-old calf decades after it was largely eradicated in the U.S. Authorities said the risk to humans is low.

The four Republicans who broke with Trump on Iran and now face his wrath: There are still hurdles before Congress could force the president to end hostilities, but the House resolution reflects lawmakers' growing impatience, including within Trump's own party.

Archbishop removes D.C. priest as exorcist for saying UFOs are demons: Monsignor Stephen Rossetti had been an archdiocesan exorcist in Washington for nearly two decades.

China’s Economy Is Taking Everyone Down: American and Chinese workers are paying a high price for all the cheap goods.

Political dynasties carry new baggage as voters vilify the elite: Family names have long given candidates a boost. In the era of No Kings, they can also make for an easy attack.

The Left Needs to Rediscover Its Patriotism: A left that rejects a hopeful, empathetic love of the United States can never win the country to its side.

The Real Problem With the Democrats’ Ground Game: Democratic organizers are hesitant to admit when get-out-the-vote efforts don’t work. One group is trying to change that.

Red Tape Isn’t the Only Reason America Can’t Build: The failure to deploy rural broadband has become synonymous with excessive bureaucracy. The real story is more complicated. - "The lesson of rural broadband is that some government failures are due not to procedural excess, but to giving up on regulatory tools that might antagonize Big Business. ... It's tempting to think that America can learn how to build again without having to wage difficult battles against powerful corporate interests, simply by eliminating bureaucratic red tape. But if efficient building were really so easy, we'd already be doing it."

The FBI’s Leaders ‘Have No Idea What They’re Doing’: A casualty of Trump’s purge speaks out.

Can San Francisco Be Saved?: Introducing No Easy Fix, a new three-part miniseries from Radio Atlantic, about the widespread addiction and homelessness that threaten the city’s future

Why South Park Did an About-Face on Mocking Trump: The show’s creators once said they had nothing more to say about the president. What changed their minds?

Reading archive 2026-05-06

DC Council passes permanent youth curfew with amendments, heads to congress The passage of curfew legislation allows MPD to set curfew zones, restricting groups of eight or more teens from gathering in certain parts of the city.

White House East Wing debris dumped at nearby golf course has toxic metals, report says

An investigation into crime stats is roiling D.C. police. Here’s what to know.: Multiple high-ranking D.C. police officials face termination or other disciplinary action, after allegations that statistics had been manipulated.

D.C. police chief says 13 officers may be fired after crime stats investigation: The proposed discipline, which would include high-ranking officials, is related to an internal probe of the alleged manipulation of crime data, the interim police chief said.

Road pricing in DC will benefit drivers the most - "In every place where road pricing exists, it faced strong opposition prior to implementation before swinging to widespread support once the effects of reduced traffic became immediately clear. The Bowser administration has a particular distaste for road pricing. During the Committee on Transportation and the Environment’s government-witness budget oversight hearing for DDOT on April 30, Director Sharon Kershbaum said that the agency would not be studying it further. 

"This is a mistake. The council should fund further study of road pricing, so that our next mayor’s DDOT can get to work on it on day one. 

"Charging drivers for the negative externalities of their trips — congestion, worsening air quality, noise pollution, putting other people at risk of being killed or injured with their vehicles — is a proven way to create a reality where everyone gains time back from their commutes, breathes cleaner air, and is far less likely to be harmed on our streets."

Ward 3 has been unwell for a century. More housing is the cure - "Chevy Chase was patient zero. An infection of low density land use and racial exclusion then spread like a disease throughout the rest of Ward 3. To the west, white residents of Tenleytown who belonged to the Friendship Citizens Association teamed up with a new generation of CCLC investors to forcibly displace their Black neighbors in Fort Reno. 

"In the 1920s, under the guise of “beautification,” they successfully lobbied a federal board to raze Reno over the adamant objections of Black Washingtonians; by the 1950s, Black residents had been totally evicted. Today, Fort Reno consists of a park and a middle school, and is surrounded by expensive single-family homes. Multifamily housing in the pipeline nearby, likely to rent or sell for a little less than $1.6 million, has stalled."

Pro-Kremlin lawyer’s turn against Putin reveals rift in Russian power circles: Ilya Remeslo was put in a psychiatric hospital after criticizing Vladimir Putin. Now free, he said that he will not stop his crusade against the Russian president.

The pro-Israel political consensus is collapsing in both parties: On the campaign trail and elsewhere, the U.S. alliance with Israel has gone from a bipartisan consensus to a subject of fierce debate among Republicans and Democrats alike.

Why is Trump backing off San Francisco? These results.: Democrat Daniel Lurie is using technology to make the city safe again.

EU urges US to stick to tariff deal terms: The United States must respect its tariff agreement with the EU, the bloc's trade chief told his American counterpart Tuesday, after President Donald Trump threatened to hike levies on European cars.

One Chinese Town’s Fight Against the Desert Attracts: Thousands Launched by a local man, an anti-desertification initiative in the country’s arid northwest went viral after being featured on a popular show. [ed. note: Chinese agitprop]

Europeans Are Quiet Quitting the United States: European leaders have now not only lost faith in Donald Trump’s U.S. presidency, but also in America’s hegemony as a whole. But short-term challenges make an immediate divorce unwise. - "Some paragons of Atlanticism have recently chosen European providers for long-term structural contracts instead of American ones. The Dutch central bank ditched Amazon Web Services in favor of the German Lidl as their cloud operator, and Denmark’s defense ministry opted to purchase the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system instead of U.S. Patriot batteries. Both decisions were driven in no small part by considerations for European sovereignty, in light of a crisis of U.S. reliability."

For Ibram X. Kendi, It’s Nazis All the Way Down: His new book describes the “Great Replacement” theory as a convoluted plot, but fails to explain why it appeals to people in the first place. - "Great Replacement, in Kendi's widening definition, starts to encompass so many disparate examples that it loses its explanatory power. Is Canada's conservative politician Pierre Poilievre a 'great replacement leader'? Kendi's logic for including him is largely based on the fact that Poilievre spoke to the concerns of those 2022 trucker protesters who were responding to COVID lockdowns by demanding a return of their 'freedoms.' He was addressing constituent complaints about business closures and school lockdowns, which is what all sorts of politicians did. El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, makes it onto the board because of his harsh crackdown on gangs, though crime was genuinely an acute problem in the country and most Salvadorans were very happy to see him attack it. He has weakened democratic institutions and countenanced claims of torture and other abuses, but I'm not sure this puts him ideologically in league with Orbán and Le Pen."

Progressive Activists Are Sometimes on the Wrong Side of History: Thinking otherwise can enable the left’s worst instincts, as a speech at the University of Michigan’s commencement showed. - "Concern and empathy for Palestinian suffering and anger at Israel's excessive counterattack are admirable, but the movement's ambition is not limited to that. Michigan's pro-Palestine activism is primarily organized by Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, which is the local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, a national network. Both the national group and its Michigan chapter have endorsed the October 7, 2023, attacks. Adult progressives' insistence on viewing their activities as mere youthful idealism makes it impossible to question those positions."

Judicial Supremacy Has Arrived: Last week’s Supreme Court decision didn’t just undermine the Voting Rights Act. It foreclosed the possibility of any new Voting Rights Act in the future, too. - "Shelby County and Brnovich were damaging, but their effects on representation are more marginal-affecting voters' ability to participate, but at levels that could still have been overcome electorally, at least in most races. Callais is different in kind. In the near term, majority-minority districts across the South will evaporate. Over successive redistricting cycles, the result will likely be the most significant contraction of Black congressional representation since the end of Reconstruction, potentially the most precipitous fall in American history, a contraction that would have seemed, not long ago, unthinkable.

...

"But Callais reaches something deeper, about constitutional democracy itself: about whether the Constitution, the law of laws, means what elected branches say it means, and whether those elected branches can act on that meaning. The Court has declared that the branch of government most accountable to the people cannot legislate its way toward a more inclusive democracy."

Reading archive 2026-02-05

Washington Post Lays Off More Than 300 Journalists: The layoffs cut into The Post’s local, international and sports coverage, and reduced its entire work force by about 30 percent. - "Much of [Weill Lewis's] tenure has been tumultuous, including a shake-up of newsroom leadership and scrutiny of his ties to a phone-hacking scandal while he worked for News Corp. Just before the 2024 presidential election, Mr. Lewis announced a new policy from Mr. Bezos ending presidential endorsements by The Post’s editorial board, which blocked a drafted endorsement of the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris. Hundreds of thousands of Post subscribers canceled their subscriptions in response. 

"In a staff meeting in 2024, Mr. Lewis warned that The Post was in trouble. 'We are losing large amounts of money,' he said. 'Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff.'"

House rejects D.C. tax changes, potentially costing the city $600M in revenue: If passed by the Senate, the measure could lead to a months-long suspension of the city’s tax filing system.

No, Billie Eilish, Americans are not thieves on stolen land: Civilization depends on secure property titles, not sincere apologies. - "It is easy to call land stolen, but what about the innocent purchasers who acquired in good faith in the interim? Are they thieves? Is Eilish a thief because, as the Tongva tribe recently asserted, her $3 million mansion in Los Angeles sits on its ancestral homeland?"

What to know about the rare condition Catherine O’Hara had: The late actor and comedian was born with a condition called situs inversus. Here’s what that means.

As West goes after Russia’s oil fleet, Moscow fears for its war funding: New European measures to crack down on Russia’s shadow fleet could severely hurt its economy at a time when it is looking increasingly vulnerable.

Democrats have an early front-runner: Gavin Newsom’s bet on joyful combat and coiffed charisma is paying dividends.

Gavin Newsom is very similar to Kamala Harris: Two San Francisco local elected officials who successfully ran statewide in CA - "My point, though, is that going from holding statewide office in California to running in a national election is not like the A.F.C. champion going to the Super Bowl. 

"It is hard to win these jobs, and getting them involves a real display of political skill. But that skill is not beating Republicans in elections. It’s catering to Democratic Party insiders and affiliated advocacy groups and generating media buzz and endorsements. And this environment is a bad training ground for developing politicians who are good at beating the opposition party. It’s as if you took the winning team from the Champions League and then sent those players to the N.B.A. Finals on the theory that they’re top-notch athletes. You’re selecting on the wrong thing. And it shows."

Our 2024 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) Models: The races where fundamentals pointed to one outcome, but candidate quality led to another

He lost a pinkie trying to kill a man. From prison, he made things worse.: A case in Maryland involving a former high school wrestling star challenged a judge with a difficult question: Who deserves mercy?

Why this vegan environmentalist thinks meat is the future: A new book argues that people will never give up meat — and that plant-based and lab-grown meat will be the “next agricultural revolution.”

D.C.’s largest office-to-residential conversion is officially underway: A former office in Dupont Circle will become a 15-story, 532-unit apartment building, the kind of transformation that D.C. officials see as key to downtown’s future.

On Greenland, Europe stood up, Trump blinked, and the E.U. learned a lesson: For some in the often fractured E.U., Trump’s retreat on the Arctic territory proves that retaliation — not conciliation — is the answer to his hardball tactics.

ICE surge creates new headache for Maine’s Susan Collins: The most vulnerable Republican in the Senate would not say whether she supported the federal enforcement effort.

On a paradise island in the Pacific, meth and HIV epidemics rage: International criminal syndicates have been using Fiji as a transshipment point for drugs originating in Southeast Asia and Latin America. - "Law enforcement officials, customs agencies, U.N. officials and others who investigate drug syndicates believe that the groups operating in and around Fiji are working with each other, bringing together Chinese triads, Mexican cartels, Australian biker gangs and other syndicates with connections as far away as Nigeria."

Reading archive 2026-01-30

Don Lemon arrested by federal officials in connection with church protest: The former CNN host was taken into custody in Los Angeles.

As ‘Heated Rivalry’ takes off, the NHL faces questions about inclusion: The hit show about a romance between two professional hockey players has brought new fans to a sport that has struggled to welcome the LGBTQ+ community.

Virginia Democrats seek emergency halt to ruling that blocks redistricting: A motion filed with the Virginia Court of Appeals on behalf of House Speaker Don Scott argues that a circuit court judge is interfering with the democratic process.

Tulsi Gabbard’s appearance at Fulton County FBI raid raises questions: Lawmakers called for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to explain the presence of the country’s top spy agency official at a domestic law enforcement action in Georgia.

Attending a Protest

The New Shadowbanning Panic: Is TikTok censoring users on behalf of the Trump administration?

What Tearing Down Housing Projects Did for Kids: Bringing rich and poor together has major benefits. - "There is another process that improves neighborhoods around poor children, both by bringing higher-income peers nearer to them and by reducing the violence they are exposed to. This process often occurs without explicit governmental intervention or cost. The problem is that it is regularly dismissed as gentrification, a phenomenon that is not usually cheered. The most common objection to gentrification is that it results in displacement of incumbent residents. The empirical evidence for this is weaker than conventionally assumed. One paper examining children who received Medicaid benefits in New York City from 2009 to 2015 found no elevated rates of moving for those in gentrifying neighborhoods. The HOPE VI study suggests that gentrification should improve outcomes for kids, so long as it actually improves social integration."

America Can Have the Oil: Venezuela’s riches were squandered, souring many on national stewardship.

Battles Are Raging Inside the Department of Homeland Security: Officials overseeing Trump’s mass-deportation campaign are fighting one another for power.

Why the moral corruption of MAGA is so deadly

Heartwarming: Miserable Man Frustrated In Ultimately Insignificant Way

Pluralistic: Sorry, eh (13 Jan 2026) - "I'm sorry. As a technology writer, I'm supposed to be telling you that this bet will some day pay off, because one day we will have shoveled so many words into the word-guessing program that it wakes up and learns how to actually do the jobs it is failing spectacularly at today. This is a proposition akin to the idea that if we keep breeding horses to run faster and faster, one of them will give birth to a locomotive. Humans possess intelligence, and machines do not. The difference between a human and a word-guessing program isn't how many words the human knows."

At Yosemite, Rangers Are Scarce and Visitors Have Gone Wild: After the Trump administration’s cuts, workers at the national park are spread too thin to stop people from littering, flying drones and cliff-diving.

A cloud of fear hangs over Minnesota immigrant communities: Even citizens are afraid to go outside

Gingrich: Time for ‘national conversation’ about immigrants living in country illegally who ‘obey the law’

Reading archive 2026-01-12

New NASA head appears to slow controversial Discovery shuttle move: Jared Isaacman, the new NASA administrator, signaled he was open to offering other spacecraft to Texas instead of the one housed at the Smithsonian. Opponents of the transfer welcomed his comments. - "The Smithsonian said in September that it had been approached by the Office of Management and Budget to work with NASA to prepare for the relocation of Discovery within 18 months. The Institution cautioned the transfer would require 'significant disassembly' of the shuttle that they feared 'will destroy its historical value.' Along with NASA, the institution estimated the move would cost from $120 million to $150 million. Sen. Cornyn’s office has called the estimate 'purposefully overblown' and accused the Smithsonian of going outside of its purview in raising concerns."

California is adding a supplement to tortillas. RFK Jr. calls it ‘insanity.’: California now requires corn masa flour to contain folic acid to reduce birth defects among Latinos. Some conservatives oppose it, citing government overreach. - "The new requirement is part of national effort to add folic acid, already required in other types of flour, to corn masa. Alabama’s version of the law takes effect in June, and lawmakers in Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma are considering similar legislation.

...

"Since the start of those efforts, the rates of neural tube birth defects for White women and other groups dropped 40 percent, but remained high for Latinas, studies have found."

Exxon CEO calls Venezuela ‘uninvestable’ without ‘significant changes’: At Trump meeting with oil executives, he vows they will spend $100 billion. The companies worry the numbers don’t add up. - "'It would be like going to Brazil, taking them over for their cattle, and then flooding the American beef market with it,' he said. 'That’s the analogy we see in the oil and gas business.'"

The Iranian regime is caught in a death spiral: Tehran tamps down the unrest again, but the protesters will be back.

D.C. police arrest man in death of officer hit by car while on duty: Jerrold Coates, 47, was charged with second-degree murder, two weeks after Officer Terry Bennett was fatally injured while aiding a stranded motorist

Former D.C. officer sentenced to 27 years in sex trafficking of teen girls: The case marks the second time in a decade that Linwood Barnhill Jr., now 59, was ordered imprisoned for recruiting underaged girls to be sex workers.

Suspect arrested after fire damages Mississippi’s largest synagogue: The suspect is facing an arson charge in the state, and the FBI and ATF are considering opening a federal case, Jackson’s chief fire investigator said.

Running deficits larger than during the Great Depression is reckless: A bipartisan group of House members are rallying behind a welcome and reasonable target for 2030.

Eyes are on Gorsuch as Supreme Court weighs rights of trans athletes: The conservative justice has provided the key swing vote on recent cases involving gay and transgender rights

A powerful force has been holding back the housing market. It’s finally easing.: The U.S. housing market recently reached a key milestone that could lead to more buying and selling.

Scientists are inventing treatments for devastating diseases. There’s just one problem. Genetic therapies could be used to treat hundreds of diseases. The path to patients is tricky.

Smithsonian removes Trump impeachment text as it swaps his portrait: A Trump official previously complained about a caption beside his National Portrait Gallery photo mentioning his impeachments and the U.S. Capitol insurrection.

Hundreds of Iranian protesters feared killed; U.S. considers military strikes: Trump administration national security officials were preparing to meet on potential responses, including a range of military options.

Ukraine’s ex-commander in chief, envoy to Britain and maybe next president: Gen. Valery Zaluzhny’s distance from Kyiv, possibly an attempt to sideline his political ambitions, has left him at a safe remove from tensions back home. - "Ukrainian law prohibits presidential elections under martial law, and democracy experts have noted the seeming absurdity of Putin complaining that Zelensky has stayed in office beyond the normal length of a term because of a war that Russia started, while Putin rewrote Russia’s constitution to eliminate term limits and has long won elections widely derided as neither free nor fair."

Reading archive 2025-10-22

Health insurance sticker shock begins as shutdown battle over subsidies rages: Many states have shown rising premiums ahead of open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans. Congress is deadlocked over extending covid-era subsidies that bring costs down.

Trump is creating two classes of federal workers: Paid and unpaid: Within the same agencies, some employees are drawing their salaries during the shutdown, and others are working without pay. - "Where and how the administration is finding money for those salaries — and whether the maneuver is legal — remains unclear, experts said.

...

"At the FBI, for example, special agents are getting paid, but translators, some attorneys and support staffers are not. The FBI Agents Association wrote in a statement that this is a shortsighted strategy."

How Obama maneuvered behind the scenes to fight Trump on redistricting: The ex-president’s involvement reflects the deep anxieties he has about Trump’s agenda and has propelled him into a more political, public-facing role than he envisioned.

Reading archive 2025-10-15

She won her election, but the House speaker still has not sworn her in: Congresswoman-in-limbo Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, has mounted a media campaign meant to shame House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Can tourism be respectful? Native Hawaiians have a plan.: Hawaii wants visitors to appreciate Native culture. But larger economic forces pose a threat to the “regenerative” revolution.

Professor who teaches about antifascism moves to Europe after death threats: A Rutgers University professor who wrote a book about antifa received the death threats after he commented on President Donald Trump designating the movement a “domestic terrorist organization.” - Several far-right activists and other social media users homed in on Bray in late September, after he was quoted in news stories about President Donald Trump’s executive order designating antifa as a 'domestic terrorist organization.' Bray described antifa — a far-left decentralized global movement whose proponents oppose fascism — to The Washington Post at the time as 'a kind of coalition politics of all kinds of radicals' and 'not a group.'

...

"One online activist called Bray a 'domestic terrorist professor,' and another shared the address of his home in New Jersey. The campus’s chapter of the conservative student group Turning Point USA then launched a petition Thursday to demand that the university fire him, referencing Trump’s executive order and claiming Bray is a risk to their safety."

A quarter of FBI agents are assigned to immigration enforcement, per FBI data: The large number of reassignments — about 3,000 agents — reflect a vast reshaping of the agency and could put other priorities at risk. - "Agents have been pulled from duties related to cybercrimes, drug trafficking, terrorism, counterintelligence and more, the statistics show. Agents assigned to immigration enforcement are working with ICE to locate and arrest people in the country illegally."

Why this one area of cities is usually the poorest: The Department of Data went looking for geographic patterns in poverty, and stumbled upon a surprising culprit.

Katie Porter’s bid for governor is getting noticed – but not how she wants: Two viral videos have brought unwelcome attention to the former congresswoman, who has been leading polls in the 2026 California governor’s race.

Reading archive 2025-08-11

Trump readies federal moves on D.C. crime, takes over D.C. police: The president is planning to flex his law enforcement power over Washington, declaring that he would clear the city of homeless people and crack down on crime. - "U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, whom Trump appointed to the job in May, has called for lowering the age limit for charging juveniles as adults to 14." [ed. note: this is way too low]

FBI dispatching agents to D.C. streets as Trump weighs calling National Guard: The Trump administration has temporarily assigned FBI agents to work overnight shifts to combat carjackings and other crimes. - "The deployment of FBI agents to deal with local crime puts agents from the bureau’s counterintelligence, public corruption and other divisions with minimal training in traffic stops out on the streets in potentially dangerous encounters, diverting them from their typical jobs at the bureau.

...

"The reassignment of FBI agents has further demoralized some agents in the Washington Field Office, who believe they have little expertise or training in thwarting carjackers and were already angered by a spate of firings inside the agency that they deemed unwarranted. Last week, the Trump administration ousted with no explanation FBI personnel across the country, including the head of the Washington Field Office."

Why your skin needs sunscreen all year long: Beyond the cancer risk, most of the skin changes we see as we get older don’t come from the aging process but from the sun’s UV rays.

The anti-sunscreen movement and what to know about its claims: A growing anti-sunscreen movement on social media is causing concern among dermatologists, who warn that avoiding sunscreen increases long-term health risks.

Democrats with an eye on 2028 reject some parts of liberal orthodoxy: Some presidential prospects have embraced “Sister Souljah moments” that demonstrate their independence.

Footage shows two Chinese ships colliding while chasing Philippine boat: A China coast guard ship barreled into a Chinese navy destroyer Tuesday as the two vessels chased a Philippine coast guard ship.

A family opened a town’s first bookstore. A bathroom bill is driving them away.: The Phelans ran the only bookstore in Vermillion, South Dakota. They sold it and moved after a new law would have required their daughter to use a boy’s bathroom.

Why does travel make me constipated? A gastroenterologist explains.: We all poop weirdly on vacation. Fiber supplements can help.

Smithsonian restores Trump to impeachment display in American history museum: The museum last month removed a placard describing the president’s two impeachments. The new text makes minor changes — and offers slightly less detail.

New mapping reveals D.C. region’s growing vulnerability to flood risk: As the region experiences more extreme weather, an increased number of roads and rail lines could flood, not just those in low-lying areas.

Substack's extremist ecosystem is flourishing: Yup, they're still at it. - "The role of Substack’s ecosystem in our larger politics was made clear last month in the New York Times. The paper reported that the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, had checked both the “Asian” and “Black or African American” boxes on an application for Columbia in 2009. (Mamdani is Indian-Ugandan-American. He did not get into Columbia.) As The Verge’s Elizabeth Lopatto uncovered, the information for this story—which the Times framed as a major scandal—was the product of a hack by a self-described 'violently racist' neo-Nazi. 

"The relevant information was passed to the Times by Jordan Lasker, a Substacker with a reported neo-Nazi past of his own, who contributes to the eugenicist Substack Aporia as well his own, published under the pseudonym “Cremiuex.” (The latter is currently the No. 7 fastest rising Substack in “Science.”) Lasker in turn passed the information on to Benjamin Ryan, the writer of the anti-transgender Substack Hazard Ratio (No. 66 in Science.) The Times then hired Ryan to write the story, giving him the lead byline and allowing him to grant Lasker partial anonymity. He made no mention of the neo-Nazi origin of the information."

The Media’s Urge to Be “Fair” to Trump Is Killing the Republic: Seventy percent of Republicans understand that Trump’s tariffs will raise prices. Why is the press acting like they’re a huge success? - "Uh, no. Here are a few facts and figures, none of which appear in the article. Federal revenue from all sources in recent years has been around $4.7 trillion (it varies from year to year depending on the strength of the economy). Typically, customs fees account for about 2 percent of that revenue. Commit that to memory, please: 2 percent. So that even if tariff revenue doubles, it will account for 4 percent of all federal revenue. It could double again—which, incidentally, would mean tariffs so high as to stifle much international trade—and still account for only 8 percent of all federal revenue. 

"So where does federal revenue come from? About half—that is, around $2.4 trillion or so—comes from the personal income tax. Another third, or roughly $1.6 trillion, comes from payroll taxes. And then about 10 percent, or just under $500 billion, comes from corporate taxes. I know all these numbers off the top of my head, and if I know them, the guy who covers tax policy from Washington for The New York Times ought to know them too. Maybe he does, which would make his decision not to include them in a piece like this all the more bewildering because they provide vital context. But all Duehren has to say on this point is that 'income and payroll taxes remain by far the most important sources of government revenue.'"

Spain Is an Example to the World

Union Leaders Get Tough With Democrats as Members Drift Toward Trump: Doubtful that President Trump has their best interests in mind, top union officials are redoubling efforts to push the Democratic Party to appeal more to their rank and file.

California is pushing the limits of crowdsourced energy

Reading archive 2025-07-11

California awaits disaster relief as GOP offers full support to Texas: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), during a trip to South Carolina this week, highlighted the plight of Los Angeles-area communities still reeling from January’s devastating wildfires. - "President Donald Trump and other Republicans have so far withheld the funds, with many arguing that Newsom and other Democrats in the deep-blue state have mishandled the fires and should be forced to rescind liberal policies in exchange for aid. 

"But now deadly floods have struck ruby-red Texas — and the Republican response is much different, with Trump and others promising unfettered and prompt federal support in the months and years to come. 

"The contrast underscores the extent to which the Trump administration treats blue and red states differently, whether in disaster response or in targeting liberal areas for aggressive immigration enforcement."

Why homeowners are suddenly rushing to install rooftop solar: Republicans’ tax and spending law could cut installations in half, experts project.

He seeded clouds over Texas. Then came the conspiracy theories.: Cloud seeding couldn’t have caused the floods that killed more than 100 people, experts say. But rumormongers suggested a link to one company’s work.

Tennis fans deserve better than John McEnroe: You cannot seriously think John McEnroe is good on television. When will network executives be ready to move on?

A band of innovators reimagines the spy game for a world with no cover

Conservatives are asking Trump for another big tax cut: Fresh off passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” some anti-tax advocates hope to push the administration to change how taxable capital gains are calculated.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s wife files for divorce: As Ken Paxton tries to unseat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in one of the most closely watched primaries in the country, state Sen. Angela Paxton said Thursday she filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.” 

Senate committee blocks money for plan to keep FBI headquarters in D.C.: Sen. Chris Van Hollen persuaded colleagues to restrict cash for a new FBI campus only in Greenbelt, Maryland, creating a roadblock --- for now --- to moving the bureau to the Reagan building in downtown D.C.

Firings without explanation create culture of fear at Justice Dept., FBI: Widespread, abrupt terminations have left Justice Department and FBI employees wondering if they will be next, people familiar with the matter say.

Trump Loves ICE. Its Workforce Has Never Been So Miserable.: A “mission impossible” deportation campaign has left many employees burned out and morally conflicted. - "At ICE's Homeland Security Investigations division, which has long focused on cartels and major drug-trafficking operations, supervisors have waved agents off new cases so they have more time to make immigration-enforcement arrests, a veteran agent told me. 'No drug cases, no human trafficking, no child exploitation,' the agent said. 'It's infuriating.' The longtime ICE employee is thinking about quitting rather than having to continue 'arresting gardeners.'"

Reading archive 2025-05-28

D.C. police chief reassigns youth division leaders, stoking discontent: Some fear that the abrupt transfers, related to a dispute about overtime costs, could undermine the goal of helping troubled children and curbing juvenile crime.

Police body cam shows man fire at officers before one fatally shoots him: Footage released by Fairfax County police shows the moments leading up to a fatal police shooting during a traffic stop in April that left a man dead.

Within Pete Hegseth’s divided inner circle, a ‘cold war’ endures: At the Pentagon, personality conflicts persist and inexperience reigns, fueling internal speculation about the defense secretary’s long-term viability in Trump’s Cabinet.

D.C. queer bar vandalized in suspected hate crime during WorldPride: Sinners and Saints, D.C.'s only bar dedicated to queer and trans people of color, was broken into during Black Pride weekend.

At Veterans Affairs, plan for sweeping cuts tanks morale: The government’s second-largest agency, serving some of America’s most vulnerable citizens, is set to lose 83,000 employees under Trump administration cutbacks.

A big Trump administration cutback went nearly unnoticed: About 32,000 low-paid AmeriCorps service workers lost their jobs over a few days in April.

A ‘Blue Wave’ is building. It won’t look the same as the last one.: Donald Trump is president again, but the parties have changed since the 2018 midterm election. - "In 2024, Republicans saw the electoral college bias they had benefited from in Trump’s previous races practically disappear. If Republicans continue to gain ground with minority voters living in urban cores of solidly blue states, while losing White voters in the battleground states, they could find themselves at a systemic disadvantage in the next presidential election due to the current quirks of American politics."

I’m an oncologist. Here are 11 science-based ways to reduce your cancer risk.: About 40 percent of cancer cases are considered preventable. Try these lifestyle changes to stay healthy.

The Colorado River is running low. The picture looks even worse underground, study says.: The Colorado River Basin has lost twice as much groundwater since 2003 as water taken out of its reservoirs, according to a study based on satellite data.

Bowser bets on business-friendly D.C. budget while cutting some programs: Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) is betting on her ‘growth agenda’ to keep business in D.C., while council members are concerned about cuts to services for the needy.

Bowser to replace D.C. Streetcar with ‘next generation streetcar.’ It’s a bus.: The system, proposed in the early 2000s, never got beyond one line that opened in 2016.

GOP rejects ‘millionaire tax’ pitch, advancing breaks for rich Americans: Legislation moving through Congress includes breaks for the upper and middle classes as the House rebuffs President Donald Trump’s suggestions.

Exempting tips from taxes could hurt employees, critics say: Some worker advocates and labor law experts call it a gimmick that could incentivize employers to keep base pay low and reclassify some salaries as tips.

Terry Bradshaw calls possible Steelers signing of Aaron Rodgers ‘a joke’: The Hall of Famer says the enigmatic former Packers and Jets quarterback should go “chew on bark” and “stay in California,” not Pittsburgh.

Here’s how much international students contribute to the U.S. economy: International students contributed $44 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2023-2024 school year. Their loss could hurt more than just universities’ bottom line.

These Are the College Majors With the Lowest Unemployment Rates — and Philosophy Ranks Higher Than Computer Science: An analysis of employment data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that some humanities majors rank higher than STEM majors in employment prospects.

Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath

Paris Votes to Make 500 More Streets Car-Free: With the passage of a referendum Sunday, Mayor Anne Hidalgo will amplify her ambitious moves to challenge car dominance and expand pedestrian access.

The 21st Century Red State Murder Crisis - "The excuse that sky high red state murder rates are because of their blue cities is without merit. Even after removing the county with the largest city from red states, and not from blue states, red state murder rates were still 20% higher in 2021 and 16% higher in 2022.

...

"Many of the states accused of “defunding the police,” like California, New York, and Illinois, actually spent the most on policing. California spent the most on policing at $634.53 per resident. New York spent the third most at $539.92. And Illinois came in sixth place at $471.26. Eight out of 10 states spending the most on policing are blue states, joined by red states Alaska and Florida. And those blue states aren’t just blue, they’re the bluest of states—California, New York, Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Minnesota."

Rubio’s claim that it’s ‘a lie’ that people have died from foreign-aid cuts: The secretary of state rejected convincing evidence documented in news reports and by disease modelers. - "Nichols said the death toll would not be so high if the administration had pursued a deliberate policy to phase out funding over a 12-month period, as that would have permitted contingency planning. 'It’s true that other countries are cutting back on humanitarian spending. But what makes the U.S. approach so harmful is how the cuts were made: abruptly, without warning, and without a plan for continuity,' she said. 'It leads to interruptions in care, broken supply chains, and ultimately, preventable deaths. Also, exactly because the U.S. is the largest provider of humanitarian aid, it makes the approach catastrophic.'"

Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025 - "But prisons do rely on the labor of incarcerated people for food service, laundry, and other operations, and they pay incarcerated workers appallingly low wages: our 2017 study found that on average, incarcerated people earn between 86 cents and $3.45 per day for the most common prison jobs.  In at least five states, those jobs pay nothing at all. Moreover, work in prison is compulsory, with little regulation or oversight, and incarcerated workers have few rights and protections. If they refuse to work, incarcerated people face disciplinary action. For those who do work, the paltry wages they receive often go right back to the prison, which charges them for basic necessities like medical visits and hygiene items. Forcing people to work for low or no pay and no benefits, while charging them for necessities, allows prisons to shift the costs of incarceration to incarcerated people — hiding the true cost of running prisons from most Americans."

Reading archive 2025-02-12

Record gift to American U. from professor will benefit education school: The university said the donation is its largest-ever gift from an individual.

Nearly 30,000 federal workers in Kansas City brace for layoffs: The federal government is by far Kansas City’s largest employer and a major economic engine. Experts warn the region’s economy will feel the pain when jobs disappear

Transcript: GOPers Shocked to Learn Their Own Voters Are Angry at Musk: An interview with political scientist Elizabeth Saunders, who argues that Republicans facing voter dissatisfaction with Elon Musk’s trail of destruction need to rein him in before it’s too late.

With Trump and Musk driving U.S. policy, Kansas farmers have been played for suckers

The Trump administration’s most dangerous misstep: The CIA chief wants more spycraft. So why is he showing agents the door? - "The CIA last week sent buyout offers to its case officers around the world, and as you’d expect, some of the best of them are looking for work elsewhere. Meanwhile, the agency meekly agreed to turn over data identifying its recent hires to Elon Musk’s auditors (and whatever foreign spies can hack their systems). Perhaps worst of all, the U.S. DOGE Service commissars reportedly gained access to Treasury payments data that might reveal the agency’s deep-cover officers and the assets they recruit."

Teen rejects plea deal in D.C. murder case, will head to trial: Charges stem from the Jan. 26 fatal shooting of 14-year-old Myron Smith during an attempted robbery.

Church teacher pleads guilty to molesting four girls — two during prayers: In Montgomery County, Maryland, Ervin J. Alfaro-Lopez, 34, faces up to 25 years in prison and deportation.

As possible cuts and buyouts loom, federal workers rally near the Capitol: With a deferred resignation offer and possible cuts looming, federal workers held a demonstration near the U.S. Capitol. - "'We are not going to go down without a fight,' said Transportation Security Administration officer Johnny Jones, who traveled from Fort Worth. 

"Jones, 46, left his corporate job for a career in public service in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, he said. 'I took about a 60 percent pay cut to come work for the government.'"

U.S.-China trade war hits small and midsize businesses especially hard: Many smaller businesses can’t afford to move manufacturing out of China while remaining competitive, experts say.

An insurance crisis was already brewing in L.A. Then the fires hit.: The Los Angeles wildfires could threaten California’s already unstable insurance market, which carriers have been fleeing as disasters multiply.

California’s insurer of last resort runs out of money to pay L.A. fire claims: In the aftermath of the fires, the FAIR plan will get a $1 billion bailout — the latest indication that California’s home insurance market is on shaky footing.

The electric future of snowmobiling: From power sports to watercraft, battery-powered recreation could save millions of allons of gasoline - and cut back on noise, fumes and pollution

Jordan, home to millions of Palestinians, fears Trump’s Gaza proposal: The push by Trump has turbocharged a reckoning over Jordan’s reliance on U.S. aid and revived existential questions over the country’s identity. - "If the United States were to cut aid to Jordan permanently, it would have 'dire consequences for the economy and human security,' said Dima Toukan, a nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute. However, if the king were to compromise and accept Trump’s proposal, he risks energizing the growing opposition to his rule. In recent days, opposition figures from across the political spectrum have suggested that Jordan turn instead to China, Russia and wealthy Arab states for financial support and strategic alliances."

Reading archive 2025-02-11

What the Democrats’ Musk Whisperer Thinks Now: “We need to make sure that Elon Musk has an allegiance to the Constitution,” Representative Ro Khanna says.

California’s smart and vocal farmers are silent about Trump as he wasted their water | Opinion

‘We’ll all have to go vegan’: Wisconsin dairy farmers fret over immigration crackdown: Business groups warn agriculture sector will collapse without foreign labour

Trumper Who Could Lose Farm Says He Had No 'Time To Research' Before Voting

‘Devastating to my state’: Why Trump’s newest tariff threats promise catastrophe for Kentucky bourbon: Canada is the No. 2 export market for U.S. distillers, after the European Union.

Trump Enrages Christian MAGA By Naming ‘Heretic’ Pastor to White House

Proposal To Stop Minting Pennies Hits Home In Greene County - "Americans for Common Cents, a pro-penny group with Artazn among its backers, stated in a January news release that eliminating the penny will not save the government money. 

"'In fact, such a move would have a significant negative impact on the U.S. Mint’s cost structure. Many overhead expenses at the Mint would remain and would need to be absorbed by other coins, increasing their per-unit costs. Additionally, without the penny, the demand for nickels would rise to fill the gap in small-value transactions,' the news release notes. 

"'Since each nickel costs nearly 14 cents to produce, this shift would drive up overall production expenses for the government. Rather than saving money, eliminating the penny would increase and redistribute financial burdens,' the news release states."

U.S. Travel Association Warns of Economic Tourism Disaster After Thousands of Canadian Tourists Cancel Trips in Protest

Trump’s Gaza proposal frustrates his new Arab American supporters: Whether Trump can keep these new supporters could have implications for key statewide races, but also on the fragile coalition the GOP assembled to gain ground.

Trump administration plans for federal contracts stir worries across Kentucky - "Payments for indirect costs cover items that make basic research possible, Capilouto said, such as building and outfitting labs; research equipment; ventilation, heat and lighting; technology, and graduate students who work in labs."

The Rise of the Selfish Plutocrats: Instead of pursuing philanthropy, many now seek to evade social responsibility. - "In 2021, The Wall Street Journal broke the news that [da Vinci's Salvator Mundi] priceless painting had been kept on private display aboard bin Salman's superyacht, Serene, a 439-foot-long, half-billion-dollar boat that had recently run aground in a navigational accident. A fragile, irreplaceable object of significance to the shared cultural history of all humanity was being kept in a hot, humid environment for the private enjoyment of one royal billionaire and his ultrarich guests. (In another room, Serene was also equipped with state-of-the-art snow machines that could produce four-inch-deep flurries on demand.)"

The Government’s Computing Experts Say They Are Terrified: Four IT professionals lay out just how destructive Elon Musk’s incursion into the U.S. government could be. - "DOGE is many things a dismantling of the federal government, a political project to flex power and punish perceived enemies but it is also the logical end point of a strain of thought that's become popular in Silicon Valley during the boom times of Big Tech and easy money: that building software and writing code aren't just dominant skills for the 21st century, but proof of competence in any realm. In a post on X this week, John Shedletsky, a developer and an early employee at the popular gaming platform Roblox, summed up the philosophy nicely: 'Silicon Valley built the modern world. Why shouldn't we run it?'"

‘A Very Christian Concept’: The faith’s mandate is more arduous than J. D. Vance’s account seems to allow.

Tech layoffs reveal the unintended consequences of mass job cuts: After mass layoffs, tech workers lost trust in their employers. Federal employees may soon face the same fate.

D.C. managed to avoid return-to-office chaos over Navy Yard parking shortage: Local and military officials had been sounding the alarm about a potential parking shortage.

An ICE raid gutted a town in Trump’s first term. Now, fear of a repeat.: Tiny O’Neill, Nebraska, is still recovering from the 2018 raid. It forced some businesses to close and left many residents, especially immigrants, reeling.

In the Trump era, renewable energy isn’t green — it’s ‘dominant’: Clean-energy executives are tailoring their pitches for the president and his political allies. - "One trend the groups are planning to emphasize is that congressional districts that favored Trump in the 2020 election have seen three times as much investment as a result of clean-energy tax credits, according to a Washington Post analysis. In addition, over half of all new clean-energy jobs are in Republican-led districts, according to a separate analysis by Climate Power, an environmental advocacy group.

...

"Spokespeople for [Rep. Marjorie Taylor] Greene and 10 other Republican lawmakers with the most new clean-energy jobs in their districts did not respond to requests for comment."

19-year-old Musk surrogate takes on roles at State Department and DHS: The move illustrates that Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service aides are being asked to fulfill multiple posts at once.

The Chilling Consequences of Going Along With Trump

Trump’s NIH challenges the model that underlies U.S. scientific dominance: The 80-year-old partnership between the federal government and research institutions has made the U.S. the leader in scientific innovation. But now a proposed funding cut threatens the arrangement. - "'At a time of rapid strides in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, brain science, biological imaging, and regenerative biology, and when other nations are expanding their investment in science, America should not drop knowingly and willingly from her lead position on the endless frontier,' Harvard President Alan M. Garber said in a letter to the university community."

The Islamic State has regrouped in Somalia — and has global ambitions: The Post ventured to the front lines of an offensive against the Islamic State in northern Somalia, where foreign fighters are flowing in and cash is flowing out.

Reading archive 2025-02-03 pt 1

Emails detail Saints' assistance to New Orleans Archdiocese in sexual abuse scandal

House GOP nears plan for Trump’s agenda — but may not have the votes: Republicans will attempt a tax and spending bill that will not require substantial budget cuts, but there may be serious math problems ahead.

Justice Department orders FBI purge, review of staff who touched Jan. 6 cases: Leaders appointed by the Trump administration are identifying potentially hundreds of FBI agents for possible termination, said people familiar with the plan.

As DOJ probes FBI’s Jan. 6 work and weighs firings, agents told to detail roles: FBI employees must explain in a questionnaire by Monday whether they were involved in the surveillance, arrest or trial of a Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot suspect.

Musk aides gain access to sensitive Treasury Department payment system: The access — granted by Scott Bessent, Trump’s newly confirmed treasury secretary — comes after the ousting of the agency’s top career official.

Trump opened the ‘valve’ on California water. It will probably be wasted.: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released reservoir water to meet Trump’s recent directive to funnel more water to Southern California. - "Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) called the water releases 'uncoordinated and unwarranted,' writing on X that it’s 'not being directed to LA where the fires are contained. And now, it won’t be available when farmers need it in summer.'"

D.C. sees neighborhood revival in Trump plan to downsize federal footprint: Local and Trump officials are looking to work together to turn obsolete federal buildings into a new neighborhood in Southwest D.C.

How Trump could transform D.C. real estate, from downtown to design: The longtime real estate developer’s campaign pledges and early actions as president portend changes to the District’s physical landscape.

D.C. Council is set to expel Trayon White. Some say that’s an overreach.: As the council appears set to expel White, lawmakers face questions from constituents about acting before his case has been adjudicated, and potentially overriding the will of voters. - "The council was on the verge of removing Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) during a 2019 ethics scandal, but he resigned before the vote. White himself was on the council committee that voted unanimously to recommend expulsion, even though Evans was never charged with a crime."

Ex-Federal Reserve adviser indicted on charge of economic espionage: John H. Rogers is accused of leaking inside information, briefing books from the Fed to two Chinese co-conspirators.

With tariffs and threats, Trump turns on America’s closest allies: Critics warn his posture could embolden China to expand ties to Latin American countries, and Russia to continue advances in Ukraine. - "'We — Americans — do not want to now join [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in trying to pull apart a sovereign country,' Michael McFaul, an ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, wrote on Substack. 'Not only would that embolden Putin’s claim in eastern Ukraine … but greenlight [Chinese President Xi Jinping]’s seizing of Taiwan. If we think we need Greenland for national security, Xi can easily argue that he needs Taiwan.' 

"One senior European security official warned that an aggressive approach from Washington could easily backfire. 

"If the United States 'is not going to help Europe with Russia, Europe will not be able to help the U.S. with China,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to speak frankly about frustrations with Washington. 'Better work together.'"

Democrats are in trouble, and a provocative analysis offers ideas to repair the party: A tough new assessment says the Democratic Party needs to reassess the loss of support among groups of voters it has long taken for granted.

In a first, scientists find microplastics are building up deep in our brains: A new study shows that microplastics have crossed the blood-brain barrier -- and that their numbers are rising. - "In one study from Ross and other University of Rhode Island researchers, mice were given water laced with tiny polystyrene particles, the same type of plastic that is used in plastic foam and yogurt containers. After just three weeks of exposure, the mice demonstrated cognitive changes — including changes in the brain consistent with early markers of Alzheimer’s."

You could be spreading ‘forever chemicals’ on your garden. Here’s how to protect yourself.: What does the new EPA warning about PFAS-laden sludge in fertilizer mean for home gardeners? Here’s what you need to know.

Thinking Under Fascism: (Feels Like Hearing Under Water)

Extra Extra! Genocide!: The making of the New York War Crimes

Trump threatens to cut U.S. aid to South Africa over land law: Trump’s comments waded into a sensitive racial issue and deepened already sharp divisions between the United States and South Africa. - "Since 1994, the government has sought to redistribute land based on a voluntary 'willing-seller, willing-buyer' system and by paying compensation.

...

"South Africa’s agricultural sector has more than doubled in value and volume since the end of apartheid in 1994, exporting now half of what it produces, he said — not the case in neighboring Zimbabwe, where large-scale land seizures devastated the economy, causing the migration of millions of citizens."

We’re Russian. We know what happens when Big Tech coddles dictators.: Tech companies are complying with dictators’ laws, compromising human rights and freedom of speech.

The Logic of Destruction: And how to resist it

Criminal records of Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump include rape, domestic violence

Reading archive 2025-01-20

California isn’t the only place where insurers are dropping homeowners: Insurance “nonrenewal” rates also have been climbing in Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina, federal data shows --- all states hit hard by climate change.

Forget ‘they go low, we go high’: This influencer wants Democrats to get mean: Meet Suzanne Lambert, the Arlington-based TikTok influencer going viral by being a “Regina George liberal.”

Pressure builds on RFK Jr. as confirmation hearing remains unscheduled: Trump’s pick to lead HHS is facing 175 questions from Elizabeth Warren, skepticism from Mike Pence and delays related to his disclosure forms.

How ‘Mild Bill’ Burns led a covert CIA campaign in Ukraine: Burns’s steadfast efforts mark a key chapter in his decades-long intelligence duel with Putin.

For this Latino family, voting for Trump was part of preserving their American Dream: But they’re waiting to see whether he keeps his promises.

For Trump’s national security adviser, Afghanistan still looms large: Michael Waltz, a Green Beret lauded for valor in combat, opposed Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban as well as Biden’s 2021 pullout. He has warned of the risk of another 9/11.

What the North Koreans took into battle against Ukraine: Weapons and notes left on dead North Korean troops in Russia give Ukraine a glimpse into their mindset — and show how they are quickly adapting to modern war.

Trump readies massive shift in U.S. economy on eve of inauguration: The incoming president and Republican allies are beginning to plot out major changes to federal taxes and spending as they prepare to take control of Washington.

Accidents, not Russian sabotage, behind undersea cable damage, officials say: An emerging consensus among U.S. and European security services holds that accidents were the cause of damage to Baltic seabed energy and communications lines.es to federal taxes and spending as they prepare to take control of Washington. - "Mike Plunkett, a naval expert at security research firm Janes, said that 'aside from a very loud splash, there will also be a lot of noise from the anchor chain paying out through the hawsehole.' He described the chances of three anchor-dropping incidents in the Baltic region since 2023 as 'vanishingly small,' although not zero. But he said it was extremely difficult to prove intentional sabotage."

She waited decades to report her abuse. At 81, police say, he confessed.: For 44 years, she had thought about making the call. When she finally did, she assumed nothing would come of it.

The GOP’s dilemma on Trump’s TikTok flip-flop: The situation previews a series of looming clashes between Trump’s personal interests and lawmakers’ professed principles.

Trump executive order will attempt to end birthright citizenship: The president plans to take at least 10 actions related to the border or immigration, including ramping up deportations and suspending refugee resettlement.

Supreme Court to hear case on opting out of lessons with LGBTQ+ books: Parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, want to be able to opt out of instruction on gender and sexuality that they say goes against their religious convictions.

D.C. police captain alleges he was punished for taking parental leave as a gay man: In a lawsuit, Capt. Paul Hrebenak argues the department treated him differently than colleagues who also took leave.

Scores of career State Dept. diplomats resign before Trump’s inauguration: Trump’s team requested the high-level resignations as the president-elect prepares a sharp break with the Biden administration.

Reading archive 2025-01-17

In Greenland, a cold shoulder for Trump, but curiosity about U.S. ties - "As a self-governing territory of distant Denmark, Greenland has limited self-rule but is also a welfare state. A third of the gross domestic product and half the state budget are supplied by Denmark, about $500 million a year."

Where Biden Turned the Battleship: The outgoing president’s legacy of revived antitrust enforcement won’t be easy to undo.

As L.A. considers rebuilding, here’s what people say they’re willing to change: For those who plan to rebuild, a natural question has emerged: What can be done differently to prevent the sort of destruction that has killed at least 24 people, leveled thousands of structures and inflicted untold billions in damage?

Ukraine hawk removed from House intelligence role, reportedly at Trump’s request: The move by Speaker Mike Johnson provides the latest evidence of a changing posture more favorable to Russia under Donald Trump.

Trump’s soft touch on China and Russia rears its head again: His maneuvers to “save TikTok” and the ouster of the hawkish chairman of the House Intelligence Committee evoke a familiar dynamic. - "'We won young people,' Trump said of the 2024 election. 'And I think that’s a big credit to TikTok. So I’m not opposed to TikTok.'"

Influencers Are Using the Los Angeles Fires to Hawk Wellness Products: Essential oils, detox regimens, and the booming disaster economy.

For L.A.’s homeless population, the fires upend hard-earned stability: Los Angeles County had started to curb homelessness. Will the fires undo it?

How resistance to Trump may look different in his second administration: Inauguration protests are expected to draw fewer people than in 2017, but activists say they are gearing up to oppose the new president with a movement that goes beyond marches.

‘I’m terrified’: TikTok’s looming ban sends creators scrambling: As the clock counts down, creators on the app that changed the online economy are hoping for a miracle. - "Dozens mobilized this week via live-stream 'phone-a-thons,' explaining to audiences of hundreds of thousands on TikTok what would be lost if the popular video app used by roughly 170 million U.S. users disappears." [ed. note: nothing. Nothing would be lost.]

The education of Elon and Vivek: For decades, reformers have laid siege to the bureaucracy and failed. DOGE could be different. - "The initial reaction to DOGE has been largely skeptical. There have been myriad attempts to reform federal spending in the 44 years between Stockman’s endeavor and this one. Each time, like Stockman before them, policymakers have come up against the intractable math: You can’t meaningfully reduce federal deficits without slashing the entitlement programs voters cherish or the military spending that members of Congress covet for their districts."

Lions playoff game puts Tom Brady’s conflict under brighter spotlight: Brady is set to call a postseason game for Fox involving two Lions coordinators who are head coaching candidates for the Raiders, partially owned by Brady.

Gay couples race to the altar before Trump takes office: Panicked about the incoming administration, some LGBTQ couples are rushing to say “I do” before Inauguration Day.

Starting Monday: The Trump administration’s days of blunder: Talk of tattoos, Jesus, enemies lists and a war with California mark the week before inauguration. - "On the same day Bannon spoke about Days of Thunder, I was in a hearing room in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, watching the most extravagantly unqualified nominee I have ever seen. Pete Hegseth makes the closest runner-up, Harriet Miers, George W. Bush’s ill-fated Supreme Court nominee, look like Oliver Wendell Holmes."

D.C. Council bill would allow bottles and cans to be recycled for cash: The bill would add a refundable 10-cent deposit to the price of beverage containers sold in D.C. stores and create a system for people to return empty bottles and cans.

Distinctive Jordan sneakers help ID suspect in Md. Lyft shooting: Brandon Leonard, 21, is accused of fatally shooting 36-year-old Oluwatosin Adetula after requesting a ride on New Year’s Day.

The Case for Letting Malibu Burn: Many of California’s native ecosystems evolved to burn. Modern fire suppression creates fuels that lead to catastrophic fires. So why do people insist on rebuilding in the firebelt? - "'Total fire suppression,' the official policy in the Southern California mountains since 1919, has been a tragic error because it creates enormous stockpiles of fuel. The extreme fires that eventually occur can transform the chemical structure of the soil itself. The volatilization of certain plant chemicals creates a water-repellent layer in the upper soil, and this layer, by preventing percolation, dramatically accelerates subsequent sheet flooding and erosion. A monomaniacal obsession with managing ignition rather than chaparral accumulation simply makes doomsday-like firestorms and the great floods that follow them virtually inevitable." [ed. note: from 1998 with postscript from 2018]

Catching Up with a Guy Who Had His Legs Surgically Lengthened by Three Inches: Checking in with "Alan," who is all healed up after going from 5'6" to 5'9".

‘I’m literally Joan Baez right now’: gen Z women relate to Bob Dylan’s toxic situationship: The film A Complete Unknown has sparked interest in the folk singers’ doomed romance, and with it the realization that a similar dynamic is ‘happening to girls everywhere’

Looting Season in America: The oligarchy blooms. - "This is simply the logic of capitalism at work. The strongman president demands the loyalty of the oligarchs, and the oligarchs in turn are granted the blessing of the state to loot an ever greater share of the nation’s wealth. Why would you assume that America is any different from the many nations around the world that already practice this political method in earnest? This is the system most conducive to the perpetuation of the oligarchs’ interests. They financially support the political revenge and repression that will flow forth from the strongman, and they themselves are insulated from its consequences, and granted license to get as rich as they want, however they want. The arrangement works for both sides. This is gangster capitalism in full flower."

On First Looking into Brand’s Whole Earth Catalog: Are we in the present that the past envisioned… or just the one they invested in?

The Future Of West Coast Wildfire Is Whiplash - "In some cases, fires can also makes soil hydrophobic, so kind of water-repellent, because the heat changes the chemical properties of the soil. So the dry state caused some physical changes in the landscape that led to the mudslides occurring. [It might have] just been a flood and not a mudslide if there hadn't been a wildfire."