Reading archive 2026-07-13

As Trump administration offloads excess federal office space, what takes its place?: Federal real estate officials say the Trump administration’s accelerated push to sell underused federal buildings could reshape Washington and beyond.

D.C.’s highest earners may pay more in taxes under new council proposal: A measure introduced by D.C. Council member Brianne K. Nadeau would add a new tax on investments and other passive income for wealthy residents.

South African protesters go door-to-door forcing immigrants from their homes

Our Oldest Ally: America still needs France. - "American statesmen have always found France an ambivalent ally, but as much because of their own behavior as that of their counterparts. French money underwrote the American Revolution, bankrupting Louis XVI's government and paving the way for their own revolution within a decade of the end of the American war. There were almost as many French troops at Yorktown as Americans, and French-provided weapons, gunpowder, and expertise, not to mention timely French naval power, sealed the American victory. France's reward was vengeance on Great Britain for the defeat of the Seven Years War - and betrayal by Americans willing to cut a separate peace with King George III.

...

"Today's French officials are calmer in their appraisal of the Trump administration than are many of their European counterparts. 'It's because we never really trusted you,' a French diplomat remarked to me with a grin over our breakfast croissants."

Survivors of Iranian attack that killed 6 U.S. troops say generals ignored warnings: The drone strike on Port Shuaiba in Kuwait occurred on the second day of the war. Those who were there say they fear no one will be held accountable. - "But when they arrived in Germany, military medical teams 'had no clue we had injured [personnel] on the flight,' said one of the soldiers. 

"Doctors told them that because the soldiers weren’t recorded on the flight’s manifest as medical evacuees, or listed in the military’s casualty-processing database as seriously injured, the hospital could not admit them, several soldiers said."

‘Widow’s Bay’ became a hit the old-fashioned way: Word of mouth, not the algorithm, turned Apple TV's horror-comedy into appointment viewing.

Nvidia Uses The Specter of Huawei to Make Its Chip Exports Case: Before Nvidia won approval to sell more chips to China, it told the U.S. government that Huawei could have enough chips to satisfy global demand. - "'Huawei simply does not pose a competitive threat to Nvidia globally right now,' says McGuire, formerly a national security official who helped design U.S. chip controls. 'Huawei’s chips are nowhere near as good, and it can’t make nearly enough of them.'

"Ironically, he adds, Nvidia has a lead over Huawei largely because of U.S. export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the lack of which has degraded China’s ability to make AI chips."

Detained by settlers, US Democrat Ro Khanna now faces pro-Israel attacks: Progressive congressman accuses Israeli military of ‘lying’ after settlers held up his van in the occupied West Bank.

Trump talks tough on Iran and Russia. For now.: Trump’s rhetorical reversals are welcome, but it’s hard to know what to make of them.

Left-wing challengers are beating House Democrats. These incumbents could be next.: Democratic incumbents have struggled against democratic socialists in several primaries this year. For other lawmakers, age has become a campaign issue.

Eating this food regularly could lead to greater longevity: Like it hot? Your heart, gut — and even your lifespan — may benefit.

Before Reflecting Pool, algae contractor had troubled project on a trash-infested river: Greenwater Services, owned by a Trump donor, has received two no-bid contracts from the government since the president returned to office.

Sen. Gary Peters backs Haley Stevens as Democrats brace for Michigan Senate fight: Party leaders are rallying around Stevens in a primary they see as crucial to holding the seat.

‘We’re Fighting Satan’: The War to Save Bees From a Hornet Invasion: As yellow-legged hornets spread through South Carolina’s Lowcountry region, threatening the local honey crop, a state team of bee defenders is racing to the rescue.

Reading archive 2026-07-07

The only bias uncovered in the White House’s Smithsonian report is its own: A White House report alleges radical bias at the National Museum of American History. But the assembled evidence reveals a large and vibrant institution carrying out its mission.

Democratic factions vie to pick Platner replacement before he leaves Maine race: Potential candidates and their backers moved quickly to gain an edge in the contest over who would replace Graham Platner if he exits the key Senate race.

Trans people are fleeing red states for Seattle. The city can’t keep up.: Since the 2024 election, a nonprofit has helped 1,500 trans people settle in Seattle — more than 20 times the 70 people it aided before the election.

U.S. gave Tehran details on Iranian asylum seekers, lawsuit alleges: The claim, outlined in court papers, contends information shared with Iran could jeopardize the lives of pro-democracy protesters, religious minorities and LGBTQ people.

Ex-girlfriend of Graham Platner says he removed condoms without consent during sex: The campaign for the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine called the allegation “categorically false and politically motivated.” - "In a statement in response to questions about Fifield’s allegation, Platner’s campaign called the claim 'categorically false and politically motivated.' The statement noted Fifield supported now-Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh when he was accused of sexual assault before his confirmation."

Rahm Emanuel to tell Israel its alliance with the U.S. cannot ‘survive as it has been’: In a Tel Aviv speech Wednesday, the presidential prospect plans to warn that Israel faces a “dead end” without change, a move reflecting Democratic pressure.

How Lizzo Became One of Pop Culture’s Great Flops: The singer is experiencing a new form of downward mobility—and she’s not alone.

With Graham Platner, Democrats Got Drunk on the Beer Test: He said there wouldn’t be any more scandals, but a new Politico report threatens to end his Senate campaign in Maine. - "Dan Moraff, one of the strategists who helped select and vet Platner, 'wants his candidates to back Medicare for All and characterize the Israel-Hamas conflict as a genocide, but beyond that, doesn't believe voters care about detailed proposals,' The Wall Street Journal reported last month. Having a policy agenda that could fit comfortably on a Post-it note without omitting any important details certainly speeds up the process. Platner, indeed, has boiled down nearly all political problems to the perfidy of sinister oligarchs. Whatever the merits of this worldview, it does not demand much knowledge."

A Huge Escalation in Trump’s Smithsonian Meddling: A White House report details what the administration wants to change in museums—and suggests that a crackdown could be coming. - "The administration's reading, for Smithsonian staff, is frustrating. The report, for one thing, relies on several museum exhibitions as examples of the activist tilt, but some are either no longer on view or were not at all influenced by the current director. 'Girlhood (It's Complicated),' a frequent subject of criticism for its discussion of transgender youth, closed more than three years ago. 'Many Voices, One Nation' and 'American Democracy,' which the document repeatedly points to as examples of the institution's recent leftward slant under Hartig, both opened nearly a decade ago, more than a year before Hartig was appointed as director."

Prepare for Airplane Purgatory The chances of getting stuck for hours in a grounded plane are soaring.

Small-Dollar Campaign Donors Are Hurting the Political System: The problem with donation mobs - "Perhaps smalligarchy, for all of its flaws, is better than oligarchy. The argument goes that it is still less corrupting to the souls of politicians to raise money from the masses instead of cultivating major donors. Liberated from intimate dinners with plutocrats, legislators should have more time on their hands to do honest work. But the pursuit of small donations shapes candidates' behavior too. To earn these dollars, politicians must attract attention and attain some degree of virality through extreme social-media posts or catchy performances in committee hearings or cable news. Because giving is an emotional response, maximizing donations requires appeals to anger, fear, and disgust (thus explaining the hysterical register in which most political fundraising emails are written). Getting likes on TikTok and Instagram may not be as morally suspect as backroom dealing, but it can be just as time-consuming-and is likely more divisive. 

"The best thing that can be said of the rise of small donors is that they have almost completely counterbalanced the rise of super PACs. Yet they are further weakening the Democratic and Republican parties. Each major party finds that the candle has been burned at both ends: ultrarich donors are able to set up independent committees to boost whichever candidates they like, while rank-and-file donors can sustain candidates who are hostile to the party apparatus and seek to expropriate it for their own faction. Parties have seldom exercised less control over candidates, and thus over policy. (The Supreme Court recently decided a case, National Republican Senatorial Commission v. FEC, striking down hard limits on expenditures made by political parties on behalf of their candidates, which will helpfully bolster the parties even if the further loosening of spending rules offends reformer types.)

...

"There is a more fundamental problem too. There is now a vicious feedback loop powered by the attention spans and contributions of small donors-politicians have an incentive to make angry, extreme, or norm-breaking statements, while news (and news-adjacent) outlets have an incentive to cover them. It is not the only cause of polarization. But the loop should be broken, not set to spin faster."

The Problem America Refuses to Address: In the age of the trillionaire, inequality remains a defining challenge.

Reading archive 2026-07-06

6 surprising tips for how to hydrate better: Experts share the latest thinking on how to make sure you’re consuming the water your body needs while avoiding health risks.

Iran’s regime survived the war and is now savvier, ruthless and more hard-line: After months of strikes by the U.S. and Israel, the Iranian regime has emerged emboldened, contradicting Trump’s claim of accomplishing “regime change.” - "Those in charge now, experts said, are part of a postrevolutionary cohort who are less extreme in their religious views but equally ruthless in their willingness to use brutal force to maintain control. 

"Their understanding of the United States has less to do with the hostage crisis of 1979 than their front-row view of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, conflicts that went on for years but ended with the United States having achieved few of its core aims. 

"The new group’s more sophisticated grasp of American pressure points may account for Iran’s strategy of launching retaliatory strikes against Persian Gulf allies of the United States, as well as its halting of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which yielded major economic leverage."

How Metro got its groove back: Ten years ago, WMATA was in dismal shape. Now, people are lining up to rep the transit system with pride. - "A plan initiated by WMATA and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the DMVMoves initiative, would instead have the three jurisdictions agree to contribute a total of $460 million annually, and grow 3% each year. Virginia included its share in its budget and Maryland pledged to do so next legislative cycle; the agency is waiting for D.C. to do the same."

As Christians are attacked in Israel, government shows little concern: Christians are being targeted by hostility and violence and say their attackers feel emboldened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. - "When an earlier wave of harassment targeting Christians made headlines in 2017, Itamar Ben Gvir, then a settler activist and lawyer, gave a radio interview to defend spitting at Christian monks and churches as 'an ancient Jewish tradition.'"

Air Force major arrested in uniform at U.S. Capitol had protested Trump before: After holding an anonymous hunger strike last year, Maj. Jason Watson decided not to hide his identity at his recent protest.

White House report accuses Smithsonian museum of ‘extreme political activism’: The 162-page report on the National Museum of American History marks an escalation of President Donald Trump’s criticism of the Smithsonian museums.

Inside the secret AI war between Silicon Valley and China: American tech firms say rivals are forcing their chatbots to act as tutors to make Chinese AI smarter.

Europe wants tourists out — except this kind: Restrictions on short-term rentals and other limitations are turning international travel into a luxury.

Pete Buttigieg’s Ordeal Is a Frightening New Form of Political Harassment: People considering a role in public life should not have to worry about the risks to their children.

Why Everyone Is Suddenly Talking About ‘Universal Basic Capital’: The policy could provide a much-needed hedge against a future AI dystopia—but only if it’s designed the right way. - "If the U.S. government owned huge portions of, say, OpenAI and Anthropic, it would have a strong incentive to do everything in its power to make sure those firms were financially successful. That might mean gutting labor or safety standards that would delay the technology's rollout, ignoring anticompetitive acts, or providing favors in the form of cheap loans or lucrative government contracts. If the AI sector turned out to be a bubble, as many fear, the companies could likely count on a government bailout. 'The federal government is really the only entity powerful enough to be a real check on these companies,' Samuel Hammond, the chief economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, a center-right think tank, told me. 'If they become joined at the hip, that check goes away. It can easily become a form of regulatory capture.'

"These problems could be avoided with carefully constructed restrictions to mitigate conflicts of interest. Norway, for instance, has been a global leader in the transition away from fossil fuels and toward green energy despite the fact that its fund is seeded by oil revenues. But America isn't Norway. Although Sanders calls for the wealth fund to be managed by an 'independent commission,' the idea of a massive new state-run enterprise maintaining operational independence from political actors in the Trump era is laughable. (Just this week, the Supreme Court ruled that the president could remove the leaders of "independent agencies" at will.) A sovereign wealth fund would functionally hand Trump a giant pot of money that he could use to enrich himself and his family, hand out favors to political allies, and force business leaders to bend the knee. It would also give him control over how the technology is developed and deployed. This would radically alter the balance of power between Washington and Silicon Valley. Earlier this year, Anthropic refused to allow the U.S. military to use its technology for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons. That kind of decision would no longer be possible if the government owned a controlling stake in the company. 'We've already seen what happens when Trump is able to tell TV stations who they should have as a late-night host or how to run their news shows,' Dean Baker, a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, told me. 'Do you really want to see what happens when we give him the power to run large chunks of corporate America?'"

The Capital Is a Mess: Chain-link fences, construction cranes, armed guards, and portable toilets everywhere

How Britain Became as Poor as Mississippi: A case study in self-sabotage - "The country's downward slide has been consistent in one respect: As Britain has become more and more aware of its diminishment, it has retreated ever more fully into a defensive crouch. Politics have become zero-sum, descending into fights over who has robbed whom. Suspicion has fallen, above all, on immigrants, whom both major parties have turned against. There is still an enduring strain of British exceptionalism, quieter and more understated than the American version, which suggests that by retreating inward, Britain can make itself great again. Astonishingly, or perhaps predictably, it is growing stronger as the country's problems get worse.

...

"Britain suffers from a housing crisis significantly worse than America's. The problem cannot even be blamed on zoning, because Britain does not have a zoning regime to speak of. Rather, every attempt to build is a painful, ad hoc negotiation with local government councils and NIMBY residents. As a result, housing costs per square foot are among the highest in Europe. In the words of one report, 'Our housing stock offers the worst value for money of any advanced economy.' France has roughly the same population as the U.K., but almost 50 percent more homes. And yet, since the financial crisis, the U.K.'s rate of housing production has only fallen."

Reading archive 2026-06-30

The all-natural way to fix the Reflecting Pool: Enlisting nature to help clean up the algae would be more patriotic than tossing in chemicals. - "I’ll be crystal clear: I don’t know if this approach would work. What I do know is that the current strategy has not survived contact with reality, and unless we try something different, we will fail, over and over again. 

"The United States isn’t known for learning quickly from its mistakes. There’s an apocryphal line from Winston Churchill that Americans will always do the right thing, after they’ve tried everything else."

Iran’s leverage over Strait of Hormuz snarls Trump’s push for a deal: The U.S. president is set on bringing gas prices down and reaching a nuclear deal, but Iran has little incentive to cede its newfound power to control shipping traffic.

As war stalls, Putin concedes he never cut a deal with Trump in Alaska: Putin just admitted the Anchorage summit didn’t yield a plan to end the war in Ukraine — perhaps because he needs a real deal now.

Trump is using a $500M no-bid contract to build his White House ballroom: The secret agreement was routed through a White House office that typically handles repairs and furnishings and is exempt from competitive bidding requirements.

American agriculture is broken: Fixing it will require much more than the new farm bill can deliver - "Cheap cash crop exports also carry economic risk, as witnessed by China’s plummeting purchases of US soyabeans amid a trade war. The idea that the US should continue to spend billions of dollars bailing out farmers who are still being incentivised to keep producing a crop that their largest buyer no longer wants (China is actively moving towards more food independence) makes zero sense."

A Watergate Every Week J. D.: Vance contends that the scandal would be “a 12-hour news story” today. He’s probably correct, but the lesson isn’t what he claims.

A Long-Standing Theory of Childbirth Is a Myth: Delivering a human baby is not uniquely difficult.

Reading archive 2026-06-25

At this point, the Reflecting Pool deserves an Emmy: The scene unfolding on the National Mall is the must-watch show of the summer. It’s a drama. A farce. A whodunit. A murder mystery.

Why the South is the only U.S. region growing across every age group: Population across the region grew across all age groups between 2020 and 2025. But it was the only region with growing numbers of people under 18.

Everyone is worried about AI killing jobs. She’s testing a fix-it plan.: Former Biden administration official Gina Raimondo is leading a bipartisan effort to AI-proof the country’s workforce.

We’re dermatologists. Sunscreen isn’t the problem.: Every year, a safe-sunscreen guide sparks needless concern.

Supreme Court blocks thousands of suits claiming Roundup causes cancer: The ruling restricts one of the largest waves of product liability lawsuits in the history of the nation. [ed. note: 7-2, KBJ and Gorsuch dissenting]

Iran strikes cargo ship on U.N.-backed route in Strait of Hormuz: The attack comes after a spike in vessels using a new shipping lane set up by the U.N. and Oman.

RFK Jr. urged Iowa candidate to make deal to help GOP win House seat, per audio recording: The health secretary urged Iowa Libertarian candidates to drop out of key races to help Republicans keep control of Congress, according to interviews and a recording obtained by The Post. The effort highlights mounting GOP anxiety over the battle for the House.

Trump’s latest declaration of an emergency leaves GOP allies scrambling again: House Speaker Mike Johnson heads to the White House a day after the president canceled a signing ceremony for a housing bill, using it as leverage for elections legislation he deems urgent.

Burnham Is Britain’s Last Chance Before Farage: If he becomes prime minister, he has three years to fix the country.

New York’s Warning for Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer: They aren’t the dominant force in their hometown.

Reading archive 2026-06-18

20 arrested in alleged drug trafficking operation near DC elementary school

All the Sad Hawks: Neoconservatives are struggling to reconcile their hopes for Trump with the failure of his Iran war. - "The defining trait of neoconservative thought is a near-boundless faith in the efficacy of U.S. military power. This faith caused the neocons to recoil in from the Obama administration's 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. A tougher president, they believed, would have used the threat of American might to make Iran accept much stricter terms.

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"Meanwhile, the administration is attempting to make its supporters forget a decade of claims that Obama betrayed the country by handing 'pallets of cash' to Iran as it permits the country to recover billions immediately, by suspending sanctions, and possibly far more in 'reconstruction' funds that Iran views, not inaccurately, as reparations. The dread pallets seen in endless Fox News clips transferred $1.7 billion to Tehran, a minuscule figure compared with the $12 billion in unfrozen assets, not to mention the potential $300 billion reparations."

The feral hogs ravaging America could come to your home next: Money alone won’t win this bipartisan war. - "The federal government can regulate invasive plants, livestock disease and imported wildlife, yet it lacks jurisdiction over an invasive animal already established in the U.S. Current laws might curb interstate transport, but they cannot regulate in-state markets for feral hogs. 

"These markets exist because while some see the hogs as a problem, others see a revenue stream. Texas law allows people to sell live hogs by the pound at USDA holding facilities. Hog hunting occurs on game ranches in multiple states. These activities provide income on land that’s not productive for crops. It’s hard to coordinate eradication when some folks have incentives to keep the swine alive."

What Color Is the Reflecting Pool? An Investigation.: President Trump wanted an American-flag-blue Reflecting Pool. Instead, he got a swamp.

The Pentagon Might Win the Lottery: But even $1.5 trillion won’t solve its problems.

The Feel-Good Story of the World Cup Is Too Good to Be True: Some of the people celebrating American excess are not what they seem.

The Apotheosis of Donald Trump: On the president’s 80th birthday, it became clear that he has entered his decline.

Reading archive 2026-06-16

14-Year-Old Is Charged With Armed Robbery of Boston Lemonade Stand: A cash box containing about $80 was stolen from two siblings in Boston during the robbery, which occurred in broad daylight, the police and family members said.

Trump claims victory over Iran, but deal is silent on nuclear weapons: The president promised oil would resume flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, though U.S. and Iranian officials differed on the initial agreement’s terms. - "A spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baqaei, said Monday that Iran intended to keep charging fees for passage through the strait that would cover navigation services, environmental protection and ship insurance."

Covid vaccine linked to broad protections against heart conditions, study finds: A new study finds the vaccine was linked with nearly 40 percent lower risk of events like heart attack and stroke

He’s studied procrastination for 40 years. Here’s what he’s learned.: After so many years studying procrastination, Joseph Ferrari has some thoughts about why you can’t seem to get anything done — and how to fix that. - "'In our culture, we punish for being late,' Ferrari said. 'We need to reward for being early.' He believes incentives could transform the collective tendency to put things off. What if, for example, the government gave people a discount if they filed their taxes early, or stores offered their biggest holiday sales on the day after Thanksgiving rather than Christmas Eve?"

Good luck, JD Vance. I sense a setup.: The vice president is tasked with helping the Iran regime “learn the ways of peace.”

Algae forms in the Reflecting Pool. It’s ‘residual,’ Trump officials say.: A few days after the $14 million renovation was completed, along came the algae in the D.C. heat. It’s being removed, an Interior spokeswoman said, and measures are in place to prevent it in the future.

Planned forest fires have wider benefits than previously thought: The new research found managing low-severity fires across 1 million acres a year could reduce the amount of land that burned from severe fires by about 25 percent, protection that lasts for years.

The Milkman: Mark McAfee Promotes the Wonders of Raw Milk. It Has Sickened M Hundreds, Regulators Say - "'We have a red-flag system here, where if there’s anything that gets really out of whack, they can immediately tag the milk, and it doesn’t go to anything but cheese,' McAfee told me. 'Because, you know, cheese is resistant to pathogens.'

"Research has shown that raw cheese is not, in fact, resistant to pathogens; while aging can mitigate some risk, harmful bacteria can still survive the usual 60-day maturation process."

Reading archive 2026-06-11

How D.C. lawmakers avoided deep cuts to child care and social services: The outstanding deficits in popular programs have led some advocates and lawmakers to suggest raising taxes on the wealthy — a move opposed by the mayor.

A majority of D.C. residents are unhappy about the city’s direction. We asked them why.: Some of the most common concerns are crime, the cost of living, the economy and concern about federal control.

An obscure race to control the D.C. Democratic Party comes with high stakes and controversy

Oil executives warn White House that gas prices will get worse: Grim predictions add to the problems of a president already facing a sharp rise in inflation.

How Joyce Beatty Saved the Kennedy Center: The Ohio congresswoman tells us why she's hopeful about a judge's ruling that zapped Trump's name from the building—and what she expects to happen next.

Solo dissents are uncommon. Justice Kagan just made her first.: Justice Elena Kagan’s first solo dissent came nearly 16 years after she joined the Supreme Court bench.

Musk’s Starlink hooked rural customers. Then came the price increases.: The billionaire’s satellite internet service is a lifeline to many, but some users who face higher prices say Starlink has amassed too much power.

Reading archive 2026-05-18

Disease, Drought, Climate Change — And the Joy of Fighting Back: On my Virginia farm, I have a front-row seat to the grim consequences of a warming planet. But I’m not surrendering.

So, you got bit by a tick. Here’s exactly what to do next.: Experts explained what to do if you find a tick attached to your skin, including how to remove it and document it, and when to seek medical advice.

6 tick-borne diseases that should be on your radar: With tick season in full force, here are the most common diseases they spread in the U.S., where they most commonly occur and the symptoms to watch for.

I lead a Jewish school. Mamdani’s first veto is astonishing.: Amid rising antisemitism, New York's mayor stopped a safeguarding move for schools. [vetoed a bill banning protests near schools, the case this guy is mad about was a real-estate sale for settlement land in the West Bank]

Georgia’s top Republican fears a repeat of the GOP’s 2022 Senate blunder: Gov. Brian Kemp (R), the popular Georgia governor, has endorsed a Senate candidate he believes has broad appeal. But his more MAGA rival is gaining steam.

Trump has no good military option to ‘finish the job’ in Iran: Trump would be wise to ignore hawkish advice and try to forge a deal with Tehran.

ICE agent charged in shooting of immigrant during Minneapolis crackdown: County prosecutors issued a warrant for the arrest of the agent, who faces felony assault charges. The victim was one of three people shot during January’s crackdown.

A European rule could devastate American farmers: Lawmakers should stand up to this attempt to regulate American business. - "The increased costs would be felt throughout the supply chain. Farm profits would be squeezed, grocery bills would increase, and rural communities would be hit first and hardest. When a small farm goes under, it doesn’t just hurt one family; it hurts local businesses that buy from that farm and the equipment dealers that sell to it." [ed. note: shouldn't have pissed off Europe then]

Reading archive 2026-05-07

Grain dispute splits Ukraine and Israel even as they fight allied enemies: Tense relations soured further after Ukraine accused Israel of buying grain harvested by Russia in occupied territory. Meanwhile, Russia and Iran have grown closer. - "'Given the place of Israel as part of western democratic states and Russia, on the other side, siding with Iran and Hamas, it should be very clear where Israel should be, but this is not the case,' Svetlova said. 'There might be another reason why Israel is projecting this cold attitude toward Ukraine: its strained ties with the U.S. administration. Trump thinks Zelensky has the weaker chin, he can be pressured, so maybe Israel thinks that, too.'"

An American industrial revolution is brewing. I saw it in Pittsburgh.: America isn’t ready for “Day 30.” Start-ups like Gecko Robotics are working to change that. - "The defense base badly needs this disruption. The U.S. spends staggering sums for 'exquisite' systems that can’t be produced in sufficient volume or maintained at reasonable cost. Critics liken the Pentagon’s current procurement system to buying a fleet of luxury cars with sky-high repair bills. The folly of this approach has been clear in the Ukraine and Iran wars, where cheap drones have overwhelmed expensive interceptor missiles."

What really killed Mozart? You don’t want to know.: “Amadeus” returns to TV and shows why genius always demands an antagonist.

U.S. intelligence says Iran can outlast Trump’s Hormuz blockade for months: A confidential intelligence community assessment delivered to the White House also finds that Iran retains a substantial missile and drone arsenal.

Inside a MAGA influencer’s turn against the right-wing machine: Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, has renounced her life as a pro-Trump provocateur.

Former D.C. mayor Anthony Williams endorses McDuffie in Democratic primary Williams’s support further underscores Kenyan R. McDuffie’s appeal among the business class at a time the District’s economy is experiencing a period of distress.

Brain health supplements are booming. Here’s what one longevity expert takes.: Only one has been shown in clinical trials to slow cognitive aging, by about two years. This is what the science says about which supplements work.

Reading archive 2026-05-05

With gas prices so high, how much will you actually save with an EV?: Gas prices are expected to remain high because of the Iran war, increasing the cost advantages of switching to electric vehicles over gas-powered cars.

Multiple D.C. Police Leaders Face Termination Over Crime Data Manipulation

Indie music has been invaded by fake fans and cynical viral campaigns​. Here’s how deep it all goes

They thought their disabled daughter was safe. A pregnancy revealed her rape.: She’s blind and can barely speak, and her family is suing her group home, caregivers and state agencies. “The whole system failed Kamryn,” her mother says.

5 things mosquito experts do every summer to avoid getting bitten: Looking for pest prevention strategies that work? Researchers share how they prevent mosquito bites and keep the bugs at bay on their properties.

U.S. mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz will be temporary, Hegseth says: The defense secretary says the ceasefire holds despite Iranian attacks on U.S. forces. He said the United States would call on allies to take over the mission to reopen the waterway.

For a Time, the U.S. Protected Democracy: A requiem for the Voting Rights Act - "Like previous VRA-related decisions, Callais was 'narrow,' in that it did not strike down the law itself. But although the edifice built at great expense-by Fannie Lou Hamer, by John Lewis, by the bloodied limbs of Mississippi sharecroppers and Alabama marchers-has not been entirely bulldozed, only the facade remains. The VRA has not been dealt a "blow"; the decision did not merely defang it. The law is dead, and no matter what happens in the coming elections, politics in America has been forever changed. For most of the nation's history, the former Confederate states have worked hard to minimize the political influence of Black residents in particular. Now they have full cover to do so again."

Europe Without America: The Iran war has given European leaders new impetus to plan for self-defense. - "The Trump administration didn't bother making specific requests of its European allies for the war against Iran. Instead, each day brought new, conflicting signals. At first, the message was that the United States and Israel could handle it. Then Trump lashed out on social media, saying that allies 'should have been there.' But the Trump administration never told key European partners what specifically it wanted from them in Iran, multiple European officials told me. The Pentagon spokesperson told me that the administration 'has been consistently and repeatedly clear about the demand signal to allies to contribute to addressing a threat that affects Europe as much as America and our Middle East allies. The notion that the Department did not convey these requests widely and clearly is demonstrably false.'"

Why Stocks Keep Going Up: The boom is not as untethered from reality as it may look.

The One Tax the Rich Can’t Escape: New York’s proposed pied-à-terre tax is unlikely to chase anyone away. - "There is also a harder truth underneath the political rhetoric. Blue cities cannot keep taxing their way out of their budget problems. The differentials between high-tax and low-tax states are now too large, and the mobility of the rich too real, for that playbook to keep working. Cities like New York have to get serious about the cost side of their budgets-about efficiency, productivity, and what they spend. The revenue side alone cannot close the gap. A pied-à-terre tax is a useful tool if it is used smartly, but it is not a substitute for running the city well.

"None of this means the idea of taxing the rich is wrong. The inequality that has built up in this country has reached levels that are corrosive to the economy and to the fabric of our cities. But income taxes and wealth taxes cannot do the job at the city or state level. They have to be levied at the national level, where there is no state line to cross. Local governments should tax what cannot move, which means fixed assets and real estate above all. A pied-à-terre tax is one version of that idea, and there are others. For cities like New York, the lesson is straightforward. Stop trying to tax what the rich can carry with them, and start taxing what they want to keep."

The End of Cigarettes Is Coming The U.K. is phasing out smoking.: How long will Americans tolerate tobacco—and other vices?

The Iran War’s Ramifications Have Only Just Begun: U.S. goals haven’t been met, but the war will cause long-term disruptions.

Micah Lasher, Child Magician The race for New York’s Twelfth District keeps getting more interesting.

Making America’s Houses Bigger May Have Been a Mistake: Millennials are abandoning the idea of living in a giant home.

All the Sad Young Chinese Professionals: China’s urbanites are learning the price of prosperity.

She dreamed of a natural birth in Mexico. Now, she believes she was drugged.: In a complaint filed with Mexican prosecutors, Jennifer Nosek alleges that her midwife, Heather Baker, caused her baby’s death.

She dreamed of a natural birth in Mexico. Now, she believes she was drugged.: In a complaint filed with Mexican prosecutors, Jennifer Nosek alleges that her midwife, Heather Baker, caused her baby’s death. - "The couple also allege that after their son’s death, Baker [the midwife] urged them not to tell the police that she was a midwife or that they’d paid her but to identify her only as a friend. Lemos [the father], worried that an open investigation would delay the release of their son’s body, agreed. There was no autopsy, and the baby’s death certificate says he died of perinatal asphyxia, a condition in which a fetus or infant fails to get enough oxygen."

Reading archive 2026-04-29

An ingenious way to sidestep the dismal Senate filibuster: Restrain the president, revive Congress, honor Madisonian principles. What’s not to like? - "Today’s Senate Republicans are mostly oblivious of — or, worse, indifferent about — how they appear. In 2024, they solemnly warned that if they did not win control of the Senate, 2025-2026, Democrats would degrade it by abolishing the filibuster. In 2025, however, Senate Republicans, in lockstep with House Republicans, crammed most of the president’s agenda into a single bill that they passed on a party-line vote using the parliamentary maneuver called “reconciliation,” which prevents a bill from being filibustered."

Colombians are divided over the fate of hippos linked to Pablo Escobar

The great Black GOP exit from Congress: Republicans squandered Trump’s gains with African Americans in 2024.

Alleged gunman at correspondents’ dinner led Christian group in college: Ex-classmates who knew Cole Tomas Allen, 31, at the California Institute of Technology say they were shocked by a message in which he appeared to use biblical teachings to justify violence.

So Nobody Is Going to Pay Taxes Now?: America actually needs a tax base. - "While tinkering with marginal rates, Democrats have threaded deductions, credits, and exemptions into the tax code, engaging in 'submerged' policy making, as Cornell's Suzanne Mettler describes it. Tax expenditures are easier for Congress to pass than spending programs, and they're easier to target at low-income households. Still, Americans don't really understand these policies. Two in three claimants of the home-mortgage-interest deduction say it doesn't do much for them. (The deduction can reduce a family's tax bill by as much as $15,000 a year.) Two in three people with a 529 college savings plan believe that they have never used a government program. The more tax breaks a person receives, the less likely they are to report that Uncle Sam has improved their quality of life, Mettler has found. Yet such initiatives cost the government hundreds of billions of dollars.

...

"Wages for hourly employees have crawled, while the paychecks of investors and executives have soared. At the same time, the wealth of investors and executives has skyrocketed, with the taxman scarcely tapping these fortunes at all. As the law professor Ray Madoff has observed, Amazon has paid Jeff Bezos a salary of roughly $82,000 a year since the late 1990s, 'low enough to make him eligible to claim the child tax credit (which he did!).' From 2014 to 2018, his net worth climbed by $99 billion, just 0.98 percent of which went to public coffers, whereas many middle-class families fork over 25 percent of their earnings. Plus, again, the cost of living has become brutally high. Even households making six figures are struggling to afford child care, rent, groceries, health insurance, summer camp, and student-loan debt."

A Mediocre Public-School Education for Just $40,000 a Pupil: How New York City’s education budget became an untouchable money pit - "As New York City becomes more expensive to live in, fewer families with children live there. The education budget nonetheless continues to go up, hurting taxpayers and diverting funds from other important services. This makes the city even more expensive to live in, and leaves young families even more squeezed, causing even fewer children to live there. The situation stems from the commendable liberal impulse to devote extensive resources to public education. But what's the point of public education without a public to educate?"

Anthropic’s Little Brother: OpenAI is racing to catch up to its greatest rival.

Why Did Trump Pardon the Former Honduran President? Follow the Tech Bros.: With Roger Stone taking a victory lap for having come up with the idea in the first place.

Untangling the Issue of Circling Roots

Physiology and root development of container-grown urban trees in response to root-shaving, root-washing, and root-slicing at planting - "Among the root modifications examined, root-shaving provided the optimal combination of improved root development while minimizing adverse effects to tree stress and crown dieback. Moreover, our results suggest that trees that are historically known to be difficult to transplant as bare-root stock are poor candidates for extreme root disturbance procedures such as root-washing when produced as container-grown trees."

What Would a Fiscal Crisis Look Like? - "Already, the U.S. is facing consequences from excessive debt. Excessive borrowing was a key driver of the recent surge in inflation and subsequent rise in interest rates, and real incomes are lower today than they otherwise would be as a result of the “crowd out” of past investment. Meanwhile, the cost of interest on the debt grew to roughly $1 trillion last year, which is more than the federal government spent on defense and about as much as it spent on Medicare. These high interest payments leave fewer resources for new spending initiatives and tax cuts. And with debt at 100% of GDP, the U.S. has less fiscal space than any time in history in case of another war, pandemic, or recession. A fiscal crisis would substantially worsen most or all of the costs of debt."

Cato Study: Immigrants Reduced Deficits by $14.5 Trillion Since 1994 - "The best way to balance the budget is to reduce spending—particularly on wealthy retirees—but rather than hinder our efforts to control deficits, immigrants are helping."

Global Trade Is Leaving the US Behind: The US’s retreat from the global economy is likely to make America less influential, less resilient, less secure, and poorer over the long term, as economic integration deepens elsewhere and other governments set new standards in trade agreements.

More Photos Emerge of Meals on Navy Ships As Pentagon Denies Shortages

This Scammer Used an AI-Generated MAGA Girl to Grift ‘Super Dumb’ Men: A med student says he’s made thousands of dollars selling photos and videos of a young conservative woman he created using generative tools. He’s not alone.

Is the tide turning for Ukraine in war with Russia?: With the EU approving a €90bn loan for Ukraine, a surprise visit from Prince Harry, and data suggesting Russian troops made almost no territorial gains in March – are there reasons for optimism in Kyiv?

Iran caused more extensive damage to U.S. military bases than publicly known: U.S. bases and equipment across the Middle East came under attack — including from an Iranian F-5, despite American air defenses — and repairs could cost billions of dollars.

They Were Michael Jackson's 'Second Family.' Now They Say He Abused Them.: The Cascio siblings are suing Mr. Jackson's estate after standing by him for years as he faced accusations of child molestation.

Farmers are bleeding money under Trump —but are doubling down on their support anyway

Reading archive 2026-04-28

Researchers say remote Lake Superior island’s wolves are thriving as packs prey on moose

Clean energy pushes fossil-fuel power into reverse for ‘first time ever’

An AI trained on 13,000 virtual worlds just projected our renewable energy future: It beat the International Energy Agency's forecasts—and it says 2°C is still on the table

Why Trump’s ballroom can’t host the White House correspondents’ dinner: The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an independent celebration of press freedoms. - "Let us also note the irony that the current president has barred Associated Press reporters from White House events and that his Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, threatens the independence of television journalists with metronomic regularity. But now Trump wants to host at the White House a dinner supposedly celebrating the press’s freedom from government coercion."

Ukraine took Russia’s best punch. It wants to teach Europe what it learned.: The country’s fighters gave the continent's defense chiefs a blunt message: You forgot how to fight. We can help.

A Trump-branded nuclear power project thrilled investors. Then came the crash.: Corporate drama and a stock plummet at Fermi America are raising questions about the sustainability of the wider artificial intelligence boom.

UAE to leave OPEC amid Hormuz oil crisis, a blow to Saudi Arabia: The departure weakens the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, long criticized by Trump, as the global economy reels from the Iran war energy shock.

MAHA’s Perfect Villain: Glyphosate highlights the movement’s horseshoe politics and has nothing to do with vaccines.

The Age of American Caesarism: The legal right spent decades empowering the presidency. Now it must reckon with the system it helped create. [ed. note: a conservative attempts and fails to reckon honestly about how the conservative legal movement endangers the republic]

The Pentagon May Not Be Telling Trump the Full Picture About the War: Vice President Vance is worried that the U.S. is running low on weapons. - "Pentagon leaders' positive portrayals present an incomplete picture at best, people familiar with intelligence assessments told us. According to those internal estimates, Iran retains two-thirds of its air force, the bulk of its missile-launching capability, and most of its small, fast boats, which can lay mines and harass traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. At least in terms of resuming stalled maritime commerce, 'those are the real threat,' one person told us."

Reading archive 2026-04-20

The AI people have been right a lot: Try to keep an open mind as the world gets increasingly wild.

Amazon is behind on jobs promised for funding to build Virginia headquarters: The company expected to be nearly halfway to its goal of 25,000 new jobs in the area by 2038. It has created a little more than 7,000. - "The company should have added 11,643 jobs at the site in Crystal City it refers to as HQ2 by the end of 2025, according to the incentive agreement with the state. Instead, it has created 7,159 jobs as of Dec. 31 — which is 28.6 percent of the total goal, instead of the 46.5 percent mark the company expected."

D.C. police sought to arrest Rep. Cory Mills after assault call, records show: The Florida Republican is the focus of a House ethics probe stemming, in part, from the alleged assault.

Woman dead after being struck in DC crosswalk, driver flees - "DC Police say Dawn Ciccone of Northwest DC was in a crosswalk when a 2026 Jeep Wrangler passed drivers in a designated left turn lane, made an illegal turn from the middle lane, and struck her."

‘It’s pissing people off’: Centrist Democrats are livid with AIPAC after primary fiasco: AIPAC spent $2 million attacking moderate-leaning Tom Malinowski in a House special election — and may have handed the race to progressive Analilia Mejia.

How Silicon Valley Humiliated the Democrats: When will they learn? The party remains far too solicitous of an industry that’s rewarded their fealty with four years of Trump and untold damage to democracy.

Outrage over Israeli soldier's vandalism of Jesus statue in Lebanon - "A 2025 report by the Rossing Center, a Jerusalem-based organisation which aims to foster better inter-faith relations in the Holy Land, describes a 'recent surge in overt animosity towards Christianity', putting this down to 'a continued deepening of polarisation and ultra-nationalist political trends'."

As D.C. police search for dirt biker who struck boy, his family seeks change: D.C. police are looking for a dirt bike driver who they say is responsible for striking two children, critically injuring one, in Northwest Washington.

U.S. companies don’t have to take this: China's new rules for businesses send America a message: Be our friend — or else.

These relatives of foreign thugs called America home. No more.: Revoking visas from authoritarians’ kin is overdue.

D.C. curfews are not enough to curb crime. Arrest data shows why.: Youth violence in the District happens on the move. So should prevention.

Here’s what the stock market might have gotten wrong about the Iran war: The surge in optimism contrasts starkly with continued energy supply challenges that threaten long-lasting economic harm — and a market reckoning. - "'There is a disconnect between what the markets look like and what is actually happening in the world,' said Tibor Besedes, a professor of economics at the Georgia Institute of Technology. 'The markets seem to be pricing this as a temporary shock even though people in the oil sector say this will be long term. It is not as simple as opening the faucet to get oil flowing again. I don’t understand why every time news comes out that we might have a ceasefire, the markets react this way. It is like investors do not realize we are still in a war.'"

Gas prices threaten GOP in race that could help determine House control: Gas prices pose a challenge for Republicans in competitive midterm races, even as the president promises an end to the war in Iran soon.

A new foothold for Moscow in Europe after Bulgaria election: After the defeat of Hungary’s Viktor Orban, the victory in Bulgaria by Rumen Radev will install a new pro-Russian voice within the European Union.

Democrat in key race defended guns after mass shooting and insulted Kaepernick: Bob Brooks, a firefighter who appeals to the White working class, engaged with right-wing content. His endorsers in the Pennsylvania House race stand by him.

FBI Director Kash Patel sues the Atlantic for $250M, alleging defamation: The magazine published a report alleging Patel engaged in “excessive drinking" in work settings and had “unexplained absences.”

‘I am a Democrat’: Will Pennsylvania turn on John Fetterman?: The senator bets his career on an independent streak and working with Republicans.

Reading archive 2026-04-17 pt 1

A New Kind of Hybrid Car Is About to Hit America’s Streets: The car industry says it has an answer for drivers wary of going electric.

If your heart stopped right now, would a stranger save you? It depends on your sex.: Why women are less likely to receive CPR—and less likely to survive

DC Mayor extends juvenile curfew citing weeks of disorderly behavior, violence: The curfew zones were put in place in response to "teen takeovers," large gatherings of kids and teenagers promoted on social media.

D.C. police lieutenant charged with seeking to have sex with a minor: Matthew Mahl, a D.C. police lieutenant, allegedly exchanged sexually explicit text messages with a Maryland detective pretending to be a 15-year-old boy.

How to save money on tree work and still get good results: Even healthy trees need a little branch management from time to time.

Iran says Strait of Hormuz is now open amid push to end war: President Trump welcomed the announcement, but U.S. officials said the naval blockade on vessels leaving from and going to Iranian ports remains in effect.

Nothing ever dies. It merely becomes embarrassing.: OR: the Halo theory of science - "The secret sauce of science is supposed to be falsifiability: it ain’t science unless you can kill it. If I claim that all swans are white, and you show up with a black swan, then I’m supposed to bid a tearful goodbye to my theory and send it to that big farm upstate where it can frolic and play with all the other failed hypotheses. 

"Falsification sounds straightforward until you actually try it. You show up with your black swan, and instead of admitting defeat, I go, 'Hmm, well is it really black? Is it actually a swan? Seems more like a dusky-looking duck to me!' And we publish dueling papers until the end of our days.

...

"This is the situation we appear to be in with many theories in psychology. We can’t say whether they’re 'real' or not. Somewhere out there, the Spartans may live on. But if we’ve been studying something for decades and people look at all the evidence and they still doubt whether it exists at all, we have to admit: that’s cringe. 

"Cringe doesn’t mean wrong! Continental drift was cringe.2 Germ theory was cringe.3 Smallpox vaccination was cringe.4 All of them went from mortifying to undeniable. Maybe truly revolutionary theories must follow that trajectory. If a scientific idea is young and it’s not cringe, it probably has no promise. But if it’s old and it’s still cringe, it probably has no merit."

Another Energy Crisis Is Here. This Time, the Way Out Is Different. - "This is the first energy shock where clean energy is not a moral or long‑term bet, but the cheapest and fastest way for low‑ and middle‑income countries to protect macroeconomic stability, food security, and fiscal space."

This is the scariest question about Putin — and Trump: The Russian president's back is to the wall. That makes him more dangerous.

A Pillar of the Economics Establishment Admits That It Was Wrong: In a new report, the World Bank thinks better of its old free-market absolutism. - "In this context, the World Bank's implicit message to the rest of the world appears to be: Yes, industrial policy can work if done correctly. But please, for the love of God, don't do what America is doing."

Trump Voters Are Over It: A shocking number of the president’s supporters have turned against him.

The DNA Fix for Aging: Everyone’s DNA keeps mutating. Could correcting those errors lead to longevity?

The Quiet Way Authoritarianism Begins to Crumble: Among the many reasons for Viktor Orbán’s defeat was the rural clubs where citizens relearned democratic habits.

Israel Moderates Are Losing the Democratic Party: Their position has become untenable. But liberal Zionists can adapt. - "The theoretical case for a two-state solution remains as sound as ever. The trouble is that the Palestinian side has rejected repeated attempts by Democratic presidents to bring about the birth of a Palestinian state, and that Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his right-wing coalition do everything they can to subvert such a solution. At some point, supporters of the two-state solution have to take 'no' for an answer. The United States is effectively supporting a one-state solution whose entire strategy rests on an endless cycle of responding to terrorism with military force (a process of periodic attacks that Israel calls 'mowing the lawn') in place of any diplomatic path.

...

"Liberal Zionists can win an intra-Democratic argument against anti-Zionist radicals, but they can't win it while burdened with support for subsidizing settlements and a strategy of endless conflict. The most extreme anti-Zionist activists won't be satisfied with anything short of committing the Democratic Party to Israel's demise. But the most left-wing position in recent Democratic primaries - on Iraq in 2004, on health care in 2016 - has rarely been adopted by the candidate who emerges as the party's eventual nominee."

Reading archive 2026-04-15

Some Contemporary Heresies

The Death of a Superman: An entirely avoidable problem is killing dozens of homeless people across the country. why is it being ignored? - "Death in a bin, a police officer told the Toronto Sun, 'would be painful, and it would not be quick.' Canadians learned that the victim’s terrible end had come after a hard life. Crystal Papineau had been kicked out of school, left home at sixteen, and struggled with addiction. And it’s possible that she crawled into the bin not for clothes but to get out of the cold. It was a freezing night, and the shelters were over capacity."

Oil prices may be starting to come down for a worrisome reason: The largest oil shock in history caused prices to surge. Now they're so high that they may be causing "demand destruction." That would mean slower economic growth.

Trump’s reversal on day care upends a bipartisan push to lower costs: Lawmakers and advocates were gaining momentum until the president backtracked on his campaign promise.

Vance praises Trump, while subtly differentiating himself at Georgia event: At a gathering of conservative college students, the vice president expressed respect for Pope Leo XIV and empathized with concerns about high costs of living.

War powers vote will test Senate’s support for Trump’s war with Iran: Some Republicans have expressed concerns about the war as it approaches the two-month mark, saying the administration must make the case for continuing it.

A New Geopolitical Reality Is Here: America’s adversaries are uniting as its own coalition falls apart. - "The Iran war has laid bare a new geopolitical reality. America's adversaries are becoming more coordinated, sharing resources and capabilities in ways that amplify their power, while America's global alliances, long its greatest asset, are neglected and fragmenting. The United States is, in effect, moving toward a world in which it faces more connected opponents with a less cohesive coalition of its own. This is a major shift with profound implications for U.S. national security-and it's one that the Trump administration shows no sign of recognizing, let alone reversing."

Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?:  New interviews and closely guarded documents shed light on the persistent doubts about the head of OpenAI. - "Yet most of the people we spoke to shared the judgment of Sutskever and Amodei: Altman has a relentless will to power that, even among industrialists who put their names on spaceships, sets him apart. 'He’s unconstrained by truth,' the board member told us. 'He has two traits that are almost never seen in the same person. The first is a strong desire to please people, to be liked in any given interaction. The second is almost a sociopathic lack of concern for the consequences that may come from deceiving someone.'"

Reading archive 2026-04-14

America Looks Like a Paper Tiger: The U.S. showed great tactical capabilities in the Iran war, but Iran emerged the winner at a strategic level.

The Forgotten War That Iran Already Won: Tehran fought for decades to prevent Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Only Losers Play the Madman: Does Trump seem crazy? Sure. Credible, not so much. - "Nobody executes a madman strategy when he feels that he's winning. Strong and successful powers emphasize consistency and predictability. So do powers that hope to be seen as strong and successful. When China's foreign minister speaks to the world, he uses language such as 'China will be a reliable force for stability' and China 'is providing the greatest certainty in this uncertain world.' He understands that true power does not need to boast or yell."

This detox may erase 10 years of social media brain damage, researchers say: Studies show that taking even short breaks could reverse measures of cognitive decline.

Metro hair toucher arrested again for stalking: A DC judge has ordered Bryan Betancur to be held without bond following his stalking charges.

Gov. Spanberger signs bill to end the renewal of Robert E. Lee license plates in Virginia

Record animal sacrifice attempts at Al-Aqsa prompt status quo fears: Record number of attempts by Israeli settlers to smuggle Passover sacrifices into the holy site since 1967 leads to takeover fears.

Trump Desperately Tries to Spin His Massive Surrender in Iran as a Win: Iran has retained control of the Strait of Hormuz—and Donald Trump insists that’s a good thing.

Why high oil prices are good for oil companies — until they aren't - "When oil prices stay consistently above that $90 mark, 'the economy suffers and inflation rises,' Crooks, of research group Wood MacKenzie, says. 'Growth falls. Interest rates may go up. People in the wider economy lose their jobs.'"

These Chimps Began the Bloodiest ‘War’ on Record. No One Knows Why.: A long-running conflict in a Ugandan park may provide clues to the origins of human warfare, and how to avoid it.

Not Even Noise-Cancelling Headphones Can Block This Bicycle Bell: Skoda designed a new bike bell that slips through active noise cancellation using a specific frequency gap that most headphones cannot suppress

'America's Main Street' in DC could get a massive overhaul; here's what leaders propose

A new map is fueling a debate on housing and displacement in D.C.: Critics of the proposed Future Land Use Map say it isn't thinking big enough.

Ye Wants Your Forgiveness. So What?: The former Kanye West is making his bid to rejoin mainstream culture—with mixed results.

How Did Samuel Alito Become This Angry?: A quiet, bookish justice’s personal leanings have become ever more overt.

In Praise of ‘Difficult’ Kids: Feisty children can be exhausting. They also possess a moral fire that deserves cultivating.

Reading archive 2026-04-13

Car with more than $260K in unpaid tickets towed in DC: The Maryland car had racked up nearly 900 unpaid tickets.

Menace on the Streets: E-bikes and e-scooters are remaking the rules of the road. Canada’s cities aren’t ready.

In 1990, a bipartisan Congress passed historic bills. Then it cracked apart.: 36 years ago, a Republican president and Democratic lawmakers produced monumental laws. Now a broken Congress has enabled Trump to undo key parts of that legacy.

A new poll shows the political risk to Israel from the war in Iran: Launching the attack was a big gamble with American opinion that isn’t paying off.

After record highs, Colorado’s legal pot market hits a harsh comedown: Oversupply and competition from other states have helped upend the nation’s first legal cannabis market.

On Africa trip, Pope Leo will face debate over polygamy as Catholicism booms: Leo’s early papacy has been defined largely by his response to President Donald Trump but a 10-day trip, starting Monday, will let the pope focus on spreading the faith. - "In recent years, Africa’s Catholic bishops have become increasingly assertive. They rebelled in 2023 when Francis explicitly allowed priests to offer brief blessings to people in same-sex couples, issuing an official rejection of his ruling on a continent where homosexuality in some nations is punishable by death.

"Now, they are pushing for their own dispensation, pressing the Vatican to embrace pastoral outreach for polygamists — more prevalent in some African nations than anywhere else."

D.C. mayoral candidates want to build more housing — but investors don’t: Plans by Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan R. McDuffie to increase the housing supply and lower costs for renters are different in scope, but they face the same hurdles.

Bowser’s final D.C. budget includes $469M in cuts amid tough fiscal picture: Mayor Muriel Bowser’s $21.2 billion budget proposal would put off pay raises for firefighters and cut a program that boosts early childhood educator pay.

Claude Mythos Is Everyone’s Problem: What happens when AI can hack everything?

What China Just Learned From the Iran War: A blockade of Taiwan would hurt the global economy more than Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. - "The war in Iran has flipped this argument on its head. As seems clear from Tuesday night's truce, an authoritarian regime far weaker than China can use global supply chains as leverage and, in the process, force the U.S. to back away from its threats. By closing the Strait of Hormuz, Iran caused the average price of gas in the U.S. to shoot up by nearly 40 percent, piling political pressure on Trump to end the war as soon as possible. A Pew Research Center poll conducted at the end of March found that gas prices were the biggest concern among Americans when it came to the war in Iran, well above the chance of 'large numbers of U.S. military casualties.'"

A Cancer Treatment That Does More Than Scientists Thought: CAR-T cell therapy, originally developed for cancer, is showing ever more promise as a treatment for autoimmune diseases.

Reading archive 2026-04-08

Why D.C.’s ‘teen takeovers’ have become a political lightning rod: The large, sometimes-unruly weekend gatherings have spawned arrests, a stricter curfew and alternative events, but long-term solutions are elusive. - "Bonds said she believed the government was doing 'about as much as we can.' Government, she said, could not replace family support or redirect all the teens who might be thinking of going to a 'takeover' to instead attend city-sponsored events."

Driver convicted in fatal Rock Creek Parkway crash that led to repeat offender law: A D.C. jury found Nakita Walker guilty of involuntary manslaughter and other charges for the collision that killed three people and inspired the city’s Steer Act.

Trump’s labor plan is a massive 401(k) greed grab for Wall Street: The Labor Department wants to give Wall Street firms greater access to a lucrative market — your 401(k).

Trump agrees to suspend attacks for two weeks if Iran opens Strait of Hormuz: The president said he had received a 10-point proposal from Iran that formed a “workable basis” for negotiations. But Israel said the ceasefire “does not include Lebanon.”

‘This is an apartheid regime’: Critics decry Israel’s new death penalty law: Celebrations in the Israeli parliament mark the passing of legislation intended to apply to Palestinians only. - "The new law means that military courts in the occupied West Bank, which solely try Palestinians, will, by default, impose the death sentence on anyone found guilty by Israel’s legal system of carrying out an unlawful killing of Israelis when the act is defined by the court as 'terrorism'. 

"Conversely, any Israeli citizen charged with an unlawful killing in the occupied West Bank – such as the seven Palestinians killed during a spike in settler violence that has followed the start of the Israel-United States war on Iran – are tried in Israel’s civilian courts. 

"Conviction rates for Palestinians tried in military courts run to 99.74 percent. In contrast, the conviction rate from 2005 to 2024 for Israelis tried for crimes committed in the West Bank is about 3 percent."

I’m an American living in Europe. It’s leaving the U.S. — fast.: Europeans are hedging against coercion in security, trade, education and everyday life.

This simple springtime activity is surprisingly good for your brain: Gardening isn’t just a hobby: It can challenge your brain and help reduce your stress levels, two factors that may help stave off cognitive decline.

A casket cartel tries to bury the competition: An Oklahoma couple has run afoul of a state law protecting funeral-home operators.

Hormuz traffic at standstill, strikes reported in Gulf amid fragile Iran ceasefire: With Trump and Iran each claiming victory, but still far apart on key issues, the two-week agreement raises the prospect of respite after nearly six weeks of war.

The Iran ceasefire was a TACO Tuesday, and thank goodness: Trump gets to act like his bloodcurdling threats worked, but he’s giving up far more than Tehran did.

Trump to discuss leaving NATO in meeting with alliance’s leader, White House says: The president, long a NATO skeptic, has been especially angry at alliance members in recent weeks for declining to take part in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Reading archive 2026-04-07

'She has a lot of remorse' | Woman found not guilty of murder, guilty of lesser charges in deadly 2023 Rock Creek Park crash: Nakita Walker was facing of three counts of second-degree murder, but instead was convicted on involuntary manslaughter charges.

Wisconsin Supreme Court back on ballot after years-long fight for control: The state’s high court, which liberals will control either way, could take up cases on abortion, redistricting and election disputes in coming years.

Democrats are turning Republicans’ arguments against them in midterm races: Republicans won in 2024 by promising to cut the cost of living, but high gas prices are frustrating voters and providing a potent line of attack ahead of this year’s elections.

Why Is the New York Times Laundering the Reputation of a Sleazy AI Startup That’s Selling GLP-1s via a Dishonest Dumpster Fire of Fake Doctors, Phony Before-and-After Pictures, and Other Glaring Red Flags?: "It's just an automated GLP-1 prescription mill." - "Dr. Jonathan Slotkin, a neurosurgeon, hospital executive, and investor called the NYT‘s profile of Medvi a 'transcript of a Silicon Valley fever dream' and a 'byproduct of regulatory lag and consumer desperation.'"

London music festival canceled after Britain bans headliner Kanye West: The move comes after days of mounting controversy over past antisemitic statements made by the rapper, now known as Ye.

Epic winter drought creates a bleak situation for farmers — and your food: If rainfall shortages and record heat continue, the effects may ripple throughout the U.S. food supply, with the cost of beef already surging.

The heat pump water heater payoff: Here’s how to crunch the numbers: What I learned about what to buy, how to save and what to avoid before plugging in a heat pump water heater.

The Real Intelligence Failure in Iran: A costly quagmire was predictable. Trump went to war anyway.

Trump Is Putting America’s Weaknesses on Display: What China can learn about the limits of American military capacity