Reading archive 2026-06-20

The Biden Verdict Is in. It Isn’t Pretty.

Ukraine Bombards Moscow With One of the Biggest Drone Attacks of the War: The attack, which shut down the capital’s airports for several hours, was part of an escalating campaign to bring the conflict home to Russians.

Farmers backed Trump. Now some say they’re losing patience.: Rural approval of the president falls to a new low amid rising bankruptcies and trade uncertainty, and some farmers accuse the GOP of making a hard business harder.

Flesh-eating maggot outbreak puts Trump administration response under scrutiny: The New World screwworm spread from southern Mexico to Texas in two years when the administration cut staff and funding.

A young mother couldn’t accept she was dying, until her grandpa appeared to her: A physician tells the story of her 28-year-old hospice patient and the transformative conversation no one else could hear.

A dying woman’s vision comforts her hospice nurse daughter: Kelley Clem has seen patients experience end-of-life dreams and visions but was still astounded when her mother had one.

The profound meaning and mystery of deathbed visions: As Shirley was dying, she kept seeing the grandmother she’d lost long ago.

Reading archive 2025-06-02

In South Carolina, Wes Moore urges Democrats to be ‘impatient’ amid 2028 buzz: Moore, a potential 2028 presidential contender, told party leaders in this early primary state to mimic how quickly Trump implemented his agenda to score Democratic wins.

DOD employee tried to leak classified information, prosecutors say: Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, is accused of trying to trade secrets for German citizenship because of disagreements with the Trump administration. - "'It will not be easy for them, for example, to open a case on me without my knowledge since my permissions to see that would need to be changed and I’d notice,' he told the undercover FBI agent in one message quoted in the charging documents, boasting that he knew how to avoid the 'stupid mistakes' that had bedeviled other U.S. employees under investigation."

DOGE vowed to make government more ‘efficient’ — but it’s doing the opposite: New procedures and requirements — some implemented in the name of improving operations — are slowing down federal agencies.

Trump takes aim at the one climate solution Republicans love: The Energy Department announced Friday that it was terminating $3.7 billion in grants for carbon capture and other projects.

As Kamala Harris weighs a run for governor, some Democrats are moving on: Numerous California gubernatorial hopefuls spent the weekend courting state party delegates, while the former vice president’s political future seemed to be an afterthought.

The one thing liberals need to address before the June parade: Putting Biden’s head on a stake is not helpful.

Wall Street warns Trump aides the GOP tax bill could jolt bond markets: White House officials maintain bankers’ concerns are overstated and discount expected revenues from the president’s tariffs.

What we can learn from the senator who nearly died for democracy: The brutal caning of Sen. Charles Sumner in 1856 shows the difference between courage and concession.

Ukraine attacks Russian air bases in far-reaching drone strikes: Drones smuggled into Russia hit bases as far away as Siberia and the far east, destroying 41 aircraft that carry cruise missiles and detect enemy planes, said a Ukrainian official.

Ukraine just rewrote the rules of war: A drone attack damaged Russia’s bomber fleet — and exposed air base vulnerabilities worldwide. - "If the Ukrainians could sneak drones so close to major air bases in a police state such as Russia, what is to prevent the Chinese from doing the same with U.S. air bases? Or the Pakistanis with Indian air bases? Or the North Koreans with South Korean air bases?"

Shhh. Republicans are trying to repeal Obamacare again. Sort of.: They’re not branding it an Obamacare repeal this time around, but congressional Republicans are pursuing cuts to programs that are part of the 15-year-old health-care law. - "Investigators who detect and root out that fraud — Medicaid fraud control units, the HHS inspector general and the DOJ — wouldn’t get any new funding under the GOP bill."

Houston, JD Vance has a problem: The vice president’s strange history of the U.S. space program is out of this world. - "The war’s end touched off a mad scramble by the United States and the Soviet Union to scoop up German and Austrian scientists, engineers and technicians, without being too picky about their Nazi connections."

Parents are discovering the secret to keeping kids off smartphones: Parents can defeat the smartphone epidemic. They can’t do it alone.

Crater Lake National Park superintendent resigns as staffing plunges: Kevin Heatley stepped down Friday as superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, as internal data shows a sharp decline in the National Park Service’s workforce.

Reading archive 2025-05-23 pt 1

What we know about the man arrested in the D.C. Jewish museum shooting: The 31-year-old from Chicago is accused of killing a young couple who worked at the Israeli Embassy.

Clean energy dollars are gushing to red states. Now GOP senators are in a bind.: The Trump tax bill passed by the House would wipe out hundreds of billions of dollars for solar, wind and other projects in Republican districts. - "The measure, according to a group of Princeton University researchers called the REPEAT Project, would drain more than $1 trillion from the U.S. economy in less than a decade, when factoring in private investment and spin-off spending the subsidies drive. The average annual household electricity bill would be pushed up more than $270 after 10 years, the group found. 

"The Trump administration has argued that curbing renewable energy to unleash more fossil fuels will lower utility rates, but many industry analysts warn otherwise. Plans for new gas plants have been beset by long delays and soaring costs amid shortages of materials and supply chain challenges. More than 80 percent of the new electricity added to the power grid in 2024 came from solar panels and industrial batteries that store the energy they capture, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a federal agency."

The findings — and scientific problems — in White House ‘MAHA Report’: Parts of the “MAHA Report” contradict scientific consensus.

Trump’s tax bill plan adds to federal debt, prompting investor backlash: Rising bond yields could eventually mean higher borrowing costs for consumers.

‘No tax on tips’ could backfire amid growing tip fatigue: The legislation has implications for those who give gratuities and those who pocket them, with the potential to leave both sides feeling shortchanged.

In Australia, everyone has a hot take about the mushroom murder trial: Mycology and forensics are the subject of conversation across Australia as Erin Patterson stands trial, accused of murdering three relatives with a beef Wellington. - "Prosecutors have said the poisoning was deliberate and have put forward as evidence that Patterson traveled to known death cap mushroom locations before the lunch; that she disposed of a food processor used to prepare the mushrooms; and that she reset her phone afterward. They also say Patterson told a number of lies, from the false cancer diagnosis she allegedly used to lure people to the lunch to the origin of the mushrooms she served."

Ukraine scrambles to overcome Russia’s edge in fiber-optic drones: Ukraine pioneered the use of small drones on the battlefield. But in Russia’s Kursk region, Moscow’s fiber-optic cables helped turn the tide.

OpenAI’s Ambitions Just Became Crystal Clear: But when you promise the world a revolutionary new product, it helps to have actually built one.

Trump Is Crushing the Netanyahu Myth: The Israeli leader and his allies bet everything on Trump. But he’s just not that into them. - "The third-rate pro-government propagandists on Channel 14 might not have seen this coming, but Netanyahu should have. His dark worldview is premised on the pessimistic presumption that the world will turn on the Jews if given the chance, which is why the Israeli leader has long prized hard power over diplomatic understandings. Even if Trump wasn't such an unreliable figure, trusting him should have gone against all of Netanyahu's instincts."

Biden’s Age Wasn’t a Cover-Up. It Was Observable Fact.: The story about the former president getting old is getting old.

The Trump Administration Is Tempting a Honeybee Disaster: Bees are dying. Federal funding cuts aren’t helping.

The Decline and Fall of Elon Musk: The Tesla innovator becomes the latest government employee to lose his job. - "Ayushi Roy, a former technologist at the General Services Administration who now teaches digital government at Harvard Kennedy School, told us that Musk has achieved at least some of his goals: cutting the federal workforce and traumatizing the employees who remain. But, she said, he has largely failed to build anything that's made government more efficient."

An Awkward Truth About American Work: Direct-selling schemes are considered fringe businesses, but their values have bled into the national economy.

Modi’s Escalation Trap: A counterterrorism policy designed to burnish a strongman’s image risks setting off new rounds of conflict.

What Trump Got Right in the Middle East: He put business front and center and politics to the side. - "Trump may well understand that with the Democratic Party likely divided on Israel for the next generation, his Jewish and evangelical-Christian supporters have nowhere else to go. This puts him in a position of power relative to the Israeli prime minister one that must surely make Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders very uncomfortable. Making them still more uncomfortable will be the fact that everyone who mattered seemed to be in those meetings in the Gulf. Everyone, that is, except them.

...

"Historically, America has attracted capital because it can be counted on to follow the rule of law, crack down on public corruption, and support the kinds of independent and quasi-independent regulatory bodies that give investors peace of mind. Trump and his administration have been working hard to weaken all of this. For a president who claims to understand the private sector as well as he does, seeking deals while simultaneously undermining the conditions that make America a great investment will be counterproductive in the end." [lol duh]

Who is to blame for Biden’s gamble to run for president?: Press corps and party leaders were not responsible for failing to stop the presidential campaign.

The Democrats Are Having a False Reckoning Over Joe Biden: Party elites are considerably more responsible for their woeful state of affairs than the former president. - "Prominent Democrats speaking out about all this a year ago would have been meaningful. Today, it means nothing. Denouncing Biden’s run now ⁠that he’s a political nonentity⁠—out of office and perhaps very near death⁠—isn’t taking a brave stand against the internal culture of the Democratic Party. It’s a reflection of it: a wholly cost-free and substantively empty way for opportunists to perform independence from the party now that the coast is clear and there are no toes of consequence to step on. Biden ran again, and is being condemned for running again, for the very same reasons.

...

"Party hopefuls looking for ways to mark themselves as different from the rest of the pack today have other, better options. The best way to demonstrate a measure of real independence from the Democratic Party is to tell the truth about what really ails it: wealthy, clueless donors; an approach to public policy incommensurate with the scale of the challenges the country faces; a quasi-religious faith in the virtues of bipartisanship; a related and willful blindness to the depths of the Republican rot beyond Donald Trump; and a blindness, just as consequential, to the structural features of our federal system that will continue pulling governance to the right. All are much deeper problems than Joe Biden’s ego and those who chose to flatter it. All will be much more difficult to resolve. But if Democrats are looking for a reckoning, there are quite a few to be had in that mix."

Trump’s road to failure in Ukraine: For all the president’s efforts, peace has only gotten further away.

How DOGE’s grand plan to remake Social Security is backfiring: The agency is abandoning an initiative aimed at preventing fraud, the latest example of a failed effort by Elon Musk’s disruptive cost-cutting team.

The massive wind farm that could transform this Brooklyn neighborhood: Sunset Park moves ahead with plans for a “just transition” after the Trump administration lifts a stop-work order on the Empire Wind energy project.

Reading archive 2025-05-14

Manufacturing is thriving in the South. Here’s why neither party can admit it. Both parties are afraid to confront the real story behind manufacturing losses. - "A big missing part of the story: Interstate competition. The Rust Belt’s manufacturing decline isn’t primarily about jobs going to Mexico. It’s about jobs going to Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. To put it in college football terms, the traditional Big Ten has been losing out to the Southeastern Conference. In 1970, the Rust Belt was responsible for nearly half of all manufacturing exports while the South produced less than a quarter. Today, the roles are reversed, it is the Rust Belt that hosts less than one-fourth of all manufactured exports and the South that exports twice what the Rust Belt does."

Gabbard fires leaders of intelligence group that authored Venezuela assessment: The director of national intelligence fired top officials weeks after their group authored an assessment contradicting President Donald Trump’s legal rationale for deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members. - "'Anything that reduces its independence because policymakers don’t like the independent conclusions it reaches, is the definition of politicization they are decrying. Mike and Maria are unbelievable leaders and IC professionals, not political actors,' wrote Panikoff, now at the Atlantic Council think tank."

Their adopted pig charmed the world. Then their romance crumbled.: Esther the Wonder Pig’s dads pick up the pieces after her death, and a messy breakup.

The Republican squirm is in full swing: Amid a series of extraordinary Trump gambits in recent days, Republicans are straining -- hard -- to avoid passing judgment. - "Trump and his top aides have floated suspending habeas corpus, pushed to accept a $400 million airplane from Qatar and sought to unilaterally lower prescription drug prices. All of these are legally dubious, and the first two are especially extraordinary."

‘Original Sin’ indicts the ‘cover-up’ of a steeply declining Joe Biden: Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book is an investigative account of loyalists and family members who shielded the diminished president from full public view. - "The result of more than 200 interviews, the book is a damning account of an elderly, egotistical president shielded from reality by a slavish coterie of loyalists and family members united by a shared, seemingly ironclad sense of denial and a determination to smear anyone who dared to question the president’s fitness for office as a threat to the republic covertly working on behalf of Trump.

...

"'No one thought that the Harris campaign had been without error,' they write. 'But for the most knowledgeable Democratic officials and donors, and for top members of the Harris campaign, there was no question about the father of this election calamity: It was Joe Biden.'"

D.C. man charged with murder in beating death of 18-month-old girl: Police said they responded to a report of a child in cardiac arrest in September, but an autopsy found she had numerous head and bodily injuries.

As U.S. pardon attorney, Ed Martin says he will review Biden pardons: In a news conference on his final day as interim U.S. attorney for D.C., Martin also attacked local judges and city officials’ “sanctuary city” policies.

White House eased China tariffs after warnings of harm to ‘Trump’s people’: The president has backtracked repeatedly on his tariff policies, creating a whiplash with downsides and few clear benefits so far. - "'It’s been completely insane,' Michael Strain, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right think tank, said of Trump’s tariff policies. 'When I step back from the euphoria over easing tariffs with China, what I see is the tariff rate is five times as high as when Trump took office. And we seem to have gotten nothing out of it at all.'"

Buttigieg, eyeing a presidential run, says ‘maybe’ Biden hurt Democrats: The former Biden administration official was in Iowa, where he warned in his highest-profile public appearance since leaving government not to ‘hang back’ against President Donald Trump.

Democrats pull off an upset in Nebraska, electing Omaha’s first Black mayor: Voters denied Republican Mayor Jean Stothert a fourth term in a race overshadowed by President Donald Trump’s agenda in Washington — the latest test of attitudes in a political battleground.

Weight-Loss Drugs Aren’t Really About Weight: To figure out who will benefit most, doctors should consider a particularly toxic kind of fat.

The Debate That Will Determine How Democrats Govern Next Time: Did the party lose in 2024 despite Joe Biden’s economic approach, or because of it? - "The term neoliberalism is infamously hard to define and, on both the left and the populist right, often devolves into a catchall meme for everything bad in the world but the long-standing bipartisan consensus that it describes is real and meaningful. Starting in the late 1970s, leaders in both parties embraced free trade, disavowed large-scale public investment (sometimes called 'industrial policy'), favored market-friendly solutions to big social problems, and backed away from antitrust enforcement. Underlying those choices was a belief that free markets should largely be left to their own devices to maximize economic growth. The central economic disagreement between the parties was over tax rates and the size of the social safety net."

What the U.K. Deal Reveals About Trump’s Trade Strategy: The United States is settling for a tiny fraction of what it could have achieved through traditional free-trade agreements. - "If the U.K. deal is a model for deals yet to be struck with other nations, Trump will have little to show for the chaos and disruptions that his tariffs have unleashed - especially when compared with what America could have had instead."

Reading archive 2025-05-12 pt 1

Ruben Gallego’s tough talk in Pennsylvania visit adds to 2028 chatter: Democrats are hoping to tap into the Arizona senator’s playbook to win back working-class voters far beyond his home state.

More alternatives to knee replacement surgery are emerging: Physicians caution that the treatments aren’t permanent fixes, but they may work well for some.

RIP American innovation: Why destroy the funding that made the United States a leader in technology and invention? - "Giving out grants for what might look frivolous or wasteful on the surface is a feature, not a bug, of publicly funded research. Consider that Agriculture Department and NIH grants to study chemicals in wild yams led to cortisone and medical steroids becoming widely affordable. Or that knowing more about the fruit fly has aided discoveries related to human aging, Parkinson’s disease and cancer."

Democrat Spanberger: No right-to-work repeal in Virginia, but maybe ‘reform’: Gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger (D) told a Richmond TV station she would not sign a repeal of right-to-work; GOP rival Winsome Earle-Sears doesn’t believe her.

Attorney general’s brother vies to lead D.C. Bar, upending contest: Bar elections have drawn triple the turnout of a typical cycle with weeks left to vote, animated by the candidacies of two lawyers connected to Trump appointees.

Trump claims prices are down. Here’s what the data actually shows.: While prices for certain goods have declined, inflation remained elevated even before tariffs show up in the data.

There are big, ugly problems at the center of the House budget bill: Republicans have created impossible restraints on their tax-and-budget package.

Biden goes public in attacking Trump — and defending himself: His appearances come amid Trump’s attacks, critical books and residual anger from Democrats.

This is the view from Kyiv: President Donald Trump’s turn toward Moscow hasn’t changed the moral calculus for Ukraine.

Plagiarizing Independent Journalists Is Part of Mainstream Media’s Business - "Plagiarism is shockingly common in mainstream media, especially at the New York Times."

Japan Threatens Their Nuclear Option in Trump’s Trade War - "America’s largest foreign holder of US Treasuries has always been loath to even consider the notion of selling the immense amount of US debt they hold, but Trump has upended every kind of precedent imaginable, and now the financial world’s nuclear option has firmly been put on the table."

The Conclave Just Did the Unthinkable: What an American pope means for the Catholic Church and the world

Trump’s Inevitable Betrayal of His Supporters: Trump never meant to keep his promises. His voters are starting to notice.

Just Don’t Call Her Unqualified: Jeanine Pirro, Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., is a real prosecutor. She’s also a real MAGA partisan.

Reading archive 2025-04-02

The Weekend That Shook the World

This muggy city keeps cool with minimal AC. Here’s how.: Palava City, a 5,000-acre experimental community northeast of Mumbai, hopes to provide a model for adapting to a climate-transformed world.

The Evermaskers: The isolation of people who take precautions against COVID has only gotten more intense.

Russia’s Repression Goes South: A group of Russian exiles thought they would find freedom in Georgia. They were wrong.

How the Trump administration took aim at Maine: The acting head of the Social Security Administration called the state’s governor “disrespectful” and vowed there would be consequences.

Head of African American Museum on leave as Smithsonian faces Trump pressure: Kevin Young, an acclaimed poet who was named director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2021, is on personal leave for an “undetermined period,” according to an email obtained by The Post.

White House studying cost of Greenland takeover, long in Trump’s sights: It’s the most concrete effort yet to turn President Donald Trump’s desire to acquire the Danish territory into actionable policy, despite widespread international outrage.

Karen Read is back on trial for murder. Here’s what to know.: Read, accused of killing her boyfriend, alleges she was framed as part of a police cover-up. She is being retried after her first case ended in a mistrial.

How to make your seasonal allergies a little less miserable: Take allergy medicine a few weeks before pollen counts rise to get ahead of the congestion, sneezing and runny nose, experts say - "Despite claims online, there’s no evidence a spoonful of local honey will treat your seasonal pollen allergies, experts said. 

The honey might help to soothe a sore throat or cough, but not treat the allergic reaction. 'The pollen that’s actually in honey is not the pollen you’re allergic to,' Rubin said. 'Plants you’re allergic to are wind-pollinated, not insect-pollinated.'"

Air traffic controller charged with assaulting colleague in DCA tower: A work dispute led to an altercation between employees in the control tower at Reagan National Airport on Thursday night, people familiar with the matter say.

Trump says he’s already scored more business deals than Biden. That’s false.: The White House is comparing apples and oranges.

Farmers bewildered after USDA suggests cutting DEI from energy projects: The Agriculture Department said it would release funds withheld from farmers for months but also suggested they alter projects to align with Trump’s agenda.

You’re probably not cleaning these 11 very germy spots: Don’t worry. Once you know about them, they’re easy to take care of.

Trump administration says it mistakenly deported Salvadoran migrant: The government blamed “an administrative error” for the deportation of Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran immigrant married to a U.S. citizen. Officials claim they’re unable to return him to his family in Maryland.

As Trump shakes trust in U.S., a hub for F-16 fighter jets braces for impact: Booming exports turned a South Carolina city into the “Global Home of the F-16.” Slipping foreign demand among angry allies could hurt that economic engine.

These old Roman buildings could unlock how to build in a warming world: The recycled buildings of Rome, long dismissed by architects, are getting a reappraisal as a model for how to reduce waste while creating something fresh.

Reading archive 2025-01-16

Prosecutors won’t charge D.C. officers in fatal shooting that sparked protests: D.C. police officers shot and killed Justin Robinson in September after finding him unresponsive in a car with a gun on his lap.

CNN’s really, really dumb messages: In an ongoing trial, CNN is coming face to face with its own internal correspondence.

Man kills friend with AR-15 after argument in Maryland basement, police say: Benjamin Dresbach, 21, was charged with second-degree murder after a shooting in Kensington.

Gov. Wes Moore reveals plan for budget cuts, tax changes in Maryland: The governor proposed raising taxes for the state’s wealthiest residents, tax savings for 60 percent of Marylanders and cuts that would affect some vulnerable populations.

Maryland proposes delivery fee to pay for transportation needs: New fees on deliveries and vehicles would help restore some cuts that would have cost the state federal dollars and left roads and transit in disrepair.

Indians lured to Russia are dying on the front lines in Ukraine: The forced recruitment of Indians into the Russian army has been a point of tension between New Delhi and Moscow, even as the countries have expanded ties.

Kash Patel has vowed retribution. As FBI director, he could do it.: While some Republicans have hailed the pick, Donald Trump’s choice of Kash Patel to lead the FBI has raised alarm among many national security veterans. - "Several people familiar with Patel said his comments about the bureau suggest little understanding of how it operates." [ed. note: even I can tell you that]

TikTok’s mommy influencer meltdown: Unvarnished videos about the ugly side of parenting have blown up online. So have accusations of child mistreatment.

Actually, Sarah McBride does have an agenda: The first out trans lawmaker in Congress would rather talk about fixing your credit score. But sure, ask your bathroom question.

Deportation at ‘light speed’: How Trump’s crackdown could unfold - "The relative dearth of ICE officers will be one of the biggest drags on Trump’s deportation ambitions. The agency has about 5,500 officers working on immigration enforcement nationwide, and there’s no quick path to workforce expansion. Hundreds of vacant positions have proved hard to fill, and ICE officials say it takes 18 to 24 months to recruit, vet, train and deploy a new officer."

Biden warns of the rise of a new American ‘oligarchy’: From the White House that he will soon cede to Trump, Biden likens the current crop of tech moguls to the ’robber barons’ of the 19th century.

Biden seeks last-minute moves that could be hard for Trump to undo: From clemency to conservation, the outgoing president pushes to cement his legacy ahead of a successor determined to erase it.

Reading archive 2025-01-08

Enough With the Land Acknowledgments

Drilling ban? Trump has bigger oil problems - "That’s because the country is already producing more oil and exporting more natural gas than any other nation. Drilling for more fossil fuels than the world’s markets could absorb would be bad business, leading to potential price dips, economic instability and financial losses for oil producers."

Some Texas business leaders are apprehensive about Trump’s pledged deportations: “We wouldn’t survive” without undocumented workers, one South Texas produce business owner said. By one estimate, 8% of Texas’ workforce lacks legal status. - "The state comptroller’s office did a study in 2006 to find out how the state economy would look without the estimated 1.4 million undocumented immigrants living in Texas in 2005. The study said their absence would cost the state about $17.7 billion in gross state product — a measure of the value of goods and services produced in Texas. The state has not updated the study since; analysis replicated by universities and think tanks have reached similar conclusions that undocumented Texans contribute more to the economy than they cost the state."

How could Trump's proposed tariffs impact the North Carolina economy?: Leaders in the state's agriculture community are concerned about retaliatory actions impacting farmers.

What really undid the Biden presidency: Biden’s confidence in his ability to guide America through a troubled era was part of the problem.

Is your phone listening to you?: Yeah, but probably not to target ads. The specifics of the theory that your phone is eavesdropping probably aren’t true, but the paranoia is justified.

Landlords are accused of colluding to raise rents. See where.

Meta ends fact checking. Here’s how to find the truth on social media.: Facebook, Instagram and Threads will no longer have fact checking in the United States. Here’s what that means for your feeds and how you can avoid falling for misinformation. - "The number one way to avoid falling for posts circulating on social media is to consider how it makes you feel. If it elicits a strong emotional reaction, like anger, anxiety, fear or even glee, that’s a sign it may be untrue. Take a beat and investigate.

"Misinformation has a variety of sources, from deliberate lies spread to influence public opinion to accounts using outrage to go viral and profit. Where a nuanced factual post might not get much engagement, a juicy conspiracy will lead to more clicks, shares and engagement. 

"'Another good sign is that you want to believe it,' says Abbie Richards, a misinformation researcher and content creator. 'When you encounter misinformation, the biggest factor in whether you fall for it is when you want it to be true.'"

Why Is the US Not Vaccinating Poultry Against Bird Flu? - "'The USDA is currently subsidizing chicken companies when they have outbreaks,' deCoriolis said.

"'American taxpayers have spent billions in the last two years bailing out chicken and turkey companies that have had outbreaks. If they don't vaccinate, they keep their export market; if they have a bird flu outbreak, they get a bailout.'"

Reading archive 2025-01-07

Drilling could resume where a 1969 oil spill inspired Earth Day: A plan by Sable Offshore to restart an oil pipeline that burst in 2015 has outraged Santa Barbara environmentalists.

Dems picked the wrong senator for Senate Judiciary leadership: They need a fighter on the committee, not a go-alonger. [ed. note: basically, Dick Durbin is a punk bitch]

These common medications could be releasing ‘forever chemicals’ into the environment: Researchers found that chemicals, including PFAS, from pharmaceuticals are entering into wastewater — which can be used as drinking water during times of drought.

Man escapes into storm drain after Beltway hit-and-run, police say: The man fled across the inner and outer loops in Fairfax County, state police said.

Accused of trespassing, Metro cuts some Maryland bus stops: Dispute over damaged roads will create longer walks for elderly and disabled residents nearby.

Amazon to release Melania Trump documentary: The film, scheduled to be released later this year, will give viewers an “unprecedented behind-the-scenes look” at the incoming first lady’s life, Amazon said. [ed. note: how embarrassing]

Cannon temporarily blocks report on Trump classified-documents probe: Two Trump employees charged alongside him in the classified documents case separately asked Judge Aileen Cannon to block the release.

Indians slam MAGA ‘war’ over H-1B skilled-worker visas as ‘racist’: As the top recipients of H-1Bs, Indians have been incensed by MAGA criticism of the program. - "Thakur said the visa system harms both American tech workers, who lose out on jobs, and Indian H-1B visa holders, who remain stuck in a relatively low-wage trap for years as they cling to the hope of obtaining lawful permanent resident status, or green cards. He accused the mainstream Indian news media, which used to be vocal about the brain drain until the late 2000s, of failing to get to the bottom of the issue because of its nationalist stance. 

"'Everything in the big newspapers and television channels on H-1B is largely about the image of India’s IT prowess because it is the biggest story from the last few decades that we like to tell ourselves,' Thakur said. 'But like many stories, it is mired in self-deception.'"

Meta ends fact checks as it prepares for Trump era CEO: Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook, Instagram and Threads will prioritize “free expression,” citing a “cultural tipping point.”

America needs a major culture shift on alcohol: Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy was right to highlight alcohol’s cancer risk.

Trump declines to rule out ‘military or economic’ force to expand U.S.: In a 70-minute, meandering news conference, the president-elect previewed his plans to disrupt the U.S. justice system — and global affairs.

Trump takes ‘America First’ to its expansionist endpoint: The Manifest Destiny of MAGA.

The legacy of Bidenomics: Maybe not much at all: Biden struggled to implement economic policies that will endure past his presidency.

‘Murdered In His Own Home’: Kentucky Cops Raid Wrong Home and Kill Innocent Man Over Alleged Stolen Weed Eater Despite Receiving the Correct Address At Least Five Times

The Curious Case of Lindy Li: How did a “Blue MAGA” influencer and fundraiser turn on Democrats so fast?

Reading archive 2024-10-04

Anderson, Vindman trade vitriol at debate for Spanberger’s Virginia seat: The hour-long event between the candidates for the commonwealth’s battleground 7th District was short on policy details and heavy on partisan attacks.

Mother shot holding baby as domestic violence rises in Prince George’s: “She was not letting him go,” said Tequia Nails’s niece, who witnessed the fatal shooting. - "The killing underscores a national trend in which Black women are more frequently abused or killed by their romantic partners than other groups, research on domestic violence cases shows."

The Uptown Theater, Cleveland Park’s historic art house, lives: The couple behind Artechouse aims to undertake an ambitious effort to blend old-school Hollywood with 21st-century technology.

Informant in Trayon White case bribed another D.C. official, records say: A judge unsealed the plea deal of the man alleged to have handed Trayon White envelopes of cash to help his company secure city contracts.

How Biden helped end a strike that threatened Democrats in November: With early morning Zoom calls and a surprising ultimatum, the White House brain trust averted a potential economic disaster weeks before the election. - "'To get in one raise what it took you in the past six years to achieve is monumental,' [Kenneth Riley, an ILA vice president based in Charleston, S.C.] said. 'The administration played a key role here in bringing the parties together and defending American workers and the union workers against foreign giants.'"

Employers added 254,000 jobs in September, reflecting strong gains as election nears: The U.S. unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1 percent. - "Strong upward revisions to job gains in July and August data also suggest that the labor market is healthier than previously thought."

Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution problems, scientists hope: A bacteria commonly found in wastewater can break down plastic to turn it into a food source, a new study finds. Scientists hope it is a pollution solution.

The reasons people say they leave Donald Trump’s rallies early: The Republican nominee consistently draws large, enthusiastic and rowdy crowds to his rallies and other campaign events, and at nearly all of them, another trend is clear: Scores of people head out before the end.

Opinion Calamity in a keystroke: How the FBI copes with mounting threats: Christopher A. Wray: Cyberthreats are ‘diverse and constantly evolving.’

Opinion Who put these oddballs on the ballot? Could it be … Satan?: GOP conspiracy theorist Michele Morrow is in a dead heat to become North Carolina’s top educator.

JD Vance’s family politics are incoherent: What does his vision of an ideal family have to do with the rest of us? - "There is a chasm between the idyllic family portrait that Vance says he would like to see play out in America — one where abortions are unnecessary and grandmas are child care — and the messy realities he has described encountering in his own life. There is a disconnect between the derivative cruelty he seems to now spout (see: 'childless cat ladies') and in the human experiences that apparently led him to these beliefs. It’s incoherent.

...

"When I listen to the fantasy narratives Vance tells about family in America — how he thinks they should live, who he thinks they should be composed of, how he thinks they should come to be — this is what so often comes to mind: a brokenhearted child. A boy who grew up in chaos, abandonment, violence and poverty and who spent it all dreaming of the opposite. 

"And then, somehow, through determination, luck and natural intelligence clawed his way into the sort of Norman Rockwell existence he’d always wanted. A happy marriage. A lucrative career. Beautiful children. 'For both of my kids, they didn’t grow up with a positive family unit,' Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins, recently told the New York Times. 'I know that they seemed to gravitate towards that in their adulthood.'

"Analyzing 'Hillbilly Elegy' for the New Yorker, Jessica Winter unpacked Vance’s preoccupation with 'traditional' family — mom, dad, kids, every child exclusively cared for by loving mothers rather than 'crap daycare' — and describes it as such: 'It is clear, on a primal, emotional level, why Vance sees this as the better deal than what he got. But what results is a blinkered, grotesquely narcissistic vision of the social contract — an identity politics of one grown child.' Is Vance, in other words, trying to legislate the country into the family dynamic he wished he’d been born into?"

Ta-Nehisi Coates and Tony Dokoupil sharpen morning TV with Israel debate: The conversation on “CBS Mornings” over Coates’s new book, “The Message,” was unusually gripping for a promotional segment.

Reading archive 2024-10-03

D.C. to have two holiday markets after management dispute upends tradition: For nearly two decades, Michael Berman’s small company operated the hugely popular DowntownDC Holiday Market. Now he’s setting up a competing event.

Man charged in cold-case sexual assaults in D.C.’s Georgetown area: Police say they’ve linked Ernesto Ramon Mercado to six home invasions in which victims were sexually assaulted between 2008 and 2012, including an attack in College Park, Md.

How Joe Biden lost his grip on Israel’s war for ‘total victory’ in Gaza: A conflict the White House once hoped to moderate has gone from “over the top” to out of control. - "Biden’s overriding concern was preventing an all-out conflagration in the region. Yet as he sought a path for long-term peace and stability for Israel, Biden was undermined at every turn by Netanyahu’s conduct of the Gaza war, his refusal to consider establishment of a Palestinian state, and the territorial ambitions of his right-wing government in the occupied territories.

...

"Secret U.S. diplomacy had cooled tensions with Iran, and Biden was pushing an ambitious, legacy-driven agenda that he believed would not only advance his regional goals but stem China’s global ambitions. It included establishment of normal relations by Saudi Arabia with Israel, in exchange for a state for Palestinians and a strategic U.S.-Saudi partnership. A trade corridor, rivaling Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, was planned to connect India to countries in the Persian Gulf and beyond."

Opinion Mormon voters in the West can save the GOP from Trump: By defeating the former president, they can protect the Constitution they believe to be divinely inspired.

Escalating contest over South China Sea disrupts international cable system: China’s effort to dominate the disputed waterway is taking a toll on the network of underwater cables that provide essential internet connectivity in Asia.

Opinion The U.S. has an opportunity to help rebuild Lebanese sovereignty: Israel’s decapitation of Hezbollah has created a security vacuum.

Dockworkers’ union suspends strike, ports reopen on East and Gulf coasts: The International Longshoremen’s Association agreed to 62 percent raises and will continue bargaining over other issues to finalize a deal.

Liz Cheney rallies with Harris, implores nation to reject ‘depraved cruelty’ of Trump: The two appeared together in Ripon, Wis., a small city that is known as the birthplace of the Republican Party.

Reading archive 2024-08-19

7 myths about sugar in cooking and baking: The uniquely American sugar complex and more misguided culinary assumptions.

A “Seven-Inning” Sportswriter’s Dispatch From Chicago: In 1968, Jerry Izenberg, a sports columnist for the Newark Star-Ledger, was sent to the Democratic Convention to pinch-hit on the politics beat

With false ‘coup’ claims, Trump primes supporters to challenge a Harris win: Amid a tight presidential race, Donald Trump has tried to delegitimize Kamala Harris’s nomination and undermine confidence in this year’s election.

The Republican impeachment probe ends the way it began: with nothing: What the probe reveals more than anything is the extent to which Republican House officials were willing to use their power to aid Donald Trump politically.

A Black couple hosts family parties. Neighbors keep calling the cops.: Their dispute is now in court, as the couple alleges in a lawsuit that their neighbors’ calls to police amount to racial discrimination. The neighbors say the parties are just too loud.

D.C. Council member Trayon White took tens of thousands in bribes, U.S. says: D.C. Council member Trayon White was arrested for taking bribes and kickbacks, according to the FBI.

Trayon White, a Marion Barry protege, faces his own moment of reckoning: With the arrest of the council member, his prospects in November — a sure thing under normal circumstances in an overwhelmingly Democratic city — were suddenly uncertain.

D.C. Council to investigate White amid bribery allegations, consider expulsion Expelling Trayon White Sr. from office is the most severe action the council could take, which would require a supermajority. Other options include a reprimand or censure.

Reading archive 2024-08-07

Happy Warriors in Philly: Plus: Donald Trump gets his Aaron Sorkin on.

‘Scott, Scott, Scott’: Jamie Gangel Tells Fellow CNN Panelist the Real Reason Harris Didn’t Choose Shapiro

MAGA Gov Candidate’s Ugly, Hateful Rant: “Some Folks Need Killing!” Mark Robinson, the GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina, has a long history of incendiary comments. But he may have topped himself this time.

‘Republicans for Harris’ launch features key names, impressive numbers: Given the state of the GOP, it’s not easy for any Democratic candidate to pick up cross-party backing, but Kamala Harris is now backed by many Republicans.

How time in nature builds happier, healthier and more social children: Time outdoors — even a walk around the neighborhood — helps children’s cognition, stress levels and general growth.

Trump complains about campaign as advisers try to focus on attacking Harris: The GOP nominee has grown increasingly upset about Kamala Harris’s surging poll numbers and media coverage since replacing Joe Biden on the ticket.

Pelosi on Biden: ‘We did not have a campaign that was on the path to victory’: The former House speaker gave her most extensive explanation of her actions that helped push the president out of the 2024 campaign

Harris responds to Michigan rally protesters: ‘I’m speaking’: The shouted pro-Palestinian slogans at Harris’s Michigan rally were the first sustained protests she has experienced since beginning her campaign.

Tim Walz’s military record, National Guard departure get new scrutiny: The Harris-Walz campaign has cited his Army experience as an asset. But Republicans and some who served with him have questioned claims about his service.

JD Vance in texts with far-right figure: Profane and off-the-cuff: Private messages show Trump’s running mate entertaining conspiracy theories and scorning the late Sheldon Adelson.

-----

Maryland ban on assault-style weapons upheld by U.S. appeals court: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals repeatedly cites seminal ‘Heller’ decision, which enshrined right to arms for self-defense but not for mass murder.

D.C. 911 center under fire again after baby dies during computer outage: It is unclear whether delays in delivering advanced medical care contributed to the five-month-old’s death.

How sprinter Gabby Thomas, other Olympic athletes improve their sleep: Jet lag and anxiety are just some of the obstacles athletes face when trying to get to sleep. Here’s how they overcome them.

D.C. teen pleads guilty to fatally stabbing his father in November: The teen pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and could have his case dismissed in three years if he successfully completes diversion agreement.

Virginia man charged with threatening to torture and kill Harris, DOJ says: Frank Carillo of Winchester, Va., allegedly threatened Vice President Harris and other officials on social media and posted about firearms and committing shootings.

Opinion A D.C. drug lord says he’s back, better than ever. Hold the cheers.: Rayful Edmond’s release from prison after 35 years rekindles questions about the damage he inflicted.

Reading archive 2024-07-29

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

..

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

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

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

Reading archive 2024-07-25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2024-07-23

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

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

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

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

Harris packs first rally as Trump retools for new opponent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

Reading archive 2024-07-22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2024-07-21

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2024-07-16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2024-07-13

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

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

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

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

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