Reading archive 2026-04-27

Trump officials hire ‘deportation judges’ with less training, experience: The president is remaking courts to clear a backlog of asylum cases. Hires include an attorney for Jan. 6 rioters and a lawyer who championed Minneapolis ICE raids. - "Asylum rejections more than doubled to 82,371 last fiscal year, which ran from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025. The percentage of asylum cases granted by judges plummeted to less than 5 percent in February, compared with 48 percent in the same month in 2024 under Biden, according to TRAC."

Trump steps up a campaign against teaching English to immigrant kids The administration plans to dissolve the office that supports English instruction. - "Regardless of your opinion on illegal immigration, it’s a good idea to help these kids become as proficient in English as possible. Particularly if you support President Donald Trump’s executive order designating English 'the official language of the United States.'" [ed. note: from Jim Geraghty of the National Review]

Mood in Russia turns bleak as war in Ukraine drags on and economy suffers: With the war in its fifth year, talks stalled and sanctions biting deeper, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ratings are falling and citizens are voicing despair.

Idaho lawmakers, deadlocked over ‘rat apocalypse,’ blame city transplants: Lawmakers have spent hours debating a surge in rodents menacing Boise-area gardens and kitchens and threatening agriculture and public health.

Trump’s idea to ‘just buy’ bankrupt Spirit Airlines draws GOP backlash: The president said this week that bailing out the airline would save jobs, but his administration is divided.

The Trump-class battleships are a waste of time and money: The firing of Navy Secretary John Phelan reflects Pentagon tensions. - "It’s unfortunate that the administration is misallocating so many defense resources because U.S. defense needs are urgent — and deserve more funding, if not necessarily 50 percent more."

Democrats are closer than you think to upending the electoral college: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact going into effect is suddenly plausible.

D.C. aims to counter rise in domestic violence amid spate of high-profile cases: Mayor Muriel Bowser and U.S. Attorney Janine Pirro introduced a bill that would boost penalties as women are more likely to experience domestic abuse in D.C. than in any state. - "Experts point to massive amounts of job loss in the region — D.C. has had the highest unemployment rate in the country for months, according to federal data. Intensifying federal immigration enforcement that has contributed to a climate of fear and stress in immigrant communities has also been a factor, with prevalence of guns in the city making matters worse for those already living with abuse."

Walking near a D.C. school raises the chance of being hit by a car, data shows: A Washington Post analysis of accident data shows pedestrians near schools are 24 percent more likely to be hit than elsewhere in the city. - "'We want safe streets across the District of Columbia,' McDuffie said during a recent interview with the 'Dream City' podcast. 

"But, he said, he would eliminate 'predatory' traffic cameras in some lower-income areas that lead to repetitive fines levied against local residents.'"

‘Michael’ Is a Vain Account of the Man in the Mirror: After an overlooked legal settlement spurred extensive reshoots, the new Michael Jackson biopic’s selective memory adheres to its subject’s self-mythologizing

Theft Is Now Progressive Chic: In some left-wing corners of the commentariat, moral rectitude is out. Flagrant disregard of the social contract is in.

Israel Could Have What It Most Wants in Lebanon: It just has to give up territorial ambitions and work with the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.

Texans Will Decide if Jesus Was a Lefty: James Talarico is trying to sell a novel brand of Christian politics in a deep-red state.

How Netanyahu Hurt America’s Jews: The Israeli prime minister’s focus is, as always, on himself and his near-term political needs. The plight of American Jews is simply not his concern. - "Beyond Netanyahu's overt interference in American politics, he's also impeded repeated U.S. diplomatic efforts to resolve the Israel-Palestine question. Although Israeli recalcitrance on moving toward a viable two-state solution has often been matched or exceeded by the Palestinian Authority, there is no question that Netanyahu's continued support for expanding settlements in the West Bank and his lack of serious engagement in peace talks have further alienated Democrats. In the past, even when Israeli leaders disagreed with the United States, they would try to avoid open provocations. Bibi, it seems, goes out of his way to frustrate the U.S. Not surprisingly, every Democratic president who has dealt with Netanyahu directly-Clinton, Obama, Biden-appears to loathe him."

The Iran Talks Are Making India Feel Small: Modi styled himself a global leader but can’t seem to get ahead of events in the Middle East.

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 2026-03-13

AP Exclusive: Smithsonian museum will revamp its slavery exhibit after artifact loan runs out

Suspect in synagogue crash lost family in Israeli attack on Lebanon, official says: The FBI is investigating the Michigan attack as a “targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.”

Why China could emerge a winner from Trump’s global energy shock: China’s evolution into an “electrostate” may help insulate it from spiking oil prices.

Economy was shakier than it appeared heading into Iran conflict: Inflation remained elevated in January, and economic growth from October through December was sharply lower than initially reported.

Can Florida save Trump’s plan to keep GOP in power?: Republicans in Florida say they may not be able to deliver the type of redistricting bonanza that would give the party breathing room in the midterms.

He’s 27. She’s 54. Somehow ‘Age of Attraction’ thinks no one can tell.: The show’s gimmick: Nobody has any idea how old the others really are! However: They all look exactly the age they are.

‘Some parents said they’d break my knees’: the teacher who exposed Putin’s primary school propaganda

Palantir CEO Makes Shocking Confession on Disrupting Democratic Power: They’re saying the quiet part out loud now. - "'This technology disrupts humanities-trained—largely Democratic—voters, and makes their economic power less. And increases the economic power of vocationally trained, working-class, often male, working-class voters,' Karp said in a CNBC interview Thursday. 'And so these disruptions are gonna disrupt every aspect of our society. And to make this work, we have to come to an agreement of what it is we’re going to do with the technology; how are we gonna explain to people who are likely gonna have less good, and less interesting jobs.'"

Why right-wing media can’t stop Candace Owens: Erika Kirk’s defense of herself gets drowned out by “Bride of Charlie” documentary - "For decades, conservative media has thrived on a business model that monetizes outrage and distrust. The more outrageous the claim, the greater the engagement. The more distrust sowed toward institutions — universities, media, elections, public health, the FBI — the more loyal the audience becomes. In December, even as Owens was deep into Charlie Kirk assassination trutherism, Erika Kirk was urging TPUSA audiences to be tolerant of disagreeable views. By the time the right decided Owens had gone too far, she had already built a fully independent operation. The movement that once shielded Owens is now discovering that monsters raised on grievance do not recognize fences. The conservative movement no longer has credible gatekeepers. Right-wing media’s fragmentation means that condemnation from established outlets often strengthens, rather than weakens, insurgent figures like Owens.

...

"For all its focus on Erika Kirk, “Bride of Charlie” is not really about her. Nor is it even really about Charlie Kirk. It is about an identity crisis on the American right —  what happens when a media movement decides that the thrill of the conspiracy, the pleasure of the accusation, the dopamine of the “truth bomb” matters more than the actual truth. Right-wing media cannot stop Candace Owens because they cannot renounce the incentives that made her powerful."

Trump administration allows for Russian oil sales as energy prices soar: The move is likely to be a boon to Russia as the United States tries to stem the economic fallout from its war on Iran. - "The move will provide a huge financial boost to Russia, which experts say has already been receiving about $150 million per day from increased oil sales since the U.S. attacked Iran two weeks ago."

Reading archive 2026-03-12

Ex-DOJ prosecutor who proclaimed ‘this job sucks’ will run for Congress: Julie T. Le made headlines during DHS’s surge in Minneapolis and will launch a campaign to challenge Rep. Ilhan Omar for her seat.

Young bankers are learning the hard way that Wall Street doesn't do influencers - "'The young generation wants to be seen differently at work today, I would say, than in the past,' he said. 'Times have changed. Values have changed.' But it's no excuse — financial institutions are explicit about their expectations and enforce 'very, very clear' regulations around social media use, Argenti said. Junior employees understand the culture they are entering."

What is wisdom, and can it be taught?: Scientists are trying to name the qualities that make someone wise and figure out how to cultivate them

Pittsburgh is pivoting. It could be a lesson for Democrats.: The new mayor is putting pragmatism over ideology as the city prepares to host the NFL draft.

How Neighborly Do Home Additions Have to Be?: As municipalities encourage more housing density, neighbors debate what kind of construction should be allowed.

Iran’s Islamic Republic 2.0 is coming — and it won’t be pretty: How Trump’s tactical victory could turn into a forever war. - "But the regime survives. It has taken America’s best punch, and it’s still standing. Tiers of senior military, intelligence and political leaders are dead, but they have been replaced by others. There’s no sign of a popular uprising. The cadres of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hide among piles of rubble, but they haven’t been eliminated."

Lebanon appeals to Israel’s allies to stop strikes as death toll rises: The Iran war is expanding into Lebanon, as the Israeli offensive to dismantle Hezbollah has displaced 800,000 people there, with more than 680 people killed.

The Obvious Is Taking Its Revenge on Trump: The reasons other U.S. presidents avoided war with Iran are becoming all too evident. - "Another daunting obstacle to victory is the nature of the Iranian regime, a theocracy that celebrates martyrdom and has spent its entire history preparing for what it considers an inevitable war with the United States. Every time protests fill public squares, I allow myself to believe that the terrible government in Tehran will crumble. But its willingness to kill to survive is the biggest obstacle to its toppling. And Trump intervened after the regime killed tens of thousands of its most determined foes. Calling for revolution after the revolution has been crushed is belated timing, to say the least. Perhaps the Trump administration will succeed in further weakening Iranian authoritarianism - the attacks will certainly set back the country's already struggling economy - so that after the bombs stop falling, regime opponents will rush into the streets. But, thus far, decapitating the regime has succeeded only in replacing one Ayatollah Khamenei with another. By all accounts, the son is no less fanatical than his father and believes with theological certainty that the most brutal means justify his righteous ends."

A Police Report About a House Candidate Surprised the White House: A woman’s allegations of rape against a Republican House candidate have put Trump in a bind.

Spain’s Wind-Farm Bargain: Renewable-energy projects can boost the economy of a rural town—if the community has a say in development.

A Never-Ending Conspiracy Theory in Remote Alaska: Why are some people convinced that nefarious experiments are happening at HAARP?

ROTC students at Old Dominion subdued and killed the shooter who killed 1 person, wounded 2: The FBI says ROTC students subdued and killed a gunman who yelled “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire Thursday in an Old Dominion University classroom, killing one and wounding two

Reading archive 2026-03-07

The Gulf Countries Can’t Take Much More: Iran is exposing their vulnerabilities.

Something New Is Happening in Lebanon: For the first time, the country’s government is directly confronting a weakened Hezbollah.

America’s and Israel’s Goals Are Already Colliding: Trump and Netanyahu seem to have very different ideas about how the war should end.

‘We Need to Do McCarthyism to the Tenth Power’: Conservative influencers are pushing for a return to the dark days of 1950s inquisitions. - "Some of the tactics that the McCarthy revivalists propose are more aggressive than anything McCarthy pursued. 'McCarthy, for all of his obvious flaws, was still predicated on the use of the judicial system,' David Austin Walsh, a historian at the University of Virginia, told me. Should this new McCarthyism veer into proposing or doing anything violent, Walsh added, it 'isn't even really McCarthyism anymore-it's just fascism.'"

Reading archive 2025-01-14

Steve Bannon derides Elon Musk, vowing to limit influence over Trump: His comments reflect an intensifying battle over Musk’s West Wing sway as Trump prepares to take office. - "Bannon told the Italian newspaper that Musk’s ideas are 'really about the implementation of techno-feudalism on a global scale.'"

Bats use storm fronts to ‘surf’ the skies when they migrate, study finds: A new study study sheds light on a little-known phenomenon: the long-distance migration treks of nocturnal bats.

D.C. attorney general sues federal government over Anacostia River pollution: The lawsuit claims that the U.S. government for decades used the Anacostia as a “cost-free toxic dumping ground.”

Teen sentenced to year’s probation in attack on model at McDonald’s: The October assault on the gay model occurred outside a McDonald’s in the 14th and U streets area in Northwest Washington.

How New Orleans failed to protect Bourbon Street from attack, block by block: Major security lapses preceded the vehicular-ramming attack that left 14 dead, according to a Post examination of visual evidence and accounts from witnesses.

15 science-based ways to reduce your risk of dementia: From diet and exercise to protecting against hearing loss and maintaining social connections, there are ways to improve our health and reduce dementia risk, experts say.

On Kansas back roads, I found people who are solving problems: They’re past “What’s the matter with Kansas?” and are finding common ground.

The looming Eurasian menace: As China, Iran, Russia and North Korea lock arms, the U.S. should begin its response preparations. - "The United States also lacks the resources for this new round of rivalry. The U.S. military is designed to defeat only a single enemy in a major conflict. U.S. military spending is nearly as low, as a percentage of gross domestic product, as it has been at any time since World War II. Its defense industrial base is in pitiful shape. Yet as hot wars rage in the Middle East and Europe, and a Sino-American cold war intensifies in the Asia-Pacific, the United States could easily face conflicts in two or more regions simultaneously — or find itself fighting a rival that is receiving help from other adversaries."

Head of the International Court of Justice is named Lebanon's new prime minister: Lebanon’s new president has asked prominent diplomat and jurist Nawaf Salam to form the country’s new government after Salam was named prime minister by a large number of legislators

After economic meltdown and war with Israel, Lebanon's new prime minister vows to rebuild: Lebanon’s prime minister-designate has vowed to rebuild the country following years of economic meltdown and a 14-month war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group

NATO launches new naval operation in Baltic sea after severed cables: The Baltic Sentry operation comes amid mounting European fears of sabotage after a string of murky disruptions to underwater cables in the sea that borders Russia.

Montgomery County considers plastic-bag ban, doubling tax on paper bags: An inspector general’s report said the county’s current bag policy has been inefficient, leading to millions of dollars in lost revenue. - "Under Stewart’s proposal, those receiving food assistance, including from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), would be excused from paying the paper-bag tax. Stewart said the intent was to mitigate the bill’s impact on lower-income people for whom 10 cents a bag is a heavier burden and for those who often transport groceries home via public transportation." [ed. note: STUPID]

Compass Coffee co-founders split amid claim of misspent covid funds: The former Marines who founded the D.C. chain are mired in acrimony as Harrison Suarez accuses Michael Haft, scion of a business empire, of family racketeering enterprise.

This group says natural gas bans hurt minorities. It has gas industry ties.: The Energy Poverty Awareness Center, which fought climate legislation in Maryland, has ties to a group that is partly funded by oil and gas companies. - "The measure would not have affected the state’s nearly 2.6 million existing housing units. It also would not have restricted other appliances such as gas stoves, which have recently emerged as a flash point in the nation’s culture wars. 

"In his testimony sent to state lawmakers, however, Baxter wrote that the bill could force Black households in Baltimore to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a host of new green technologies."

Elon Musk’s Boring Company Is Tunneling Beneath Las Vegas With Little Oversight

Society is making you sick, GOP says. Too bad their plans will make you sicker.: “Make America Healthy Again” might be a laudable plan — if GOP policies didn’t contradict GOP goals.

The U.S. government runs on Celsius. Just ask anyone on Capitol Hill.: The energy drink is consumed by politicians, journalists and even the speaker of the House, who maintains his own stash.

Kristi Noem, a homeland security chief hopeful, banned in parts of her state: South Dakota’s tribes barred the governor from setting foot on their land after she said drug cartels operate there — an allegation the nations’ leaders deny. - "Brendan Johnson, a former U.S. attorney for South Dakota, said that to suggest that cartels use reservations as operating bases is a fundamental misunderstanding of the economics of the drug trade. 

"Drugs are smuggled across the border to larger cities such as Kansas City, Missouri, Denver and Chicago and then flown into smaller rural communities, he explained in a recent interview. 'These small communities are not lucrative targets for a cartel,' he said. 'It would make no sense for them to set up some sort of business empire on the reservation.'"

I was born liberal. The ‘adults in the room’ still have a lot to learn.: To rebuild liberalism, we’ll need to recover what the word used to mean. - "The old liberal epistemology at least rested on egalitarian and universal premises. We believed that everyone was capable of entering to some degree into the mental worlds and lived experience of others, because all of us, regardless of race, creed, ethnicity or sexual orientation, were rational human creatures. This rationalist universalism disintegrated in the 1980s and 1990s, attacked by a new generation of 'progressive' scholars as masculinist, colonialist, racist and fundamentally condescending. This assault was supposed to awaken us to 'intersectionality'— the interaction of disadvantages — but instead of drawing hurt constituencies together, it fragmented them into highly sectarian and identity-based political groupings that foreclosed on alliances, shared understandings, and common political projects across race, class and gender."

Buy or leave, Starbucks tells nonpaying customers in policy reversal: The new policy states that Starbucks spaces “are for use by our partners and customers” — and warns that violators will be asked to leave.

Jack Smith’s subtle indictment of the Supreme Court: The special counsel’s final Trump-Jan. 6 report breaks little new evidentiary ground but directs plenty of suggestive criticism at the nation’s highest court.

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 2024-09-17

Amazon River Dolphins Are Facing Mass Die-Offs In Brazil: Brazilian scientists worry that a few straight days of intense sun could be all it takes to trigger the next die-off of the endangered dolphins.

Negative European energy prices hit record level: Rapid rollout of solar and wind generation has outpaced ability to store power

Why ‘chaos wheat’ may be the future of bread It’s time to look beyond all-purpose flour.

A 12-year-old girl was hit by a car. It had $19,770 in unpaid tickets.: Victims of traffic violence in D.C. say the city needs to get drivers who rack up tickets off the roads.

D.C. council confirms DDOT director who killed Connecticut Avenue bike lanes: Sharon Kershbaum previously was deputy director and has held several city roles, including in human services and contracting and procurement.

Data centers are everywhere. What it’s like to work in one.: These seemingly invisible workers are critical to keeping our connected world humming

Our digital lives need massive data centers. What goes on inside them?

Ohio sheriff says to ‘write down’ addresses of homes with Harris signs: Portage County, Ohio, Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski, a Republican, told residents to “write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards!”

Thousands injured in Lebanon as pagers used by Hezbollah explode: Pagers used by the militant group Hezbollah simultaneously exploded, injuring more than 2,800 people and killing at least nine, officials said.

Court may decide if Arizonans with missing citizenship records can vote in state races: Arizona officials discovered they have no records showing if nearly 100,000 longtime residents provided proof of citizenship, which is required by law to vote in state and local races. - "Like other states, Arizona requires voters to swear that they are citizens when they register to vote. But for 20 years, Arizona law has gone further and required residents to show birth certificates, naturalization papers or other documents proving citizenship to vote in state and local elections.

...

"At issue is a pool of voters who may not have submitted those documents. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) said the vast majority probably are longtime citizens who are eligible to vote in all races. He said more are registered as Republicans than as Democrats."

Reading archive 2024-06-05

Microplastics Are Everywhere. Here’s How to Avoid Eating Them.

Juror says someone left her bag with $120,000 cash and promise of more if she’ll acquit: She was serving on a case involving seven people charged with stealing more than $40 million from a program meant to feed children during the pandemic.

Why Mexico City’s thirst is causing it to sink: The demand for water in Mexico’s capital is draining its underground aquifers — and fueling some of the fastest subsidence rates in the world.

Casa Ruby founder set to plead guilty to wire fraud over pandemic funds: Ruby Corado is accused of diverting $150,000 in federal pandemic relief from her LGBTQ nonprofit to her own accounts in El Salvador and fleeing D.C. in 2022.

Alito’s account of the upside-down flag doesn’t fully add up. Here’s why.: A look at the major discrepancies in Justice Samuel Alito’s comments about controversial flags flown at his property and what he still has not fully answered.

Senate Republicans vote against making contraception a federal right: The bill was introduced by Democrats seeking to put Republicans on the spot in an election year over their unpopular positions on reproductive rights.

Biden, in France for D-Day anniversary, to stress contrast with Trump: The president will join other leaders in praising the fight against authoritarianism.

Gunman opens fire at U.S. Embassy in Lebanon and is shot by army: The gunman, who has been hospitalized, was identified as a Syrian national. No motive for the attack has been reported yet.

Opinion For The Post, a Supreme black eye: Deference to Justice Alito hands a scoop to the New York Times.

India’s low-caste voters humbled its powerful prime minister: Modi’s stunning setback in elections this week reflected the power of low-caste Hindus who rebelled against his ruling BJP.

He went viral for driving with a suspended license. The case isn’t so simple.: The case that led Corey Harris to become famous after he attended a Zoom hearing about his suspended license while driving is more complicated than it appeared. [ed. note: actually he never had a driver's license at all, just a Michigan state ID. Dude is a liar and a POS]

Would a reelected Trump prosecute his opponents? He already tried.: Trump and his allies are pretending that his recent conviction gives him moral space to target his enemies. But he tried that the first time around. - "The reality, as Mueller established and as a report from the Justice Department inspector general reinforced, was that there were numerous links between Trump’s team and Russia and that there was an obvious effort by Russia to upend the election. Durham brought charges against an attorney linked to Clinton. The attorney was acquitted. 

"Last year, the New York Times’s Charlie Savage explained that the pivot to focusing on Clinton came only after Durham was unable to uncover nefarious intent on the part of the FBI. 

"'By keeping the investigation going,” Savage wrote, 'Mr. Barr initially appeased Mr. Trump, who, as Mr. Barr recounted in his memoir, was angry about the lack of charges as the 2020 election neared.'"

Conservative attacks on birth control could threaten access: Far-right conservatives are sowing misinformation that inaccurately characterizes IUDs, emergency contraception, even birth-control pills as causing abortions - "Because hormonal IUDs and birth-control pills can thin the uterine lining, which could prevent a fertilized egg from implanting, some antiabortion activists falsely claim that the birth-control methods cause abortions. Between 30 and 70 percent of fertilized eggs never implant successfully, even without birth control, according to Belmonte’s review of medical literature."

GOP plans aggressive ‘weaponization’ investigations in wake of Trump conviction: House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to use House oversight powers and other measures to target jurisdictions pursuing prosecutions of the former president.

Reading archive 2024-02-26

How the ‘Who TF Did I Marry?’ series took over TikTok: Reesa Teesa’s story of marrying and divorcing a man she called a ‘pathological liar’ has had users on the edge of their seats

With abortion rights looming, Missouri GOP advances slanted ballot rules: The change would make amendments to the state constitution much more difficult to approve — at least for the left - "The proposal, which passed along party lines, would require amendments to receive not only a majority of the vote statewide — as is currently required — but also a majority in five of eight congressional districts."

Trump says Black voters like him more because of his indictments and mug shot: The GOP candidate tells a group of Black conservatives: ‘I’m being indicted for you, the Black population’

See the dozens of new species this deep-sea robot just discovered: Alien-looking lobsters, sponges, urchins, sea stars and sea lilies are among the creatures deep-sea explorers found off the coast of Chile

How Libs of TikTok became a powerful presence in Oklahoma schools: The owner of the far-right social media account, who sits on a state advisory panel, has drawn attention since the death of a nonbinary student near Tulsa

Opinion  Dim or disloyal? Republicans again ensnared in possible Russian plot.

Man found guilty of killing trans woman in historic hate crime verdict: A South Carolina man is the first person convicted by trial of a federal hate crime based on gender identity, federal authorities said

As Lebanon teeters on the edge, a war with Israel would be catastrophic

These giant, invasive spiders appear built to thrive in the U.S.: ‘I don’t know how happy people are going to be about it, but I think the spiders are here to stay,’ one researcher says

Alabama embryo ruling may have devastating effect on cancer patients - "'It’s the same stories that you’re hearing from lawmakers after Roe v. Wade, saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t think it would impact this or that’ … [but] they’re making decisions for others,' said Robin Watkins, 41, who underwent fertility treatments to have her twin boys."

Shane Gillis struggles in a 'Saturday Night Live' monologue that avoids the obvious - "Saturday Night Live made its reputation as a group of comedy rebels making fun of a stuffy political and media establishment, lampooning corrupt and inept politicians from Richard Nixon to Sarah Palin; in other words, punching up. 

"But today's comedy rebels see the insistence that comics lay off insulting slurs about marginalized people as the new establishment — building successful podcasts, standup tours and more on the mistaken notion that avoiding racism, sexism and homophobia is somehow shackling their free speech. Here, punching down is fair game and fairly lucrative."

Bowen Yang Deletes Instagram Post Mocking Nikki Haley ‘SNL’ Visit: The castmember's not-entirely-subtle protests, a history.

Hungary approves Sweden’s NATO bid, unblocking historic expansion

A nurse asked a friend to help her move. He later killed her, police say.: Patrina Best was beloved by her family and friends, traveling the country as a nurse with her dog, Luke

Bowser, business leaders pitch $400M plan to fix D.C.’s ailing downtown: A rise in violent crime across the city, coupled with the possible departure of the Wizards and Capitals, have added to a sense of urgency to stabilize downtown

Ex-Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson says photo refutes Biden impeachment witness's claims