Reading archive 2026-08-31

Meet the ex-Republicans running as Democrats in the midterms: In races across the country, former GOP politicians are leaning into their pasts.

Tree removals at East Potomac golf course raise alarms

Trump officially plans for civilian federal pay freeze in 2027: The alternative pay plan that the White House issued this week carves out exceptions to give larger raises to federal law enforcement and military personnel.

Kelly Clarkson’s last talk show episode showed why she broke the daytime curse: “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” which ended after seven years, signed off with an hour centered on music — and fans.

With shutdown looming, House leaders aim to quickly pass funding bill: House lawmakers are poised to vote this week on a Senate-passed measure to fund U.S. agencies through Dec. 11, avoiding a federal shutdown before the midterms.

Daniel Lurie, San Francisco’s quiet radical: While his party debates abolishing prisons and owning grocery stores, Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie is cleaning up his city.

South Carolina turns into a historic Senate race: Darline Graham’s unapologetic honesty helped set up all-female clash.

Trump’s bullying has backfired: Might he try persuasion instead?

RFK Jr. once again proves his critics correct: As a measles outbreak kills in Pennsylvania, the HHS secretary spreads falsehoods about the MMR vaccine.

Months after primary, Lewis George is returning to public stage with D.C. forums: The democratic socialist in line to lead D.C. knows people are pinning their hopes on her. Here’s what she says she’ll do about it. - "Still, he thinks she will have to make some tough choices to get to [72,000 new homes in five years]. 'If you talk to capital right now, they largely don’t want anything to do with D.C. from a housing standpoint,' due in part to the difficulty in collecting rent and having a timely eviction process, he said, adding that making business-friendly changes could upset her base."

Pirro’s special grand jury probing D.C. schools, city oversight of youth: The unusual investigation appears to have a broad scope. Prosecutors have contacted D.C. Public Schools personnel to question them about truancy and graduation rates.

Dispute offers new details on settlement that followed notorious Dupont Circle killing: The estate of Robert Wone says former defendants in a wrongful-death suit have failed to make agreed payments that help fund a scholarship in his name.

The Crisis for Democrats in Michigan: The Senate election presents liberals with a grim choice. - "What's more, El-Sayed has already said that he intends to use his victory as a platform to reshape the party. Him winning could invite a future in which the United States has not just one party that is open to bigots but two."

Reading archive 2026-07-28

Whom will Democrats nominate in 2028? The scales just tilted.: The DNC’s primary schedule is set to favor the establishment. South Carolina leads the way.

A personalized scam is coming for you: The old attacks have nothing on a customized AI approach called spear phishing.

How Netflix Broke TV’s Most Important Promise Something disturbing is happening to the streaming giant’s ratings. It has only itself to blame.

We used to be able to buy things in this country: Locking up toothpaste was a warning sign that our executive class was crazy

Political operative behind Graham Platner's rise accused of sexual assault: A spokesperson for Daniel Moraff said: “Any suggestion that he committed a criminal offence is false and without foundation."

Killing trees to save the forest: The deadly experiment that could save the American elm - "One by one, row by row, the plan was to stick nearly all of the 5,300 or so elms at the sprawling site in southern Vermont, save the few that received a squirt of water as a control. In the coming weeks, most of the trees would doubtlessly succumb to the pathogen that has already killed tens of millions of their ancestors and made Ulmus americana an endangered species. The ones that live, however, could help save the species."

Why this gas price surge could be different: After five months of war, analysts say oil markets will be forced to price in long-term disruption to global energy flows.

How Netanyahu Lost America: The prime minister, a self-styled expert on the U.S., has shattered his country’s standing. - "[AIPAC]'s symbolic importance ballooned as its influence weakened. Gavin Newsom, Cory Booker, Ruben Gallego, and Seth Moulton-none of them stalwarts of the Democratic Socialists of America-all pledged to refuse AIPAC's money. Moderate Democrats concluded that taking risks to defend Israel had no upside, and not just because of the growing animosity within the party's base. Netanyahu's treatment of Biden had shown that loyalty would never be reciprocated. Democrats running for president absorbed the new calculus and have attempted to glean attention for their nascent candidacies through high-profile confrontations with Israel. The divide had been opened by the man who assured Israelis that no one understood the Americans better."

An Odyssey for Our Own Time: Christopher Nolan presents a very human hero to a culture that desperately needs one. - "Part of what makes The Odyssey so appealing to a modern audience is that it takes civilizing aspects of Greek culture-hospitality and magnanimity-and adds later concepts, some of them influenced by Jewish and Christian ethics that were, to varying degrees, alien to ancient Greek culture: deep introspection, even confession; humility and empathy; sorrow and guilt for the harm one has done, even in victory; the conviction that the conquered count and have worth; and vengeance tempered with mercy. In the film, Odysseus emerges as a figure haunted by his victory in a way that no ancient Greek would have been."

The Problem With Shutting Down ICE in Blue States: Trump officials are happy to ship immigrants elsewhere. - "'ICE is going to find the bed space,' Gihon said. 'A lot of time, it's going to be farther away from a blue state, and farther away from friendly federal courts, in a place with terrible conditions.' In addition to being more distant from family members, immigration courts in Texas and Louisiana have judges who reject asylum claims at some of the highest rates in the country, federal data show. And sanctuary cities such as New York and Chicago generally have more legal-aid organizations that can help ICE detainees get out of custody and fight deportation. 'When I have a detention center near me that I can drive to, I never have to worry about my client missing a phone call,' Gihon told me."

The DSA Is a Parasite: The left-wing faction is hijacking the Democratic Party. - "These victories mark major milestones for the DSA's overall political strategy. Knowing that it doesn't have anything near the support to compete as a party in its own right, the DSA opportunistically uses the Democratic Party ballot line (which some members describe as a 'tool') to get its candidates elected. The DSA declined to endorse the Democratic nominee in the past three presidential elections, and members attack the Democratic Party's leaders as neoliberal corporate shills who must be overthrown. (When images of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on television screens at the party celebrating the DSA slate's win in New York, the audience erupted into chants of 'You're next!') The DSA is not shy about its ultimate designs. A recent draft platform explicitly called for the eventual formation of an 'independent political party, rooted in the working-class majority'-language that was eventually scrubbed."

The Lines the Court Won’t Cross: The Supreme Court is mostly giving the Trump administration what it wants—with interesting exceptions. - "Instead, the Court's future dealings with the Donald Trump presidency will likely be guided by three general rules: First, keep focus on the constitutional project that Chief Justice John Roberts has been coaxing into being since he joined the Court-one that will transform the First Amendment, eviscerate the equal-protection clause, and recalibrate the Constitution's balance of powers - and green-light presidential initiatives that chime with this project. Second, because this project aims at deep constitutional change, consider breaking from ideological stereotypes when a case involves a mere statute, which can always be reworked by Congress. Finally, beware of presidential frolics that could leave the justices politically exposed when things go sideways - especially if traditional Republican elites would be among the unhappy constituencies."

A Startling Glimpse at AI’s Ruthless Efficiency: The Hugging Face hack reveals that the web is in a vulnerable new era. - "But jailbreaks are clearly not even necessary for things to go haywire. The Hugging Face hack showed advanced AI systems deciding upon and then orchestrating a high-grade cyberattack on their own-the models working against, rather than according to, human instruction. Models are ruthless in their pursuit of a goal, sometimes taking disastrous shortcuts. Imagine, for example, a bot tasked with reducing the federal deficit that institutes an elaborate and hard-to-detect accounting gimmick, or a customer-service agent that issues absurd discounts in pursuit of customer-satisfaction ratings. In the case of GPT-5.6 Sol and the unreleased model, 'all evidence suggests that the models were hyperfocused on finding a solution' for an evaluation, OpenAI wrote in its blog, 'going to extreme lengths to achieve a rather narrow testing goal.'"

The Trump Family Sparks a Revolution in Albania: A luxury development planned by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump has spurred anti-corruption protests. - "Albania, where about half of the population is Muslim, has strong ties to Israel rooted in historical goodwill. During the Second World War, Albanians motivated by an ancient honor code called besa, literally 'to keep the promise,' hid thousands of Jewish refugees; it was the only European country with more Jewish residents after the Holocaust than before."

The Smithsonian’s Show Trial on Capitol Hill: Republicans grilled a museum head, intensifying Donald Trump’s campaign to reshape the American story.

The Fear of Black Greeks: White people don’t own the accomplishments of ancient Greece. - "But Greece is not as far from Africa as the North American continent is, and the modern construct of race, a pseudoscientific product of the Atlantic slave trade, would not be invented until thousands of years after Homer. Black people are depicted in Greek art. Egypt, Libya, and 'Aethiopia' are frequently referenced in ancient writings. As the Black classics scholar Frank Snowden Jr. wrote in the 1970s, at least one of the characters in The Odyssey, Eurybates, is specifically described as 'black-skinned and woolly-haired.' As the Stanford classics professor Sarah Derbew notes in her book Untangling Blackness in Greek Antiquity, Black people are referenced in plays by Euripides, Sophocles, and Aeschylus. They also appear in the writings of Hesiod and Herodotus. One of the lost epic poems is The Aethiopis, in which Memnon, the Aethiopian king and an ally to Troy, plays a major role. 

"Black people were not as uncommon in the ancient Mediterranean world as Nolan's critics seem to imagine. But even if they had been, color-blind casting makes sense as an artistic choice for portraying the classics precisely because race as it exists today did not exist when The Odyssey was written. And no contemporary actor can actually claim the same descent as Helen, who hatched from a swan's egg."

A Planeload of Informants: The United States is intensifying its hunt for narcos within the Mexican government. Is this all prelude to an attack?

Inside the Feud Over Ukraine’s Drone Success: The fall of Ukraine’s top general, Oleksandr Syrsky, leaves younger officers to finish the reforms that he resisted.

Reading archive 2026-07-13

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2026-06-07

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2026-06-2

Wild Blueberry Farms Across Maine Suffer as Climate Change Upends Growing Seasons: Like lobster rolls, wild blueberries are iconic in Maine. But heat and drought have set the plants back to a point where many small farmers are struggling against reduced yields and increased costs for mulch and irrigation. - "Wild blueberries are smaller and have a stronger flavor than their cultivated counterparts.

...

"One of the few native North American fruits, wild blueberry patches have often existed in the same spot for longer than the farms that now harvest them.

...

"Wild blueberries are smaller and have a stronger flavor compared to cultivated blueberries."

[ed. note: "Wild Blueberry" refers to Vaccinium angustifolium; there are tons of native North American fruits; this very article depicts "wild blueberries" as cultivated]

Tiny Footprints, a Blue Blanket: What I Can’t Forget About the Babies Who Died of Vitamin K Deficiency: The deaths of these babies likely could have been prevented with a long-standard vitamin shot. For reporter Duaa Eldeib, their autopsy reports painted the clearest picture of the tragedy of their short lives.

The Case for Impeaching and Removing Every Federal Judge and Supreme Court Justice Who Has Ever Been a Member of the Federalist Society or Endorsed Unitary Executive Theory.: A serious claim requiring serious consideration. - "This brings us to the load-bearing claim of the entire argument. Unitary executive theory is a different constitution. The doctrine claims constitutional authority that the text does not grant, that the framers explicitly rejected, that the first Congress did not exercise, and that no court recognized until the conservative legal movement invented the doctrine in the 1980s. The text of Article II vests executive power in the president and requires the president to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, language that imposes obligations rather than granting unilateral control. The framers, as Hamilton’s Federalist 77 makes explicit and as the rejected Pinckney motion confirms, did not grant the executive the unaccountable authority the doctrine claims. The first Congress built executive offices with mixed structures and independent components. No court endorsed the strong version of unitary executive theory until the conservative legal movement built the doctrine in the 1980s and spent forty years credentialing the judges who would convert academic argument into binding law. The doctrine functions as a replacement for the Constitution rather than an interpretation of it, offered by a political movement that could not amend the document through Article V and decided to install its preferred version through judicial appointments instead."

Tesla Solar Roof is on life support as it pivot to panels

Restoring the Flow: A Milestone in the Revival of the Everglades: The campaign to restore the Everglades has received a boost with completion of a key project that returns the flow of water to 55,000 acres that had once been drained for development. Experts see it as a major step forward in bringing back South Florida’s River of Grass.

The missing ingredient in plant-based food isn’t taste or nutrition: It takes more than flavor and texture to win a culture war.

Poland’s steely response to Russia’s hybrid warfare: Eastern European countries are keeping out Russia’s “weaponized migrants.” Reporters got a look.

What Colbert’s show ending means for the rest of late-night TV: “The Late Show,” an American television institution, goes off the air this week. It almost certainly portends changes to come for the classic television format.

Dozens of victims in Loudoun County rental scheme as woman accused of taking $100K+

Parking lots get hot and are bad for storm runoff. These groups are testing other options

Russian Position Weakening in Central Asia

5 ideas for how we survive the possible AI jobs apocalypse: Elon Musk, Elizabeth Warren and lots of policy wonks have suggestions to help workers hit by automation. Which would you bet your future on?

As Russia fails to achieve war aims in Ukraine, Putin needs a way out: European officials say Moscow's escalating aggression is a result of increasing difficulties that Russia is facing militarily and economically.

Utility bills in D.C. are rising. Here’s what to know.: Pepco and D.C. Water plan to raise monthly utility costs for customers in D.C., citing inflationary costs and supply chain strain.

‘It was cruel’: Scott Pelley confronts new ‘60 Minutes’ boss in fiery meeting: The veteran correspondent demanded answers on fired staff and the new executive producer’s qualifications for the job.

The rise of Janeese Lewis George, who could be D.C.’s first democratic socialist mayor: Focusing on workers’ and tenants’ rights, the council member would represent a drastic shift in the status quo if elected to the city’s highest office.

There are no Supreme Court vacancies, but some judges are acting like there might be: Speculation is swirling over potential departures at the high court, and firebrand conservative judges might be using flashy rulings to audition for the president.

As Ukraine’s fortunes improve, it’s ‘zugzwang’ time for Putin: Drone warfare has produced a bloody battlefield stasis reminiscent of World War I.

With Smithsonian under scrutiny, its leader curates a complex history show: Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III has co-curated “American Aspirations” as the Smithsonian faces federal pressure. “Nobody has told us what to do,” he said, “and to be honest, I won’t let anybody tell us what to do.”

After a brutal winter, Ukraine’s drones are breaking Russian defenses: Russia’s advance has suddenly stalled, and Ukraine is fighting on its own terms — a comeback credited to Kyiv’s efforts to steadily strengthen the capabilities of its UAVs.

Child’s Play: Tech’s new generation and the end of thinking

If you let AI do your writing, I will come to your house and kill you: Did you think I wouldn’t be able to tell? I can tell. - "The reason it’s so hard to get AI to stop hallucinating is that it’s permanently hallucinating. Its whole existence is one long lurid trip. Most of the time, the AI’s hallucinations bear a spooky resemblance to reality. But what they speak is the language of angels, in which, like the chirping of birds, there is neither truth nor lies."

Reading archive 2026-05-16

The Most Surprising Part of Stephen Colbert’s Late-Night Run: The Late Show host has been a calming counterbalance to his peers.

A Checkers Player Meets a Three-Dimensional-Chess Master: Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping demonstrated the perils of shortsightedness when playing a long game. - "Xi, however, has great ambitions. Trump may now see China as a mutually beneficial economic partner, but Xi's policies are designed to change the world order at America's expense. Beijing is working to engineer China's technological and industrial dominance, backing Russia in a destabilizing war in Europe, and generally setting the stage to achieve global supremacy when the United States flames out. Trump, with his disdain for global alliances and liberal values, doesn't seem interested in contesting Xi on these fronts. 'Xi Jinping has the long plan, about dominating the world and putting the United States in its right place,' Joerg Wuttke, a partner at the consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group, told me. 'Donald Trump doesn't look that far.'"

The Protein Shortage Is Coming: Making all that whey is complicated.

Reading archive 2026-05-14

Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ comes to an ironic end: The host who coined "truthiness" never found his footing in the world it predicted.

Ad wars ramp up in D.C. mayoral race as primary enters final month: Deep-pocketed political groups are seizing on potential vulnerabilities of the top Democrats in the race, Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie.

Here’s Another Way America Will Choke at the World Cup: The nation’s railway system is destined to lose.

The Democrats Can’t Let Go of Racial Preferences: How to persuade skeptical voters to take a fresh look at the party - "In a recent study, the political scientists David Broockman of UC Berkeley and Joshua Kalla of Yale tested potential policy shifts in 29 different issue areas-including immigration, transgender athletes in women's sports, and Israel and Gaza-in an attempt to discern what might make skeptical voters consider choosing Democratic candidates. They found that moving to the center on racial preferences in college admissions was the most electorally fruitful move Democrats could make and that doing so on racial preferences in government contracting was the second most important."

The AI Backlash Could Get Very Ugly: Imagine what happens if jobs actually start disappearing.

The Trump Counterterrorism Strategy Makes America More Vulnerable: The policy is unfocused, run by amateurs, and concerned more with the president’s many grievances than with the security of the United States. - "The security analyst Kabir Taneja wrote on X that the document'"looks like something written by an intern,' and Kayyem told me that the report is so badly done that it 'mocks the American public' rather than informs it. The terrorism scholar Colin P. Clarke posted that 'competent career CT professionals must be aghast at this slop' and that he 'would give this a solid D+ grade.' I'm a former professor, and I might have given it something a smidge higher, but only if it had come from a clueless undergraduate who was encountering all of the concepts related to terrorism and counterterrorism for the first time. But it didn't. Instead, this jumble was apparently the brainchild of Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism.

...

"A document that should have explained the president's plan to keep the American people safe during wartime is now on global display as a pathetic-and dangerous-joke. More than anything, it is a faithful reflection of the Trump administration itself: To judge from this report, America's counterterrorism policy is unfocused, run by amateurs, and concerned more with Donald Trump's many grievances than the security of the United States."

Why Did Bill Cassidy Do It?: The senator from Louisiana offered an olive branch to MAHA and got nothing in return.

The Mystery of the Golden Coffin: How did $65 million of allegedly stolen antiquities wind up in two of the world’s greatest museums?

Reading archive 2026-05-13

What is Section 230? Landmark social media lawsuit spotlights legal shield: The decades-old legal protection has drawn bipartisan criticism. - "One of the cases, Gonzalez v. Google LLC, concerned a lawsuit brought by the family of Nohemi Gonzalez, an American woman who was killed in an ISIS terrorist attack in Paris in 2015. The lawsuit against Google, the parent company of YouTube, alleged that YouTube recommended ISIS recruitment videos to users. The high court ruled against the plaintiffs."

Do women need to exercise differently from men – and ease up on cardio after 40?

Republicans skeptical on funding security for ballroom while White House amps up pressure: Secret Service Director Sean Curran detailed plans to spend $1 billion on ballroom security measures in a closed-door lunch with Senate Republicans.

Metro not planning RFK Stadium rail station, suggests ‘Gold Line' buses instead: Metro studied potential locations for a new Metro station, including Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road NE.

Months after ending the DC Streetcar, leaders are considering a new transit line along H Street to get fans to RFK Stadium: WMATA says a new metro station wouldn't be completed in time for the opening of the RFK Stadium in 2030.

The Unhappy Hosts of the World Cup: Cities and states are covering a lot of the costs of this summer’s matches, and have few options for bringing in much revenue. - "The unhappy truth of international soccer is that the World Cup generates lots of money-for FIFA. The Zurich-based group will take in $13 billion from the tickets, parking, merchandise, on-site concessions, sponsorships, and television rights. Meanwhile, the cities and states that host are responsible for the costs: stadium retrofits, security, transportation, administration, public 'fan zones' for everyone who does not have a ticket. Not only does FIFA not share tournament revenue; local organizers say the federation's infamously controlling contracts have left hosts with no plausible way to recoup expenses. Those hundred-dollar train tickets are not the product of a state looking to make a buck off of the World Cup, but of one trying to salvage an investment in a system that makes FIFA rich while taxpayers foot the bill."

Hezbollah’s unjammable drones pose new threat to Israel: The weapons, cheap to build from commercially available components, have helped the militants rearm despite the loss of a sponsor in Syria and the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Court overturns Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions in deaths of wife, son: The South Carolina Supreme Court ordered a new trial, saying the 2023 trial was improperly influenced by a county clerk’s comments to jurors.

The Banal Horror of Jimmy Fallon: Under the sterile blue lights of his studio, Fallon laughs endlessly at the same pseudo-jokes, rubs elbows with Trump and Sam Altman, and ushers in the death of culture. - "Fallon acts as the high priest of a terrified optimism, his rictus grin serving as a shield against the encroaching silence of the real. Here, in the sanitized, over-lit heart of the American culture industry, there is an inescapable horror. But it isn't a monster lurking in the shadows; it is the manic, unblinking insistence that actually, there are no shadows at all. If the Gothic tradition of fear teaches us that the ruins of the past haunt the present, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon offers the inverse: a present so forcefully flattened, so aggressively “fun,” that it has exorcised history entirely, leaving us trapped in a sterile, eternal loop of viral games and celebrity lip-syncing while the world slides into climate collapse and fascist politics.

...

"The real, unsettling mechanism of Fallon’s banal horror is its insistence on a radical non-engagement with reality: a position that, in our current political climate, is itself an aggressively political act. Fallon doesn’t do politics, or if he does, he wants to 'keep his head down' because 'we hit both sides equally.' Tellingly, Donald Trump has called for the firing of almost all of the other late night hosts—Colbert, Kimmel, even Seth Meyers—but excluded Fallon from his hit-list, because Trump recognizes that there’s nothing about Fallon’s empty banality that could be anything close to a threat.

...

"The horror of the Tonight Show is not found in any singular problem, but in the totality of its project: the systematic replacement of the real world with a brightly lit simulation of “niceness.” Fallon is the court jester of the Anthropocene, a figure who invites us to watch celebrities play parlor games on stage while the air outside the studio begins to smell of tear gas and smoke. In Fallon’s sterile loop of viral repetition comes the final victory of the commodity over human beings—a world where even our laughter is outsourced to the demands of the algorithm. You don’t even need jokes anymore. All you need is to say something that sounds like it could be a joke, and the hollow laughter will come. To watch Fallon is to stare at the face of a culture that has chosen the comfort of a rictus grin over the heavy, necessary terror of the truth. It serves as a grim warning: if we cannot reclaim our play, our politics, and our presence from this algorithmic void, we will be left with nothing but the echoes of a desk being slapped in an empty room, for an audience that has long since ceased to exist."

Amazon employees admit to using AI unnecessarily to pump up internal usage scores — workers complain of intense pressure to use AI tools: Employees at Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have been gaming AI usage metrics.

Reading archive 2026-05-07

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2026-03-13

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 2026-01-26

Should you drink bottled water or tap? The answer may surprise you.: If you’re concerned about microplastics, PFAS and lead, there are certain ways to make your drinking water safer.

China fires top general in shocking purge of senior military command: The downfall of Zhang Youxia, China’s most senior uniformed official, marks an unprecedented concentration of military power under Xi Jinping.

Senate Democrats to block government funding after second fatal shooting in Minneapolis: The move could force a partial government shutdown next weekend. Lawmakers are set to vote on spending bills this week but may look to split Homeland Security from other agencies.

‘Unconquerable’: What a visit to frigid Ukraine convinced me: AI-powered air defense could counter Moscow’s greatest advantage — and keep Kyiv in the fight.

After 80-year bond, Germans find breaking up with the U.S. is hard to do: To many Germans, Americans were saviors after World War II, and they feel especially hurt over President Donald Trump’s disdain for Europe and traditional alliances.

Five people were shot outside a D.C. bus. It remained stopped, doors open.: Passengers pleaded with the operator to drive away from the shooting or close the bus doors, but he said he couldn’t, according to two passengers on the bus.

Elusive orchid plays key role in plan to bring bird back after 30 years: Once widespread throughout the Southeast, populations of the red-cockaded woodpecker shrank drastically amid rapid development and other threats.

Trump brushes off concerns about Witkoff’s interactions with Russians as leaked transcript roils Washington

Kilowatts or connections? Trump’s favored nuclear start-ups soar to riches.: Founders of politically connected nuclear companies that have never built commercial reactors are becoming billionaires. - "Valar declares on a company webpage that 'holding the spent fuel from [its] system for five minutes gives the equivalent radiation exposure to receiving a CAT scan.' Nuclear engineers were appalled by his claims."

Climate change, aging farmers endanger Japan's 'Rolls-Royce of pearls'

In Houston suburbs, Abbott’s attacks on CAIR unnerve Muslim residents: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) designated CAIR — a Muslim advocacy and civil rights group — a “foreign terrorist” group, along with the Muslim Brotherhood.

These very hungry microbes devour a powerful pollutant

Humans killed millions of vultures. Now people are paying the price.: As vultures vanished, dogs multiplied, and rabies spread. Humans are living with the consequences.

The common vaccines that can prevent chronic disease or some cancers: In addition to cancer, a growing body of research has shown that vaccines can reduce the risk of developing dementia and heart conditions.

She’s torn between her love for Trump and her work with migrants: A conservative woman detects a lack of empathy — and a broken promise — in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

‘Heated Rivalry’ is a hit in Russia, where LGBTQ+ content is heavily censored: Russian audiences connected deeply with character Ilya Rozanov, whose country would never fully accept him or allow him to live openly in a relationship with another man.

Hard Times in the Delta as Farmers Consider Letting Crops Rot: Prices for nearly every major U.S. crop are below what it costs to grow them. But a drop in rice prices means another blow to farmers in Mississippi’s agricultural belt.

Reading archive 2025-09-15

The Beginning of the End of NATO: This is when the world finds out whether the United States remains committed to Europe’s defense.

Russia Is Losing the War—Just Not to Ukraine: A war meant to catalyze national revival has instead become a case study in national self-harm. [ed. note: a hopeful read]

Will Israel Destroy Trump’s Greatest Foreign-Policy Achievement?: The Abraham Accords rested on a commitment that the Israeli settler right wants to break.

The Era of Step-on-a-Rake Capitalism: Trumponomics isn’t about economics. It’s about creating pain and demanding tribute. - "Some of his initiatives are pure Ronald Reagan, such as his corporate-income tax cuts and deregulation efforts targeted at oil and gas. Some of his interventions would impress a Democratic Socialists of America chapter, such as demanding a public stake in Intel, requesting 15 percent of revenues from Nvidia's chip sales to China, and securing a 'golden share' of U.S. Steel to retain veto power over its decision making. As for the rest of Trump's economic policy, it is a hodgepodge of 19th-century mercantilism, developing-world authoritarianism, and extremely online weirdness. The U.S. tariff rate stands near a 100-year high. When Trump isn't firing the statisticians who calculate unemployment, he's waging war against the independent central bank or posting about the fierce urgency of corporate-logo design."

The Influencer FBI: The skill set required to succeed online may not always translate to effective law enforcement. - "Patel has presided over a bureau that is strapped for resources and hemorrhaging expertise. According to a recent analysis by the Cato Institute, roughly one in five FBI agents has been shifted from their previous position to aiding ICE with immigration enforcement, a change that can't help but affect the FBI's ability to carry out other crucial work. It's far too early to say whether this shake-up will turn out to have degraded the bureau's ability to find Kirk's killer, or to have prevented the shooting from occurring in the first place. But the agency is not in fighting form."

This centuries-old pest is thriving like never before: A rat census is the first step in combatting them.

AI extremists are peddling science fiction: AI realism embraces humility and a basic truth: Technologies succeed when they improve lives.

Who was arrested in Trump’s D.C. crime emergency? We analyzed 1,273 records.: Arrests involving federal officers occurred in all eight city wards, but have been concentrated in the city’s poorest, least White and most crime-riddled neighborhoods. - "In some recent instances in D.C., stops initiated for nonviolent offenses recovered weapons from people who previously committed armed violent crimes, court records show. Federal officers patrolling Congress Heights spotted an Audi with tinted windows and without a front tag. They reported finding a stolen gun in the car, whose driver had been released last year from prison after being convicted of murder."

Boosted by summits in Alaska and China, Putin moves against Europe, Ukraine: Russia has been emboldened in its strategy of splitting the U.S. from Europe while pushing ever harder to gain a military victory in Ukraine.

Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ wins two Emmys after cancellation: The show received the award for outstanding talk series just two months after it was canceled.

Why is TikTok dangerous? Consider this scenario.: The White House is weighing another reprieve. Every day the app continues operating is a threat. - "Imagine the following scenario. China decides to attack Taiwan, and, fearing the United States will come to Taiwan’s aid, launches preemptive strikes against American targets overseas. In the United States, Chinese operators launch drone attacks from secret bases located on more than 380,000 acres of farmland China has purchased. As the government considers its options, the 170 million American TikTok users open their feeds to thousands of bots disguised as people, rattling off anti-American propaganda; encouraging young students desperate for meaning to fight their own government; and spreading disinformation at such a rapid rate that it is impossible to discern fact from fiction."

Poland calls for NATO-backed no-fly zone over Ukraine: Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said shielding Ukraine from Russian drone attacks would protect the rest of Europe, too, amid concerns over the war’s spread.

This new fee proposal could upend American innovation: The Trump administration should scrap a proposal that would squeeze patent holders. - "Large corporations with global operations might be able to absorb the cost. A two-person start-up in Omaha or Cleveland probably wouldn’t. Saddling them with higher patent taxes would indicate to entrepreneurs that America no longer has their back. The new levy would pile onto innovators without improving patent quality or reducing application backlogs. This proposal presents a shortsighted revenue grab that undermines the trust and predictability innovators depend on." [ed. note: patents currently require a single flat fee; Commerce Department proposal would annually charge 5% of patent's assessed value]

Things felt off at this year’s Emmy Awards: ″The Studio" won, “The Bear” lost, and everyone carefully avoided mentioning what “Adolescence” was actually about.

As federal workforce shrinks, these Washingtonians are boosting their resumes with AI skills: Decimation and dissatisfaction in the local labor pool sparked this experiment through the public library system.

Reading archive 2025-08-18

As Trump takes over D.C.’s police, here’s what law enforcement can and cannot do: With federal and local officers on D.C.’s streets, here’s what to know about what law enforcement agencies can legally order you to do — and what they can’t.

‘South Park’ and ‘King of the Hill’ take on the Trump era: The two ’90s-era animated comedies — one in its 27th season, the other back after a decade-plus hiatus — may be TV’s sharpest observers of the current political climate.

Dedicated volunteer exposes “single largest self-promotion operation in Wikipedia’s history”: Ten years of work to boost one man's reputation.

The best way to get stubborn grease spots out of your clothes: A tiny grease spatter doesn’t have to spell the end for that favorite T-shirt.

This number is bad news for the economy: Low unemployment is great, but only if it’s due to lots of new jobs, not an evaporating labor force.

Why Mamdani’s socialism-on-the-Hudson would be useful for America: If Zohran Mamdani is New York’s next mayor, the nation will be reminded of socialism’s many harms. - "Over four decades ago, sociologist Daniel Bell postulated capitalism’s 'cultural contradictions': Capitalism’s success undermines the virtues (thrift, industriousness, deferral of gratification) that are prerequisites for its continuing success. Socialism’s cultural contradiction is that it is parasitic on capitalism, which must produce the wealth that socialism redistributes — until the engine of wealth creation, battered by socialism’s redistributive agenda, sputters."

What the president’s ‘golden share’ in the U.S. Steel deal means: Trump’s plans for U.S. Steel are another blow against free enterprise. - "Under the terms of the deal, the sitting U.S. president will have the power to appoint one of the three independent directors to the board of U.S. Steel and have veto power over the other two. The president’s permission will reportedly also be needed to transfer production or jobs outside of the U.S., to close or idle plants, to change the sourcing of raw materials, or to relocate the company headquarters or individual plants, among other decisions."

Reading archive 2025-17-18

The Paramount comics, Colbert and Stewart, are sharp critics of the '60 Minutes' deal: Stephen Colbert returned from vacation loaded for bear - "'I am offended,' Colbert said in his monologue Monday night. 'I don’t know if anything — anything — will repair my trust in this company. But, just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.'"

Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ canceled by CBS, to end in May 2026: The announcement came days after Colbert spoke out against the $16 million settlement paid by CBS News parent Paramount to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump.

The end of Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ has implications beyond late-night TV: The comedian has criticized CBS parent company Paramount Global for settling its lawsuit with President Donald Trump.

What made ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ special, in six clips Colbert, whose long-running show will be canceled in May, managed to break through the trappings of late-night TV to charm and surprise his audience

In Epstein Case, Follow the Money, Democratic Senator Says: Senator Ron Wyden has found that four banks waited until Mr. Epstein’s arrest on federal charges to flag $1.5 billion in suspicious transactions. Mr. Wyden wants the documents made public.

The best TV show I’ve seen in a decade: Give ‘Adolescence’ all the Emmys.

DOGE Put Free Tax Filing Tool on Chopping Block After One Meeting With Lobbyists: A key operative from DOGE initiated plans to potentially kill Direct File, the free tax filing tool developed by the IRS, after offering assurances it would be spared from cuts.

Activists try to preserve IRS’s Direct File now that Trump has ended it: The program offered free tax filing for two years under Biden. Republicans shut it down, but a small group hopes to keep the code around for a future administration to use.

Israel strikes the Gaza church the pope used to call nightly, killing 3 The Rev. Gabriel Romanelli of the Church of the Holy Family used to speak every night with Pope Francis before the pontiff’s death.

In reversal, senators advance FBI’s planned move to Reagan Building in D.C.: Maryland leaders tried to prohibit the FBI from financing the relocation with money designated for a suburban campus in Greenbelt --- but Sen. Lisa Murkowski changed her stance.

D.C. protesters try a different tactic for spreading their message: Umbrellas

Attorney General Bondi expected to seek release of Epstein grand jury testimony The attorney general said she would ask a court Friday to unseal pertinent grand jury records. That’s a portion of what would be included in the Justice Department’s broader investigative file.

America, meet the Trump-Mamdani voter: Yes, such a person exists. Should anyone be surprised?

Kansas City poured millions into a grocery store. It still may close. More cities and states are experimenting with the concept of city-owned grocery stores, but these experiments often don’t account for social issues. - "At a community meeting last year, Pierson played videos of security incidents so graphic he gave a warning in advance — a naked woman parading through the store throwing bags of chips to the ground, another person urinating in the vestibule and a couple fornicating on the lawn of the library in broad daylight.

..

"Part of the problem is the city’s lack of a jail, Young said. The left-leaning council closed the previous facility in 2009 as a cost-saving measure — a move the Kansas City Star has called a '$250 million mistake' — and so people arrested for minor crimes are quickly released instead of being held in rural counties miles away."

Most warming this century may be due to air pollution cuts: Satellite data suggests cloud darkening is responsible for much of the warming since 2001, and the good news is that it is a temporary effect due to a drop in sulphate pollution

Everyone’s the hero of their own story: How to comprehend the incomprehensible - "If your goal is to actually change someone’s mind — not just to feel like you won, or produce a nice YouTube clip, but to actually change their mind — then you should be operating in the conversation as if you’re talking to the hero of the story, who is basically good but has been misled."

EU Approves 18th Round of Sanctions Against Russia

Reading archive 2025-07-11

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading archive 2025-07-08

An AI That Couldn’t Care Less About Humans The quirky show Murderbot suggests that intelligent machines might be interested in something other than humanity.

A guide to the 2025 D.C. Ward 8 election: What to know before you vote: Four candidates are vying for the chance to represent Ward 8 on the D.C. Council, including former council member Trayon White Sr., who was expelled in February.

80-year-old accused of killing wife after attacking her with a hammer: Police in Montgomery County, Maryland, say the slaying occurred inside the couple’s apartment at the Leisure World community.

3-year-old dies after shooting in D.C., police say: Toddler was in a parked car in Southeast with relatives Saturday.

FBI agent accused of raping clients in his tattoo parlor goes on trial: Eduardo Valdivia, currently suspended by the bureau, was acquitted in a different trial three years ago after shooting a panhandler aboard a moving Metro train.

Why Evangelicals Turned Their Back on PEPFAR: A religious movement that has so often taken public stands has been unusually quiet since Trump gutted the program to combat AIDS in Africa. - "The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, first authorized by Bush in 2003, was the largest commitment made by any nation to address a single disease. It was, the president said, 'a work of mercy beyond all current international efforts to help the people of Africa.' PEPFAR, which received strong bipartisan support, is credited with saving 26 million lives and enabling almost 8 million babies to be born without HIV. It transformed the landscape of the HIV epidemic and helped stabilize the African continent. Not only is PEPFAR the single most successful policy to date in U.S.-Africa relations; it is 'also one of the most successful foreign policy programs in U.S. history,' as Belinda Archibong, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, wrote last year."

How Much Worse Is This Going to Get?: Political violence poses an existential threat to our nation and our freedoms—but it’s not too late.

The Man Who Thinks Medicaid Cuts Won’t Cut Medicaid: In Kevin Hassett, the Trump administration has picked an especially unfortunate spokesperson. - "Hassett proceeded to serve as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump administration, where his capacity for optimistic projection again proved useful. During the first weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020, Hassett designed a "curve-fitting exercise" indicating that deaths from the virus would peak in April and trail off to almost zero by mid-May. That is not, in fact, what happened."

Why China Isn’t a Bigger Player in the Middle East: Iran and Israel came to blows, and Beijing mostly ducked.

Why Texas’ floods are a warning for the rest of the country: The disaster that unfolded in Kerr County, Texas, shows how many communities will struggle to prepare for extreme weather as the federal government pulls back.

Reading archive 2025-07-07

Shooters emerged from car in D.C. slaying of congressional intern: Police say they’re trying to enhance video of the incident that left one dead and two others injured.

I’m a gastroenterologist. Here’s why I tell my patients to eat this one fruit.: Kiwis can boost your gut health. They may also lower triglycerides and cancer risk.

Do you need a measles vaccine booster? Here’s what to know.: The answer depends on when you were born, your vaccine records and whether you plan to travel internationally.

How this group got Trump to sign a pro-environment executive order: The "Make America Beautiful Again” executive order will establish a council tasked with preserving public lands, wildlife and drinking water supplies.

Did Canada just change how we think of Trump’s 2024 election?: Perhaps Trump’s win wasn’t about Trump at all

Trump’s big bill will snuff out Kansas hospitals and eviscerate Medicaid. Jerry Moran just shrugs.

Wall Street Worries as Crisis-Level Deficits Become the Government’s Default Mode: New legislation could push federal debt into dangerous territory—without an emergency requiring it

Debacle in the desert: will the Athletics’ $1.75bn stadium on the Vegas Strip ever be built?

How ‘Love Island USA’ forced a star’s exit after racist posts resurfaced: Cierra Ortega was quietly dumped from the villa after posts resurfaced of her using an Asian slur.

Russian minister found dead, likely of suicide, authorities say: Roman Starovoit found dead in his car with a gunshot wound on the same day he was relieved of his job as Russian transportation minister by President Vladimir Putin.

CVS was so worried about shoplifting that it stole its own soul: My local pharmacy’s products are now encased in glass, and the whole thing makes me very nervous.

Trump World’s Wizard of Oz Problem: Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon don’t speak for Trump or his base. So why do people think they do? - "Few jobs in Trump world are more farcical than the position of 'architect' of 'America First': There are no MAGA intellectuals, just Trump and opportunistic ideologues attempting to hitch their pet projects to his brand. The self-styled thought leaders of the Trump movement are merely political entrepreneurs trying to appropriate the president for their own purposes and to recast his chaotic and idiosyncratic decisions as reflections of their personal worldview."

The Most Perverse Part of the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ :The Republican megabill could be setting America up for the worst energy-affordability crisis since the 1970s. - "Blackouts and grid outages will become more frequent. Power-intensive industries such as AI and manufacturing will struggle under the weight of higher energy costs. China will solidify its dominance over clean-energy supply chains. 'Just think of Trump's own priorities: lower energy prices, becoming an AI superpower, reindustrializing America, outcompeting China,' Princeton's Jenkins said. 'Getting rid of these credits hurts all of those goals.' But there is one priority missing from that list: owning the libs. 

"Partisan polarization around clean energy has grown so extreme since the passage of the IRA that Trump and many other Republicans apparently see destroying it as an end in itself."

What Really Happened to Malaysia’s Missing Airplane: Five years ago, the flight vanished into the Indian Ocean. Officials on land know more about why than they dare to say.

Reading archive 2024-09-23

Tech giants fight plan to make them pay more for electric grid upgrades - "Chief among the power company’s concerns, according to the documents, is what will happen if it invests billions of dollars into new grid infrastructure only for the data centers to leave for greener pastures, or for the AI bubble to burst and the facilities to need much less power than initially projected. If the power company spends big on new infrastructure but the power demand it was built to serve doesn’t materialize, other customers — including business and residential payers — will be stuck with the bill, the utility said."

‘Agatha All Along’ star Kathryn Hahn casts an unforgettable spell: As the witch next door in Disney Plus’s ‘WandaVision’ spinoff, the longtime character actress steps into a role worthy of her charms.

Putin wants Russia’s youth to become ultranationalist patriots. Many are all in.

Opinion The U.S. military’s true advantage against any adversary: It’s the NCOs who set the U.S. military apart from the rest of the world.

GOP senator insults Arab American advocate at hearing on hate crimes: Sen. John Neely Kennedy used a hearing about hate crimes to accuse Arab American Institute Executive Director Maya Berry of supporting terrorists.

Russia expels U.K. diplomats; Putin warns against deep strikes with Western weapons: The Russian president issued his sternest warning to date about the use of Western weapons in Ukraine ahead of a meeting of British and U.S. leaders.

The disaster no major U.S. city is prepared for [ed. note: power outage from storm and then heatwave]

Taliban begins enforcing new draconian laws, and Afghan women despair: Afghan religious police wield new power to enforce a ban on women raising their voices in public and looking at men other than their husbands or relatives. - "Some Afghan women blame the outside world for their vanishing freedoms. 'The silence of the world over the last three years will go down as a dark chapter in history,' said Meena, echoing a widespread sentiment in the country that global attention has moved on from Afghanistan." [ed. note: we fought for them for 20 years]

These birds are almost extinct. A radical idea could save them. - "The sihek’s woes started shortly after World War II. Guam was a key battleground between U.S. and Japanese forces. After the war, residents began spotting invasive brown snakes slithering around the island’s trees, probably stowaways from military aircraft or cargo ships. 

"With no natural predators, the snakes proliferated, gobbling up the island’s small animals. Already, the snake has driven nine of Guam’s native forest birds to extinction."

Opinion Decades later, string theory continues its march toward Einstein’s dream: Why we must keep investigating physics’ most tantalizing theory — even without experimental results.

Cars with the most unpaid DC fines go to this impound lot

A survivor to her rapist: ‘I, too, am in prison’: He kidnapped, assaulted and raped multiple women. As activists try to give him a second chance, victims are speaking up about their rights. - "In that courtroom where Hubbard and her best friend from college faced their attacker — yet again — they were devastated that the man who assaulted and degraded them so violently has a real chance of getting out of prison. They now have to wait for the judge’s decision. 

"They were also gobsmacked at the array of help he had there for him — therapists, psychologists, a crusading attorney, anger-management programs."

Satellite footage suggests Russia ICBM launch test was a disaster: The apparent launch failure raised questions about Russia’s military capabilities and put in a dent in the Kremlin’s nuclear saber-rattling.

With nuclear option unlikely, Putin struggles to defend his red lines: There’s a growing realization in the Kremlin that the West is not falling for its nuclear threats and Putin is searching for new ways to enforce his red lines.

As Taliban starts restricting men, too, some regret not speaking up sooner: Beside imposing severe rules on women, new laws require men to grow fist-length beards and bar them from imitating non-Muslims in appearance or behavior. - "Amir, a resident who lives in eastern Afghanistan, said he supported the Taliban up until the latest restrictions. But he now feels bullied into submission by their morality police."

Where the sea wall ends: At a time of fast-rising seas, the ocean is eating away at this barrier island and others like it. But humans, who have held their ground here for over a century, are planning new condos.

The future of RFK Stadium should be up to D.C. — not a Montana senator: A Montana senator is blocking D.C.’s hopes for developing the RFK Stadium site. What if the roles were reversed? - "Close your eyes for a second. Imagine the role of Daines being played by, say, Phil Mendelson (D), the chairman of the D.C. Council. 

"Would the good senator from Montana take kindly to an elected official from the nation’s capital using political performatives to block, say, an economic development project in Bozeman? It sounds absurd because it is absurd."

Here’s how rich each candidate is compared with the average American: Trump, Harris, Vance and Walz span a wide range of financial circumstances. Here’s where they fit on the spectrum of American wealth.

Reading archive 2022-07-06

As some Democrats grow impatient with Biden, alternative voices emerge: More Democrats are frustrated at Biden’s caution in what they consider a moment of crisis, and figures like Newsom and Pritzker are showcasing a sharper approach

Tennessee judges dismiss Jewish couple’s lawsuit alleging religious bias in adoption: Americans United for Separation of Church & State plans to appeal 2-1 ruling which states that law in question ‘does not single out people of the Jewish faith’

The battle that will determine the future of American passenger rail: Amtrak has money to expand, but it doesn’t own the railroad tracks. A stalled effort along the Gulf Coast is a test of its ability to grow. - "Amtrak set up cameras along the route as hearings were carried out this spring, live-streaming empty tracks and birds singing in the background under the title 'CSX’s Very Busy Gulf Coast Corridor.' 

"Days earlier, Amtrak had argued that freight companies wanted unreasonable investments from the passenger rail and for taxpayers to subsidize infrastructure for the benefit of their shareholders. CSX and Norfolk Southern leaders blasted Amtrak as trying to force itself onto their rails without consideration for the effects on freight customers."

Former White House counsel Cipollone to testify before Jan. 6 committee: The agreement to provide testimony on Friday follows a subpoena last week by the committee

Bette Midler and Macy Gray upset trans advocates. Here’s why. - "In recent guidance shared on Twitter, the Trans Journalists Association wrote: 'It is unnecessary to avoid the word ‘women’ by substituting phrases like 'birthing people,' 'people with uteruses,' and the like. This language can offend both transgender and cisgender people.' 

"Gill-Peterson sees the furor over language such as 'birthing people' as a 'sort of attempt to drive a wedge' between groups that are actually aligned in their goal of protecting bodily autonomy and self-determination: 'Sometimes these language games are actually a way of further delegitimizing everyone involved.'"

After invasion of Ukraine, a reckoning on Russian influence in Austria

Neil Gaiman’s Books Have Enchanted Millions. Finally, Hollywood Is on Board.: ‘The Sandman’ and other morally complicated Gaiman creations are finding their way to screens — just when we need them most

Hackers claim they breached data on 1 billion Chinese citizens: The leak, if authenticated, would be one of the largest in history, but many victims may never learn of it because of government censors