Smash The Bubble

News and opinion from both the left and the right, mixed together so you can break out of your filter bubble.

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Today's Headlines

Why Did Britain's Police Handcuff Henry Nowak?

A Sikh man, Vickrum Digwa, is standing trial for the murder of a Polish student, Henry Nowak, in Southampton, Hampshire

Free the Mail

Learning from a Great Man: Bob Woodson, R.I.P.

Thanks be to God for Bob Woodson.

Kyle Busch, R.I.P.

Two-time NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch passed away yesterday at the age of 41.

Shameless: Wasserman Schultz Poaches 'Black District' For Political Survival

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Brennan-Led Operation in Late 2016 Under Investigation

Prosecutors are investigating officials from the Obama administration for their actions after the 2016 election and the ex-president may be in their crosshairs

Taiwan in the Balance

Donald Trump seems to have given up on Taiwan’s long-term future.

US Army hits 2026 recruiting goals four months early, Pete Hegseth announces at West Point commencement

The U.S. Army hit its 2026 recruiting goals four months early, marking a second record year in a row, Pete Hegseth revealed at West Point graduation.

'Largest Autism Fraud Bust' in History, and It's in Minnesota

The Department of Justice said Thursday it has arrested and indicted 15 people in Minnesota for fraud schemes involving $90 million in Medicaid funds.

Trump Administration Chips Away at Last Traces of Broad Inquiry Into Jan. 6

Two recent moves aligned the department ever more closely with President Trump’s own efforts to whitewash the events of that day.

Meet the woman steering Biden's bipartisan winning streak on Capitol Hill

The Biden administration managed to rack up a long list of major legislative wins in its first two years despite facing one of the most closely-divided Congresses in history. From bipartisan action on infrastructure, gun safety and same-sex marria…

The DNC’s Disastrous Report

‘A lot of it reads like it was written by ChatGPT because it’s so saccharin.’

Trump Weighs His Options in Carrying Out New Strikes in Iran

There is no shortage of targets if he decides to strike: Energy facilities left untouched, the deep underground nuclear storage site at Isfahan and missile sites that appear to have been dug out.

Castro indictment fuels speculation Trump may be reviving Maduro playbook against Cuba

The Trump administration's indictment of Raúl Castro fuels comparisons to the Venezuela pressure campaign involving sanctions and the military.

Poll shows voter confidence in economy plummeting to a nearly 4-year low

Concerns about rising costs are a problem for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections as Trump struggles to deliver on affordability pledges.

Pressure from Silicon Valley helped block Trump’s expected order on AI

Industry leaders warned in last-minute calls to the president that the proposed safety vetting system could inhibit development of the pivotal technology.

‘Glaciers Are More Than Human Beings’

Ice has no consciousness. It can’t reciprocate with people in any manner whatsoever. Glaciers have no ‘agency.’

Judge drops criminal case against Kilmar Abrego García, deeming it vindictive

The Maryland man was charged with human smuggling after a high-profile legal fight in which courts ruled he had been illegally deported to El Salvador.

The fine print of the Respect for Marriage Act

Let's start with the positive: Republicans and Democrats are coming together to protect same-sex marriage from the Supreme Court.

DNC Achieved the Worst of All Worlds With 2024 Autopsy

DNC Chair Ken Martin's incompetence is matched only by his fear of accountability.

‘Moderate’ Dem's unearthed ‘deconstruct’ law enforcement comments draw fire from GOP critics

New Mexico Democrat Gabe Vasquez is accused of hypocrisy after 2020 defund the police posts resurface amid his new pro-law enforcement messaging.

What Is the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor?

Creating NGOs that misuse the language of human rights is an effective strategy for advancing terrorist goals.

U.S. Crime and Mortality Is Declining Fast

America is making progress in driving down violent deaths and those from some dangerous diseases

White House Approves $9 Billion for Spy Agencies to Catch Up on A.I.

The C.I.A. and N.S.A. cannot fully deploy the latest models on their classified systems because of a shortage of cutting-edge chips.

Abortion Pills Kill. Do We Care?

Mail is private — it makes it easier to pretend that we don’t know what’s going on.

Margins of Error

Look closely at almost anything and you'll find data—lots of it. But what are those numbers really saying about who we are and what we believe? Harry Enten is on a mission to find out.

Did Democrats Really Want To Know?

Widespread criticism of the autopsy has focused on three areas: what is in it, what is not in it, and how it was prepared. Other than that, as they say - no problem.

What happened under Trump this week

It was a busy one.

The Deaths Never Stop

Pray for the grace to be grateful.

HUD Moves to Limit Assistance Animals for Disabled Tenants

Housing officials were told to exclude emotional support animals and tighten the definition of a service animal when granting accommodations for disabled tenants.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

Go beyond the soundbites and get to know some of the most interesting players in politics.

DOJ, Treasury investigate nonprofits and leaders allegedly coordinating with Cuba in influence campaign

Murder charges against Raúl Castro trigger a rapid activist response that federal officials investigate for ties to an alleged Cuban influence operation.

Gas prices threaten Memorial Day road trips as pump costs hit historic highs

Americans face near-record gas prices this Memorial Day weekend as Iran tensions disrupt oil supplies and squeeze families dealing with inflation.

Grab Your Financial Stake in America’s Decline While You Can

If crypto is a vehicle for criminals to sell pieces of the U.S. to its enemies, you’d think the stewards of American interests would take a firmer line against it.

Starship Test Flight 12 (Update)

Havana regime in suspense after Castro indictment with Trump pressure on, says Cuban-born GOP Rep.

Rep. Gimenez says Castro's indictment sparks regime paranoia, adding that Trump is letting pressure percolate while drawing up contingency plans.

Inside the rise of hardship politics as wealthy Democrats eye 2028

Governors Newsom and Pritzker lean into family trauma narratives to connect with voters as they build national profiles ahead of a possible 2028 run.

Military families want DOJ to distribute nearly $800M from French cement company found guilty of bribing ISIS

Military families sue Lafarge after French court convicted the cement company of funding ISIS, as DOJ holds $777 million in unreleased victim funds.

Campus Intellectuals Prefer the Iranian Mullahs to America

The academic left turned on Azar Nafisi for criticizing Iran’s regime.

Mahmoud Khalil Loses in Court, Plans Appeal to Supreme Court

CNN Political Briefing

The political news you need to know, in 10 minutes or less. Hosted by David Chalian.

'You Will Share Your Locker Room With Predators...Or Else'

A Man for All Seasons

Susan Owens’s handsome new monograph reconsiders the life and career of the English landscape painter John Constable.

Teacher in a Tutu

Bragging about my PhD to general indifference during the second-most humiliating day of my life.

The D.N.C. Chairman, Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund and More Politics News

He has focused on internal politics, building a loyal base despite tactical disputes.

Maryland Democrats Plan to Eliminate State’s Lone Republican Seat in Time for 2028

A top state lawmaker who opposed drawing new districts for the fall election now says he supports a constitutional amendment that could pave the way to an all-Democrat map for the next cycle.

How Kyrsten Sinema's decision makes Democrats' 2024 Senate map tighter

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema decided to shake up the political world on Friday by becoming an independent. The former Democrat is still caucusing with the party in the Senate, so the Democratic caucus still has 51 members. Now, instead of 49 Democr…

As Politics Fragments, Can the Worldwide Center-Left Rally?

In the digital age, all politics is national. Just ask United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who may lose his job following the Labour Party's sweeping losses in his country's May 7 local elections.

The Ballad of East and West

In a fascinating new book, historian Anthony Bale vividly reconstructs the brutal, fantastical, and sometimes deeply religious experiences of medieval travellers across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Don't Leave the Iran War Half-Won

It is time to finish the job in Iran and seek peace from a position of maximum strength.

Claire's Weekly Letter: From the Medieval Road to the English Countryside

Trump, Defiant After Bad Week, Pushes Ahead on Politically Unpopular Ideas

President Trump continues to act like he’s politically all-powerful, even in the face of indications that he is not.

Friday's Final Word

The Unfinished Shambles of a DNC Autopsy Is Finally Released

It reads like a half-drafted thesis assembled at the last second for a book the Democratic Party never finished reading all the way to the end.

Sanders-backed gubernatorial hopeful's past pro-life views clash with current abortion stance

Troy Jackson's abortion stance shifted dramatically from a perfect pro-life voting record to championing expanded access in his Maine governor bid, records indicate.

Platner’s brutal attacks on Army soldiers as ‘fat, lazy’ revealed in resurfaced posts

Democratic Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner described the Army as "absolute trash" and "full of fat, lazy trash" in deleted Reddit posts.

Dems Making Some Crazy Choices in Vital Races

Like the GOP in 2010 and 2012, the party makes some crazy choices in vital races.

A New Wave of Domestic Terrorism Coming?

Trump’s Pursuit of a Partnership With China Raises Concerns in India

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has a “gargantuan task” during his visit to Delhi: defuse tensions over President Trump’s anti-India aggression and overtures to China.

America's Love Affair With the Road Endures

Warsh Tasked To Make Fed Sterling Again

When Kevin Warsh is sworn in as chairman of the Federal Reserve this Friday, he will inherit more than an interest-rate debate. He will inherit a central bank weakened by missed inflation forecasts, the ongoing mistake of calling it "transitory," …

U.S. to Block Entry to More Noncitizens Who May Have Been Exposed to Ebola

The Trump administration announced plans to expand a ban on entering the United States to legal permanent residents who had been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan.

Why AI Is Not About to Go Feral

Worries about AI doom rarely take Darwinian evolution seriously. A new paper argues we should—but we are still further from that scenario than its authors suggest.

Nick Kristof Flunks Journalism 101 Again

Everything you need to know about Biden's student loan forgiveness program

President Joe Biden's federal student loan forgiveness program, which promises to deliver up to $20,000 of debt relief for millions of borrowers, is on hold indefinitely as legal challenges work their way through the courts.

From Babylon to Eurovision

My nephew's schoolmate sang at Eurovision last week. Here is what the people who booed him don't understand.

Kingdom Come

A new book about Stephen King’s early novels will only appeal to hardcore fans, but its very existence is a reminder of its subject’s incalculable cultural impact.

AI and the Regulatory Superpower

Europe’s AI regulations are already driving innovation abroad, ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet warns.

What else happened under Trump this week

There’s a lot to keep track of.

61% of Americans Said They Had to Cut Back on Groceries

More than three quarters of Americans, including 55 percent of Republicans, said President Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their community.

How artists want to use a melted Robert E. Lee statue to heal a wounded city

The bronze ingots left over from a Robert E. Lee statue that once ignited violence will now be part of a new work of public art.

How Do You Teach Students Who Can’t Concentrate?

Our education system has been undermined in numerous ways and among them is that many students have very poor attention spans.

An Ivy League University Looks Inward

Podcast host Jonathan Kay speaks with Yale Law School professor Sarath Sanga, co-author of a new ⁠report⁠ explaining why the American public is losing trust in the country’s colleges and universities.

Lawsuit Argues Trump’s $1.8 Billion Fund Excludes Those He Targeted

The constellation of individuals and groups involved claims to have suffered partisan attacks by the federal government under Trump, yet would not be compensated.

Syrian Government Plays Merz Like a Strudel

The notable legal clouds that continue to hang over Donald Trump

All eyes are on former President Donald Trump, who has launched another White House bid.

Trump Administration Offers Conflicting View of Civil Rights Cuts

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has said she wants to hire more civil rights lawyers, but the White House has proposed cutting that office in half.

ESG in the Data Center

Where climatists are, the ESG/stakeholder capitalism complex and those who flourish within it, will not be far behind.

China Is Ready for the Next War. America Is Not.

What radar and jet propulsion were to World War Two, robotics and artificial intelligence will be to the next war between great powers.

Is Trump Planning to Renew Attacks on Iran This Weekend? (Update: More B2)

Iran War Is an Ever-Expanding Catastrophe

Millions are being dragged into starvation, while people everywhere pay a Trump war tax. But there are plenty of powers who could bring him to heel

Letters to the Editor

May 23 2026

EXCLUSIVE: Trump-backed military vet mocked for disability ahead of Memorial Day: ‘Most shameful thing’

Texas congressional primary race sparks veteran outrage after a PAC-funded ad mocks candidate Carlos De La Cruz's 100% military disability rating.

Barney Frank's Consistent Message: Moderate or Die

Barney Frank believed his party is heading toward a political cliff, and he deserves great credit for using his last breath to warn it. However, Democrats don't seem inclined to heed him, unlike the last time he issued a similar warning, in that l…

Alberta Premier Announces Referendum on Independence Referendum

Fraudsters abused Biden's lax policies to steal billions, financial watchdog claims

OJ Oleka says fraud became a feature in government programs under Biden, with state treasurers now fighting to reclaim billions for American taxpayers.

Texas runoff roiled by shadowy spending and a call to imprison ‘American Zionists’

Incendiary comments by a House candidate in Texas prompted condemnation from her fellow Democrats, who accused Republicans of propping her up.