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

Labour’s Choice

Which way will Labour jump?

Playing Gad

Gad Saad’s new book tackles an interesting topic. Unfortunately, the author’s narcissistic ramblings make it almost impossible to read.

Redistricting Ruling in Virginia Adds to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s Headaches

Gov. Abigail Spanberger had initially been skeptical of the push for new maps, but as the state’s leading Democrat she had a political stake in its fate.

Trump responds to reports FDA chief Mark Makary could be fired: 'Know nothing about it'

Trump downplays reports he plans to fire FDA Commissioner Marty Makary over a vape approval dispute, telling reporters he knows nothing about it.

Judge rules DOGE’s cuts to humanities grants were unconstitutional

A federal judge said more than $100 million in cuts to NEH grants were discriminatory, ruling in a case that revealed the inner workings of DOGE.

Where Trump, GOP vs Democrats redistricting battle heads next in wake of key court rulings

Trump hails Virginia Supreme Court ruling that strikes down redistricting ballot measure as a huge win for Republicans defending their House majority.

Staring at the Sea

It would be very difficult to make a great film from a source as flawed as Camus’s novel, but Ozon has managed to make a very good one.

Evening Wrap Up on the 'Turquoise Tidal Wave' SATURDAY UPDATES

One Big Headache for Politicians These Days: a Messy Digital Footprint

As a new generation of chronically online oversharers runs for office, many find themselves tripped up by past statements. Their response? Delete, distance, disavow.

When Giuliani Made New York Great Again

His recent successors failed to learn the lessons of the great reformist mayoralty of the 1990s.

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.

The Emerging Female Wage Premium

Young women are now outearning young men; this structural shift has consequences that extend well beyond wages.

Israel’s Creation: The Ultimate ‘Decolonisation’ Project

Jews have had a continuous indigenous presence in the Levant for more than 3,000 years—despite enduring settler-colonial occupations by Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, and Turks.

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.

Duffys fire back after Pete Buttigieg, husband attack new road trip TV series: 'Radical, miserable left'

Sean Duffy and Rachel Campos-Duffy fire back after Pete Buttigieg and his husband attack their upcoming "Great American Road Trip" reality TV series.

White House prepares to replace FDA leader Marty Makary amid agency turmoil

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has faced criticism over his leadership of the agency that oversees vaccine and drug approvals.

The Quiet Man

Harris accuses Trump allies of trying to ‘rig’ 2026 midterms after Virginia court tosses redistricting measure

Kamala Harris claims Virginia Supreme Court ruling on redistricting maps boosts Trump's alleged effort to rig the 2026 midterm elections for Republicans.

Regime Change Has Its Perks

Even though Syria is no liberal democracy, it is now a far more pliant partner for the West than Bashar al-Assad ever was.

Two Court Decisions Have Unleashed an Era of Perpetual Redistricting

Four states are considering drawing new maps in the coming weeks. Another dozen or more could join the fray next year.

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.

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.

Regulators allow Obama-era solar plant to kill thousands of birds annually, investigation finds

Regulators allow California's Ivanpah solar plant to operate despite killing thousands of birds yearly, with no fines issued in over a decade.

Democrats' 2026 Redistricting Gains Blown Up

In a decision that caps a disastrous 10 days for Democrats struggling to offset Republican congressional gerrymanders, a 4-3 majority of the Virginia Supreme Court struck down the constitutional amendment referendum that voters narrowly approved o…

Data Center Freak-Out

There Is Absolutely Nothing That Gavin Newsom Won't Grift Off Of

I Watched the Infamous Sarah Silverman Blackface Sitcom Episode. It Was Hilarious

What you realise by the times the credits roll is that it isn’t just Sarah’s clueless character who’s the butt of the joke, but self-satisfied white progressives more generally.

Putin's Shrinking Holiday

What Straight Women Want

A new book by Phoebe Maltz Bovy argues that most accounts of female heterosexuality minimise and even theorise away its central feature: women’s sexual desire for men.

America at 250: Battling Over National Identity

President Trump promises "monumental" and "spectacular" celebrations this year to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. For example, on June 14 - his 80th birthday - the White House will host an Ultimate Fighting Championship match.

Democratic Candidates Scramble in Virginia After Court Tosses Map

A court ruling that struck down an election map swiftly ended some Democratic House candidacies and pushed others into much tougher races.

How Minority Districts Fueled the G.O.P.’s Southern Ascendancy in Congress

The “majority-minority” House districts struck down by the Supreme Court last week sent a surge of Black and Hispanic lawmakers to Congress. They also opened opportunities for the G.O.P.

How Republicans Gained an Edge on the Midterm House Map Over 10 Days

Republicans are charging ahead in the nation’s redistricting race, and showing new bullishness after months of growing midterm fears.

What to Do About the White House Correspondents Dinner After an Attack?

A gunman’s attack at the April dinner has spurred more debate than usual about one of Washington’s most dissected rituals.

Congress Should Authorize Military Force Against Iran

No matter what one thinks about how we got here and Trump’s equivocations about the war, the nation cannot tolerate Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Politics of the Day

Politics of the Day

Why Americans Believe Our Best Days Are Ahead

Listen to the voices of our fellow Americans making the case for America. The optimism and pride are like a tonic in a time often characterized by disagreement

LGBTQ ‘lavender graduations’ set to take place at major Christian colleges, including one with a drag show

Prominent Catholic colleges hold separate "lavender graduation" ceremonies for LGBTQ+ students, with one school planning to include a drag performance.

How China May Have Sought to Recruit a House Aide to Spy on the U.S.

A staff member on the House China Committee was promised $10,000 for U.S. policy insights, on issues like Venezuela and rare-earth minerals.

Inside the US military playbook to cripple Iran if nuclear talks collapse

Deep mistrust between the U.S. and Iran leaves nuclear talks fragile, with analysts warning of a phased military campaign if diplomacy fails entirely.

The Axe Files with David Axelrod

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

Trump warns college sports could be ‘lost forever’ as committee pushes changes, Congress urged to act

President Trump ramps up pressure on Congress to overhaul college sports, warning the system faces an out-of-control financial arms race ahead.

Rubio charms in Rome, but he says Trump’s verbal attacks may continue

The secretary of state held warm meetings with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Leo XIV after the president’s repeated criticism of both leaders.

No Place for Children

The murder of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby by repeat offender Jefferson Lewis has exposed the failures of Australia’s criminal justice system and Indigenous child protection policy. What will it take to make change?

An Epic Collapse for Britain's Labour Party

Britain's centrist Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer crashes while Spain's Socialist Pedro Sanchez shows how to lead from the left. Could there be a lesson here?

Time for Jerome Powell to Go Home

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…

Which Trump Tariffs Are in Place, in the Works or Ruled Illegal

The president has reworked his tariffs repeatedly — sometimes because they have been declared illegal — with more updates still to come.

The Virginia Supreme Court Rescues Republicans from Outer Darkness

The nightmarish Virginia gerrymander is officially and somewhat unexpectedly dead.

Democrat Meltdown Over Virginia Decision Is Hilarious, and Worrying

With GOP wins on election maps, Democrats have a steeper climb to victory

Republicans are eight seats closer to keeping control of the House, making Democrats’ climb toward reclaiming power in November more difficult.

Local, National Press Got It Wrong Again in Indiana Races

Local and national outlets predicted that Indiana's GOP primaries would be a defeat for Donald Trump. The experts got it wrong, and it's worth exploring why.

Republicans who denied 2020 election results could be governors next year

Electing such candidates for governor would give deniers key oversight of the 2028 presidential election in swing states like Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Intel Is the Beneficiary of More Trump Capitalism

The government intervenes on behalf of its investment.

Saturday's Final Word

DOJ sees fallout after push to prosecute former FBI director James Comey

Several prosecutors have left the Justice Department, others are considering doing so, and at least one major case has been disrupted.

CNN: Republicans Are Clearly Winning the Redistricting War

Virginia’s high court strikes down voter-passed House map favoring Democrats

The finding is a major setback for Democrats in their effort to counter GOP-led redistricting in other states. The measure approved April 21 gave Democrats an edge in four districts.

Trump Sputters vs. Iran, Projects Weakness Across Globe

MS NOW's "Morning Joe" Scarborough comments on where the war with Iran stands, and the Washington Post's report: "U.S. Intel: Iran Retains Significant Missile Arsenal, Can Outlast Trump's Hormuz Blockade for Months"

Claire's Weekly Letter: No Place for Children

California abortion pill suppliers plot workarounds ahead of Supreme Court mifepristone decision

Abortion pill makers are crafting backup plans as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on mifepristone restrictions, with a key deadline on May 11.

A Leftist Journalist's Emotional Distance From America

Indeed, in discussing the conflict in Iran, he seems to revel in the possibility that America is losing.

Will AI Become The Next 'Fact Check' Tool Used to Censor Conservatives?

The Left Has Normalized Assassination Talk

Dems’ Data Center Freak-Out

‘These sorts of moral panics, when they capture the imagination, are quite difficult to dispel.’

Let's Never Go Back to Obama's Weaponized Justice

Once you see how the former president thinks, you can't unsee it.

Does Western Civilisation Exist? James Kierstead on Ancient Greece, Christianity, and the West | Quillette Cetera Ep. 63

Does “the West” actually exist — or is it merely a modern political myth?

This powerful Democrat’s job is on the line over redistricting

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D) faces a tough primary challenge after defying Democratic leaders including Gov. Wes Moore on redistricting.

Federal Trade Court Invalidates Trump’s Section 122 Tariffs

The 2–1 ruling rejected the president’s attempt to equate a balance-of-payments deficit with a trade deficit.

Some Further Thoughts on the End of the Virginia Gerrymander

This is going to put the Florida Supreme Court in a fascinating position.

North Sea Views

The U.K. continues its pointless and self-destructive pursuit of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Back When the Pulitzer Meant Something

In the years before winning the Pulitzer became an exercise in ideological performance, writers like Jimmy Breslin captured the nation's soul, writes Liel Leibovitz.

Newsom, Top Dems Making Moves in CA Governor Race

California Democratic leaders have shifted their strategy to prevent their party from being locked out of the governor's race: Instead of thinking about consolidating the field, they have turned to behind-the-scenes operations and political spendi…

Friday's Final Word

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…

Everyone Is Still Spending

American consumers may be expecting hard economic times. So far, though, there’s little belt-tightening in evidence.

Reform’s Big Day

Whether under Starmer’s leadership or someone else’s, Labour is likely to move even further to the left.

The Last Straight Woman

Senior Writer and Podcast Producer Iona Italia talks to writer Phoebe Maltz Bovy about her latest book: 'The Last Straight Woman: On Desiring Men.'

The G.O.P. Rush To Break Up Majority-Black Districts

Republican-controlled legislatures in the South are breaking up majority-Black congressional districts in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling. Our national politics reporter Nick Corasaniti describes what it means for the midterms.

California professor accused of killing pro-Israel protester will 'likely' avoid lengthy prison sentence

Loay Alnaji pled guilty to manslaughter for hitting Paul Kessler with a megaphone at a 2023 California protest, and now potentially just faces probation.

Seth Moulton closing gap on progressive Democrat Ed Markey in Massachusetts Senate primary

A new Emerson College poll shows Sen. Ed Markey's lead over Rep. Seth Moulton shrinking to 5 points in the Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary.

Is Fighting Antisemitism a Waste of Time?

Jonathan Kay speaks with New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, who encourages Jews to focus on bolstering their community instead of lecturing bigots who can’t be reasoned with.

Creators and Destroyers of Worlds

Despite the dangers, we must seize the gifts bequeathed by world-altering technologies, since these amount to life in unprecedented abundance.

Reform's Triumph and UK's Continuing Political Realignment

The results of Thursday's local-council elections not only confirmed the end of the era of the Labour-Tory duopoly; they also showed the consolidation of a significant populist bloc throughout the UK.

Will Harvard Reverse Grade Inflation?

We need a revival of academic standards, both grading and curricular.

CNN Political Briefing

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

Vance or Rubio? Trump Muses on Successor as the ‘Kids’ Fill Bigger Roles.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are boosting their profiles, generating speculation about who’s lining up for the 2028 presidential nomination.

DeSantis reveals which dictatorship should be 'put out to pasture' next

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Cuba's communist government should be "put out to pasture once and for all" as he signed law restricting Cuban-linked businesses in Florida.

For Struggling JetBlue, Spirit’s Demise May Offer an Opportunity

JetBlue Airways is adding flights at Spirit Airlines’ former home airport as it tries to turn a profit again.

Trump says ceasefire still intact after burst of violence with Iran

The president expressed optimism about reaching a deal despite the attacks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is expecting a response from Iran on Friday.