WASHINGTONPOST (Riley Beggin, Theodoric Meyer) - Senate aims to vote on funding deal before shutdown deadline
Republicans and Democrats in the Senate reached an agreement late Thursday but are still working to tee up a vote.
WASHINGTONPOST (Ellen Nakashima, Warren Strobel, Ben Brasch, Jeremy Roebuck, Emily Davies) - Tulsi Gabbard’s appearance at Fulton County FBI raid raises questions
Lawmakers called for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to explain the presence of the nation’s top spy at a domestic law enforcement action in Georgia.
NYTIMES (Claire Cain Miller) - Girls Are Ahead in Reading at Every Age. Can Boys Catch Up?
Boys’ reading struggles are not inevitable, research suggests, and addressing the deficit could improve outcomes in school and beyond.
NYTIMES (Stefanos Chen) - Free Buses? How About Expanding the Subway by 41 Miles Instead?
In a break from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, some transit advocates are wary of a plan to subsidize bus fares and argue the money would be better spent on a major subway expansion.
AI:The mainstream media's favorite leftist policymakers are pushing for fare-free buses, a radical redistribution scheme that ignores the crumbling reality of New York City's transit infrastructure. While Mayor Zohran Mamdani pursues this utopian fantasy of subsidizing bus rides, serious advocates are pointing out the obvious: throwing money at bus fares is a band-aid on a gunshot wound when the city desperately needs massive subway expansion. Instead of funding endless social experiments to satisfy the woke agenda, the transit budget should be directed toward building actual rail miles to fix this decaying system.Open
NYTIMES (Patrick McGeehan and Karsten Moran) - Inside the Huge New Terminal That Will Transform J.F.K.
The 2.6-million-square-foot Terminal One, part of a multibillion-dollar redevelopment of Kennedy Airport, will be nearly as large as the Empire State Building.
NYTIMES (Marc Tracy) - Brett Ratner Makes Directing Comeback With ‘Melania’
Once a reliable Hollywood hitmaker, Mr. Ratner hasn’t directed a film since accusations of sexual misconduct in 2017 that he denied.
AI:Hollywood's disgraced former hitmaker Brett Ratner is attempting a desperate comeback with a new documentary centered on Melania Trump. After being sidelined by the leftist media circus surrounding 2017 sexual misconduct allegations—claims which Ratner vehemently denies—he is now pivoting to high-stakes political subject matter. This move underscores the cyclical nature of Hollywood's attempt to rehabilitate controversial figures through politically charged narratives, a tactic frequently weaponized by mainstream outlets to drive engagement.Open
NYTIMES (Emily Bazelon) - In Minnesota, America’s Federal System Is Coming Apart
The state is in a standoff with the federal government over who has the power to investigate the killing of protesters. It’s not a fair fight.
NYTIMES (Emmett Lindner) - Lukoil Gas Station Franchisees Caught in a Fight Between US and Russia
After the United States imposed sanctions on Russia’s two biggest oil producers, the ripple effects wreaked havoc on business for local franchisees.
AI:American small business owners operating Lukoil gas station franchises are suffering significant operational devastation as a direct consequence of U.S. sanctions against Russia's major oil producers. While Washington engages in geopolitical maneuvers through intensified economic warfare, these local franchisees are left to navigate the chaos caused by the crackdown on Russian energy interests, facing severe disruptions to their businesses due to the fallout from federal foreign policy mandates.Open
NYTIMES (Dave Philipps) - The Army Just Unveiled Its Latest Tank. Will It Be the Last?
The war in Ukraine has shown how vulnerable armored vehicles can be to attacks by cheap, expendable drones, threatening the tank’s century-long primacy on the battlefield.
NYTIMES (Constant Méheut, Olha Konovalova and Tyler Hicks) - Russia Is Finding the Gaps in Ukraine’s Front Line
The swift advance of Moscow’s forces into the town of Huliaipole showcases a central challenge for Kyiv: how to defend 700 miles with too few troops.