Today's Liberal News

“The School That Became a Grave”: Jeremy Scahill on U.S Bombing of Minab, Killing 120+ Iranian Kids

Drop Site News released a major investigation this week into the U.S. bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh children’s school in the Iranian city of Minab on February 28, the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Drop Site spoke to survivors, first responders, parents and witnesses in one of the most in-depth reports on the massacre to date. The bombing killed at least 156 people — 120 of the victims were children, 26 were teachers, and the rest were parents.

The Curse of the Incumbent

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Heading into yesterday’s first round of presidential voting in Brazil, the incumbent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was thought to be a narrow favorite. When the results came in, though, Lula was behind his challenger, Flávio Bolsonaro, 45 percent to 47 percent.

Hegseth’s One Percent

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is again focusing his attention on junior officers and noncommissioned officers. In a speech delivered September 30 at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, he invoked a verse he has frequently cited, Isaiah 6:8—
And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
Whom shall I send,
And who will go for us?
Then I said: Here am I; send me.

Photos: Human-Tower Season

David Ramos / Getty
Members of Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls build a human tower during the 30th Concours de Castells competition in Tarragona, Spain, on October 4, 2026.
Albert Gea / Reuters
Castellers de Vilafranca start to form a tower in Tarragona on October 4, 2026.
Josep Lago / AFP / Getty
A child that will attempt to climb to the top of a human tower wears a helmet and safety glasses during the La Mercè festival on September 24, 2026, in Barcelona.

The Atlantic Announces Mike Isaac as Staff Writer

Mike Isaac is joining The Atlantic as a staff writer later this year. In an announcement, editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg and executive editor Adrienne LaFrance write: “You are undoubtedly familiar with his groundbreaking reporting on, among other companies, Meta and Uber, as well as his many other scoops and investigations. Mike is joining us at a key moment, as we work overtime to expand our presence in Silicon Valley.

The Upgrade Holdouts

A decade ago, an Apple executive named Phil Schiller had a message for people using computers that were more than five years old. “This is really sad,” he said, with apparent sincerity, to scattered applause during an iPad Pro launch event. The remark was meant, seemingly, to encourage those poor souls to toss their obsolete devices aside and upgrade their way toward the future. (In other words: buy more Apple products.

Meet Issa Amro: Palestinian Human Rights Advocate Attacked by Settlers, Detained by Israeli Army

We speak with Palestinian human rights defender Issa Amro after he was detained at an Israeli military base for seven hours on Friday. Amro, the founder of the Hebron-based group Youth Against Settlements, was helping a Palestinian family that he says had been attacked by armed Israeli settlers at their farmhouse outside Hebron in the occupied West Bank. Amro says when Israeli soldiers arrived, they ignored the settlers and instead targeted the Palestinians, including him.

“I Am Jane Doe”: Cornell Case Reignites Debate over Rape Culture, Frats & Prosecuting Sex Crimes

Revelations of sexual assault at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024 and how the university responded have sparked national outrage, reigniting a public debate about “the extent to which fraternities, the extent to which athletics really support this kind of culture that allows perpetrators to escape with little or no accountability,” says law professor Deborah Tuerkheimer.

Far Right Makes Gains in Brazil as Flávio Bolsonaro Tops Lula in First Round of Presidential Race

Brazil’s presidential election is headed to a runoff between leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro after neither candidate cleared 50% in Sunday’s vote, in which the right made gains in Congress and in governor races across the country. Bolsonaro received 47% of the vote compared to Lula’s 45%. The second round of voting is on October 25.