Today's Liberal News

McCarthy’s political life continues to be hell. Just what he deserves

This should have been Kevin McCarthy’s week of celebration and victory laps, with the U.S. House of Representatives set to flip to the Republicans next week on his watch. He should be unveiling all the big policy proposals and plans the GOP House has for the nation. He should be holding court with the D.C. press, talking about his rise to power.

Buffalo police declare dollar store break-ins a top priority in wake of deadly blizzard

Following a massive blizzard that has killed at least 34 people in Erie County, New York, and continues to leave many people stranded, Buffalo police know where their priorities are: investigating thefts at dollar stores and ticketing drivers, not recovery missions.

The area has been devastated. A travel ban was issued too late, leaving many people trapped in cars or away from home when the storm moved in soon after.

There is a Case for Optimism in 2023

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.I indulged in my share of gloom in 2022, and I have plenty more where that came from. But I want to make the case for a certain amount of optimism in 2023—and to offer my gratitude to readers of the Daily. But first, here are three new stories from The Atlantic.

If You Must Cry Over a Space Robot, Make It This One

Here is the happy part: For more than four years, a funky-looking spacecraft did something remarkable. It was in many ways just another robot, a combination of hardy materials, circuits, and sensors with a pair of solar panels jutting out like wings on an insect. But this particular robot has listened to the ground shake on Mars. It has felt marsquakes beneath its little mechanical feet.NASA and European space agencies designed the spacecraft to study these Martian quakes in detail.

Just How Badly Does Apple Need China?

Long before it reached your home, even before its tiny components were pieced together in an assembly plant, your phone was already one of the most complex gadgets in the world. It is the product of a delicate supply chain whose every link is forged by competing business and political interests.That chain is starting to rattle and even break, as the global tech industry works to become less dependent on China.

Elon Musk’s Text Messages Explain Everything

As the year comes to a close, I cannot stop thinking about … a court document. Plaintiffs in Twitter, Inc. v. Elon R. Musk et al. filed Exhibit H just before sunrise on September 29 in Delaware’s Court of Chancery. If you’ve seen excerpts, you probably know it by its street name: Elon Musk’s texts.

“Tired of the Apologies”: Workers, Flyers Say Southwest Airlines Meltdown Was Decades in the Making

The U.S. Department of Transportation says it will investigate cancellations and delays by Southwest Airlines after the airline canceled about two-thirds of its flights since a Christmas snowstorm. The unprecedented operational meltdown left thousands of travelers stranded, causing scenes of chaos at airports across the country during one of the busiest travel seasons in the year.

“Abject Failure” in Buffalo: Blizzard Death Toll Rises as Activists Slam City’s Failed Prep, Response

Buffalo, New York, is experiencing a Katrina moment after this weekend’s historic blizzard. The death toll has climbed to at least 32 as people froze to death in their homes and cars, with nationwide fatalities surpassing 60 people. State and military police have been deployed to Buffalo to enforce the city’s ongoing driving ban as road conditions remain treacherous after a 51.5-inch snowfall.

To Catch a Dictator: Human Rights Lawyer Reed Brody on the Pursuit and Trial of Chad’s Hissène Habré

In this special broadcast, we speak with Reed Brody, the international human rights lawyer who has been called “the dictator hunter” for his role in bringing historic legal cases against former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and others. Brody’s new book is just out, titled “To Catch a Dictator: The Pursuit and Trial of Hissène Habré.” Habré, a former U.S.

The Most Memorable Advice of 2022

In a year during which people tried to adopt a new normal, Atlantic writers and other experts explored the challenges and rewards of trying new things, the meaning of true optimism, and how to find joy even in difficult times.The stories in our pages—print and digital—explored what it means to be human and provided advice for navigating parenthood and relationships, friendships and the workforce, and more.

A look at Trump’s cratering favorability rating shows men, in particular, really don’t like a loser

Let’s check in on Donald Trump’s favorability rating in Civiqs tracking as the fallout over his midterm Midas touch (ahem!) continues.

Oh, looky, Trump’s favorables have fallen 4 points since Election Day, from 38% to 34%, while his unfavorability has ticked up to 57%. And (almost comically) those who say they are “unsure” about Trump have risen since Jan. 6, 2021, from 3% to 9% now.

Ukraine update: If NATO wants to send Ukraine a modern tank, this is a good choice

When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in front of Congress, his speech included a not-so-subtle hint at what Ukraine needs to prosecute their counteroffensive to a successful conclusion.

Ukraine never asked the American soldiers to fight on our land instead of us. I assure you that Ukrainian soldiers can perfectly operate American tanks and planes themselves.

George Santos admits to some major lies, but a $700,000 mystery remains

Republican Rep.-elect George Santos admitted on Monday to many of the lies he got caught in only after being elected to Congress, but denied the broader implications of his pattern of lying and dodged some of the bigger issues raised by reports. In a series of interviews, Santos admitted to “résumé embellishment” but shrugged it off, saying that “a lot of people overstate in their résumés.