Today's Liberal News

Elon Musk’s Twitter Files Are Bait

Last night, Elon Musk celebrated the release of a new entry in the “Twitter Files” series, which aims to … Well, that’s complicated. It’s a supposed transparency project from Musk that, to date, has included giving two independent writers access to internal Twitter communications, as well as to the company’s Slack channels.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Another COVID Surge

When I called the epidemiologist Denis Nash this week to discuss the country’s worsening COVID numbers, he was about to take a rapid test. “I came in on the subway to work this morning, and I got a text from home,” Nash, a professor at the City University of New York, told me. “My daughter tested positive for COVID.”Here we go again: For the first time in several months, another wave seems to be on the horizon in the United States.

Kyrsten Sinema’s Decision Is All About 2024

A fashionable critique of much political punditry is that it’s theater criticism, too focused on personality and superficial action, not focused enough on the real stuff of policy.But we’re talking about Kyrsten Sinema today, the senator from Arizona who loves to create drama. And that’s the best way to understand her announcement this morning that she has changed her affiliation from Democrat to independent.

“A Personified Weapon of Mass Destruction”: Ex-Arms Trafficking Inspector on Freed Russian Viktor Bout

Brittney Griner’s release from Russia has brought renewed attention to the notorious Russian arms dealer whom the U.S. exchanged for the basketball star in a prisoner swap. Viktor Bout, the former Soviet military officer who became known as the “Merchant of Death,” was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States for conspiracy to commit terrorism.

Futuro Media Probes Deadly U.S. Border Policy & NY Drug Trafficking Trial of Mexico’s Former Top Cop

In “Death by Policy,” the newly launched investigative unit of Pulitzer Prize-winning Futuro Media reveals how the U.S. Border Patrol’s policies push migrants attempting to cross from Mexico to the U.S. into dangerous areas, especially the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. The longstanding “prevention through deterrence” approach, which funnels people into unsafe migration routes, has contributed to thousands of deaths since the 1990s.

Jan. 6 committee considering charges against Trump, Meadows, Eastman, Clark, and Giuliani

When Rep. Bennie Thompson first stated that the House select committee on Jan. 6 intended to send referrals for criminal charges to the Department of Justice, he said the committee was in general agreement, but hadn’t yet determined just how many charges it would forward. 

“I wish I could tell you one, two, three, four,” said Thompson, “but that’s all still being discussed.

Doctor who defied Texas abortion ban gets big win in a Lone Star state courtroom

On Thursday, a state court in Texas threw out a lawsuit brought against abortion provider Dr. Alan Braid. The San Antonio doctor had been sued under Texas’ near-total abortion ban law, Senate Bill 8. Dr. Braid admitted to defying the law just days after it took effect. Dr. Braid was not clandestine about his actions, penning an opinion piece that was promptly published in The Washington Post, titled “Why I violated Texas’s extreme abortion ban.

DOJ recommends that Trump’s legal team be held in contempt over holding onto classified documents

The Department of Justice has asked District Court Judge Beryl Howell to hold “Trump’s office” in contempt over refusals to comply with a May subpoena to produce classified documents. Details of just who this affects and what action is being requested are not yet available, as the filing has been made under seal.

The Washington Post reports that, according to their sources, Judge Howell has not yet responded to this request.

Five Remarkable Chats That Will Help You Understand ChatGPT

Move over Siri and Alexa, there’s a new AI in town and it’s ready to steal the show—or at least make you laugh with its clever quips and witty responses.That is how ChatGPT, the powerful chatbot released last week by the AI company OpenAI, suggested that I begin this story about ChatGPT.

Why the Far Right Is Fixated on Drag Queens

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.On Tuesday, a suspect accused of fatally shooting five people at a Colorado Springs queer nightclub in November was charged with hate crimes, assault, and murder. Elsewhere, armed protesters have been intimidating drag performers.

Xochitl Gonzalez Joins The Atlantic as Staff Writer, With Eleanor Barkhorn Hired as Senior Editor

Xochitl Gonzalez is joining The Atlantic’s editorial team as a staff writer, having contributed to the magazine this past year through her subscriber newsletter, Brooklyn, Everywhere. In her newsletter, which she’ll continue as a staff writer, Xochitl reflects on the many meanings of gentrification and what we stand to lose in our relentless pursuit of the American dream.

Arctic Adventurers Have a Russia Problem

In the next few weeks, Jeff Glasbrenner, a 49-year old amputee and father of two, will strap on a harness—“kind of like a backpack without a backpack”—and begin dragging a 20-pound SUV tire around his neighborhood just outside Little Rock, Arkansas. He will drag his tire for anywhere from two to 10 hours a day, powered by a playlist of Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls; then, after a few weeks, he’ll start dragging two tires, and later, three.