Today's Liberal News

Primate expert Jane Goodall’s description of Trump is perfectly accurate and hilarious

Renowned primatologist and environmental activist Jane Goodall minced no words in a recent interview in which she was asked to describe former President Donald Trump.  

Goodall, 88, appeared on MSNBC’s latest installment of The Summit Series Tuesday with host Ari Melber, a show that features leaders at the summit of their fields. During the nearly 40-minute-long interview, Melber pivoted to the topic of politics.

How to Enjoy the Holidays Your Way

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.My colleague Faith Hill focuses much of her writing on what people actually need and want in day-to-day life, and why those needs aren’t as universal as we might assume.

Is the War on Drugs to Blame for the Fentanyl Crisis?

This is an edition of Up for Debate, a newsletter by Conor Friedersdorf. On Wednesdays, he rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Later, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.Question of the WeekWhat should be done about fentanyl? Has it affected your family or community?Send your responses to conor@theatlantic.com.

What Gives SZA Her Edge

Happy holidays—the final great pop album of the year is all about loathing and misery! “Everything disgusting, conversation is so boring,” SZA sings on her long-awaited second album. She later adds, “I hate everybody, I hate everyone.”SZA’s music is often described as R&B, a style in which anger and sadness tend to flow from heartbreak. But the 33-year-old star doesn’t seem comfortable admitting she has a heart at all.

Sam Bankman-Fried Got What He Wanted

In the hours before Sam Bankman-Fried surrendered to police at his home on the Bahamian island of New Providence, he was still engaged in something like a last-ditch press tour: a final, desperate attempt to make amends after his $32 billion crypto empire unraveled last month. Asked during a Monday-afternoon roundtable on Twitter Spaces whether he thought the prospect of returning to the U.S. might result in his arrest, Bankman-Fried responded with a resounding no.

The Dawn of Artificial Imagination

For years, fears about the disruptive potential of automation and artificial intelligence have centered on repetitive labor: Perhaps machines could replace humans who do secretarial work, accounting, burger-flipping. Doctors, software engineers, authors—any job that requires creative intelligence—seemed safe. But the past few months have turned those narratives on their head.

Slash the Pentagon Budget in Half & Abolish ICBMs: Dan Ellsberg on How to Avoid Nuclear Armageddon

As tension rises between the United States and Russia over Ukraine, we speak with Daniel Ellsberg, the famed Pentagon Papers whistleblower, who worked for years during the Cold War on nuclear war strategy within the U.S. national security establishment. He says the threat of a catastrophic nuclear war is intolerable, with intercontinental ballistic missiles posing the highest risk.

Indict Us Too: Daniel Ellsberg & Cryptome’s John Young Demand U.S. Drop Charges Against Julian Assange

As supporters of Julian Assange fear his extradition to the United States could be just weeks away, and President Biden faces growing pressure to drop espionage charges against Assange, we are joined for an exclusive joint interview with Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and John Young, the founder of Cryptome.org, who have both asked the Department of Justice to indict them for possessing or publishing the same documents as the WikiLeaks founder.

Ukraine update: Russia fails in attempts to push back Ukrainian troops around Kreminna and Svatove

UPDATE: Wednesday, Dec 14, 2022 · 4:40:40 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

The situation in Bakhmut is reported to be bad and getting worse this evening. Russia launching wave attacks one on top of another, and coming at the city from multiple directions. Even though Ukraine has been able to push back some of these attacks, and even reclaim ground in some areas, the situation is approaching a critical point.

DeSantis doubles down on misinformation campaign, vows to impanel grand jury on COVID-19 vaccine

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is pulling out all the stops to attract COVID conspiracy voters in his quest for the 2024 Republican crown. This weekend, he started laying the groundwork by indicting the COVID-19 vaccine, citing an unfounded conspiracy about the vaccine’s side effects.

Speaking at a private event, DeSantis announced his administration intends to impanel a statewide grand jury to “investigate any and all wrongdoing” by the makers of the mRNA vaccine.