NYT: Newark Airport had 3 controllers on duty when the goal Is 14 nytimes.com/2025/05/12/bus…

Real-life White Lotus coming in June: The launch of the long-awaited book by Evan Osnos on the inner world of the ultra-wealthy. He’ll regale you with tales in NYC, SF, LA and DC — where he does a talk at Politics and Prose on June 13. See his thread for details. simonandschuster.com/books/The-Have…

The anti-press playbook used in eroding democracies like Hungary, India and Brazil is being deployed in the United States, New York Times Publisher AG Sulzberger warned. If carried out successfully, it will undermine the independent reporting that’s critical for society.

A DOGE employee arrived at the VA and realized that, actually, the government more or less works fine.

A 19-year-old Georgia teen who has lived in the US since she was 4 faces deportation, despite the dismissal of traffic charges that led ICE to arrest her. We managed to speak to Ximena Arias Cristobal, who told us her biggest fear is being sent to “a country that I don’t know.”

I’m thrilled “At the Edge of Empire” is a The Orwell Prize finalist for political writing. My book on China is alongside ones on Ukraine, Russia, Pakistan and autocracies. Orwell is a role model for our era. “These books show us how we got here." – Kim Darroch, Chair of Judges

An amazing tale set in the US and China — two sisters growing up in separate countries, kept apart until a twist of fate. See Barbara Demick thread here for her book talks, starting 5/19 in NYC. I’ll be in conversation with her on 5/31 at 10:30 am at JF Books JF Books 季風書園 in DC.

‘Elon Musk’s …Grok was malfunctioning on Wednesday, repeatedly mentioning “white genocide” in South Africa in its responses to unrelated topics. It also told users it was “instructed by my creators” to accept the genocide “as real and racially motivated”’ theguardian.com/technology/202…

NEW: An inside look at how Trump embraced the false notion of a "white genocide" in South Africa and welcomed Afrikaners as "refugees." It began with Gary Player, a South African golfer. Rubio and Musk are enabling him. Our The New York Times story: nytimes.com/2025/05/14/us/…

Having taught college kids this spring, hearing the number of students eager to work in government who have had their jobs, internships, and fellowships canceled or defunded is alarming. From the State Dept to the WH to think thanks to the Fulbright program, it’s a brain drain

Career diplomat Bridget Brink on why she quit as US ambassador to Ukraine - Trump policies. “Unfortunately, the policy since the beginning of the Trump administration has been to put pressure on the victim, Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.”

JOIN US: “Books & Cocktails” Series JUNE 9 @ 5:30pm. On the Rooftop at Princeton SPIA in Washington DC in Dupont Circle. Award-winning author & NYT Correspondent @EWong and NPR’s Rund Abdelfatah will discuss “At the Edge of Empire.” Read more & Register: bit.ly/4mnqWrV

In DC? On June 12, I'll be giving a book talk on "The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping" at DC Hoover Institution, hosted by The New York Times Edward Wong Edward Wong and with commentary from Robert Zoellick lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/sgq7v2c…

Rubio: Someone comes up here to stir up problems on our campus, we’re going to revoke their visa Jayapal: She didn’t do any of that. She wrote an op-ed. You revoked her visa. Rubio: Yes, proudly

Breaking News: Two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot and killed outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, government officials said. nyti.ms/439eiFu

Earlier this month, American Journalism Project gathered with its portfolio, funders & partners at AJPalooza to reflect on where local journalism is—and where it’s headed. My remarks from the event were published in Columbia Journalism Review: cjr.org/analysis/local…

Anyone who has watched an Alien film knows the last thing you want to do is to walk up to one of these things and stare at it.

BREAKING: Is this the end of the National Security Council? "Scores of staffers...were abruptly dismissed on Friday, as the Trump administration moved to dramatically downsize the coordinating body," the Washington Post reports. This will change the way foreign policy is made.

A packed Satruday Extra - Gaza with Arwa Damon; mental health in Indigenous communites Dr Tracy Westerman AM; China a family history Edward Wong; Oz politics Anna Henderson Tom Switzer; 50th anniversary of Jaws with Jenny He. abc.net.au/listen/program… .