Morning Coffee (8/1/19)

Rwanda closes border with DRC over deadly Ebola outbreak

Hamza bin Laden Sought to Continue His Father’s Terrorism Legacy

The Senate confirms Kelly Craft as the new UN ambassador

GOOD: Federal Judge Won't Dismiss Challenge To N.H. Voting Law

Ohio just passed the worst energy bill of the 21st century

War on science: Trump administration muzzles climate experts, critics say

Scott Walker admits it: Former Wisconsin governor argues votes in metropolitan areas shouldn't count as much as votes in rural areas

Hal Prince, Giant of Broadway and Reaper of Tonys, Dies at 91

Just one supportive adult cuts the chance an LGBTQ youth will attempt suicide by 40%

‘Roman Biro’ – complete with joke – found at London building site

Morning Coffee (4/25/19)

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Sri Lanka Attacks. Should We Believe Them?

Terrible: US immigration officials looking at housing migrant children at Guantánamo Bay, report says

SIGH: Joe Biden Announces 2020 Run for President

Trump’s high-stakes subpoena battle with House Democrats, explained

Trump’s tweets are getting more unhinged

Wow! Longest-Serving Republican Lawmaker At Iowa Capitol Joins Democrats

Whoa: Facebook Expects to Be Fined Up to $5 Billion by F.T.C. Over Privacy Issues

GOOD: Nora Roberts Sues Brazilian Writer Who She Says Plagiarized Her Work

Wary of Chinese Espionage, Houston Cancer Center Chose to Fire 3 Scientists

Crusader armies were remarkably genetically diverse, study finds

Morning Coffee (4/22/19)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Here are updates on the Sri Lankan terrorist attacks.

Prodded by Putin, Russians Sought Back Channels to Trump Through the Business World

This is great: New York first state to bar ICE arrests in courts without judicial warrant

Oh good: Stop & Shop and more than 30,000 of its employees reach tentative contract agreement

9 Takeaways From the Clearest Glimpse Into the 2020 Money Race So Far

Not just a Republican, but an elected state rep: Republican discussed violent attacks and surveillance with rightwingers

Well, this is quite the 2019 headline: Gina Haspel Relies on Spy Skills to Connect With Trump. He Doesn’t Always Listen.

Dr. Richard Green, 82, Dies; Challenged Psychiatry’s View of Homosexuality

NASA’s Cassini data shows Titan’s lakes are stranger than we thought

Good: Norway's Kon-Tiki museum to return thousands of Easter Island artefacts

Morning Coffee (4/21/19)

Oh no: Blasts at Churches and Hotels in Sri Lanka Said to Kill Almost 200

Lyra McKee: Two teenage men arrested in connection with journalist's killing

Alexandra Petri, great as always: My book report on ‘The Mueller Report’

The Trump 2020 campaign is going after older people with immigration ads on Facebook

Pete Buttigieg, Barack Obama, and the psychology of liberalism

UNH Study: Bobcat Territory Has Moved With Human Development

Ooh: The Boys in the Band Coming to Netflix From Ryan Murphy; Entire Broadway Cast of All-Gay Actors Set to Return

Ben-Fur: Romans brought rabbits to Britain, experts discover

Ukrainian Pysanka – the Writing on the Egg

Perfect. (Yes, The Onion.) Happy Easter! Peeps Unveils New Boneless, Skinless Marshmallow Breasts

Morning Coffee (1/6/19)

Tension mounts as Congo’s election commission delays results announcement

They just . . . didn't know what the government does: "The Trump administration, which had not anticipated a long-term shutdown, recognized only this week the breadth of the potential impact, several senior administration officials said."

While federal workers go without pay, senior Trump administration officials are poised to get $10,000 raises

House Democrats Introduce Anti-Corruption Bill As Symbolic 1st Act

Talking about Pelosi’s pink dress isn’t sexist. It means you’re paying attention.

Justice Dept. admits error but won’t correct report linking terrorism to immigration

Heh: You may already be running

Huh (though this doesn't rule out an attack): The Sounds That Haunted U.S. Diplomats in Cuba? Lovelorn Crickets, Scientists Say

‘I Have Seen Many Crises’: Steel Magnate Stands Firm as Turmoil Hits Turkey

GOOD, because that Ellen thing was . . . not enough: Kevin Hart Won’t Host Academy Awards; Doesn’t Want To Be Oscar Night Distraction

Morning Coffee (10/25/18)

Everything's extra terrible today. I'm sorry. Happy links tomorrow!

This is terrifying: Pipe Bombs Sent to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and CNN Offices

Obviously: Trump Allies Insist Bomb Threats Against Clinton, Obama, CNN Are ‘Pure BS,’ a ‘False Flag’ (But let's not call them threats! They were actual bombs. Actual assassination attempts.)

Alexander Soros: The Hate That Is Consuming Us

This story is FULL of unbelievable details - like, every other sentence, really, read it - but possibly the wildest is that the administration is not particularly worried about this because TRUMP NEVER READS ANYTHING SO HAS NO SECRETS TO SHARE: When Trump Phones Friends, the Chinese Listen and Learn

DOJ: Businesses Can Discriminate Against Transgender Workers (The Supreme Court has been asked to consider allowing discrimination on the basis of both gender identity and sexual orientation, just to be clear.)

Meanwhile: Man films himself burning LGBT children’s books from local library

I just . . . Trump now trying to pretend U.S. doesn’t ‘have tariffs anywhere’

Georgia NAACP files complaints alleging voting machines incorrectly registered votes (I actually do believe that in SOME cases this can be a genuine technical issue, but I also very much believe we need groups like the NAACP to make sure it gets fixed.)

What a surprise: White nationalist Richard Spencer accused of physically abusing wife throughout their marriage

OF COURSE: ‘I thought it was very nice’: VA official showcased portrait of KKK’s first grand wizard

Morning Coffee (9/16/18)

‘Never give an inch’: Trump keeps touting perceived failures as successes

This full story is actually much worse than this headline makes it sound! Somehow! Texas board votes to eliminate Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller from history curriculum

White people make up largest proportion of British terror arrests

This has been updated to seem... maybe less bad than it initially did... but still: State Department Changes Passport Website Language for Transgender People

Anne Thériault: What Women Want From Jian Ghomeshi

Nearly 40% of female suicides occur in India

Here's the National Book Award fiction longlist!

Pretty much the least surprising thing: The Other Side of the Spider-Man Proposal Story

This honestly doesn't seem like the worst idea? Maybe. Depends on how it was implemented. Corporate Sponsors for NASA? Agency to Study Making Space for Brands

Oldest Known Drawing by Human Hands Discovered in South African Cave

Morning Coffee (8/7/18)

Rick Gates just testified that he committed crimes with Paul Manafort

This isn't SURPRISING but seeing it all laid out there is... big: AP investigation: Yemen war binds US, allies, al-Qaida

Good for them: Transit Union Refuses to Bring White Nationalists to 'Unite the Right' Rally

...of course? Sen. Rand Paul goes to Moscow and invites Russians to Washington in unofficial bid to boost ties

The US has reimposed sanctions on Iran. Here’s what that means.

YouTube Bans InfoWars Following Removals From Apple, Facebook, and Spotify

MoviePass Cuts Plan to Three Movies a Month

I'm so glad Moulin Rouge got a great review in the Times.

The Book Everyone in the Netherlands Is Talking About Is Finally Coming to the U.S.

Indian warrior king's rocket cache found in abandoned well

Morning Coffee (6/6/18)

Mueller Accuses Paul Manafort of Attempted Witness Tampering

Oh: Betsy DeVos says safety committee formed after school shootings won't study guns

UN office calls on US to stop separating families at border

“Senator Merkley and his staff saw children in cages.”

I don't even know what to say anymore: Scott Pruitt enlisted an EPA aide to help his wife find a job — with Chick-fil-A

I'm so sad to hear of Kate Spade's death, and this piece is great: Kate Spade’s aesthetic was the happy answer to fashion snobbery

Drug prices soar in Medicare despite fewer prescriptions

The Network: Russia’s Odd, Brutal, and Maybe Invented Pre-World Cup Terrorism Case

Miss America Says Farewell To Its Swimsuit Competition, Embracing 'Whole New Era'

This 4,000-Year-Old Jar Contains Italy’s Oldest Olive Oil

Morning Coffee (4/30/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

Migrant Caravan, After Grueling Trip, Reaches U.S. Border. Now the Really Hard Part.

3 main takeaways from the historic North Korea-South Korea summit

Ronny Jackson won’t return to job as Trump’s physician

What a shock: Jill Stein says she won’t fully comply with Senate Russia investigation

Inside the secret U.S. stockpile meant to save us all in a bioterror attack

Good (if true): Claire Foy to receive £200,000 in back pay after 'The Crown' gender pay-gap dispute

I'm sure this will be better than the U.S. coverage: BritBox to Live-stream Royal Wedding

Ooh: Colin Firth and Julie Walters Join David Heyman-Produced ‘The Secret Garden’

Reading Thoughtfully With The Times’s Nonfiction Critic, Jennifer Szalai

AI App Helps Songwriters Mine Music History for the Perfect Sounds

Morning Coffee (4/29/18)

As Two Koreas Talk Peace, Trump’s Bargaining Chips Slip Away

Incel: the online cult for sad, sexless young men is terrorism by any other name

This is what life in #MeToo jail looks like

Unauthorized Immigrants Shy Away From Signing Kids Up For Food Aid

Shocker! Women not getting a fair say at academic conferences, research reveals

Why The Handmaid's Tale is more relevant one year after the first season

Wow: PopSugar Stole Influencers’ Instagrams — Along With Their Profits

Ooh! Nancy Dickerson Biopic From Stephen Colbert & Evelyn McGee Colbert In Works At Showtime

Amy Adams to Star in Joe Wright’s ‘Woman in the Window’

This made me say "Oh of COURSE it's in York": No One Knew There Were Dozens of Human Bodies Buried Under This Hotel Pool for Centuries

Morning Coffee (4/23/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

'We are truly sorry': Eta apologises for four decades of deadly violence

Must we? As Another Pence Runs for Congress, His Business Record Raises Questions

Only Two Companies Are Making Trump-Brand Products Now

Meet the journalism student who found out she won a Pulitzer in class

This is horrifying: A 4-year-old had been growling at preschool — so this naturopath says she gave him rabid dog saliva

Courtroom Drama: Producer Offers to Stage Disputed ‘Mockingbird’ for Judge

‘The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven’ now wants his day in court

WHAT: We Can't Get Enough of This Drama Between Two 'Virtual Instagram Influencers'

PLEASE: The Hour writer wants to revive the show for a third series set in the 1960s


Diamonds in Sudan meteorite 'are remnants of lost planet'

Morning Coffee (3/22/18)

The Statesman continues to have good coverage of the Austin bombings.

Peru president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigns amid corruption scandal

Quite the story: Kidnapped Royalty Become Pawns in Iran’s Deadly Plot

EXCLUSIVE: Fired FBI official authorized criminal probe of Sessions, sources say

The Strange Tale of Trump's Phone Call to Putin

There’s Never Been a Native American Congresswoman. That Could Change in 2018.

Good for Julie Plec: Former 'Vampire Diaries' Writer Details Harassment on Set

Artifacts Stolen in Massive Archaeological Theft Recovered in Canterbury

Interesting: Google plans to boost Amazon competitors in search shopping ads

This sounds right up my alley: Lionsgate to Develop World War II Story ‘How the Girl Guides Won the War’

Researchers Create Simulated Exoplanet Atmospheres

Morning Coffee (3/4/18)

Happy Oscar Day! ICYMI, here are all my picks and predictions.

Oh. Trump on Chinese president abolishing term limits: 'Maybe we'll give that a shot someday'

China’s Censors Ban Winnie the Pooh and the Letter ‘N’ After Xi’s Power Grab

Why Italy’s Insular Election Is More Important Than It Looks

Pakistan’s Shields Suddenly Step Aside, Placing It on Terrorism Listing

What Are Active-Shooter Drills Doing to Kids?

Uber and Lyft drivers' median hourly wage is just $3.37, report finds (And 30% are losing money!)

Sir Roger Bannister: First person to run a mile in under four minutes dies at 88

The British mint is making 10 pence coins for each letter of the alphabet. James Bond! Cricket! The Loch Ness Monster! King Arthur! QUEUEING. This is amazing.

1.5 Million Adelie Penguins Discovered on Remote Antarctic Islands

Heh: 17 More Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Morning Coffee (2/15/18)

ICYMI, yesterday's Oscar Project posts: Mudbound and Garden Party

U.S. May Seek to Put Pakistan on Terrorism-Finance List

Saving DREAMers is only this hard because Donald Trump has made it this hard

3 Trump properties posted 144 openings for seasonal jobs. Only one went to a US worker.

After Religious Clash in India, Rumors Create a False ‘Martyr’

Good: ‘Maze Runner’ Author Is Dropped by Agent Amid Sexual Misconduct Claims

Whoa: Jamaican bobsleighers face Olympic drama after ‘destructive’ coach quits

The Future Is (a Little More) Female at the New York Philharmonic

This guy. Duck Boot-Loving Man Sues L.L. Bean, Says He's 'Harmed' By Stricter Return Policy

!!!!! The CW is expanding programming to Sunday nights this fall

Eee, I loved this book: ‘The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society’ Trailer: Lily James Writes About WWII

Morning Coffee (2/12/18)

Me elsewhere: TV news for the week.

This is fascinating and horrifying: Many Say He’s the Least Qualified Lawyer Ever to Lead a Guantánamo Case. He Agrees.

Trump’s History of Defending Men Accused of Hurting Women

Trickle Down: The Republican corruption in Washington has rolled down to the states.

How Chechnya’s Leader Got Banned from Facebook and Instagram

Children’s Publishing Reckons with Sexual Harassment in Its Ranks

Discovery of Windsor Neolithic monument excites archaeologists

Ooh, this is about Jewish women in the Resistance: Steven Spielberg's Amblin Partners Picks Up World War II Drama

Scientists Find Evidence of Thousands of Planets in Distant Galaxy

You can now play with Spotify’s recommendation algorithm in your browser

Whoa: 'The Killing' Stars Joel Kinnaman, Mireille Enos Reunite to Topline Amazon's 'Hanna' TV Series

Morning Coffee (2/8/18)

ICYMI, yesterday's Oscar Project posts: The Boss Baby and Darkest Hour

Interesting: Irish court refuses man's extradition because of Brexit

FEMA Contract Called for 30 Million Meals for Puerto Ricans. 50,000 Were Delivered.

Dahlia Lithwick, great as always: The Courts Are Not a Noble and Purifying Refuge

America’s ISIS Jihadists Were Largely Duds

Donald Trump’s Very Soviet Fixation on Applause

This is great news: Teen Vogue Taps Samhita Mukhopadhyay as Executive Editor

Doctors given approval for UK's first 'three-person babies'

Ancient Grave With Skeletons Arranged in Bizarre Spiral Formation Discovered in Mexico

Marvel’s Black Panther will speak this real African language

Lifetime Has Found Their Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

Morning Coffee (1/2/18)

A good way to start the year: Powerful Hollywood Women Unveil Anti-Harassment Action Plan

Democrats in High-Tax States Plot to Blunt Impact of New Tax Law

Why the 2018 Midterms Are So Vulnerable to Hackers

How Catalan Nationalists Lost Their Way

“ISIS 3.0”: How Silicon Valley Gave Rise to the Next Generation of Terror

Oops: Russia lost a $45m satellite because of a launchpad mix-up

'Steve Jobs' is an Italian company — and Apple can't do anything about it

Old master paintings given to National Gallery by Dutch aristocrat

Oh gosh, I remember this ad: Nancy Kerrigan’s 1993 Campbell’s Soup Commercial By ‘I, Tonya’ Director Craig Gillespie

Archaeologists Discover 500 Artifacts from 18th-Century British Coffeehouse

Morning Coffee (12/11/17)

Me elsewhere: Your TV news for the week.

How ISIS Produced Its Cruel Arsenal on an Industrial Scale

21 Rohingya women recount rape by Myanmar armed forces

18 crucial days: What did the president know and when did he know it?

Under Trump, E.P.A. Has Slowed Actions Against Polluters, and Put Limits on Enforcement Officers

A fake Bruce Willis story is being monetized by Google AdSense and prominently featured on YouTube

Lobsters, Fajitas, Sex Toys, And More: The Best And Weirdest Heists Of 2017

Lawsuit Over Mashup of 'Star Trek' and Dr. Seuss Gets Past Alpha Quadrant

This should be interesting, given his combination of jobs: Kal Penn Lands Book Deal With Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & Audible

Ooh, I forgot we're getting this next Christmas: Keira Knightley is a pink Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms first look

This is neat: Shonda Rhimes, Dana Walden, More Hollywood Moguls Pose With Their Daughters

Morning Coffee (11/4/17)

This is not how anything works! Trump just called for the New York terror suspect to get the death penalty

Russian Influence Reached 126 Million Through Facebook Alone

Tell me again how the candidates were the same: Notre Dame will drop birth control coverage for students, faculty, and staff

We know by now that he didn't win this but SIGH: Trump apparently wants to name his tax reform plan the “Cut Cut Cut Act”

James Comey Announced His Book Title and It’s a Clear Jab at Trump

What Experts Know About Men Who Rape

Miss Peru hopefuls chose to highlight women’s safety onstage instead of their measurements

!! 'Big void' identified in Khufu's Great Pyramid at Giza

This has a lot of good workplace advice, actually, beyond what it sounds like in the title: Ask a Boss: ‘My Co-worker Talks Too Much!’

This sounds fun: PBS Orders Food Series 'No Passport Required' From Vox Media