Mortgage rates hit 6% as Iran war spooks bond market traders (thanks to Finn for this one)
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Sleepy owl found resting among items on a New York antique store shelf
Sleepy owl found resting among items on a New York antique store shelf (Thanks to Sara for this one)
Shoppers in upstate New York earlier this month turned up a rare find while perusing a local antique store this month: tucked next to a cookie jar made in the shape of a chicken was a live owl resting peacefully on a shelf.
Ukrainian bank workers released after detention in Hungary
Ukrainian bank workers released after detention in Hungary (Thanks to Matte for this one)
Ukraine has secured the release of seven Ukrainian bank workers arrested on Thursday in Hungary while transporting $80m (£60m) worth of cash and 9kg of gold in cash-transport vehicles to Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said on X on Friday evening that the workers were safe and across the Ukrainian border.
After Sybiha accused Budapest of taking the group hostage and stealing money, Hungary's tax authority said they had been detained on suspicion of money laundering.
Ukraine's state savings bank, Oschadbank, said they had been part of a regular transport between Austria and Ukraine and were "unjustifiably detained".
"This year alone, more than $900m, €420m and 146 kg of gold bars were transported through the territory of Hungary to Ukraine," the national tax and customs administration said in a statement on Friday.
It is not yet clear what has happened to the enormous sums of cash and the gold seized on Thursday, but Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said "they've stolen the money".
Relations between Ukraine and Hungary have deteriorated during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and have descended into a war of words over a halt to Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine.
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| Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has accused Hungary's leaders of "state banditry" |
Friday, March 6, 2026
Employers Cut Jobs in Unexpectedly Weak Report; Healthcare is sole source of job creation
Employers Cut Jobs in Unexpectedly Weak Report
A weaker-than-expected report for February showed a decline of 92,000 jobs, and a rise in the unemployment rate to 4.4 percent.
Health Care Has Become the Lifeblood of the Labor Market
An aging population is drawing workers to medical and social care, creating reliable jobs and revealing weakness for the rest of the economy.
Big Revisions Are a Reason to Question the Jobs Numbers, Not to Dismiss Them
Economists say estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other agencies are reliable, but they worry the quality of data is eroding.
How major US stock indexes fared (Thanks to Sara for this one)
Timelapse shows change in the flow of ships in the Strait of Hormuz
Timelapse shows change in the flow of ships in the Strait of Hormuz (Thanks to Graydon for this one)
As Trump Out-Putins Putin, Russia’s Global Influence Erodes
As Trump Out-Putins Putin, Russia’s Global Influence Erodes - The New York Times
The conflict in Iran may give Moscow a short-term boost economically and in Ukraine. But it has also shown the limits of Russia’s partnerships
War in Iran complicates international relations, resource access, market stability
U.S. Gas Prices, Up 11% in a Week, Pile Pressure on Trump - The New York Times
The average price of a gallon of gasoline jumped again on Friday, to $3.32 per gallon, hitting its highest level in a year and a half.
Trump’s Strait of Hormuz Problem - The New York Times
The president campaigned on lowering prices for Americans. That pledge has come under fire this week as the Iran war pushes up the cost of gasoline.
Why Torpedoed Iranian Warship Is a Problem for India - The New York Times
An Iranian ship had been invited by India to take part in peacetime naval exercises with dozens of other countries, days before it was sunk in a U.S. submarine attack.
3 Australians Were on U.S. Submarine That Sank an Iranian Warship - The New York Times
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s disclosure about the attack in the Indian Ocean prompted concern that Australia’s close military cooperation with the United States could draw it into the fighting in the Middle East.
Lebanon at ‘Tipping Point’ as It Seeks to Disarm Hezbollah - The New York Times
The country is waiting to see if the government seizes on this moment to disarm the Iranian-backed armed group and how the militants will respond.
Kristi Noem is out as DHS head; Will run Shield of the Americas
Timeline: The Rise and Fall of Kristi Noem as Trump’s DHS Secretary - The New York Times
Moment at Kristi Noem’s Senate Hearing That Likely Got Her Fired as Secretary of Homeland Security
Trump Announces He Is Replacing Noem With Oklahoma Senator - The New York Times
Who Is Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s Pick for Homeland Security Secretary? - The New York Times
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Iran’s Strategy: Expand the War, Increase the Cost, Outlast Trump
Iran’s Strategy: Expand the War, Increase the Cost, Outlast Trump - The New York Times
The Islamic Republic is aiming to draw out the conflict and broaden the fighting. That would force President Trump to risk more casualties and more political capital.
Talarico’s Win in Texas Shows That Nice Guys Can Finish First
Talarico’s Win in Texas Shows That Nice Guys Can Finish First - The New York Times (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
At a moment when many Democrats are campaigning on rage and resistance, James Talarico took a different tack in his campaign in the Texas Senate primary.
Iran Live Updates: U.S. Says Strikes Are Accelerating, GOP in Senate Blocks Trump War Powers Limits
Iran Live Updates: U.S. Says Strikes Are Accelerating, GOP in Senate Blocks Trump War Powers Limits (Thanks to Mel for this one)
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| A military parade in Iran in 2024. Tehran has said that it has developed hypersonic missile technology, but many security experts doubt that the missiles have such capacity. |
Kalshi is not paying bettors the $54 million made on Khamenei death
Kalshi is not paying bettors the $54 million made on Khamenei death
A popular predictions market app will not pay out the $54 million some of its users believed they were owed after correctly forecasting the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a report.
Kalshi, which allows players to gamble on real-world events, offered customers favorable odds on Khamenei, 86, being “out as Supreme Leader” in response to the announcement of joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Total Lunar Eclipse Creates Blood Red Moon to the Delight of Onlookers
Total Lunar Eclipse Creates Blood Red Moon to the Delight of Onlookers (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
Monday, March 2, 2026
Nancy Guthrie's abductor may have left behind digital clues
Nancy Guthrie's abductor may have left behind digital clues: Forensic Expert (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
Kuwait 'mistakenly' shot down three $31M US fighter jets, all crew safely ejected
Kuwait 'mistakenly' shot down three $31M US fighter jets, all crew safely ejected: military (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
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| A crew member parachutes to safely after their fighter jet is shot down. (Reuters) |
Texas mass shooter Ndiaga Diagne had Iranian flag and photos of Islamic Republic leaders in his home
Texas mass shooter Ndiaga Diagne had Iranian flag and photos of Islamic Republic leaders in his home: report (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
Gunman wearing shirt with Iranian flag design kills 2 and wounds 14 at Texas bar | AP News (Thanks to Sam for this one)
Sunday, March 1, 2026
Saturday, February 28, 2026
The Warning Signs Flashing From the Tech-Heavy Bloat of the S&P 500
The Warning Signs Flashing From the Tech-Heavy Bloat of the S&P 500
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This shows every company in the S&P 500, sized by its market value. The stock index is made up of 11 distinct sectors, though just a few dominate it.   |
Student Remains in Honduras After ICE Vows to Deport Her Again
Student Remains in Honduras After ICE Vows to Deport Her Again
Any Lucia López Belloza was deported by mistake. A judge ordered her return by Friday. When the Trump administration sent a plane, she decided not to get on.
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| A photo provided by Any Lucia López Belloza’s lawyer of her at her high school graduation. Photo from the Associated Press |
A Mayor Needs a Nickname. The Tabloids Are Wavering.
A Mayor Needs a Nickname. The Tabloids Are Wavering. (Thanks to Haadi for this one)
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been given a bevy of nicknames by New York City’s tabloid newspapers and political class. Which will stick?
Pentagon to Curb Ties With Top Universities and Think Tanks
Pentagon to Curb Ties With Top Universities and Think Tanks
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Yale, Princeton, Brown and other elite colleges and think tanks of indoctrinating service members with liberal ideologies.
Trump & Pentagon go to war...with Anthropic, maker of Claude AI. OpenAI signs contract with DOW hours later
Statement from Dario Amodei on our discussions with the Department of War
Trump Orders Government to Stop Using Anthropic After Pentagon Standoff
The company had clashed with the military over how officials wanted to use its cutting-edge A.I. model. The order could vastly complicate intelligence analysis and defense work.
Pentagon Standoff Is a Decisive Moment for How A.I. Will Be Used in War
The Pentagon’s contract dispute with Anthropic is part of a wider clash about the use of artificial intelligence for national security and who decides on any safeguards.
What Both Anthropic and the Pentagon Get Wrong
Anthropic has less than 36 hours before it barrels toward uncharted territory with the US government
- Anthropic and the US government are at a standstill over the use of the company's Claude model.
- The Pentagon is pressing Anthropic to accept its terms or lose its military contract.
- Sources said the government is willing to use 2 levers to compel Anthropic to agree
Silicon Valley Rallies Behind Anthropic in A.I. Clash With Trump
Actions by the president and the Pentagon appeared to drive a wedge between Washington and the tech industry, whose leaders and workers spoke out for the start-up.
OpenAI Reaches A.I. Agreement With Defense Dept. After Anthropic Clash
The deal came hours after President Trump had ordered federal agencies to stop using artificial intelligence technology made by Anthropic, an OpenAI rival.
Real Despots Hijack Artificial Intelligence
Trump strikes Iran; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei is dead; Iran strikes back
Live updates: Trump says more US service members ‘will likely’ be killed before Iran conflict ends (Thanks to Sonia for this one)
What to Know About the U.S. Attacks on Iran
The United States and Israel launched a major assault that reportedly has killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Mapping the Strikes inside Iran; Mapping Iran's Retaliation
Trump Says Iran’s Supreme Leader Is Dead, says the bombing will continue
The president’s announcement came after a day of U.S. and Israeli military strikes, and after he pledged to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program and overthrow its government.
Iran’s supreme leader killed in US-Israeli strikes
US President Donald Trump called for regime change following the massive American and Israeli attack, which prompted an unprecedented wave of retaliatory strikes by Iran.
Diagramming the blow to the leadership of Iran
Iran Hits Back Across the Mideast, Targeting U.S. Bases and Allies
Waves of retaliatory strikes were reported in Israel and across several Gulf countries on Saturday. The Emirati government said at least one person was killed from falling missile debris.
Trump ‘Not Happy’ With Iran Talks, but Says He Remains Undecided on Strikes (Thanks to Matte for this)
President Trump said he had not made a final decision about whether to order military action against Iran.
Has Trump Thought Through the Endgame in Iran?
The country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed by U.S. and Israeli strikes, but the conflict is far from over, and has convulsed the Middle East in a spasm of interstate violence.
Trump says US had identified candidates to take over Iran but they were killed in initial strikes
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Watching from a rooftop after a strike in Tehran on Saturday. |
Thursday, February 26, 2026
Why Are So Many Teen Girls Still Tearing Their A.C.L.s? A few simple exercises can prevent them
Why Are So Many Teen Girls Still Tearing Their A.C.L.s? - The New York Times
For years, ligament tears have been a crisis among young athletes — even though a few simple exercises can prevent them.
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| Evidence supporting programs like FIFA 11+ keeps piling up, yet most young players still aren’t being asked to do them. As one researcher put it: “A prerequisite for using the 11+ is being aware that it exists.” Photo by Dru Donovan/NYT |
Kalshi Accuses a ‘MrBeast’ Employee of Insider Trading
Kalshi Accuses a ‘MrBeast’ Employee of Insider Trading - The New York Times
The prediction-market platform said it had reported the employee to federal regulators. The show’s parent company said it had “no tolerance for this behavior.”
Nvidia’s Quarterly Profit Hits $43 Billion on Strong A.I. Chip Sales
Nvidia’s Quarterly Profit Hits $43 Billion on Strong A.I. Chip Sales - The New York Times
Total profit for the fiscal year was $120 billion, the company said. Three years ago, it was just $4.4 billion.
Nvidia Details New A.I. Chips and Autonomous Car Project With Mercedes - The New York Times
International Booker Prize Nominees: 13 Books to Get You Talking
International Booker Prize Nominees: 13 Books to Get You Talking - The New York Times
Novels by Daniel Kehlmann, Olga Ravn and Gabriela Cabezón Cámara are among the 13 titles nominated for the renowned award for fiction translated into English.
Antarctica’s Mineral Riches Exposed as Climate Warms
Antarctica’s Mineral Riches Exposed as Climate Warms - The New York Times
Mining is banned on the frozen continent. But new research suggests that could change as ice melts and land and valuable minerals are exposed.
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