Thursday, May 21, 2026

Judge Bars Kars4Kids From Broadcasting ‘Misleading’ Ads in California

 Judge Bars Kars4Kids From Broadcasting ‘Misleading’ Ads in California - The New York Times

The ads with a repetitive jingle encouraging people to donate cars do not disclose that most of the proceeds go to a Jewish organization in New Jersey, the judge ruled.



Powered by A.I., Google Changes Its Search Box for the First Time in 25 Years

 Powered by A.I., Google Changes Its Search Box for the First Time in 25 Years - The New York Times

Using a new Gemini A.I. model, the tech giant is overhauling its search box dimensions to answer longer queries, adding a video-generation tool and simplifying online shopping.

Everything Announced at Google I/O 2026 in 13 Minutes


Musk’s SpaceX Reveals Its Finances for the First Time as It Readies for IPO

 Musk’s SpaceX Reveals Its Finances for the First Time as It Readies for IPO - The New York Times

Mr. Musk’s rocket and satellite maker disclosed its financial performance as it prepares to go public in what is set to be one of the largest offerings to date.

The Banks That Won a Piece of SpaceX’s Colossal I.P.O. - The New York Times

Across Wall Street, bankers have been clamoring to lead what is expected to be the biggest-ever initial public offering.



OpenAI Prepares to File for an I.P.O. in Coming Weeks

 OpenAI Prepares to File for an I.P.O. in Coming Weeks - The New York Times

OpenAI would be one of the most highly anticipated potential initial public offerings, in what is set to be a major year of I.P.O.s for Silicon Valley.



Samsung Averts a Walkout With Big Bonuses, but Discord Over A.I. Profits Brews

 Samsung Averts a Walkout With Big Bonuses, but Discord Over A.I. Profits Brews - The New York Times

Samsung Electronics, a global memory chip supplier, has been a major beneficiary of the A.I boom. It has also become the center of a debate over how to divide its spoils.



Nvidia says it has ‘largely conceded’ China’s AI chip market to Huawei; Nvidia beats on earnings

 Trump Approved a Nvidia Chip for Sale in China. Beijing Doesn’t Want It. - The New York Times

Nvidia says it has ‘largely conceded’ China’s AI chip market to Huawei

Nvidia (NVDA) Q1 2027 earnings report: Live updates

Nvidia earnings takeaways: Data center revenue nearly doubles, report is strong but stock slides



8 Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primary Elections After Trump Crushes Republican Dissent

 8 Takeaways From Tuesday’s Primary Elections After Trump Crushes Republican Dissent - The New York Times

President Trump unseated Representative Thomas Massie, a top Republican critic in Congress, and also got his way in other primary contests.



Cuba: Crisis and indictment lays pathway for possible intervention

 Justice Dept. Charges Raúl Castro as Trump Escalates Pressure Campaign Against Cuba - The New York Times

The indictment was an extraordinary escalation of the Trump administration’s multifaceted pressure campaign against Cuba’s Communist government.

News of U.S. Indictment Slow to Reach Cubans Waiting for a Breakthrough - The New York Times

While many Cubans were divided over the legitimacy of the U.S. charging Raul Castro with murder, the hope for developments that might ease their suffering is widespread. “This has to change.”

Nimitz Aircraft Carrier Enters Caribbean as Trump Pressures Cuba - The New York Times

The carrier arrived in the southern Caribbean on the same day that the Justice Department announced charges against Raúl Castro.


Justice Department announced charges on Wednesday against Raúl Castro, the 94-year-old former president of Cuba, accusing him of murder and a conspiracy to kill American citizens stemming from the fatal downing 30 years ago of two planes over waters off the coast of his country. The indictment raised the possibility that the United States could be paving the way for its military to remove him from the country through a means similar to how U.S. Special Operations forces used an indictment against Nicolás Maduro, the former leader of Venezuela, to swoop into Caracas in a brazen operation in January and capture him.

The Cuban government, in a statement, rebuked the United States:“It is highly cynical for this accusation to be made by the very same government that has murdered nearly 200 people and destroyed 57 vessels in international waters of the Caribbean and the Pacific, far from United States territory, through the disproportionate use of military force,” it said.

More about that $1.776 billion "settlement" fund

 Trump’s Fund Shows Blanche Choosing Loyalty Over Moderation - The New York Times

Once seen by some as the most conventional of President Trump’s political appointees, Todd Blanche has taken off the gloves in his new role as acting attorney general.

How the $1.8 Billion Trump Fund May Violate Past Practice and Policy - The New York Times

The fund that could offer payouts to Trump allies who accuse the government of mistreatment is not only highly unusual but also appears to violate the administration’s own policies.

Trump’s Government Moves to Spare an Unhappy Taxpayer Named Trump - The New York Times

No president has ever used the federal government to advance his own personal interests and those of his family and allies as expansively and openly as Mr. Trump has.

The Justice Department gives Trump an unprecedented settlement : NPR

D.O.J. gave Trump and his family immunity from tax audits and set up a $1.8 billion fund for victims of "government weaponization." Former government lawyer Andrew Weissmann explains the settlement. Transcript.


Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Mystery Grows Around Representative Thomas Kean Jr.’s Absence

 Mystery Grows Around Representative Thomas Kean Jr.’s Absence - The New York Times

Representative Thomas Kean Jr. last voted in Washington on March 5, citing a medical issue. An appearance planned for late May has been canceled.



NAACP urges Black athletes to boycott college sports in the South; Related information on the 'Gerrymandering Wars'

 NAACP urges Black athletes to boycott college sports in the South | AP News (Thanks to Sam for this one)

Related:

Tracking the Battle to Reshape Congress for the Midterms - The New York Times

Supreme Court Rejects Virginia Democrats’ Effort to Reinstate New Voting Map - The New York Times

State officials had asked the justices to step in to allow the state to use a congressional map in the midterms that was drawn by Democrats and recently approved by voters.

Why Neutral Maps Could Empower Black Voters as Much as the Voting Rights Act - The New York Times

Our simulations debunk the notion that the act created artificial minority districts that wouldn’t otherwise exist.

The Voting Rights Decision Might Silence Black People in Fayette County, Tennessee - The New York Times

What the Gerrymandering Wars Mean for the Midterms—and 2028 | The New Yorker


Iran War Exposes Shortcomings in U.S. Military Industrial Base

 Iran War Exposes Shortcomings in U.S. Military Industrial Base - The New York Times

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is taking on a problem that the Pentagon and Congress have tried, and mostly failed, to address for years.



Book on Truth in the Age of A.I. Contains Quotes Made Up by A.I.

 ‘The Future of Truth’ Contains Quotes Made Up by A.I. - The New York Times

Steven Rosenbaum, author of “The Future of Truth,” said he had started his own investigation after The New York Times asked about the fake quotes.

Steven Rosenbaum at his home studio in Manhattan last year. His book “The Future of Truth” incorporated more than a half-dozen misattributed or fake quotes in sections of the book reviewed by The Times.Credit...Vincent Alban/The New York Times



What is Trump’s $1.776 Billion ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund?

 What is Trump’s $1.776 Billion ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund? - The New York Times

The Trump administration is creating a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people it says were wronged by the federal government, a group that could be largely made up of the president’s allies.

Top Treasury Lawyer Resigns After Creation of ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ - The New York Times

Brian Morrissey, the department’s general counsel, stepped down hours after the Trump administration announced the $1.8 billion fund.

Paul Figley, a former Justice Department official, said the proposed payment appeared legal. Congress has long neglected to more tightly control how money from the Judgment Fund was used, giving the Trump administration the ability to make this payment.

“It’s not wrong legally. But the problem is he is creating a new federal program, and if he is doing so with money from the Judgment Fund, it’s not the way Congress anticipated the Judgment Fund would be used,” Mr. Figley said. “It’s horrible policy.”

Once money has passed from the Judgment Fund to the new, “anti-weaponization” account, the five-member board will have the freedom to use the money to “pay for per diems, administrative services, funds, facilities, staff, travel and other support services as may be necessary,” though the members won’t draw a salary, according to the Justice Department.



Pollock and Brancusi Join the $100 Million Club at Auction

 Pollock and Brancusi Join the $100 Million Club at Auction - The New York Times

A “drip” painting by the Abstract Expressionist sold for $181.2 million with fees, while a bronze head by the Romanian sculptor, from the S.I. Newhouse collection, brought in  $107.6 million at Christie’s.

“Number 7A, 1948,” by Jackson Pollock, one of the treasures of S.I. Newhouse’s collection at Christie’s on Monday night, sold for $181.2 million with fees.Credit...Pollock-Krasner Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; Photo by George Etheredge for The New York Times

Constantin Brancusi’s bronze-and-gold-leaf sculpture “Danaïde,” from around 1913, carried a $100 million estimate and sold for $107.6 million with fees. It was in the S.I. Newhouse collection at Christie’s.Credit...Succession Brancusi/All rights reserved (Adagp); Photo by George Etheredge for The New York Times


Dozens of Polymarket Bets Show Signs of Insider Trading

 Dozens of Polymarket Bets Show Signs of Insider Trading, The Times Finds - The New York Times

Dozens of long-shot bets on Polymarket, from the war with Iran to the cryptocurrency market, have defied the odds, according to a New York Times examination.



Thousands of FiveThirtyEight Articles Seemingly Vanish From the Internet

 Thousands of FiveThirtyEight Articles Seemingly Vanish From the Internet - The New York Times

The influential polling analysis site was shut down last year, but an earlier archived version, fivethirtyeight.com, had lived on. Now the site is redirecting users to ABC News.

Nate Silver, center, in 2015. Mr. Silver founded FiveThirtyEight as a blog in 2008 before building it into a highly influential polling analysis operation. Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images


Ebola Was Identified in Congo Weeks Before W.H.O. Declared an Emergency

 Ebola Was Identified in Congo Weeks Before W.H.O. Declared an Emergency - The New York Times

Early surveillance and testing failed to identify the rare species of Ebola responsible for the current outbreak. An American doctor is among the confirmed cases.

American Man Tests Positive for Ebola Amid Outbreak, Officials Say - The New York Times

An American doctor working with a Christian missionary organization in the Democratic Republic of Congo was exposed to the deadly virus while treating patients, the organization said.

Citing Ebola Outbreak, U.S. Restricts Entry From Congo, Uganda and South Sudan - The New York Times

The order is in effect for 30 days and does not apply to American citizens or U.S. service members.



Sandy Fire in Simi Valley Forces Immediate Evacuations

 Sandy Fire in Simi Valley Forces Immediate Evacuations - The New York Times

Officials ordered more than 23,000 to evacuate after a brush fire broke out in Simi Valley, Calif.

A Sailor Shot Distress Flares. Now a California Island Is Burning.

The shipwrecked man was rescued from Channel Islands National Park, but the flares set off a 10,000-acre fire that has burned park buildings, forced evacuations and threatened rare Torrey pines.



TrumpRx Adds Generic Drugs, With Mark Cuban, GoodRx and Amazon; 5 million slated to lose ACA coverage

 TrumpRx Adds Generic Drugs, With Mark Cuban, GoodRx and Amazon - The New York Times

President Trump announced the addition of 600 medicines to his online drugstore as he appeals to Americans concerned about high drug prices and affordability.

Related: 

Steep drop in number of people with Affordable Care Act health coverage, analysis finds : NPR

As many as 5 million people who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces may drop their coverage this year, according to a new analysis from KFF, the nonpartisan health research organization. The average increase in deductibles is $1000. 



ICE Agent Charged in Shooting of a Venezuelan Immigrant in Minnesota

 ICE Agent Charged in Shooting of a Venezuelan Immigrant in Minnesota - The New York Times

The agent is the second federal officer to face felony charges in Minnesota stemming from Operation Metro Surge, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.



What to Know About the San Diego Mosque Shooting

San Diego Mosque Shooting: What to Know About the Suspects and What Happened - The New York Times

Three men were killed in the attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Two teenage suspects were found dead in a car nearby, police said.

A Fearful Phone Call and Frantic Search Preceded San Diego Mosque Shooting - The New York Times

San Diego police arrived to find three people dead. Nearby, they found two teenagers, the attackers, dead in a car. The violence shattered an idyllic Southern California city.

 Suspect’s Mother Warned Police of Missing Guns Before Mosque Attack - The New York Times

Three people were killed in the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and two suspects later killed themselves. 

San Diego Mosque Shooting Comes Amid Rising Reports of Islamophobia in the U.S. - The New York Times

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said complaints about bias against Muslims are at levels unseen in decades.



Monday, May 18, 2026

Elon Musk Loses $150 Billion Suit Against OpenAI and Sam Altman

 Elon Musk Loses $150 Billion Suit Against OpenAI and Sam Altman - The New York Times

A nine-member jury found that Mr. Musk had waited too long to sue. The setback for the tech mogul frees OpenAI to continue in the artificial intelligence race.

After Elon Musk’s Court Loss Comes the Long Hot A.I. Summer - The New York Times

Even as protests increase, the collapse of Mr. Musk’s suit against OpenAI and Sam Altman will speed up the artificial intelligence juggernaut.

Five Takeaways From the Blockbuster Trial Pitting Elon Musk Against OpenAI - The New York Times

It took a jury less than two hours to decide that Mr. Musk had waited too long to sue. But the testimony over three weeks was still illuminating.



Gen AI and the Stanford Experience; The Generation that Grew Up with AI Hates It

Opinion | What A.I. Did to My College Class - The New York Times

How to Rule the World by Theo Baker: An Education in Power at Stanford University | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

Opinion | The Generation That Grew Up With A.I. Hates It - The New York Times



What to Know About the Latest Ebola Outbreak

 What to Know About the Latest Ebola Outbreak - The New York Times

The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency after about 80 people died from the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Americans Are Among Those Affected by Ebola Outbreak, C.D.C. Says - The New York Times

A small number of U.S. citizens have been directly affected by the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the C.D.C. said on Sunday.



Friday, May 15, 2026

Inflatable furniture anyone?

 IKEA once put a pin in its dream of inflatable furniture. Now it’s blowing up | CNN (Thanks to Finn for this one)



US tourist arrested after video shows him hurling a rock Hawaii ‘Lani’ monk seal's head

 Hawaii ‘Lani’ monk seal: US agents arrest tourist after video shows a rock hurled at endangered animal | CNN (Thanks to Finn for this one)



In China summit, Trump touts "fantastic trade deals" with Xi as nations try to stabilize relationship

 In China summit, Trump touts "fantastic trade deals" with Xi as nations try to stabilize relationship - CBS News (Thanks to Graydon)



Shakira, Burna Boy release 2026 FIFA World Cup Anthem 'Dai Dai'

 Shakira, Burna Boy release 2026 FIFA World Cup Anthem 'Dai Dai' | AP News (Thanks to Louden for this one)



Rory McIlroy has a rough finish at the PGA Championship

 Rory McIlroy has a rough finish at the PGA Championship | AP News (Thanks to Louden for this one)

Related:

Aaron Rai runs away with the PGA Championship, first English-born winner in more than a century - Golf Channel

Watch: Longshot Aaron Rai uses 68-foot putt to clinch PGA Championship title - Yahoo Sports

PGA Championship 2026 prize money: Full payout from record $20.5 million purse - Golf Channel

From Jon Rahm to Bryson DeChambeau: How all 11 LIV Golf players did at the PGA Championship - Yahoo Sports



AI Safety...and meet Cerebras, the larger computer chip ever

 Is Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Really a Cybersecurity Risk? - The New York Times

Anthropic said that Claude Mythos was too dangerous to release to the public. That claim has reopened an old debate over cybersecurity.

Why A.I. Safety Controls Are Not Very Effective - The New York Times

Three years after the debut of ChatGPT, fooling A.I. systems into bad behavior is almost trivial.

Cerebras, A.I. Chip Maker, Rises 89% in Market Debut as Tech IPOs Ramp Up - The New York Times

Cerebras, a Silicon Valley maker of artificial intelligence chips, began trading on the stock market on Thursday, as SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic also take steps to go public.



Cuba Says It Has Run Out of Oil

 Cuba Says It Has Run Out of Oil - The New York Times

A long-running energy crisis in the island nation reached a breaking point this week, when government officials said they had run out of reserves.

A gas station in Havana this month. In January, the Trump administration cut off oil shipments from Venezuela, which had been supplying a large amount of Cuba’s oil.Credit...Lisette Poole for The New York Times

People banging pot and pans in protest against blackouts in Havana on Wednesday.Credit...Norlys Perez/Reuters


Trump and Xi Play Up Stability Without Resolving Major Tensions

 Trump and Xi Play Up Stability Without Resolving Major Tensions

As President Trump left Beijing, there was no indication that he and Xi Jinping had resolved any major points of contention on trade, the war in Iran or other issues during their talks.

Trump also declined to say whether the United States would defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion. “I don’t want to say,” he said. “There’s only one person that knows that. You know who it is? Me.” Trump said Xi had asked him the same question during their conversations and that he had given the same response. “I said, ‘I don’t talk about those things,'” Trump said.

How China Sent a Message to Trump on His Arrival - The New York Times

Beijing welcomed President Trump with a high-ranking vice president, but the choice of a ceremonial leader suggests China is trading symbolism for substance.

Which Trump Tariffs Are in Place, in the Works or Ruled Illegal - The New York Times

Trump Announces Boeing Jet Order From China. Beijing Stays Silent. - The New York Times

The deal, if it materializes, would be a major win for Boeing, which has lost ground to Airbus in one of the world’s largest aviation markets.



Nvidia’s Future in China Remains Unclear After Trump-Xi Summit - The New York Times

The standoff comes as Chinese firms increasingly turn to domestic chipmakers like Huawei, in a drive to reduce China’s dependence on Western technologies.


Elon Musk Returns to Trump’s Side in Beijing - The New York Times

Mr. Musk is part of a delegation of business leaders to China, where his interests include Tesla’s electric vehicle factory and solar panels.

Elon Musk’s Awkward Selfie Moment With a Chinese Billionaire in Beijing - The New York Times

A few seconds of selfie awkwardness between Elon Musk and Lei Jun, a prominent Chinese entrepreneur, has spread like wildfire on China’s social media.



 Using Gemini AI To Prepare For Standardized Tests | Tech & Learning

Gemini



Thursday, May 14, 2026

Pentagon abruptly cancels deployment to Europe as part of Trump’s drawdown

 Pentagon abruptly cancels deployment to Europe as part of Trump’s drawdown



Crews battle South Florida wildfires that have burned thousands of acres

 Crews battle South Florida wildfires that have burned thousands of acres - ABC News (Thanks to Chris for this one)

Spain's watchdog probes major energy companies over historic blackout

 Spain's watchdog probes major energy companies over historic blackout | Reuters (Thanks to Chris for this one)

Spain's energy and competition regulator said on Friday it had opened formal probes into ‌the country's largest energy companies and the power grid operator over last year's unprecedented blackout in Spain and Portugal, after finding evidence that some power sector rules were breached over extended periods. This could lead to fines of up to 60 million euros. 



Chavez-DeRemer steps down as US labor secretary amid misconduct probe

 Chavez-DeRemer steps down as US labor secretary amid misconduct probe | Reuters (Thanks to Chris for this one)

The Labor Department’s inspector general ​is nearing the end of a months-long investigation into a whistleblower’s allegations of professional misconduct by Lori Chavez-DeRemer, including claims ​that she had an affair with a member of her security team and used department resources for personal trips. Chavez-DeRemer was expected to be interviewed in the matter in the coming days.



China’s ‘two billion feet’ are suddenly running from Nike

 China’s ‘two billion feet’ are suddenly running from Nike



New York man convicted after opening Chinese police station; US puts $200K price on head of Monica Witt

 New York man convicted after opening Chinese police station (WSJ)

A federal jury convicted a U.S. citizen on Wednesday of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for his part in establishing a police station in New York on behalf of Chinese authorities, the government’s second win this week alleging Americans secretly worked for Beijing.

The Brooklyn jury found Lu Jianwang guilty on one of two federal counts related to acting as an unregistered foreign agent of China and one count of obstructing justice by destroying evidence.

The FBI just put a $200K price on the agent accused of betraying the US to Iran

Lu Jianwang exiting court during his trial in New York City on Tuesday.

Monica Witt, a former U.S. service member and counterintelligence agent who was indicted by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia in February 2019 on charges of espionage, including transmitting national defense information to the government of Iran.