Extra, Extra
Purse Strings Attached: “Senators have in recent days made the case to Cabinet secretaries and other Trump officials to let money flow back into their states. They are trying to finagle exceptions to President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive orders or cuts made by billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service that freeze hundreds of billions of dollars, including money for farmers and infrastructure projects.” WaPo (Gift Article): After ceding power of the purse, GOP lawmakers beg Trump team for funds.
+ Tiny Captives: “The abduction of the Bibas family has been seared into the Israeli national psyche. The campaign for their release has featured orange balloons to symbolize the redheaded boys as well as references to Batman, a character beloved by the toddler Ariel.” NYT: Two Tiny Captives, Symbols of Hostage Crisis, to Go Home Dead, Hamas Says. More from Times of Israel. And from AP: Egypt is developing a plan to rebuild Gaza that counters Trump’s proposal to empty the region.
+ The Sound of Shame: “White House posts video of immigrants in shackles, calls deportation footage ‘ASMR.'” (What have we become…)
+ Jair Time: Brazil’s ex-President Bolsonaro charged in alleged coup plot. (Maybe they’ll sentence him to four more years as president.)
+ Away Games: “According to the complaint, the men were members of a South American theft group that burglarized the homes of athletes in the NFL and NBA while they were away or playing games at the time. The defendants are accused of stealing valuables worth more than $2 million.” 7 men charged in connection with burglaries of professional athletes’ homes.
+ Beating the Rap: Jury finds rapper A$AP Rocky (and Rihanna partner) not guilty in gun assault trial.
+ Kim Possible: “Nike had a really rough 2024: sales fell around the world, shares dropped 60% from a 2021 high point, and the company’s relationship with major retailers was damaged.” Enter a new partnership with Skims. Nike wants to reach more women. Cue Kim Kardashian.
+ Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number Cruncher: “Unlike other tax preparers, she doesn’t rely on software to guide her choice of deductions and exemptions or to do the sums. Instead, she punches keys on a Sharp desktop calculator, setting a tiny roll of printing paper atwirl, and then uses an electric typewriter to enter the numbers onto Internal Revenue Service forms.” WSJ (Gift Article): They’re 100 Years Old—And Still Doing People’s Taxes.
