Murder  —  In the last few days, we've got allegations of murder against two men who worked in counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, Whiskey Pete Hegseth and Rahmanullah Lakanwal.  —  We don't yet know why Lakanwal drove from Bellingham, WA, across the country, to allegedly ambush two members …

Trump orders the closure of Venezuelan airspace … But Trump's move to close the airspace “in its entirety” goes further than the FAA's decision, signaling the U.S. now views Venezuelan skies as an active security threat, not just a risky transit zone.  —  The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard dies at 88  —  Sir Tom Stoppard, one of the UK's best-known playwrights, has died aged 88, his agents have announced.  —  Sir Tom, who won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the screenplay for Shakespeare In Love, “died peacefully at home in Dorset, surrounded by his family”.

Blaming some child deaths on covid shots, FDA vows stricter vaccine rules  —  Vinay Prasad, the nation's top vaccine regulator, said his team concluded that coronavirus shots were linked to children's deaths, necessitating a new approach.  —  The nation's top vaccine regulator on Friday laid …

Media Offenders  —  Explore the Media Bias Tracker that fact checks and holds Fake News accountable.  False claims debunked, Hall of Shame for serial offenders, Leaderboard of networks ranked by Repeated Lies.  Stay informed, stay accurate.

Northwestern to pay $75 million in deal with Trump administration to restore federal funding  —  Northwestern University has agreed to pay $75 million to the U.S. government in a deal with the Trump administration to end a series of investigations and restore hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research funding.

Several Arrested as Protesters Block Federal Agents in Manhattan Garage  —  The confrontation appeared to foil a possible ICE raid nearby, underscoring the numerous challenges the federal government faces in trying to stage raids in a dense city like New York.

As Epstein files release looms, questions abound on what happens next: ‘Possibilities are endless’  —  People implicated in the late sex offender's crimes might face criminal charges or, at the very least, social ostracism  —  As the clock ticks toward the congressionally mandated deadline …

US State Department stops processing visas for Afghan allies  — Visa processing halted after Afgan national accused of National Guard shooting  — Advocacy group sees long-term effort to keep Afghans out of U.S.  — USCIS had already stopped processing Afghan immigration requests

RFK Jr. is overhauling the program that helps preserve Americans' access to vaccines … “You're playing with fire, because I think that we could seriously lose small vaccine manufacturers,” said Richard Hughes, a vaccine lawyer and former executive at vaccine maker Moderna.

Inside Trump's Push to Make the White House Ballroom as Big as Possible … As President Trump took a stroll on the White House roof in August, generating headlines and questions about what he was up to, the man walking beside him was little noticed.  —  Wearing his signature bow tie …

None Dare Call It Treason: The Republican Party Is Compromised  —  Republican Senators understand the grave threat Russia poses.  Yet they refuse to uphold their oath of office due to their fealty to Trump.  —  ∙ Paid  —  The Republican Party is compromised and is now a functional asset of the Russian Federation.

Since Trump's Return, Bets on His Brand Have Soured  —  Stocks and cryptocurrencies tied to the president and his family have tumbled amid a broader rout of riskier assets  —  Stocks and cryptocurrencies linked to President Trump are in a deep slump, leaving some of the president's biggest fans with steep losses.