David SMith
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Articles by David SMith
‘You can’t make this stuff up’: why we remain fascinated by Elizabeth Holmes
David Agus’s first encounter with Elizabeth Holmes at a health conference came as a shock. The Holmes he met in the green room was personable and pleasant. The Holmes he interviewed on stage was altogether different. “The accent changed: this deep voice, very serious,” Agus, a medical oncologist, recalls by phone from Los Angeles. “It was as if I had met a person and then interviewed a separate person.
‘You can’t make this stuff up’: why we remain fascinated by Elizabeth Holmes
The entrepreneur turned fraudster is the subject of an Oscar-tipped new documentary that takes an unusual look at her strange legacy David Agus’s first encounter with Elizabeth Holmes at a health conference came as a shock. The Holmes he met in the green room was personable and pleasant. The Holmes he interviewed on stage was altogether different. “The accent changed: this deep voice, very serious,” Agus, a medical oncologist, recalls by phone from Los Angeles.
Katie Zacharia’s five days as press secretary expose flaws in Trump’s TV-driven hiring
Former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia delivered her first press conference in the White House press briefing room on Tuesday. She was fired on Friday.Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA The president reportedly chose Zacharia after seeing her on television, but her first press briefing and disastrous interviews sealed her fate And so Katie Zacharia joins the mayfly ranks of Liz Truss, Anthony Scaramucci, New Coke, CNN+ and Quibi.
Employment & Labor Insider
The Americans with Disabilities Act is approaching its silver anniversary (it was enacted in 1990 but didn't start taking effect until 1992). After 25 years, most employers know to address disability-related reasonable accommodations in their handbooks or other policies. Based on my own experience, the quality of these disability accommodation policies . . . varies. Sometimes the policy is nothing more than an aside in the employer’s general equal employment opportunity policy.
Anatomy of a lie: how misinformation is spreading through US midterm campaigns
Where is James Talarico? The question ricocheted around rightwing echo chambers before metastasising into a conspiracy theory – and a reminder of the persistent danger of disinformation in the US midterm elections. The smear campaign began when Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Texas, was not seen in public for nine days. His campaign was slow to explain why. While nature abhors a vacuum, Donald Trump and social media seize on one and weaponise it.
‘I must continue until I die’: inside the fight to bring Iran’s thriving art scene to the world
When the call came early one morning, Tehran resident Elham Issari knew it must be urgent. The voice on the line was offering something precious.
A replica of Donald Trump’s Oval Office goes for the gold in Washington DC
A replica of the Oval Office being updated to Donald Trump’s current decor, at The People’s House: A White House Experience in Washington DC, on 2 October.Photograph: AP Sitting behind a replica Resolute Desk, nine-year-old Sydney Wright posed for the camera like a future US president. “I love it,” she smiled. And what about the dazzling gold appliqués, gold leaf and gold trim surrounding her?
‘Medieval’ and ‘disturbing’: US plan to livestream execution elicits global condemnation
The US is facing worldwide condemnation over a "barbaric" plan to execute a disabled man by firing squad and livestream it to the public, with critics comparing the Trump administration to dictatorships in Iran and Afghanistan. The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, convicted of killing 13 people at a military base at Fort Hood in Texas in 2009, would be livestreamed on 3 December.
Employment & Labor Insider
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reportedly submitted this week a proposal to rescind its Enforcement Guidance on the use of criminal background information in employment. The proposal is currently being reviewed by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget.
Donald Trump’s Texas rally rocked by repeated protests
Donald Trump during a campaign rally at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas, on 7 October 2026.Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump’s latest campaign rally was rocked by repeated protests on Wednesday as the US president urged Texas voters to back embattled Senate candidate Ken Paxton. At least half a dozen demonstrators interrupted the US president during his remarks in San Antonio, with some led away by police.
The most shocking part of Trump’s comments is what our reaction says about us
Donald Trump’s campaign rallies can be repetitive. Very repetitive. He calls himself the “greatest” president leading the “greatest” movement inside the “greatest” economy. He rails against “Dumocrats” for the “transgender mutilization” of children. He lambasts the “fake news” and reheats election lies. He describes illegal immigration as an “invasion” and recites the poem The Snake. If we were all frogs being slowly boiled alive, we’ve now reached the stage of blackened toad.
Republican rebukes Trump for suggesting Iran could take out LA or San Diego
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Trump sets off on midterm blitz – are his trademark rallies a liability for Republicans?
“Get your asses in that car.” That was Donald Trump's order, he later recalled, to his motorcade after foul weather grounded Air Force One in Texas on Thursday. The 85-mile dash to Oklahoma at nearly 100mph was proof that nothing can keep Trump from a Trump rally. Which might not be the good news for Republicans it once was.
When is the right time to compare US politics to the Nazi era? This expert on Christian nationalism says: now
The lawyer Mike Godwin famously came up with the “law” that, as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one (or 100%). Robert P Jones thought long and hard about whether to go there in his latest book. But the more he studied US demographic numbers, considered the rise of Christian nationalism and heard Donald Trump use the language of racial purity, he found the conclusion inescapable. “This is our 1933,” he writes.
The knife-edge election Trump is watching as a blueprint for the midterms
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Employment & Labor Insider
A school in Pennsylvania will be going to trial on a former employee’s religious accommodation and constructive discharge claims after it essentially failed to engage in the interactive process with an employee who needed an accommodation. Our plaintiff (we’ll call her “Monique”) was a business manager for the school. As you might assume from that job title, she worked in an office.
Employment & Labor Insider
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Keith Sonderling as our new Secretary of Labor. Mr. Sonderling had been Acting Secretary since the resignation of Lori Chavez-DeRemer in April. The Senate vote to confirm Mr. Sonderling was 47-41, along party lines. Twelve Senators (a mix of Republicans and Democrats) did not vote, including Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
Democratic senators accuse Trump administration of worsening childcare crisis
Democratic senators have accused Donald Trump's administration of worsening the country's childcare crisis, warning that rising costs and daycare closures are leaving families with fewer affordable options.
‘It takes a lot of work’: Deb Haaland puts addiction struggles at center of New Mexico governor bid
“It clouds your mind,” recalls Deb Haaland, the trailblazing US cabinet secretary now running to be New Mexico’s next governor. “They say that, after the first drink, you lose your judgment.” Haaland developed a drinking problem after leaving high school and was twice arrested for driving under the influence. But in her 20s she decided to get sober, a battle that required personal commitment and critical external support.
Trump and Chinese President Xi end summit without major agreement on AI
Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping wrapped up their Washington summit on Friday, facing criticism that they had squandered an opportunity to pause their countries' artificial intelligence (AI) arms race. The three-day state visit emphasised pageantry and personal rapport rather than substantial agreements. The US president and Xi discussed the wars in Iran and Ukraine and the status of Taiwan. Their biggest policy announcement was a modest two-month extension of a trade truce.
‘Let’s tell the truth’: Smithsonian head given standing ovation as he hits back at Trump attacks
Lonnie Bunch, the outgoing secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, has defended the organisation against political interference, insisting that telling the unvarnished and complex truths of history is an act of “great love” for the country. Speaking on Friday at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, Bunch received a standing ovation from hundreds of audience members and rejected claims that the institution’s staff or exhibitions were unpatriotic.
‘In our deepest hearts we are voyeurs’: the paedophile-hunting show that inspired Robert Pattinson’s new film
A man from Long Beach, California, is here to have sex with someone he believes is a 13-year-old girl. When the journalist Chris Hansen walks in, the man’s stomach drops. He is caught, and it is the end of his life as he knew it. Hansen asks what his fate should be. “The electric chair?” he asks. No, replies Hansen. “Dateline NBC.” This is the opening scene of Primetime, a film directed by Lance Oppenheim, released in the US this week (a UK release follows on 30 October).
Gretchen Carlson on press under Trump: ‘It’s my hope journalists will start speaking up’
Donald Trump has achieved something rarely seen in Washington: uniting rival television networks against him. When he banned CNN and MS Now – along with Politico – from the White House, their competitors suspended shared coverage of the US president’s events. Gretchen Carlson, a journalist, author and former Fox News host, hopes this will not be the only example of solidarity from a White House press corps facing what she describes as an “outright onslaught” from the administration.
AI looms large over Trump-Xi meeting amid deep distrust between US and China
When Xi Jinping, China's leader, touches down in Maryland on Wednesday, he will step out into the arms – perhaps a hug , if Donald Trump's wishes come true – of a US president who has shown China more bonhomie than any of his recent predecessors. The meeting between Xi and Trump this week will be the second time that the leaders of the world's two biggest economies have talked face to face this year.
Employment & Labor Insider
Last week, the Trump Administration issued a new proclamation extending the existing (but currently paused) $100,000 payment for certain H-1B petitioners through September 21, 2027. This is in addition to a proposed rule issued last month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that would create a $103,265 filing fee for all cap-subject H-1B petitions. (The DHS published a correction to the proposed rule on September 10.) Tomorrow is the last day to submit comments on the proposed rule.
New £1m grant to help groups protect green spaces
A £1m fund has been set up to help local communities protect threatened green spaces. The Summerfield Charitable Trust said the money would help groups buy and safeguard local woodlands and wildlife sites when they come up for sale. It is part of a new initiative from the Gloucestershire Nature and Climate Fund and the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership. "We need an initiative like this now more than ever," said Diane Hill, chair of the Gloucestershire Nature and Climate Fund.
New £1m grant to help groups protect green spaces
The grant from the Summerfield Charitable Trust aims to help protect woodland and green spaces A £1m fund has been set up to help local communities protect threatened green spaces. The Summerfield Charitable Trust said the money would help groups buy and safeguard local woodlands and wildlife sites when they come up for sale. It is part of a new initiative from the Gloucestershire Nature and Climate Fund and the Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnership.
Trump’s battle to rename the Kennedy Center has put its future at risk
Trump has no legal right to demolish the Kennedy Center, which was established by Congress.Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images It was born with the world premiere of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. “Young people will come here and they will see this cultural centre,” Rose Kennedy, the mother of slain US president John F Kennedy, said at that opening night gala.
Thousands protest closure of the Kennedy Center amid fears Trump is set to demolish the institution
On Friday evening thousands of protesters gathered outside the Kennedy Center in view of the marble facade that remained concealed by scaffolding and tarpaulins, to protest Donald Trump's plans for the facility and express alarm that he might make good on his threat to tear down the institution. Crowding streets in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington and locking down traffic as they walked, many carried signs, as they joined in the “Hands Around the Kennedy Center” protest.
Thousands protest Kennedy Center closure amid fears Trump set to demolish institution
Thousands of demonstrators gather outside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.Photograph: Zoraida Diaz/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock On Friday evening thousands of protesters gathered outside the Kennedy Center in view of the marble facade that remained concealed by scaffolding and tarpaulins, to protest Donald Trump’s plans for the facility and express alarm that he might make good on his threat to tear down the institution.
David Ryan Salon Launches Fall Toasted Auburn and Deep Latte Color Menu in Trophy Club
David Ryan Salon Launches Fall Toasted Auburn and Deep Latte Color Menu in Trophy Club SH-114 salon pairs warm-tone lowlight techniques with Vish-documented formulations for two of the season's most-requested color transitions. TROPHY CLUB, TX, UNITED STATES, September 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- David Ryan Salon's Trophy Club location has built its fall color menu around two shades that are among the season's most-booked requests: toasted auburn lowlights and deep latte brown.
David Ryan Salon's Flower Mound Location Becomes Regional Destination for Complex Color Correction
David Ryan Salon's Flower Mound Location Becomes Regional Destination for Complex Color Correction Cross Timbers Road salon applies a multi-session protocol and gram-level documentation to rebuild color for clients who have had unsuccessful work elsewhere.
David Ryan Salon Extends Best of Denton County Color Salon Streak to 13 Consecutive Years
David Ryan Salon Extends Best of Denton County Color Salon Streak to 13 Consecutive Years Trophy Club location anchors decade-long winning run as community-voted recognition reinforces salon's regional reputation for dimensional color work.
David Ryan Salon's Flower Mound Apprenticeship Program Develops Next Generation of North Texas Colorists
David Ryan Salon's Flower Mound Apprenticeship Program Develops Next Generation of North Texas Colorists Master Stylist channels 16-year career into a structured mentorship pipeline that advances emerging stylists from training floor to client chair.
Employment & Labor Insider
Employers, when we attorneys advise you to “tie up one loose end” before deciding to terminate an employee, it’s not because we're trying to make your life harder. We’re trying to make sure you don’t end up like this employer. It started out so well . . . Our plaintiff (we’ll call her “Melanie”) had a 13-year-old son with cancer. She informed her employer that she would need to take time off to care for him.
Ilhan Omar brings bill to make ICE ‘pay the price’ for terrorizing communities
The US congresswoman Ilhan Omar is set to introduce a bill that would make federal immigration agencies “pay the price” for terrorising vulnerable communities, blocking nearly $140bn in funding and redirecting it to local recovery efforts, the Guardian has learned. The Make ICE Pay Act, due to be introduced on Thursday, targets funding previously designated for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
‘Pretend I’m on the ticket’: Trump hits campaign trail in bid to boost Republican hopes
Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail on Wednesday, imploring North Carolina voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” and “crush the communists” in the November elections at a rally in support of the Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley. Despite Trump’s deep unpopularity, Republicans hope to once again turn the president’s loyal following into a political force as the party confronts an unforgiving midterm landscape.
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon call for curbs on AI at ‘pro-human’ summit
The progressive senator Bernie Sanders and rightwing strategist Steve Bannon have called for restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) but offered competing visions for what they termed a “cold war” with China. Speaking at the “Pro-Human Assembly” in Washington on Tuesday, the ideological adversaries were united in warning of the potential dangers of AI and demanding stringent guardrails against Silicon Valley’s “oligarchs”.
Mark Kermode's Surround Sound: The Stories of Movie Music
With his decades of authoritative criticism for such publications as Sight & Sound, Time Out, The Observer, and Fangoria, his impassioned reviews with long-time colleague Simon Mayo (previously Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review on BBC Radio 5 and more latterly their joint podcast Kermode & Mayo’s Take), not to mention his many television documentaries and books along with his side hustle as founding member of skiffle band The Dodge Brothers, Mark Kermode acts as an ideal guide on this absorbing...
Trump facing AI backlash in Congress as push for guardrails intensifies
Donald Trump is facing a rare backlash from the US Congress as Democrats and some Republicans push for guardrails on the world's most powerful AI companies. Concerns over the dangerous potential of AI reached fever pitch this week after tech leaders sounded the alarm over the rapid advancement of the technology and its potential threat to humanity.
Employment & Labor Insider
On Friday, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if adopted, would eliminate the 60-day grace period currently granted to most nonimmigrant workers in H-1B, H-1B1, E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, O-1, or TN status who abruptly lose their positions. The grace period has been in place since 2017 and allows nonimmigrants who lose their jobs to look for other positions in the United States or to conclude their affairs.
‘I said, if you want to fire me, just fire me. And so he did’: my showdown with Donald Trump
Gene Folkes, 62, based in Manhattan, was a contestant on season 10 of The Apprentice, which aired in 2010. A former air force recruiter until 1991, he retrained as an investment banker, then launched his own business before appearing on the reality show. He was fired by Trump in episode 5. He now runs the technology consulting firm OshunX and hosts a podcast, Folkes Unfettered. I didn't audition to be on The Apprentice.
Trump personality cult alive and well in Dallas – will it power Republican midterm success?
“We’re going to have a good time listening to music,” Donald Trump told thousands of supporters in downtown Dallas before handing the mic to an opera singer, “because I’m getting a little bit tired of politics now.” Millions of Americans seem tired of politics after a decade dominated by Trump.
He was at his desk at the Pentagon on 9/11. As the chaos unfolded, he refused to leave
“All day I had been a good soldier: stolid, resolute, unemotional, rational, and dispassionate,” writes Matthew Klimow, recalling the wave of emotion that overwhelmed him as he arrived home from the Pentagon on 11 September 2001. There was sadness for the lives lost. But there was another emotion, too: humiliation.
‘I’m on the ticket’: Trump implores Republicans to vote in November at unusual midterm convention
With his approval rating at a historic low, Donald Trump has brought down the curtain on the Republicans’ first ever midterm convention by pleading with supporters to do him “the biggest favour” and “pretend” they are voting for him in November’s US elections. The president is facing a growing backlash over rising prices and the war in Iran. Sweeping losses for the Republican party could effectively turn Trump into a lame duck for his final two years in the White House.
Employment & Labor Insider
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Employment & Labor Insider
Discrimination lawsuits are often won or lost based on evidence of what we lawyers call “similarly situated employees,” or “comparators” for short. Whether a co-worker who was treated more leniently is a true "comparator" can mean the difference between early dismissal of the lawsuit versus a jury trial. Not similarly SITuated. (That was terrible. I'm sorry.) An example may be the easiest way for me to show what I mean.
Mistakes, Mistrust and Misdirection: 25 Years After 9/11, Its Dark Legacy Continues to Unfold
The world’s most powerful country responded to the worst terrorist attack in its history by inflicting terror of its own – around the world, and at home As clear as that cloudless September morning, Jenna Jacobs McPartland remembers the moment everything changed. “I was cleaning the bathroom and watching the Today show in the background and nine months pregnant,” the 52-year-old recalls by phone.
James Talarico accuses Ken Paxton of ‘ignoring’ Epstein survivors
James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Texas, accused his rival Ken Paxton of “ignoring” survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse, as Democrats seek to increase pressure on Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections. Speaking in Dallas, where Republicans are holding a midterm convention this week, Talarico appeared alongside one of Epstein’s victims at an exhibit that featured about 3.5m pages of Department of Justice’s files related to Epstein.
As the midterms loom, Trump returns to his happy place: on stage in the theatre of the absurd
Donald Trump speaks on stage on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention in Dallas.Photograph: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Kim Il-sung of North Korea reportedly sought transfusions of blood from young men; Mao Zedong of China believed sex with young women could prolong his life; Muammar Gaddafi underwent fat injections and hair transplantation to make himself look younger. But for Donald Trump, the secret of eternal youth lies in nights like this.
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