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Articles by Noel King
Republicans are coming for your blue M&Ms Original
If you were anything like me as a kid, trick-or-treating meant one, maybe two, pillowcases full of candy every Halloween. And as fun as collecting all that candy could be, the real fun began when I got home and dumped my winnings onto my bedroom floor. That’s when the sorting began. I had some very specific rules: The usual suspects — think Smarties, Tootsie Rolls, and Dum Dums — went into one pile. Fun-size chocolates, like Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Baby Ruths, went into another.
The problem with the US surrogacy system
For some couples, surrogacy is a miracle: an opportunity to have a child even if they’re unable to conceive one naturally. But it’s also big business. Not only is surrogacy expensive — think six figures — but it’s also largely unregulated. And that last part is becoming a bigger problem.
Why the right turned on Indian Americans Original
In early October, Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor of Ohio, went for a classic “politician on the stump” move: He picked up a kid. Or at least he tried to. Ramaswamy fumbled the boy a bit, producing a clip that quickly went viral on social media. The next day, Ramaswamy posted a picture of himself with his son in his arms on social media. It was a cute retort. But many of the responses were ugly — racist attacks against Ramaswamy that drew on anti-Indian stereotypes.
Why the right turned on Indian Americans
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The moon is in Scorpio. Tread carefully today because it’s easy to get into an …
The “grim” state of free speech in the US Original
On his first day back in office in January 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order “restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship.” More than a year and a half later, his administration is instead busy using government power to go after speech it dislikes.
The “grim” state of free speech in the US
1 hour ago Facing 19 months in prison, Deniz Goktas says in an interview that he made his bold statement as a way to show what an artist could endure. Right before the standup comic Deniz Goktas poked fun at the president in a special, he warned the crowd he was about to say something unpleasant, cleared his …
Who are the violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank? Original
In the weeks and months following Hamas’s brutal October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza that followed, the world’s attention turned away from the West Bank. Over the past three years, however, the situation in the Israel-occupied territory has worsened as Israeli settlers have carried out more violent attacks on Palestinians.
How did the Cornell rape case go so wrong? Original
In October 2024, students at Cornell University received a campus crime alert about a reported sexual assault. At the time, it was just a campus story. Nearly two years later, on September 16, the victim, known only as “Jane Doe,” filed a civil lawsuit that brought national attention to her story. People across the country are asking what happened and why criminal charges never followed. Doe alleges that seven men drugged and sexually assaulted her at the Chi Phi fraternity house two years ago.
The Cornell case, explained Original
“In what world,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul asked on Friday, “would the police learn from a victim that she’d been literally gang raped while she was intoxicated by five men in a fraternity house and not elevate those allegations to the district attorney?” Hochul was speaking about the case of a former Cornell student who said she was raped by several members of the university’s Chi Phi fraternity in 2024. At the time, the district attorney filed no criminal charges.
Why diesel prices are an economic time bomb
Everyone knows how much gasoline prices matter. The recent spike in gas prices triggered by the war with Iran has fueled deep pessimism about the economy and weighed heavily on President Donald Trump’s approval ratings. But diesel fuel — the lifeblood of shipping, agriculture, and heavy industry — usually flies under the radar. Its price has surged too, and while truckers and farmers are feeling the initial blow, the rest of the country won’t be far behind.
The online “burnerverse” trying to ruin young women’s lives Original
Maddie Kowalski is a student at the University of Florida. Last November, someone found nonconsensual intimate images and videos of her, stitched them together, and uploaded them to X, where they were viewed millions of times. “Can you imagine?” asked Ej Dickson, a senior culture writer at Wired who reported on Kowalski’s story earlier this month.
The online “burnerverse” trying to ruin young women’s lives
“We’re both addicts, and we kind of fell in love with each other because of that” – Diana Taurasi on the mindset that bonded her with Kobe Bryant Taurasi opens up on her shared obsession with Kobe. Add Basketball Network as a preferred Google sourceUse your Google account to add this to your …
An Israeli documentary about Gaza is sweeping the world – and Israelis are furious Original
At the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, the documentary NAZA received a 25-minute standing ovation. In Israel, it’s all anyone’s talking about, even though few have actually seen it. Made by two Israeli filmmakers, Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham, the movie takes place on the rooftops of Tel Aviv, where 24 anonymous Israeli intelligence agents and soldiers discuss things that they did in Gaza and how they did them.
An Israeli documentary about Gaza is sweeping the world — and Israelis are furious
Opinion & Analysis Now Why Israel Fears This Searing New Documentary The New York Times - Michelle Goldberg • 5m Israel is treating the new documentary “NAZA,” by the Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, less like bad publicity than a national security crisis.
The Republican Party is all-in on Islamophobia
Anti-Muslim messaging has been on the rise among Republican elected officials for a while, and last week it took center stage at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, where speakers warned that leftists and “Islamists” were joining forces. “We are witnessing a new and dangerous red-green alliance. Communists and Islamists coming together and sweeping over the Democrat Party,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) told attendees. “They are united because they share the same enemies. They hate Christians.
The cost of youth sports is out of control Original
In the last decade, the cost of youth sports has skyrocketed. Cheaper, more local rec leagues have lost out premium travel leagues funded by private equity. The Covid-19 pandemic made things worse. As a result, some families are now paying thousands of dollars to keep their kid in a sport that they love. Caitlin Moscatello wrote about the phenomenon last month for New York magazine.
Why Iowa is a state to watch in the midterms Original
Can a love-thy-neighbor, stop-the-division campaign win over masses of rural voters? Rob Sand, the Democratic candidate for governor in Iowa, has his hopes pinned on it. Key to Sand’s campaign is a promise to end the red-blue warfare in politics.
Data centers are bringing Americans together
The data center backlash has entered the midterms conversation. Politicians from across the spectrum have changed their minds — or at least their policy positions — about data centers in the past few months as public resistance to their construction has skyrocketed. A major example is Texas, where just about one year ago, Republican Gov.
Data centers are bringing Americans together
The data center backlash has entered the midterms conversation. Politicians from across the spectrum have changed their minds — or at least their policy positions — about data centers in the past few months as public resistance to their construction has skyrocketed. A major example is Texas, where just about one year ago, Republican Gov.
A sad country song about Texas could become the biggest hit ever
If you haven’t yet heard about how a certain fella is choosin’ a woman from Texas over Ella Langley, it’s only a matter of time. Langley’s massive hit, “Choosin’ Texas,” began dominating the Billboard Hot 100 charts a few months ago — and never looked back. It’s still sitting at No. 1 after 19 weeks, tied for the longest time spent atop the charts among non-holiday songs.
How Obamacare changed healthcare
Health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act is plummeting. Nearly 3 million fewer Americans now have insurance through the program, popularly known as Obamacare, compared to last year, according to federal data released in June. After congressional Republicans allowed enhanced subsidies for the program to expire in January, many Americans saw their health insurance premiums spike by an average of about 30 percent.
How Obamacare changed healthcare
Health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act is plummeting. Nearly 3 million fewer Americans now have insurance through the program, popularly known as Obamacare, compared to last year, according to federal data released in June. After congressional Republicans allowed enhanced subsidies for the program to expire in January, many Americans saw their health insurance premiums spike by an average of about 30 percent.
Is Reddit still for humans?
The internet kind of sucks right now. And it’s been getting harder and harder to use over the past several years. Imagine you’re training for a marathon, or just trying to get in better shape, and you want to buy a new pair of shoes. Well, good luck! You’re going to have to wade through sponsored links, affiliate marketing, AI summaries, and websites seemingly engineered for search engines instead of human shoppers.
Sophie Cunningham and the WNBA culture wars
On the court, the WNBA is thriving. After 30 years, its players are receiving a historic payout, along with a massive TV distribution deal that will mean more games, and hopefully even more fans. But off the court, all that attention has some downsides. Most recently, it means that the culture war has come for the WNBA. Specifically, the league has found itself at the center of a debate over transgender athletes and women’s sports, one that Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham ignited last month.
How an AIPAC endorsement became a liability
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee — better known by its short name, AIPAC — bills itself as a bipartisan advocate “for policies that strengthen the US-Israel partnership.” In 2026, it’s become something else: a major — and seemingly, losing — issue in Democratic politics.
How Ukraine is holding its own against Russia — and changing warfare as we know it Original
When the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted into full-scale war in 2022, things looked grim for Ukraine. Its capital, Kyiv, was under threat almost immediately, and there were questions about how long the smaller country could hold out, even with US support. More than four years later, however, the dynamic is changing. US military support has waned, but not only has Ukraine held its own in years of grinding, attritional fighting, it increasingly has Russia on the defensive.
The doomsday threat we’re ignoring Original
Of all the extinction-level threats vying for our attention, AI, climate change, and nuclear war tend to get most of the airplay. But Annie Jacobsen thinks biological war should be near the top of our mental list of doomsday scenarios, too. She should know — Jacobsen has carved out a unique niche as America’s foremost reporter on the ways we could end the world. Her bestselling 2024 book Nuclear War: A Scenario terrified readers and experts alike, and has been optioned by Hollywood.
Trump’s imaginary Red Scare
Democratic socialists keep winning primary elections, and Democratic voters are trending in the same direction: Recent polling suggests that a third of Democrats and Democratic-leaning adults now identify as democratic socialists. Most recently, Abdul El-Sayed, who does not identify as a democratic socialist but was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and supports policies like Medicare-for-all, won a fiercely fought Democratic Senate primary in Michigan.
Maybe your stingy boomer parents should give you their money now Original
Over the next 20 years the United States will see a massive transfer of wealth as boomers leave trillions of dollars to their children as they pass away. A contingent of those children are asking, “What if we got that money, now?” Millennials and Gen Z want to be able to take advantage of the money they stand to inherit before their parents pass away. While a majority of parents actually do help their kids, many with the means are surprisingly reluctant.
Why Trump is at war with the International Criminal Court Original
The International Criminal Court is in the trenches right now. Last week, its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was voted out of his position. In a first-of-its-kind vote, 82 member states decided that he engaged in misconduct and a serious breach of duty. The vote comes after he was accused of sexual misconduct by a female colleague at the ICC, which Khan has denied. It’s a mess, and it’s hitting the ICC at an inopportune time.
The rise of the “loneliness influencer”
There's a new kind of influencer making the rounds on TikTok and Instagram: the loneliness influencer. Most of these influencers are young women, and "loneliness" might be a slight misnomer. They claim they aren't lonely, simply alone — no friends, no family, no kids. And they prefer it that way. "I really wanted to convey a normal life of somebody that doesn't have this big, great, fun social life," one influencer, Lana Isa, told Vox.
The rise of the “loneliness influencer”
There’s a new kind of influencer making the rounds on TikTok and Instagram: the loneliness influencer. Most of these influencers are young women, and “loneliness” might be a slight misnomer. They claim they aren’t lonely, simply alone — no friends, no family, no kids. And they prefer it that way. “I really wanted to convey a normal life of somebody that doesn’t have this big, great, fun social life,” one influencer, Lana Isa, told Vox.
Democratic socialists have big plans for 2028 Original
The Democratic Socialists of America have notched some impressive primary wins over the past couple of weeks. In New York, two DSA members beat Democratic establishment candidates — including the sitting chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — in House primaries. In Colorado, Melat Kiros beat out a 30-year incumbent in another House primary.
How Trump’s son-in-law sparked a revolt in Albania Original
The Trump family has had Albanians up in arms for over a month now, as anger over a luxury real estate development has grown into a protest movement against government corruption and what they see as a political system that protects the corrupt over its citizens. Many observers describe the demonstrations as Albania’s largest civic protests since the fall of communism in the early 1990s.
How Trump’s son-in-law sparked a revolt in Albania
3:44 3 days ago Albania: Protests against Zvernec tourism project continue in Albania's capital. StringersHub • 3d SHOTLIST: TIRANA, ALBANIA (JULY 3, 2026) 1. VARIOUS OF PROTESTORS HOLDING BANNERS AND FLAGS, CHANTING SLOGANS AGAINST ZVERNEC TOURISM PROJECT IN TIRANA 2. PROTESTER SOKOL OSMANI, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (Albanian) 3. PROTESTORS HOLDING BANNERS AMD FLAGS 4. ANOTHER PROTESTOR, RUSTEM LACI SPEAKING TO REPORTER (Albanian) 5.
The solution to America’s 250th birthday mess? Party like it’s 1976. Original
America’s 250th anniversary has arrived, and, at a national level, the narrative is set: Presdient Donald Trump has made the semi-quincentennial into his personal party. The White House has rolled out a series of headline-grabbing events, from a UFC fight on the South Lawn to a failed concert series eventually replaced with — what else? — a full-fledged Trump rally.
Will this 13-year-old girl be the next dictator of North Korea? Original
In the last few years, there has been a notable shift in the state propaganda coming out of North Korea. A young girl — maybe 13 or so — has become a fixture at most major state events. Before an intercontinental ballistic missile launch, she can be seen side by side with her father, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, inspecting that missile.
How the Antichrist infiltrated politics Original
The Antichrist is back in American political discourse. After President Donald Trump posted an AI photo of himself depicted as Jesus on Truth Social, many of his Christian followers were up in arms. Trump later claimed that he was supposed to be a doctor in the photo, but the damage was already done. Prominent far-right advocates like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, and Nick Fuentes began wondering if Trump was the Antichrist.
Why so many “millennial” brands are dying Original
It was the sale heard around the millennial world: Eco-conscious Everlane was being acquired by fast-fashion kingpin Shein. After a few tumultuous years, Everlane, an apparel brand loved largely by millennials looking for sustainable basics, reportedly went for the price of $100 million. When news broke last month, segments of the internet were up in arms. How could a brand built on radical transparency and ethical manufacturing fall so hard?
Trump’s pitch to voters: “I love the inflation”
President Donald Trump has spent years testing the boundaries of what politicians can say publicly. During his first presidential campaign, he famously said that he could “stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” without losing supporters. It was an exaggeration. But captured something real about Trump’s political appeal — his willingness to say things publicly that most politicians wouldn’t dare.
Putin’s plan to live forever
Miles Bryan, Noel King Tue, June 16, 2026 at 11:15 AM UTC 7 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Russian President Vladimir Putin walks through the Kremlin in Moscow on June 3, 2026. | Ramil Sitdikov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images "Longevity" — a buzzy catchall for the quest for a longer life — is having a moment. Tech titans like Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are spending billions to fund research into how to slow aging.
Putin’s plan to live forever
“Longevity” — a buzzy catchall for the quest for a longer life — is having a moment. Tech titans like Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are spending billions to fund research into how to slow aging. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Hailey Bieber are touting peptide use. And the world’s most powerful authoritarian leaders are jumping on the bandwagon too.
Putin’s plan to live forever
Miles Bryan, Noel King Tue, June 16, 2026 at 11:15 AM UTC 7 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Russian President Vladimir Putin walks through the Kremlin in Moscow on June 3, 2026. | Ramil Sitdikov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images "Longevity" — a buzzy catchall for the quest for a longer life — is having a moment. Tech titans like Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos are spending billions to fund research into how to slow aging.
Can Graham Platner win? Original
Last fall, Graham Platner — an oysterman running for the Democratic nomination for US Senate in Maine — landed in hot water, when some of his old Reddit posts, showing him blaming victims of sexual assault and calling himself a communist, surfaced. Then, there was a story about the Nazi imagery tattooed on his chest. He had the tattoo covered up. Platner emerged from those scandals relatively unscathed by admitting to his checkered past and saying that he had changed.
Will Trump ruin America’s birthday? Original
President Donald Trump has big plans for America’s 250th birthday celebration, which gets underway this month. Some are anodyne: a state fair on the National Mall, for example, and what will reportedly be a record-breaking fireworks display. Others, though, are focused a little bit more on Trump than America: There will also be a UFC cage match on the South Lawn of the White House (on the president’s birthday), and a planned “Freedom 250” concert has already morphed into a full-blown Trump rally.
Why the US doesn’t want American Ebola patients to return home Original
As global concern about an Ebola outbreak in central Africa grows, hundreds of Kenyans have taken to the streets to protest a plan by the Trump administration to send American citizens who have been exposed to the virus to Kenya, rather than bringing them back to the US. Two people have been shot and killed during the protests. The outbreak started in the Democratic Republic of Congo last month and has since spread to Uganda.
Why the US doesn’t want American Ebola patients to return home
Why the US doesn’t want American Ebola patients to return home Trump’s Ebola plan is sparking protests in Kenya. As global concern about an Ebola outbreak in central Africa grows, hundreds of Kenyans have taken to the streets to protest a plan by the Trump administration to send American citizens who have been exposed to the virus to Kenya, rather than bringing …
The fall of Ben Shapiro Original
Just a few years ago, Ben Shapiro was the defining voice of right-wing media. His podcast sat near the top of the charts. Posts from the Daily Wire, his media company, routinely dominated the competition on Facebook. His team was even coming for Hollywood, putting out “anti-woke” comedies and an epic fantasy series that cost millions per episode. All that feels like a distant memory now.
The fall of Ben Shapiro
Antisemitism ate the MAGA media star. Just a few years ago, Ben Shapiro was the defining voice of right-wing media. His podcast sat near the top of the charts. Posts from the Daily Wire, his media company, routinely dominated the competition on Facebook. His team was even coming for Hollywood, …
A death doula’s advice on thinking about mortality Original
Death doulas, also called end-of-life doulas, wear many hats. In helping patients and their families prepare for a peaceful end of life, they can offer solace and companionship, handle logistics, mediate with medical staff, and more. As my colleague Anna North reported recently, public interest in the job is growing.
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