The EU approves a new group of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. / The Moscow Times

Putin is reportedly unfazed by Trump's threats of tougher sanctions. / Reuters

A map shows cities and ZIP Codes where Republicans’ cuts to NPR and PBS threaten stations. / The New York Times [$]

Trump pivots on the Epstein case and asks Bondi to seek the release of grand jury testimony. / USA Today

“May every day be another wonderful secret.” Excerpts from a bawdy letter written to Epstein by Trump. / The Wall Street Journal [$]

Even as shareholders of large US companies overwhelmingly back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, companies are rebranding them (for fear of Trump). / Semafor, NBC

CBS cancels Stephen Colbert’s show—possibly as a political move to appease its parent company (for fear of Trump). / Politico

Philip Bump: What Trump wants, quite explicitly, is for there to be no authority in America but his own. / The Washington Post [$]

Cate Hall: People will believe whatever allows them to be the hero of their own story. / Useful Fictions

The British government decides 16- and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next general election. / Politico

“You’re a colonizer not a fucking ‘expat.’” Residents of Mexico City are up in arms over “digital nomads” pricing out locals. / The Guardian

A moving account of a Japanese student’s “social experiment:” hitchhiking across China. / Beijing Scroll

A surprising new study suggests most of the planet’s warming this century is due to reductions in air pollution. / NewScientist

An $18 billion valuation for artificial intelligence firm Perplexity intensifies fears of an AI bubble. / Semafor

Peter Thiel: If the consulting business was a stock, I’d be shorting it right now. / The Free Press

Unrelated: Restaurants, gyms, and other businesses use an app to offer meals and services to fashion models for free. / The Wall Street Journal [$]

This year marks the first time more US college students are learning entirely online compared to being fully in-person. / NPR

People are taking “reading retreats” for vacation. / Elle

Photographs of two immense icebergs paying a visit to a small village in Greenland. / Colossal

Since 2019, Iceland has been reducing the 40-hour work week to 36 hours. One woman’s report from November: “There is a lightness and a sense of freedom.”/ The Guardian

And now a brief chat with a new supporter, Mark D.!

Mark, hello! Thank you so much for supporting—it’s thanks to readers like you that we’re able to keep this going. How lovely to hear from you both, and a personal note these days is especially treasured. Thank you also for TMN.

How long have you been reading TMN? I've been an on and off reader for what feels like a lifetime. As trusted and well-curated news becomes harder and harder to find, you are now my go-to click, even before my once-beloved BBC!

In the members area, unlocked links from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post ↓