Washington desk

Filed from the Washington desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Finance · 17 October 2026

Budget Bites Back: $2 Trillion Deficit Gives Trump’s Wallet a Sore Spot

Helen Pell, Washington desk

The U.S. deficit is edging toward $2 trillion as higher interest rates raise borrowing costs, while spending on the Iran war and tariff refunds undercut the Trump administration’s cost‑cutting claims.

Entertainment · 17 October 2026

Chase Infiniti’s ‘The Julia Set’ Gets a Sony Upgrade After Its TIFF Debut – Math Meets Movie Magic

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

Sony Pictures Classics has snapped up U.S. and key international rights to Niki Byrne’s debut feature ‘The Julia Set,’ which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film stars Chase Infiniti as a…

Politics · 17 October 2026

Katie Zacharia’s 5‑Day Legal Lie Triggers Trump’s ‘Reconsider’ Order

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Press secretary Katie Zacharia lasted only five days after her first briefing exposed false lawyer claims and President Trump urged her to ‘reconsider’ her role, leading to her dismissal.

Business · 17 October 2026

Robust Earnings, Robust Fed, and a Briefing So Robust It Echoes Four Times

Helen Pell, Washington desk

A dry‑market parody where corporate earnings, the Federal Reserve and a press briefing all over‑use the word “robust,” leaving investors wondering if anyone ever said anything else.

Business · 17 October 2026

Robust, Robust, Robust, Robust: The Fed, Wall Street Earnings, and a Briefing That Couldn’t Stop Saying the Same Word

Helen Pell, Washington desk

A tongue‑in‑cheek look at how a Fed briefing that peppered ‘robust’ four times has inspired a chorus of equally over‑enthusiastic earnings releases, masking the market’s quieter tremors.

Technology · 17 October 2026

Microsoft’s $5,900 Surface Laptop Ultra: A MacBook‑lookalike That Gives Up the Battery Before You Finish Your First Game

Rita Knox, Washington desk

The Surface Laptop Ultra copies the MacBook Pro’s look and promises dev, AI and gaming power, but reviewers note its battery life is short and the price makes it a tough sell.

Finance · 16 October 2026

Fed Chair Warsh Says No Rate Hike This Month—Inflation Still Holds the Mic

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh indicated the central bank will not raise borrowing rates this month, yet persistent inflation could still force action.

Science · 16 October 2026

Barn Owl Bachelorette Party Takes Over Upper West Side Water Tower

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

A rare family of barn owls has taken up residence in a water tower on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, turning the neighborhood into a feathered frenzy.

Entertainment · 16 October 2026

Fandango’s Bad Girls Club Revival: From Ticket Booth to Drama Booth

Candy Voss, Washington desk

Fandango, now part of Versant Media and operating as a free, ad‑supported streamer, is launching its first original series by reviving Oxygen’s reality hit “Bad Girls Club.” The new reunion, titled “Bad Girls C…