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It's the end of an era, as Paul Krugman walks away from his prestigious gig at the New York Times for the freedom to say exactly what he thinks on a new Substack. He leaves us with his take on the "grim place" America is in. Via Newser: After nearly a quarter century, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has decided to wrap up his opinion column in the New York Times, with a final one dropping on Tuesday—and he's using it as "a good occasion to reflect on what has changed over these past 25 years." The most drastic change, in Krugman's eyes: a move away from the optimism and high satisfaction Americans enjoyed in the late '90s and early aughts, although even back then, there were ominous signs of the domestic and financial strife to come.

Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, ignored questions on Tuesday from reporters about the revelation that Trump’s Department of Justice spied on dozens as part of a leak investigation. Patel walked down a hallway speaking to an aide as reporters peppered him with questions about the recent disclosure. Patel did not acknowledge the questions and did address concerns about the possible abuse of power. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report on Tuesday detailing actions undertaken by the DOJ in 2017 and 2018, when Trump was president.

CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked Sen. Ted Cruz about recent MAGA attacks against Sen. Joni Ernst, who heaven forbid dared to express some hesitation about allowing the nomination of Pete Hegseth to go through for Defense Secretary. Cruz refused to condemn the attacks, and instead did his best to "both sides" what's happening now, with these unqualified, dangerous zealots that Trump wants to jam through the Senate if they allow it, and how he behaved when blocking the moderates that Biden nominated for his cabinet. COLLINS: Do you think it's fair that someone should be threatened with a primary just because they're not totally committed to a nominee yet? CRUZ: Look, I think the voters are going to express their views.

Could Cats Become a Vector for Bird Flu? The New York Times

Mathematician solves the moving sofa problem Phys.org

Pastries vs. sodas: Not all added sugars pose the same heart disease risk Medical News TodaySugary sodas may be the worst when it comes to raising the risk of heart disease, study says CBS BostonAvid use of sweetened beverages increases cardiovascular disease risk, study finds UPI NewsOccasional Sweets Won’t Raise Cardiovascular Risk but Sugary Drinks Can, Study Finds HealthlineIs less sugar better for heart?