New York Times

1. Pam Bondi Wanted a Graceful Exit. But Trump Wanted Her Gone.

   Pam Bondi had a feeling her days as attorney general were numbered. But she didn’t expect President Trump to drop the curtain quite so soon.

2. Who Is Todd Blanche, Trump’s Acting Attorney General?

   While it remains unclear how long Todd Blanche will stay in the job, whoever ends up taking over permanently will lead a department that he has shaped in his own image.

3. Rival Nations Seize On Choke Points to Counter Trump

   From Iran to China, President Trump’s global aggression has encouraged other countries to search for new ways to pressure the U.S. economy.

4. In Syria, Kidnappings of Women and Girls Fuel a Minority Group’s Fears

   A Times investigation found that abductions of women and girls from Syria’s Alawite minority were more common, and more brutal, than the government has acknowledged.

5. The Awe of a Moon Launch in an Age of Trump, Turmoil and Tribal Divisions

   The launch of Artemis II captured the tenor of the times in a country that can still do big things but seems forever mired in big problems.