All USA
- First LookMaternal support: Walmart’s health care will now include doulas
Walmart’s new program, which kicks off nationwide on Nov. 1, aims to increase momentum for the use of doula services to help address racial inequities in maternal care, as well as improve the maternal and infant health of its workers and their babies.
- First LookHomecoming brings hope, community to Lahaina after Hawaii wildfire
Varsity and junior varsity football teams in Lahaina, Hawaii played their first home games since the town was destroyed in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. The return of football helped give the town a glimmer of hope amid the tragedy.
- First LookUS teenage hostage freed by Hamas ‘doing very good,’ says her father
Uri Raanan of Illinois says he spoke briefly to his daughter, Natalie Raanan, who along with her mother, Judith, was released by Hamas on Friday after being abducted in Israel and held in Gaza.
- Speaker fight: GOP has weaponized chaos – against itself
Two weeks have passed with House Republicans unable to elect a speaker, amid signs of rancor within their conference. Has an ethos of brinkmanship gone too far?
- Free speech on college campuses: Is it time for a reset?
In the wake of intense criticism surrounding statements about the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, campuses are wrestling with their role.
- Iran, tormentor of US presidents, tests Joe Biden
From the 1979 hostage crisis to support for Islamic militants, Iran has afflicted U.S. presidents. Now it’s testing President Joe Biden in the Israel-Hamas war, as well as in Ukraine.
- First LookBiden wants $105 billion for wars, humanitarian aid. Can he get it?
Congressional chaos and opposition will be a hurdle for President Joe Biden as he pushes for $105 billion in funding for Israel, Ukraine, border security, humanitarian assistance, and countering China.
- First LookPandemic relief funds kept child care programs afloat. What now?
After two years of receiving federal subsidies, 220,000 child care programs across the country lost funding. The funding that expired in October stabilized the industry during the pandemic but now millions of children and families lack support they need.
- First LookTrump lawyer pleads guilty in 2020 election case. What about others?
In a “significant win” for the district attorney prosecuting Donald Trump’s fraudulent election claims, lawyer Sidney Powell pleads guilty to six misdemeanors. She will serve probation, pay a fine, and must write an apology letter to Georgians.
- Speaker election falters. Should an interim post become Plan B?
The fact that discussion has turned to the idea of an interim speaker of the House speaks to the remarkable place this Congress now finds itself in – with no real precedent and no clear guidelines.
- Navy presence signals US bid to contain Israel-Gaza conflict
For the Biden administration, a key goal is to project U.S. strength and resolve – including military readiness – as a deterrence to any widening of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
- How far do parental rights go? A California case offers clues.
A lawsuit against a California school district over a requirement to alert parents if a student identifies as a different gender highlights a lack of trust between some educators and families.
- Cover StoryHow two women transformed learning in rural China
Once word got out about classrooms in caves, determination and global generosity transformed education in one corner of China.
- GOP fails to elect a speaker. This time it’s not due to hard-liners.
In a show of backbone that surprised many, moderate Republicans declined to coalesce behind hard-liner Jim Jordan, so as not to reward tactics that brought on the chaos of the past few weeks.
- The ExplainerRules of war: What are they? Will they matter in Israel-Gaza conflict?
Nations have long agreed on humanitarian principles for safeguarding civilian lives in conflict zones. The challenge is to ensure those norms are followed.
- FocusWhy math disabilities need more attention
Disabilities in reading are identified and supported early on. But students who struggle in math don’t get the same attention.
- First LookMuslim boy killed in Chicago hate crime remembered as playful and kind
Wadea Al-Fayoume died after being stabbed in an alleged hate crime following the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. He had just turned 6. The brutal act by his family’s landlord in a Chicago suburb drew condemnation from local officials and the White House.
- First LookAs companies bury power lines, consumers dig in against high rates
The CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric says the company has a “moral obligation” to prevent wildfire risk after their equipment sparked blazes in the past. The company wants to bury power lines, but California regulators balk at the price and lengthy process.
- First LookPresident Biden heads to Middle East to spur humanitarian aid
President Biden is traveling Tuesday to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before meeting with other Middle East leaders. The U.S. has stationed a carrier strike group in the Mediterranean as a show of force, and another is on its way.
- First LookMigrant influx strains ‘right-to-shelter’ system in Massachusetts, NYC
Both New York City and Massachusetts have “right-to-shelter” provisions. But with an influx of migrants arriving to the U.S., both are scrambling to find alternatives as their housing systems reach capacity.