All USA
- Education secretary: America’s higher education system is ‘broken’
Between falling test scores in K-12 and rising debt for college students, the challenges facing the U.S. education system this school year are profound.
- First LookMcCarthy launches formal Biden impeachment inquiry
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the launch of an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden over his family’s business dealings.
- First LookAfter two-week manhunt, escaped inmate Danelo Cavalcante captured
Danelo Cavalcante was apprehended by state police two weeks after escaping from the Chester County jail in Pennsylvania. Mr. Cavalcante had broken out while awaiting transfer to a state prison to serve a life sentence for killing an ex-girlfriend in 2021.
- Speaker McCarthy, in tough spot, starts Biden impeachment inquiry
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announced impeachment inquiry into President Biden is widely seen as an effort to placate the right wing. But it could complicate budget negotiations as the government is set to run out of money on Sept. 30.
- Did government overstep on COVID ‘misinfo’? Courts weigh in.
A Sept. 8 ruling in Missouri v. Biden enjoins certain federal officials from pressuring social media platforms to take down protected free speech.
- First LookCash bail: Illinois to end ‘price tags on people’s freedom’
Illinois will be the first state to eliminate cash bail as a condition of pretrial release on Sept. 18. Critics of cash bail argue that the system disproportionately and unfairly affects Black people and other communities of color.
- The ‘science of reading’ swept reforms into US schools. How about math?
While the “science of reading” movement has taken off, a comparable approach for math is still in its infancy.
- At G20, Biden promotes US leadership, but faces its limits
Even without the Russian or Chinese leaders’ presence at the G20 summit, their influence created challenges for President Biden, who drew on creative diplomacy to assert U.S. global leadership.
- First LookMcCarthy seeks Biden impeachment as government shutdown looms
Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy needs to steer the House to fund the government and avoid a shutdown when the House returns from summer recess this week. Mr. McCarthy is also trying to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
- First LookFor New York's migrant families, a new school year brings worry, hope
New York City, like other major U.S. cities, is dealing with housing thousands of asylum-seekers amid surging border crossings from Mexico. Despite the strain, New York’s schools confirm their readiness for the increasing influx of students.
- First LookAfter wildfires, Maui now needs tourists: ‘We’re in crisis mode’
Businesses in Maui are asking tourists to return to help bolster the economy in the wake of last month’s wildfires that devastated the town of Lahaina. Nearly 8,000 people filed for unemployment in the last three weeks of August.
- First LookGOP senator blocks 300 top military promotions over abortion policy
Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville is blocking the Senate from approving more than 300 military promotions in protest of the Pentagon’s policy to reimburse service members who travel out of state to get an abortion. Top military officials voice concern.
- First LookU.S. presidential centers call for civility, diversity of thought
Thirteen presidential centers have issued a joint statement warning of the effects of polarization on democracy. It is the first time the libraries have made a public, bipartisan declaration emphasizing the need for compassion, tolerance, and pluralism.
- Trump’s Georgia case: Large cast of characters portends complex trial
The Georgia case against Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants, all of whom have pleaded not guilty, is massive and complex. Each individual’s legal strategy has the potential to impact the rest.
- The ExplainerCan Trump be disqualified? The debate over the 14th Amendment.
Lawsuits have been filed in several states arguing that Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election disqualify him from being president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.
- First LookRural police forces are closing. We don't need them, residents say.
Staffing difficulties continue to challenge small-town police departments. A combination of factors, from police criticism to the pandemic to low salaries, are among the reasons why more police are leaving forces.
- First LookMaui fires: TV and phone companies share responsibility, say lawyers
Lawyers for residents and business owners of Lahaina, Hawaii told a court that cable TV and telephone companies share in responsibility for last month’s fires. Power poles were overloaded with cables, they alleged, which caused them to break in high winds.
- Hometown help: What one author discovered about racial equity in schools
Do efforts to racially integrate cities help schools with equity as well? In “Dream Town,” reporter Laura Meckler examines her Ohio hometown’s tenacious push to help students.
- First LookJan. 6 sentencing: Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio gets 22 years
Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for orchestrating a failed plot to keep Donald Trump in power. Mr. Tarrio’s sentence is the longest so far among more than 1,100 Capitol riot cases.
- Age and politics: Americans test boundaries
Biden, McConnell, Feinstein, Trump: The number of top politicians in the United States who are of advanced age is leading to scrutiny over the role that age should play in political life.