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First LookWalk or wait: US ruling calls for more audio pedestrian signalsA U.S. federal judge has ruled that Chicago’s lack of audible traffic signals for blind pedestrians violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ruling may inspire other cities as well to improve their roads’ accessibility.
First Look‘We did this’: Proud Boys found guilty in Jan. 6 insurrection trialEnrique Tarrio, former leader of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys, has been charged with seditious conspiracy for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Four other members of the group have also been convicted.
First LookAhead of 2024, DeSantis takes aim at diversity, pronoun mandatesFlorida Republicans passed bills that ban diversity programs and prohibit schools’ enforcement of pronouns not corresponding to biological sex. Gov. Ron DeSantis will sign the bills into law as part of his agenda for his potential White House run.
Disney versus DeSantis: Does free speech cover corporate privileges?The ability to criticize the government without retaliation lies at the heart of the First Amendment. What happens when it’s a corporation doing the criticizing?
First LookAs schools push math and reading, history and civics scores declineEighth grade students in the United States are scoring lower in history and civics, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Schools have focused more on reading and math post-pandemic, but that has resulted in lower scores elsewhere.
First LookVermont first state to cover nonresidents under assisted suicide lawVermont has become the first state to allow nonresidents to take advantage of its law allowing medically assisted suicide. Nine other states allow the practice for their residents. Critics say these laws need better safeguards to protect the vulnerable.
First LookDemocrats turn up heat in Supreme Court ethics probe, hearings beginAmid reports of Justice Clarence Thomas participating in luxury vacations with a top GOP donor, Senate Democrats are aiming to strengthen ethics rules for the Supreme Court. Republicans say this is merely an effort to destroy the reputation of Mr. Thomas.
Sudan fighting commands attention. Can US correct its course?To ease its pivot to Asia, the U.S. outsourced diplomacy in Sudan. Now, faced with the threat of worsening violence and instability, it must reassess its priorities. Can it achieve both peace and democracy for the Sudanese people?
Between Trump and DeSantis, Nikki Haley sees an openingThe former South Carolina governor could be uniquely positioned to unite the GOP’s warring factions. All she needs is for the frontrunners to fail.
Won’t you be my neighbor? How porch culture fights loneliness.American front porches signified community and openness, but increasingly people are suspicious when strangers approach their door. Meet the people trying to keep neighborliness alive.
First LookMouse divided: Disney, DeSantis continue to duke it out in courtDisney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are continuing their fraught legal battle. Disney World’s governing board, made up of Mr. DeSantis’ appointees, is now suing the entertainment group for unlawfully delegating governmental authority to a private entity.
First LookHow is Biden’s quick asylum screening plan different from Trump’s?The Biden administration is implementing a new system for fast-track asylum screenings at the border, with interviews conducted by immigration officials and access to legal counsel. Critics doubt its effectiveness after issues under Donald Trump’s system.
First Look‘No time to waste’: Yellen, experts urge Congress to act on debt limitTreasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress that the United States could default on its debt much sooner than expected if legislators don’t change course soon. Waiting “until the last minute ... can cause serious harm,” she said.
Why is it so hard to transfer community college credits?How can better aligning course offerings among schools help community college transfer students complete four-year degrees?
First Look'Coloradoans deserve to be safe': Gov. Polis signs gun control billsFive months after a mass shooting in an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Denver, Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis signed four bills aiming to restrict gun access. Opponents are suing over these bills, labeling them as encroachments on Second Amendment rights.
First LookCan Americans trust the news? Confidence is slipping, poll finds.Nearly three-quarters of Americans say the news media is increasing political polarization. Only a slim majority say they have some degree of confidence in the media’s ability to report the news fairly.
First LookBiden's latest immigration plan: US foreign processing centersThe Biden administration’s new immigration plan expects a post-pandemic surge of immigration from Central and South America. The plan will increase foreign migration centers, lift the number of refugees admitted, and more swiftly process asylum-seekers.
Wrong door, wrong driveway: How US got to shoot first, ask laterA series of high-profile shootings for seemingly mundane things – ringing the wrong doorbell, turning into the wrong driveway – reveals an on-edge society. This does not take place in a vacuum.
First LookMcCarthy defies expectations as debt bill passes. Now, the hard part.House Republicans have narrowly passed a sweeping $1.5 trillion debt ceiling package as they try to push President Joe Biden into negotiations on federal spending. Mr. Biden has threatened to veto the bill over the attached budget limits.
First LookMilitary leak case highlights security risks within US armed forcesProsecutors claim that Jack Teixeira, the guardsman accused of leaking classified documents, kept an arsenal of weapons and made violent remarks on social media. The Air Force has suspended the commander and the administrative commander of his squadron.
