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Government shutdown: How did we get here, and what could it mean?The start of a new fiscal year is a time to hash out budget priorities. But those seeking to exert maximum leverage sometimes undermine the whole process 鈥� including their own goals.
First LookMinimum wage hike: California leads nation in fast food worker payCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law raising minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour. It applies to fast food restaurants that have at least 60 locations nationwide 鈥� but not to restaurants that make their own bread.
First LookDianne Feinstein remembered for trailblazing, bridge-building careerSen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who died this week, was a skilled debater known for her sharp comebacks and ability to find middle ground. The oldest sitting U.S. senator served two mayoral terms in San Francisco during her decades-long career.
Difference MakerChildren need to see themselves in books. Enter Young, Black & Lit.What if you went to the bookstore and saw no one on the shelves who looked like you? One couple is addressing that deficit for young Black children, supporting literacy and identity.聽
Now tanks, next missiles? Expanding military aid buoys Ukraine.ATACMS missiles can enhance Ukraine鈥檚 capabilities. But the weapons will arrive amid tension between Ukrainian resolve and the human toll of a slow counteroffensive.
Reagan and Trump loom above second GOP debateThe second GOP presidential debate, at the Reagan Library, showed how far the current field has come from Mr. Reagan鈥檚 era. Former President Trump鈥檚 persona hovered, despite his absence.
First LookPoll confirms Black perceptions of US news coverage as racistPew Research Center conducted its first-ever study of Black attitudes toward news coverage. Their findings confirmed broad concerns about negative stereotyping and lack of diversity in portraying different aspects of Black communities.
Biden impeachment probe opens 鈥� the evidence so far鈥淚 am sitting here with my father,鈥� opens one text message from Hunter Biden to a Chinese businessman. But so far, a Republican impeachment inquiry still awaits firm evidence of impropriety by Joe Biden.
No room in the dorm? California students get creative with housing.Soaring rents and overcrowded dorms are making housing a priority on many U.S. campuses. How is one state trying to ease the burden and help students feel more at home?
First LookTrump fraud verdict: What does the New York ruling mean?A judge in New York has ruled that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building his real estate empire. If appeals are unsuccessful, some of the former president鈥檚 key businesses in the state will be taken out of his control or dissolved entirely.
First LookConsumers rely on Amazon. So why did the FTC file an antitrust suit?In Washington state, Amazon is facing an antitrust lawsuit. The FTC and 17 state attorneys general are asking the court to issue a permanent injunction to prohibit Amazon from engaging in its alleged unlawful conduct and restore marketplace competition.
First LookGovernment shutdown: What does it mean, who's hit, and what's next?The government shutdown will begin Oct. 1 if Congress is unable to pass a funding plan. Federal agencies will stop all actions deemed nonessential, millions of federal employees won鈥檛 receive paychecks, and many more will be furloughed.聽
FocusIn Eagle Pass, the border crisis is complicatedResidents of Eagle Pass, Texas, live with the border crisis in ways most of the rest of the U.S. does not. They want a secure border. They also want humane treatment of migrants.
In Michigan, Biden and Trump vie to be labor鈥檚 best friendBack-to-back appearances in Michigan by President Biden and former President Trump underscore the importance of working-class voters in the Midwest.
FocusMath lovers wanted: The US needs more in order to thriveMath scores may feel distant from most people鈥檚 lives. But a U.S. math deficit raises questions about how the country plans to protect its economic competitiveness and national security.
First LookSCOTUS: Alabama districts must be redrawn to represent Black votersThe Supreme Court rejected an Alabama plea to retain a Republican-drawn congressional map, allowing聽work to proceed on new districts with greater representation for Black voters. Redistricting lawsuits are pending in several other Southern states.
First LookSafer trains: New project aims to improve railways across 35 statesThe White House will fund 70 projects across the country to improve railway safety and connectivity. One project aims to restore passenger service in parts of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi for the first time since Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
First LookFacial recognition wrongly put a Black man in jail. He wants justice.Randal Quran Reid聽is among聽several Black plaintiffs who are suing law enforcement. They claim they were wrongly arrested聽based on matches generated by facial recognition, a technology they say tends to disproportionately misidentify people of color.
First LookUS economists said unemployment would spike. Why they were wrong.Economists predicted last year that the Federal Reserve jacking up interest rates to combat inflation would result in higher unemployment rates but that hasn鈥檛 happened.聽The central bank may be on track to achieve a rare and difficult 鈥渟oft landing.鈥�
First LookSen. Menendez faces new bribery charges after gold, cash found at homeNew Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez聽was indicted, with his wife, in an alleged bribery scheme involving gold bars, hidden cash, and an Egyptian meat inspector. It comes聽nearly six years after an earlier criminal case against the Democrat ended in a mistrial.
