Wildfires may be responsible for raising local deaths by about 67 percent in a given month, a new study has found. Scientists linked 82 “excess deaths” to the devastating blazes that struck Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023 — or two-thirds more fatalities than they would have otherwise expected for that month, per the study, published...
A federal judge Thursday night ordered a halt to work at "Alligator Alcatraz" and banned the federal government from sending any new detainees to the immigrant detention facility that Florida erected to help President Trump.
In Focus delivers deeper reporting on the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s unorthodox tenure as health and human […]
A federal appeals court upheld an Oklahoma law banning gender-affirming care for minors Wednesday in a ruling hinging on a June Supreme Court decision to uphold a similar law in Tennessee. Oklahoma’s Senate Bill 613, passed by the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) in 2023, makes it a felony for...
President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order tightening control of the federal grant funding process, requiring political appointees to sign off on each grant. The order directs each agency head to designate a senior appointee who will be responsible for creating a process to review grant opportunity announcements and to ensure any grants awarded...
President Trump sought to celebrate his new tariff regime and reassure the public about his economic stewardship on Thursday as a trade agenda upending the GOP and the global economic order came into place. Trump said the tariffs would raise billions for the U.S. Treasury, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argued that foreign producers and...
President Trump is eyeing a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week as he pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine, a potential face-to-face meeting that carries huge risks and possible rewards for the White House. Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Putin in recent months as Russia pounds...
The refurbishment of a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery will cost around $10 million over roughly a two-year period, according to an Army official. The monument, which was taken down two years ago, will have a new base and panels that would share historical context, an Army official, speaking on condition of anonymity amid...
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accepted a vote by a federal immunization panel to recommend the influenza vaccine for children, pregnant women and all adults earlier this year. In June, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unanimously voted to recommend the...
President Trump on Thursday said Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to meet with him, adding that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine. Trump also told reporters in the Oval Office that Putin doesn’t have to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in order for him to meet...
One of the Texas Democrats who fled her state over a GOP plan to draw new state House district lines said rhetoric from the right is putting a “dangerous target” on state lawmakers’ backs. “I'm terrified at the rhetoric coming from both my colleagues, the governor, the attorney general and the president. It’s putting a...
An Ohio river's water level was raised last weekend to allow for "safe navigation" of Vice President Vance's security team while his family was on a kayaking trip, federal agencies said Thursday. Vance’s Secret Service team asked for a higher level on the Little Miami River for a boating trip, The Guardian reported Wednesday. The Army...
A woman accused of impersonating a licensed nurse and treating thousands of patients at a Florida hospital was arrested by sheriff's deputies this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday the Israeli military intends to take over the war-torn Gaza Strip, arguing it was necessary to do so for his country's security. The Israeli leader, in an interview with Fox News, said the takeover of Gaza is intended to “assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population...
One of the Texas Democratic lawmakers who fled the state amid the GOP’s push to pass friendlier House maps condemned the use of the FBI to track them down. “The Texas Governor has threatened our elected office. The Texas Attorney General has called for us to be ‘hunted down.’ And now, the FBI Director —...
Energy Secretary Chris Wright indicated this week that the Trump administration is reviewing and could seek to change past climate reports. Wright, in a Tuesday evening appearance on CNN's "The Source," was asked why the administration removed past versions of the National Climate Assessment from government websites. "Because we're reviewing them," he replied, "and we...
