A school should be defined by its commitment to great teaching and social equity, says the outgoing president of LaGuardia Community College.
Director Agnès Varda, A Giant Of French Cinema, Dies At 90
French film director Agnès Varda was a pioneer during the new-wave arts revolution of the 1950s and ’60s. She kept making important films for the next five decades.
Are We Ready For An Implant That Can Change Our Moods?
Deep brain stimulation offers relief from some neurological problems and is being tested for mood disorders. But the treatment — an implant in the brain — raises ethical questions.
As ‘Gully Boy’ Inches Indian Hip-Hop Into The Mainstream, Its Underground Soldiers On
A new Bollywood hit may have been based on their lives, but the rappers and producers of India’s hip-hop underground saw no money, and little exposure, from it. And they don’t seem to care.
He Was Imprisoned And Losing His Mind. ‘Anna Karenina’ Saved Him
A man is trapped in prison for a made-up crime. He’s overwhelmed by hopelessness and anger. That is until he hears a knock on the wall … and words from another time and place.
Nominee For No. 3 At Justice Department Withdraws After Backlash From GOP Senators
Attorney General William Barr got into a “shouting match” with Utah Sen. Mike Lee over Jessie Liu’s bid for associate attorney general, sources told NPR. Liu is the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C.
Journalist Maria Ressa Arrested Again By Philippines
The Time Magazine Person of the Year is an outspoken critic of President Rodrigo Duterte’s regime. She accuses the government of furthering a ‘descent to tyranny.’
The Latest Immigration Crackdown May Be Fake Social Security Numbers
The Social Security Administration says it’s trying to clean up its records. But immigration advocates fear the real objective is to expose undocumented immigrants at work.
Supreme Court Halts Execution Of ‘Texas 7’ Inmate Denied Buddhist Spiritual Adviser
Patrick Murphy, who escaped from prison and participated in a robbery that led to a murder, was scheduled to be executed Thursday. The court said he had the right to a spiritual adviser of his choice.
Poll: After Barr Letter, Overwhelming Majority Wants Full Mueller Report Released
Fewer than one in five believe that the attorney general’s four-page summary of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report is enough. Half the country says it’s satisfied with Mueller’s investigation.
Trump Takes A Post-Mueller Victory Lap At Michigan Rally
In a wide-ranging speech, the president touched on the recently completed Mueller investigation, but also on health care, the Green New Deal and immigration.
Trump Extends Deportation Protection For Liberians In The U.S.
The delay will give Congress time to work on a possible permanent pathway for thousands of Liberians to remain in the U.S.
After Inmate Suicides, Alabama Prisons On Trial
A federal judge already has ruled that mental health care for inmates in Alabama’s prisons is “horrendously inadequate.” Now he’s looking at the system’s response to 15 suicides in the past 15 months.
Former NSA Contractor Pleads Guilty To Stealing Classified Information
Harold Martin, a 54-year-old Navy veteran, was arrested in 2016. Authorities said he amassed a staggering trove of government documents, endangering U.S. national security.
Why Did The Pope Refuse To Let Worshippers Kiss His Ring? ‘Hygiene’
“He wants to avoid the risk of contagion for the people, not for him,” Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti told reporters on Thursday.
EPA Science Panel Considering Guidelines That Upend Basic Air Pollution Science
Some panel members said they don’t agree that breathing sooty air can cause premature death. The panel’s draft recommendations to the EPA would change how it assesses the dangers of air pollution.
CHART: Where Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes Will Go In The Future
A new study predicts how far north these insects could live if climate change goes unchecked.
Saudi Arabia Releases 3 Women’s Rights Activists From Prison, Others Still Held
Those who were freed were among activists who appeared in court on Wednesday. Several allege they’ve been subjected to sexual abuse and torture throughout their imprisonment. The trials are ongoing.
Democrats Demand Full Mueller Report, Lay Out Argument For Continued Investigations
House Democratic committee chairs set an April 2 deadline for Attorney General Barr to give Congress the full Mueller report. Committee aides won’t say if they will subpoena it if DOJ doesn’t comply.
Wells Fargo CEO Quits In Wake Of Consumer Financial Scandals
Wells Fargo announced Thursday that CEO and President Tim Sloan will step down immediately. The company’s general counsel Allen Parker was elected to run the company until a new CEO is selected.
Dozens Of Nonnative Marine Species Have Invaded The Galapagos Islands
The number of alien species, likely brought by ship traffic, stunned scientists. And they suspect that the foothold of such creatures may have been underestimated in other tropical habitats, too.
Vaccination Push Underway To Contain Mumps Outbreak In Philadelphia
Temple University officials say the vast majority of students who are part of a mumps outbreak had been immunized previously with a vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
Wow Air’s Collapse Leaves Passengers Stuck — At Airports, And Without Travel Plans
Staff at Boston’s Logan International informed customers of prolonged delays Wednesday night — only to eventually board the waiting Wow aircraft themselves and shut the door.
Russian Agent Maria Butina To Be Sentenced April 26
She faces a maximum of five years in prison and could be deported to Russia after finishing her sentence, according to a plea deal she made with prosecutors.
Boeing Scrambles To Restore Faith In Its 737 Max Airplane After Crashes
The company is still producing about 50 737 Max planes per month. This week, it unveiled software fixes and other improvements for the fleet as it tried to reassure the public that they are safe.
Preliminary Thai Election Results Are In, But Concerns About Accuracy Persist
Initial numbers show the pro-military party winning the most votes. Official results won’t come before May, and it’s not yet clear which party will have the seats required to form a government.
A Psychotherapist Goes To Therapy — And Gets A Taste Of Her Own Medicine
Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist who started seeing a therapist herself after the man she thought she would marry unexpectedly broke up with her. Her new book is Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.
Bump Stock Ban Proceeds After Supreme Court Denies Gun Advocates’ Request To Halt It
Gun rights groups had a sought a hold on the ban, which went into effect on Tuesday. The court denied the second such appeal, allowing the ban to proceed while challenges move through the courts.
Housing Department Slaps Facebook With Discrimination Charge
The Department of Housing and Urban Development says Facebook allowed advertisers to use their platform to unlawfully discriminate by restricting which users can see housing ads.
Say It One More Time: The Economy Is Slowing
The U.S. economy grew more slowly at the end of 2018 than initially thought. “GDP growth is slowing from unsustainable rates,” one economist says. The slowdown is expected to continue this year.
‘Mrs. Wilson’ Asks: Just How Well Do We Know The People We Love?
Ruth Wilson stars in the PBS drama based on the story of her own grandmother, who discovered, after 22 years of marriage, that her spy-turned-author husband may have been married to someone else.
How Mosquitoes Sniff Out Human Sweat To Find Us
Female mosquitoes searching for a meal of blood detect people partly by using a special olfactory receptor to home in on our sweat. The finding could lead to new approaches for better repellents.
Can We Overcome Racial Bias? ‘Biased’ Author Says To Start By Acknowledging It
In her new book, psychology professor Jennifer Eberhardt explores how unconscious racial bias shapes human behavior — and suggests that we examine what situations can trigger racial bias.
Wow, Indeed: Airline Ceases Operations, Leaving Travelers Stranded And Angry
Wow Air surprised its passengers Thursday, saying it’s going out of business and ceasing operations. Travelers are scrambling to book other tickets — and wondering about refunds.
High-Rise Fire Kills At Least 6, Creates Panic In Bangladesh Capital
At least one person was seen falling from the building, as a large crowd on the street watched people try to climb down using ropes or cables.
Air Force Needs Almost $5 Billion To Recover Bases From Hurricane, Flood Damage
Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida’s Panhandle was hit by Hurricane Michael in October. Then Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska was inundated by flooding this month.