POLICY

Feb 24 2026FINANCE

South Africa Delays Debt‑Control Rule Until Next Year

The country’s finance minister has decided not to announce a new fiscal rule in this week’s budget. He plans to hold off until at least October before introducing a measure that would limit how much the government can borrow. The rule, known as a fiscal anchor, is intended to keep South Africa’s

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Feb 24 2026POLITICS

Military Meets AI Boss Over Limits

The U. S. Defense Department has called in the chief of a leading AI firm to Washington for talks about how its tools can be used on secret military systems. The meeting comes after a new memo from the Secretary of Defense urged AI companies to lift restrictions on their software. This push has led

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Feb 24 2026POLITICS

A Power Player Behind the Scenes

Stephen Miller is often seen as a tough voice in immigration, but his role stretches far beyond that. He works with many parts of the government at once, from fixing city fountains to tackling drug cartels. On a typical day he meets with top officials to decide on everything from homeland security t

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Feb 23 2026POLITICS

Texas Schools Face Record‑High Choice Rush

Parents across Texas are lining up to send their children into a new state‑run program that lets them pick schools beyond their local district. The system, called Texas Education Freedom Accounts, launched with a $1 billion seed fund and has already received more than 118, 000 applications. The dead

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Feb 23 2026POLITICS

Education Dept. Outsources Jobs to State and Health Agencies

The U. S. Department of Education has begun handing over parts of its work to other federal bodies, a move that aims to reduce the size and reach of the education agency. Two new agreements were announced, each giving a different department specific duties that used to belong to Education. One part

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Feb 23 2026POLITICS

Science and Health in Chaos

The past year has seen science and medicine tangled in a web of political decisions that leave many questions unanswered. Governments have cut funding for research, sending scientists and universities into a crisis of trust and resources. Key agencies that once guided public health have been r

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Feb 18 2026POLITICS

Portland Schools Face Federal Probe Over New Black Student Center

The U. S. Department of Education has launched an inquiry after a complaint claimed that Portland Public Schools engaged in “racial preferencing” by creating the Center for Black Student Excellence. A conservative nonprofit, Defending Education, argued that spending up to $25 million on the cente

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Feb 18 2026POLITICS

Park Signage Lawsuit: History and Science in the Crosshairs

A group of conservationists, historians, and scientists has taken legal action against the current federal administration over new rules that have led to the removal or alteration of educational displays in national parks across the United States. The lawsuit claims that orders issued by the preside

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Feb 18 2026CRIME

Teacher Charged with Child Abuse Still on Staff?

A teacher at Lower Richland High School, Eric Marshall Favor Jr. , 29, faces serious accusations in Marion County. The charges include second- and third‑degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, conspiracy, and aiding prostitution involving a child. The case began on Feb. 10 when the sheriff’s of

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Feb 18 2026CRIME

A Wrongful Prison Sentence Over a Natural Drug

Ameen Alai, a father and body‑building coach, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on September 16, 2025. The charge was a single count of felony drug distribution, even though he never sold or handed out the drug in question. That drug was ibogaine, a plant‑derived alkaloid that some peopl

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