National News - Page 52

Mass Layoffs at Education Dept. Hurt Student Services, Data

By Cory Turner For hundreds of civil servants, today marks the end of their work at the U.S. Department of Education, though most haven’t been allowed to work since March when they were placed on leave and later laid off. These employees performed a wide range of jobs, from safeguarding students’ civil rights to helping borrowers navigate a bewildering federal student loan system. Nearly 1,400 department workers are being fired as part of a broad reduction in force (RIF) that began on March 11. Days later, when President Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Education Department, he said,

Trump’s New Tariffs Shake Global Trade and Markets in 2025

By Steve Kopack and Rob Wile President Donald Trump on Thursday formalized the array of high tariff levels and trade deals he has announced in recent weeks, the latest escalation in his attempt to disrupt and reshape the global economic order. In a sweeping executive order, Trump made official his agreements with prominent trading partners such as the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the Philippines. Trump told NBC News in an exclusive interview that his door will always be open to compelling offers: “It doesn’t mean that somebody doesn’t come along in four weeks and say we can make some kind

Michigan Awards $1M to Boost FAFSA Completion, College Access

By Walter Hudson Michigan officials celebrated a milestone in college access this week as 50 students received nearly $1 million in awards through the state’s innovative “Ticket to Tuition” giveaway, a program designed to incentivize FAFSA completion among first-time filers. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II joined state education leaders at Wayne State University to announce the winners, who received either $10,000 or $50,000 awards deposited into Michigan Education Savings Program accounts. The initiative, launched by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration in partnership with the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), drew more than 21,000 entries from students who completed their Free Application

Fed Holds Rates as Powell Resists Trump Pressure for Cuts

By Christopher Rugaber Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave little indication on Wednesday of bowing anytime soon to President Donald Trump’s frequent demands that he cut interest rates, even as signs of dissent emerged on the Fed’s governing board. The Fed left its key short-term interest rate unchanged for the fifth time this year, at about 4.3%, as was expected. But Powell also signaled that it could take months for the Fed to determine whether Trump’s sweeping tariffs will push up inflation temporarily or lead to a more persistent bout of higher prices. His comments suggest that a rate cut in September, which had

Judge Dismisses Trump Lawsuit Against Illinois Sanctuary Laws

By Nnamdi Egwuonwu and Gary Grumbach A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Friday by the Trump administration that sought to block the enforcement of several “sanctuary policies” in Illinois that restrict the ability of local officials to aid federal immigration authorities in detainment operations. In a 64-page decision, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins, a Joe Biden appointee, granted a motion by the state of Illinois to dismiss the case after determining the United States lacks standing to sue over the sanctuary policies. The judge said in the ruling that Illinois’ decision to enact the sanctuary laws is protected by the 10th

Livingstone Student Assaulted in Traffic Stop, HBCU Reacts

A student at Livingstone College is speaking out after a violent traffic stop in Jacksonville, Florida, left him traumatized—and now, the HBCU community is rallying behind him. William McNeil Jr., a member of Livingstone’s Blue Thunder Marching Band and a biology major, was pulled over by Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office deputies back in February 2025. But what should have been a routine traffic stop quickly escalated. Viral video footage released last week shows McNeil being forcibly removed from his car and assaulted by officers—despite him remaining calm and repeatedly asking for an explanation. According to reports, McNeil declined to exit his vehicle during

Louisiana Joins New Southern Alternative Higher Ed Accreditor

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that his state will join six other Southern university systems in creating an alternative accrediting body, marking a significant departure from established higher education standards. Through an executive order, Louisiana becomes the seventh state to participate in the Commission for Public Higher Education, which launched in June with university systems from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The new commission is currently seeking expedited approval from the U.S. Department of Education to serve as an official accreditor responsible for maintaining quality standards at colleges and universities. This development represents a direct challenge

States Sue USDA Over SNAP Data Privacy and Immigration Fears

By Jude Joffe-Block A coalition of 21 states and Washington, D.C. filed a lawsuit Monday against the U.S. Department of Agriculture after the federal agency told states to turn over the detailed, personal information of food assistance applicants and their household members. The USDA has told states they have until July 30 to turn over data about all applicants to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, over the last five years, including names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses. Last week, the agency broadened the scope of information it is collecting to include other data points, including immigration status and

UNCF UNITE 2025: HBCUs Unite to Shape Future of Education

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) launched its premier UNITE 2025 conference in this week, drawing over 1,300 attendees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide for a transformative four-day gathering focused on advancing institutional excellence and student success. The conference opened with the signature Institutional Excellence Gala and Commencement Address, where UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax delivered an inspiring fireside chat outlining his vision for the next chapter of HBCU excellence. “This convening reaffirms that education is still essential to the progress, not just of African Americans – not just to HBCUs – but actually

House Panel to Subpoena DOJ for Jeffrey Epstein Case Files

By Kyle Stewart, Syedah Asghar and Zoë Richards The House Oversight Committee will subpoena the Justice Department to release files tied to the case of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to a committee spokesperson, after three Republicans on a subcommittee joined Democrats to vote on the matter Wednesday. The subpoena “will be issued in the future,” the spokesperson said, without providing additional details on the timing. Three Republicans on the Federal Law Enforcement Subcommittee joined Democrats in an 8-2 vote to approve a motion by Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., to compel the Justice Department to release files tied to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died

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