World/National

3D printed and factory-built homes could help tackle housing crisis

DENVER (AP) — Businesses and lawmakers are trying to address the U.S. affordable housing crisis by turning to alternative ways to build homes. These include 3D printing houses out of concrete, building homes in a factory and shipping them to their final destination, and even using the hemp plant in construction. The 3D printing technology is far off from making a dent in the crisis, but proponents hope its speed in building walls can bring down construction time and costs. Modular and manufactured homes, built inside a factory, are gaining ground in the U.S., with homes built in a matter of days. Hemp, a plant related to marijuana, has also shown promise when combined with other materials to build more cheaply and efficiently.… Continue Reading

Military veterans are becoming the face of Trump’s government cuts and Democrats’ resistance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional lawmakers are scrambling to formulate a response to President Donald Trump’s slashing of the federal government as one group takes a front and center role: military veterans. Former service members have been acutely affected by the Republican president’s actions, including layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and a Pentagon purge of archives that documented military diversity. Trump is determined to continue slashing the federal government, but the burden will only grow on veterans. Veterans make up roughly 30% of the federal workforce and often tap government benefits they earned with their military service. Democrats have zeroed in on protecting veterans, introducing legislation to shield them from mass layoffs.… Continue Reading

Trump officials texted war plans to a group chat in a secure app that included a journalist

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, texted war plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic. This was reported by the magazine in a story posted online Monday. The National Security Council said the text chain “appears to be authentic.” Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg said the material in the text chain “contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Iran-backed Houthi-rebels in Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing.” Just two hours after Goldberg received the details of the attack on March 15, the U.S. began launching a series of airstrikes.… Continue Reading

A new museum in Texas tells the life stories of Medal of Honor recipients

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A new museum is opening in Texas highlighting the lives and service of Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War to the global war on terrorism. The National Medal of Honor Museum opens Tuesday in Arlington. Over 3,500 people have received the Medal of Honor, which is awarded by Congress for risking one’s life in combat beyond the call of duty. Retired U.S. Army colonel and Medal of Honor recipient Jack Jacobs says he wants museum visitors to realize the recipients aren’t “spectacular supermen,” but regular people who embody important values.… Continue Reading

Education secretary says Columbia University’s changes put it on track to recover funding

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon says Columbia University is “on the right track” to recover federal funding frozen by the Trump administration. McMahon’s comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” follow Columbia agreeing to a host of policy changes demanded by the administration. Earlier this month, the Trump administration pulled $400 million in federal funding over how the university handled protests against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Federal officials demanded the university make nine changes to its academic and security policies before the administration would consider restoring the money. The university said Friday it would agree to nearly all of the demands.… Continue Reading

Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department while keeping some core functions

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the Education Department. The Republican president announced his plan Thursday. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. And the White House says the department would not close completely right now. It is to retain certain critical functions, like managing federal student loans and Pell grants.… Continue Reading

Unredacted JFK assassination files released, sending history buffs hunting for new clues

DALLAS (AP) — Unredacted documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy have been released following an order by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office. The documents were posted on the website of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration on Tuesday evening. The vast majority of the National Archives’ collection of over 6 million pages of records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination have previously been released.… Continue Reading

Social Security Administration to require in-person identity checks for new and existing recipients

WASHINGTON (AP) — In an effort to limit fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration will impose tighter identity-proofing measures — which will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices rather than interact with the agency over the phone. Beginning March 31st, people will no longer be able to verify their identity to the Social Security Administration over the phone and those who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service, will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process, agency leadership told reporters Tuesday.… Continue Reading

Americans increased spending tepidly last month as anxiety over the economy takes hold

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. shoppers stepped up their spending just a bit in February after a sharp pullback the previous month, signaling that Americans are shopping more cautiously as concerns about the direction of the economy mount. Retail sales rose just 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, the Commerce Department said Monday. Sales rose at grocery stores, home and garden stores, and online retailers. Sales fell at auto dealers, restaurants, and electronics stores. The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and government spending cuts have led to widespread uncertainty among consumers and businesses.… Continue Reading

St. Patrick’s Day brings boisterous parades and celebrations to New York and other cities

NEW YORK (AP) — St. Patrick’s Day is being marked in cities across the country with boisterous parades and celebrations. New York City hosts one of the largest and oldest parades in the U.S. The celebration stepped off Monday along Manhattan’s famed Fifth Avenue with some 150,000 participants. Major celebrations are also planned in Savannah, Georgia and other American communities. But some major cities have already held their parades. Chicago’s celebration was Saturday. Boston and Philadelphia marked the occasion Sunday. St. Patrick’s Day parades are meant to commemorate Ireland’s patron saint but have become a celebration of Irish heritage globally.… Continue Reading

Category Archives: World/National