Illinois spends $10 mil for free test prep classes for students

The federal government announced it is freezing over $2 billion in grants to Harvard University after the school refused demands from the Trump administration to audit student viewpoints and comply with other controversial policies aimed at combating antisemitism. Harvard's President Alan M. Garber criticized the demands as an unprecedented attempt to control the university's independence, while the administration's spokesperson defended the actions as necessary to address perceived antisemitism and prevent federal funding of discrimination. Similar...

Rescues in Southern Arizona DesertAuthorities rescued two hikers stranded in remote areas of southern Arizona over the weekend. The first incident involved a hiker near the Superstition Mountains who suffered a potentially broken ankle; BORSTAR agents used a helicopter to hoist the individual to safety. The second rescue occurred the following day when agents found a man lost for two days on the Arizona Trail; due to difficult terrain, ground agents provided medical aid and...

The U.S. military detected and tracked Russian military aircraft that entered the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) off Alaska on Monday, which extends 150 miles from U.S. territory. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) stated that this Russian activity occurs regularly and does not pose a threat, emphasizing that there was no need for an intercept as the aircraft remained in the ADIZ without entering U.S. or Canadian airspace. U.S. territorial airspace begins 12...

Research indicates that many Americans misunderstand the tax system, contributing to dissatisfaction with taxes, as a Cato Institute survey reveals that 55% of taxpayers feel they pay too much. Despite the progressive nature of the tax code, which sees the top 10% of earners paying 72% of federal income taxes, a significant portion of the population lacks clarity on tax brackets, with many mistakenly believing their top marginal rate applies to all their income. This...

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the deployment of 60-70 National Guard personnel to Albuquerque by mid-May to address rising juvenile crime and fentanyl issues, although their role will not include direct law enforcement actions. The state's GOP criticized this measure as insufficient, calling for more substantial reforms like bail reform and increased penalties, while expressing concerns over perceived leniency towards juvenile offenders. Recent data indicated a significant uptick in juvenile arrests, and local...

Immigration authorities detained Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi, a U.S. permanent resident, during his naturalization interview in Vermont, allegedly as retaliation for his protests against the Israel-Gaza war. His detention is part of a broader crackdown on foreign students, with Mahdawi's lawyers claiming he was targeted due to his activism. Federal officials have faced criticism from lawmakers, who labeled the action "immoral and inhumane," as Mahdawi's attorneys filed a petition challenging his detention, which a...