Issues
Trump imposes new tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China in new phase of trade war
Starting Tuesday, nearly all imports from Canada and Mexico will be charged a 25% tariff, while goods from China will be charged a 10% tariff.
Steel City Men’s Chorus brings music and friendship to LGBTQ+ community in Birmingham
The Steel City Men's Chorus, formed in 2013, is the only queer identified chorus of its kind in Alabama.
Businesses, shoppers brace for higher prices if tariffs on Mexico and Canada imports start Saturday
President Trump renewed his threat to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada as early as this weekend. The move could raise prices on everything from gasoline to guacamole.
Dick Button, Olympic great and voice of skating, dies at 95
The winner of two Olympic gold medals and five consecutive world championships, Button died Thursday in North Salem, New York, at age 95.
After fires, LA students yearn to get back to school, and a normal life
The historic fires in Los Angeles meant many students lost homes, schools, or both. Now, as some schools reopen, families are trying to find routine.
With leaked footage from the inside, Sundance doc shows horrifying conditions in Alabama prisons
Incarcerated men in the Alabama prison system risked their safety to feed shocking footage of their horrifying living conditions to a pair of documentary filmmakers. The result is “The Alabama Solution,” which premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Trump orders Education, Labor and other departments to enhance school choice
The president directed several departments to submit plans for using federal funds to expand school choice.
Trump’s pick for Commerce Secretary is Howard Lutnick. Here’s what to know
The billionaire Wall Street CEO fielded questions about tariffs, China's AI progress, broadband access, allegiance to Trump and the revival of American mining and semiconductor production.
New York becomes the first state to close schools for Lunar New Year
It's the first time New York students will have the day off for the Lunar New Year since a new state law was signed in 2023. In 2024, the holiday fell on a Saturday.
The Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady as inflation remains stubborn
The Fed held interest rates steady as it continues to combat inflation. President Trump wants to see lower rates, but some of his policies could fuel more price hikes.
Federal judge hears request to block an upcoming nitrogen gas execution in Alabama
The state of Alabama urged a federal judge Tuesday to allow the nation's fourth execution with nitrogen gas to proceed next week, but a doctor who witnessed an earlier execution by the new method told the judge the inmate appeared to be in distress and awake minutes longer than officials predicted.
Amid sewage issues, a nonprofit is helping Alabama Black Belt residents find solutions
As the region grapples with poor sanitation, groups like the Black Belt Unincorporated Wastewater Program are taking it upon themselves to address the issue.
Nearly 5 years after schools closed, the nation gets a new report card
There's some good news in math, mostly bad news in reading and lots of questions about why students are still struggling.
Here’s how climate change fueled the Los Angeles fires
Extreme conditions helped fuel the fast-moving fires that destroyed thousands of homes. Scientists are working to figure out how climate change played a role in the disaster.
Neymar leaves Saudi team to return to his first soccer club in Brazil
Neymar struggled through physical injuries for most of his time in the Middle East, with a previous ACL rupture that kept him sidelined for a year.
The Super Bowl could end in a ‘three-peat.’ Why that matters to a former NBA coach
Pat Riley, the current president and former head coach of the Miami Heat, owns half a dozen trademarks related to the word "three-peat." That could affect whether it appears on Super Bowl merch.
Birmingham’s new resilience chief looks to protect residents from climate change
“Fundamentally, to me, it's about survival,” says Sherry-Lea Bloodworth Botop, Birmingham’s new chief resilience and sustainability officer about fighting climate change.
5 economic papers that lit up our brains — and what they say about our confusing world
We at Planet Money are constantly reading the work of economists and other social scientists to glean ideas, evidence and insights about the economy, and, more generally, the confusing world around us. Welcome to the inaugural installment of the Planet Money Econ Roundup!
National Science Foundation freezes grant review in response to Trump executive orders
The National Science Foundation has canceled all grant review panels this week. It's unclear how long the pause could last.
How districts are responding after Trump cleared the way for immigration arrests at schools
President Trump put an end to a policy that restricted federal agents from making immigration arrests at certain locations, including schools. It's already affecting school staff, kids and parents.
Alabama’s foster care caseworker turnover is at 50%. What can be done?
Alabama is struggling to keep foster care caseworkers on the job. The state reports a turnover rate of 50%in 2024. Why does the state have such a high turnover rate and what is being done to fix this?
Alabama woman with a functioning pig organ is thriving after a record 2 months
An Alabama woman passed a major milestone Saturday to become the longest living recipient of a pig organ transplant – healthy and full of energy with her new kidney for 61 days and counting.
Chiefs to face Eagles at the Super Bowl for the second time in three years
Just two years after the Chiefs narrowly defeated the Eagles at the Super Bowl, these two powerhouses will face off once again on the championship stage, with even higher stakes.
A snowboarder and a skier land the first 2340s in competition
Japanese snowboarder Hiroto Ogiwara and Italian skier Miro Tabanelli pulled off the six-and-a-half-rotation maneuver in competition for the first time in history.
Jayden Daniels could make Super Bowl history. Doug Williams says it’s about time
Washington Commanders' Daniels could become the first rookie quarterback to play the Super Bowl. Williams, who led the team to a Super Bowl win, says talented Black QBs are finally getting their due.
Churches have a long history of being safe havens — for immigrants and others
For centuries, houses of worship have served as havens for people needing refuge — and, in recent decades, sanctuary from the U.S. government.
In Las Vegas, Trump once again pitches no taxes on tips
President Trump's pitch to stop taxing tips is popular with everyone -- except for economists.
Madison Keys wins her first-ever Grand Slam title against two-time defending champion
Madison Keys was a tennis prodigy, beating Serena Williams when she was just 14 years old, but had not won a grand slam title in her 15 year career.
Reasons to root for (or against) every team in the NFL’s semifinal weekend
Only four teams remain in the hunt for the Super Bowl — the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders — but there are plenty of narratives to go around.
Here’s how Trump’s pause on wind projects could threaten jobs and climate goals
A Trump executive order temporarily pauses leases and permits for offshore and onshore wind projects. Wind advocates say an offshore wind freeze could threaten states' climate goals and jobs.
The U.S. is trying to unravel a hacking plot that targeted climate activists
The U.S. claims the hacking was commissioned by a lobbying firm working on behalf of one of the world's biggest oil companies.
Experts warn about the ‘crumbling infrastructure’ of federal government data
Unstable federal funding puts at risk the government statistics used to track the U.S. economy and population, officials and data users warn. That's before any cuts by President Trump and Congress.
