Issues
Birmingham legend Odetta to be celebrated in tribute concert
Gina Coleman and her band Misty Blues will bring Odetta back home, performing a live tribute to the Birmingham legend at the historic Carver Theatre on Saturday, April 19.
Tariffs make sour grapes for American winemakers
American winemakers tell us why tariffs hurt their industry.
Destroying endangered species’ habitat wouldn’t count as ‘harm’ under proposed Trump rule
The Trump administration is reinterpreting a key word in the Endangered Species Act that could have big consequences for the habitats of species at risk.
Trump administration says it is suing Maine over transgender athletes in girls’ sports
The DOJ says Maine is violating Title IX, the 1972 law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at schools that receive federal funding. Gov. Janet Mills has promised to "vigorously defend" the state.
Retail sales jump as people rush to buy cars ahead of tariffs
The key driver of the economy saw the biggest increase in over two years in March, as car buyers tried to get ahead of President Trump's tariffs on imported autos and auto parts.
Harvard professor gives perspective on the Trump administration clash with university
What does the clash between Harvard and the Trump administration look like from the perspective of its faculty? NPR's Michel Martin akss Harvard Law School professor Nikolas Bowie.
Review of decision not to award Space Command to Alabama inconclusive, with Trump reversal expected
The inspector general's report, issued Friday, said this was in part due to a lack of access to senior defense officials during the Biden administration, when the review began.
Why is Alabama’s workforce participation rate so low? And what’s being done to improve it?
While Alabama boasts an unemployment rate that is among the lowest in the country, its workforce participation rate consistently lags the national average, meaning a large portion of Alabamians are neither employed nor actively seeking work. This has raised concerns both about barriers to employment for individuals and about the state’s economic future.
Families say school civil rights investigations have stalled after federal cuts
The U.S. Education Department's Office for Civil Rights investigates discrimination in schools. It recently lost more than 40% of its staff.
Hong Kong post office will stop shipping parcels to the U.S. over tariffs
Hong Kong is caught in the middle of the trade disputes between the U.S. and China despite being a free port. The former British colony has trade and customs policies different from mainland China's.
Trump signs executive action to lower drug prices
The action is intended to build upon the existing program for Medicare drug price negotiations, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act that passed during the Biden administration.
Higher ed war heats up as Trump threatens Harvard’s tax-exempt status
The president's comments came after the administration froze $2 billion in federal grants for Harvard after the university rejected what it saw as illegal government demands.
Bill would give give non-violent, aging prisoners a chance at freedom
Should the Second Chance Act be enacted, judges could review certain cases where an individual was sentenced to life without parole under the Habitual Offenders Act for potential resentencing.
As special ed students are integrated more at school, teacher training is evolving
General education teachers are more likely than ever to be working with students who have special needs.
Climate activists were hacked. There was a link between the victims and an alleged attacker
Prosecutors say the operation was aimed at gathering information to foil lawsuits against the fossil fuel industry over damage communities have faced from climate change.
Federal funding freeze halts key infrastructure projects in tribal communities
Riverbank stabilization, lead and asbestos contamination are just some of the projects tribes planned to address before the Trump administration froze funds.
Hot off her NCAA title, Paige Bueckers cruises for 1st pick in the WNBA draft
Monday's WNBA Draft is expected to be the latest jewel in the crown of Bueckers, the 6-foot guard who barely a week ago led her UConn Huskies to their first national championship in a decade.
Harvard rejects Trump administration’s demands for deep changes
The university refused to make changes it said would "dictate what private universities can teach" and "whom they can admit and hire," among other things.
New drag venue to open in Five Points South
The Opulence Drag Lounge and Taqueria will bring Birmingham’s Five Points South neighborhood both dine-and-go taco cuisine and performance this summer. The new business is planned for the former Hush Lounge location which closed after a mass shooting last year.
Millions watch as underwater camera documents daily life on a Miami coral reef
For five years, the Coral City Camera has given viewers a live look at aquatic reef life near Miami. It's documented the declining conditions and shown a surprising vitality among some coral species.
DOGE abruptly cut a program for teens with disabilities. This student is ‘devastated’
The program, Charting My Path for Future Success, aimed to help teens with disabilities transition from high school to the real world. It abruptly ended when DOGE terminated its federal contract.
The 2025 Masters final round is underway, featuring a showdown between two greats
On Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, all eyes are on Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau — both of whom are vying for their first green jacket.
DOJ ends environmental justice agreement in Alabama county citing Trump
Justice Department officials said they were ending the agreement reached with the state regarding wastewater issues in Lowndes County. Federal officials said the decision follows President Donald Trump’s executive order forbidding federal agencies from pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Federal judge orders USDA to unfreeze funds to Maine
The funds had been initially withheld following President Trump's clash with Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the issue of transgender athletes.
China put steep tariffs on U.S. exports. Farmers are worried
The first Trump administration spent $28 billion bailing out farmers during a trade war with China. The White House has said it's starting to look at how to help this time around.
In Homewood, a fight for the spotted salamander
As a Samford University expands its footprint and threatens the amphibian’s habitat, residents are voicing their opposition and searching for another way forward.
Major budget cuts proposed for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The agency forecasts weather, manages fisheries, and researches the world's oceans, atmosphere, and climate. The proposed budget cuts would slash the climate work entirely.
Doctors remove pig kidney from an Alabama woman after a record 130 days
Towana Looney is recovering well from the removal surgery and has returned home to Gadsden. In a statement, she thanked her doctors for “the opportunity to be part of this incredible research.”
Jewish students at Georgetown protest detention of professor Badar Khan Suri
More than 130 Jewish students, staff and alumni from Georgetown University signed a public letter opposing the detention of Badar Khan Suri, saying that President Trump's policies make Jews less safe.
Alabama Senate passes record education budget
There's one thing Alabama lawmakers are required to do each session -- that's pass the budgets. Legislators spent time this week working toward that goal as the Senate approved a record-setting education budget. We hear about that other legislative happenings with Todd Stacy, host of Capital Journal on Alabama Public Television.
Alabama lawmakers advance bill to let Alfa sell health plans outside insurance regulations
The Alabama House of Representatives approved the bill on a 98-1 vote after nearly three hours of debate. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate.
Beijing slaps 125% tariffs on U.S. goods in latest U.S.-China trade escalation
China signals the latest tariff hike will be its last round of tit-for-tat measures, prompting sharp falls in European shares, as Asian stocks end the day mixed.
