Author: Karen Givens

Alameda County approved a comprehensive reparations plan focused on structural changes while the Oakland Unified School District’s similar effort from 2021 has largely stalled, exposing a sharp contrast between official promises and measurable outcomes in the same region. On June 30 the Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt a reparations action plan crafted over more than two years by the county’s Reparations Commission. The plan avoids broad direct payouts and instead targets systemic fixes, while a nearby school district that passed a reparations resolution five years ago has produced little progress. The county plan centers on expanding…

President Trump ordered another wave of U.S. airstrikes against Iran early Sunday on the heels of an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan that killed at least two American troops. The situation began when Iran launched an attack on a facility in Jordan that resulted in the deaths of American service members, a stark reminder that threats to U.S. forces remain real and lethal. In response, President Trump ordered another wave of U.S. airstrikes against Iran early Sunday, aiming to disrupt further attacks and degrade the capabilities used to strike U.S. and allied positions. This move reflects a clear…

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down New Jersey’s 36-year-old ban on so-called assault weapons in a 10-5 decision on July 17, finding the 1990 statute unconstitutional and concluding the state also violated the Constitution by banning certain semi-automatic handguns, shotguns, and standard-capacity magazines. The appeals court’s ruling follows a growing legal trend that treats Second Amendment protections as equal to other constitutional rights. The decision referenced the Supreme Court’s guidance that restrictions must align with this nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation. For gun owners and advocates, the outcome is a clear win; for proponents of broad…

President Trump delivered a wide-ranging election integrity address on July 16 that he said included declassified intelligence and five areas of vulnerability, yet much of the mainstream press largely ignored or downplayed the presentation and its aftermath. On July 16, President Donald Trump stood before the nation and announced the immediate declassification and release of intelligence he said exposed “shocking vulnerabilities” in the way American elections are run. He laid out five areas of concern and urged urgent fixes to make cheating and outside interference “virtually impossible.” The speech was framed as a national security issue and a call to…

Britain’s charities regulator has opened an assessment after concerns were raised about an Amnesty International report that described a women’s charity linked to J.K. Rowling in worrying terms. The country’s charity regulator is reviewing concerns triggered by an Amnesty International report that questioned the stance of a women’s organization connected to a high-profile founder. The situation has drawn attention because the group was established by a figure who is widely known and often a lightning rod for debate. Officials say the regulator will look into whether charity law or governance standards may have been breached. The Amnesty report, which prompted…

A newly declassified intelligence note raises fresh questions about how electronic voting was handled in Venezuela, and what that means for election integrity discussions here at home. On July 16, President Donald Trump declassified a batch of materials tied to election integrity, including a “CIA Note” entitled, “Summary of Select Intelligence Reporting From 2004-2020 on Venezuela’s Electronic Voting Manipulation Capabilities.” The core claim in public discussion is that the Venezuelan government “could have” used voting machines to manipulate outcomes. That formulation is cautious, but the document’s existence puts pressure on anyone who still thinks foreign election systems are unrelated to…

Memorial services for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham will be held in South Carolina and the District at the end of this month, and friends, colleagues, and constituents are expected to gather to recognize his years of public service and the conservative principles he championed. News that memorial services are set in both South Carolina and Washington signals how deeply he was woven into two communities: his home state and the national capital. Republicans and conservatives will remember him as a plain-speaking voice who fought for a strong America and stood by core principles through the heat of politics. The…

Three Madison Square Garden corporate entities have filed a defamation lawsuit against Wired, its corporate owner Advance Publications, and three of the magazine’s journalists, alleging that the outlet published false and damaging statements about the companies. The filing names Wired, Advance Publications and three individual reporters as defendants in a defamation suit brought by three Madison Square Garden corporate entities. The complaint claims the reporting contained inaccuracies that harmed the companies’ reputations and business interests. The move shifts a public controversy into the legal system and puts media practices and corporate accountability in the same courtroom. At its core, a…

Homeland Security released additional data tied to President Trump’s long-standing claims about noncitizens on voter rolls, prompting fresh debate over registration accuracy and enforcement. Federal officials have made new material public that they say backs concerns about ineligible registrations. The document dump has reignited arguments over how states maintain voter lists and whether the federal government should push for stricter verification. Supporters of the president see this as confirmation the system needs cleaning. “Homeland Security is releasing more data behind President Trump’s claims of voter rolls littered with noncitizens, saying its own review found more than 190,000 suspect names in…

Pentagon officials confirmed that National Guard troops sent to the capital to help stop crime will stay in place through the 2029 inauguration, and the move has sparked a focused debate about security, local authority, and the proper role of federal forces in policing major events. National Guard personnel deployed in the nation’s capital to stop crime will remain through the 2029 inauguration, Pentagon officials said. That announcement ends guesswork about the timeline and makes clear the federal government expects an extended presence well past the usual parade of ceremonial turnovers. Republicans are framing the plan as practical, not political,…