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Birmingham Entertainment Security Ordinance Pulled Back Following Concerns of Impact on Businesses
A council committee will reconsider details of the proposal.
Colorado Democrats pass stopgap funding for health insurance subsidies
Colorado Democrats have approved a stopgap plan to keep health insurance subsidies afloat, but not without prompting concerns from members of both parties about the sustainability of the funding. Senate Bill 178, which was introduced...
Americans weigh in on their top concerns, but is Washington taking action?
Americans see money in politics, health care affordability, and inflation as the top problems facing the nation, according to a new Pew Research Center report.
Travelers can take steps to stay healthy on cruise ships, experts say
Recent outbreaks of hantavirus and norovirus on cruise ships are raising concerns for travelers, but experts say there are ways people can protect their health while abroad.
Small business owners 'increasingly pessimistic,' squeezed by higher costs, labor concerns
Small business optimism was flat last month, with an index that measures its level stuck below its long-term average for the second month in a row, the NFIB showed.
Small business owners 'increasingly pessimistic,' squeezed by higher costs, labor concerns
Small business optimism was flat last month, with an index that measures its level stuck below its long-term average for the second month in a row, the NFIB showed.
Readers dismayed by Tennessee politics, urge reform
Concerns about gerrymandering and racial and political oppression spark calls for reform.
Main Street Matters: credit card swipe fees eating profits
Small business concerns highlighted at Main Street Matters tour at Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School.
Public health alert issued for this headcheese over listeria risk
The USDA issued a public health alert for this brand of headcheese distributed in two states over listeria contamination concerns.
Residents raise health concerns as Ontario warehouse continues to smolder 1 month after massive fire
More than a month after a massive warehouse fire in Ontario, an approximately 1.2 million-square-foot facility continues to smolder, raising health concerns for neighbors.
Mayor declines to sign nightlife ordinance as businesses raise concerns
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — The future of new nightlife safety regulations in Birmingham is uncertain after Mayor Randall Woodfin said he will not sign recently a
Spike in tick bites raises health concerns
MADISON, Wis. — The CDC has reported a spike in emergency department visits for tick bites and tick-related illnesses across much of the country, especially in the northern states.
Research reveals how forever chemicals in drinking water could impact your health
New data on forever chemicals in drinking water: Who may be at risk, possible health concerns, and USC research that could change the game. Brittany Hope reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on May 11, 2026.
Alarm grows over health of Iran’s female political prisoners
Rights activists have raised renewed concerns over the health of prominent female political prisoners after Nobel Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was transferred to a hospital in Tehran and reports emerged of worsening conditions for jailed activist Fatemeh Sepehri.
Iran releases Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi over health concerns
On Sunday, Mohammadi, winner of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize, was released on bail and sent to Tehran for medical treatment after 10 days of hospitalization in Zanjan, northern Iran, where she had been serving her sentence.
Trump’s role as LIV Golf host renews scrutiny over conflicts of interest
Experts are raising conflict-of-interest and ethical concerns after President Donald Trump hosted a LIV Golf event at his Virginia property this weekend, renewing scrutiny over whether the Trump family is financially benefiting from his time in office while supporting a golf league backed by a government accused of human rights abuses.
The Biggest Summer Concerns for the Vikings Start Here
Minnesota Vikings rookie minicamp opened up this week, and before too long, the club will transition to the summer. So, […]
Op/Ed: Small Businesses Deserve Better Health Coverage Choices in N.C.
For years, one of the most consistent concerns heard from North Carolina small businesses is the rising cost of health coverage. Small businesses want to do right by their employees and offer competitive benefits. But unlike large employers, they often lack the size and purchasing power needed to negotiate better rates and manage risk, leaving them more exposed to premium increases.
Ex-US Spy, Mole for Israel Enters Politics Citing Major Concerns in Gaza
Decades after being tied to a major spy case, Jonathan Pollard seeks power.
Family of imprisoned Chinese journalist pleads for his release over health concerns
Family members and activists are calling for the release of imprisoned Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu due to health concerns
Family of imprisoned Chinese journalist pleads for his release over health concerns
BANGKOK (AP) — Family members and activists have called for the release of imprisoned Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu due to health concerns.
Political violence should ‘never be normalized’: Former California GOP chairwoman
Former California GOP chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson and political commentator James Klug discuss growing concerns over political violence in the U.S. on ‘Fox News @ Night.’
US Sen. Heinrich tells NM small business leaders he’ll ‘push back against policies’ behind inflation
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) met with New Mexico business leaders to hear their concerns about the rising costs of doing business.
How to Disable Google's Gemini in Chrome
Chrome users were caught off guard by a 4-GB Google AI model baked into Chrome, sparking privacy concerns. The good news: You can easily uninstall it. The bad? You might not want to.
Inside a hockey empire that turned youth sports into big business
A hockey dad’s success story takes a darker turn as a USA TODAY investigation raises concerns about monopoly power and private gain in youth hockey.
University of Staffordshire boss steps down over health concerns
The university said the process to recruit a replacement vice chancellor will begin in due course.
KU Health System to end PICU services by end of June; health system leaders respond to parents' concerns
The University of Kansas Health System will be shutting down its pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) services by the end of June 2026.
Maryland health experts express concerns over surge in measles cases
Reappearing measles cases in Maryland raises concerns among health experts
Syracuse officials address concerns over CRB's loss of investigative authority
It’s the first in a series of scheduled meet and greets.
GOP Sen, 73, Reveals Medical Condition After Health Concerns
Susan Collins shared details of her condition after speculation following the release of a campaign video.
Maricopa County confirms 3 new measles cases; likely infected locally
Three new measles cases are raising fresh concerns in the East Valley.
One of Earth's most important ocean currents is weakening, scientists confirm
One of Earth’s most important ocean currents is weakening, raising concerns about future impacts on climate across Europe and North America.
Elanco Animal Health CEO reveals efforts to stop screwworm outbreak
Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeff Simmons discusses response to screwworm outbreak concerns on 'The Claman Countdown.'
Trump, 79, Debuts Swollen Hands as Health Concerns Mount
Both of the president’s hands were caked in two different shades of concealer—neither one was the right match for his skin tone.
Lone Star Politics: May 3, 2026
This week, the Supreme Court made a ruling on new congressional maps and voting rights. We take a look at how it will impact an already intense battle for Congress. Plus, we spoke to a Google representative about the concerns from voters over new data centers in Ellis County.
The FBI Is Reportedly Investigating a Leak to an Atlantic Writer
Sarah Fitzpatrick reported on concerns about Kash Patel’s drinking and behavior.
Cancer treatments can take a toll on body image
The end of cancer treatment doesn't mean the challenges end. Sanford Health helps survivors navigate self-esteem and other concerns.
Health costs outweigh food, vaccine concerns for MAHA voters: Poll
Health care costs are the top concern among voters who identify with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, according to a new poll — far more than vaccines, pesticides or additives…
Health care costs outrank food, vaccine concerns for MAHA voters, poll shows
A poll from KFF found that the affordability of health care is more important than the movement’s causes championed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
MAHA Health Concerns Resonate Broadly but Lag Behind Health Care Costs Even for MAHA Voters
Chemical food additive and pesticide concerns associated with the Make America Health Again (MAHA) movement are shared broadly across the public. But when it comes to voters, health care costs are a higher priority and bigger motivator, even among MAHA supporters, a new KFF Health Tracking Poll finds.
Streamers And Voice Actors Refuse To Work With Popular New Gacha Game Over Gen AI Concerns
Just days after launch, popular streamers and voice actors that worked on the game are distancing themselves from Neverness to Everness over concerns that it was created with generative AI.
National Institutes of Health Grant Terminations Disproportionately Impact Minority Scientists
Survey of nearly 1,000 researchers whose grants were cut shows BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and women investigators faced higher odds of targeted equity-related terminations, raising concerns about long-term impacts on the U.S. scientific workforce
Sacred Heart forum raises concerns about impact of sports gambling on young adults
Sacred Heart University released findings from a nationwide poll examining gambling behaviors among young adults.
Republicans propose $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to secure Trump ballroom
The president said repeatedly that the White House ballroom would be privately funded but has raised security concerns, particularly in light of the correspondent's dinner shooting.
U.K. 30-Year Gilt Yields Hit 28-Year High Amid Political Concerns
Borrowing costs on U.K. 30-year government bonds surged ahead of local elections on Thursday due to concerns about a potential political crisis in the U.K.
iPhone 18 Pro Rumored to Keep Aluminum Finish Amid Durability Complaints
The iPhone 18 Pro will reportedly carry over the same anodized aluminum finish introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, despite concerns from some users about its durability.
Trump Sparks Health Concerns With Weird Food Boast
The president appears to have inadvertently explained one of his lingering ailments.
Wake County pauses WakeMed merger with Atrium Health
Wake County Commissioners have agreed to delay consideration of a contract change that would clear the way for the proposed WakeMed/Atrium Health merger. The delay will last for at least 90 days, commissioners say. It will “provide time for the hospitals to engage with the community,” answer questions and make changes to address any concerns,” […]
North Dakota small business owners lament rising healthcare costs, credit card swipe fees
Small business owners expressed concerns about rising healthcare costs and credit card transaction fees during a roundtable discussion Monday with North Dakota Rep. Julie Fedorchak and Sen. John Hoeven.
A Look At Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) Valuation As Analyst Concerns And Dividend Move Draw Focus
Analyst Concerns and Dividend Move Put Tencent Music in Focus Recent analyst downgrades and slightly reduced fair value estimates have pushed Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) into the spotlight, as competition and earnings visibility stay front of mind for investors. At the same time, the company’s ordinary annual cash dividend of US$0.12 per share for 2025, with an ex dividend date of 1 April 2026, offers a degree of income continuity that some shareholders may welcome. See our latest...
Iowa attorney general joins coalition to advocate for state control over sports gambling
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has joined 41 attorneys general in urging federal regulators to affirm state jurisdiction over sports-related event contracts, citing concerns over unregulated prediction markets.
Lightning strike likely sparked massive fire that destroyed USF St. Pete marine science lab, officials say
University of South Florida officials now believe a lightning strike sparked the massive fire that tore through the marine science lab on the St. Petersburg campus, as concerns grow over the loss of decades of research and critical equipment.
Cruisin’ weekend raises traffic, business concerns in Ocean City
OCEAN CITY, Md. - Cruisin’ Ocean City brought large crowds and classic cars into town over the weekend, but some local business owners say the event also made it difficult
Budget woes may delay opening of state-funded mental health centers
Funding concerns delay the rollout of New Jersey's mental health "crisis stabilization centers,” part of the broader 988 system.
Dolly Parton cancels Las Vegas residency and steps back from performing amid health concerns
Dolly Parton did not disclose the specific health condition that she is receiving treatment for, but said that she would be too dizzy to take the stage for her residency this year.
UCLA nurses, health care workers, interns, and residents to protest use of tents and hallway beds at Westwood emergency department
Registered nurses, residents, interns, and other health care workers at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., will hold a rally on Wednesday, May 6, outside the UC Board of Regents meeting to highlight their patient safety concerns.
Zambia Says Privacy, Minerals Concerns Stall US Health-Aid Deal
Zambia’s talks with the US over a new $2 billion health-aid deal stalled because the proposed agreement included data sharing that would violate citizens’ privacy rights and was conditional on first agreeing to preferential access to mineral resources, the nation’s foreign minister said.
EDITORIAL: Normalization of misconduct in U.S. politics
President Donald J. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign propelled conversations regarding sexual assault into the national spotlight. A handful of women slowly began coming forward with allegations of unwanted advances and perverse comments over the course of the election cycle, and concerns were further solidified after a secret recording from a 2005 Hollywood Access tape was leaked. Trump had been caught on a hot mic stating he was able to touch women as he pleased, and due to his social status as a "star," they would let him do it. The New York Times published a series of interviews from individuals who had both witnessed and experienced his inappropriate behavior soon after.
Low water levels cause safety and business concerns for White Lake
Officials with the White Lake Water Festival have canceled this year’s ski show due to low water levels caused by ongoing drought conditions.
AAPI adults have more confidence and trust in medical professionals like doctors and scientists than government officials, and most are stressed about health concerns - AP-NORC
Personal finances are a source of stress for most AAPI adults, along with health concerns. And many are also stressed about discrimination, with 1 in 4 experiencing a hate crime or incident in the last year.
‘Political violence is reshaping who runs’: Report details threats to LGBTQ+ candidates
More than half of candidates changed how they campaigned due to safety concerns, limiting visibility and voter engagement.
Democrats slammed for 'dehumanizing' rhetoric amid concerns about political-fueled violence
Political analyst Gianno Caldwell discusses dangerous political rhetoric and its consequences, including an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump. He also examines how extreme language and socialist policies impact the country.
Backed by tech money, a moderate Democrat from Silicon Valley mounts a bid for California governor
The race to lead the country’s biggest blue state has been defined by voter concerns about their quality of life in California and the influence of special interests in Sacramento.
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
Laredo population growth slows as immigration declines sharply
Laredo businesses report declining sales as population growth slows sharply. Experts link the trend to reduced migration, raising concerns about jobs, tax revenue and long-term economic stability.
The politics of Trump's ballroom
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — President Trump was about a half-hour into his second speech of the day, musing about the danger he faced last week at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Saturday night, it was good for one thing. People are loving my ballroom now,” Trump told a crowd last night. “That’s the only thing. They love my ballroom.” Ever since he was hustled off stage at the Washington Hilton last week, after an attempted shooter breached the dinner’s security perimeter and sent guests diving to the floor, the president has argued that the incident is proof for why his White House ballroom is needed. Only his planned $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project, Trump has reasoned, can keep a president truly safe at major events. It’s true that a bunch of GOP lawmakers have jumped on board with new legislation and words of support for Trump’s project. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul and other prominent Republicans went on TV to talk about the need for a ballroom. But as we reported at The Washington Post this week, “people” aren’t really changing their minds on Trump’s ballroom. A new Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that most Americans still oppose the ballroom project: 56 percent against it versus 28 percent in favor. The numbers are the same as a poll from last year, the Post’s polling whiz Scott Clement found. Other new polls have found similar margins, too. “I’m just not a giant fan, especially of extravagance,” one independent voter told me. “I mean, in the era we’re in right now, given how much people are struggling, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to spend $400 million on a ballroom.” How we got here The Washington Post has followed Trump’s ballroom project very closely. (My colleague Jonathan Edwards may have written the most total words of any reporter about the project; I may be second.) The project exploded as a national issue after Trump tore down the White House’s East Wing after initially promising not to touch it.1 Historic preservationists sued, and about a month ago, a federal judge ordered a halt to ballroom construction.2 The only way the ballroom could proceed, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled, was if Congress explicitly authorized Trump’s plans. (An appeals court has stayed Leon’s order for now.) The judge’s ruling raised an obvious question: would Congress authorize the project? Keep in mind, “authorization” doesn’t mean that Congress needs to necessarily fund the planned $400 million project; they could just sign off on the private donations that Trump has solicited to pay for the ballroom.3 But GOP lawmakers really didn’t want to talk about the ballroom, we reported at The Post just a few weeks ago. One major reason was the ballroom’s bad polling — not a small detail with many of their own midterm elections looming. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, and Trump’s advocacy, may have changed the political conversation around the ballroom. As this week’s polling shows, it doesn’t seem to have affected the fundamental questions surrounding the project. To put it another way, voters still say that cost-of-living concerns are top-of-mind heading into the midterms. Some Republican and independent voters have told me that they see the ballroom as a vanity project that will help Trump but do nothing for their own lives. It might not help Republicans that Trump has dismissed some of the cost-of-living concerns. He’s described “affordability” as a buzzword manufactured by Democrats whose policies helped cause inflation. “They’ve got one good line of bullshit,” Trump said in his first speech yesterday, delivered at a Florida retirement community known as The Villages. Thanks for reading Dan Diamond's newsletter! Subscribe for free to stay up-to-date on my work. Subscribe Speaking of Trump’s speeches… I’m down in Florida because it’s my “duty week” as a White House reporter — basically, I follow the president wherever he goes. (And then hand the baton off to one of my Washington Post colleagues next week.) As part of my duty week, I’ve spent a few days covering the White House’s reaction to Saturday’s attempted shooting, including officials’ review of the security protocols to protect the president. Trump was restrained in the wake of the incident, addressing the nation from the White House briefing room about the need for peaceful dialogue and trying to lower the temperature. But he’s clearly been itching to get back out of the White House, and I was curious to hear how his Florida speeches would go. And — to my ears — it was an unburdened Trump. Not the one we saw Saturday night in the White House briefing room, but the one we witnessed on the campaign trail in 2024. Loose, dropping profanities, mocking everyone, including members of his team. “We have a man here who knows more about Medicaid, Medicare, medical crap than any human being. Where’s Dr. Oz? Where the hell are you, stand up,” Trump said, referring to Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “It’s the most boring trip I’ve ever made. He’s telling me about Medicare, Medicaid. All I want to do is take care of you, I don’t care. I said, ‘You work out the details.’” I wrote up the speech, as Trump headed to West Palm Beach to deliver more remarks a few hours later. The White House didn’t like my story. Their rapid-response team called it the work of a “total loser”4 and “a miserable TDS-ridden moron.” You can be the judge of whether it’s a fair story or the product of someone afflicted with “TDS.” (The White House’s shorthand for “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”) I’ve pasted the story below with a gift link, meaning that you don’t need to be a Washington Post subscriber to read it. It might prompt you for an email address, though. Meanwhile, I’ll be down in Florida for the rest of the weekend, covering the president. It’s TBD whether those stories will be deemed TDS-afflicted, too. 1 Jonathan details the past six months of ballroom fallout, reactions and the implications for executive authority here. I also had a great time talking about Trump’s ballroom and other projects with Australia’s ABC News Daily on a podcast this week. 2 The judge allowed underground construction and national security-related work to continue. But that hasn’t been enough for Trump, who says the ballroom itself is essential for his protection. 3 The ballroom donors include companies like Palantir, Google and Amazon. For transparency, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, where I work. No one has ever interfered with our team’s coverage of the ballroom or our mentions of Amazon or Bezos, and if that changed, I’d speak out. 4 To be fair, I’ve spent the morning working on stories and writing this Substack post rather than enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. So they may be onto something about who’s winning and who’s losing.
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Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. due to concerns over data privacy
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. due to concerns over data privacy.
Ghana rejects US health deal over data access concerns
Ghana has rejected a proposed health deal with the U.S. due to concerns over data privacy. The agreement would have allowed U.S. entities access to Ghana's sensitive health data without necessary safeguards.
Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
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