Democrats and a federal union argue the Trump administration’s language posted on federal agency websites and in some emails blaming the “Radical Left Democrats” for the government shutdown is in violation of a 1939 federal law.
White House floats no back pay for some furloughed federal workers despite 2019 law
A new draft White House memo suggests a 2019 law signed by President Trump that guarantees federal employees get paid after a shutdown ends would not apply to furloughed workers.
The government shutdown is snarling air travel. Officials say it could get worse
A dozen facilities saw air traffic control shortages on Monday, delaying flights at several airports. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blamed “a slight tick-up in sick calls” due to the shutdown.
Here are the finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards
This year’s short list features novelists Rabih Alameddine and Megha Majumdar as well as five first-time nominees for nonfiction, including journalists Omar El Akkad and Julia Ioffe.
New books this week: Thomas Pynchon’s first novel in 12 years, and much more
In addition to Pynchon’s Shadow Ticket, this week’s releases include a new memoir from Dopesick author Beth Macy, and a coming-of-age story from former U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo.
Babies take a lesson from soldiers in the war against malaria
Inspired by a military strategy to ward off disease-carrying mosquitoes, researchers see if the technique will help cut malaria infections in little ones.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Lawmakers must find ‘common ground’ to end the government shutdown
On the seventh day of the shutdown, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen tells NPR she’s working with colleagues from both parties to find common ground and reopen the government.
Deploying troops to Chicago is not legally justified, says Illinois attorney general
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul says the only “chaos” on Chicago’s streets is coming from federal immigration agents carrying our aggressive enforcement.
The Nobel Prize for physics is awarded for discoveries in quantum mechanical tunneling
The Nobel committee said that the laureates’ work provides opportunities to develop “the next generation of quantum technology, including quantum cryptography, quantum computers, and quantum sensors.”
With U.S. leadership in doubt, can its allies chart their own course?
U.S. allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific are showing willingness to coordinate and cooperate across a wide range of shared interests, from trade to defense and alliance management to China.


