Barriers that the Voting Rights Act of 1965 aimed to eliminate have reappeared in modern forms as the country marks its 60th anniversary.
The big picture: A backlash to the 2020 racial reckoning has made it almost impossible for any bipartisan effort to renew the Voting Rights Act — even though the country is more racially and ethnically diverse than ever.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff told hostage families on Saturday that President Trump wants to "shift" the Gaza policy from trying to get a partial and phased Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal to reaching a comprehensive deal that ends the war and returns all remaining hostages at once, according to a statement by the families and recordings from the meeting.
Why it matters: Witkoff's remarks, during a two-hour meeting in Tel Aviv with dozens of families of hostages held by Hamas, were an acknowledgment that the approach Israel and the U.S. have pursued over the last six months to try and reach a partial and incremental ceasefire and hostage deal has failed.
Chinese hackers are targeting more sensitive U.S. targets than ever — not to smash and grab, but to bide their time.
Why it matters: Beijing is investing in stealthy, persistent access to U.S. systems — quietly building up its abilities to disrupt everything from federal agencies to water utilities in the event of escalation with Washington.
The Trump administration said Friday it will end a court-imposed decree initiated by the Carter administration that eliminated a test for federal job applicants and imposed diversity hiring requirements for federal agencies.
Why it matters: The move follows the administration'sdramatic change to the government's interpretation of civil rights-era laws to focus on "anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color.
President Trump said Friday that he'd ordered two nuclear submarines close to Russian waters in response to nuclear bluster from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Why it matters: Trump accused his predecessor, President Biden, of flirting with World War Three after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now he's making nuclear threats of his own.
The Trump administration's dozens of reciprocal tariffs will start this month after drawn-out delays.
Why it matters: The tariffs — ranging from 10% to 50% — mark another escalation in President Trump's trade war, as the economy is showing signs of slowing.
President Trump told Axios in a brief phone call on Friday that he's working on a plan to "get people fed" in Gaza.
What he's saying: "We want to help people. We want to help them live. We want to get people fed. It is something that should have happened long time ago," Trump said.
"Leguizamo Does America" director Ben DeJesus tells Axios the show proves that telling Latinos' stories doesn't just make audiences "feel good" — it's "good business."
Why it matters: The first season of "Leguizamo Does America" was the most viewed MSNBC original in over two years on Peacock.
People who grew up in parts of the Upper Midwest and the Northeast tend to have relatively high credit scores in early middle-age, newly released data shows, while those from the South tend to have lower scores.
Why it matters: Credit scores can determine people's access to loans, housing, better interest rates and more — despite their flaws and biases.
