FUND

May 11 2026POLITICS

Grants frozen again: How federal cuts hit Indigenous research at UC Berkeley

Last month, federal officials hit pause on at least 18 research grants at UC Berkeley, despite a judge just months ago telling them to stop canceling grants. One of those frozen was a $1. 4-million project at the Lawrence Hall of Science that trains Ohlone youth to build mixed-reality exhibits about

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May 11 2026LIFESTYLE

A Young Skier’s Legacy Helps Others Hit the Slopes

Nine-year-old Zakaria Bel Qaid spent his last day alive doing something many kids love—playing outside with his sister. But a sudden accident changed everything when a tree collapsed onto the school playground in Melrose, leaving Zakaria critically injured. First responders rushed him and two others

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May 11 2026FINANCE

Vietnam’s Financial Growth Gets a US$25 Million Boost

Vietnam’s small and medium-sized businesses just got a major financial lifeline. A Hanoi-based non-bank lender called EVF secured a US$25 million loan from an international fund to expand its services. The money comes from the OPEC Fund for International Development, a group that typically supports

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May 11 2026BUSINESS

BlackRock bets big on blockchain with new money fund plans

BlackRock is taking another step into crypto by planning two new funds that trade on blockchain instead of traditional exchanges. The move shows how Wall Street is slowly merging with digital money systems, even as regulators try to keep up. The first fund copies a well-known $6. 1 billion US Treas

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May 09 2026OPINION

Florida Debate: A Divide That Stifles Talent

When students in Florida head to the state debate tournament, they expect a big event. Yet many feel it is just a small local meet. Compared to Texas, where the debate championship pulls in more than 150 speakers, Florida’s field is less than half that size. Both states value education and produce

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May 09 2026HEALTH

Arisa Health Ends 55‑Year Contract Over Funding Gap

Arisa Health, the organization that runs community mental health centers across 41 Arkansas counties, decided not to bid for a new state contract when its current agreement ends. The choice comes after the agency has faced rising costs and shrinking public money for more than five decades. The cent

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May 09 2026POLITICS

When good teachers get cut while flashy projects get funded

A teacher with 14 years of experience just lost her job—not because she did anything wrong, but because the school district needed to cut costs. Across Lee County, hundreds of educators are losing contracts as budgets tighten. At one high school alone, 18 teachers and 6 support staff are gone. The d

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May 08 2026EDUCATION

Small School, Big Lessons: How a Local Garage Sale Teaches Real Business Skills

Every year around this time, students in Chippewa Falls transform Weber’s Field into a living classroom for one weekend. Instead of sitting through another textbook lesson, they set up a full garage sale that runs on real donations and real decisions. The twist? They’re not just selling old stuff—th

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May 08 2026POLITICS

What Arkansas Leaders Do About School Money Choices

In Arkansas, a big debate is happening about where public school money should go. A new program lets families use taxpayer cash for private schools or homeschooling. Some leaders in charge of making these rules are also deciding how their own kids should learn. Officials like the governor and attor

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May 07 2026BUSINESS

Rebuilding Hope for Naples Families

A new drive has started to raise money for a center that helps kids and families after Hurricane Ian took away its main building in 2022. The Collier Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) has kicked off the first part of a bigger plan called Lifting Up, Building Strength. Its goal is to finish the inside

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