HOUSE

May 15 2026POLITICS

House Vote Halts Trump’s Iran War Push

The U. S. House of Representatives tied a bill that would have stopped President Trump from fighting Iran unless Congress gave the green light. The vote ended 212 to 212, so the measure fell short of the majority needed to pass. This was the third time this year that lawmakers tried to limit the

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May 15 2026SCIENCE

Can sprinkling dust in the sky really help fight global warming?

Scientists are exploring wild ways to cool down Earth as burning coal, oil and gas keeps heating the planet. One company now says tiny particles spread high in the air could bounce some sunlight back into space. Their idea isn’t magic—it’s a high-tech plan borrowed from how volcanoes naturally cool

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May 14 2026POLITICS

House Rebels Push Ukraine Aid Vote Despite Leadership Pushback

For the first time in decades, a group of U. S. House members broke from their party bosses to make sure Kyiv gets fresh military help. Their weapon? A rarely used trick called a discharge petition, which lets lawmakers force a floor vote even when leadership wants to block it. Normally, such moves

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May 08 2026POLITICS

Data Centers: Colorado’s New Chance to Grow

Colorado is facing a budget crunch and needs fresh investment. A new bill proposes giving state sales‑tax breaks to companies that build data centers, hoping the tech giant’s money will come back into local communities. Data centers are essential for cloud computing, gaming and online services

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May 06 2026ENVIRONMENT

Yokohama Rubber Cuts Carbon Footprint by 2035

Yokohama Rubber Co. has set a clear plan to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, and the Science Based Targets initiative has officially approved these goals. The company will aim to cut Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by more than six‑thirds compared with its 2024 levels. These scopes cover th

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Apr 30 2026POLITICS

Airbnb and Anysphere Face U. S. Probe Over Chinese AI Use

House Republicans have opened a new inquiry into how U. S. tech firms might be using AI models built in China. The investigation comes as lawmakers push to curb what they see as national‑security risks and to stay ahead in the global AI contest. Both the House Committee on Homeland Security and th

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Apr 30 2026POLITICS

Quick Look at the New Surveillance Bill Rush

A new push to extend U. S. surveillance powers moved fast this week. House leaders got just enough votes to start debating the bill after a tight two-hour vote. The change would let spy agencies keep collecting data without first asking a judge. Some lawmakers only agreed after pressure from top Rep

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Apr 26 2026POLITICS

Politicians, Jokes, and Strange Moments at Washington's Big Dinner

Every spring, Washington throws a party where power meets punchlines. The White House Correspondents' Dinner isn't just another fancy event—it's a weird mix of laughter, awkward silence, and unfiltered opinions about the people in charge. This tradition began nearly a century ago, but today it feels

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Apr 17 2026EDUCATION

Discover Fun Learning at the 4‑H Science Hub

The University of Maine’s Extension team is inviting kids and their families to a free, hands‑on gathering at the Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4‑H Science and Engineering Learning Center in Orono. The open house will run from ten a. m. to one p. m. on Saturday, May 2, and no sign‑up is needed. Inside th

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Apr 10 2026SCIENCE

NASA's future in question as budget cuts threaten key missions

The White House's 2027 budget plan proposes slashing NASA's science funding by nearly half, putting over 50 missions at risk. This includes active spacecraft like Juno, which has studied Jupiter for nearly ten years, and New Horizons, which explored Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. Even missions that just

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