Politics Dec 02 At Ohio rally, Trump ‘unofficially’ announces defense pick Mattis President-elect Donald Trump used a rally in Cincinnati on Thursday night to “unofficially” announce retired Gen. James “Mad Dog” Mattis as his secretary of defense, telling the audience to keep the news hushed. Meanwhile, at Harvard University's traditionally civil post-election…
Politics Dec 02 Why James Mattis could be an ‘awkward fit’ for the Trump administration Who is James “Mad Dog” Mattis, the president-elect’s choice for secretary of defense? Judy Woodruff sits down with two who know the retired general well: Michael Gordon of The New York Times and Steve Simon, a former national security council…
Nation Dec 02 Despite impending deadline, Standing Rock protesters vow to stay As temperatures in North Dakota plunge into the single digits, the standoff over an oil pipeline near a Native American reservation is intensifying. Monday is the deadline set by the Army Corps of Engineers and the state’s governor for thousands…
Health Dec 02 Three reasons little kids shouldn’t play football Keith Strudler wants to see the end of football played by very young children -- and not just because of the danger of concussions. He argues that the sport teaches kids to act rough and selfish, as well as that…
Arts Dec 01 The deals and rhetoric behind the U.S. relationship with Iran In his new book, “The Iran Wars: Spy Games, Bank Battles and the Secret Deals that Reshaped the Middle East,” The Wall Street Journal's Jay Solomon discusses the U.S. power struggle with Iran, including the Obama administration’s nuclear deal and…
Economy Dec 01 Is crumbling infrastructure inhibiting American productivity? In recent decades, American productivity growth has slowed. Yale University's Jacob Hacker has a possible explanation: the country’s outdated and deteriorating infrastructure. Hacker, co-author of “American Amnesia,” argues the U.S. has forgotten the role government plays in engineering prosperity, and…
Health Dec 01 Despite advances, lingering challenges in the global fight against AIDS On World AIDS Day, we take a look at efforts being made to improve prevention and treatment of the virus. While encouraging advancements have been achieved, AIDS is still the number one killer of women ages 18 to 55. William…
Politics Dec 01 Analyzing the long-term value of Trump’s Carrier agreement President-elect Donald Trump’s deal with United Technologies will preserve 1,100 jobs in the state of Indiana, thus appearing to validate a central promise of his campaign. But questions remain: Is this sort of agreement viable? What is the future of…
Nation Dec 01 A history of the American war on weed On November 8, multiple states legalized marijuana for medical or recreational purposes -- so Joe Dolce’s new book on the substance's history in the U.S. is timely. Dolce argues marijuana's bad reputation is a result of political demonization, including an…
Nation Dec 01 News Wrap: As Tennessee wildfire smoke clears, recovery efforts intensify In our news wrap Thursday, the smoke is clearing from days of wildfires in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, and recovery efforts are in full swing. The blazes in and around the eastern city of Gatlinburg left 10 people dead before…