Jan 26 Watch 8:23 Citing second chances, Obama pledges solitary confinement reform By PBS News Hour President Obama has pledged to ban solitary confinement for juveniles in the federal prison system and to reform the rules for other prisoners. What effect will his executive actions have? Hari Sreenivasan discusses the proposed changes with Maurice Chammah of… Continue watching
Jan 26 Task force recommends how to cut U.S. prisoner count by 60,000 By Eric Tucker, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Justice Department should limit the types of cases it brings and more nonviolent criminals should be steered toward probation and away from prison, according to task force recommendations designed to cut the federal inmate count and save… Continue reading
Jan 26 Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in fed prisons By Kathleen Hennessey, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Monday he will ban the use of solitary confinement for juvenile and low-level offenders in federal prisons, citing the potential for "devastating, lasting psychological consequences" from the use of the isolation as punishment. Continue reading
Jan 26 Obama to push for expanding retirement plans By Kevin Freking, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will pitch some new proposals to expand access to retirement savings accounts and revisit some old ones when issuing his budget next month. Continue reading
Jan 25 Who’s Obama for? Clinton has reason to smile By Kathleen Hennessey, Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama hasn’t endorsed a Democratic successor, but he’s now revealed some personal pros and cons in the fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Clinton has reason to smile. Continue reading
Jan 25 Some cost-conscious employers exclude outpatient surgeries in health plans By Jay Hancock, Kaiser Health News Libbi Stovall couldn’t believe it last month when she looked at the fine print in her company’s 2016 health plan. The insurance paid for inpatient hospital care, office visits and diagnostic imaging. But it provided no coverage for outpatient surgery,… Continue reading
Jan 25 Fact-checking GOP candidate claims on Obama’s military spending By Richard Lardner, Associated Press Trashing Obama and arguing that he has failed to spend enough on defense has become a staple for Republican presidential hopefuls. What's lost in the din: Money spent on weapons modernization is on par with the George W. Bush administration. Continue reading
Jan 24 Watch 8:31 Why hasn’t the Guantánamo Bay prison closed? By PBS News Hour Since the beginning of his presidency, President Barack Obama has vowed to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which he says is expensive, unnecessary and serves as a recruitment tool for America's enemies. Miami Herald reporter Carol Rosenberg joins… Continue watching
Jan 24 Will Trump succeed with voters the way he has in the polls? By Associated Press Trump has done and said so many things that would have ended the campaign of just about anyone else. Even he's amazed at his apparent inability to commit a political error. Continue reading
Jan 20 Governor’s emails show debate over blame for Flint water By David Eggert, Associated Press LANSING, Mich. — A day after doctors reported high levels of lead in Flint children, Gov. Rick Snyder's chief of staff told him the "real responsibility" for the city's water issues rested with local government officials, emails released Wednesday showed. Continue reading