'Americans want our government to grow the economy. Local businesses need it.'
Suzanne Clark at USA Today
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'"Meritocracy" is the right's smokescreen for white mediocracy'
Charles Coleman Jr. at Newsweek
DEI criticism "presents a paradox that reveals not only dangerous ironies but a bigger issue around the myth of American exceptionalism," says Charles Coleman Jr. In the "same breath that proponents of meritocracy cry foul at DEI-related programs, there is an unabashed desire to reward white mediocrity even when" the "potential candidate is nearly void of any relevant merit." The "idea isn't about taking away unfair advantages, it is quite the opposite."
'Social media without fact-checking will destabilize the Global South'
Ashfaq Zaman at The Hill
Social media is "perfectly happy to profit off the masses of data they accumulate from users across the world," says Ashfaq Zaman, but "far less interested in investing in the systems and processes that ensure some semblance of accuracy or protection." Both "misinformation and disinformation pose unique threats to the Global South," and "lower levels of digital literacy, combined with rapid mobile phone adoption, can leave falsehoods harder to distinguish from information gained from credible sources."
'Eat ice cream for breakfast this weekend'
Hannah Docter-Loeb at Slate
The "first Saturday in February" is the "best holiday known to humankind: Ice Cream for Breakfast Day," says Hannah Docter-Loeb. The "prospect of eating food that is even colder than the weather outside is pretty absurd. But I promise it's fun and legit!" As an adult, the "day has become less about what's on the actual menu, and more about the experience." There's "something special about gathering all the people you know to celebrate something so silly."
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How coupling up became cringeTalking Point For some younger women, going out with a man – or worse, marrying one – is distinctly uncool
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The rapid-fire brilliance of Tom StoppardIn the Spotlight The 88-year-old was a playwright of dazzling wit and complex ideas
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How your household budget could look in 2026The Explainer The government is trying to balance the nation’s books but energy bills and the cost of food could impact your finances
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‘It is their greed and the pollution from their products that hurt consumers’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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‘It’s critical that Congress get involved’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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‘The choice isn’t between domestic and foreign talent; the nation was built on both’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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‘Every teacher is a literacy teacher’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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‘These attacks rely on a political repurposing’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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X’s location update exposes international troll industryIn the Spotlight Social media platform’s new transparency feature reveals ‘scope and geographical breadth’ of accounts spreading misinformation
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‘Latinos bring a wealth of knowledge and cultural connection to the ocean’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
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A crowded field of Democrats is filling up the California governor’s raceIn the Spotlight Over a dozen Democrats have declared their candidacy
