NATION BRIEFS: Trump will order a plan to dismantle the Education Department, advancing a campaign promise

WASHINGTON

Trump will order a plan to dismantle the Education Department, advancing a campaign promise

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order calling for the dismantling of the Education Department. The Republican president's plan is expected to be announced Thursday. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. And the White House says the department would not close completely right away. It is to retain certain critical functions, like managing federal student loans and Pell grants.

NEW YORK

State's top court blocks NYC from letting noncitizens vote

New York state’s top court has put an end to New York City’s effort to empower noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. The high court said in a 6-1 ruling Thursday that the New York state constitution restricts voting to citizens. New York City never actually implemented its 2022 law. Supporters estimated it would have applied to about 800,000 noncitizens with legal permanent U.S. residency or authorization to work in the nation. The measure would have let them cast a ballot for mayor, city council and other local offices, but not for federal or state officials. State Republican officials quickly sued over the law, and state courts at every level rejected it.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.

Georgetown scholar detained over American wife's Palestinian ties, lawyer says

A Georgetown University researcher was detained by masked immigration agents who told him his visa had been revoked, prompting another high-profile legal fight over deportation proceedings against foreign-born scholars authorized to live in the U.S. Badar Khan Suri is a postdoctoral scholar at Georgetown University and citizen of India. He was arrested Monday night outside of his Virginia home by officers who identified themselves as Department of Homeland Security agents, according to a legal filing by Suri’s lawyer. A government website says he was later taken to a detention facility in Louisiana. His lawyers are seeking his immediate release and to halt deportation proceedings through their habeas motion filed Tuesday against the Trump administration.

WASHINGTON

The Education Department was created to ensure equal access. Who would do that in its absence?

As the Trump administration moves to dismantle the Education Department, officials have suggested other agencies could take over its major responsibilities. Civil rights enforcement could go to the Justice Department, perhaps; student loans to Treasury or Commerce; oversight of student disability rights to Health and Human Services. Less clear is what could happen with a more lofty part of its mission — promoting equal access for students in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal. Without the department, advocates worry the federal government would not look out in the same way for poor students, those still learning English, disabled students and racial and ethnic minorities.

WASHINGTON

Taliban frees an American man who was abducted while traveling in Afghanistan more than 2 years ago

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is praising Qatar for helping the U.S. secure the release of an American held by the Taliban for more than two years. Rubio said Thursday George Glezmann will be reunited with his wife. The airline mechanic from Atlanta is the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since January. Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry confirms the release on “humanitarian grounds.” Glezmann is being accompanied back to the U.S. by Adam Boehler, who’s been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trump’s administration. Glezmann was abducted while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist. Glezmann was seized by the Taliban’s intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained.

McALESTER, Okla.

Oklahoma executes the man who killed a woman 20 years ago in a home invasion and robbery

An Oklahoma man has been executed for fatally shooting a woman during a home invasion and robbery 20 years ago. A prison official told The Associated Press that Wendell Grissom died by lethal injection Thursday at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. It was Oklahoma’s first execution of 2025. Grissom and a co-defendant were convicted of killing 23-year-old Amber Matthews and wounding another woman whose home they picked at random. Grissom’s attorneys did not dispute his guilt but argued during a clemency hearing last month that he suffered from brain damage that was never presented to a jury. The state’s Pardon and Parole Board denied the 56-year-old Grissom’s request to recommend clemency.

US

Blood test for ovarian cancer misses some Black and Native American patients, study finds

A new study finds that a common blood test for ovarian cancer may miss some Black and Native American patients, delaying their treatment. It’s the latest example of medical tests contributing to health care disparities. The new study was published Thursday in JAMA Network Open. Researchers analyzed data from more than 200,000 women. Black and Native American patients were 23% less likely to have an elevated level on the blood test compared with white patients, suggesting the thresholds are too high. Recently, the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion has jeopardized research that uncovers bias in medicine.

LOS ANGELES

US home sales rose in February as mortgage rates eased and more homes put up for sale

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in February as easing mortgage rates and more properties on the market encouraged home shoppers. Existing home sales rose 4.2% last month from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.26 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. Sales fell 1.2% compared with February last year. The latest home sales topped the 3.92 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet. Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 20th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 3.8% in February from a year earlier to $398,400.

CHARLESTON, S.C.

The family of an airplane safety whistleblower is suing Boeing over his death

The family of a former Boeing quality control manager who police say took his life after being questioned for days by company lawyers for whistleblowing has sued the company. John Barnett's family in a Wednesday wrongful death lawsuit said Boeing subjected him to a harassment campaign. They say Boeing tried to discredit and humiliate him after he reported defects in the company's jumbo jets. Barnett shot himself March 9, 2024, in Charleston after several days of questioning. Boeing in a statement says it's saddened by Barnett’s death. The company has not yet responded to the lawsuit in court.

WASHINGTON

Federal Reserve sees tariffs raising inflation this year, keeps key rate unchanged

The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday and signaled that it still expects to cut rates twice this year, though more policymakers forecast fewer cuts. The Fed also now expects the economy to grow more slowly this year and next than it did three months ago, according to a set of quarterly economic projections also released Wednesday. It also expects the unemployment rate to tick higher, to 4.4%. Policymakers also expect inflation will pick up slightly by the end of this year, to 2.7% from its current level of 2.5%. Bother are above the central bank’s 2% target.

US

Applications for jobless benefits inch up, but layoffs remain low, labor market healthy

Slightly more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain historically low. U.S. jobless claims filings rose by 2,000 to 223,000 for the week ending March 15, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s just less than the 224,000 new applications analysts forecast. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have remained mostly in a range between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years. The four-week average inched up by 750 to 227,000. The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of March 8 rose by 33,000 to 1.89 million.

NEW YORK

Amtrak CEO abruptly resigns from the nation's passenger railroad

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner abruptly resigned from his top post at the U.S. passenger railroad this week. Wednesday’s announcement signaled that the leadership change came down to Amtrak maintaining support from U.S. President Donald Trump. Gardner said he was stepping down “to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration.” A successor for Gardner was not immediately named. Gardner’s departure arrives just weeks after billionaire Elon Musk floated the idea of privatizing Amtrak, as well as the U.S. Postal Service, at a Morgan Stanley tech conference earlier this month.

WASHINGTON

Social Security in-person identity checks opposed by advocates and retirees alike

The Social Security Administration’s plan to require in-person identity checks for millions of new and existing recipients has drawn ire from lawmakers, advocacy groups and program recipients who are concerned that the government is placing barriers in front of people seeking to access their benefits. The agency announced Tuesday, that beginning March 31st, those who cannot properly verify their identity through an online service will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process. To complicate matters, Social Security field offices across the country will also be closing.

US

Average US rate on a 30-year mortgage rises slightly for the second week in a row

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose slightly for the second week in a row, a modest setback for prospective home shoppers as the spring homebuying season ramps up. The rate rose to 6.67% from 6.65% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.87%. Including this week, the average rate has risen only twice in the past nine weeks. After climbing to just above 7% in mid-January, the average rate has been mostly declining, echoing moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

NEW YORK

Venus passes between the Earth and sun this weekend — but don't try to look for it

Venus will pass between the Earth and sun during what’s called an inferior conjunction. But don’t plan on seeing the linkup. The sight is extremely difficult to spot without special equipment and a trained eye. A conjunction happens when two celestial bodies appear close together in the sky. It could be two planets, or a planet and the sun. The moment of inferior conjunction happens around 9 p.m. EDT Saturday. Those looking for signs of the transition can look to the stars before and after to watch Venus move from the evening to morning sky.

HONOLULU

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano resumes on-and-off again eruption that has dazzled park visitors

Hawaii’s most active volcano has resumed erupting after a weeklong pause. The U.S. Geological Survey said Kilauea began continuously releasing lava from its summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at 9:26 a.m. Wednesday. The molten rock was contained within the park and wasn’t threatening residential areas. The volcano began its current eruption on Dec. 23. The eruption has stopped and resumed more than a dozen times since. The shortest episode lasted 13 hours. The longest lasted eight days. Each time, the volcano has sent lava shooting high into the sky from caldera vents. That's created a dramatic sight for park visitors.

US

A former studio engineer is charged with stealing unreleased Eminem music and selling it online

Federal prosecutors in Michigan have charged a former Eminem studio engineer with stealing the rap star's unreleased music and selling it online. Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck in Detroit announced Wednesday that Joseph Strange is charged with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods. Strange's attorney says the charges are untested allegations and the matter will be handled in court. According to an FBI affidavit, Strange lost his job at Eminem's suburban Detroit studio in 2021. Other studio employees reported to the FBI in January that unreleased music was appearing online. People who had purchased the music led investigators to Strange.

US

Encrypted messaging apps promise privacy. Government transparency is often the price

States and cities across the country are grappling with how to stay on the right side of government transparency laws as the use of encrypted messaging apps becomes more widespread. The apps fly against the basic requirements of public record laws by making messages inaccessible under records requests or deleting them without leaving a record. Scandals over potentially inappropriate use of encrypted messaging have popped up in a dozen states over the past decade, but transparency advocates say most states haven't made much progress in adapting to the new technologies. A 50-state review by Associated Press reporters found over 1,100 accounts on end-to-end encryption apps registered to cellphone numbers of government officials and workers.

NEW YORK

Controversial insider account by former Meta official has strong first-week sales

A former Meta official’s explosive insider account sold 60,000 copies in its first week and reached the top 10 on Amazon.com’s best-seller list amid efforts by the social media giant to discredit the book. Released last week by Flatiron Books, Sarah Wynn-Williams’ “Careless People” alleges cruel and otherwise disturbing behavior by Mark Zuckerberg, Joel Kaplan and other executives and describes Zuckerberg’s alleged efforts to win favor with Chinese officials. Meta has countered that Wynn-Williams, a former director of global public policy who left what was then Facebook in 2017, violated a severance agreement and wrote a book filled with inaccuracies.

- AP reports