NEWS - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2026 - NEWS
The court agreed to hear an appeal from parents in Montgomery County, Md., who were upset by a sharp drop in Asian students at its four magnet schools for gifted students. LA Times
VOA VIEW: As they should.
El Niño has brought more -- and stronger -- storms to the Pacific Ocean. People on Mexico's western coastline are exhausted LA Times
VOA VIEW: They should be.
Gruesome details about a shark attack were revealed after a failed migrant smuggling attempt off the California coast ended in terror. New York Post
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Finally, the federal government is taking noncitizen voting seriously. New York Post
The president’s swing is taking him to states including South Carolina and Kansas that were not seen as competitive just a few months ago. New York Times
Mr. Khalil had recently graduated from Columbia when he was arrested by ICE agents and became the face of the Trump administration’s crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations. New York Times
VOA VIEW: He should be deported.
Trees are suffering one devastating epidemic after another, unleashed by insects and bacteria that enter the country because of global trade. New York Times
Although Kosmos 2612 is now backing away, the maneuver raised alarm bells for analysts who see it as part of a pattern of Russian aggression. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Russia is getting dangerous.
More than three decades after the 1994 killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, newly unsealed federal court records have brought renewed attention to a possible lead involving Joseph “Joey” Ippolito, a convicted drug trafficker and federal informant with connections to O.J. Simpson and his longtime confidant Al Cowlings. OANN
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Three years after ending "race-conscious" college admissions, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has agreed to decide whether K–12 public school districts can use covert demographic quotas to restrict access to elite middle and high schools. OANN
The United States Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over far-left Democrat state Representative James Talarico in the Lone Star state's highly scrutinized U.S. Senate election. OANN
Vice President JD Vance said “there’s a chance” he will decide not to run for president in 2028, to focus on his growing family. OANN
VOA VIEW: He is out; Rubio is next.
A Canadian man was convicted of animal cruelty charges Monday for snatching a flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at an iconic Las Vegas hotel. Prosecutors said it was a malicious prank while a lawyer for the tourist insisted it was drunken foolishness not meant to harm the bird. Washington Times
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A shooting in a neighborhood near a mosque in Ohio's capital city left one person dead Monday but was not connected to the house of worship or those who were inside, police said. Washington Times
A federal appeals court has put on hold a court-ordered takeover of healthcare operations in Arizona's prisons that was scheduled to start Monday. Washington Times
Africa's top public health agency and Congolese officials have raised concerns over $700 million in Ebola aid which is unaccounted for, and called on aid groups to provide more information about their finances. Washington Times
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SpaceX plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday morning as part of the company's "rideshare" program. Washington Times
Former Cuban President Raul Castro is facing more charges in Florida related to the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles after the U.S. government indicted the former leader earlier this year. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: As they should!
The SpaceX CEO wrote on social media on Monday that the gift "will be the first of many." CBS
VOA VIEW: Very good gesture.
A nor'easter kicked up massive waves along the Atlantic coast on Monday, putting over 8 million people from the Jersey Shore to Florida under alerts for coastal flooding and high surf. CBS
The more access you give personal AI agents, the more capable they can be. CBS
VOA VIEW: A major mistake.
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The Supreme Court on Monday said it will consider the constitutionality of a nearly 160-year-old federal ban on distilling liquor at home. CBS
VOA VIEW: How was it put in the constitution?
The Supreme Court rebuffed an effort by alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to revive a plea deal reached with military prosecutors and revoked by the Biden administration. CBS
"Who the hell wouldn't have a women's health division?" President Trump said Monday. CBS
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Vice President JD Vance declined to follow Trump in endorsing Netanyahu, saying he’s “not getting involved in Israeli elections” a week before Israelis vote. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Vance is disapointing.
Tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy have steadily risen in recent weeks, while Russia, which invaded Ukraine, has received multiple breaks from the U.S. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Trump is picking the wrong sides.
The report comes amid mounting tensions between Ukraine and the United States, its largest military backer. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Zelenskyy should be part of any Summit.
AI always-listening wearables from Apple, Amazon, Meta and other startups are getting creative with privacy rules and fueling concerns about covert recordings. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Too much data is overhrard.
Starlink, high-speed satellite internet provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is critical to Ukraine's defense. CNBC
Jaden Read allegedly posted Facebook threats to shoot President Donald Trump and claimed he mapped rooftops near the planned Wichita, Kansas, speech. FOX News
Louisiana State University senior Leah Fonte and fiancé Shane Hirstius were allegedly struck by an impaired driver while walking along a Baton Rouge road. FOX News
Three National Guard members returned fire after a suspect allegedly opened fire during a confrontation in Washington, D.C., police said. Two people were wounded. FOX News
Authorities in parts of France have imposed curfews Monday as the country recovered from widespread protests over the weekend that turned violent. UPI
On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department filed criminal charges against 28 people in California, alleging that they illegally registered to vote. UPI
VOA VIEW: They and others should be arrested.
The use of force in an officer-involved-shooting that killed a 1-year-old boy in Mississippi has been ruled justified by the state of Mississippi. UPI
Cuba's new oil and gas law took effect Monday, allowing more private businesses and foreign investors to participate in the country's energy industry. UPI
The NYSE is extending its hours beginning Monday, opening two new trading sessions from 7:30 a.m. to 9:25 a.m. EDT and from 4 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EDT. UPI
North Korea hailed its "invincible" relationship with Russia at a diplomatic anniversary reception in Moscow, state media reported Monday. UPI
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The University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine discriminates against White and Asian applicants in favor of their Black and Hispanic counterparts, the Justice Department said amid the Trump administration's efforts to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion policies at institutions of higher learning. This is unconstitutional.
The Justice Department has launched investigations into some of the nation's leading medical and law schools to determine compliance with a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision that restricted race-conscious admissions practices. In its findings released concerning UCSF Medical School, federal lawyers alleged that prompting applicants to identify their race in the first two stages of the application process resulted in Black and Hispanic applicants being invited to the third and final interview stage at higher rates than White and Asian applicants with better MCAT scores and undergraduate grade point averages.
The report states that this was the case for the 2023 through 2025 incoming classes. During this period, UCSF Medical School was 4.6 times more likely to admit Hispanic applicants and 12.6 times more likely to admit Black applicants compared to White applicants with the same MCAT score, GPA and socioeconomic characteristics. "Unfortunately, at UCSF Medical School, MCAT scores and undergraduate GPAs have taken a backseat to race," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement.
"Aspiring doctors should be admitted based on their qualifications. The Supreme Court has spoken clearly -- federally funded medical schools may not admit students based on misguided and illegal notions of diversity." UCSF told UPI in an emailed statement disagrees with the department's findings, arguing that its medical school "is among the most elective in the country." "Every applicant is evaluated through a rigorous, individualized review process that prioritizes academic excellence," the school said.
"Academic achievement is fundamental to that review. Grades, prior coursework and MCAT scores are important measures of an applicant's readiness for a UCSF medical education. Those measures are consider alongside other factors, including clinical experience, research, service, leadership and other experiences to identify future physicians who will excel in patient care, biomedical discovery and service to communities across the country.
