Public Works

Jack Smith, the former special counsel who led the federal investigations into Donald Trump, has publicly and forcefully defended the cases he brought, rejecting criticism of his team's conduct. His intervention comes as Republicans accuse his office of improper tactics and work to undermine the legitimacy of the prosecutions and the evidence gathered during the probes.

Wisconsin Public Radio reports that many write-in votes cast in Wisconsin elections are frequently counted incorrectly or disqualified, raising questions about how well the process works for voters who choose candidates not on the ballot. The report points to recurring errors in how write-ins are recorded and validated during the state's vote counting.

Divya Mittal, a former IAS officer known for her administrative work in Uttar Pradesh, has announced she is entering politics as an independent candidate. In her announcement, she described Uttar Pradesh as her 'karmabhoomi', or land of work, signalling a direct bid for public office without party backing. Her move is drawing attention as another example of a serving or former bureaucrat stepping into electoral politics in India.

Minnesota education officials are recruiting students and adults to help improve how standardized testing works in the state. The effort, reported by MPR News, invites input from the people most affected by assessments, aiming to make testing fairer and more useful. It signals a broader review of how the state evaluates student performance.

The Trump administration has launched America.gov, a new website that uses artificial intelligence to deliver government services and information to the public. The site represents an effort to modernise how Americans access federal services online. Details are still emerging about how the AI tools work, what services the site covers, and how user data will be handled.

The Trump administration has launched America.gov, a new AI-driven platform intended to connect and streamline US government services for the public. The initiative, reported by FedScoop, aims to tie together federal websites and services into a single portal, with artificial intelligence handling navigation and delivery of information. Coverage is focusing on how the technology will work and its implications for how Americans interact with government online.

Astronomers are tracking newly discovered near-Earth asteroid 2026 SA8, which is making a close but entirely safe pass by our planet. The object, spotted only recently, highlights how near-Earth objects are constantly being detected as survey telescopes improve. No impact risk has been reported, and space enthusiasts are sharing the flyby details as an example of planetary monitoring working as intended.

Vermont is working to reinvent its model of college as Americans grow increasingly skeptical of the value of higher education. The effort comes as declining enrollment and public doubts about cost and return on investment put pressure on colleges nationwide. Vermont's attempts to rethink how it delivers and funds higher education have drawn attention as a possible test case for the sector.

Researchers at Leiden University have published a new study examining which forms of support and treatment are most effective in helping survivors recover from intimate partner violence. The findings are drawing attention among professionals and the public, as they offer concrete guidance on what actually works for recovery rather than simply documenting harm.

A new book explores the 1934 Minneapolis truckers' strike, a violent labor confrontation that helped build the city's middle class by strengthening union rights. The work revisits how striking teamsters faced deadly clashes while winning recognition, a turning point that raised wages and working conditions across the region and shaped Minneapolis labor politics for decades.

Voting rights scholar Carol Anderson is set to appear in Red Wing, Minnesota, for a live conversation with broadcaster Kerri Miller. The event, promoted by MPR News, will focus on Anderson's work on voter suppression and voting rights in the United States, drawing an audience interested in democracy, civil rights and current debates over ballot access.

The New York Times has published a review of Robert Kolker's new book, 'The Vanishing Family.' The review examines the author's latest work of nonfiction, adding to discussion of the book among readers and critics following its release.

Gameplay footage of a demo for Panzer Dragoon Zwei Remake, the rail shooter remake being developed by Forever Entertainment and published under Sega's license, is circulating among gaming fans. The work-in-progress demo, tagged for a 2026 PC release, offers a first look at how the classic on-rails shooter is being reworked, drawing attention from shooter and shmup enthusiasts tracking the remake's progress.

Artist Deborah Buck sits down with Amanda Millet-Sorsa for a conversation published in The Brooklyn Rail. The interview, featured in the paper's art coverage, discusses Buck's work and practice. Details of the specific topics covered have not been widely circulated beyond the publication itself, and reader engagement figures are not yet available.