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September 15, 2025
South Korea probes for human rights abuses in U.S. raid as Trump insists foreign workers 'welcome'
(NBC News) South Korea said Monday that it would investigate whether its workers suffered any human rights violations during a raid by U.S. authorities, as President Donald Trump insisted that he did not want to "frighten off" foreign investment. Foreign workers are "welcome" in America, Trump said on social media Sunday, after the emotional return of more than 300 workers to South Korea. But their detention following a raid by immigration authorities at a Hyundai plant in Georgia has stunned the key U.S. ally.
Go to discussion'The whole thing is screwed up': Farmers in deep-red Pennsylvania struggle to find workers
(Politico) As House Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson prepares to introduce legislation aimed at easing the farm labor crisis, farmers in the Pennsylvania Republican’s district are hoping he’s heard their cries that they need more help right now. In Tioga County, where President Donald Trump won 75 percent of the vote in 2024, farmers are losing patience with the White House’s promise of a quick solution for farm workers. Their urgent need is highlighted by stories like those of a multigenerational dairy farm that sold off all its dairy cows because the owner could not find workers and another where a farmer’s job listings have received no responses.
Go to discussionChannel 4 to mark Trump's UK visit with 'longest uninterrupted reel of untruths'
(The Guardian) More than 100 of Donald Trump’s inaccurate statements are to be dissected by Channel 4 to coincide with his state visit, in what it described as “the longest uninterrupted reel of untruths, falsehoods and distortions ever broadcast on television”. The US president is expected to arrive in the UK on Tuesday night. Channel 4 is dedicating its Wednesday night schedule to unpicking what it describes as the falsehoods expressed by Trump since taking office in a broadcast that insiders said would last several hours.
Go to discussionStephen Colbert Gets Raucous Ovation After Emmy Win
(Mediaite) “Stephen! Stephen!” The crowd chanted — as the Late Show with Stephen Colbert won the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Sunday night, its first victory in the category after eight straight losses. Earlier in the evening, Colbert made light of his near-term employment prospects while presenting the show’s first award. “While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?” Colbert joked.
Go to discussionThe House Republican risking GOP backlash to save Obamacare subsidies
(Politico) Among all the troublemaking members House Republican leaders have to deal with, Rep. Jen Kiggans isn’t on their list of problem children. That might be changing. She is viewed by her peers as personable and a team player. Of all the places Mike Johnson might have gone on the eve of the 2024 elections, the speaker chose to spend time with Kiggans — a strong show of leadership support for a freshman. But Kiggans, now in her second term, has decided to stick her neck out on what’s shaping up to be one of the most politically explosive policy fights of the fall: the battle over extending boosted Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies that are due to expire on Dec. 31.
Go to discussionTrump says he will call national emergency again in Washington, DC, if police fail to cooperate with ICE
(CNN) President Donald Trump says he will call a national emergency once again in Washington, DC, if local police do not cooperate with immigration enforcement. His comments come after the national emergency and federal takeover he declared in August expired last week. Trump has said the move, which included sending in National Guard troops, is necessary to fight crime and has threatened to target other mostly Democratic-run cities. But critics have called it a “dangerous power grab.”
Go to discussionNew Poll Reveals Warning Signs for Trump with Latinos
(Political Wire) “President Donald Trump’s approval is plummeting with Latino voters, a voting bloc Republicans are betting on as they fight to maintain their tenuous hold on the House next year,” Politico reports. A new poll shows Trump’s favorability “is underwater by 20 points with the demographic.”
Go to discussionA record number of Congressional lawmakers aren't running for reelection in 2026. Here's the list
(NPR) NPR is tracking the record number of Congressional lawmakers who have announced they do not plan to run for reelection to their current seats in 2026. That number currently stands at 10 senators and 27 House members. Fifteen are retiring from public office with the rest running for a different office – 11 looking to become governor of their state, 10 looking to make the jump from House to Senate and one, Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, is looking to become his state's attorney general. There are more Republicans signaling their desire to exit Washington (27) than Democrats (10).
Go to discussionUtah campus open carry permit under fresh scrutiny after Kirk shooting
(The Guardian) As authorities at the federal and state levels parse the details of the fatal shooting of far-right activist Charlie Kirk at a university in Utah, a recently passed state bill that allows people with concealed-carry permits to carry firearms openly on college campuses has drawn fresh scrutiny. Utah has allowed for permitless open and concealed carry of weapons since 2021. But before the passage of HB 128, firearms had to be concealed when carried on college campuses. The law allowed people with the proper permit to carry them openly.
Go to discussionNational civil rights museum expanding. Unlike Smithsonian, Trump has no immediate sway over its content
(CBS News) A popular museum in Atlanta is expanding at a critical moment in the United States - and unlike the Smithsonian Institution, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is privately funded, putting it beyond the immediate reach of Trump administration efforts to control what Americans learn about their history. The months-long renovation, which cost nearly $60 million, adds six new galleries as well as classrooms and interactive experiences, changing a relatively static museum into a dynamic place where people are encouraged to take action supporting civil and human rights, racial justice and the future of democracy, said Jill Savitt, the center's president and CEO.
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