What's behind Trump's order to close Department of Education

Defending humanitarian aid in terms of national security obscures its real purpose

Chen Reis, University of Denver; Maryam Z. Deloffre, George Washington University

Humanitarian aid is based on empathy and the recognition that everyone has a right to live with dignity.

Why the words in your job posting may attract rule-bending narcissists

Jonathan Gay, University of Mississippi

It may seem natural to use phrases like ‘ambitious’ or ‘think outside the box’ in job descriptions. Here’s when and why recruiters should rethink their approach.

Avoiding your neighbor because of how they voted? Democracy needs to you talk to them instead

Betsy Sinclair, Washington University in St. Louis

The more Americans isolate themselves from people in the other political party, the more stereotypes take over. In turn, that pushes people to isolate even more.

What are AI hallucinations? Why AIs sometimes make things up

Anna Choi, Cornell University; Katelyn Mei, University of Washington

When AI systems try to bridge gaps in their training data, the results can be wildly off the mark: fabrications and non sequiturs researchers call hallucinations.

Helper bots in online communities diminish human interaction

John Lalor, University of Notre Dame

Bots that reply to online posts can help people connect with each other, but at the same time they also interfere with people communicating with each other.

Cuts to research into inequality, disparities and other DEIA topics harm science

H. Colleen Sinclair, Louisiana State University

From HIV treatments to school desegregation, research into topics now considered DEIA have benefited Americans throughout history.

Trump’s firings of military leaders pose a crucial question to service members of all ranks

Samuel C. Mahaney, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Military personnel at all levels are now facing the question of whether they will stand up for the military’s independent role in maintaining the integrity and stability of American democracy.

Digital imperialism: How US social media firms are using American law to challenge global tech regulation

Yasmin Curzi de Mendonça, University of Virginia; Camille Grenier, Sciences Po

Trump Media and Rumble joining X in legal fight against the Brazilian Supreme Court marks a new era of deregulation pushes.

The incredible journey of two princes from Mozambique whose lives were upended by the slave trade

Lindsay O'Neill, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Their lives were thrown into chaos when they decided to travel to England to establish trade relations – but got sold into slavery along the way.

Is Trump’s assault on Canada bringing Québec and the rest of the country closer together?

Yulia Bosworth, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Amid ongoing Canada-U.S. tensions, Québec faces unique challenges in preserving its distinct identity, language and culture within Canada.

US isn’t first country to dismantle its foreign aid office − here’s what happened after the UK killed its version of USAID

High school sports are losing athletes to private clubs, but schools can keep them by focusing on character development

Cells lining your skin and organs can generate electricity when injured − potentially opening new doors to treating wounds

The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz

Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation

Here’s the first question of this week’s edition:

Defying a judge's order, the Trump administration flew about 250 deportees to a new "mega-prison" in what country?

1. A. El Salvador
2. B. Honduras
3. C. Myanmar
4. D. Cuba

Test your knowledge