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Almanac for March 14, 2026

Today is Saturday, March 14, the 73rd day of 2026. There are 292 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1879, Albert Einstein, who would revolutionize physics and the human understanding of the universe, was born in Ulm, Germany. Also on this date: In 1794, Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized the American cotton industry. In 1900, President William McKinley signed the Gold Standard Act into law, tying the value of the U.S. currency solely to gold. (The United States remained on the gold standard until its suspension in 1933 during ...

The Reading Wars in America

"My child can't read!" That's become a common complaint from parents. Why? It might be because kids are distracted by social media and video games. But I think it's also because reading instruction became lazy and political. "Progressives" at teachers' colleges pushed a reading technique ...

Under pressure from Trump, GOP plans talkathon on voting bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under pressure from President Donald Trump, Senate Republicans plan to launch a "full and robust debate" next week on legislation to impose strict new proof-of-citizenship requirements, an effort to show Trump that they are serious about the bill even though it doesn't have ...

Almanac for March 13, 2026

Today is Friday, March 13, the 72nd day of 2026. There are 293 days left in the year. Today in history: In 2013, Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope, choosing the papal name Francis. He was the first pontiff from the Americas, and the first from outside Europe since Pope Gregory III's death in the year 741. Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025. Also on this date: In 1781, the seventh planet of the solar system, Uranus, was discovered by astronomer William Herschel. In 1925, the Tennessee General Assembly approved the Butler Act, which prohibited public schools from teaching ...

Noem rides off into the sunset

At times, you could be forgiven for having thought that Kristi Noem wanted to be a uniformed Department of Homeland Security officer rather than the secretary of the department. Now, the cabinet member most inclined to glamour shots out in the field is going to have to go back to wearing ...

Trump insists he’s winning Iran war but is less clear on how it ends

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing jittery global markets and dropping poll numbers since launching a war with Iran, President Donald Trump has cycled from calls for "unconditional surrender" to sounding amenable to an end state in which Iran trades one hard-line ayatollah for another. Shifting ...