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"Trump to sign order shutting down the Education Department."

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By Sarah Naffa March 20, 2025

In the news today: President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order for the shutdown of the U.S. Education Department; an experimental treatment appears to delay some Alzheimer’s symptoms; and a shift in the understanding of the nature of dark energy. Also, Finland is again ranked the happiest country in the world. Protestors gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education, March 14 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) POLITICS Trump to order a plan to shut down the US Education Department  President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Education Department, according to a White House official, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives. Read more.

Why this matters: Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, finalizing its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon “to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Federal Reserve sees tariffs raising inflation this year, keeps key rate unchanged   Judge is ‘offended’ at DOGE’s tactics but does not pause its takeover of the US Institute of Peace Judge refuses to block IRS from sharing taxpayer info to assist in immigration enforcement Legal showdown as Justice Dept. resists judge’s demand for more details on deportation flights Judge orders Trump administration to return two transgender inmates to women’s prisons   Trump administration suspends $175 million in federal funding for University of Pennsylvania over transgender swimmer FBI agent who has criticized the bureau arrested on charges of sharing confidential information   Pentagon restores histories of Navajo Code Talkers, other Native veterans after public outcry   Trump administration threatens to pull New York transit funds as it questions anti-crime efforts Trump backs higher pay for wildland firefighters while DOGE cuts wildfire support staff Probationary employees fired at the CDC and NOAA will keep being paid to stay home   Pentagon reviews plans to cut troops handling migrants at Guantanamo by as much as half   ‘It’s not personal': Trump’s deportation efforts find support among South Florida Latinos   Trump’s bluntness powered a White House comeback. Now his words are getting him in trouble in court   Hong Kong’s richest man is in hot water over his company’s Panama Canal ports deal HEALTH Researchers find a hint at how to delay Alzheimer’s symptoms An experimental treatment appears to delay Alzheimer’s symptoms in some people genetically destined to get the disease in their 40s or 50s, according to new findings from ongoing research now caught up in Trump administration funding delays. Read more.

Why this matters: Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s, a mind-destroying disease that affects nearly 7 million Americans, mostly late in life. What’s clear is that silent changes occur in the brain at least two decades before the first symptoms, and the sticky gunk found in the brain which has become a hallmark of the disease, amyloid, is a major contributor. At some point, amyloid buildup appears to trigger a protein named tau to begin killing neurons, which drives cognitive decline. Until now, there haven’t been hints that removing amyloid far earlier – many years before the first symptoms appear – just might postpone the disease. The research led by Washington University in St. Louis involves families that pass down rare gene mutations almost guaranteeing they’ll develop symptoms at the same age their affected relatives did. The new findings center on a subset of 22 participants who received amyloid-removing drugs the longest, on average eight years. Long-term amyloid removal cut their risk of symptom onset in half, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Lancet Neurology.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Inside the government study trying to understand the health effects of ultraprocessed foods FDA warns of misuse of laughing gas sold in colorful, flavored canisters Struggling with your mental health after surviving a disaster? Here’s how to look after yourself SCIENCE How will the universe end? A changing understanding of dark energy may provide a new answer Scientists are homing in on the nature of a mysterious force called dark energy, and nothing short of the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. The force is enormous — it makes up nearly 70% of the universe. And it is powerful — it is pushing all the stars and galaxies away from each other at an ever faster rate. And now scientists are getting a little closer to understanding how it behaves. Read more.

Why this matters: The big question is whether this dark energy is a constant force, which scientists have long thought, or whether the force is weakening, a surprising wrinkle proposed last year. Results presented at a meeting of the American Physical Society Wednesday bolster the case that the force is weakening.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ European telescope studying the dark universe unveils new images of distant galaxies Who else has been stuck in space? A short history of long spaceflights Blue Ghost lander captures stunning sunset shots on the moon before falling silent ADVERTISEMENT IN OTHER NEWS READ Gaza: Israeli strikes hit multiple homes, killing at least 58 Palestinians, medics say Drug-related accusations: Canada says China executed four Canadians earlier this year Jury verdict: Greenpeace must pay more than $650M in case over Dakota Access protest activities Minnesota: Jury convicts alleged ringleader of massive pandemic food fraud scheme 2014 disappearance: A Texas robotics company gets approval to search for MH370 in a new part of the Indian Ocean Happiest countries in the world: Finland is again ranked first. The US falls to its lowest-ever position Today in History: In 1987, the FDA approved the first medication to treat HIV/AIDS WATCH Spring arrives: Learn the story behind DC's famous cherry blossoms A CHANGE OF PACE A finger lime is squeezed to release the juice pearls. (Cheyenne Cohen via AP) Pearl-shaped bubble foods are adding pop to all kinds of menus Some food trends have deep roots, some are fleeting, some are outright silly and some are just plain fun. This time around, tiny sphere-shaped foods seem to be everywhere, entertaining mouths with their pop-ability and the sometimes unusual transformation of familiar foods.

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