Month: August 2025

Foreign policy encompasses all the government activities that shape America’s interactions with other countries in the world, from negotiating trade agreements and providing humanitarian assistance to the management of military alliances, arms control, and peacekeeping operations. Its objective is to secure American national security and economic prosperity by shaping international politics so that market democracies can realize the promise of globalization while minimizing its risks.

This is a challenging task. For America to succeed in the age of global politics, it must promote a liberal world order, but it also must recognize that the United States is not omnipotent. Despite its overwhelming military and economic power, it cannot eliminate all threats or solve every problem. And its unquestioned dominance can breed resentment, especially in a world where growing economic disparity and the rise of social inequality are causing some Americans to question whether they should continue to share their country’s values or be willing to pay the price of American leadership.

The best way to avoid such resentment is to make sure that foreign policy is in line with the interests of most Americans. This requires restoring the domestic foundations of U.S. power—reducing runaway spending and reducing the deficit, investing in human and physical capital, and improving the overall economy so that the American people will not be drawn into a costly global adventure they do not believe in. It also means ensuring that America’s engagement in the world is guided by an understanding of what it is truly in its interests to achieve and a refusal to confuse achieving those objectives with winning popularity contests.

Every day, millions of articles, blog posts, videos and social media updates compete for the attention of online readers. A headline that’s compelling, concise and relevant is critical for guiding users to content that meets their interests and needs.

Regardless of their format, all great headlines have a few essential traits. They’re simple and direct, enticing readers to click. They also set the tone for the article, communicating whether it’s a deep dive into complex issues or a simple news story. They’re often crafted with keywords in mind, as the digital world relies on search engines to bring people to content.

A compelling headline will pique readers’ interest and encourage them to read on, setting the stage for an informative or entertaining article. A strong headline will also answer the question of “What’s in it for me?” The more specific and engaging, the better.

In a world where time is short, readers make decisions almost instantly about whether to invest their time in an article. The top headlines capture an audience’s attention, drawing them in with a combination of intrigue, clarity and brevity.

On NPR, a headline is the first thing that a reader sees in an online article or on the daily rundown that appears on NPR’s digital landing pages. Feature headlines are usually written by the reporter on a piece or, for an audio story that gets a text buildout, by an editor.

To write an effective headline, it’s important to understand the audience through and through. Knowing their likes and dislikes, what makes them laugh or cry, who they follow on social media — these details can inspire unique and compelling headlines.

Amid the upheaval in the media industry, thousands of communities have lost their local news outlets. And as the number of these “news deserts” grows, research shows that people’s sense of connection to their communities declines. Yet despite the many challenges, there are promising signs that for-profit and nonprofit ventures, along with legacy and digital organizations, are beginning to develop economically and journalistically viable models.

A growing number of Americans say that they get their local news from a wide variety of sources. In 2024, two-thirds of those who reported getting local news at least sometimes said they did so from websites, apps, or email services – up from 54% in 2018. But still a majority of Americans get their local news through local TV stations.

In the last several years, we have seen a drop in the share of Americans who say they follow local news very closely. This has paralleled a decline in interest in national news, and may reflect a larger trend toward less civic engagement among young people.

This report aims to stimulate discussion of how to rebuild locally owned, trusted and respected journalism that serves the interests and needs of local communities. It offers a set of policy proposals focused on four key areas: digital privacy rules, public broadcasting policies, the need for platforms to better compensate local news for content, and antitrust law. It also discusses the role of government in providing resources that enable local communities to supply their own information, relying on the ingenuity and commitment of residents themselves rather than imposing an external solution.

Government policy encompasses the laws, enactments, and regulations that governments – at all levels – adopt to influence and produce social outputs. These policies can either directly impact behaviours (Make and Buy), or indirectly affect behaviours by influencing the cost of an alternative solution (Subsidize and Prohibit).

A key aspect of public policy is understanding the context in which it operates, as the political process can be influenced by factors both internal and external to a country’s system of governance. Whether it’s a rise in global food or fuel prices, or the need to bolster an economy, these external factors can reshape priorities that are then reflected in government policy.

The traditional picture of a policymaking process is that it unfolds in neat, predictable stages, beginning with agenda setting and problem definition and ending with the implementation of solutions and the evaluation of those policies’ impacts. However, in practice there are many complex issues that must be considered, from the way a problem is framed by different stakeholders to the impact of the use of certain language on human perception and interpretation.

OGP members are working to address key areas of governance that will strengthen democracy and improve people’s lives, including tackling corruption and strengthening a citizen-centred approach to government, enabling them to shape and participate in policy that is meaningful to their needs. These efforts are crucial to restoring trust in our democratic institutions and ensuring that elections reflect the will of the people.

A news flash is a short, compelling piece that gives readers an account of current events. It can be about local, national or international issues and is a great way to inform the public on various topics that affect them.

Newsflashes are very similar to bulletins, but they differ in several ways. They’re shorter, and they don’t offer developed stories – only facts. This means that you have to get straight to the point and focus on major developments.

The headline of a news flash is the first chance to catch the attention of your readers. It should be powerful and enticing, so they don’t quickly turn away or click away. A narrative hook or anecdote often works well for a flash introduction, as it both grabs the audience’s attention and hints at the weightier argument and evidence that will follow.

Next comes the lead paragraph, which fleshes out the headline by providing context. It’s also the perfect opportunity to use a “show, don’t tell” approach. For example, instead of saying that Johnny ran up the hill, you can say how his legs were aching and how he had to work hard to make it up. This allows the reader to feel like they are actually there and understand what is happening.

Finally, you’ll need to write an effective conclusion that ties back into the introductory story or draws the reader forward in some way. This will make your news flash more engaging and help readers remember it long after it’s over.

Vote counting continues for days or even weeks after Election Day. During this time, ballots are counted by hand or machine and may be sent back for review if there is a dispute over a result. During this time, you can check the status of your state’s official results through the secretary of state’s website or by calling your local election office.

When you’re looking up results, make sure to check multiple sources and avoid sensational headlines that can trigger negative emotions. Research shows that seeking out fact-based news can help reduce stress and anxiety.

If you see a lot of speculation, ask students what information they think is needed to make a valid claim about election results. Use the teaching strategy Learn to Listen, Listen to Learn to encourage them to engage in civil discussion.

In a close race, a media outlet may decide to predict which candidate won by collecting unofficial results from multiple sources. This process informs the news outlet’s prediction, which is often referred to as a call. A call is an unofficial prediction, and only official results certified by election officials are considered final.

In some states, if the margin between two candidates is within a certain percentage of votes, the trailing candidate has the right to request a recount. If a recount takes place, a team of election officials and representatives from both candidates will examine each ballot one by one or feed them through a machine to make sure that it wasn’t counted incorrectly.