Newsweek September 09, 2022

1980 “The trend is ominous: the steady decline in American productivity...endangers the ability of the U.S. economy to generate new wealth at home and undermines the nation’s competitive position abroad,” Newsweek wrote, citing inflation and worker strikes. Sound familiar? From the “Great Resignation” to record inflation, America is emeshed in another labor reckoning, with pushback against hyperproductivity. The article ends: “How Washington, business and labor respond to those signals will determine whether the United States can remain the wealthiest society on earth.” 1990 “The troops in Saudi Arabia have given the crisis a nickname: the ‘mom’s war,’” Newsweek wrote of the rise in U.S. servicewomen during the Gulf War. Despite the uptick, women were still barred from serving in combat positions. It wasn’t until 2013 that the ban was lifted. Today, women comprise…

An activist holds up a sign thanking President Joe Biden for providing some student debt relief, during a rally in front of the White House on August 25. A day earlier, Biden announced that the Department of Education will cancel up to $20,000 in outstanding educational debt for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 for other borrowers with federal loans, provided they make less than $125,000 a year or their total household income is under $250,000. The move fulfills one of Biden’s campaign promises and serves as his administration’s attempt to rein in the country’s $1.6 billion federal student loan problem. About one in five Americans have student loans, with 53 percent of borrowers owing less than $20,000.…

THIS USED TO BE A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT for law students: Is it possible to seat an impartial jury to pass judgment on a former president of the United States? The question is becoming less and less theoretical these days. From the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida that yielded troves of possibly mishandled classified material to the intensifying scrutiny into allegations of election fraud in Georgia and financial misdealings in New York, it’s no longer unthinkable that in some court, some day, former President Trump could face a criminal charge. That would present a singular challenge, given that the U.S. Constitution guarantees every defendant the right to be tried by a jury of their peers. “It would be the ultimate stress test for the American judicial system,” says Craig…

“THE CHEMISTRY WASN’T RIGHT.”—Idris Elba on why his daughter Isan was not cast as his movie daughter in Beast“Now I have a surplus of money, but I’m still afraid of being poor again.”—TIFFANY HADDISH“Everyone wants Ukraine to win, but no one wants to wage war with Russia.”—PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY“I can't wait to wake up one day and literally never have to worry about performing on such a high level and competing.”—SERENA WILLIAMS ON ARCHETYPES WITH MEGAN MARKLE PODCAST“I JUST WANTED TO SING.”—Harry Styles“I want to do some things outside of the realm of the federal government.”— Dr. Anthony Fauci“THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND SOMETHING THAT MOST SINGAPOREANS WILL ACCEPT.”—Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on decriminalizing sex between men FROM LEFT: DANIELE VENTURELLI/GETTY; SAMIR HUSSEIN/GETTY; DIA DIPASUPIL/GETTY…

AS THE WORLD GRAPPLES WITH THE REALITY OF living with COVID-19, a rogue’s gallery of deadly pathogens seems to have stepped up the attack. Monkeypox, a close relation of smallpox, is officially a public health emergency worldwide. The current outbreak—the first large one ever outside of Africa—has spread globally to more than 45,000 people, including more than 16,000 confirmed cases in the U.S. And polio, a disease routinely referred to as “eradicated,” is circulating in and around New York City and London, bringing with it the irreversible paralysis that strikes about one of 200 people infected with the disease. These two headline-grabbing afflictions are only the most visible elements in a spate of new outbreaks. The world seems to be entering a new, deadly era of health threats from infectious diseases—old…

GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A BIG PART OF why we’re happy to shop at some places and not at others. Being treated respectfully, cheerfully and helpfully is just as important as finding the right item at the right price. This year, Newsweek has again partnered with respected global data research firm Statista to identify the stores that consistently provide the best customer service. Whether it’s an easy-to-use website, a generous returns policy or just a friendly voice, these companies put the customer first. This year, the ranking encompasses 676 total awards for 656 unique brands (a brand can be awarded in more than one category). Those brands are in a total of 166 categories ranging from brick-and-mortar retailers like grocery stores to insurance services, banking services, restaurants, movie theaters and more.…