Tags: Business

Is America still credit-worthy?

America just saw its credit rating drop. The Associated Press reported that Fitch Ratings downgraded the U.S. debt rating from AAA to AA. That was “a move that spurred debate in Washington about spending and tax policies.” Fitch said the government’s rising debt burden and the country’s increasingly ugly political fights — including factors like…

US-Ukraine space project taught resilience, innovation. Why it’s over.

Cooperation Europe US-Ukraine space project taught resilience, innovation. Why it’s over. | View caption Hide caption A little-known but fruitful partnership in space between the United States and Ukraine has come to an end, a victim of the war with Russia. But the Antares program has left warm memories on both sides. Yet the triumph…

Fitch downgrades US credit rating, citing ‘repeated debt-limit political standoffs’

Fitch Ratings, one of the three major independent credit rating agencies, downgraded the long-term U.S.credit rating from AAA, the highest tier, to AA+ on Tuesday evening. This is only the second credit downgrade in U.S. history, following a cut by S&P Global Ratings in 2011 amid a fight between House Republicans and President Barack Obama…

Rise of the microschool: Small, student-centered learning spaces take off

Transformation Cover Story Rise of the microschool: Small, student-centered learning spaces take off | View caption Hide caption The one-room schoolhouse is typically considered a relic, but the intimacy and sense of community it represents are making a comeback in today’s microschools. “What made you pick all these?” her father, Piers Rollinson, asks. “My mind,”…

Is there a ‘richcession’ and could it help the economy?

A recession impacts the middle and lower classes more than the wealthy. But during a “richcession,” it’s the “well-heeled who take a bigger hit than usual,” according to The Wall Street Journal’s Justin Lahar, who coined the term. At the beginning of the year, experts warned of a richcession, claiming that industries such as the luxury goods…

Who was Ruth Handler, inventor of the Barbie doll?

Barbie — and the doll’s creator, Ruth Handler — are both having a moment. The company Handler co-created, Mattel, and the toys it manufactured are all household names, but Ruth’s story isn’t as well known. Born in Denver in 1916, Ruth was the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. She met her husband, Elliot Handler, in…

Hunter Biden probe ramps up as DOJ appoints special counsel

First Look Hunter Biden probe ramps up as DOJ appoints special counsel Attorney General Merrick Garland has named David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware, as special counsel in the Justice Department’s investigation into Hunter Biden. Mr. Garland said Mr. Weiss will have “all the resources he requests” to probe the matter. | View caption Hide…

Elon Musk kills the bird

The smartest insight and analysis, from all perspectives, rounded up from around the web: Farewell, Twitter, said Oliver Darcy at CNN. This week, “the text-based social media platform that played an outsize role in society by serving as a digital town square was killed by its unhinged owner, Elon Musk.” Musk officially changed the company’s iconic…