News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know News India Times (July 25, 2026 - July 31, 2026) July 31, 2026 6 US Affairs US Education Department Probes Five Medical Schools Over Admissions Practices T he U.S. Department of Education said on Wednesday it launched new probes into five medical schools over their admissions prac- tices, marking the latest attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to crack down on diversity initiatives. The Education Department’s office for civil rights launched probes against the Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, andWilliam Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine, the department said in a statement. The statement said the probes were linked to al- leged racial discrimination in admissions but it did not elaborate further or provide evidence for those allegations. It noted Trump’s broader crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion practices. East Carolina University told local media it com- plied with state and federal law as well as court rulings and that it would respond accordingly to the Education Department. Dartmouth College also said it remained confident in its admissions practices. Trump, who casts diversity goals as anti-merit and as discriminatory against groups like white people and men, has signed executive orders to dismantle those policies in the government and private sector. Civil rights advocates say diversity practices help ad- dress historic inequities for marginalized groups like women, the LGBT community and ethnic minorities. The Supreme Court rejected affirmative action at colleges and universities in 2023 when it struck down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard Uni- versity and the University of North Carolina. The Trump administration has targeted universities with probes and federal funding suspension threats over a range of issues. These include pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel’s assault on Gaza, diversity initiatives, transgender policies and climate programs. Rights advocates say the crackdown threatens free speech, due process and academic freedom. The U.S. Department of Justice has also targeted medical schools over admissions practices. The DOJ opened civil rights investigations in June into 15 medical schools. It has alleged that medical schools at Yale Univer- sity, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, San Diego were biased in favor of Black and Hispanic applicants. The schools say their admissions practices are “rigorous,” fair and rooted in merit. -Reuters PHOTO:REUTERS/KYLIE COOPER/FILE PHOTO The U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 21, 2025. By Kanishka Singh Dr. Amish Shah Wins Democratic Party Nomination For House Seat From Arizona’s District 1 F ormer Democratic Party member of the Arizona House of Representatives for five years running, Dr. Amish Shah, an emergency-room physician, won the nomination in the Democratic prima- ries July 21, 2026, bucking the establishment, in what Ballotpedia described as a battleground election. After being declared the winner of the Democratic primary in Arizona’s First Congressional District, Shah issued a statement calling it a grassroots victory and that he would work to get the voices of his supporters heard on Capitol Hill. “I have always prided myself on being a hardwork- ing, grassroots candidate. Our victory in this primary was a grassroots victory where Arizona voters made their voices heard. Now, it’s my job to earn the support of every voter in this district—including Democrats who voted for another candidate, Independents frustrated with our political system, and Republicans disappointed with the state of the country,” Shah said. It was a crowded field of candidates and Shah managed to defeat establishment candidates to move forward in a battleground state, Politico noted. “Having voted for former President Joe Biden (D) in 2020 and President Donald Trump (R) in 2024, the district was one of the most competitive in the coun- try and a top Democratic target in 2026,” Ballotpedia noted. Reputed rating agencies like The Cook Political Report with AmyWalter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball have rated the 1st District a toss-up, as of July, Ballotpedia reported, adding that this is one of 58 open races for the House of Representatives, in which an incumbent is not running from either party. “The status quo inWashington, DC is not working for Arizonans. From rising costs to a reckless war in Iran to the largest cuts to our nation’s healthcare system in American history, corrupt and self-interested politicians in Congress are making life harder for people, not easier,” Shah contended. “We need leaders in Congress who are focused on the needs of the people they represent instead of picking partisan fights and lining their own pockets. I’ve spent my career serving the people of this district in both the ER and the State House, and I look forward to win- ning in November and serving them in Congress,” he asserted. Shah’s own party’s Democratic National Campaign Committee supported another candidate in what it considers a seat it could turn in its favor. “… the tight primary evolved into a test of party leaders, after the Democratic Congressional Cam- paign Committee backed former broadcast journalist Marlene Galán-Woods,” Politico noted, calling Shah’s win, “the latest example of an establishment-backed candidate losing as Democrats continue to show frus- tration with leaders inWashington.” If the past is any proof of Dr. Shah’s abilities, the Indian American resoundingly won three straight elections for the Arizona State House of Representa- tives in 2018, 2020, and 2022. In the State Legislature, he focused on increas- ing teacher pay, supporting small businesses, and improving public health and safety. During his tenure in the state House of Representatives, Shah is credited with a bipartisan approach, and for passing more bills into law than any Arizona Democrat in the last decade. Born in Chicago, Ill., Dr. Shah has a B.A. in eco- nomics from Northwestern University in 1997, and an MD from Northwestern University in 2001. He also earned a Masters in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley in 2003. He has been an attending physician with Mayo Clinic, Dignity Health, and IASIS Healthcare. He was also chief medical officer of Urgent Consult, a worked with the NewYork Jets as an airway management physician. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:FACEBOOK.COM @AMISHSHAHMD Dr. Amish Shah