Smithsonian secretary to resign as Trump seeks to remake institution

From news to sports, we help you stay connected to the world around you. www.usatoday.com By Christopher Cann , 44 minutes ago Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III announced that he is stepping down from his role amid the White House's escalating attacks on how the Smithsonian presents history. Bunch, the Smithsonian's first Black secretary, has led the prestigious institution that includes 21 museums and the National Zoo for seven years. A statement from the Smithsonian said Bunch will depart before the end of the year. He told multiple news outlets he intends to retire. His departure comes as the Trump administration has ramped up attacks on the institution for presenting what it describes as a biased, "woke" view of American history that downplays the country's greatest achievements while overemphasizing themes like racism and inequality. In an interview with The New York Times, Bunch said it wasn't the Trump administration that led him to step down. But he did acknowledge the role has been "stressful." 'It was really just saying, now's the time ,' he told the outlet, adding: "I'm a fighter." 'I have to be honest, it has been stressful,' he continued. 'And at a certain point, I'd like to wake up in the morning and not look at my cellphone.' This is a breaking story. Check back for updates. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Smithsonian secretary to resign as Trump seeks to remake institution Sri Lanka's president promises to pass 22nd amendment after court ... The IAEA has raised concerns about access to Iran's nuclear sites amid efforts by Western powers to involve the UN. partner publisher · 2.0M followers When the left wing of United Airlines Flight 175 cut through the south tower sky lobby , those who survived the impact didn't know if there was a way out. Then they heard Welles Crowther's voice. "I found the stairs," he told them. Crowther led them to safety, turned around and climbed back into the burning tower. The 24-year-old equities trader saved as many as 18 people on his three trips to the 78 th floor. He didn't survive. For many Americans, Crowther became a symbol of heroism on 9/11. He's received a number of posthumous awards, and this year will be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His alma mater, Boston College, annually dedicates a football game and road race in his honor. Today, Crowther's story is taught to children in more than 40 states . His heroism is among the defining ways students from kindergarten through high school learn about the terror attacks. This year's class of high school seniors were born seven years after 9/11. Most first graders were born in 2019, almost two decades later. For them, 9/11 is a historical event, not a visceral memory. As educators grapple with how to help the next generation partner publisher · 2.0M followers The heartbreaking trial of Lindsay Clancy , which sparked debates about women's health and the judicial system, has ended in a mistrial , starting what will likely be a running conversation about what happens next. Before that, it's worth taking a look at how we got here. Clancy, a mother of three, strangled her three children while dealing with postpartum depression. She pleaded not guilty as her defense claimed that a postpartum psychosis event meant she was not criminally responsible . The entire story is heartbreaking, but unfortunately, not everyone seems to be sad for the right reasons. Social media has been flooded with posts from supporters of Clancy's, who either claim she needed help , that this is somehow her now ex-husband's fault or merely the crowds of supporters cheering for her as she arrives at the courthouse. This type of rhetoric wasn't unforeseeable. America has been succumbing to a culture devaluing life for quite some time, and the fact that the lives lost in this tragedy often amount to a footnote in discussions is just more evidence of that fact. Another view: Clancy mistrial distracts from moms who actually deserve empathy | Opinion Lindsay Clancy's supporters diminish the partner publisher · 2.0M followers A nationwide class-action lawsuit filed against Amazon on Sept. 8 alleges the company failed to make basic workplace accommodations for potentially thousands of currently and previously pregnant employees , and then fired them or threatened to fire them when they took breaks or time off for pregnancy-related reasons. Four plaintiffs are named in the complaint. A Better Balance , a nonprofit organization that advocates for workers' rights, shared the complaint exclusively with USA TODAY ahead of its filing, and gave USA TODAY access to the plaintiffs ahead of the filing. The lawsuit claims Amazon's discriminatory and retaliatory policies have been well-documented for years , including in several Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints, and have been the subject of multiple state investigations, including in New York and New Jersey. "Ensuring the health and well-being of our employees is one of our greatest responsibilities, and we strive to provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone, which includes supporting tens of thousands of employees with pregnancy accommodations each year," Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, wrote in a statement to USA TODAY. "In the past year, more than 99.9% of pregnancy related accommodations requests have been approved. The accounts shared by A partner publisher · 2.0M followers President Donald Trump has updated his ranking of U.S. presidents in a Sunday, Sept. 6, post on Truth Social. The initial ranking appeared on Trump's Truth Social account on Aug. 27 and linked Trump as "The Greatest," with Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson on the next tier down, labeled "Great." The newest ranking, posted on Sept. 6, included several former presidents who were absent from the first list, including Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford and George W. Bush, among others. Reagan, long known for being a conservative icon, was put in the "Near Great" tier. In the first ranking, the very last tier (labeled "Failures" by Trump) included former presidents Joe Biden , Barack Obama, Ulysses S. Grant, Warren Harding and Jimmy Carter. The new ranking has been updated to include George W. Bush and Herbert Hoover in the bottom tier. Hoover was previously in the "Average" tier. Compare the two rankings Below are the two graphics posted by President Trump with his rankings. .oembed-frame { width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0; border: 0; } .oembed-frame { width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0; border: 0; } The new ranking includes former partner publisher · 2.0M followers LONDON – Eton , here he comes! Proud parents Prince William and Princess Kate were photographed braving the rain as they accompanied Prince George on his first day at Eton College. The three royals were snapped outside the prestigious boarding school for boys as George, 13, began his exciting new school journey. Eton, which has a long history of famous pupils, is a short distance from the Wales family home. The future king wore a smart dark suit and brown suede shoes for the milestone moment, while mom Princess Kate donned a dark green dress and heels for the occasion. The 44-year-old was seen beaming at George while clutching an umbrella. Prince William wore a dark suit and brown suede shoes and at one point was seen struggling to control his umbrella as Britain waved goodbye to summer and heavy rain fell across the country on Tuesday, Sept. 8. By enrolling at Eton, George is following in the footsteps of his father and uncle Prince Harry , who both attended the school as teens. A place at the school, which provides education from the ages of 13 to 18, costs around $84,400 per year. Aside from royalty, Eton has a partner publisher · 2.0M followers After the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) revoked active permits for automatic license plate recognition systems , a city in Broward County announced it would suspend the use of its Flock cameras. The Pembroke Pines Police Department posted a statement to its social media announcing that it would suspend its use of license plate readers (LPR), effective Wednesday, Sept. 2. "In light of the recent update from the Florida Department of Transportation, our mayor's call to suspend the use of license plate readers, as well as consultation with city administration, the Pembroke Pines Police Department will fully suspend its license plate reader programs effective today," reads the statement. Miami-Dade license plate reading cameras suspended The Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office previously posted a similar statement, announcing it would suspend its LPR program in its "entirety." In a statement posted to social media , Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said that "all cameras" located on FDOT property would be "taken offline" by the end of the day on Sept. 1. Why did Florida revoke Flock camera permits? The FDOT issued a memorandum on Monday, Aug. 31, announcing that it revoked active permits issued to local law enforcement agencies for partner publisher · 2.0M followers Going on two weeks after her death, the world continues to mourn the loss of Dolly Parton and celebrate her life. And so does her family. "The whole world is grieving. And we're all crying for Dolly and we all miss her," Dolly's younger sister Freida Parton told Knox News , part of the USA TODAY Network, during a phone interview Sept. 3. "But no one misses her more than her own sisters and brother and nieces and nephews and cousins and all of us. And we will always miss her, but we will always remember all the things that she taught us all," Freida continued. Dolly was not just a global superstar to Freida. She was her "Dolly Momma," and Freida remembers her a little differently than the world beyond Tennessee. Dolly Parton's sister calls out 'endless misinformation' after icon's death Dolly, the 'Dolly Momma' Long before Dolly became a courageous pioneer in country music and a titan in the entertainment industry, she was a Smoky Mountain girl who sometimes feared the dark. "She used to climb in the bed with me when I was little because she was afraid of the dark and so was I," Freida said.