POLITICS
How teaching middle school in one of Texas’ poorest neighborhoods spurred James Talarico’s U.S. Senate bid
Read full article: How teaching middle school in one of Texas’ poorest neighborhoods spurred James Talarico’s U.S. Senate bidTalarico’s two years as a public school teacher is central to his Democratic Senate campaign after shaping his policy goals and driving his political rise through the Texas House.
LGBTQ+ San Antonio residents criticize city’s plan to replace rainbow crosswalks with rainbow sidewalks
Read full article: LGBTQ+ San Antonio residents criticize city’s plan to replace rainbow crosswalks with rainbow sidewalksAfter a lawsuit failed to stop the crosswalk’s removal, caused by a threat to funding, some residents called its replacement a consolation that ignores a larger fight in the state.
How the Trump administration erased centuries of Justice Department experience
Read full article: How the Trump administration erased centuries of Justice Department experienceAs Attorney General Pam Bondi approaches her first anniversary on the job, the firings of career attorneys have defined her turbulent tenure.
Trump isn't waiting for future generations to name things after him. It's happening now
Read full article: Trump isn't waiting for future generations to name things after him. It's happening nowPresident Donald Trump isn't waiting for future generations to decide to name important things in his honor — he's doing it himself.
Greg Abbott enters 2026 Texas governor’s race with staggering $106 million on hand
Read full article: Greg Abbott enters 2026 Texas governor’s race with staggering $106 million on handAbbott raised almost $23 million from July through December, while his leading Democratic challenger, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, brought in $1.3 million in the last 10 weeks of 2025.
Senators worry that US Postal Service changes could disenfranchise voters who cast ballots by mail
Read full article: Senators worry that US Postal Service changes could disenfranchise voters who cast ballots by mailA group of U.S. senators is voicing concern over U.S. Postal Service processing changes and what those could mean for voting with mail ballots.
Ex-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema sued for allegedly breaking up bodyguard's marriage
Read full article: Ex-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema sued for allegedly breaking up bodyguard's marriageFormer U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema allegedly had a romantic relationship with a member of her security detail, leading to the breakup of his marriage.
Texas A&M abruptly cancels ethics course over race, gender policy
Read full article: Texas A&M abruptly cancels ethics course over race, gender policyThe university said content of the graduate course, which was already underway, was not adequately disclosed, forcing the cancellation. The professor disagrees.
US names major sporting events other than World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump visa ban
Read full article: US names major sporting events other than World Cup, Olympics exempt from Trump visa banThe Trump administration has identified a host of athletic competitions it classifies as “major sporting events” — aside from soccer's 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games — that athletes and coaches will be allowed to travel to the U.S. to take part in despite a broad visa ban.
Middle East allies in blitz of diplomacy urged Trump to hold off on Iran strikes, diplomat says
Read full article: Middle East allies in blitz of diplomacy urged Trump to hold off on Iran strikes, diplomat saysSeveral Middle Eastern allies of the United States have urged the Trump administration to hold off on strikes against Iran for the government’s deadly crackdown on protesters.
Defense Department says military newspaper Stars and Stripes must eliminate 'woke distractions'
Read full article: Defense Department says military newspaper Stars and Stripes must eliminate 'woke distractions'The Defense Department says it is revamping the military newspaper Stars and Stripes to focus on “reporting for our warfighters” and eliminate woke distractions.
Aggressive tactics used on Minneapolis protesters raise concerns about federal officer training
Read full article: Aggressive tactics used on Minneapolis protesters raise concerns about federal officer trainingFederal immigration agents deployed to Minneapolis have used aggressive crowd-control tactics — including pointing rifles at demonstrators and deploying chemical irritants — actions the government says are necessary to protect officers from violent attacks and growing protests.
New Texas poll finds Talarico leading Crockett by 9 points in Senate Democratic primary
Read full article: New Texas poll finds Talarico leading Crockett by 9 points in Senate Democratic primaryTexas’ Senate Republican primary, meanwhile, looks headed for a runoff. The survey found U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in a dead heat against Attorney General Ken Paxton, with neither eclipsing 30%.
In South Texas, local Republicans push for more wins as Latinos appear to sour on Trump
Read full article: In South Texas, local Republicans push for more wins as Latinos appear to sour on TrumpEven as Trump's approval ratings fall with Latinos, a constellation of grassroots Republicans are working to secure wins in the midterms.
Democrats hope a blue wave washes over Wisconsin and gives them total control of battleground state
Read full article: Democrats hope a blue wave washes over Wisconsin and gives them total control of battleground stateWisconsin Democrats are hoping to flip majority control of the Legislature and retain the governor's seat this year.
Liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate raises 10 times more than conservative
Read full article: Liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate raises 10 times more than conservativeThe Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court raised 10 times as much last year as her Republican-endorsed opponent, putting in stark relief the challenge conservatives face in winning the race in the battleground state.
US sanctions Iranian officials accused of repressing protests against the government
Read full article: US sanctions Iranian officials accused of repressing protests against the governmentThe U.S. is imposing new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of repressing protests against Iran’s theocratic government.
Final day to select ACA health plans arrives in most states, with no subsidy deal yet
Read full article: Final day to select ACA health plans arrives in most states, with no subsidy deal yetThe final day to select Affordable Care Act health insurance for the year has arrived across much of the country.
US seizes sixth sanctioned tanker it says has ties to Venezuela in Trump's effort to control its oil
Read full article: US seizes sixth sanctioned tanker it says has ties to Venezuela in Trump's effort to control its oilU.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela.
Live updates: Venezuela’s Machado says she presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize during meeting
Read full article: Live updates: Venezuela’s Machado says she presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize during meetingVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has discussed her country’s future with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Lawmakers propose $2.5B agency to boost production of rare earths and other critical minerals
Read full article: Lawmakers propose $2.5B agency to boost production of rare earths and other critical mineralsA bipartisan group of lawmakers has proposed creating a new agency with $2.5 billion to boost production of rare earths and the other critical minerals.
What Americans think about Trump's first year back in office, according to AP-NORC polling
Read full article: What Americans think about Trump's first year back in office, according to AP-NORC pollingPresident Donald Trump’s second term has been eventful, but you wouldn’t know it from his approval numbers.
Alaska court weighs voter misconduct charges in case that casts light on status of American Samoans
Read full article: Alaska court weighs voter misconduct charges in case that casts light on status of American SamoansThe Alaska Court of Appeals is deciding whether to dismiss felony voter misconduct charges against Tupe Smith, an Alaska resident born in American Samoa.
Jasmine Crockett’s pastor, Frederick Haynes III, sees Congress as stage to pursue social justice
Read full article: Jasmine Crockett’s pastor, Frederick Haynes III, sees Congress as stage to pursue social justiceHaynes staked out several progressive policy positions at his recent campaign launch event, including support for Medicare for All and dismantling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Texas House Democrats raised record-breaking $2.2 million in 2025
Read full article: Texas House Democrats raised record-breaking $2.2 million in 2025The majority of the Democratic caucus’ haul came when the party broke quorum over the summer to delay the GOP-controlled Legislature from redrawing the state’s congressional map.
Press freedom advocates worry that raid on Washington Post journalist's home will chill reporting
Read full article: Press freedom advocates worry that raid on Washington Post journalist's home will chill reportingPress freedom advocates are concerned this week's raid on a Washington Post journalist's home will deter reporting on government actions and silence whistleblowers.
Venezuela's Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump during their meeting
Read full article: Venezuela's Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize to Trump during their meetingVenezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado says she presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump.
New DHS rule aims to shorten visa wait times abroad for religious workers serving US congregations
Read full article: New DHS rule aims to shorten visa wait times abroad for religious workers serving US congregationsThe Department of Homeland Security is making it easier for visa-holding religious workers to serve U.S. congregations with less disruption.
Celina football coach retires after district clears him of cover-up allegations amid son’s sex abuse scandal
Read full article: Celina football coach retires after district clears him of cover-up allegations amid son’s sex abuse scandalBill Elliott was placed on administrative leave in October after his son Caleb, a football coach at Celina’s middle school, was accused of secretly filming boys in the school’s locker room and possessing child pornography.
Trump administration cuts funding for substance abuse and mental health programs in San Antonio, across US
Read full article: Trump administration cuts funding for substance abuse and mental health programs in San Antonio, across USThe Trump administration has made significant cuts to substance abuse and mental health programs.
Trump claims killing of Iran protesters 'has stopped' even as Tehran signals executions ahead
Read full article: Trump claims killing of Iran protesters 'has stopped' even as Tehran signals executions aheadPresident Donald Trump says he’s been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran have stopped, even as Tehran has signaled fast trials and executions ahead in its crackdown on protesters.
Hundreds of laid-off researchers at US workplace safety center are being reinstated
Read full article: Hundreds of laid-off researchers at US workplace safety center are being reinstatedFederal officials are reinstating hundreds of U.S. health workers who were laid off last year from a small health agency that aims to protect workers.
Trump administration restores federal funding for family planning after ACLU lawsuit
Read full article: Trump administration restores federal funding for family planning after ACLU lawsuitReproductive rights advocates have dropped a lawsuit against the Trump administration after officials agreed to restore millions in federal funding for family planning services.
Trump administration lawyers blessed US operation to remove Maduro from power, memo shows
Read full article: Trump administration lawyers blessed US operation to remove Maduro from power, memo showsA legal memo that came out days before the U_S_ military operation against Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro said such a move would “not rise to the level of a war in the constitutional sense” and would serve “important national interests."
US will suspend immigrant visa processing from 75 countries over public assistance concerns
Read full article: US will suspend immigrant visa processing from 75 countries over public assistance concernsThe State Department says it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries whose nationals are deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States.
Gaza is entering the second phase of the ceasefire plan Trump helped broker, US says
Read full article: Gaza is entering the second phase of the ceasefire plan Trump helped broker, US saysThe United States says it’s moving into the next phase of a Gaza ceasefire plan involving disarming Hamas, rebuilding the war-ravaged territory and establishing the group of Palestinian experts that will administer daily affairs.
Louisiana governor picked as Trump's envoy headed to Washington to discuss Greenland
Read full article: Louisiana governor picked as Trump's envoy headed to Washington to discuss GreenlandJeff Landry has embraced his role as President Donald Trump's special envoy to Greenland, but the Republican governor of Louisiana says he hopes to connect with everyday islanders rather than with Danish diplomats.
Supreme Court revives GOP congressman's challenge to late-arriving mail ballot law
Read full article: Supreme Court revives GOP congressman's challenge to late-arriving mail ballot lawThe Supreme Court is reviving a Republican challenge to a law allowing the counting of late-arriving mail ballots, a target of President Donald Trump.
FBI searches a Washington Post reporter's home as part of a classified documents investigation
Read full article: FBI searches a Washington Post reporter's home as part of a classified documents investigationAttorney General Pam Bondi says the search of a Washington Post reporter’s home was done at the Pentagon’s request as part of a leak investigation.
Some personnel at key US base in Qatar advised to evacuate as Iran official brings up earlier attack
Read full article: Some personnel at key US base in Qatar advised to evacuate as Iran official brings up earlier attackSome personnel at a key U.S. military base in Qatar have been advised to evacuate.