A Utah judge rejected a Republican-passed redistricting plan on Monday, ruling it did not comply with a 2018 voter-approved measure requiring nonpartisan redistricting standards. The rejected map had created two competitive districts but still favored Republicans. The judge instead approved a plan creating a solidly Democratic district covering Salt Lake City, giving Democrats a second potential win in Utah. The case highlights ongoing battles over … Continue reading Utah judge denies GOP-passed congressional map

President Donald Trump met Monday at the White House with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, marking the first visit by a Syrian leader to Washington. The meeting focused on Syria joining the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, reopening the Syrian embassy in Washington, and expanding economic cooperation, including potential American investment and plans to lift Caesar Act sanctions. Al-Sharaa and Trump also discussed integrating the Kurdish Syrian … Continue reading Trump holds first-ever White House meeting with Syrian leader

Iraq held a parliamentary election on Tuesday under tight security, with 8,703 polling stations open nationwide, though turnout was low in the early hours. Only 21.4 million of 32 million eligible voters registered, down from 24 million in 2021, and the influential Sadrist Movement boycotted the vote, keeping many supporters home, particularly in Sadr City. Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani, running for a second term, … Continue reading Iraqis vote in parliamentary election marked by tight security

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has repeatedly floated the idea of recreating Gran Colombia, the early 19th-century republic that included present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama, as a response to U.S. military actions targeting drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific. Speaking in Santa Marta, Petro suggested that a regional union, akin to the European Union, with a common parliament and shared leadership, could help Latin … Continue reading Colombia President Petro floats union with Venezuela amid pentagon military buildup

A growing number of House Democrats and progressive groups are demanding that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer step down after several Senate Democrats broke ranks to vote for the bipartisan deal reopening the government. Critics argue that Schumer has failed to unite his caucus and is out of touch with the party’s base, with lawmakers such as Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Seth Moulton, Ro Khanna, and … Continue reading Schumer faces mounting Dem calls to resign as leader

The Senate ended its 41-day government shutdown stalemate late Monday night by advancing a bipartisan funding package to reopen the government. Eight Senate Democrats broke with their party to join Republicans, providing the crucial votes to send the bill—a continuing resolution paired with three spending measures—to the House. The deal includes back pay and protections for furloughed federal workers, as well as a promise to … Continue reading Senate ends 41-day government shutdown stalemate, sends bipartisan deal to House

Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as jihadist leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, will make history as the first Syrian president to visit the White House, meeting President Donald Trump on Monday. Over the past year, al-Sharaa has worked to transform his global image and address domestic divisions in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Trump praised al-Sharaa’s leadership and noted progress in Syria, while U.S. … Continue reading Syria’s president caps unlikely rise with Trump meeting

President Donald Trump has issued “full, complete and unconditional” pardons to multiple allies accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election, U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin announced. The pardons cover dozens of individuals, including Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, and Sidney Powell, for actions related to advocating, organizing, or participating in disputed slates of presidential electors and efforts to challenge the election results. Trump’s proclamation states … Continue reading Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, others involved in 2020 election interference saga

South Korea’s special prosecutor has indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on additional charges of abusing power and aiding an enemy state over his short-lived martial law declaration last year. Prosecutors allege Yoon, along with former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun and ex-military intelligence chief Yeo In-hyung, planned to provoke North Korea—potentially using drones or “surgical strikes”—to justify imposing martial law. Yoon, removed from office by … Continue reading South Korea special prosecutor indicts former President Yoon on charges of aiding an enemy state

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from La Santé prison after a judge ruled he could serve the rest of his five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy at home under strict judicial controls. Sarkozy, accompanied by his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, left prison after describing his three weeks in solitary confinement as a “nightmare.” He was jailed over allegations of seeking campaign funds from Libya’s … Continue reading Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is released from prison

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced Sunday that he is running for a fourth term, delivering his campaign launch from Houston, where he rebuilt his life after becoming paralyzed. Abbott emphasized resilience, saying Texans define themselves by how they respond to challenges. He highlighted the state’s economic strength, calling Texas the eighth-largest economy in the world, number one in electricity generation, and growing twice as fast … Continue reading Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announces run for fourth term

President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that a “dividend of at least $2,000 per person” will be paid to all Americans except high-income individuals, attributing the country’s wealth to his tariff policies. He called opponents of tariffs “fools” and highlighted record stock market highs, low inflation, and increased 401(k) balances. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, however, said he had not discussed the proposed dividend with Trump … Continue reading Trump says he’ll issue $2,000 tariff dividend to all except ‘high-income people’

The Senate took its first step toward ending the government shutdown on Sunday, advancing compromise legislation to fund the government despite internal Democratic divisions. A group of moderate Democrats and Independents agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, angering many in their party. The Senate voted 60-40 to move forward, with most Democrats, including leader Chuck Schumer, opposing the measure. … Continue reading Senate takes first step toward ending the government shutdown

Vice President Vance criticized a federal court ruling requiring the Trump administration to make full SNAP payments for November, calling it “absurd” during a White House roundtable. He argued that the court should not dictate how the president allocates funds during a government shutdown and urged Democrats to reopen the government. U.S. District Judge John McConnell had rejected the administration’s plan for partial SNAP payments, … Continue reading Vance calls court order to fully fund SNAP ‘absurd ruling’

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Wednesday that she is pressing charges against a man who groped her on a Mexico City street the day before. The incident, captured on video, went viral, prompting Sheinbaum to call for legislation making such crimes punishable in all 32 Mexican states. She emphasized that the assault reflects a broader problem faced by women nationwide, saying, “If this can happen … Continue reading President Sheinbaum presses charges after groping incident in Mexico street

President Trump hosted Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the White House on Friday, highlighting their shared conservative outlook, but the visit comes amid tensions over Hungary’s continued reliance on Russian oil. Orbán sought exemptions from U.S. sanctions on Russian energy, as well as U.S. support for nuclear fuel purchases and broader economic cooperation, while also securing Trump’s endorsement ahead of competitive parliamentary elections in … Continue reading Hungary’s ‘spoiler’ Orbán receives long-delayed White House debut

Several Latin American leaders criticized President Trump’s stance on climate change at the COP30 UN summit in Belém, Brazil. Brazilian President Lula da Silva condemned “extremist forces” spreading misinformation and threatening future generations, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Chilean President Gabriel Boric directly singled out Trump, highlighting his absence and denying the climate crisis. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron … Continue reading World leaders slam Trump at COP30 climate summit

Rep. Elise Stefanik has announced her campaign for governor of New York, blaming Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul for the state’s high cost of living and linking her to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Stefanik’s launch video emphasizes affordability, taxes, and safety, portraying Hochul as responsible for soaring costs and aligning with progressive policies. Although a staunch Trump ally, Stefanik’s video makes no mention of … Continue reading Rep. Elise Stefanik launches run for New York governor

Senate Republicans are advancing a new bipartisan spending package in an effort to end the record-long government shutdown, though its success remains uncertain. Many Democrats continue to demand an extension of expiring health care subsidies, which is not included in the current proposal. A test vote on the plan could happen as soon as Friday, forcing Democrats to choose between holding out for a health … Continue reading Democrats consider prolonging the shutdown as Republicans prepare new bills without health care fix

Donald Trump’s announcement of a major deal to cut the prices of weight-loss drugs was briefly halted when a healthcare executive fainted during the White House event. The man collapsed while Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks was speaking, prompting a 30-minute pause as medical staff attended to him. The White House later confirmed the individual was fine, though his identity was not officially released. The … Continue reading Healthcare boss collapses behind Trump during weight-loss jab announcement

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek reelection to Congress, ending a nearly 40-year career representing San Francisco and making history as the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House. In a video message, Pelosi thanked her constituents and urged them to “know your power” and continue leading with democratic ideals. Her decision comes as a new generation of leaders emerges … Continue reading Nancy Pelosi won’t seek reelection, ending her career in politics

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered top officials to prepare proposals for potentially resuming nuclear testing, framing the move as a direct response to President Donald Trump’s surprise instruction that the United States begin tests after a more than 30-year hiatus. At a televised Security Council meeting, Putin told the foreign and defense ministries to gather information and submit coordinated plans, and senior officials including Defense … Continue reading Putin orders plans for resuming nuclear tests after Trump comments

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield won the 2025 mayoral election, becoming the first woman elected as the city’s mayor. She received 76,561 votes, defeating Rev. Solomon Kinloch, who earned 22,588 votes. Sheffield will succeed Mayor Mike Duggan, who opted not to seek a fourth term and is running for Michigan governor in 2026; Duggan endorsed Sheffield after the primary. Sheffield previously made history as … Continue reading Mary Sheffield wins Detroit mayoral election to become city’s first woman mayor

The current U.S. government shutdown has become the longest in history, surpassing the previous record from late 2018 to early 2019. It ended on the 35th day when President Trump signed a three-week funding extension at 9:23 p.m. The shutdown spanned the transition from daylight saving time to standard time, effectively passing the previous record an hour earlier. Government shutdowns in their modern form began … Continue reading Government shutdown becomes longest in U.S. history after failed Senate vote

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has declared that Syrians no longer have grounds for asylum in Germany following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, urging them to return and help rebuild their country. He indicated that voluntary returns are expected, though those who refuse could face deportation, a stance that partly contradicts Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who cited ongoing instability and devastation in Syria. Over 1 … Continue reading Friedrich Merz says Syrians no longer have reason for asylum in Germany