Politics

A Sheriff's deputy investigates a shooting scene outside the Montgomery County Courthouse, Wednesda...

Some see white livestreamer’s freedom of speech claims as cover for race-baiting

A shooting involving a white livestreamer known for filming himself provoking people with racist words that left a Black man wounded has reignited debate over freedom of speech and content creators who monetize hate-filled interactions. As more users of livestreaming social media platforms find being performative with bigoted language can draw big bucks, the line […]
6 months ago
FILE - Former Cuban President Raul Castro looks at the Cuban flag during his speech at the event ce...

What to know about the US indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro

Former Cuban President Raúl Castro has been charged in a U.S. indictment with murder and other crimes for his alleged role in the downing of two civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles in 1996 off the coast of the Caribbean island. The allegations come as part of escalating pressure by the Trump administration on Cuba’s […]
6 months ago
President Donald Trump speaks to the press after returning and stepping off Air Force One, Wednesda...

Trump has long kept his tax returns secret. He says that might change now, after IRS deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has long kept his past tax returns shielded from public scrutiny, something he insisted was necessary because of ongoing IRS audits. But he says that could change now after his legal team forged a deal with the Justice Department this week that includes permanently dropping tax claims against the […]
6 months ago
FILE - Travelers walk with their luggage past TSA agents at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International...

House committee discusses modernizing the TSA as Trump seeks to privatize airport screening

NEW YORK (AP) — A House committee on Wednesday expressed bipartisan support for ensuring Transportation Security Administration officers get paid during future government shutdowns and are equipped with the latest technology, discussing the agency’s future as the Trump administration lobbies to make airport screening a job for private contractors. Members of the House Committee on […]
6 months ago
The Ballroom construction site can be seen as President Donald Trump tours the area at the White Ho...

Democratic senators will test GOP unity with votes on Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic senators plan to force a vote this week on President Donald Trump’s new $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate political allies, testing Republican unity as Trump lashes out at lawmakers in his own party. Republicans are expected to vote on a roughly $72 billion bill to restore funding to U.S. Immigration […]
6 months ago
The U.S. Department of Justice logo is before a news conference, Monday, May 4, 2026, in Washington...

Prosecutor charged with sending herself copy of Smith report on Trump classified files investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former federal prosecutor in Miami is facing federal charges over allegations that she sent to her personal email account a report that a judge had ordered to be kept secret detailing Jack Smith’s investigation into President Donald Trump’s hoarding of classified documents, according to court papers unsealed Wednesday. Carmen Lineberger, who […]
6 months ago
FILE - Public school buses are parked in Springfield, Ill., on Jan. 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman...

Lawsuit accuses Massachusetts schools of segregating students of color in low-opportunity districts

A lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of students and community organizations in Massachusetts argues the state is illegally maintaining schools that are racially segregated, concentrating Black and Latino students in high-poverty districts with fewer opportunities. The lawsuit challenges the state’s practice of assigning students to schools based solely on where they live, which can lead […]
6 months ago

9 deportees from US arrive in Sierra Leone under third-country agreement

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Nine migrants deported from the United States landed in Sierra Leone early Wednesday, the West African country’s ministry of information said. It was the latest example of the Trump administration using agreements with African countries to accelerate migrant removals that have raised questions about respect for the migrants’ rights. The […]
6 months ago
FILE - Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. gestures during his news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington...

Barney Frank, a liberal congressman and trailblazer for gay rights, dies. He was 86

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barney Frank, the longtime Democratic congressman and leading liberal who brought new visibility to gay rights and crafted the most significant reforms to the financial system in a generation, has died. He was 86. Frank died late Tuesday, according to Jim Segel, Frank’s former campaign manager and close friend. After representing broad […]
6 months ago
President Donald Trump arrives for the commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, in New...

Trump tells Coast Guard graduates they will ‘be tested’ in their military careers

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — President Donald Trump told the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s graduates on Wednesday that they show “unbelievable heroism and exceptional selflessness” but that the cadets will “be tested further” as they embark on their military careers. Trump’s remarks to the class of 2026 were the first time he has given a […]
6 months ago

US is expected to announce criminal case against former Cuban President Raúl Castro

MIAMI (AP) — The Justice Department was expected to announce a criminal case Wednesday against former Cuban President Raúl Castro as the Trump administration escalates pressure on the socialist government, according to two people familiar with the matter. Federal prosecutors in Miami were preparing an indictment related to Castro’s alleged role in the 1996 downing […]
6 months ago
FILE - Rioters storm the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John...

Officers who defended Capitol from rioters sue to block payouts from $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol from an attack by a mob of Trump supporters $1.776 billion settlement fund for people who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions. The officers’ attorneys filed the federal lawsuit a day after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the fund’s creation […]
6 months ago
FILE - House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., presides over the committ...

Barney Frank, a liberal congressman and trailblazer for gay rights, dies. He was 86.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barney Frank, the longtime Democratic congressman and leading liberal who brought new visibility to gay rights and crafted the most significant reforms to the financial system in a generation, has died. He was 86. Frank died late Tuesday, according to Jim Segel, Frank’s former campaign manager and close friend. After representing broad […]
6 months ago
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet attendees of the annual Congressional Pic...

The Latest: Trump scores another win against Republican rival with Rep. Thomas Massie’s primary loss

President Donald Trumpscored another win Tuesday against a Republican rival, dislodging Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky’s primary and knocking out one of his most outspoken critics on Capitol Hill. Massie has been a particularly difficult thorn in Trump’s side, pushing for the release of the Epstein files, opposing the war with Iran and voting against […]
6 months ago
FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, right, and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, ...

Poland welcomes U.S. statements that troop reduction there is temporary

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish officials on Wednesday welcomed U.S. statements clarifying that the decision not to deploy 4,000 U.S. troops to the central European country was a temporary measure. The Polish government last week reacted with disbelief at news that 4,000 troops from the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were […]
6 months ago
FILE - Alex Soros, on behalf of his father George Soros, stands in the East Room of the White House...

George Soros’ foundations pledge $300M for US democracy amid attacks on nonprofits

NEW YORK (AP) — George Soros ’ Open Society Foundations pledged $300 million Wednesday toward initiatives it says will defend democratic rights and advance economic security in the U.S. over the next five years. The new strategy comes even as President Donald Trump’s administration has singled out the Soros family, accusing them of influence nonprofits […]
6 months ago
FILE - An informational panel is seen at President's House Site Aug. 19, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP...

This year’s most endangered historic places nod to America 250 and the promise of equality for all

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Stonewall National Monument, the President’s House Site and the Women’s Rights National Historic Park are among 11 sites on this year’s annual list of the most endangered historic places in the United States compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The 2026 list, announced Wednesday, marks America’s 250th anniversary with […]
6 months ago
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., speaks to supporters during an election night watch party Saturday, May 1...

The GOP’s YOLO caucus is small but growing. That may spell trouble for Trump’s congressional agenda

WASHINGTON (AP) — The YOLO caucus is in session. In a Republican-led Congress defined by deference to President Donald Trump, there’s a small but steadily growing cohort who have found themselves more willing to break with the White House. Although the president maintains a firm grip on Republican voters, the expanding club could hinder his […]
6 months ago
FILE - President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shake hands af...

EU overcomes fierce internal debate to agree on tariff deal with the US

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union approved Wednesday a tariff deal with the United States to cap tariffs on most EU exports at 15%, avoiding a direct clash with President Donald Trump ahead of his July 4 deadline. Fierce debates raged among the 27-nation bloc’s lawmakers and leaders, jeopardizing the hard-won bargain governing the massive […]
6 months ago
President Donald Trump with first lady Melania Trump addresses the attendees from the Blue Room Bal...

Where Trump falters with Republicans — and where he holds steady, according to a new AP-NORC poll

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are unhappier with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy than they were a few months ago, but they’re largely continuing to stand behind him as the war with Iran continues, a new AP-NORC poll finds. About 6 in 10 Republicans approve of how Trump is handling the economy, according to […]
6 months ago
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., reacts as he speaks during an election night watch party after losing th...

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie charted his own way, until toppled by Trump

There aren’t many lawmakers like Thomas Massie left in Congress. The renegade Republican who rose to prominence as an idiosyncratic and stubborn outlier in his party, popular in the Kentucky district that repeatedly sent him to the House, lost his primary bid for reelection Tuesday after a vicious and costly attack by President Donald Trump. […]
6 months ago
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, Marc...

Trump orders banks to take a closer look at clients’ citizenship in new immigration enforcement move

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that requires banks to take a closer look at the citizenship of their customers, a new measure in his administration’s push to clamp down on people living in the country illegally. The order directs bank regulators and government departments to look for signs […]
6 months ago
The Pentagon is seen, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)Credit: AP Photo...

Pentagon watchdog to evaluate US military’s boat strikes in Latin America

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon watchdog will evaluate whether the U.S. military followed an established targeting framework when carrying out attacks on dozens of alleged drug-smuggling boats that have killed nearly 200 people in Latin American waters since early September. The evaluation will focus specifically on what’s known as the six-phase Joint Targeting Cycle, according […]
6 months ago
Vice President JD Vance leaves after speaking to reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room a...

For Vance and Rubio, the road to 2028 takes a turn through the White House briefing room

WASHINGTON (AP) — The earliest signals of a presidential race normally involve such subtle and behind-the-scenes positioning from candidates that it’s been dubbed in political circles as the “shadow primary.” But the early Republican race to succeed President Donald Trump in just over two years’ time seems to be already playing out in one of […]
6 months ago