POLITICS

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said at a news conference on Thursday that U.S. forces stand at the ready if any ships do not comply with the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz despite the two-week ceasefire in the war with Iran.  “If you do

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the U.S. military’s highest-ranking officer and U.S. Central Command’s Admiral Brad Cooper are holding a news conference on the war with Iran early Thursday.  Hegseth said that the U.S. will maintain the “successful blockade” of the Strait of Hormuz., adding that the U.S. military can “make the transition” from this blockade

Washington — The House is poised to deliver rare pushback on President Trump’s immigration policies in a vote Thursday on a bill to stop the administration from ending temporary deportation protections for Haitian nationals living in the U.S.  Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts spearheaded the effort to force a vote through a procedural tool

Washington — As fallout from the war with Iran keeps fuel prices high, few states are making moves to suspend their gas and diesel taxes.  Tax policy experts say suspending the state and federal motor fuel taxes wouldn’t be as effective in lowering prices at the pump as one might think, and could come at

The number of babies born in the United States fell again last year. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3.6 million births in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024. The fertility rate dropped to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, down 23% since 2007.