Ingrid Lewis-Martin, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s chief adviser, was indicted on corruption charges on Thursday, marking the latest legal issue surrounding the mayor's administration. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the charges, accusing Lewis-Martin of providing special treatment to real estate developers in exchange for over $100,000. The indictment also claims that the developers helped Lewis-Martin’s son set up a Chick-fil-A franchise.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign in Mexico and Central America aimed at discouraging illegal immigration by highlighting the dangers migrants face, including sexual assault.
Congress is preparing to vote on legislation that would restrict U.S. investments in China as part of a broader government funding bill, lawmakers announced Tuesday.
California lost 156,300 jobs in the first half of 2024, according to the latest federal quarterly payroll data, contradicting Governor Gavin Newsom’s optimistic claims about job growth in the state. While Newsom’s office had highlighted preliminary job survey data, which often overestimates employment numbers, the finalized payroll data shows a starkly different picture. In January, California’s payroll data counted 18,037,900 jobs, but by June, that number had dropped to 17,881,600, reflecting a significant job loss.
A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, causing significant damage, including to the U.S. Embassy and several other foreign missions in the capital city.
In a surprising move, the judge overseeing the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan instructed the jury on Monday to disregard all testimony from Illinois state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island. Judge John Robert Blakey gave no explanation for the decision, despite Rita’s brief testimony on October 24.
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is calling for a major overhaul in how public school superintendents are selected, proposing that communities elect superintendents directly rather than relying on school board appointments. Walters argues this change will boost parental influence and weaken what he describes as the hold of “left-wing, woke bureaucrats” on public education.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) faced a stinging defeat following the 2024 election as Republicans solidified their hold on Congress and President Trump reclaimed the White House. This latest blow came when Schumer’s effort to secure a Democratic majority on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) failed, marking a dramatic shift in the political landscape.
Illinois’ pension crisis continues to deepen, with the state's unfunded pension liability reaching $143.7 billion, according to the latest report from the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA). This figure is $1.5 billion higher than last year and marks the second-highest total since 2020, when the liability hit $144.2 billion.
Ukraine’s intelligence services have claimed responsibility for the assassination of Russian missile scientist Mikhail Shatsky in a Moscow suburb, along with a car bombing in occupied Donetsk that killed Sergei Yevsyukov, a pro-Russian prison governor. These are the latest in a series of high-profile "liquidations" targeting individuals linked to Russian military and political operations.
