Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) clashed with FBI Director Kash Patel during a Senate Judiciary hearing Tuesday over a new physical requirement for FBI applicants: the ability to do a pull-up. The requirement, which Patel implemented during his tenure as director, has drawn criticism from Hirono, who argued that "physiological differences" between men and women make the standard unfair.
Emergency response in Jefferson County, West Virginia is set to take a significant hit as the fire department and EMS confront hiring freezes and the brown-out of critical units, raising alarms about public safety during a time of fast-paced growth.
Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh is facing ethics concerns over legislation he introduced that could have benefited a company owned by his wife, Kaltum Mohamed. The controversy comes as Fateh, who is campaigning as a socialist for Minneapolis mayor, pushes a platform focused on housing and social services.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is defending his administration’s approach to fiscal management, asserting that Chicago does not have a spending problem despite the city’s budget ballooning to $17.1 billion and a projected deficit rising to $1.15 billion.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R‑SC) this week pledged to take aggressive action against teachers and healthcare professionals who publicly celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Speaking to reporters, Mace insisted that such individuals must face consequences, up to termination of employment.
American tennis player Taylor Townsend has issued a public apology following backlash over comments she made about Chinese food while competing in China.
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, many observers have raised concerns about how mainstream media outlets are portraying both Kirk and his alleged killer. Critics argue the narrative is shifting rapidly: Kirk is being cast as both a martyr and provocateur, while the supposed shooter is at times depicted sympathetically or given broader ideological context.
Two states in Mexico, Sinaloa and Michoacán, have scaled back or cancelled Independence Day festivities due to escalating cartel violence. In Sinaloa, authorities restricted events to a daytime civic ceremony, eliminating concerts, fireworks, and public gatherings. In Michoacán, multiple municipalities called off their celebrations entirely, citing threats and recent attacks as the reason.
