Headlines

Gallup

Record 45% ID as Political Independents

A record 45% of U.S. adults identified as political independents in 2025, and with more of them leaning Democratic than Republican, Democrats regained an edge in overall party affiliation for the first time since 2021.

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NFL

Texans Triumph Over Steelers

Houston’s dominant S.W.A.R.M. defense scored twice and smothered Aaron Rodgers, carrying the Texans past the Steelers 30–6 on Wild Card Monday despite a shaky, turnover-filled night from quarterback C.J. Stroud.

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Associated Press

Trump Holds Off on Iran Action

President Donald Trump has put U.S. military action against Iran on hold as he reviews private messages from Tehran about possible talks, even as Iran’s violent crackdown on protests has killed hundreds and heightened pressure for a forceful response.

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The New York Times

Probe Into MN Victim's Associations

Federal investigators are examining whether Renee Good had ties to activist groups protesting immigration enforcement, a move critics warn could blur the line between legitimate law enforcement scrutiny and the criminalization of protected political protest.

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Star Tribune

Minnesota Sues DHS Over ICE Surge

Roughly 1,000 additional federal officers are reportedly heading to Minnesota, intensifying a record DHS immigration surge that has sparked mass protests, a fatal ICE shooting, and a lawsuit from state and city leaders seeking to halt what they call an unconstitutional “federal invasion.”

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CBS News

Kelly Sues Pentagon Over Rank

Arizona Senator and Navy veteran Mark Kelly has sued Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to block efforts to downgrade his retirement rank and pension, arguing the Pentagon’s move over a video urging troops to refuse illegal orders is unconstitutional retaliation for protected speech.

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TV Insider

Maher Scoffs at Celeb Activism

Bill Maher sparked backlash after scoffing at Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes and other Golden Globes attendees for wearing anti-ICE pins that said “Be Good”, dismissing awards-show activism with remarks that ignited a fierce social media debate.

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The Guardian

Trans Case Could Impact LGBTQ Too

The Supreme Court is weighing state bans on transgender athletes in a landmark case that advocates warn could weaken LGBTQ+ civil rights protections far beyond youth sports, potentially reshaping how trans people are treated under the law.

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CNN

Why Are There Mass Protests in Iran?

Mass protests fueled by inflation and economic hardship have spread across all of Iran’s provinces, killing hundreds and posing the biggest challenge to the regime in years as President Donald Trump warns the U.S. could intervene if the crackdown intensifies.

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Newsweek

Ackman Defends ICE Agent Donation

Billionaire Bill Ackman confirmed he donated $10,000 to a GoFundMe supporting the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, saying he believes in “innocent until proven guilty” while calling the shooting a tragedy now under investigation.

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USA Today

Brady Gives Master Class on Football Flight

Tom Brady wowed viewers during Fox’s broadcast of the 49ers-Eagles wild-card game by giving a masterclass on passing mechanics and adjusting throws in windy conditions, drawing praise for his expert football insights.

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Showbiz411

Who Was the Mystery Billionaire?

Reclusive billionaire Aviv “Vivi” Nevo made a rare Golden Globes appearance seated between Leonardo DiCaprio and Warner Bros executives, signaling his influence in the studio’s high-stakes corporate maneuvering.

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The Wall Street Journal

Data: Wildest of Wild Card Weekends

The 2026 NFL Wild Card weekend set a new record for fourth-quarter lead changes, with 12 across five games, producing unprecedented late-game chaos, comebacks, and thrilling finishes that have already made it the most dramatic postseason in history.

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The Washington Post

Which Jobs Are Growing and Declining?

Using decades of Census data, this Washington Post analysis traces how the fastest-growing and fastest-shrinking American jobs—from farming and secretarial work to construction and tech—have differed by generation, gender and education.

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Mississippi Today

Synagogue Suspect Laughed

Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, allegedly set fire to Mississippi’s largest synagogue in Jackson, laughing as he confessed to his father and referring to the building as the “synagogue of Satan.” He faces federal charges and possible hate crime prosecution.

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NBC News

Kids' Staged Hockey Fight Backlash

A viral video of children 8 and under staging a hockey brawl during a Hershey Bears American Hockey League game has prompted the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association to promise disciplinary action against both the young players and the adults involved.

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ABC News

Powell Probe Sparks Bipartisan Fury

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro defended her office’s criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, citing uncooperative responses on building renovation cost overruns, even as lawmakers and former economic officials criticized the probe as a threat to Fed independence.

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The Hill

Greenland 51st State Formally Proposed

Florida Republican Representative Randy Fine has introduced a bill called the “Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act,” proposing to make Greenland the 51st U.S. state, citing its strategic Arctic importance and following President Donald Trump’s push to acquire the territory.

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NPR

Record Number of 40-ish Single Moms

Advances in IVF (in vitro fertilization) have enabled more women in their 40s to become single mothers by choice, reshaping parenthood as educated, financially independent women prioritize having children on their own timelines.

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MSN

Commemorative Coins Now in Circulation

The U.S. Mint has begun circulating redesigned coins for the nation’s 250th anniversary, featuring dual dates and historical imagery, allowing Americans to celebrate the milestone through everyday transactions throughout 2026.

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