Politics

Pastor Carl Ruby says he has received anonymous death threats after publicly supporting Haitian migrants; federal agencies have contacted his Springfield church, and a judge temporarily stayed the planned end of Temporary Protected Status.

President Trump has positioned U.S. forces near Iran while pressing Tehran to make a deal within days, and recent U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva did not produce an agreement.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that sweeps of improvised homeless encampments in New York City will restart, and he said the city’s homeless services department will lead the effort with continued engagement to connect people with shelter and services.

Rev. Jesse Jackson died Tuesday morning, and Rainbow/PUSH Coalition announced public visitation and memorial services in Chicago from Feb. 25–28, 2026.

Top national security officials told President Trump the military could be ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday, but Mr. Trump has not made a final decision; follow-up consultations or actions are undetermined at this time.

Iran's foreign minister said negotiators in Geneva agreed on a set of "guiding principles" for a possible nuclear agreement and will move toward drafting a potential deal, while details were not immediately clear; the White House did not immediately comment.

President Trump posted condolences on Truth Social after the Rev. Jesse Jackson died at 84, calling him a "force of nature" and noting past support for Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Three Democrats — U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and physician Abdul El‑Sayed — are competing in Michigan's U.S. Senate primary in August as Democrats emphasize affordability. The seat is open after Sen. Gary Peters announced his retirement and the likely Republican nominee mentioned in the article is former congressman Mike Rogers.

A Baker Group Strategies poll of 418 likely voters finds 55% approve of Mayor O'Connell's job performance, while 67% say they were dissatisfied with the power utility's response to the recent ice storm.

A federal judge ordered the U.S. government to facilitate the return of some Venezuelan migrants deported under the Alien Enemies Act, and gave lawyers until Feb. 27 to report who wants to return for court proceedings.

Sen. Mitch McConnell was discharged from the hospital after more than a week for flu-like symptoms and his office says he will work from home this week on doctors' advice; he has not voted since Jan. 30.

Evanston will send $25,000 reparations payments to 44 Black residents and descendants who lived in the city between 1919 and 1969, the city's Reparations Committee announced. The fund has been supported mainly by a local cannabis sales tax and real estate transfer tax.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed a budget measure to refund about 10% of annual property taxes for senior homeowners, an initiative her office estimates would cost roughly $90 million statewide and save the average eligible senior about $345 a year.

A Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness report says federal definitions and one-night counts undercount people who are doubled up and estimates 58,625 people experienced homelessness in Chicago in 2024.

About 6,000 San Francisco public school teachers walked off the job, and the district closed all 120 schools while offering some independent study; negotiators planned to resume talks around midday.

Councilmember Nithya Raman filed a late entry into the Los Angeles mayoral race, surprising many in City Hall and prompting comparisons to New York's Zohran Mamdani.

The United States and India released an interim framework that would lower tariffs, reshape energy ties and deepen economic cooperation while reaffirming talks toward a broader bilateral trade agreement. Separately, the U.S. removed an extra 25% tariff tied to India’s purchases of Russian oil, and officials said they will monitor oil imports for possible reinstatement.

Development Innovation Ventures has been reestablished as the independent DIV Fund after raising $48 million from two private donors, and the new nonprofit plans to grant about $25 million a year to support international development projects.

Gov. Ned Lamont proposed a one-time energy rebate of about $400 per family, and officials said the Department of Revenue Services would deliver payments to residents who filed 2024 tax returns once lawmakers approve the plan.

President Trump announced a prayer gathering on the National Mall for May 17, 2026, and said the Education Department will issue new guidance to protect prayer in public schools.

President Trump said the response in Minneapolis 'could use a little bit of a softer touch,' and the administration announced 700 immigration enforcement officers will leave Minnesota amid protests after reports that federal officers killed two people.

Former Rep. Lee Hamilton, who led the Sept. 11 investigation, died peacefully at his home in Bloomington, Indiana, at age 94, his son said.

Governor Josh Shapiro proposed raising Pennsylvania's $7.25 hourly minimum wage to $15 in his 2026-27 budget address, and his administration estimates the change could lower Medicaid spending by about $300 million in the first full year.

American, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Abu Dhabi for a second round of trilateral talks while Ukraine reported a recent strike that damaged its energy grid; several core issues remain unresolved.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced the state is joining the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, making Illinois the second U.S. state to do so since the U.S. withdrawal became official; officials said the move connects Illinois to global alerts and international response networks.

House Republican leaders plan a Tuesday vote to pass a Senate-approved funding package after funding lapsed Saturday, and DHS would be held to a two-week stopgap through Feb. 13 while talks continue.

Gov. Josh Shapiro will introduce 'Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development' standards in his budget address that would require data center developers to cover new power costs, commit to transparency and local hiring, and meet water‑conservation standards; he will ask the Legislature to codify the guidelines and link compliance to faster permitting and available tax credits.

EPA chief Lee Zeldin announced restrictions on five chemicals, and supporters of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement have been meeting with the agency after previously influencing federal health policy.

Taylor Rehmet won a special election in a deep-red Tarrant County Texas state Senate district by a double-digit margin. Analysts say many independents and some Republicans voted for him, prompting questions about GOP voter retainment ahead of 2026.

Federal immigration agents have been operating near Columbia Heights and other Minneapolis-area schools, and school officials report several students and family members were detained; district leaders say attendance has fallen and staff have added protective and support measures.