Democrats Choose Virginia’s New Governor to Answer Donald Trump After His Prime-Time Address to Congress

Virginia’s newly elected governor, Abigail Spanberger, will deliver the Democratic response to President Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address, giving Democrats a high-profile chance to rebut the White House’s message on a night when the president commands the biggest audience. Party leaders framed her selection as a strategic choice: Spanberger won statewide by a […]
Big Food Pivots to “Smaller, Cleaner, Higher-Protein” as GLP-1 Drugs Reshape American Eating

Major packaged-food and beverage companies are rapidly retooling products and marketing as appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs spread through the U.S., changing what—and how much—people buy. It’s a shift from “wait and see” to “act now,” with companies emphasizing shorter ingredient lists, smaller pack sizes, and more protein- and fiber-forward foods designed to keep consumers fuller longer. […]
Fifth Circuit Cracks Down on “AI Hallucinations,” Saying Lawyers Can’t Plead Ignorance Anymore

U.S. federal appeals court has sanctioned a lawyer for filing a legal brief riddled with AI-generated errors, warning that fabricated citations and “hallucinated” material in court filings remain a growing problem. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered attorney Heather Hersh to pay $2,500 after concluding she used […]
With Midterms Looming and Economic Ratings Low, Trump Tries to re-Sell His Cost-of- Living Message in Georgia

President Trump is traveling to Georgia on Thursday to deliver what the White House describes as a fresh economic message focused on lowering household costs—an issue that is increasingly central to Republicans’ hopes of holding Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections. The speech, scheduled in Rome, is the latest in a run of economic […]
Microsoft Defends its ICE Ties, Says Policies Bar Civilian Mass Surveillance and Urges Clearer Legal Guardrails

Microsoft said it does not believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using the company’s technology for “mass surveillance of civilians,” responding to a report that raised fresh questions about how federal immigration enforcement is using modern cloud and AI tools. Microsoft emphasized that its policies and terms of service prohibit its technology from being […]
White House Fires Back at NY Fed Research Arguing Americans Shoulder Most Tariff Costs

A political clash is brewing between the White House and central-bank researchers after Kevin Hassett publicly suggested punishment for the authors of a Federal Reserve Bank of New York analysis that challenges the administration’s tariff narrative. In a February 18 interview with CNBC, Hassett said the research was “an embarrassment,” called it “the worst paper” […]
New CEO, High Expectations: Walmart Signals a Cautious 2026 Outlook Despite Strong Momentum

Wall Street has spent months bidding up Walmart shares, but investors are bracing for a more measured tone when the retailer delivers its annual outlook alongside quarterly results. The key reason is timing: this is the first earnings report under new CEO John Furner, who took over at the start of February and inherits a […]
US Factory Output Jumps Most in 11 Months, Signaling a Tentative Manufacturing Rebound
Homan Rejects Democrats’ ICE Overhaul Demands as DHS Funding Fight Deepens

Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s “border czar,” forcefully dismissed Democratic lawmakers’ demands to overhaul U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, even as backlash grows over aggressive enforcement tactics and Congress remains deadlocked over funding for Department of Homeland Security. The dispute is tied to a high-stakes budget standoff that has pushed DHS into a partial shutdown. […]
After Massive Sewage Spill, Trump Orders Federal Takeover of Potomac Response to Protect Region’s Water

President Trump said the U.S. government will step in to coordinate the response to a major sewage leak into the Potomac River, describing the incident as an environmental emergency that demands federal involvement. Trump said federal authorities — including the Federal Emergency Management Agency — would intervene to help manage the cleanup and protect the […]