Why it matters: The legislation will fund the government through next September — preventing the new Congress from being thrust into yet another spending fight when Republicans take control of the House in January.
Former President Trump wanted to fire the former White House chief usher for helping the Bidens move into the executive mansion, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Why it matters: Grisham's account indicates that Trump's desire to delay or prevent the transition of power after the 2020 election affected traditionally nonpolitical White House positions.
The House Jan. 6 select committee has made public dozens of transcripts of witness testimony gathered from its investigation — before and after the release of its highly anticipated final report.
Democrats' unexpected strength in the 2022 midterms extended to state legislatures, where they picked up seats in 21 states and took control of five chambers from the GOP, according to data from Ballotpedia.
Why it matters: State legislatures have vast power over abortion laws, voting rules, gun policies and other issues with a direct impact on American lives.
Southwest Airlines was responsible for the majority of flight cancellations and delays in the U.S. for the third straight day on Wednesday, signaling that the airline's holiday season troubles aren't over yet.
The latest: Southwest accounted for 2,352 of the 2,419 canceled U.S. flights as of 2:30am Thursday ET, according to FlightAware. Another 52 of its flights were delayed.
A district attorney in New York is looking into Rep.-elect George Santos (R-N.Y.) after he admitted to "embellishing" parts of his resume, drawing calls for his resignation.
Why it matters: Santos has been accused of fabricating his resume that formed a central part of his campaign as House Republicans prepare to take the majority by a slim margin.
A bill requiring the Federal Communications Commission to ensure prison phone calls are reasonably priced is set to head to President Biden's desk.
Driving the news: Both the House and the Senate passed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act last week, which would give the FCC the power to guarantee fair charges for telephone and video calls in correctional and detention facilities.
The man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), pleaded not guilty in a San Francisco court Wednesday to all state charges stemming from the October assault, CNN reports.
Why it matters: David Wayne DePape previously pleaded not guilty to state charges, including attempted murder, assault, false imprisonment, threatening the family member of a public official, elder abuse and first-degree burglary, during an initial court appearance in November.
Barry Croft Jr., 47, one of the ringleaders in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, was sentenced to more than 19 years in prison by a U.S. District Court judge on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Croft's co-defendant, Adam Fox, 39, a second leader of the plot to violently attack and overthrow the state government in 2020, received a prison sentence of 16 years on Tuesday.
Don Baker — longtime Richmond bureau chief for The Washington Post, who died on Christmas Day at age 90 — once was brushed off at a news conference by someone who told him questions were only for the media.
"I am the media, buster," the grizzled West Virginia native replied — an instant classic immortalized on the button above, given out at his retirement party.
The Chinese government no longer appears as invulnerable as it did at the height of the global pandemic, and Beijing's major policy changes could alter the calculus in U.S.-China competition.
What's happening: Facing economic headwinds at home and increasingly unified opposition abroad, Beijing appears to be softening its tone and offering some concessions to the international community. China is also emerging from three years of self-imposed COVID lockdowns, following widespread protests.
Driving the news: The Security Council members in a statement called on the Taliban to "reopen schools and swiftly reverse these policies and practices, which represent an increasing erosion of the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms."
Driving the news: Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson ordered Lake to pay around $33,000 in legal fees to Arizona Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs, the state's secretary of statewho won the race by around 17,000 votes and was named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
The Supreme Court is forcing the Biden administration to continue the controversial, pandemic-era border policy called Title 42, while legal challenges unfold, according to a Tuesday order.
Why it matters: The expected Dec. 21 expiration of the policy — which has cited the pandemic to allow border officials to rapidly expel migrants and asylum seekers at the border for more than 2.5 years — was delayed after the Supreme Court intervened at the request of Republican challengers.
The Republican Jewish Coalition disavowed New York congressman-elect George Santos on Tuesday for misrepresenting his heritage, banning him from future events.
Why it matters: The Long Island Republican admitted in two interviews Monday to "embellishing" parts of his resume and background after being accused of fabricating multiple aspects of his life during his campaign for the U.S. House — including his Jewish ancestry.
/2022/12/22/1671682105324.gif?w=3840)
