A U.S. appeals court on Friday struck down a California law that prohibited people from openly carrying guns in most public places.
The big picture: The San Francisco-based Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruling, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision,said the ban violates Californians' Second Amendment rights and conflicts with "this Nation's history and tradition."
ICE is putting worksite enforcement on the front-burner amid viral uproar over fraud allegations at government-funded child care centers in Minnesota.
Why it matters: Throughout 2025, the administration downplayed the potential for broad worksite raids and labor enforcement. It received public pushback in instances when it did happen and the administration apologized after a major raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia.
The U.S. is scaling back threatened tariffs on Italian pasta that could have pushed duties as high as 107%, easing pressure on grocery shoppers and stepping back from a trade dispute.
Why it matters: For U.S. consumers who feared that their favorite box of spaghetti would spike in price, the news will be a relief — and it comes as the Trump administration faces political pressure over affordability issues.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping who police stop, how reports are written, where officers patrol and how evidence is analyzed.
Why it matters: The tech promises speed and efficiency. But its rapid spread is outpacing public rules, and could embed errors and bias deep within the criminal justice system.
Retail investors had the chance in 2025 to put their money directly on Donald Trump, in a way unlike any American presidency in history.
A couple of those bets didn't work out so well.
The big picture: Trump's vast, burgeoning business empire includes multiple tradable assets linked to him and his family — but two of those assets underperformed peers and broader markets in 2025.
Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro said U.S. and Venezuelan officials should "start talking seriously" on drug trafficking and oil, per an interview published Thursday.
The big picture: Maduro acknowledged during the interview the months-long U.S. militarized pressure campaign targeting suspected "narco-terrorists" and was asked directly about President Trump's comments that the U.S. military had "knocked out" a dock that Venezuelan drug boats allegedly used.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani vowed during his inauguration speech Thursday to govern the biggest city in the U.S. as a Democratic socialist — "expansively and audaciously."
The big picture: Hours after being sworn in as NYC's first Muslim leader, taking the oath using a historic Quran, Mamdani signed several executive orders designed to combat the city's housing crisis and revoking EOs that former Mayor Eric Adams signed.
President Trump dismissed concerns about his health related to his age during a Wall Street Journal interview published Thursday, declaring: "My health is perfect."
Why it matters: The 79-year-old last year became the oldest president ever to be inaugurated and questions have been raised about his health similar to those faced by former President Biden, 83 — whom he mocked during the 2024 presidential campaign as feeble and confused before his predecessor dropped out of the race.
President Trump provided an explanation for bruises on his hand that last year sparked rumors about his health during an interview with the Wall Street Journal that was published Thursday.
Why it matters: The 79-year-old president, who's faced age-related health scrutiny, revealed that he has for years taken higher doses of aspirin for "cardiac prevention" and this "causes bruising."
U.S. adults surveyed in 1999 correctly predicted major shifts for the half-century ahead: the election of a Black U.S. president, civilian travel to space and a warming planet.
The big picture: The turn of the millennium marked a cultural, technological and political inflection point, with Americans anticipating some of the changes that have come to define the 21st century so far.
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 was a campaign trail boogeyman for President Trump, but much of it became reality during his first year back in office.
Why it matters: From reshaping the federal government to his push to recognize only two genders, Trump spent much of2025 ticking off items from the conservative wishlist.However, the plan has dozens more action items awaiting his attention in 2026.
The Supreme Court has many pivotal cases lined up for the coming year, many revolving around President Trump's policies.
The big picture: Trump has relied heavily on the court's emergency docket during his second term, using it to block lower court rulings while cases play out.
There are 271,000 fewer federal employees than there were at the start of 2025 — about a 9% drop, per the latest tally from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Why it matters: The sharp decline is a result of President Trump's efforts — initially spearheaded by Elon Musk's DOGE — to drastically reduce the size of the federal government.
The big picture: The new gambling laws on the state and federal level for 2026 could directly impact betters nationwide and how much income they claim on their taxes in the years to come.
New tax brackets, higher standard deductions and expanded credits are now in effect — changes that could boost paychecks and lower income taxes for many Americans in 2026 and beyond.
Why it matters: The IRS updates reflect annual inflation adjustments and sweeping tax changes signed into law last summer in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), making several provisions from the 2017 tax overhaul permanent.
Many of the key changes of President Trump's flagship first-year legislation go into effect in 2026, along with state-level policy expanding tech and labor protections.
Why it matters: New and amended laws intended to advance or restrict this administration's policies and platforms will affect Americans' wallets, work and entertainment in 2026.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) criticized President Trump's veto of a bill that would have funded a Colorado drinking water project in her district.
Why it matters: The prominent MAGA lawmaker and longtime Trump ally, who was among a group of Republicans pushing for the president to release the Epstein files, in a statement to a Colorado news station questioned his motives for the veto.
President Trumphas issued thefirst two vetoes of his second term, rejecting bills with bipartisan support that would have aided a Colorado water project and expanded tribal land in Florida.
The big picture: Trump appears to be using his veto power to settle scores. Although he said his vetoes protected taxpayer dollars, he alsomade clear at least one was punishing a tribe for joining a lawsuit against his immigration agenda.
President Trump's initiative to commemorate the 250th year of the founding of the U.S. kicked off with the projection of images on the Washington Monument during New Year's Eve celebrations in D.C. Wednesday night.
The big picture: The six-day art installation is one of many projects Trump has planned for the yearlong "America 250" celebrations.
