News
Up to 100 more workers are fired at CFPB as staff fear mass layoffs are looming
About 70-100 employees were terminated at the CFPB, following dozens of recent workers who were fired earlier this week. Agency staff are bracing for even wider layoffs.
On a second try, Florida Republicans agree on a law to assist Trump’s deportations
The bill passed after Gov. Ron DeSantis and fellow Republicans ended a public dispute. It includes a mandatory death penalty for capital crimes committed by people without legal status.
Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae have cut ties with the Kennedy Center now that Trump is chair
The Kennedy Center was created by bipartisan legislation signed by former President Eisenhower in 1958. President Trump appointed himself and members of his administration to the board.
Sweeping cuts hit recent federal hires as Trump administration slashes workforce
Employees across several agencies including the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy and the General Services Administration have all been affected this week, with many being given notice on Thursday.
What’s happening with the anti-HIV program PEPFAR? It depends whom you ask
The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has been the subject of a series of presidential orders and memos that have left uncertainty about how it operates.
Deep cuts to NIH funding would cause economic harm across Trump-friendly Alabama
Birmingham has become one of the country’s leading hubs for biomedical research. Banners downtown brag about the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s status in the top 1% of institutions for NIH funding, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars into the region.
Thousands of counterfeit Forever postage stamps are seized in Chicago
Customs and Border Protection agents in Chicago seized nearly 162,000 counterfeit U.S. Forever stamps this past week which the agency said were shipped from China.
3 top U.S. prosecutors resign over order to drop NYC Mayor Eric Adams corruption case
The acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and two top Justice Department officials in Washington, D.C., resigned after the case against New York City's mayor war order dropped.
Where is my tax refund?
If the IRS owes you a tax refund, it should come within 3 weeks of filing. And in a change, 25 states are now participating in the IRS's free online filing program.
After Trump announced talks with Russia, Vance speaks to European allies
In his second big speech in Europe this week, the vice president will address the Munich Security Conference, days after President Trump said he would start talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump threatens reciprocal tariffs against other countries
President Trump is threatening to levy taxes on imports to match those other countries charge on U.S. exports.
Why Mitch McConnell voted against RFK Jr. for health secretary
A survivor of childhood polio, Sen. Mitch McConnell was the only Republican in the Senate to vote no. Here's how he explained his vote.
A judge extends the pause on Trump’s plan to put USAID workers on leave
A federal judge has ruled to continue for another week the freeze on the Trump administration's plan to put thousands of staffers for the U.S. Agency for International Development on paid leave.
Movie Watch: ‘Marveling’ at the new Captain America, and favorites from Sundance 2025
Wondering what to watch this weekend? Captain America: Brave New World may have what you're looking for. Plus, two favorites from the Sundance Film Festival.
After delay, CDC releases data signaling bird flu spread undetected in cows and people
After going quiet on bird flu, CDC scientists have published a report on its spread among veterinarians. The findings suggest a need for better surveillance.
Duolingo’s owl mascot is a social media sensation. So why did they kill him off?
Duo was fatally hit by a Tesla Cybertruck, the language-learning company announced this week. The snarky owl has been the face of Duolingo for over a decade. Why his sudden demise, and what's next?
Craft supplier Joann to close 60% of its stores across U.S. as it looks for a buyer
The move to close 500 stores comes after Joann declared bankruptcy for the second time in less than a year. The closures would leave it with far fewer stores than competitors Hobby Lobby and Michaels.
What is your best or your worst date?
It’s the season of love and we asked attendees at WBHM’s most recent News and Brews community pop-up event to tell us their stories of love or lack thereof.
RFK Jr. confirmed as Trump’s health secretary, over Democrats’ loud objections
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wins confirmation to be President Trump's secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The vote was 52 to 48.
New Orleans has beefed up security for Mardi Gras. For smaller parading krewes, it’s costly
The city is requiring more police officers at parades this year, putting higher costs on smaller, independent krewes vital to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras heritage.
A rare bipartisan coalition in Alabama pushes ban on machine gun conversion devices
Conversion devices that speed the firing of semi-automatic weapons are already banned under federal law, but there's currently no state law prohibiting possession.
Sen. Ted Cruz’s list of ‘woke’ science includes self-driving cars and solar eclipses
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, says the National Science Foundation has given money to thousands of "woke DEI" studies. Researchers say that's misrepresenting science and disparaging important research.
Hamas says it will release hostages as scheduled this weekend
Israel threatened Tuesday to resume hostilities with Hamas in Gaza unless the militant group releases hostages under the ceasefire agreement.
Is Trump the president who will truly set a course for Mars?
Proponents of going to Mars see peril and opportunity in Elon Musk's close relationship with Trump. Experts say just getting Americans back to the moon in the near future will be challenging enough.
Some red states report zero abortions. Doctors and researchers say it’s not true
The reports are from 2023, in states where abortion is banned. They contradict what doctors and researchers say is happening on the ground, raising concerns about data integrity.
4 decisions that turned SNL into a cultural juggernaut — and 3 mistakes
Critic Eric Deggans explains how Saturday Night Live became the long-lived force it is.
Trump’s pick for secretary of education is Linda McMahon. Here’s what to know
McMahon's confirmation proceedings are likely to focus on how she would handle Donald Trump's plans to dissolve the U.S. Education Department.
Trump hired Musk as a ‘special government employee.’ Here’s what that means
Special government employees, or SGEs, are typically hired on a temporary basis as experts or consultants or serve as members of federal advisory committees.
Retailers including Trader Joe’s and Kroger have begun limiting egg purchases
Egg farmers have been plagued by widespread outbreaks of bird flu. Experts say it's hard to predict when the industry will bounce back from the illness' effects.
Dear Life Kit: My friend kissed me and I liked it. Now he wants to take it back!
Plus: how to deal with an awful brother-in-law, what to do with a box of mementos you shared with your ex and how to tell a bestie you don't want to go on a couples trip.
As coal plants close, Colorado towns consider nuclear waste storage
The federal government hopes former coal towns will help the nuclear industry grow, by taking on the decades-long challenge of storing radioactive waste
Trump administration set to purchase $400 million worth of armored Teslas
That's according to a public State Department procurement document. It comes as ethics experts raise conflict of interest questions about the chief executive of Tesla, Elon Musk, who is a top White House official.
