Fatima Hussein

National Guard patrol the Washington Mall, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

Federal troop deployments to US cities like Chicago cost taxpayers $496M and counting

January 28, 2026 at 6:38 p.m.

The Trump administration’s high-profile deployment of federal troops to six U.S. cities including Chicago has cost taxpayers roughly $496 million through the end of December.

FILE – A sign is displayed outside the Internal Revenue Service building May 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Tax season is almost here. Here’s what to know and when you can begin filing.

January 8, 2026 at 5:04 p.m.

The IRS will start accepting 2025 tax returns on Jan. 26, marking the official start of the 2026 tax filing season.

FILE – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services building is seen, April 5, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Medicaid paid more than $207 million for dead people. A new law could help fix that.

December 23, 2025 at 11:35 a.m.

Medicaid programs made more than $200 million in improper payments to health care providers between 2021 and 2022 for people who had already died, according to a new report from...

FILE – Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro stands at the entrance of his home where he is under house arrest in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Nova, File)

US removes Brazilian Supreme Court justice and his wife from sanctions list

December 12, 2025 at 5:21 p.m.

The U.S. removed Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from its sanctions list on Friday after initially adding him over his role in leading the trial against former Brazilian...

A Social Security card is shown in Tigard, Ore., Oct. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, FIle)

The Social Security Administration plans to cut field office visits by 50%. Here’s what it means for you.

December 5, 2025 at 4:26 p.m.

The Social Security Administration is hoping to cut visits to its field offices in half next year, a move that advocates for the agency fear signals more closures are coming.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent listens as President Donald Trump talks after meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US adds more penalties to those linked to Tren de Aragua gang

December 8, 2025 at 6:33 p.m.

The actions come as President Donald Trump’s administration has blamed the gang, which originated in a prison in Venezuela, for being at the root of violence and the illegal drug...

FILE – A sign that reads “Closed due to federal government shutdown,” is seen outside of the National Gallery of Art on the 6th day of the government shutdown, in Washington, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Federal workers question whether the longest government shutdown was worth their sacrifice

November 13, 2025 at 6:37 a.m.

Hundreds of thousands of other federal workers who missed paychecks will soon get some relief. But many are left feeling that their livelihoods served as political pawns.

An employee moves pallets of food at a warehouse of the Capital Area Food Bank, Nov. 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Washington’s struggling economy takes another hit from the government shutdown

November 8, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.

With the government shutdown, firings of government workers and federal food aid cuts, D.C. food banks are bracing for people who will need help before the holidays.

FILE – The headquarters of the Internal Revenue Service is in Washington, August 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

IRS Direct File won’t be available next year. Here’s what that means for taxpayers.

November 5, 2025 at 4:51 p.m.

IRS Direct File, the electronic system for filing tax returns for free, will not be offered next year, the Trump administration has confirmed.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro addresses supporters during a rally in Ibague, Colombia, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/ Fernando Vergara)

US imposes sanctions on Colombia’s president and family members over drug trade allegations

October 24, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his family and a member of his government over accusations of involvement in the global drug trade.

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