Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Year: 2026

Ex-Planned Parenthood board member beats out former congressman, state senator for Dem House bid

Ex-Planned Parenthood board member beats out former congressman, state senator for Dem House bid

Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller beat out former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., and state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Ill., in a Democratic primary race on Tuesday evening, teeing up her bid to represent one of the state’s many reliably blue seats. Miller centered her campaign on healthcare issues like affordability and maternity on her website and social media. “In Congress, I’ll defend reproductive rights and lower costs,” Miller, a former board member for Planned Parenthood, said in a campaign video. She raised $1.9 million, according to FEC records, dwarfing contributions from Peters and Jackson. DHS HITS BACK AT ILLINOIS COUNTY CLERK WHO TOLD ICE TO STAY AWAY FROM PRIMARY POLLING PLACES JESSE JACKSON’S FAMILY SAYS ILLINOIS SENATE ENDORSEMENT RELEASE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED Miller looks to fill the seat of Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., a seven-term incumbent pursuing a bid for U.S. Senate. As one of 17 commissioners, Miller helped manage the affairs of Cook County, including managing its finances, meeting state and federal requirements and overseeing county operations. Miller first joined the Cook County Board of Commissioners in 2018. Before her time with Cook County, she served in leadership positions in a number of organizations, including as a board member of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, vice president of Illinois Democratic Women and president of the Democratic Women of South Suburbs, according to her website. ILLINOIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SEEKING US SENATE SEAT RELEASES VIDEO OF PEOPLE SAYING ‘F— TRUMP’ Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District begins at its northernmost point in the heart of Chicago and stretches down about a two-hour drive south along the state’s border with Indiana. The district has been a Democratic stronghold for 70 years. Kelly, its incumbent, last won re-election in 2024 by a 35.1% margin over Republican challenger Ashley Ramos. Its last Republican representative, Richard B. Vail, lost re-election in 1952. Having secured the Democratic nomination for the district, Miller will face off against Mike Noack in November, a truck driver who is running unopposed as the Republican candidate.

Trump calls mail in voting corrupt as Senate begins debate on SAVE Act requiring voter ID

Trump calls mail in voting corrupt as Senate begins debate on SAVE Act requiring voter ID

President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted mail-in voting as “corrupt as hell” as the SAVE America Act heads to the Senate floor for debate. Trump made the remarks during the Shamrock Bowl presentation with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, telling the crowd “the biggest thing coming up is the SAVE America Act in the Senate.” He said the legislation focuses on voter identification and proof of citizenship, while also taking aim at “corrupt” mail-in ballots. “We’re the only country in the world that does it that way. Corrupt as hell,” Trump said. “Then we added two more…One is no men in women’s sports. That seems like an easy one. I believe that’s the 99%. And no transgender mutilation of our children. None. That’s only polling at 98%.” REPS. FINE, SELF, HARRIS, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: WE’LL BLOCK THE SENATE UNTIL THE SAVE ACT PASSES “Hopefully the Senate is going to be able to get that. You can’t ask for five better things,” he continued. “It’s so good for our nation. I mean, who would not have voter ID, who would not have, proof of citizenship? And, the only people who would want not to have that or people that want to cheat. It’s very, very simple. We can’t let that happen.” The SAVE America Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and mandate voter identification at the polls, measures Republicans argue are necessary to secure elections. The president’s remarks followed Senate Republicans moving to bring the SAVE America Act to the Senate floor, aiming to force Democrats to take a public position on the Trump-backed measure. TRUMP URGES CONGRESS TO PASS SAVE AMERICA ACT, FULLY FUND DHS AS TSA WORKERS GO WITHOUT PAY Lawmakers voted 51-48 to begin debate on the bill, an initial step forward with Democrats remaining unified in opposition. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was the only Republican to vote against advancing the measure, while all Democrats voted no. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., did not vote. The procedural move opens the door for debate on the legislation, with GOP leaders expected to allow amendments and extended discussion in the days ahead. REPUBLICANS SHRED ‘NONSENSE’ DEM CLAIMS AGAINST TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected to eventually file to end the debate, which would set up a final vote requiring 60 votes to move forward. Republicans would need support from Democrats to reach that threshold, making the bill’s path forward uncertain. Democrats have opposed the legislation, arguing existing laws already prohibit noncitizens from voting and warning the requirements could create barriers for eligible voters. Mail-in voting expanded significantly during the 2020 election and remains widely used in several states, including some led by Republicans.

Liverpool vs Galatasaray: UEFA Champions League – teams, start, lineups

Liverpool vs Galatasaray: UEFA Champions League – teams, start, lineups

Who: Liverpool vs GalatasarayWhat: UEFA Champions League last 16, second legWhere: Anfield in Liverpool, EnglandWhen: Wednesday at 8pm (20:00 GMT)How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream. Liverpool’s English Premier League (EPL) title defence may have been left in tatters this season, but the football club still have a shot at the UEFA Champions League if they can produce another memorable Anfield night. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Turkiye’s Galatasaray narrowly lead 1-0 following the first leg, although given the Reds’ travails this season, a comeback on home soil is far from guaranteed. Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at a huge night for Liverpool and their under-fire manager, Arne Slot. Liverpool’s EPL chase for Champions League spots falters Dominik Szoboszlai believes Liverpool are “running out of time” in their bid to secure Champions League qualification via their Premier League position after yet again dropping points late in a match. The Hungary captain said he understood why many fans left Anfield early – as some did even before Richarlison scored in the 90th minute to snatch a 1-1 Premier League draw for struggling Tottenham on Sunday – but urged them to stand by Slot’s side. Many of those who remained inside booed at the final whistle after reigning Premier League champions Liverpool missed a chance to move ahead of Aston Villa into fourth. They did gain one place and one point over Chelsea, but conceding a goal in the 90th minute or later for the eighth time this season proved costly. Advertisement “It’s a good question. If I knew the answer, I would be the first one to go to the team and say it,” said Szoboszlai when asked why Liverpool continue to drop late points. “A couple of weeks ago, we had a talk between each other saying ‘Guys, we don’t have such a lot of time to do this right so we have to wake up and start to go in a way that we want to play Champions League next season’,” added the Hungary captain, whose first-half free kick gave Liverpool the lead against Spurs. “It’s a little bit boring when I say this, but we still need to find a solution because we are running out of time.” Liverpool fans need a lift from their team Szoboszlai accepted that Liverpool did not offer the crowd much to cheer in the Spurs match after he scored his fourth free kick of the season. But he urged them to see games out, as early departures were noticed by players. “I don’t say they have no right to leave the stadium. They can leave if they want,” he said. “We need them, and they should know this. We are one less without them. “It should be normal that in hard times we stick together more because that’s what we need, we need each other. “We want to make them happy; it’s not that we do it on purpose. Last year, it was enjoyable to watch all the games. But this year, maybe it’s not that enjoyable, for sure, I can imagine. “I don’t think it helps us also that after 80 minutes people start to go home; it doesn’t help us at all. Stick with us.” What happened in the first leg between Liverpool and Galatasaray? Galatasaray’s 1-0 home win was secured via an early ⁠header from Mario Lemina in what was a compelling contest with both sides having goals disallowed late on. Despite ⁠early pressure from Liverpool, Lemina put the Turkish side ahead after seven minutes, diving to head home after Victor Osimhen nodded a corner back across the goal. The ‌hosts maintained the momentum after the early goal, with Giorgi Mamardashvili producing several superb saves in the Liverpool goal. Just after the hour mark, Osimhen tapped the ball into an open net, but Liverpool were spared as Baris Alper Yilmaz had ⁠been offside in the build-up. Liverpool found the net in the 70th minute, forcing the ball over the line following a goalmouth scramble. But the effort was ruled ‌out following a VAR review, with the ball seemingly striking Ibrahima Konate’s hand before ricocheting in. Head-to-head This will be the seventh meeting between the sides, with Galatasaray winning three. Liverpool have won only one of the encounters. Advertisement Liverpool team news Liverpool are still without Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo, who are all battling injuries. Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Ibrahima Konate were all benched for the game against Tottenham, but are expected to return to the side. Galatasaray team news Enes Buyuk is still absent through injury, while Metehan Baltaci, Gokdeniz Gurpuz and Renato Nhaga are all ineligible after being left out of the club’s Champions League squad. Defender Davinson Sanchez is suspended. Predicted Liverpool starting lineup Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike Predicted Galatasaray starting lineup Cakir; Sallai, Singo, Bardakci, Jakobs; Torreira, Lemina; Yilmaz, Sara, Lang; Osimhen Adblock test (Why?)

Why aren’t gold prices rising, despite Iran war uncertainty?

Why aren’t gold prices rising, despite Iran war uncertainty?

As the war on Iran entered its 18th day on Tuesday, the price of gold, usually considered the safe-haven asset in times of uncertainty, has remained unexpectedly steady. Since the United States and Israel first launched strikes on Iran on February 28, the conflict has escalated across the region, sparking concerns about the knock-on effect for the global economy. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list On March 2, Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced that the Strait of Hormuz – through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas is transported – was “closed”; a move that sent oil prices soaring above $100 per barrel. Stock prices have also fallen over the past two weeks amid uncertainty over the war on Iran, but gold prices have remained steady. What are gold prices doing? Gold has remained broadly steady at around $5,000 an ounce in recent days. On Tuesday, spot gold was almost flat at $5,001.36 per ounce at 11:00 GMT. Spot gold is the price at which physical gold is bought and sold for immediate delivery. US gold futures for April delivery rose just 0.1 percent to $5,005.20. Is this unexpected? Yes. This lack of movement is surprising, given that gold prices typically shoot up during economic crises as investors look for safe havens to shelter their cash. This is especially true during periods of global conflict. For example, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, gold prices skyrocketed, Remi Bourgeot, economist at the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs in Paris and author of analysis platform Epistelem, told Al Jazeera. Advertisement The subsequent sanctions imposed on Russia by Western nations created “a wave of panic”  among central banks and “completely changed the dynamic behind gold prices”, with countries like China embarking on a historic buying streak to reduce their dependence on the US dollar, he said. However, with the US-Israeli war on Iran, there has been a different response. Why have gold prices remained flat? Traders may be anticipating that the US Federal Reserve will halt interest rate cuts and perhaps even raise rates in response to rising inflation, James Meadway, a former economic adviser to the United Kingdom’s shadow chancellor and currently council member of the Progressive Economy Forum, told Al Jazeera. “That makes dollar assets more attractive and gold, which pays no interest, less so,” Meadway explained. He added that investors have expected the US to cut interest rates for some time. Another factor is that gold was already performing well at the start of this year. “Gold had risen so much before that it is reacting less now to the war,” Meadway said. Rebecca Christie, a senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank, echoed this, noting that gold has been trading far above historic levels this year. “There are other factors in play: because the dollar has strengthened, and because gold is traded in dollars, it may be harder for interested investors to push the price up,” Christie said. “Also, a rising dollar provides an alternative safe-haven choice, and higher oil prices probably will lead to higher inflation, which also will make the dollar more attractive.” Is gold still a safe bet? Not at the moment. “It’s not seen as much of a hedge against the uncertainty as it was two years ago,” Bourgeot said. “I think there’s really a great deal of understanding at this point that gold has become a very speculative asset,” he said, adding that typical gold investors, which include central banks, tend to be more risk-averse and may have been spooked by the “volatility” of gold in the current climate. What’s next for gold? Experts say it is difficult to make predictions given the uncertainty in the Middle East. “For now, it seems like the biggest thing holding gold back from rising further is because it has already risen so much,” Christie said. For the price of gold to shift dramatically, Meadway said two things would need to happen. “First would be a clear indication from the Federal Reserve, which will be getting a new, likely more Trump-friendly chair in May, that interest rates may be cut further, despite inflationary pressure,” he said. Advertisement “The second would be a change in perception as to the length of the war; at present, there is still some belief this will be ended fairly quickly, but the longer this drags on, and the more the damage spreads, the more attractive gold will start to appear,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)

What the Iran war looks like from the occupied West Bank

What the Iran war looks like from the occupied West Bank

Iran missile shrapnel falls on West Bank Palestinians as settler attacks, Israeli raids and restrictions continue. As the Iran war continues, attention is fixed on missiles flying across the region. But in the occupied West Bank, missile shrapnel falls on Palestinian towns while deadly settler attacks, Israeli military raids and strict limits on daily life continue. With the world looking elsewhere, how do Palestinians in the West Bank view the Iran war, and what does life look like on the ground now? In this episode:  Nour Odeh (@nour_odeh), Al Jazeera Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li with Adhil Veettil Sreechand, El Houssein Chouikhat, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, David Enders. It was edited by Sarí el-Khalili. David Enders and Alex Roldan mixed this episode. The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Spencer Cline, Sarí el-Khalili, Chloe K. Li, Alexandra Locke, Catherine Nouhan, Alex Roldan, and Noor Wazwaz. Our host is Malika Bilal.  Alex Roldan is our sound designer. Our editorial intern is Tuleen Barakat. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Andrew Greiner is lead of audience engagement. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Published On 17 Mar 202617 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share plus2googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)