How Aaron Parnas built a massive Gen Z news audience

Independent reporter Aaron Parnas has built one of the fastest-growing news audiences on social media, with millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram. Known for breaking down politics in a casual, direct style, Parnas has become a trusted source for many Gen Z viewers who aren’t watching tr…

Probe continues into freezing death of Alabama jail prisoner

Tony Mitchell, who was held for nearly two weeks in a concrete cell known as “The Freezer” at the Walker County Jail. The medical examiner says he froze to death. Meahwhile, Sheriff Nick Smith denies any wrongdoing and is seeking reelection. What happened to Tony Mitchell inside cell BK 5? USA TODA…

Oscar-nominated “The Alabama Solution” shows unfiltered prison life

With rare access and unflinching restraint, the documentary The Alabama Solution exposes the human cost of confinement in stark – at times difficult to watch – detail. The film sets out and succeeds in offering a view of a mass incarceration system laid bare. If what we see is functioning as design…

Kristi Noem DHS oversight hearing sparks tense debate

House Judiciary Committee oversight hearings are intended to hold federal agencies accountable. But the latest session involving Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has become a flashpoint in the debate over immigration enforcement. While Noem received strong support from Republicans on the com…

Crafting’s comeback and the science behind it

Crafting is having a moment. From knitting and crochet to embroidery and quilting, more people — especially younger adults — are picking up hands-on hobbies. But this trend isn’t just about nostalgia. Research suggests creative activities may reduce stress, improve mood and even affect how our brai…

Trump signals weeks of fighting in war with Iran

With U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliation across the region, the U.S. is now engaged in open conflict with Iran. The question many Americans are asking is: are we, once again, at war in the Middle East? And in terms of military commitment and risks to American troops s…

Trump’s shadow hangs over the start of primary season

Primary season is here, and even though President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot, his influence is shaping races across the country. Republican candidates are aligning with him — or testing his grip on the party — while Democrats face their own internal debates over identity, strategy and the pat…

Epstein files fallout continues for rich and powerful

While the Clintons testified in closed-door Congressional hearings about what they know about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the fallout for the rich and powerful continues. Will more people be named and charged as co-conspirators from the Epstein investigation? And will Epstein’s victims …

Sexpionage and how foreign spies use intimacy to steal secrets

Sex for secrets. In an age dominated by digital surveillance, human desire remains a vulnerability. Foreign intelligence agencies are still using intimacy as a tool for gathering information. Is there a way to protect national security secrets from sexpionage? If trained officials with security cle…

Trump’s defiant message: US is ‘hottest country anywhere in the world’

After a tumultuous start to his second term, President Donald Trump is looking to reset the reigning narrative about his leadership with Americans. In his first State of the Union address of his second term, the president tried to sell the country on his economic agenda, working to counter increasi…