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Tropical Storm Francine expected to develop into a hurricane
A tropical storm that has developed over the Gulf of Mexico is expected to grow into a hurricane on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Tropical Storm Francine is expected to make landfall as a hurricane on Wednesday over Louisiana, where Governor Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency.
It will bring four to eight inches of heavy rainfall, potential tornadoes and damaging winds to much of central and eastern Louisiana, forecasters said.
Residents along both the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines are being warned of life-threatening storm surge and have been urged to complete their hurricane preparations by Tuesday evening.
A storm surge means there is danger of water rising from the coastline and moving inland. In some places, water may rise up to 10 feet (3 m).
The hurricane is also expected to bring “considerable” flash and urban flooding in parts of Louisiana, which recently marked the 19th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the NHC warned.
Francine’s development follows a quiet August and early September during the Atlantic hurricane season, which typically lasts until November. Experts earlier this summer had predicted a busier season this year.
As of Tuesday morning, Tropical Storm Francine was about 395 miles (540 km) southwest of Cameron, Louisiana, a town overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
Its maximum winds are currently 65 mph (100 km/h), though that is expected to strengthen.
Some schools and colleges in the state have closed on Tuesday through Wednesday in anticipation of the hurricane.
US oil and gas producers on the Gulf of Mexico, including Exxon Mobil and Shell, had evacuated staff and in some cases paused drilling in preparation for the storm.
Governor Landry said his state of emergency declaration “will allow parishes statewide to have the resources to help protect the life, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Louisiana.”
Francine is the sixth storm to be named in 2024.
News
Video: Their Mother Was Detained. Now a Minneapolis Family Lives in Fear.
new video loaded: Their Mother Was Detained. Now a Minneapolis Family Lives in Fear.
By Ang Li, Bethlehem Feleke, Ben Garvin and Caroline Kim
January 28, 2026
News
The FBI conducts a search at the Fulton County election office in Georgia
An election worker walks near voting machines at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center on Nov. 5, 2024.
John Bazemore/AP
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John Bazemore/AP
The FBI says it’s executing a “court authorized law enforcement action” at a location in Georgia that is home to the Fulton County election office.
When asked about the search, the FBI would not clarify whether the action is tied to the 2020 election, but last month the Department of Justice announced it’s suing Fulton County for records related to the 2020 election.
In its complaint, the DOJ cited efforts by the Georgia State Election Board to obtain 2020 election materials from the county.
On Oct. 30, 2025, the complaint says, the U.S. attorney general sent a letter to the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections “demanding ‘all records in your possession responsive to the recent subpoena issued to your office by the State Election Board.’ “
A Fulton County judge has denied a request by the county to block that subpoena.
Since the 2020 election, Fulton County has been at the center of baseless claims of election fraud by President Trump and others.
In November the sweeping election interference case against Trump and allies was dismissed by a Fulton County judge.
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Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed by man on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event
A man is tackled after spraying an unknown substance at US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Octavio JONES / AFP via Getty Images)
OCTAVIO JONES/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
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OCTAVIO JONES/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was rushed by a man during a town hall event Tuesday night and sprayed with a liquid via a syringe.
Footage from the event shows a man approaching Omar at her lectern as she is delivering remarks and spraying an unknown substance in her direction, before swiftly being tackled by security. Omar called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign or face impeachment immediately before the assault.
Noem has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis Saturday.
Omar’s staff can be heard urging her to step away and get “checked out,” with others nearby saying the substance smelled bad.
“We will continue,” Omar responded. “These f******* a**holes are not going to get away with it.”
A statement from Omar’s office released after the event said the individual who approached and sprayed the congresswoman is now in custody.
“The Congresswoman is okay,” the statement read. “She continued with her town hall because she doesn’t let bullies win.”
A syringe lays on the ground after a man, left, approached Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, during a town hall event in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. The man was apprehended after spraying an unknown substance according to the Associated Press. Photographer: Angelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Bloomberg
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Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Bloomberg
Omar followed up with a statement on social media saying she will not be intimidated.
I’m ok. I’m a survivor so this small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work.
I don’t let bullies win.
Grateful to my incredible constituents who rallied behind me. Minnesota strong.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 28, 2026
As Omar continued her remarks at the town hall, she said: “We are Minnesota strong and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us.”
Just three days ago, fellow Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida said he was assaulted at the Sundance Festival by a man “who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face.”
Threats against Congressional lawmakers have been rising. Last year, there was an increase in security funding in the wake of growing concerns about political violence in the country.
According to the U.S. Capitol Police, the number of threat assessment cases has increased for the third year in a row. In 2025, the USCP investigated 14,938 “concerning statements, behaviors, and communications” directed towards congressional lawmakers, their families and staff. That figure represents a nearly 58% increase from 2024.
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