The week in politics (July 15, 2026)
On Wednesday's show: We break down the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. And we discuss the state of Houston's environment.
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Explosion injures 3 South Korean military officers inside DMZ bordering North Korea
An explosion injured three South Korean military officers Monday inside the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone separating the Koreas, officials said. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the explosion occurred during an unspecified operation near the military demarcation line wi...
government
Germany's Merz struggles to stay on track after humiliating regional election defeat
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced a struggle to stabilize his position and keep his agenda on track Monday after voters inflicted two more defeats on his party, ejecting it from a state legislature for the first time in its eight-decade history. The unpopular Merz vowed to s...
News
Stocks advance after Bessent says talks with China were successful before Trump-Xi meeting
Asian shares advanced Monday ahead of the expected meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week in Washington, which could cover trade, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. U.S. futures were higher, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent...
News
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3409: Pickelhaube
Episode: 3409 We trace the long life of a silly helmet. Today, a puzzling headpiece.
business
Presley Gerber, son of Cindy Crawford, dies at 27, family representative says
Presley Gerber, the son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, died on Sunday at age 27, a family representative said. Gerber died at a rehab facility, according to online records of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The death was confirmed by Allie Jen...
News
Mahomes and Walker shine, Butker hits winning 40-yarder as Chiefs beat Colts 33-30 in OT
The Kansas City Chiefs thought they had beaten the Indianapolis Colts on a bizarre fumble in overtime Sunday night. The Colts ended up with a chance to win instead, yet chose to play for a tie. And once again, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of his crew made an opposing team pay for...
News
World leaders meet at UN as their planet grapples with war, division, runaway AI and climate shocks
Under a global cloud of wars and bitter divisions, world leaders meet at the United Nations this week facing new fears that runaway artificial intelligence could threaten humanity even as climate shocks and escalating prices are already making life much tougher for hundreds of mi...
government
Trump decries Democrats as 'communists,' even as he looks to impress China's communist leader
Communism, President Donald Trump says, is the greatest threat the U.S. has ever faced. This summer, citing similarly grave concerns, he took the rare step of delivering a primetime address to the nation , accusing China of “sinister election meddling” in 2020 and reviving his ye...
Local
Man charged with capital murder after 5-year-old shot and killed in northwest Harris Co., HCSO says
Less than 24 hours after a 5-year-old was killed in a shooting in northwest Harris County, 47-year-old Jeremy Porter has been charged with capital murder, the sheriff's office said....
News
Tiny wild cat newly identified as a species draws curious visitors in Bolivia
A tiny wild cat hidden away in the cloud forests of Bolivia has become an unlikely tourist attraction, drawing a stream of visitors hoping for a glimpse of the animal that scientists have identified as a brand new species . There is just one problem: Tigrino, as he has been affec...
News
Tropical Storm Polo forms off southwestern Mexico
Tropical Storm Polo formed late Sunday off southwestern Mexico. Polo had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph) and was forecast to strengthen rapidly over the next few days, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Polo was expected to become a major hurricane by ...
News
Man shot and killed in Cloverleaf-area apartment complex, HCSO says
A man was shot and killed, and detectives are investigating whether the incident involved "intimate partner violence," HCSO said.