Baylor News
Annette Moukoury, Lanham, Md., junior and Black Student Coalition intern, said this year, the celebrations will embrace the uniqueness of an individual’s Black experience.
The New Hope Baptist Church in Waco is a Black church that was founded in 1866 by 18 Black members of the Waco community after Black people in America were emancipated, according to Texas Archival Research Online.
The artist for Baylor’s first Black graduates statue will be announced on Feb. 3. in an announcement sent by President Linda Livingstone to students, faculty and staff.
From the football field to Capitol Hill, Baylor alumnus and Congressman Colin Allred continues to inspire those around him.
Waco News
State News
Texas voters turned out in historic numbers Tuesday, delivering victories for State Rep. James Talarico and forcing a runoff between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s U.S. Senate contest that claimed national attention. The total early-voting turnout of more than 2.5 million marks the highest ever for a midterm primary election. The results also kicked off the 2026 midterm cycle.
INTERNATIONAL
Gas prices in Texas have surged more than 70 cents per gallon since the U.S. went to war with Iran three weeks ago. The near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has driven oil prices up more than 40%, pushing the national average to its highest point since 2023 and sending diesel past $5 for the first time in three years.
The largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East in decades unfolded as American and Israeli forces struck Iran Saturday, killing its supreme leader and triggering retaliatory strikes from the Gulf to Israel. The White House said the campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and toppling its government.
Dr. Joshua Alley, assistant professor of political science, said part of the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland has to do with America’s national security strategy.
The abduction of a foreign leader was not on most students’ bingo cards for winter break. Once news headlines began appearing about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and how his wife were removed from Venezuela, most people scratched their heads in confusion, wondering where the news came from and why it happened.
