Baylor News
After establishing the Zavala Program for Constitutional Studies in the fall 2021 semester, Baylor’s Department of Political Science is preparing to kick off a series of lectures and reading groups in February while welcoming its inaugural class of Zavala Fellows.
As of Monday, unvaccinated students, staff and faculty will no longer be required to test on a weekly basis.
“I am absolutely going to be enjoying and soaking up every single moment of my semester there and, you know, we’ll see where things go,” Lee said. “At the minimum, I really see this as creating a great collaboration between the faculty at the department of curriculum and instruction and my faculty that work with me back here at NC State.”
“The app is a one-stop shop place, so even if students are not directly in communication with or contacting the city, they will still be able to use the app to get information about so many different city services,” Tufenkjian said.
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
The Iran war is now in its 46th day. Iran responded by restricting access to Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil, and moving to toll vessels transiting the strait. Waco drivers are already feeling it. The local average hit $3.38 a gallon last week, up 21 cents in seven days and 75 cents year-over-year, according to AAA data.
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.
