Microsoft has uncovered new Russian hacking efforts targeting U.S. political groups ahead of the midterm elections.

The company said Tuesday that a group tied to the Russian government created fake websites that appeared to spoof two American conservative organizations: the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute. Three other fake sites were designed to look as if they belonged to the U.S. Senate.

2. Students Write Bill to Open Civil Rights Files - Monday, July 16, 2018

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Doug Jones introduced a bill this month that would clear the way to open records from civil rights cold cases – a bill written by high school students.

3. In Tennessee, Trump's Tariffs Become a Political Issue - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jimmy Tosh's sprawling hog farm in rural Tennessee is an unlikely battleground in the fight for control of the U.S. Senate.

Yet his 15,000 acres (6,000 hectares) two hours west of Nashville showcase the practical risks of President Donald Trump's trade policies and the political threat to red-state Republican Senate candidates such as Tennessee's Marsha Blackburn.

4. Women Seek to Add to Senate Numbers, But Challenges Await - Thursday, May 31, 2018

PHOENIX (AP) – A record number of women are on track to run for the U.S. Senate, though it will be a challenge to capture those seats and help make the chamber more diverse.

Many face uphill campaigns and two Democratic incumbents in particular among the 23 women in the Senate are seen as politically vulnerable in the November election.

5. St. Louis Cardinals Get Safety Act Protection - Saturday, December 23, 2017

The St. Louis Cardinals have received federal certification giving the organization legal protections in the event of a terrorist attack at Busch Stadium.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill announced Tuesday, Dec. 19, that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security certified the Cardinals under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act, known as the Safety Act. A DHS spokesman said the certification was approved Dec. 11.

6. DHS OKs St. Louis Cardinals’ Safety Act Proposal - Thursday, December 21, 2017

The St. Louis Cardinals have received federal certification giving the organization legal protections in the event of a terrorist attack at Busch Stadium.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill announced Tuesday, Dec. 19, that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security certified the Cardinals under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act, known as the Safety Act. A DHS spokesman said the certification was approved Dec. 11.

7. Trump: US Faces 'Once in a Lifetime Opportunity' on Taxes - Thursday, October 19, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump says the nation faces a "once in a lifetime opportunity" to overhaul the tax system.

Trump spoke during a White House meeting with a group of senators. The president is convening Republicans and Democrats from the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee to build support for his plan. Trump says it will provide the largest tax cuts in the country's history and is outlining details of the plan.

8. Republicans Unveil Long-Shot Effort on Health Care - Thursday, September 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators on Wednesday rolled out competing plans for the nation's health care system, with a group of GOP senators making a last, long-shot effort to undo Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders proposing universal government-run coverage.

9. Trump Says Tax Overhaul Will 'Bring Back Main Street' - Thursday, August 31, 2017

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) – President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that his push to overhaul the nation's tax system would "bring back Main Street by reducing the crushing tax burden," offering a populist appeal to a still-forming tax plan that would heavily benefit corporate America.

10. National Archives to White House: Save All Trump Tweets - Tuesday, April 4, 2017

WASHINGTON (AP) – The National Archives and Records Administration has told the White House to keep each of President Donald Trump's tweets, even those he deletes or corrects, and the White House has agreed.

11. Airlines Dodge Legislation Aimed at Curbing Excessive Fees - Thursday, March 17, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Senate panel approved an aviation policy bill Wednesday after a partisan fight over whether airlines gouge consumers with fees for basic services like checked bags, seat assignments and ticket changes.

12. Dems, GOP Senators Push Cyber Bill After Breach - Thursday, July 23, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators is pushing to strengthen the authority of the Homeland Security Department to thwart cyberattacks on government networks and websites after a massive government data breach.

13. GM: Incompetence, Negligence Led to Delayed Recall - Friday, June 6, 2014

WARREN, Mich. (AP) – General Motors says a pattern of incompetence and neglect, not a larger conspiracy or cover-up, is to blame for a long-delayed recall of defective ignition switches.

14. Federal Data Show Health Disparities Among States - Friday, December 13, 2013

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Residents in some parts of the U.S. are signing up for health care coverage at a significantly greater rate than others through the new online insurance marketplaces now operating in every state.

15. FAA OKs Air Passengers Using Gadgets on Planes - Friday, November 1, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Airline passengers will be able to use their electronic devices gate-to-gate to read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music – but not talk on their cellphones – under much-anticipated guidelines issued Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration.

16. FAA to Weigh Easing Limits on Electronic Devices - Monday, September 30, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – With the blessing of an influential advisory panel, federal regulators are closer to letting airline passengers use their smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other electronic gadgets during takeoffs and landings.

17. One Week to Go Until Government Shutdown Deadline - Tuesday, September 24, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – With a week left to hammer out a deal to avoid a government shutdown, some lawmakers seem resigned – if not rushing – to that end.

Most say they don't want the first government shutdown since 1996. But if the government happens to shut down, so be it. Republicans say it is part of their effort to dismantle Democrats' health care overhaul, while Democrats defending the law recall that similar standoffs gave them political gains.

18. Ricin in Obama Letter, Odd Packages Scramble Hill - Thursday, April 18, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — Letters sent to President Barack Obama and a Mississippi senator tested positive for poisonous ricin in preliminary checks Wednesday, and authorities chased reports of other suspicious mail at a U.S. Capitol already on edge.

19. Corps Not Budging on Mississippi River Flap - Monday, December 10, 2012

The Army Corps of Engineers has turned back requests by federal lawmakers and the barge industry to release more of the Missouri River it is withholding, believing the drought-starved Mississippi River the Missouri feeds still will remain open to shipping despite mounting concerns.

20. Senators Ask Obama to Protect Mississippi River - Wednesday, November 28, 2012

ST. LOUIS (AP) – A group of U.S. senators is asking President Barack Obama for an emergency declaration in an effort to keep barges moving on the drought-stricken Mississippi River.

A spokesman for Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., told the Associated Press that senators from Mississippi River states are seeking a directive that would increase the flow of water from a dam on the upper Missouri River, which flows into the Mississippi. They also want faster removal of rock formations on the Mississippi that impede barge traffic when water is low.

21. Senate Passes Cuts for All but Richest Americans - Friday, July 27, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has debated, sniped and voted on the politically fraught issue of tax cuts, and next week the House is likely to do it all over again. Still, Americans won't know until after the November elections how much more of their paychecks will go to the government next year.

22. Senators Propose Rigid Spending Cap - Wednesday, February 2, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – Social Security, Medicare and virtually every other federal program would face the budget ax under legislation unveiled in the Senate that seeks to force Congress to cut spending dramatically over the coming decade.

23. Senate Rejects Near-Freeze on Spending - Friday, January 29, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - Just days after President Barack Obama endorsed a partial freeze on domestic spending, his Democratic allies in the Senate have rejected a plan attempting to do pretty much the same thing.

24. CBO: Federal Deficit Projected at $1.35T - Wednesday, January 27, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate on Tuesday rejected a plan backed by President Barack Obama to create a bipartisan task force to tackle the federal deficit this year, despite glaring new figures showing the enormity of the red-ink threat.

25. Obama Caps Executive Pay Tied to Bailout Money - Thursday, February 5, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday imposed $500,000 caps on senior executive pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money, saying Americans are upset with “executives being rewarded for failure.”

26. Hill Opposition Jeopardizes Auto Industry Rescue - Friday, December 12, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) - Prospects for a $14 billion auto industry rescue bill dimmed Thursday amid growing opposition in both parties and despite urgent appeals by both President-elect Barack Obama and President George W. Bush.

27. McCain Touts Plan To Create Jobs, Help Workers In Tough Economy - Tuesday, July 8, 2008

PHOENIX (AP) – Republican presidential candidate John McCain acknowledged the steep drop in U.S. jobs and said he would help the economy by cutting taxes, encouraging free trade, building nuclear power plants and launching other initiatives.