Tag Archives: Politics

Taxes, salaries, vacancy cuts make plain differences over rival North Carolina GOP budgets

Taxes, salaries, vacancy cuts make plain differences over rival North Carolina GOP budgets

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina House’s state budget proposal makes plain differences on taxes, salaries and job cuts between Republicans who control both General Assembly chambers. The House gave preliminary approval Wednesday to its plan to spend $32.6 billion in the year beginning July 1 and $33.3 billion the next year. The Senate approved its two-year plan last month. The chambers are soon expected to start negotiating a final measure to present to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. The House plan appears more cautious on permitting future tax rate reductions compared to the Senate. One national conservative group warned of political consequences for House members who voted for the plan.… Continue Reading

Trump announces he’s selected final ‘Golden Dome’ space missile defenses that would cost billions

Trump announces he’s selected final ‘Golden Dome’ space missile defenses that would cost billions

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced the concept he wants for his future Golden Dome missile defense program — a multilayered system that for the first time will put U.S. weapons in space. Speaking Tuesday in the Oval Office, Trump said the system would cost $175 billion. He expects it will be “fully operational before the end of my term,” which ends in 2029, and have the capability of intercepting missiles “even if they are launched from space.” It’s likelier that the complex system may have some initial capability by that point, a U.S. official familiar with the program said.… Continue Reading

Home Depot says it doesn’t expect to boost prices because of tariffs

Home Depot says it doesn’t expect to boost prices because of tariffs

Home Depot doesn’t expect to raise prices because of tariffs, saying it has spent years diversifying the sources for the goods on its shelves. Other companies, domestic and foreign, have warned customers that price hikes are on the way. Walmart said last week that it has already raised prices and will have to do so again in the near future. Late Monday, Subaru of America said it would raise prices on some of its most popular models by as much as $2,000. Home Depot says it doesn’t expect any single country outside of the U.S. will represent more than 10% of its purchases 12 months from now.… Continue Reading

Trump comes to the Capitol to try to persuade a divided GOP to unify around his big tax cuts bill

Trump comes to the Capitol to try to persuade a divided GOP to unify around his big tax cuts bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has arrived on Capitol Hill to try to seal the deal on what he calls his “big, beautiful bill.” He will try to unify divided House Republicans on the multitrillion-dollar package that is at risk of collapsing before planned votes this week. The president has implored GOP holdouts to “STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE.” But negotiations are slogging along. It’s not at all clear the package, with its sweeping tax breaks and cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs, has the support needed. With all Democrats opposed, the Republicans can handle only a few defections from their slim House majority.… Continue Reading

Trump’s big bill advances in rare weekend vote as conservative holdouts secure changes

Trump’s big bill advances in rare weekend vote as conservative holdouts secure changes

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans advanced their massive tax cut and border security package out of a key House committee during a rare Sunday night vote. Deficit hawks who blocked the measure two days earlier reversed course after gaining commitments on the package’s spending cuts. Speaker Mike Johnson was determined to make Friday’s setback a short one. He met with Republican lawmakers shortly before the meeting, telling reporters that changes agreed to during weekend negotiations were “just some minor modifications.” The Republicans who have criticized the measure noted that the bill’s new spending and the tax cuts are front-loaded, while the measures to offset the cost are back-loaded.… Continue Reading

House works into the night as Republicans push ahead on Trump’s big bill

House works into the night as Republicans push ahead on Trump’s big bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tax breaks tallying more than $5 trillion. But also sizable reductions in Medicaid health care, food stamps for older Americans and green energy strategies to fight climate change. Those all faced sharp debate as House lawmakers pushed through marathon public hearings overnight into Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” Republicans are working on Trump’s signature legislative package over mounting opposition from Democrats, advocacy groups and even some wary Republicans themselves. The first hearing was disrupted by protesters shouting against health care cuts. House Speaker Mike Johnson hopes to send the Senate the bill by Memorial Day.… Continue Reading

North Carolina justice sworn in after long battle over result

North Carolina justice sworn in after long battle over result

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Democratic Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs has been sworn in to a new term after her Republican rival challenged the results over six months. Riggs took her oath Tuesday in Raleigh shortly after the State Board of Elections issued an election certificate to her. The board was complying with a federal judge who last week rejected Jefferson Griffin’s arguments that potentially thousands of ballots should be removed from the count. Griffin conceded rather than appeal. Riggs won by 734 votes. The race was the last undecided nationally among those called by The Associated Press in the 2024 general election.… Continue Reading

Dow leaps 1,100 points and S&P 500 rallies 3.3% following a 90-day truce in the US-China trade war

Dow leaps 1,100 points and S&P 500 rallies 3.3% following a 90-day truce in the US-China trade war

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are leaping after China and the United States announced a 90-day truce in their trade war. The S&P 500 jumped 2.6% Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 951 points, and the Nasdaq composite gained 3.5%. Hopes for an economy less encumbered by tariffs also sent crude oil prices higher. The U.S. dollar strengthened against other currencies, and Treasury yields jumped on expectations the Federal Reserve won’t have to cut interest rates so deeply this year in order to protect the economy. Analysts warned conditions could still quickly change, as has so often happened in President Donald Trump’s trade wars.… Continue Reading

Hamas says it released American-Israeli hostage in goodwill gesture toward Trump administration

Hamas says it released American-Israeli hostage in goodwill gesture toward Trump administration

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas says it has released Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander. An Israeli official confirmed that the transfer was underway without providing specifics. The official was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity. Hamas said it was releasing Alexander on Monday as a goodwill gesture to try to revive talks on ending the war. The release comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week.… Continue Reading

Trump defends the prospect of Qatar gifting him a plane to use as Air Force One

Trump defends the prospect of Qatar gifting him a plane to use as Air Force One

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is ready to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this coming week, and U.S. officials say it could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft. The Qatari government denied that a final decision had been made. Still, Trump defended the idea as a fiscally smart move for the country, while Democrats and others said it raised serious ethics concerns. ABC News reported that Trump will use the aircraft as his presidential plane until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029, when ownership will be transferred to the foundation overseeing his presidential library.… Continue Reading

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