Tag Archives: Politics

North Carolina judges block GOP law to strip governor’s election board powers

North Carolina judges block GOP law to strip governor’s election board powers

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina trial judges have struck down an attempt by Republican state lawmakers to shift power away from the governor to the state auditor. The change would have taken away Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s ability to appoint members of the State Board of Elections and pass that power to Republican State Auditor Dave Boliek. Two judges on the panel ruled in Stein’s favor and said the law was unconstitutional. The third judge dissented and said the law was within the legislature’s authority. The law finalized in December is the latest attempt by Republicans to move the state elections board appointment power away from the governor.… Continue Reading

Alito’s dissent in deportation case says court rushed to block Trump with middle-of-the night order

Alito’s dissent in deportation case says court rushed to block Trump with middle-of-the night order

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Samuel Alito has written a sharp dissent that castigates the seven-member majority for blocking the Trump administration from deporting any Venezuelans held in northern Texas under an 18th-century wartime law. The dissent was released Saturday night, hours after the court’s intervention against the Republican administration. Alito says the Supreme Court acted “literally in the middle of the night” and without sufficient explanation. Alito says there was “dubious factual support” for granting the request in an emergency appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union. That group contends that immigration authorities appeared to be moving to restart such removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.… Continue Reading

Trump administration takes aim at Harvard’s international students and tax-exempt status

Trump administration takes aim at Harvard’s international students and tax-exempt status

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration has escalated its ongoing battle with Harvard, threatening to revoke the university’s ability to host international students, who make up 27% of the campus. The threat emerged as the president called for withdrawing the school’s tax-exempt status. The Department of Homeland Security ordered Harvard late Tuesday to turn over detailed records of the school’s foreign student visa holders’ “illegal and violent activities” by April 30. The move deepens the crackdown on Harvard. On Monday, it became the first university to openly defy the administration’s demands related to activism on campus, antisemitism and diversity. The federal government has already frozen more than $2 billion in grants and contracts to the Ivy League institution.… Continue Reading

North Carolina advances bill on book bans in public schools

North Carolina advances bill on book bans in public schools

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina House Republicans have advanced a bill that would create advisory committees to approve and remove books from libraries in public and charter schools. The legislation quickly moved through the House and passed Wednesday. It now moves to the Senate. The legislation outlines that advisory committees would be made up of parents and school employees. Those committees would then make recommendations to their school boards on what library material can be allowed. Supporters say the bill would protect students from explicit material. Opponents say the bill creates unnecessary censorship in schools.… Continue Reading

North Carolina budget plan advances as Senate Republicans double down on tax cuts

North Carolina budget plan advances as Senate Republicans double down on tax cuts

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Senate Republicans have advanced a two-year budget for the ninth-largest state. The proposal that received initial Senate approval on Wednesday spends less than what the new Democratic governor requested and doubles down on already enacted income tax cuts. Gov. Josh Stein’s budget pitch sought to spend roughly $1 billion more each year than what the Senate decided in part by halting broad tax rate cuts. But GOP senators are content with their spending, taxes and cost-cutting. The Senate bill locates another $1.3 billion for Hurricane Helene aid and seeks to eliminate hundreds of vacant state positions. The House will soon pass a competing measure.… Continue Reading

US judge presses Trump administration on its refusal to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia

US judge presses Trump administration on its refusal to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A federal judge says she will order sworn testimony by Trump administration officials to determine if they complied with her orders to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. He was mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison last month. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to return him. But the administration has so far refused. It claims he’s in the MS-13 gang. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys deny the allegations and say he was never charged with a crime. The president of El Salvador also said he would not return Abrego Garcia, likening it to smuggling “a terrorist into the United States.”… Continue Reading

North Carolina judges weigh GOP law shifting election board control away from Democratic governor

North Carolina judges weigh GOP law shifting election board control away from Democratic governor

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina trial judges will soon rule if legislative Republicans’ latest method to attempt to wrest control of the State Board of Elections from a Democratic governor is lawful. A three-judge panel listened to arguments Monday in a lawsuit filed by Gov. Josh Stein against GOP lawmakers. A law approved last year and taking effect soon would give board appointments to the state auditor. Republican Dave Boliek is now the auditor. The legislature has sought to erode or eliminate a governor’s authority to appoint the board for nearly a decade. At least four laws have been blocked and a constitutional amendment was defeated. Any ruling will assuredly be appealed.… Continue Reading

Stocks rally worldwide after Trump eases some of his tariffs on electronics, for now

Stocks rally worldwide after Trump eases some of his tariffs on electronics, for now

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are rallying worldwide after President Donald Trump relaxed some of his tariffs, for now at least. The S&P 500 jumped 1.5% Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 441 points, and the Nasdaq composite rose 2%. Apple, Nvidia and other big technology companies led the way after Trump temporarily exempted smartphones, computers and some other electronics from some of his stiff tariffs. Perhaps more importantly for Wall Street, the bond market also showed signals of increasing calm. Treasury yields eased following last week’s sudden and scary rise, which seemed to rattle not only investors but also Trump himself.… Continue Reading

Trump team tries to project confidence and calm after his tariff moves rattled markets

Trump team tries to project confidence and calm after his tariff moves rattled markets

ATLANTA (AP) — White House advisers and Cabinet members are trying to project confidence and calm as they defend President Donald Trump’s economic policies after another week of reeling markets that saw the Republican administration reverse course on some of its steepest tariffs. For his part, Trump took an aggressive stance on his social media platform Sunday, disputing the idea that he will exempt any products from his sweeping tariff plans. The Trump team pressed its case during appearances on the Sunday news shows. Their explanations and Trump’s comments together reflected shifting narratives from a president who, as a candidate, had promised an immediate economic boost and lower prices but now asks American businesses and consumers for patience.… Continue Reading

Supreme Court says Trump administration must work to bring back mistakenly deported Maryland man

Supreme Court says Trump administration must work to bring back mistakenly deported Maryland man

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says the Trump administration must work to bring back a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, rejecting the administration’s emergency appeal. The court acted Thursday in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who had an immigration court order preventing his deportation to his native country over fears he would face persecution from local gangs. The administration has conceded that it made a mistake in sending him to El Salvador, where he is being held in a notorious prison, but also argued that it no longer could do anything about it.… Continue Reading

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