Politics
- PoliticsReuters
Biden administration delays proposal to ban menthol cigarettes
The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the decision, said it came after the White House weighed the potential public-health benefits of banning the cigarettes against the political risk of angering Black voters in an election year. For decades, menthol cigarettes have been in the crosshairs of anti-smoking groups who argue that they contribute to disproportionate health burdens on Black communities and play a role in luring young people into smoking. "This rule has garnered historic at
2 min read - PoliticsUSA TODAY
Top Education Department official steps down amid crisis over college financial aid
Richard Cordray, the official in charge of the Federal Student Aid office, which oversees the FAFSA, will conclude his tenure at the end of June.
4 min read - PoliticsThe New York Times
Conservative justices appear poised to rule ex-presidents have some immunity
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared ready on Thursday to rule that former presidents have some degree of immunity from criminal prosecution, a move that could further delay the criminal case against former President Donald Trump on charges that he plotted to subvert the 2020 election. Such a ruling would most likely send the case back to the trial court, ordering it to draw distinctions between official and private conduct. It would amount to a major statement on the
7 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Trump's criminal charges and Biden's age rank as voters' top worries about the candidates
Voters continue to rank President Joe Biden’s age and former President Donald Trump’s legal woes as the most compelling reasons to oppose them in November.
4 min read - PoliticsThe Guardian
The pro-Trump Arizona fake electors scheme: what’s in the charging document?
The indictment details the steps to push the concept of alternate electors in an alleged effort to overturn Biden’s victory
10 min read - BusinessThe New York Times
How a pirate-clad pastor helped ignite Trump Media's market frenzy
One afternoon last month, Chad Nedohin, a part-time pastor and die-hard supporter of Donald Trump, put on a pirate costume, set up his microphone and recited a prayer. Nedohin was opening his latest livestream on the right-wing video site Rumble, where he has about 1,400 followers who share a devotion to Trump Media & Technology Group, the former president’s social media company. “Faith comes from hearing — that is, hearing the good news about Christ,” said Nedohin, 40, his face framed by fake d
7 min read - PoliticsPolitico
Coal’s future dims as new regulations pile on and former defenders retreat
The industry's most influential bipartisan backers are leaving, but others will take their place — at least among the GOP.
10 min read - USAssociated Press
Judge upholds disqualification of challenger to judge in Trump’s Georgia election interference case
A judge upheld the disqualification of a candidate who had had planned to run against the judge presiding over former President Donald Trump’s 2020 Georgia election interference case. Tiffani Johnson is one of two people who filed paperwork to challenge Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee. An administrative law judge earlier this month found that she was not qualified to run for the seat after she failed to appear at a hearing on a challenge to her eligibility, and Secretary of Sta
3 min read - PoliticsThe New York Times
Talk of an Immigrant ‘Invasion’ Grows in Republican Ads and Speech
WASHINGTON — A campaign ad from a Republican congressional candidate from Indiana sums up the arrival of migrants at the border with one word. He doesn’t call it a problem or a crisis. He calls it an “invasion.” The word invasion also appears in ads for two Republicans competing for a Senate seat in Michigan. And it shows up in an ad for a Republican congresswoman seeking reelection in central New York, and in one for a Missouri lieutenant governor running for the state’s governorship. In West V
7 min read - PoliticsThe New York Times
How Abrupt U-Turns Are Defining U.S. Environmental Regulations
The Biden administration’s move on Thursday to strictly limit pollution from coal-burning power plants is a major policy shift. But in many ways it’s one more hairpin turn in a zigzag approach to environmental regulation in the United States, a pattern that has grown more extreme as the political landscape has become more polarized. Nearly a decade ago, President Barack Obama was the Democrat who tried to force power plants to stop burning coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels. His Republican s
9 min read - USAssociated Press
A ban in Kansas on gender-affirming care also would bar advocacy for kids' social transitions
A proposed ban in Kansas on gender-affirming care for minors also would bar state employees from promoting it — or even children's social transitioning. Teachers and social workers who support LGBTQ+ rights worry that they could be disciplined or fired for helping kids who are exploring their gender identities. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the proposed ban, and top Republicans anticipated Friday that the GOP-controlled Legislature will attempt to override her action before lawmakers adjo
5 min read - USThe Guardian
Jordan Klepper on campus protests: ‘You’re not going to resolve tension by adding violence’
Late-night hosts discuss the crackdown on, and Republican criticism of, college campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza
3 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
Trump wishes Melania happy birthday from the hallway outside his NY criminal trial
Donald Trump did not address why Melania hasn't attended the trial to show her support.
4 min read - BusinessHuffPost
First Amendment Law Firm Recruiting TikTok Creators To Challenge Possible Ban: Report
TikTok has already announced it is planning legal action against the divestiture bill recently signed by President Joe Biden.
3 min read - USAssociated Press
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New York's special congressional election
House Republicans’ majority could tighten by another vote after Tuesday’s special congressional election in Buffalo — at least, temporarily. Voters are choosing a replacement for Democrat Brian Higgins, a longtime House member who cited the “slow and frustrating” pace of Congress before resigning in February. Democrats have a long record of success in the 26th Congressional District, and their nominee is highly favored to win on Tuesday.
5 min read - PoliticsThe Guardian
Arizona’s abortion U-turn points to Republican break from anti-abortion movement
As support for abortion even in states as red as Kentucky and Kansas grows, the GOP appears to be breaking ranks with the hardliners
5 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Utah Republicans to select nominee for Mitt Romney's open US Senate seat
A dozen Utah Republicans vying to replace Mitt Romney in the U.S. Senate are set to square off Saturday for the party nomination in a race expected to reveal the brand of political conservatism that most appeals to modern voters in the state. Romney has long been the face of the party's more moderate wing, but his retirement from the Senate opens a door for Utah's farther-right faction. Observers are closely watching whether voters select a successor whose politics align more with Romney's or
4 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Charges against Trump's 2020 'fake electors' are expected to deter a repeat this year
An Arizona grand jury's indictment of 18 people who either posed as or helped organize a slate of electors falsely claiming that former President Donald Trump won the state in 2020 could help shape the landscape of challenges to the 2024 election. The indictment issued Wednesday is part of a campaign to deter a repeat of 2020, when Trump and his Republican allies falsely claimed he won swing states, filed dozens of lawsuits unsuccessfully challenging Democrat Joe Biden's victory and tried to ge
5 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Pennsylvania brings protest votes to center stage
Beneath the surface of Pennsylvania’s mostly sleepy primary was a trend that's stalked Joe Biden and Donald Trump across the country: a substantial protest vote.
8 min read - USReuters
Trump compares campus Israel protests to 2017 white nationalist rally
Donald Trump on Thursday criticized the mostly peaceful protests on U.S. college campuses over Israel's war in Gaza, describing them as "tremendous hate," while saying that the violence at a white nationalist rally in Virginia when he was president was by comparison "a little peanut." Trump, the Republican candidate for president in the November elections, also sought to place blame for the campus protests on Democratic President Joe Biden. In remarks to media following the day's testimony in
3 min read - USAssociated Press
Tennessee lawmakers adjourn after finalizing $1.9B tax cut and refund for businesses
Tennessee's GOP-controlled General Assembly on Thursday adjourned for the year, concluding months of tense political infighting that doomed Republican Gov. Bill Lee's universal school voucher push. For months, Lee declared enacting universal school vouchers his top priority for the legislative session. At the same time, he warned that lawmakers must pass the major tax cut and refund for businesses to prevent a potential lawsuit as critics alleged the state violated the U.S. Constitution.
5 min read - USAssociated Press
17 states challenge federal rules entitling workers to accommodations for abortion
Republican attorneys general from 17 states filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging new federal rules entitling workers to time off and other accommodations for abortions, calling the rules an illegal interpretation of a 2022 federal law. The lawsuit led by Tennessee and Arkansas comes since finalized federal regulations were published April 15 to provide guidance for employers and workers on how to implement the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The language means workers can ask for time off to ob
2 min read - PoliticsReuters
At US Supreme Court, clashing views presented on presidential immunity
During arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity from prosecution, two starkly different views of the consequences were on display on Thursday. Trump's lawyer, D. John Sauer, painted a dire picture of presidents facing "de facto blackmail and extortion by his political rivals while he is still in office" because of the threat of future prosecution without the immunity the former president is seeking. Michael Dreeben, arguing on behalf of Special C
3 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Debates to play a major role in Pennsylvania's 2024 US Senate election
Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania on Thursday proposed a series of debates with his Republican challenger David McCormick leading up to the November general election, and McCormick readily accepted. The race for a Senate seat in the battleground state is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and to help decide control of the chamber next year. Casey, in a statement, said he intends to participate in three debates in the fall, one apiece in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and H
2 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Tennessee lawmakers OK bill penalizing adults who help minors receive gender-affirming care
Tennessee's GOP-controlled Statehouse on Thursday gave their final approval to legislation penalizing adults who help minors receive gender-affirming care without parental consent, clearing the way for the first-in-the-nation proposal to be sent to Gov. Bill Lee's desk for his signature. The bill mirrors almost the same language from a so-called anti-abortion trafficking proposal Tennessee Republican lawmakers approved just a day prior. Lee, a Republican, hasn't publicly commented on either bi
3 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
These people were charged with interfering in the 2020 election. Some are still in politics today
As Donald Trump seeks a return to the White House, criminal charges are piling up for the people who tried to help him stay there in 2020 by promoting false theories of voter fraud. At least five states that were won in 2020 by President Joe Biden have investigated efforts to install slates of electors who would cast Electoral College votes for Trump despite his loss. Several of those charged or accused of involvement in election interference across the states are still involved in Republican
8 min read - PoliticsReuters
Trump's three US Supreme Court appointees thrash out immunity claim
When the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately rules on Donald Trump's claim of presidential immunity from prosecution, a third of those deciding the matter will be justices he appointed to their lifetime posts. Those three - Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch - posed questions from various angles as the nation's top judicial body heard arguments on Thursday in a case that provides a vital test of the power of the presidency. A key question, Gorsuch said, is "how to segregate private
4 min read - PoliticsYahoo News
Key takeaways from Supreme Court hearing on whether Trump has presidential immunity that shields him from criminal trials
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday in a landmark case regarding former President Donald Trump's bid for criminal immunity. Here are the key takeaways.
5 min read - USPolitico
California Senate candidate Steve Garvey calls student protesters ‘terrorists’
The former baseball star and Republican rival to Adam Schiff sharply condemned the student activism that has roiled colleges around the nation.
2 min read - USNBC News
'It's on everybody's mind': Morehouse faculty and students raise concerns about Biden's graduation speech
Morehouse College’s leadership is set to hold a call on Thursday to address concerns over having President Joe Biden as the school’s commencement speaker next month.
4 min read - PoliticsYahoo News
Trump trial updates: David Pecker testifies about election-year hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal
David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, told the jury in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial about negotiations in 2016 with two women looking to sell their stories about alleged sexual relationships with Trump.
4 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Key moments from landmark Supreme Court arguments on Trump's immunity claims
The Supreme Court heard more than 2 1/2 hours worth of arguments on the landmark question of whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution in a case charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Justice Neil Gorsuch conveyed concern that prosecutors, or political opponents, could have bad motives in pursuing political rivals. Michael Dreeben, a lawyer for special counsel Jack Smith's team, responded that this fear was inapplicable in this case.
7 min read - WorldReuters
Northern Gaza still heading toward famine, says deputy WFP chief
The northern Gaza Strip is still heading toward a famine, the deputy U.N. food chief said on Thursday, appealing for a greater volume and diversity of aid to be allowed into the enclave and for Israel to allow direct access from its Ashdod port through Erez crossing. Israel pledged three weeks ago to improve aid access, including reopening Erez and allowing the use of Ashdod port. The move came after U.S. President Joe Biden demanded steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying t
4 min read - PoliticsNBC News
Supreme Court signals further delay in Trump election interference case as it weighs immunity claims
The Supreme Court considers Donald Trump’s assertion of total immunity from criminal charges over his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results.
7 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
Trump's lawyer says presidents could get away with crimes if they aren't discovered until after they leave office
As the saying goes: It's not the crime; it's the cover-up. If former President Donald Trump gets his way, a good cover-up will be enough.
2 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Putin announces plans to visit China in May
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he plans to visit China in May, in what could become the first foreign trip for the Russian leader after he extended his rule by six more years in an election that offered voters little real choice. Putin announced the plans for the visit at a congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Moscow. Putin's inauguration is scheduled for May 7, Russian lawmakers said earlier this week.
2 min read - USThe Guardian
House speaker condemned for remarks on pro-Palestine student protests
Republican Mike Johnson accused of ‘wilfully spreading misinformation’ and ‘inciting violence’ after CNN interview
3 min read - USAssociated Press
Planned Parenthood announces $10 million voter campaign in North Carolina for 2024 election
Abortion continues to be a key part of Democrats' election playbook in North Carolina, which for 2024 will include what abortion-rights advocates call an unprecedented investment in get-out-the-vote efforts. Planned Parenthood affiliated groups in North Carolina announced on Thursday a $10 million campaign in the state that largely focuses on persuading people concerned about narrowing abortion access to vote in November. The spend, according to representatives for Planned Parenthood Votes and
3 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Frustrated with Brazil's Lula, Indigenous peoples march to demand land recognition
Thousands of Indigenous people marched on Thursday in Brazil's capital, calling on the government to officially recognize lands they have lived on for centuries and to protect territories from criminal activities such as illegal mining. With posters bearing messages like “The future is Indigenous,” they walked towards Three Powers Square, where Congress, the Supreme Court and the Planalto presidential palace are located in Brasilia. A group of Indigenous leaders entered the palace to talk to P
2 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
Net neutrality restored as FCC votes to regulate internet providers
The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday voted to restore “net neutrality” rules that prevent broadband internet providers such as Comcast and Verizon from favoring some sites and apps over others. The move effectively reinstates a net neutrality order the commission first issued in 2015 during the Obama administration. In 2017, under then-President Donald Trump, the FCC repealed those rules.
2 min read - PoliticsReuters
Zelenskiy thanks Johnson, Schumer for helping get US aid bill passed
Zelenskiy said on X that he had thanked Johnson, a Republican, who had been blocking a vote on the bill, "for his leadership that ensured true bipartisan support for aid to Ukraine". In a conversation with Schumer, he praised the Democratic Party's unwavering support.
1 min read - USAssociated Press
New York City to require warning labels for sugary foods and drinks in chain restaurants
New York City residents may soon see warning labels next to sugary foods and drinks in chain restaurants and coffee shops, under a law set to go into effect later this year. The rule requires food businesses with 15 storefronts or more to post a warning icon — a black and white spoon loaded with sugar — next to menu items containing at least 50 grams of added sugar. The city's health department posted its proposed rule language last week and set a public hearing for late May. City officials an
2 min read - WorldReuters
Chef Jose Andres mourns World Central Kitchen workers killed in Gaza at Washington Cathedral
Celebrity Chef Jose Andres called seven aid workers killed by Israeli forces in Gaza "the best of humanity" on Thursday during a memorial service at the Washington National Cathedral that was attended by hundreds, and punctuated by grief and ongoing questions about the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel mistakenly killed the seven people working for Andres' charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) in an airstrike earlier this month, prompting worldwide condemnation and a d
2 min read - WorldThe New York Times
U.S. to Withdraw Troops From Chad, Dealing Another Blow to Africa Policy
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will withdraw dozens of Special Operations forces from Chad in the next few days, the second major blow in a week to U.S. security and counterterrorism policy in a volatile swath of West and Central Africa, U.S. officials said Thursday. The decision to pull out about 75 Army Special Forces personnel working in Ndjamena, Chad’s capital, comes days after the Biden administration said it would withdraw more than 1,000 U.S. military personnel from Niger in the coming months
4 min read - PoliticsAssociated Press
GOP mulls next move after Kansas governor vetoes effort to help Texas in border security fight
Kansas' governor is blocking an attempt by Republican legislators to give the state's National Guard a “border mission" of helping Texas in its partisan fight with the Biden administration over illegal immigration. Top Republicans in the Kansas House were considering Thursday whether their chamber can muster the two-thirds majority necessary to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of immigration provisions in the next state budget. Kelly on Wednesday vetoed a budget provision that would
2 min read - PoliticsReuters
Nothing off the table in US response to China overcapacity, Yellen says
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Biden administration is not taking any options off the table to respond to China's excess industrial capacity, which is a top concern for the U.S. and its allies, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters on Thursday. China exporting its way to full employment is not acceptable to the rest of the world, Yellen said in a Reuters Next interview in Washington. Yellen said that during her trip to China earlier this month, she was "successful" in raising U.S. conce
2 min read - USNBC News
Trump presidential immunity claim and protest arrests at UT-Austin and USC: Morning Rundown
Supreme Court hears Donald Trump immunity claim. Protestors arrested in pro-Palestinian encampments at UT-Austin and USC. Venice institutes entry fee.
8 min read - PoliticsBusiness Insider
Legal experts say the TikTok divest-or-ban bill could stand up in court despite being a free-speech disaster
TikTok has a strong First-Amendment argument to challenge Congress' divest-or-ban bill. It may still lose in the courts anyway.
5 min read - WorldAssociated Press
Hungary's Orbán urges European conservatives, and Trump, toward election victories at CPAC event
Hungary's nationalist prime minister, addressing a conservative conference in Budapest on Thursday, said upcoming European and U.S. elections were a chance for right-wing forces to defeat the “progressive world spirit,” and encouraged former U.S. President Donald Trump to defend “his own truth” in his ongoing criminal trial. Viktor Orbán, a right-wing populist and the European Union's longest-serving leader, told supporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference Hungary that conservati
3 min read - PoliticsThe New York Times
In Immunity Case, Trump Can Lose in Ways That Amount to a Win
WASHINGTON — Most legal experts say that former President Donald Trump will face deep skepticism at the Supreme Court on Thursday, when the justices will hear arguments on his claim that he is absolutely immune from prosecution on charges of plotting to subvert the 2020 election. Trump would prefer to win, of course. But there are, from his perspective, at least two attractive ways to lose. One involves the timing of the court’s decision, which has received substantial attention given the relati
7 min read
