Politics

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

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

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

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

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

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

House approves budget framework for Trump’s ‘big’ bill after intense wrangling sways GOP holdouts

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans have narrowly approved their budget framework. The 216-214 tally was a turnaround for Speaker Mike Johnson after abruptly postponing Wednesday’s vote. Johnson worked into the night to satisfy conservative lawmakers who refused to support the plan. He and Senate Majority Leader John Thune assured conservatives they were on track seeking at least $1.5 trillion in cuts. President Donald Trump had admonished the holdouts to “stop grandstanding.” The bill is central to President Donald Trump’s agenda of tax breaks, spending cuts and mass deportations. There are still more votes ahead as lawmakers draft a final package in the weeks to come.… Continue Reading

Supreme Court allows Trump’s firings of independent agency board members to take effect, for now

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to oust two board members who oversee independent agencies, for now. The action Wednesday seems to signal the court’s support for President Donald Trump’s effort to remove some limits on executive power. Chief Justice John Roberts signed an order pausing an appellate ruling that had temporarily restored the two women to their jobs. They were separately fired from agencies that deal with labor issues, including one with a key role for federal workers as Trump aims to drastically downsize the workforce. The immediate issue confronting the justices is whether the board members can stay in place while the larger fight continues over what to do with a 90-year-old Supreme Court decision disfavored by conservatives.… Continue Reading

Ex-congressman Nickel entering race to unseat North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel of North Carolina has announced himself as a candidate to try to unseat Republican Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026. Nickel revealed his plans Wednesday. Nickel had signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second U.S. House term because redrawn district lines made it essentially impossible to win again. Nickel said a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed, and he criticized Tillis for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda. There is still time for other Democrats to enter the race. Former Gov. Roy Cooper is considering it.… Continue Reading

White House keeps world guessing as clock ticks down to Trump’s new tariffs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is sending mixed messages on tariffs as it pursues conflicting goals, frustrating foreign leaders and business executives who are desperate for clarity on a generational overhaul of international trade. Administration officials have alternated between talking about seeking negotiations or pushing forward with tariffs no matter what. President Donald Trump tried to have it both ways this week, saying “there can be permanent tariffs, and there can also be negotiations.” That has left world leaders and businesses holding their breath as the stock market craters and the clock ticks down to the new tariffs taking effect Wednesday.… Continue Reading

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