Top United States government News

Senate advances renewal of key US surveillance program as detractors seek changes

Apr. 18, 2024 17:28 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate advanced legislation Thursday that would reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance tool as lawmakers and the Biden administration rushed to tamp down fresh concerns about the program violating Americans' civil liberties. The bipartisan legislation would...

What's inside the $95 billion House package focused on aiding Ukraine and Israel

Apr. 18, 2024 16:28 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled a long-awaited package of bills that will provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, replenish U.S. weapons systems and give humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza. The package totals $95.3 billion in spending, which...

House leaders toil to advance Ukraine and Israel aid. But threats to oust speaker grow

Apr. 18, 2024 18:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — House congressional leaders were toiling Thursday on a delicate, bipartisan push toward weekend votes to approve a $95 billion package of foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as several other national security policies at a critical moment at home and abroad. ...

Legislation that could force a TikTok ban revived as part of House foreign aid package

Apr. 18, 2024 18:57 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake won a major boost late Wednesday when House Republican leaders included it in a package of bills that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel. The bill could be law as soon as next week...

Democrats weigh prospect of helping Johnson save his job as House speaker

Apr. 18, 2024 16:34 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Democrats are entertaining the prospect of coming to House Speaker Mike Johnson's rescue should Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., force a vote seeking his ouster, though it will likely depend on his ability to deliver an emergency aid package focused on Ukraine and...

Kennedy family makes ‘crystal clear’ its Biden endorsement in attempt to deflate RFK Jr.’s candidacy

Apr. 18, 2024 16:33 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Joe Biden scooped up endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kerry Kennedy, a daughter...

Judge in Trump case orders media not to report where potential jurors work

Apr. 18, 2024 18:15 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in Donald Trump's hush money trial ordered the media on Thursday not to report on where potential jurors have worked and to be careful about revealing information about those who will sit in judgment of the former president. Judge Juan Merchan acted after...

Trump loses bid to halt Jan. 6 lawsuits while he fights criminal charges in the 2020 election case

Apr. 18, 2024 16:53 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump lost a bid Thursday to pause a string of lawsuits accusing him of inciting the U.S. Capitol attack, while the former president fights his 2020 election interference criminal case in Washington. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington denied...

Iraq's prime minister heads to Michigan to meet Arab Americans at a tense time for the Middle East

Apr. 18, 2024 17:27 PM EDT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The leader of Iraq will travel to Michigan on Thursday following a sit-down with President Joe Biden to meet with the state's large Iraqi community and update them on escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s weekend aerial assault on Israel. ...

12 jurors have been picked for Donald Trump's hush money trial. Selection of alternates ongoing

Apr. 18, 2024 18:52 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making hush money trial, propelling the proceedings closer to opening statements and the start of weeks of dramatic testimony. The court quickly turned to selecting alternate...

Latest United States government News

Biden administration moves to make conservation an equal to industry on US lands

Apr. 18, 2024 19:29 PM EDT

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday finalized a new rule for public land management that's meant to put conservation on more equal footing with oil drilling, grazing and other extractive industries on vast government-owned properties. Officials pushed past...

US committee releases sealed Brazil court orders to Musk's X, shedding light on account suspensions

Apr. 18, 2024 19:24 PM EDT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A U.S. congressional committee released confidential Brazilian court orders to suspend accounts on the social media platform X, offering a glimpse into decisions that have spurred complaints of alleged censorship from the company and its billionaire owner Elon Musk. ...

Legislation that could force a TikTok ban revived as part of House foreign aid package

Apr. 18, 2024 18:57 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake won a major boost late Wednesday when House Republican leaders included it in a package of bills that would send aid to Ukraine and Israel. The bill could be law as soon as next week...

US vetoes widely supported UN resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine

Apr. 18, 2024 18:45 PM EDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine, a goal the Palestinians have long sought. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the...

Argentina asks to join NATO as President Milei seeks a more prominent role for his nation

Apr. 18, 2024 18:31 PM EDT

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina formally requested on Thursday to join NATO as a global partner, a status that would clear the way for greater political and security cooperation at a time when the right-wing government of President Javier Milei aims to boost ties with Western powers and...

Senate advances renewal of key US surveillance program as detractors seek changes

Apr. 18, 2024 17:28 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate advanced legislation Thursday that would reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance tool as lawmakers and the Biden administration rushed to tamp down fresh concerns about the program violating Americans' civil liberties. The bipartisan legislation would...

Iraq's prime minister heads to Michigan to meet Arab Americans at a tense time for the Middle East

Apr. 18, 2024 17:27 PM EDT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The leader of Iraq will travel to Michigan on Thursday following a sit-down with President Joe Biden to meet with the state's large Iraqi community and update them on escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iran’s weekend aerial assault on Israel. ...

Trump loses bid to halt Jan. 6 lawsuits while he fights criminal charges in the 2020 election case

Apr. 18, 2024 16:53 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump lost a bid Thursday to pause a string of lawsuits accusing him of inciting the U.S. Capitol attack, while the former president fights his 2020 election interference criminal case in Washington. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington denied...

Congress moving swiftly on bipartisan action to punish Iran after revenge attack on Israel

Apr. 18, 2024 11:09 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran's attack against Israel over the weekend has spurred a flurry of bipartisan legislative action in Congress, uniting lawmakers against the country even as the risk of a larger regional war looms. Several measures introduced and passed in the House and the...

Prominent Baptist pastor in military-ruled Myanmar detained again hours after release from prison

Apr. 18, 2024 09:04 AM EDT

BANGKOK (AP) — A prominent Christian church leader and human rights advocate from Myanmar’s Kachin ethnic minority was detained by the authorities just hours after he was released from prison under an amnesty by the military government, a relative, a colleague and local media said Thursday. ...