Top United States government News

Tax charges in Hunter Biden case are rarely filed, but could have deep political reverberations

Dec. 08, 2023 17:26 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden has been hit with new criminal charges in California accusing him of scheming to avoid paying his taxes while spending lavishly on everything from luxury hotels to escorts to exotic cars. The president's son is also facing separate firearm charges in...

Appeals court upholds gag order on Trump in Washington case but narrows restrictions on his speech

Dec. 08, 2023 17:35 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court in Washington largely upheld a gag order on Donald Trump in his 2020 election interference case on Friday, but narrowed the restrictions on his speech to allow the former president to criticize the special counsel who brought the case. The...

Biden dings Trump on infrastructure, while he showcases $8.2B for 10 major rail projects

Dec. 08, 2023 19:08 PM EST

LAS VEGAS (AP) — President Joe Biden went to Las Vegas on Friday to say he's "putting high-speed rail on the fast track,” and he used the moment to blast Donald Trump — his predecessor and likely 2024 challenger — as a do-nothing politician. “Trump just talks the talk. We...

Trump's vow to only be a dictator on 'day one' follows growing worry over his authoritarian rhetoric

Dec. 07, 2023 20:02 PM EST

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — As Donald Trump faces growing scrutiny over his increasingly authoritarian and violent rhetoric, Fox News host Sean Hannity gave his longtime friend a chance to assure the American people that he wouldn't abuse power or seek retribution if he wins a second term. ...

Biden is launching a Hollywood fundraising blitz to tap into star power with strikes over

Dec. 08, 2023 15:22 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Here's a Hollywood ending that President Joe Biden wants to bring to life: an incumbent facing tough polling numbers and questions about his advanced age overcomes a brash opponent to win a second term at the White House. With strikes by writers and actors now...

US vetoes UN resolution backed by many nations demanding immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza

Dec. 08, 2023 19:13 PM EST

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States vetoed a United Nations resolution Friday backed by almost all other Security Council members and dozens of other nations demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. Supporters called it a terrible day and warned of more civilian deaths and...

Trump's campaign is distancing him from allies who have sketched out plans for a second term

Dec. 08, 2023 17:51 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's presidential campaign is distancing him from efforts by allies and former aides to sketch out his plans for a possible second term, including who might fill his administration and what policies he might pursue. In a memo Friday from senior advisers...

Kevin McCarthy endorses Trump for president and would consider serving in his Cabinet

Dec. 08, 2023 18:03 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Retiring Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the ousted former House speaker, said he is endorsing Donald Trump for president and would consider serving in his Cabinet if the GOP front-runner were to win back the White House. McCarthy had a rocky relationship with the...

High-profile attacks on Derek Chauvin and Larry Nassar put spotlight on violence in federal prisons

Dec. 08, 2023 01:09 AM EST

Derek Chauvin was stabbed nearly two dozen times in the law library at a federal prison in Arizona. Larry Nassar was knifed repeatedly in his cell at a federal penitentiary in Florida. The assaults of two notorious, high-profile federal prisoners by fellow inmates in recent months...

The Census Bureau wants to change how it asks about disabilities. Some advocates don't like it

Dec. 08, 2023 12:31 PM EST

The U.S. Census Bureau wants to change how it asks people about disabilities, and some advocates are complaining that they were not consulted enough on what amounts to a major overhaul in how disabilities would be defined by the federal government. Disability advocates say the change...

Latest United States government News

US Sen. Kevin Cramer's son makes court appearance after crash that killed North Dakota deputy

Dec. 08, 2023 18:23 PM EST

MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — The 42-year-old son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer made his first court appearance Friday on manslaughter and other charges after authorities say he fled from police and crashed into a squad car, killing a North Dakota sheriff's deputy who was taking cover behind the vehicle. ...

Trump's campaign is distancing him from allies who have sketched out plans for a second term

Dec. 08, 2023 17:51 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's presidential campaign is distancing him from efforts by allies and former aides to sketch out his plans for a possible second term, including who might fill his administration and what policies he might pursue. In a memo Friday from senior advisers...

Top White House cyber aide says recent Iran hack on water system is call to tighten cybersecurity

Dec. 08, 2023 17:41 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House national security official said recent cyber attacks by Iranian hackers on U.S. water authorities — as well as a separate spate of ransomware attacks on the health care industry — should be seen as a call to action by utilities and industry to tighten...

Appeals court upholds gag order on Trump in Washington case but narrows restrictions on his speech

Dec. 08, 2023 17:35 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court in Washington largely upheld a gag order on Donald Trump in his 2020 election interference case on Friday, but narrowed the restrictions on his speech to allow the former president to criticize the special counsel who brought the case. The...

A rocket attack targets the US Embassy in Baghdad, causing minor damage but no casualties

Dec. 08, 2023 16:38 PM EST

BAGHDAD (AP) — A rocket attack on the sprawling U.S. Embassy in Baghdad caused minor damage but no casualties on Friday morning, U.S. and Iraqi officials said. The attack was the first on the embassy located in the heavily fortified Green Zone of Iraq's capital to be confirmed...

Lawmakers seek action against Elf Bar and other fruity e-cigarettes imported from China

Dec. 08, 2023 09:01 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers are demanding information from federal officials on what they are doing to stop the recent influx of kid-appealing electronic cigarettes from China. Members of a new congressional committee on U.S.-China relations sent the request Thursday to...

Today in History: December 8, U.S. enters World War II

Dec. 08, 2023 00:15 AM EST

Today in History Today is Friday, Dec. 8, the 342nd day of 2023. There are 23 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Dec. 8, 1941, the United States entered World War II as Congress declared war against Imperial Japan a day after the...

Trump's vow to only be a dictator on 'day one' follows growing worry over his authoritarian rhetoric

Dec. 07, 2023 20:02 PM EST

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — As Donald Trump faces growing scrutiny over his increasingly authoritarian and violent rhetoric, Fox News host Sean Hannity gave his longtime friend a chance to assure the American people that he wouldn't abuse power or seek retribution if he wins a second term. ...

Wyoming holds off on auctioning huge piece of pristine land inside Grand Teton

Dec. 07, 2023 17:53 PM EST

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming's governor and other top leaders decided Thursday to hold off on auctioning a big chunk of state-owned land within Grand Teton National Park, choosing instead to continue negotiations with the U.S. government on a purchase or land swap for the pristine and valuable...

The GOP's slim House majority is getting even tighter with Kevin McCarthy's retirement

Dec. 07, 2023 16:41 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson's margin for error in getting Republican priorities through the House is getting slimmer, complicating future votes and magnifying the ability of individual lawmakers to force concessions. Republicans had just a 222-213 margin before...