Top United States government News
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's lead witness in hush money trial
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump's defense team in his hush money case sought Friday to undermine the testimony of the prosecution's lead witness and his account that a tabloid's practice of helping to bury embarrassing stories about Trump was part of a scheme to aid the Republican's 2016 campaign. ...
The Latest | Trump prosecutors claw back at defense's portrait of tabloid deal
NEW YORK (AP) — Defense lawyers in Donald Trump’s hush money trial dug Friday into assertions of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election. David Pecker returned to the witness stand for the...
140,000 people did their taxes with the free IRS direct file pilot. But program's future is unclear
WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS said Friday that more than 140,000 taxpayers filed their taxes through its new direct file pilot program and participants saved roughly $5.6 million in fees they would have otherwise spent with commercial tax preparation companies. The government pilot...
US says it's reviewing new information about Israeli unit accused of abuses before the war in Gaza
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has determined that an Israeli military unit committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza began, but it will hold off on any decision about aid to the battalion while it reviews new information provided by Israel,...
President Joe Biden says he's 'happy to debate' Donald Trump during interview with Howard Stern
NEW YORK (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that he is willing to debate his presumptive Republican opponent, Donald Trump, later this fall – his most definitive comment yet on the issue. The comment came during an interview with the Sirius XM radio host Howard Stern, who...
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New York's special congressional election
WASHINGTON (AP) — 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...
US announces new Patriot missiles for Ukraine as part of new $6 billion aid package
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will provide Ukraine additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday. The missiles will be used to replenish previously...
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...
Trading Trump: Truth Social's first month of trading has sent investors on a ride
WASHINGTON (AP) — There have been lawsuits, short-selling and rampant speculation. Now, as Trump Media & Technology Group approaches its first month as a publicly traded company, it’s clear that — like the man it’s named after — there’s nothing typical about the stock. ...
Rooting for Trump to fail has made his stock shorters millions
NEW YORK (AP) — Rooting for Donald Trump to fail has rarely been this profitable. Just ask a hardy band of mostly amateur Wall Street investors who have collectively made tens of millions of dollars over the past month by betting that the stock price of his social media business...
Latest United States government News
Owner of exploded Michigan building arrested at airport while trying to leave US, authorities say
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — The owner of a suburban Detroit business that caught fire and exploded, killing a man, was arrested at a New York airport as he was preparing to depart for Hong Kong on a one-way ticket, authorities said Friday. U.S. Customs and New York Port...
US says it's reviewing new information about Israeli unit accused of abuses before the war in Gaza
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has determined that an Israeli military unit committed gross human-rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank before the war in Gaza began, but it will hold off on any decision about aid to the battalion while it reviews new information provided by Israel,...
Antony Blinken meets with China's President Xi as US, China spar over bilateral and global issues
BEIJING (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials, stressing the importance of “responsibly managing” the differences between the United States and China as the two sides butted heads over a number of contentious...
These are the countries where TikTok is already banned
LONDON (AP) — TikTok is in the crosshairs of authorities in the U.S., where new law threatens a nationwide ban unless its China-based parent ByteDance divests. It would be the biggest blow yet to the popular video-sharing app, which has faced various restrictions around the world. ...
The TikTok law kicks off a new showdown between Beijing and Washington. What's coming next?
WASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok is gearing up for a legal fight against a U.S. law that would force the social media platform to break ties with its China-based parent company, a move almost certainly backed by Chinese authorities as the bitter U.S.-China rivalry threatens the future of a wildly popular...
Ukraine pulls US-provided Abrams tanks from the front lines over Russian drone threats
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press. ...
USC cancels graduation ceremony and dozens are arrested on other campuses as anti-war protests grow
The University of Southern California canceled its main graduation ceremony and dozens more college students were arrested at other campuses nationwide Thursday as protests against the Israel-Hamas war continued to spread. College officials across the U.S. are worried the ongoing...
Debates to play a major role in Pennsylvania's 2024 US Senate election
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — 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...
Supreme Court seems skeptical of Trump's claim of absolute immunity but decision's timing is unclear
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but several justices signaled reservations about the charges that could cause a lengthy delay, possibly beyond...
Family of American man believed to be held by Taliban asks the UN torture investigator for help
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for an American believed to be held by the Taliban for nearly two years are asking a United Nations human rights investigator to intervene, citing what they say is cruel and inhumane treatment. Ryan Corbett was abducted Aug. 10, 2022, after returning to...
