Top United States government News

The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern

Dec. 26, 2024 19:05 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press....

Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out

Dec. 26, 2024 09:00 AM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — As a Democrat who immersed himself in political news during the presidential campaign, Ziad Aunallah has much in common with many Americans since the election. He's tuned out. “People are mentally exhausted,” said Aunallah, 45, of San Diego. “Everyone knows...

Fate of Trump's Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in Senate

Dec. 25, 2024 07:28 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s views on vaccines, accusations of sexual misconduct against Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard's 2017...

Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row

Dec. 24, 2024 17:34 PM EST

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump...

Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen

Dec. 26, 2024 07:48 AM EST

ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress to push through long-sought changes that include voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. ...

Trial of man accused in Trump assassination attempt in Florida pushed back to September

Dec. 25, 2024 12:28 PM EST

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A man accused of attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump in South Florida won't be tried until September 2025, a federal judge ruled this week. Ryan Routh's trial will begin Sept. 8 instead of the previously scheduled Feb. 10, 2025 start date,...

Bill Clinton is out of the hospital after being treated for the flu

Dec. 24, 2024 12:17 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton was discharged from a Washington hospital on Tuesday and will be home for Christmas after he was admitted the day before with a fever. Clinton is being treated for the flu, Angel Urena, Clinton's deputy chief of staff, said in a...

Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use

Dec. 23, 2024 20:23 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee's long-awaited report on Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations, including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican's bid to lead the Justice Department. Citing text messages, travel receipts, online...

Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus

Dec. 24, 2024 00:24 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful government panel on Monday failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel, leaving the decision to President Joe Biden, who opposes the deal. The...

Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing 'hurried' House action

Dec. 23, 2024 22:48 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday vetoed a once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal district judgeships, saying “hurried action” by the House left important questions unanswered about the life-tenured positions. The legislation would have spread the establishment...

Latest United States government News

Canadian ministers head to Palm Beach for talks with incoming Trump administration

Dec. 26, 2024 20:57 PM EST

TORONTO (AP) — Two top Canadian Cabinet ministers are visiting Palm Beach to talk border security and trade with the incoming Donald Trump administration as Trump threatens tariffs on all Canadian products. New Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly...

The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern

Dec. 26, 2024 19:05 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press....

Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out

Dec. 26, 2024 09:00 AM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — As a Democrat who immersed himself in political news during the presidential campaign, Ziad Aunallah has much in common with many Americans since the election. He's tuned out. “People are mentally exhausted,” said Aunallah, 45, of San Diego. “Everyone knows...

Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen

Dec. 26, 2024 07:48 AM EST

ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress to push through long-sought changes that include voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. ...

Fate of Trump's Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in Senate

Dec. 25, 2024 07:28 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s views on vaccines, accusations of sexual misconduct against Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard's 2017...

Stock market today: Asian shares are mostly lower, with most world markets closed for Christmas

Dec. 25, 2024 01:27 AM EST

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares slipped in Tokyo and Shanghai on Wednesday, two of only a handful of world markets open on Christmas day. Oil prices rose. Japan's Nikkei 225 index edged 0.1% lower to 38,997.02, while the Shanghai Composite index lost 0.2% to 3,387.41. ...

Oregon lawmakers to introduce bill barring utility rate increases amid unresolved wildfire lawsuits

Dec. 24, 2024 19:34 PM EST

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Three Oregon lawmakers say they plan to introduce a bill that would bar utilities from raising rates if they have unresolved wildfire lawsuits for three or more years, describing it as an effort to hold PacifiCorp accountable as the utility faces a series of lawsuits...

Biden signs a bill officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the US

Dec. 24, 2024 17:40 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The bald eagle, a symbol of the power and strength of the United States for more than 240 years, earned an overdue honor on Tuesday: It officially became the country's national bird. President Joe Biden signed into law legislation sent to him by Congress that...

Stock market today: Wall Street rallies ahead of Christmas

Dec. 24, 2024 14:42 PM EST

Technology stocks led a broad rally on Wall Street Tuesday during a holiday-shortened trading session ahead of Christmas. The S&P 500 rose 1.1% for its third-straight gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.9%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3%. ...

Global monitor says famine is weeks away in north Gaza. A US diplomat calls warning 'irresponsible'

Dec. 24, 2024 10:55 AM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in northern Gaza as soon as next month owing to Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and other aid, the U.S.-created global food-crisis monitor said on Tuesday. The finding by the Famine Early Warning...