Timeline leading to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's acquittal in his impeachment trial
A timeline of events that led to acquittal of three-term Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton during his impeachment trial in the state Senate
2023-09-17 02:50
Did Adin Ross flash PinkyDoll? Kick streamer's livestream with NPC TikToker goes viral, trolls dub it 'cringe'
Adin Ross and NPC TikToker PinkyDoll played a game that left the latter shocked in the end
2023-08-04 19:58
DeAndre Hopkins and Dalvin Cook lead a list of remaining NFL free agents ahead of training camp
DeAndre Hopkins and Dalvin Cook lead a list of accomplished players who are still available a week before several NFL teams open training camp
2023-07-12 00:53
A woman escaped a makeshift cinder block 'dungeon' in Oregon, police say. The FBI believes there are additional victims in other states
After a woman escaped from a makeshift "dungeon" made of cinder blocks in a man's Oregon home, the FBI says it is looking for additional victims in other states.
2023-08-03 03:59
How 'Roots' made television history and changed American culture
"Roots": How the mini-series changed television and American culture
2023-07-23 21:22
‘Everything’s Locked Up’: Shoppers Turn to Amazon as Big-Box Retailers Combat Theft
Like many shoppers, New Yorker Sarah Henry is accustomed to retailers locking up products to thwart thieves. But
2023-11-16 18:55
US to unveil 'significant' new Russia sanctions at G7
The United States unveiled "significant" new sanctions targeting Russia's "war machine" on Friday, as President Joe Biden meets fellow...
2023-05-19 04:25
What’s in the cliffhanger deal struck by Biden and McCarthy to raise the debt limit?
Weeks of sniping back-and-forth between the White House and the Republican majority in the House of Representatives has finally yielded a deal: America will not default on its debt obligations, should Congress act and pass the legislation before Thursday. On Saturday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Joe Biden announced the end of negotiations and the agreement upon a deal late into the evening, with the text of the legislation itself soon to follow. The new compromise both touches on Republican priorities while also safeguarding Joe Biden’s legislative accomplishments. But it comes after weeks of bitter fighting. Republicans accused the White House and congressional Democrats of out-of-control spending, ignoring their rivals’s derisive reminders about the debt incurred by a GOP-led tax cut passed in 2017 that largely benefited wealthier Americans. Democrats, meanwhile, blamed Republicans for holding the country’s credit rating and ability to pay its loans hostage, and for seeking cuts to social welfare programs like food assistance for needy families. As we inch closer to Thursday’s deadline, let’s take a look at what leaders in Washington have come up with to break the deadlock. No more debt drama (for now) The first and most significant achievement of this deal: it raises the debt ceiling through the end of 2024. That guarantees the GOP won’t be able to wage a fight over the issue again, particularly as the presidential campaign season heats up later this year and into the next. Any debt ceiling battle during campaign season, particularly in the summer or fall of 2024, would take Joe Biden off the campaign trail and put his focus firmly on Washington at a time when either of his likely general election opponents, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, would be free to continue their politicking. In total, the deal calls for raising America’s debt limit by $4 trillion. Signing away that leverage for the next year is already proving to be one of the toughest pills for congressional conservatives in both the House and Senate to swallow, especially given the lack of other major concessions in the pending legislation. Spending caps The GOP’s big win in the negotiating process, this legislation is set to freeze federal spending at the current level, with the exception of military funding, through 2024. And growth of that spending will be capped at 1 per cent if Congress cannot agree upon a stopgap spending deal in January of 2025. This is a significant restriction for the federal government over the next year, and notably puts in place much stricter spending limits than members of Congress agreed to during the last debt limit fight in 2019. The language allowing for defence spending to increase while domestic programmes face a spending freeze is already irking progressives, who have long argued that the US military’s bloated budget should be at the top of the list for reforms. Caps set by this compromise are simultaneously the biggest victory for Republicans as well as their failure; while the spending caps are certainly more than what Democrats were demanding, they also eliminate the possibility of Republicans using the debt ceiling to make real cuts to programmes already implemented by the Biden administration as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and other legislation. That means that Mr Biden’s 2021-2022 legislative agenda will remain largely intact, despite demands by conservatives to roll back huge parts of it, like efforts to forgive student loans or expand green energy production. Work requirements for food stamps One of the GOP’s efforts to stem the tide of federal spending is centred around the issue of providing food assistance to low-income families. The new legislation is set to expand work requirements for the SNAP programme from the current age cap of 49 to a new cap of 54, meaning that Americans within that age bracket will have to prove employment to receive benefits. The issue may seem oddly specific for Republicans to hold up America’s ability to pay its debts upon, but tightening the restrictions fo federal assistance has long been a target of the GOP, and originally the party wanted to expand those work requirements to Medicaid as well. The new work requirements will sunset in 2030, unless extended before then by a GOP Congress. IRS funding halted The other specific ask that Republicans managed to secure in their compromise with the White House was a halt, at least in part, to a plan to fund new hiring initiatives at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), America’s tax collection agency. The beleaguered agency was set to receive more funding for agents that the federal government said were to assist taxpayers with filing issues and shore up the IRS’s capabilities; Republicans painted the issue instead as an effort to hire an army of IRS auditors to go after taxpayers for suspected fraud, a non-starter for the party that has long sought, particularly among its conservative wing, to diminish the power and capabilities of both the IRS and other federal agencies. But some conservatives are already complaining that the cuts aren’t enough. Congressman Chip Roy exclaimed angrily after the deal was announced that “98%” of the funding for the expansion of the IRS’s services would still go through. Covid aid The deal has one more minor win for Republicans — a provision to return Covid aid funding that has yet to be appropriated. Millions of dollars in this aid still remains unspent by the federal government, though Democrats have used it thus far to fund a number of federal health programmes which they warn could face cuts if the aid is rolled back entirely. Read More Debt ceiling agreement gets thumbs up from biz groups, jeers from some on political right President attends 2nd grandchild's graduation as daughter of Biden's late son leaves high school Democrats look set to back debt limit deal – while right-wing threatens to blow it up AP News Digest 8:40 a.m. Debt-ceiling deal: What's in and what's out of the agreement to avert US default Asylum-seekers say joy over end of Title 42 turns to anguish induced by new US rules
2023-05-29 05:53
Key talking points as the new Premier League season gets under way
The new Premier League season kicked off with plenty of talking points. Mohamed Salah got stroppy, Pep Guardiola became angry, Tottenham began life without Harry Kane and Newcastle topped the embryonic table with a five-star show. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the key issues on the opening weekend. Salah strop After the battle for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia came the scrap for points between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Honours were shared in a 1-1 draw that saw Liverpool forward Salah show his frustration after being substituted 13 minutes from time. Salah ripped off his tapes bit by bit and threw them to the ground and did not even acknowledge boss Jurgen Klopp before making his way to his seat in the Liverpool dug out. Mauricio Pochettino – in charge of Chelsea for the first time – and Klopp renewed a rivalry that began in 2015 and includes a Champions League final four years ago and now they will joust in the transfer market again to strengthen their respective midfields. Life after Kane Tottenham fans saw a glimpse of their future without Harry Kane at Brentford – and it promises to be a roller-coaster ride under new boss Ange Postecoglou. Record Spurs scorer Kane was already settling into life at Bayern Munich having made his debut for the German giants on Saturday night as Tottenham began their new era with a 2-2 draw. How Spurs supporters would have relished Kane linking up with James Maddison, the stylish summer signing from Leicester who set up both Tottenham goals. While Richarlison fills Kane’s number nine role, Postecoglou must tighten up a defence that was porous last season and again showed signs of susceptibility in west London. A Pep talk, but same again from Haaland Pep Guardiola showed a decent turn of foot to make his way across the Turf Moor pitch at half-time for an animated chat with star striker Erling Haaland. The Manchester City manager was annoyed that Haaland was keen to run behind the Burnley defence and risk losing possession as the seconds ticked away to the interval with the defending champions leading 2-0. While some observers complained Guardiola – brushing aside a cameraman determined to capture the conversation between player and manager – might have been better served making his point in the dressing room, it did little to concern the scoring sensation. Haaland was back in the old routine with a clinical double inside 36 minutes and who would bet against the Norwegian eclipsing the 52 goals he scored last season as City won a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble? Dream debuts Newcastle fans needed only six minutes to find out what all the fuss over Sandro Tonali was about. The Italy international joined from AC Milan this summer for a reported £50million-plus fee and gave a commanding midfield display in the 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa. Tonali made an instant impression by volleying home Anthony Gordon’s sixth-minute cross and dovetailed superbly with Brazilian pair Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton with his athleticism, passing and vision standing out. Harvey Barnes came off the bench to also score on debut following his summer switch from Leicester and it seems set to be another exciting campaign on Tyneside after last season’s fourth-placed finish. Turnstiles, sanitation and delays There has been loads of chat – and angst from some players and managers – over how long games are going to take this season with a directive for referees to add the exact time lost in goal celebrations, substitutions or injuries to the stoppage time. But delayed kick-offs because of turnstiles and water supply issues? Hardly becoming of the so-called best league in the world. Arsenal’s season kicked off in embarrassing fashion as a technical glitch prevented fans passing through the turnstiles, forcing a 30-minute delay for their home game against Nottingham Forest. Just over 24 hours later, the Brentford-Tottenham game was delayed by six minutes as a problem with the water supply meant toilets could not be used at the stadium. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Lilia Vu wins second major as Charley Hull comes up short despite stunning eagle Ange Postecoglou praises Tottenham’s resilience following Harry Kane’s departure Adrian Lam: Sky is the limit for Challenge Cup winning Leigh Leopards
2023-08-14 02:50
US urged JPMorgan to 'be patient' before halt to processing Russia grain payments
By Daphne Psaledakis and Humeyra Pamuk NEW YORK Washington urged JPMorgan to "be patient" before the U.S. bank
2023-09-21 08:49
Naseem Shah is ruled out of the Cricket World Cup in a big injury blow for Pakistan
Pakistan has sustained a big blow after its ace pace bowler Naseem Shah was ruled out of the Cricket World Cup due to a right shoulder injury
2023-09-22 15:18
DNG Comics shares pic of Andrew Tate's character from 'Top G' comic books, Internet says 'Young Kratos'
DNG Comics recently announced the global release of all 'Top G' comic books available in physical stores worldwide
2023-11-26 20:27
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