A major credit rating agency is warning that a prolonged government shutdown could mean that it will reconsider the nation’s AAA rating. That could lead to higher borrowing costs.
Democrats’ Health Care Ambitions Meet The Reality Of Divided Government
Congressional Democrats want to protect health coverage and protections of the Affordable Care Act. With the Senate in Republican hands, House Democrats will hold hearings and may turn to the courts.
Attorney General Nominee Visits Hill; Rosenstein’s Exit Expected After Confirmation
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has been on shaky political ground for months, but there is no specific plan for his departure. William Barr’s confirmation hearing is next week.
Pompeo Makes Surprise Stop In Iraq During Mideast Trip To Rally Allies
The secretary’s trip has two goals: to reassure allies amid the Trump administration’s mixed messages on troop levels in Syria and to stress the U.S. commitment to fighting ISIS and countering Iran.
Saudi Woman Granted Refugee Status, Could Get Asylum In Australia
Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun fled her family during an overseas trip and tried to fly to Australia, but was stopped in Thailand. The U.N. refugee committee has declared her a refugee. “I’m happy,” she says.
‘I’m Scared’: TSA Families Fear Falling Behind On Bills, Losing Their Homes
Jacinda, whose husband is a TSA officer, says her biggest concern is losing her home. “I feel this sneaking anxiety that it all can be gone,” she says.
U.S.-China Trade Talks Wrap Up After Extending To 3rd Day
Successful talks could mean relaxed economic tensions and reduced tariffs between the two countries. Trump has threatened to restart the trade war if no deal is reached by March 2.
Nobody Is Moving Our Cheese: American Surplus Reaches Record High
Americans consumed almost 37 pounds per capita in 2017, but that wasn’t enough to reduce the country’s 1.4 billion-pound cheese surplus. The stockpile of cheese started to build several years ago.
Oldest Person In U.S. Has Died
114-year-old Lessie Brown died Tuesday at her home in Cleveland Heights. Family members attributed her longevity to her love of sweet potatoes. “I don’t think that’s it,” Brown told media in 2013.
7 Takeaways From President Trump’s Oval Office Address
For all the formality of an Oval Office address, the partial shutdown is no closer to being over, and Democrats and Republicans are living in very different worlds when it comes to immigration policy.
Analysis: At Davos, A Darker Mood Awaits Meeting Of Global Elites
Last year, the Davos scene was marked by grand entrances and ambitious power politics. But this year, the power of several word leaders is in decline and the global economy is shaky.
Transcript: Trump’s Address On Border Security And Democratic Response
President Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office, pressing Congress again to provide funding for a border wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer refused.
FACT CHECK: Trump’s Oval Office Pitch For A Border Wall
President Trump used his first prime-time address from the Oval Office to make the case for a $5.7 billion border wall. That demand and Democrats’ opposition has led to a partial government shutdown.
Second Suspect Charged With Murder In Shooting Of 7-Year-Old Jazmine Barnes
Investigators filed capital murder charges against Larry Woodruffe on Tuesday. The 24-year-old was picked up on Jan. 5 after investigators received a tip connecting him to the drive-by attack.
‘They Conveniently Forgot To Notify Us’: EU Diplomat Downgraded In D.C.
The chief of the EU Mission to the U.S. noticed he was called up last as he paid his respects to late President George H.W. Bush.
Trump Pushes For Wall Amid Shutdown, Says There’s ‘A Crisis Of The Heart’ At Border
Speaking after the president, the two leading Democrats in Congress accused Trump of trying to “manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration.”
Widespread Gas Shortage In Mexico As Government Tries To Thwart Fuel Thieves
The country’s new president says $3 billion worth of fuel was stolen from the state-owned oil company last year.
Massive Fatberg Found Blocking Sewer In British Seaside Town
The giant clump of fat, oil and wet wipes lurking below the town of Sidmouth measures 210 feet, making it 42 feet longer than the White House. It will take about eight weeks to break it apart.
Police Seek DNA Of Male Staffers At Facility Where Vegetative Patient Gave Birth
Hacienda HealthCare is facing investigations after a 29-year-old woman in a vegetative state gave birth. Police Tuesday served the facility with a search warrant for DNA evidence.
Joshua Tree National Park Will Close After Visitor Damage During Government Shutdown
Park officials said few rangers are on hand to prevent off-road driving, which causes destruction of the park’s namesake trees. Volunteers have been cleaning the nearly 800,000-acre park.
House Democrats Pledge Passage Of Expanded Gun Background Checks Bill
Democrats unveiled new legislation to enhance background checks on the eighth anniversary of the Tucson shooting that injured former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz. But the gun lobby vows to oppose it.
U.S. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Are Once Again On The Rise
A newly released report shows that the United States’ CO2 emissions spiked last year. A booming economy and busy transportation sector are to blame.
Manafort Allegedly Shared 2016 Polling With Associate Linked To Russian Intelligence
Paul Manafort’s lawyers botched redactions in a court filing, revealing the information. Separately, the Supreme Court denied a request believed to be a challenge to special counsel Robert Mueller.
Democrats Set To Counter Trump After Oval Office Address
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will speak at the Capitol Tuesday night. They are in a battle with President Trump over border funding amid a government shutdown.
Using Genetic Genealogy To Identify Unknown Crime Victims, Sometimes Decades Later
DNA combined with the study of family history has been used to solve high-profile cold cases such as the Golden State Killer. Now, volunteers are using the technique to identify crime victims.
Australia Will Consider Granting Asylum To Saudi Woman Who Fears For Her Life
The 18-year-old fled her family and was detained in Thailand en route to Australia. Australia’s Department of Home Affairs says her application for a humanitarian visa will be “carefully considered.”
How Those Trendy LED Balloons Make It To India’s Street Corners
They’re part of a global supply chain of trinkets that starts out in Chinese factories. A vendor in India can earn a living by selling five a night.
Civil Rights Award Rescinded From Angela Davis After Jewish Community Objections
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute planned to honor the activist at a February event. It now says her statements and public record do not “meet all of the criteria on which the award is based.”
‘Bye Bye Twitter Und Facebook’: German Green Party Chief Quits Social Media
Robert Habeck says he left Twitter after he was hacked, but he also says the platform has made him more “polemic”.
Los Angeles Teacher Strike Could Be Days Away
If no deal is reached, more than 30,000 union members wouldn’t go to work, affecting roughly 480,000 public school students.
Ben Stiller Unlocks An ‘Old-Fashioned’ Prison Break In ‘Escape At Dannemora’
Stiller’s seven-part Showtime series centers on the true story of two convicted murderers who used tools provided by a prison employee to break out of a maximum security prison in 2015.
New Sleater-Kinney Album, Produced By St. Vincent, Confirmed For This Year
Guitarist Carrie Brownstein tells NPR, “We always planned on getting back in the studio — it was just a matter of when.”
Russian Lawyer At Trump Tower Meeting Charged In Connection To Money Laundering Case
Federal prosecutors in New York have charged Natalia Veselnitskaya with obstruction of justice. The indictment suggests she has close ties to the Russian government.
After Botching 2020 Census Contract, Officials Pick New Printer For $115 Million
The original contract awarded by the Government Publishing Office was cancelled after the printer filed for bankruptcy. An internal watchdog plans to investigate the new contracting process.
Erdogan Cancels Meeting With Bolton, As U.S. Seeks To Reassure Allies On Syria
The meeting was canceled moments before it was to begin, reflecting Turkish anger over U.S. insistence that a Kurdish militia fighting in Syria be protected after American troops withdraw.
Missouri Voters Backed An Anti-Gerrymandering Measure; Lawmakers Want To Undo It
Like voters in Colorado, Utah and Michigan last year, Missouri’s voters decided to alter the redistricting process. But lawmakers argue it could create bizarre districts that are hard to represent.