Students from Holy Family Academy learn about local government through mock city council

AFP
Rubio renews US hard line with Venezuela plane seizure
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday supervised the seizure of a second aircraft belonging to Venezuela's leftist government in less than a year, showing a hard line despite nascent diplomacy.In September, the United States, under then-president Joe Biden, announced the seizure of a first Venezuelan government airplane in the Dominican Republic that had been used to transport Maduro on international trips.
Associated Press
Democratic attorneys general challenging Musk's staff access to Americans' sensitive personal data
Democratic attorneys general in several states vowed Thursday to file a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency's from accessing federal payment systems containing Americans' sensitive personal information. A dozen attorneys general, including New York's Letitia James, said in a statement that they were taking action “in defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on." “As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law," the statement said.
NBC News
Minnesota lawmakers reach power-sharing agreement, ending weekslong stalemate
Minnesota lawmakers settled on a bipartisan power-sharing agreement in the state House, ending a weekslong political stalemate in the narrowly divided chamber.
AFP
India deportation flight likely cost US more than $1 mn
The Trump administration has begun using military aircraft to underscore its determination to deport undocumented migrants. The flight is believed to be the first use of a military aircraft to deport people to India.
AFP
Amazon profits double, but cautious outlook disappoints
E-commerce giant Amazon reported Thursday its fourth-quarter net income nearly doubled to $20 billion, driven by strong holiday sales, but its outlook for the coming quarter came in less than hoped for by analysts.But looking ahead, Amazon expects first-quarter 2025 net sales between $151.0 billion and $155.5 billion, representing growth of five to nine percent, which was less than predicted by analysts.
Associated Press
As Trump pushes the limits of presidential power, the courts push back
A familiar pattern has emerged since President Donald Trump returned to the White House less than three weeks ago: He makes a brash proposal, his opponents file a lawsuit and a federal judge puts the plan on hold. It's happened with Trump's attempts to freeze certain federal funding, undermine birthright citizenship and push out government workers. Now the question is whether the court rulings are a mere speed bump or an insurmountable roadblock for the Republican president, who is determined to expand the limits of his power — sometimes by simply ignoring the laws.
Associated Press
Here's how Rubio's first trip abroad as top US diplomat got overshadowed by foreign policy at home
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may have hoped to spend his first trip abroad focused exclusively on issues close to his heart: immigration, counternarcotics and curbing Chinese influence in the Western Hemisphere. Instead, the five-nation tour to Central America — a destination he deliberately chose for his maiden voyage as President Donald Trump’s top diplomat — was overshadowed by a massive Washington-centered upheaval in U.S. foreign policy. Just two weeks into his new job, the Miami-born former Florida senator did stay true to his original intent in meetings with the leaders of Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
NBC News
Federal judge issues injunction on birthright citizenship, putting it further on hold
The preliminary injunction is the second temporary hold against Trump’s executive order and puts efforts to end birthright citizenship on indefinite pause.
Reuters
US Supreme Court will not pause California emissions case amid Trump policy shifts
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Thursday to place on hold a dispute over California's standards for vehicle emissions and electric cars even as President Donald Trump's administration considers policy shifts that touch upon pending litigation at the nation's highest judicial body. The justices denied the administration's request to pause further action in the case, as well as two cases concerning which courts may hear challenges to EPA rules.
Reuters
SEC lawyers exempt from Trump list request in possible firing reprieve, memo says
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawyers may be exempt from a demand from the Trump administration to send it a list of staff who are still on probation, according to a memo seen by Reuters, in a sign that they may see a reprieve from any mass firings. Republican President Donald Trump has used his early days in office to shrink, purge and remake the U.S. federal government and federal agency heads have been asked to identify employees on probationary periods, or who have served less than two years. The SEC is a key agency, responsible for policing the $110 trillion U.S. capital markets and promoting capital formation.
Associated Press
Amazon reports strong earnings for Q4, but stocks dip due to guidance for the 1st quarter
Amazon on Thursday reported better-than-expected revenue and profits for the holiday shopping period, but its stocks dipped in after-hours trading due to disappointing guidance for the current quarter. The Seattle-based e-commerce and technology company said its revenue for the October-December period totaled $187.8 billion, a 10% jump compared to the same period in 2023. Amazon is the biggest online shopping destination in the U.S. and has long been a beneficiary of consumer spending during the holidays.
Politico
Former Trump Education secretary calls for department to be shuttered as cutting spree looks for next target
Betsy DeVos, Trump’s first secretary of Education, called for it to be abolished entirely on Thursday.
Associated Press
Utah Legislature bans collective bargaining for teachers unions and other public sector jobs
Labor unions that serve teachers, firefighters, police and other public employees in Utah will no longer be able to negotiate on behalf of their workers under a bill that received final legislative approval Thursday. The Republican policy banning collective bargaining for all public sector professions passed the Senate in a 16-13 vote after its sponsors abandoned a proposed compromise that would have removed the outright ban. “If there’s not going to be consensus, then let’s just run it on its face," said Sen. Kirk Cullimore, the bill’s Senate sponsor.
CNN
Trump to sign executive orders targeting ICC and ‘anti-Christian bias’
President Donald Trump is expected to sign a pair of executive orders Thursday afternoon, one targeting the International Criminal Court and a second on “anti-Christian bias,” a White House official tells CNN.
AFP
COP30 president urges most 'ambitious' emissions targets possible
Countries must aim as high as possible when setting new goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Andre Correa do Lago, the president of the COP30 climate conference to be hosted by Brazil in November, told AFP in an interview.Brazil will host the COP30 meeting in the Amazonian city of Belem -- the first time the conference will be held in a region considered so crucial to the global climate.
Associated Press
Senate vote could put Project 2025 architect in charge of Trump's budget office
The Senate was headed for a confirmation vote Thursday night on Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s nominee for White House budget director, who is planning to use one of the most powerful positions in federal government to zealously expand the president's power. The Thursday night vote was planned after Democrats had exhausted their only remaining tool to stonewall a nomination — holding the Senate floor throughout the previous night and day with a series of speeches where they warned Vought was Trump's “most dangerous nominee.” “Confirming the most radical nominee, who has the most extreme agenda, to the most important agency in Washington,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in a floor speech.
CNN
Judge pauses deadline for federal workers to accept Trump’s resignation offer
A federal judge paused Thursday’s deadline for federal employees to accept the Trump administration’s deferred resignation offer while more proceedings on the program’s legality play out.
Reuters
Companies wary of new US rule scramble to file mergers by Friday, lawyers say
Companies are racing against the clock this week to notify antitrust agencies about pending deals before a new, more stringent merger filing rule passed during President Joe Biden's administration comes into effect, lawyers said this week. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission rule taking effect after 5 p.m. on Friday is estimated to triple the average workload to gain regulatory clearance, which is required for transactions worth more than $126.4 million. The rule is meant to bring merger clearance requirements up to date, account for the increase in U.S. private equity deals, and give regulators more information so they can clear deals more quickly, according to the FTC.
Yahoo Finance
Stock market today: S&P 500, Nasdaq pop with Amazon set to highlight earnings rush
Investors are braced for a busy day of earnings, with Amazon serving as the highlight.
AFP
Trump trade nominee floats universal tariffs
US President Donald Trump's trade envoy nominee Jamieson Greer told his confirmation hearing Thursday that universal tariffs were worth studying, adding that he would work to restructure global trade ties.A universal tariff "is something that should be studied and considered" to see if it can reverse the direction of the US trade deficit and offshoring, said Greer, a trade lawyer and official in Trump's first administration.

Latest Stories