Social Responsibility

John Thune prepares to lead Senate majority amid political challenges

John Thune prepares to lead Senate majority amid political challenges

John Thune's political career has been defined by resilience, strategic thinking, and the ability to tackle complex challenges. After ousting Sen. Tom Daschle, the influential Democratic majority leader, in 2004, Thune quickly faced one of his toughest battles: preventing the closure of Ellsworth Air Force Base, a key economic pillar in his home state of South Dakota . Successfully fending off that threat not only ensured his political future, but also taught him lessons that would shape his rise to the Senate. Now, as Thune takes over as Senate majority leader, he faces another formidable test. Leading a chamber of…
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Trump threatens EU with trade deficit tariffs and calls for more US energy purchases

Trump threatens EU with trade deficit tariffs and calls for more US energy purchases

President-elect Donald Trump ramped up his rhetoric on trade on Friday, warning the European Union that it must significantly reduce its trade deficit with the United States by buying more American oil and gas or face tariffs. “I told the European Union that it must make up for its huge deficit with the United States by buying our oil and gas on a large scale. Otherwise, it will just be tariffs,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform shortly after 1 pm ET. The trade deficit between the United States and the EU in goods and services amounted to 131.3…
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Congress approves plan to avoid government shutdown amid Republican divisions

Congress approves plan to avoid government shutdown amid Republican divisions

The US Congress narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown on Friday, after weeks of partisan wrangling over federal spending limits and debt ceiling extensions. The crisis came as Republicans, responding to pressure from former President Donald Trump, debated proposals to raise the debt limit while addressing broader fiscal concerns. President of the Chamber Mike Johnsona Republican, he managed to push a plan through his chamber, which is narrowly controlled by his party, while also securing enough bipartisan support to pass it in the Democratic-majority Senate. Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Johnson expressed cautious optimism: “We have a plan.…
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Kamala Harris urges resilience as Democrats regroup after election defeat

Kamala Harris urges resilience as Democrats regroup after election defeat

Vice President Kamala Harris appealed to Democrats still reeling from last month's election defeat, urging them to remain steadfast in their commitment to progress. Speaking days before Donald Trump returned to the White House, with Republicans retaining full control of Congress, Harris encouraged supporters to remain engaged in the political fight despite their disappointment. In a motivational speech, Harris acknowledged the frustration and disillusionment felt by many Democrats since the election, but stressed the importance of resilience. “Many people have told me they feel angry, even defeated,” Harris said. “They said they don't have the strength or desire to stay…
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The Fed plans to cut interest rates as it faces economic uncertainty under the new Trump administration

The Fed plans to cut interest rates as it faces economic uncertainty under the new Trump administration

The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point this week, a move some analysts are calling a “hard reversal” in monetary policy. This decision comes alongside updated economic forecasts and interest rate projections as the central bank attempts to balance its goals against a backdrop of changing economic conditions and the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. The expected rate drop would lower the Fed's key interest rate to a range of 4.25% to 4.50%, marking a full one percentage point reduction from September, when the central bank began…
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The US Supreme Court will hear arguments over the federal law that threatens a TikTok ban

The US Supreme Court will hear arguments over the federal law that threatens a TikTok ban

The US Supreme Court has announced that it will hear arguments on January 10, 2025 on the constitutionality of a federal law that could ban TikTok in the US unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform. The case raises significant questions about free speech and national security, with implications for TikTok's 170 million U.S. users and its content creators. The law, passed in April with bipartisan support and signed by President Joe Biden, set a Jan. 19 deadline for ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a nationwide ban. TikTok has argued that the law violates the First Amendment…
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Biden sets ambitious emissions reduction target while Trump promises to reverse climate progress

Biden sets ambitious emissions reduction target while Trump promises to reverse climate progress

President Joe Biden announced a bold plan to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% by 2035, reaffirming his administration's commitment to fighting global warming. This move comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office next month, vowing to dismantle much of Biden's climate agenda in favor of policies that promote fossil fuel production. Biden's updated goal, which exceeds his previous commitments, aims to keep the United States on track to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in all sectors of the economy by 2050. The formal commitment, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), it will be submitted…
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Biden will visit the Vatican and Italy on his final international trip as president

Biden will visit the Vatican and Italy on his final international trip as president

US President Joe Biden will visit the Vatican next month, marking what is likely to be his last international trip as president before his term ends. The White House announced that Biden will travel to Rome from January 9 to 12, where he will meet with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “President Biden will have an audience with the Pope on January 10 to discuss global efforts to promote peace,” the White House said in a statement. Biden will also meet with Italian leaders to highlight the strong relationship between the United States…
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Parliament approves financing law to avoid government shutdown, but battle over debt ceiling looms

Parliament approves financing law to avoid government shutdown, but battle over debt ceiling looms

The Republican-led US House of Representatives passed legislation on Friday to prevent a government shutdown, rejecting President-elect Donald Trump's calls to include billions of dollars in new funding. The bill, which now moves to the Democratic-controlled Senate, must be approved and signed into law by President Joe Biden before current funding expires at midnight Saturday. The bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support in a 366-34 vote, extending federal funding through March 14. The bill allocates $100 billion for disaster relief and $10 billion for farmers, but excludes controversial provisions, including raising the debt ceiling, a controversial Trump issue.…
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