Tensions are once again boiling in the House GOP after four moderate Republicans joined Democrats in a bid to force a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘It’s a betrayal to the Republican Party,’ House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., said. ‘It basically turned the agenda over to the Democrats.’ ‘This is not what people voted for when they voted for a Republican majority,’ he said. A...
If the Department of Justice (DOJ) wanted to release every Jeffrey Epstein-related document they had on file, they had the firepower to do so, a former assistant U.S. attorney argued. The DOJ has faced bipartisan criticism over its initial release of heavily redacted Epstein files, which lawmakers argue fell short of the requirements of a recently passed transparency law. ‘The Department of Justice has all the resources in the world, right? I mean if they...
While next year’s midterms will determine whether Republicans can keep control of Congress after winning big in 2024, there are also a slate of gubernatorial elections, several that are toss-ups, which could have equally wide-ranging impacts. Three states with Democratic Party governors, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, are currently listed as ‘toss up’ races across multiple high-profile election polling groups, such as The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball. Meanwhile, Republicans will have to defend...
For Americans wondering about the future of China and its relationship with the West, the latest verdict in the Jimmy Lai case proves an ominous harbinger of Hong Kong’s continued slide towards authoritarianism. Lai, the self-made billionaire, media entrepreneur and pro-democracy activist, has been held prisoner of the Chinese Communist Party for five years under Hong Kong’s National Security Law. He was finally convicted Dec. 14 on trumped-up charges of sedition. This verdict, handed down in...
The Federal Communications Commission announced on Monday that it would ban new foreign-made drones, citing national security concerns. The FCC said it was adding uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and their critical components made in China and other foreign countries to its ‘covered list’ that features equipment that has been determined to pose an ‘unacceptable risk’ to U.S. national security and the safety of Americans. Specific drones or components would be exempt if the Pentagon or...
More than half of British businesses are struggling to expand their sales in Europe, with trade frictions worsening despite the UK-EU trade deal, according to new research from the British Chambers of Commerce. A survey by the BCC found that 54 per cent of exporters believe the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) has failed to help them increase sales in the UK’s largest overseas market, a rise of 13 percentage points compared with last year....
Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest men, has stepped in with a $40.4bn personal guarantee to shore up Paramount Skydance’s $108bn takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery, escalating a high-stakes battle with Netflix for control of some of Hollywood’s most valuable franchises. Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, confirmed that Ellison would provide an “irrevocable personal guarantee” covering the equity financing element of the bid, as well as any potential damages claims. The move...
Denise Coates, the billionaire founder and chief executive of Bet365, received at least £280m in salary and dividends in the year to March 2025, despite a sharp fall in the company’s pre-tax profits. The Stoke-on-Trent-based gambling group reported turnover of £4bn for the year, up from £3.7bn in the previous 12 months. Pre-tax profits, however, fell to £349m from £627m a year earlier, reflecting a significant rise in costs as the business reshaped its global...
Former mineworkers and their families are celebrating a “historic” boost to their pensions after the government handed over a £2.3bn reserve fund, delivering increases worth up to £100 a week and backdated lump sums averaging £5,500. Members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme will see their pensions rise by 41% from Tuesday, following the transfer of the government’s share of the scheme’s surplus. The move brings long-awaited relief to tens of thousands of former...
Rachel Reeves has confirmed that she will deliver an early spring statement on 3 March, as the Treasury moves to restore confidence after a year in which prolonged tax speculation was blamed by businesses for weakening the UK economy. In announcing the date, the Treasury said the chancellor had formally asked the Office for Budget Responsibility to prepare updated forecasts for the economy and the public finances. The move is intended to provide “stability and...
