1 month ago
Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) announced Friday he is backing GOP Rep. Ralph Norman (S.C.) in the race to serve a full term in the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) seat.
Sanford, who generally refrains from offering political endorsements, said in a statement shared on social media that he felt "compelled to offer" his perspective in the race after the national debt hit $40 trillion this week.
"As much as I would like to honor tradition and old friendships, the stakes are simply too high as our nation really is at a financial tipping point," the former governor said. "It's for these reasons and more that I will be voting for Ralph on Tuesday and respectfully ask that you do the same."
Sanford's endorsement comes ahead of the GOP primary runoff next Tuesday between Norman and Graham's sister, Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), who was tapped to serve out the remainder of the late senator's term.
The race advanced to a runoff after neither candidate secured a majority of the vote in the state's Republican primary last week.
#ralph #former #serve #term
Sanford, who generally refrains from offering political endorsements, said in a statement shared on social media that he felt "compelled to offer" his perspective in the race after the national debt hit $40 trillion this week.
"As much as I would like to honor tradition and old friendships, the stakes are simply too high as our nation really is at a financial tipping point," the former governor said. "It's for these reasons and more that I will be voting for Ralph on Tuesday and respectfully ask that you do the same."
Sanford's endorsement comes ahead of the GOP primary runoff next Tuesday between Norman and Graham's sister, Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), who was tapped to serve out the remainder of the late senator's term.
The race advanced to a runoff after neither candidate secured a majority of the vote in the state's Republican primary last week.
#ralph #former #serve #term
1 month ago
By Sinéad Carew and Avinash P
Aug 20 (Reuters) - The three main U.S. equity indexes closed lower on Thursday as rising Treasury yields dented risk appetite while disappointing results from retail bellwether Walmart soured investors on the consumer sector and rallying oil prices fanned inflation worries.
Walmart shares tumbled 9.2% after the world's largest traditional retailer missed Wall Street expectations for quarterly comparable sales as rising gasoline prices had shoppers reining in spending. The report dragged down the S&P 500 consumer staples and consumer discretionary sectors, which were among the weakest of the benchmark's 11 major industry indexes.
Rival retailers such as Costco, Dollar Tree and Albertsons followed Walmart lower with losses between 1% and 2.6%.
The increase in U.S. crude oil above $87 compounded concerns about the health of the U.S. consumer, according to Mona Mahajan, head of investment strategy at Edward Jones. She noted that investors were already anxious after recent weaker-than-expected retail sales and labor market data for July.
#Consumer #lower #retail #investors
Aug 20 (Reuters) - The three main U.S. equity indexes closed lower on Thursday as rising Treasury yields dented risk appetite while disappointing results from retail bellwether Walmart soured investors on the consumer sector and rallying oil prices fanned inflation worries.
Walmart shares tumbled 9.2% after the world's largest traditional retailer missed Wall Street expectations for quarterly comparable sales as rising gasoline prices had shoppers reining in spending. The report dragged down the S&P 500 consumer staples and consumer discretionary sectors, which were among the weakest of the benchmark's 11 major industry indexes.
Rival retailers such as Costco, Dollar Tree and Albertsons followed Walmart lower with losses between 1% and 2.6%.
The increase in U.S. crude oil above $87 compounded concerns about the health of the U.S. consumer, according to Mona Mahajan, head of investment strategy at Edward Jones. She noted that investors were already anxious after recent weaker-than-expected retail sales and labor market data for July.
#Consumer #lower #retail #investors
1 month ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The battle over the Kennedy Center's future escalated Thursday as President Donald Trump's allies on the board took new steps to commemorate him with physical changes to the iconic performing arts institution that could defy a federal court order.
During an hourslong meeting that was conducted virtually, the board voted to add Trump's name to the building's facade so it would read "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump." The plaza in front of the building would be named after Trump and most of the ****** e at the venue would be closed for two years to allow for substantial renovations.
The changes, described by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who is an ex-officio board member, and her lawyers, amount to a dramatic test of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper.
He ruled in May that letters affixed to the building that spelled out Trump's name were added illegally and he ordered their removal, a decision that the Republican administration failed to persuade courts to overturn. At the same time, Cooper blocked a two-year closure that was set to take effect July 5, saying an earlier board vote authorizing the shuttering was "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."
"This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the Court's ruling, and flies in the face of the statutes that Congress passed," Beatty said in a statement. "I will continue to fight for this treasured national monument."
#changes
During an hourslong meeting that was conducted virtually, the board voted to add Trump's name to the building's facade so it would read "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Restored and Renovated By President Donald J. Trump." The plaza in front of the building would be named after Trump and most of the ****** e at the venue would be closed for two years to allow for substantial renovations.
The changes, described by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who is an ex-officio board member, and her lawyers, amount to a dramatic test of U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper.
He ruled in May that letters affixed to the building that spelled out Trump's name were added illegally and he ordered their removal, a decision that the Republican administration failed to persuade courts to overturn. At the same time, Cooper blocked a two-year closure that was set to take effect July 5, saying an earlier board vote authorizing the shuttering was "ill-informed and seemingly preordained."
"This latest development is a transparent effort to circumvent the Court's ruling, and flies in the face of the statutes that Congress passed," Beatty said in a statement. "I will continue to fight for this treasured national monument."
#changes
3 months ago
By Andrew Gray and Lili Bayer
BRUSSELS, July 3 (Reuters) - NATO leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump are set to affirm an "ironclad commitment" to collective defence under the alliance's Article 5 pact at a summit in Ankara next week, according to a text approved by NATO ambassadors on Friday and reviewed by Reuters.
NATO members are also set to pledge €70 billion ($80 billion) in military ***** istance to Ukraine for 2026 and "at least equivalent levels" of support in 2027, according to the declaration, which still needs final approval from the leaders at the summit.
"We ... have gathered in Ankara to reaffirm our ironclad commitment to our collective defence under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and to the transatlantic bond. An attack on one is an attack on all," says the declaration for the summit, which takes place on July 7 and 8.
Trump has frequently railed against NATO and its members, accusing them of not spending enough on defence and relying on the United States to protect Europe.
BRUSSELS, July 3 (Reuters) - NATO leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump are set to affirm an "ironclad commitment" to collective defence under the alliance's Article 5 pact at a summit in Ankara next week, according to a text approved by NATO ambassadors on Friday and reviewed by Reuters.
NATO members are also set to pledge €70 billion ($80 billion) in military ***** istance to Ukraine for 2026 and "at least equivalent levels" of support in 2027, according to the declaration, which still needs final approval from the leaders at the summit.
"We ... have gathered in Ankara to reaffirm our ironclad commitment to our collective defence under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty and to the transatlantic bond. An attack on one is an attack on all," says the declaration for the summit, which takes place on July 7 and 8.
Trump has frequently railed against NATO and its members, accusing them of not spending enough on defence and relying on the United States to protect Europe.
3 months ago
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian state television claimed this week that a foreign ship got stuck in the Strait of Hormuz after ignoring instructions to use a route laid out by the Islamic Republic's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
But the ship is tied to Iran — and seems to have been in the strait for months.
The vessel, based on its shape, reported location and other details, is the container ship Arista, reportedly flying a false flag linking it to the island nation of Comoros. That ship was known last year as the Panama-flagged Gauja, which the U.S. Treasury included in sanctions targeting what it described as a network that had been "generating tens of billions of dollars in profit" for Iran's ruling elite.
Here's a closer look.
Iranian state television aired on-screen alerts Wednesday about what it described as a foreign ship that got stuck ignoring the commands of the Guard's navy.
But the ship is tied to Iran — and seems to have been in the strait for months.
The vessel, based on its shape, reported location and other details, is the container ship Arista, reportedly flying a false flag linking it to the island nation of Comoros. That ship was known last year as the Panama-flagged Gauja, which the U.S. Treasury included in sanctions targeting what it described as a network that had been "generating tens of billions of dollars in profit" for Iran's ruling elite.
Here's a closer look.
Iranian state television aired on-screen alerts Wednesday about what it described as a foreign ship that got stuck ignoring the commands of the Guard's navy.
