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Trump delivers first rally-style speech since election win as he threatens to retake Panama Canal: Live

The president-elect addressed a Phoenix crowd on Sunday

Rhian Lubin,Mike Bedigan,Kelly Rissman
Sunday 22 December 2024 19:56 GMT
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Congress Narrowly Averts Government Shutdown — And Rejects Trump’s Debt Ceiling Commands

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Donald Trump gave his first rally-style speech since his election victory in Phoenix on Sunday.

At the event — AmericaFest 2024 — he discussed immigration, defended some of his most controversial cabinet picks, and laid out his plans for when he takes office on January 20, which he referred to as “liberation day.”

Trump also repeated his threats of retaking the Panama Canal.

“We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else,” he said.

On Truth Social Saturday, Trump accused Panama of charging American vessels “exorbitant prices” to use the vital waterway that acts as a shortcut linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.,” Trump vented.

“If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” he stridently added, referring to a 1977 treaty.

The 78-year-old Republican also echoed his plans to impose tariffs against the European Union, Canada and Mexico. He said he wouldn’t let the E.U. turn the U.S. into a “dumping ground.”

Watch: House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke with Trump and Musk before shutdown vote

House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke with Trump and Musk before shutdown vote
Mike Bedigan21 December 2024 17:40

Senate Republicans are not asking RFK Jr about his stance on vaccines

Senate Republicans are not asking RFK Jr about his stance on vaccines

Kennedy has met with multiple Republicans throughout the week about his confirmation to lead the Department of Health and Human Services

Mike Bedigan21 December 2024 17:10

Maryland bridge funding included in bill

The last-minute stopgap spending bill includes provision for the rebuilding of the Francis Key Scott bridge in Maryland, which collapsed in March after being struck by a cargo ship.

Under the bill, its replacement will be fully funded by the federal government. The legislation will also allow the US Treasury Department to recoup money from any settlements related to the bridge’s collapse to help pay for the rebuilding.

The Dali container ship crashed into the bridge in March, causing it to collapse and severing access to critical shipping routes in and out of the Port of Baltimore. Six workers on the bridge were killed in the incident.

The Maryland Transportation Authority earlier this year estimated that rebuilding the bridge could cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion.

Baltimore Bridge Collapse
Baltimore Bridge Collapse (Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Mike Bedigan21 December 2024 16:40

Biden signs spending bill averting a government shutdown

Joe Biden has signed the last-minute stopgap spending bill into law, according to the White House.

The Senate passed the bill not long after midnight averting a shutdown that would have had widespread impacts, following a last minute scramble in Congress. The House passed the bill Friday evening.

A statement from the White House read: “On Saturday, December 21, 2024, the President signed into law: H.R. 10545, the "American Relief Act, 2025", which provides fiscal year 2025 appropriations to Federal agencies through March 14, 2025, for continuing projects and activities of the Federal Government; provides disaster relief appropriations and economic assistance to farmers; extends the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; and extends several expiring authorities.”

Mike Bedigan21 December 2024 16:30

Mitt Romney says he voted against spending bill in ‘protest’ of government

Republican Senator Mitt Romney said he voted against the spending bill in “protest” of how the government is run.

“While I support keeping government open, I voted no on the CR—a simple protest of the absurd way this is to run government,” he wrote on X.

Mike Bedigan21 December 2024 14:51

US proposes voluntary guidelines for self-driving vehicles in waning days of Biden administration

In the waning days of President Joe Biden‘s administration, the government’s highway safety agency is proposing voluntary safety guidelines for self-driving vehicles.

But a rule from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration putting the plan in place won’t be approved before the end of Biden’s term in January and likely will be left to whoever runs the agency under Republican Donald Trump.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whom Trump has named to co-lead a “Department of Government Efficiency” to cut costs and regulations, has floated the idea of him helping to develop safety standards for self-driving vehicles — even though the standards would affect Tesla’s automated driving systems.

Read more:

US proposes voluntary guidelines for self-driving vehicles in waning days of Biden administration

The government’s highway safety agency is proposing voluntary safety guidelines for self-driving vehicles

Tom Krisher21 December 2024 12:00

Watch: Biden interacts with toddler during hospital visit

Gustaf Kilander21 December 2024 11:00

Trump team warns Starmer’s ‘horrible, arrogant’ ambassador pick means Britain will be ‘locked out’ of key discussions

Peter Mandelson’s nomination as Britain’s new ambassador to the United States has provoked fury within Donald Trump’s team, with one insider decribing it as a “horrible, arrogant” choice and his campaign coordinator publicly calling the Labour peer a “moron.”

The choice of the former EU commissioner and Blair-era minister, who previously attacked Mr Trump as “little short of a white nationalist and racist”, prompted a warning that Britain will be “locked out of the most important discussions” with the president-elect’s team because of a lack of trust.

Lord Mandelson’s appointment to Washington means the three people charged with building relations with the incoming administration have all insulted Mr Trump: foreign secretary David Lammy once tweeted that Mr Trump is a “tyrant” and “a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”, while foreign minister Stephen Doughty organised a 2017 petition to stop Mr Trump addressing a joint sitting of parliament.

Read more:

Trump team aide calls new UK ambassador Lord Mandelson a ‘moron’

President-elect’s team deeply unhappy at Starmer’s choice for Britain’s new top diplomat

David Maddox21 December 2024 10:00

Lord Mandelson: ‘Dark lord’ of New Labour strikes back as UK ambassador to US

Lord Peter Mandelson has made a career of comebacks – from spin doctor to returning to cabinet after quitting twice – and is back again as Britain’s ambassador to the US.

It marks the first political appointment to the UK’s top diplomatic post in Washington in decades.

Peter Mandelson started out as a Labour communications director in 1985 and was first elected as an MP in 1992. He served in the cabinets of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Donald Trump – who returns to the White House in January, four years after being ousted – may relate to his comeback story.

Read more:

Lord Mandelson: ‘Dark lord’ of New Labour strikes back as UK ambassador to US

The peer’s ability to manipulate the levers of power from the shadows earned him monikers such as ‘the Prince of Darkness’.

David Lynch21 December 2024 08:00

Famed podcaster Kara Swisher pitching ‘long-shot’ bid to buy Washington Post from Jeff Bezos

Tech podcaster Kara Swisher told Axios this week that she is attempting to round up a group of wealthy investors to put together a bid to purchase The Washington Post amid its ongoing turmoil under Jeff Bezos’ ownership.

Even though Bezos has not expressed any willingness or interest in selling the paper, Swisher believes that the ultra-rich Amazon founder will look to unload the Post due to the compounding headaches swirling around the outlet – many of which lie at the mega-billionaire’s feet.

Read more:

Tech podcaster pitching ‘long-shot’ bid to buy Washington Post from Jeff Bezos

“The Post can do better,” Kara Swisher told Axios. “It’s so maddening to see what's happening. ... Why not me? Why not any of us?”

Justin Baragona21 December 2024 07:00

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