NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition says several of his Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks.” The FBI said it was investigating. Transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said several Cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Among them were New York Rep.…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released. That word comes Wednesday from the White House and it’s a diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung. Each had been designated by the U.S. government…… MORE
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks is headed back to Congress after winning her reelection bid. The win will help Republicans pad a thin majority in the U.S. House and keeps the party in control of all four of Iowa’s congressional seats. Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Christina Bohannan in a rematch of 2022,…… MORE
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg is retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues. Kellogg served as national security adviser to former Vice President…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private consultations,…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer price increases accelerated last month, the latest sign that inflation’s steady decline over the past two years has stalled. According to the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, consumer prices rose 2.3% in October from a year earlier, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That is up from just 2.1% in September, though…… MORE
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. Trump on Tuesday announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy expanded at a healthy 2.8% annual pace from July through September on strong consumer spending and a surge in exports, the government said Wednesday, leaving unchanged its initial estimate of third-quarter growth. The Commerce Department reported that growth in U.S. gross domestic product — the economy’s output of goods…… MORE
DETROIT (AP) — While sales of electric vehicles surge in China, the spread of more environmentally friendly vehicles is stumbling in the United States and Europe as carmakers and governments struggle to meet years-old promises about affordability and charging stations. And consumers worried more about price and practicality are holding back where first-adopter climate warriors…… MORE
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased this week, though it remains near 7% after mostly rising in recent weeks. The rate slipped to 6.81% from 6.84% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.22%. The average rate on…… MORE
