Author: rpnadmin

The U.S. Capitol building is seen on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. on June 3. Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images The sweeping Republican bill to enact the core elements of President Trump’s domestic policy agenda would add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade while forcing millions to lose health insurance coverage, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The findings, which focus on the version of the bill that narrowly passed the House last month, run counter to GOP talking points that…

How are mortgage rates determined?Mortgage rates are determined by market conditions and personal factors. Mortgage rates (especially 30-year fixed rates) are often more heavily influenced by the 10-year Treasury note rather than the federal-funds rate. Comments from policymakers, as well as concerns about economic headwinds, can influence the mortgage market. Lenders also take into account their own margins, the perceived risk you present as a borrower and what rates other lenders offer when presenting you with a rate quote.Average mortgage rates are determined by adding a spread to the 10-year Treasury note’s rate. How big that spread is depends on…

A Republican congressman is broadening an investigation into the extent of former President Joe Biden’s physical and mental decline while in office, seeking testimony from some of Biden’s closest advisers, including his first chief of staff. GOP Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, chairman of the House Oversight committee, sent letters to five of the former president’s closest aides on Wednesday, requesting they answer questions about Biden’s “mental and physical faculties” while he was leading the country. The aides include Biden’s former chief of staff, Ron Klain, as well as members of his inner circle — advisers Michael Donilon, Bruce Reed, Steve Richetti,…

Iowa’s Republican senator says gutting Medicaid is no worry because “we all are going to die.” Voters seem to disagree. Ad Policy Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) arrives for a Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.(Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) US Representative Mark Pocan, the Wisconsin Democrat who is widely recognized by strategists in both parties as one of the most politically savvy members of Congress, has been arguing for months that the way to upend GOP control of the House and Senate is by simply allowing his conservative colleagues to reveal…

ProsFlexible funding: Helocs let you use the money for various purposes and draw on the line of credit as needed rather than getting a single lump sum.Lower interest rates: Helocs often have lower interest rates than personal loans or credit cards, so they are a more affordable option. Plus, you only pay interest during the draw period, so if you don’t have a balance, you don’t pay anything.Potential tax benefit: The interest you pay on a Heloc for the portion used for home improvements might be eligible for a tax deduction.ConsVariable interest rate: Most Helocs have variable rates, so your…

After years of largely predictable norovirus waves, the emergence of a new strain might have disrupted the seasonal pattern of outbreaks from this notorious stomach bug, suggests a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In previous years, the U.S. usually saw norovirus outbreaks increase around December. That marked the start of the season for the virus. But last year’s season started in October, as a new norovirus strain called GII.17 drove a record wave of outbreaks.”Continued surveillance is needed to determine if this genotype remains the dominant genotype, as well as whether the norovirus season continues to…

How is interest from a high-yield savings account taxed?Interest on a high-yield savings account — like interest from certificates of deposit (CDs) or money market accounts — is usually taxed at your ordinary income rate for the year it’s earned. You normally pay federal and state taxes on interest earned from a HYSA.Tax classification of interest incomeInterest income is generally considered ordinary income and taxed at your marginal tax rate. This is different from the way investment income is taxed. Gains from investments are divided into long-term and short-term. Long-term capital gains are usually taxed at a lower rate. Short-term…

Beijing hit back Wednesday at Secretary of State Marco Rubio for saying the world will “never forget” the deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, describing his remarks as an “attack” on China. Chinese troops and tanks forcibly cleared peaceful protesters from the square in the capital on June 4, 1989 after weeks-long demonstrations demanding greater political freedoms. The exact toll is unknown but hundreds died, with some estimates exceeding 1,000 people. China’s communist rulers have since sought to erase any public mention of the crackdown, with censors scrubbing all online references and foreign media warned over their coverage of the…

A protester with a sign saying “HONK IF YOU WANT YOUR DATA BACK!!!” stands with other demonstrators outside of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s headquarters in February in Washington, D.C., to rally against the DOGE team set up by President Trump’s billionaire adviser Elon Musk getting access to personal data about federal employees. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Falling public participation in surveys and trust in government have plagued the U.S. Census Bureau for decades. And some of the agency’s current and former workers say there’s a new complication to gathering enough survey responses…

Hickory, N.C. — A 20-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on an attempted murder charge in connection with a weekend shooting around a house party in North Carolina that led to the death of one person and injuries of 11 others, sheriff’s deputies said.Garon Nathaniel Killian, 20, of Lenoir, was being held in jail without bond, the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Online records didn’t show booking or lawyer information for Killian and the county court clerk’s office’s phone didn’t accept voicemails Tuesday evening. The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal…