Latest news with #WH
Global News
4 days ago
- Business
- Global News
U.S. spending slows even as tariffs yet to show impacts so far
A key U.S. inflation gauge slowed last month as President Donald Trump's tariffs have yet to noticeably push up prices. Spending by Americans slowed despite rising incomes, potentially an early reaction to higher prices on some imported goods. Friday's report from the Commerce Department showed that consumer prices rose just 2.1 per cent in April compared with a year earlier, down from 2.3 per cent in March and the lowest since September. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.5 per cent from a year earlier, below the March figure of 2.7 per cent, and the lowest in more than four years. Economists track core prices because they typically provide a better read on where inflation is headed. The figures show inflation is still declining from its post-pandemic spike, which reached the highest level in four decades in July 2022. Economists and some business executives have warned that prices will likely head higher as Trump's widespread tariffs take effect, though the timing and impact of those duties are now in doubt after they were struck down late Wednesday in court. Story continues below advertisement On a monthly basis, overall prices and core prices both increased just 0.1% from March to April. The cost of big-ticket manufactured goods rose a hefty 0.5 per cent, though that increase was offset by a 0.1 decline in other goods, such as groceries. The cost of services rose just 0.1% from March to April. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The big increase in durable goods prices could reflect the early impact of tariffs. Americans also cut back their spending on longer-lasting factory goods in April, the report showed. Overall consumer spending — which includes spending on services — rose 0.2% in April from March, the report said, but that's down from a big 0.7 per cent rise in March. The slowdown in spending could reflect some early caution on the part of consumers, economists said, in response to higher goods prices. It also suggests that some of the spending jump in March reflected consumers purchasing items like cars to get in front of the impact of tariffs. 2:41 U.S. trade court 'brazenly abused' judicial powers to block Trump tariffs, WH says 'The pulling forward of consumer spending ahead of the tariff increases will continue to dampen household spending in the coming months, especially as they face higher prices and a softening labor market,' Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said in an email. 'We anticipate that the improved inflation trend will reverse in the second half of the year as companies are forced to begin passing along a portion of the increased tariffs in order to protect profit margins.' Story continues below advertisement Walmart executives said earlier this month that the retail giant would increase prices for many products in May and June to account for the tariffs, while electronics chain Best Buy's CEO Corie Barry said Thursday the company is increasing some prices as well because of the duties, as a 'last resort.' At the same time, incomes — before adjusting for inflation — rose a healthy 0.8 per cent in April. Much of that gain reflected an increase in Social Security benefits for some retired teachers, fire fighters, and federal workers whose incomes previously weren't fully counted toward Social Security benefits. The inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve said at their most recent meeting May 6-7 that inflation is still elevated, compared to their target of two per cent. Fed officials, who focus more on core prices, broadly support keeping their key interest rate steady while they evaluate the impact of the tariffs on inflation and jobs. The court ruling last Wednesday said that most of Trump's tariffs were unlawful, including his duties on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, as well as those on more than 50 other countries. Tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars were implemented under different laws and remain in place. But the duties were allowed to remain in effect while the Trump administration appeals the ruling against them. And administration officials say they will find other legal authorities, if needed, to implement the tariffs. As a result, what tariffs will end up in place and for how long remains highly uncertain.
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- Health
- AsiaOne
Non-life-threatening calls to 995 will be referred to triage helpline in nation-wide trial from June 1, Singapore News
Non-life-threatening calls to 995 will be referred to NurseFirst, a medical triage helpline, from June 1 in a nation-wide trial. According to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday (May 30), the pilot will run for six months in a bid to enhance the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) ability to cope with a rising demand for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The demand for EMS has been increasing rapidly over the years, and is expected to increase further given the ageing population and rising healthcare needs that Singapore currently faces. In 2024, SCDF received a total of 245,279 EMS calls. With an average of 672 calls daily, up 57 per cent in the last decade, SCDF needs to prioritise timely emergency medical responses to those facing life-threatening emergencies. NurseFirst helpline NurseFirst, operated by Woodlands Health (WH), was launched in February 2022 with funding from MOH to manage non-life-threatening cases in the northern district. When 995 calls are assessed to be non-life-threatening, SCDF's Operations Centre will transfer the caller to the NurseFirst helpline, which will be manned by trained nurses, for further assistance. These nurses, with medical oversight from emergency medicine physicians, will assess callers based on their symptoms and advise those with non-life-threatening conditions on appropriate alternative care options nearest to them. The caller may be directed to an appropriate care provider, such as a general practitioner. They may also be advised to call for a non-emergency ambulance or to take other self-care steps. To ensure a seamless transition for the caller, the SCDF call-taker will provide key patient details to the nurse at NurseFirst. "At any time during the call with the nurse at NurseFirst, if the patient's condition deteriorates, SCDF will be immediately notified to dispatch an ambulance," said the ministries. NurseFirst will operate from 8am to 11pm daily during the six-month trial period. Outside of these hours, a 995 call deemed non-life-threatening will be handled by SCDF according to its current protocols. The public can also call the NurseFirst helpline directly at 6262 6262 for non-life-threatening medical conditions, to receive timely medical advice at no cost. SCDF and WH will assess the impact and effectiveness of the pilot before making a decision to extend NurseFirst's service. [[nid:718527]]
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is the government trying to lower the age of dependents?
(NewsNation) — A claim made on social media that the federal government would be lowering the age of who is considered a 'dependent' from 18 years old to 7 years old is false. The claim stems from a provision in the budget bill, dubbed the 'big, beautiful bill' by President Donald Trump, that adjusts the work requirements for certain food stamp recipients under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Video reportedly shows DNC official questioning Biden's power in WH The bill's mention of age 7 refers only to caregiving and does not redefine who qualifies as a 'dependent' for federal benefits. Under the current rules for SNAP's work eligibility, nondisabled adults without dependents must work or participate in job training to receive SNAP benefits. Parents are exempt from this requirement if they have a dependent under 18 years old. In the bill's provision to the law, the exemption is narrowed and requires work or training unless a SNAP recipient is caring for a child under the age of 7. The bill does not change the following: the ages of children who can be claimed as dependents on a tax return, the fact that children over 7 can still qualify for public aid and the legal definitions of a dependent in the IRS and other federal codes. The budget bill is currently in the Senate. If signed into law, the updated SNAP provision would require parents of school-aged children to meet the new work requirements to maintain benefits. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Is ‘White genocide' really taking place in South Africa? Fact-checking Donald Trump's bombshell claim
In recent months, Donald Trump has become fixated on South Africa due to claims that Afrikaners, a White ethnic minority, have been indiscriminately persecuted. In February, the US President issued an executive order to suspend foreign aid to South Africa due to allegations that the government led by Cyril Ramaphosa 'radically disfavored landowners.' Earlier this month, the Trump administration received a plane with 49 Afrikaners who were granted refugee status, with President claiming that they are 'losing their land in South Africa and are targets of genocide.' Considering the administration's broader suspension of the refugee program and immigration enforcement measures, the action deemed as a surprise. In response to a reporter's question on May 12 about why he established a swift path for Afrikaners, Trump stated, 'Because they're being killed. And we don't want to see people be killed. But it's a genocide that's taking place that you people don't want to write about.' 'White farmers are being brutally killed and their land is being confiscated in South Africa,' he added. The South African government condemned Trump's executive order of February 7 regarding Afrikaner resettlement in the U.S. 'It is ironic that the executive order makes provision for refugee status in the US for a group in South Africa that remains amongst the most economically privileged, while vulnerable people in the US from other parts of the world are being deported and denied asylum despite real hardship,' the statement said. Trump claimed that a genocide against White people was happening in South Africa, a statement that Ramaphosa and other South Africans have strongly refuted. After journalists inquired about his assertions of genocide, Trump took a moment to showcase a series of video clips on a TV in the Oval office, which he contended substantiated his assertions. In response to the montage featuring individuals discussing "cutting the throat" and shooting White people, Ramaphosa stated that these remarks do not represent government policy. Later, the minister of agriculture in South Africa stated that several individuals depicted in the montage belong to minority parties that are not included in the ruling coalition of the country. 'We have a multi-party democracy in South Africa that allows people to express themselves,' he asserted. When asked if he condemned the language used in the video, Ramaphosa responded, 'Oh, yes.' Last week, Ramaphosa shared a video clip on X, saying that 'We all know as South Africans, both Black and White, that there's no genocide here.' 'We are not genocidal. We are not committing any act of hatred, act of retribution or violence against anyone,' he added. Also Read: Photos: Donald Trump mocked by Cyril Ramaphosa as WH meeting turns volatile; 'Sorry I don't have a plane to give you' The White genocide is a theory rooted in White nationalism that posits that there is a calculated scheme to eliminate White people through forced assimilation, violent genocide, or mass immigration. It is referred to as the theories of White extinction, White replacement, and White genocide. The Genocide Convention, an international treaty that criminalizes genocide, defines it as the killing of members of a group due to their race, religion, or national origin, exemplified by the Holocaust. In South Africa, there have been murders of White farmers. However, these murders represent under 1% of the over 27,000 murders that occur annually across the country, PBS reported. According to experts, the number of deaths does not constitute genocide, and Trump provides misleading information regarding land confiscation. Gareth Newham, director of a justice and violence prevention program at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, called the notion of a 'White genocide' occurring in South Africa 'completely false'. 'As an independent Institute tracking violence and violent crime in South Africa, if there was any evidence of either a genocide or targeted violence taking place against any group based on their ethnicity this, we would be amongst the first to raise (the) alarm and provide the evidence to the world.' In South Africa, there are approximately 2.7 million white Afrikaners, who trace their ancestry back to Dutch and French settlers. Roughly 80% of the population in South Africa consists of Black individuals. South Africa was under apartheid rule from 1948 to the early 1990s, a system of racial segregation that granted power exclusively to White people and mandated separate living for Black South Africans. The White House did not supply any data when PBS requested for proof of Trump's statements. An official representative stated that Afrikaners informed American authorities of violent attacks, threats to life, vandalism, and racial insults directed at farmers. Dr. de Jager, who leads the Southern African Agri Initiative, informed DW that the farm attacks do not constitute genocide and provide no justification for fleeing. In South Africa, White individuals are not as likely to be murder victims compared to Black individuals. Genocide Watch has stated that although White people constitute 8% of the South African population, they account for only 2% of murder victims. On May 9, the South African government stated that the South Africa Police Services statistics on farm-related crimes do not substantiate claims of violent crime aimed at farmers in general or any specific race. According to Mandeep Tiwana, chief officer of evidence and engagement at the South Africa-based human rights advocacy organization CIVICUS, genocide is clearly defined, and the situation involving White South Africans in South Africa does not match that definition, as per USA Today. 'In fact, White South Africans are a privileged minority,' he added.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas Rep. Responds To Biden Cancer Diagnosis With A Conspiracy Theory
What good is someone else's cancer diagnosis if you can't spin it into a self-serving conspiratorial yarn? After former President Joe Biden disclosed Sunday he's been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) decided to accuse the Biden administration of a 'political cover up.' 'Care at the White House should be second to none,' Jackson wrote on social media. 'Unbelievable this was missed, but the truth is, his physician was more concerned about assisting with the political cover up than providing world class medical care.' The accusation echoes similar refrains from other Republicans, who are eager to distract from President Donald Trump's countless recent missteps, like accepting a $400 million 'gift' from Qatar, trying to strong-arm Walmart into price controls because of his tariffs, obsessing over Bruce Springsteen's skin, and publishing deeply insecure missives about Taylor Swift. Biden, 82, was reportedly diagnosed on Friday, but to hear some Republicans talk about it, you'd think he'd been keeping his cancer quiet for years. 'What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another coverup???' the president's son Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X, taking a swipe at the former first lady's doctoral degree in education. (There is also no such thing as 'stage five' cancer.) Trump Jr. doubled down in a separate post. 'Everyone was in on the cover-up!' he wrote. 'Who was running the country? We need accountability!' Vice President JD Vance also did his part to help puff up the scandal, responding to a question about Biden's diagnosis with a series of his own rhetorical questions: 'In some ways, I blame [Biden] less than I blame the people around him,' Vance said with a nod to the conspiracy theory that Biden's ill health was covered up throughout his presidency. 'Why didn't the American people have a better sense of his health picture? Why didn't the American people have more accurate information about what he was actually dealing with? This is serious stuff.' Doctors Weigh In On How Long Biden Could Live With Advanced Cancer 'Truly Despicable': Donald Trump Jr. Ripped Over 'Disgusting' Post About Biden's Cancer Video Shows Rep. Ronny Jackson Tackled By Officers At Rodeo CNN's Jake Tapper Spills On Biden Meeting That Left WH Official 'Shocked'
