The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged lower this week, staying relatively close to its low for the year. The decline brings the average long-term mortgage rate to 6.21% from 6.22% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.72%. Mortgage rates began easing in July in…… MORE
Associated Press: President Donald Trump offered a glowing account of progress under his watch in a speech from the White House. But some of his claims Wednesday night were out of tune with the experience of price-squeezed Americans and the story told by some of his government’s own statistics. For one, he claimed consumer prices…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Four centrist Republicans have broken with their party’s leadership over health care. They’ve signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans. The stunning move Wednesday comes after House Republican leaders pushed…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has given final passage to an annual military policy bill that will authorize $901 billion in defense programs. The legislation is attempting to overhaul how the Pentagon purchases weapons and pressures Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats in international water near…… MORE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has told lawmakers in a closed-door interview his team “developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt” President Donald Trump criminally conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss. That’s according to portions of Smith’s opening statement obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Smith says investigators had…… MORE