Trump Assails Judge, Daughter After Gag03/28 06:02
Trump Assails Judge, Daughter After Gag03/28 06:02 Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order ahead of his April 15 hush-money criminal trial, making a fallacious claim about his daughter and urging him to step aside from the case. NEW YORK (AP) -- Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order ahead of his April 15 hush-money criminal trial, making a fallacious claim about his daughter and urging him to step aside from the case. In a social media post, the former president suggested without evidence that Judge Juan M. Merchan was kowtowing to his daughter's interests as a Democratic political consultant. He also made a claim -- later repudiated by court officials -- that she had posted a social media photo showing Trump behind bars. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, complained on his Truth Social platform that the gag order issued Tuesday was "illegal, un-American, unConstitutional." He said that Merchan, a veteran Manhattan jurist, was "wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement" by Democratic rivals. Trump claimed that Merchan's daughter, Loren Merchan, whose firm has worked on campaigns for President Joe Biden and other Democrats, had recently posted a photo on social media depicting her "obvious goal" of seeing him jailed. In a statement, a spokesperson for New York's state court system said that claim was false and that the social media account Trump was referencing no longer belongs to Loren Merchan. It appears to have been taken over by someone else after she deleted it about a year ago, court spokesperson Al Baker said. The account on X, formerly known as Twitter, "is not linked to her email address, nor has she posted under that screenname since she deleted the account. Rather, it represents the reconstitution, last April, and manipulation of an account she long ago abandoned," Baker said. Messages seeking comment were left for Loren Merchan and Trump's campaign. Trump did not link to the purported photo, but an X account under the name "LM" showed a photo illustration of an imprisoned Trump as its profile picture Wednesday morning. It was later changed to an image of Vice President Kamala Harris as a child. Loren Merchan's consulting firm had linked to that account in its social media posts in past years, but it is now private with no posts displayed and states that it joined the platform in April 2023, after Baker said she deleted it. Usernames on X can be taken over by other users after they're deleted. The gag order, which prosecutors had requested, bars Trump from either making or directing other people to make public statements on his behalf about jurors and potential witnesses in the hush-money trial, such as his lawyer turned nemesis Michael Cohen and porn star Stormy Daniels. It also prohibits any statements meant to interfere with or harass the court's staff, prosecution team or their families. It does not bar comments about Merchan or his family, nor does it prohibit criticism of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the elected Democrat whose office is prosecuting Trump. Trump's post insinuating that Loren Merchan had posted the photo came after conservative commentator Laura Loomer posted a story online Tuesday claiming to have unearthed her X account. "So, let me get this straight," Trump wrote on Truth Social, "the Judge's daughter is allowed to post pictures of her 'dream' of putting me in jail ... but I am not allowed to talk about the attacks against me, and the Lunatics trying to destroy my life and prevent me from winning the 2024 Presidential Election, which I am dominating?" Bragg's office declined to comment. Trump's three-part Truth Social post was his first reaction to the gag order. His focus on Merchan's daughter echoed his lawyers' arguments last year when they urged the judge to exit the case. The judge had also made several small donations totaling $35 to Democratic causes during the 2020 campaign, including $15 to Biden. Merchan said then that a state court ethics panel found that Loren Merchan's work had no bearing on his impartiality. The judge said in a ruling last September that he was certain of his "ability to be fair and impartial" and that Trump's lawyers had "failed to demonstrate that there exists concrete, or even realistic reasons for recusal to be appropriate, much less required on these grounds." In a recent interview, Merchan told The Associated Press that he and his staff were working diligently to prepare for the historic first trial of a former president. "There's no agenda here," Merchan said. "We want to follow the law. We want justice to be done." Trump's hush-money case, set to be the first of his four criminal cases to go to trial, centers on allegations that he falsely logged payments to Cohen as legal fees in his company's books when they were for Cohen's work during the 2016 campaign covering up negative stories about Trump. That included $130,000 Cohen paid Daniels on Trump's behalf so she wouldn't publicize her claim of a sexual encounter with him years earlier. Trump pleaded not guilty last April to 34 counts of falsifying business records, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, though there is no guarantee that a conviction would result in jail time. He denies having sex with Daniels and his lawyers have said that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses, not part of any coverup. In issuing the gag order, Merchan cited Trump's history of "threatening, inflammatory, denigrating" remarks about people involved in his legal cases. A violation could result in Trump being held in contempt of court, fined or even jailed. Though not covered by the restrictions, Merchan referenced Trump's various comments about him as an example of his rhetoric. The gag order mirrors one imposed and largely upheld by a federal appeals court panel in Trump's Washington, D.C., election interference criminal case. Trump's lawyers fought a gag order, warning it would amount to unconstitutional and unlawful prior restraint on his free speech rights. Merchan had long resisted imposing one, recognizing Trump's "special" status as a former president and current candidate and not wanting to trample his ability to defend himself publicly. But, he said, as the trial nears, he found that his obligation to ensuring the integrity of the case outweighs First Amendment concerns. He said Trump's statements have induced fear and necessitated added security measures to protect his targets and investigate threats.
Court: PA Mail-In Ballot Rule is Legal 03/28 06:09
Court: PA Mail-In Ballot Rule is Legal 03/28 06:09 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A requirement for Pennsylvania voters to put accurate handwritten dates on the outside envelopes of their mail-in ballots does not run afoul of a civil rights law, a federal appeals court panel said Wednesday, overturning a lower court ruling. A divided 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to uphold enforcement of the required date on return envelopes, a technical mandate that caused thousands of votes to be declared invalid in the 2022 election. The total number is a small fraction of the large state's electorate, but the court's ruling puts additional attention on Pennsylvania's election procedures ahead of a presidential election in which its Electoral College votes are up for grabs. A lower court judge had ruled in November that even without the proper dates, mail-in ballots should be counted if they are received in time. U.S. District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter said the envelope date is irrelevant in helping elections officials decide whether a ballot was received in time or if a voter is qualified. In the court's opinion, Judge Thomas Ambro said the section of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that the lower court relied upon does not pertain to ballot-casting rules broadly, such as dates on envelopes, but "is concerned only with the process of determining a voter's eligibility to cast a ballot." "The Pennsylvania General Assembly has decided that mail-in voters must date the declaration on the return envelope of their ballot to make their vote effective," Ambro wrote. "The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania unanimously held this ballot-casting rule is mandatory; thus, failure to comply renders a ballot invalid under Pennsylvania law." The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, which helped represent groups and voters who challenged the date mandate, said the ruling could mean thousands of votes won't be counted over what it called a meaningless error. "We strongly disagree with the panel majority's conclusion that voters may be disenfranchised for a minor paperwork error like forgetting to write an irrelevant date on the return envelope of their mail ballot," Ari Savitzky, a lawyer with the ACLU's Voting Rights Project who argued the appeal, said in a statement. "We are considering all of our options at this time." State and national Republican groups defended the date requirement, and the Republican National Committee called the decision a "crucial victory for election integrity and voter confidence." In Pennsylvania, Democrats have been far more likely to vote by mail than Republicans under an expansion of mail-in ballots enacted in 2019.
WH Invites Israel Officials to US 03/28 06:13
WH Invites Israel Officials to US 03/28 06:13 Talks have restarted aimed at bringing top Israeli officials to Washington to discuss potential military operations in Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned visit this week because he was angry about the U.S. vote on a U.N. cease-fire resolution, the White House said Wednesday. WASHINGTON (AP) -- Talks have restarted aimed at bringing top Israeli officials to Washington to discuss potential military operations in Gaza, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a planned visit this week because he was angry about the U.S. vote on a U.N. cease-fire resolution, the White House said Wednesday. "So we're now working with them to find a convenient date that's obviously going to work for both sides," said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. No date has been finalized yet. One U.S. official said strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer and national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi would be among the delegation to come to Washington. The official were not authorized to speak publicly about the sensitive discussions and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. An Israeli official said the White House had reached out with the goal of setting a new meeting. The official was not authorized to talk to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity. Netanyahu's office said the prime minister "did not authorize the departure of the delegation to Washington." The prime minister canceled the trip this week after the U.N. vote to demand a cease-fire in Hamas-run Gaza; the U.S. abstained from the vote but did not veto it. Netanyahu accused the United States of "retreating" from a "principled position" by allowing the resolution to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas. The delegation to the U.S. was meant to discuss a promised ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which is overflowing with displaced civilians. Israel has so far rejected American appeals to call off the planned operation. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was already in Washington by the time Netanyahu canceled the trip by other officials. Gallant met with Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The Gaza operation was one of many topics they discussed. Netanyahu on Wednesday said his decision to cancel was meant to deliver a message to Hamas that international pressure against Israel will not prompt it to end the war without concessions from the militant group, an apparent attempt to smooth over the clash between the allies. Speaking to visiting Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Netanyahu said the canceled visit "was a message first and foremost to Hamas: Don't bet on this pressure, it's not going to work." Netanyahu said the U.S. abstention on the U.N. vote was "very, very bad," and that it "encouraged Hamas to take a hard line and to believe that international pressure will prevent Israel" from achieving its war aims. Israel wants to destroy Hamas' military and governing capabilities and free the hostages taken by the militant group during its Oct. 7 attack against Israel. The U.S. abstention and Netanyahu's subsequent decision to cancel the delegation represented the strongest public dispute between the two allies since the war in Gaza began.
Venezuelans Get Stuck in Mexico More 03/28 06:17
Venezuelans Get Stuck in Mexico More 03/28 06:17 MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Venezuelan migrants often have a quick answer when asked to name the most difficult stretch of their eight-country journey to the U.S. border, and it's not the dayslong jungle trek through Colombia and Panama with its venomous vipers, giant spiders and scorpions. It's Mexico. "In the jungle, you have to prepare for animals. In Mexico, you have to prepare for humans," Daniel Ventura, 37, said after three days walking through the Darien Gap and four months waiting in Mexico to enter the U.S. legally using the government's online appointment system, called CBP One. He and his family of six were headed to Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where he has a relative. Mexico's crackdown on immigration in recent months -- at the urging of the Biden administration -- has hit Venezuelans especially hard. The development highlights how much the U.S. depends on Mexico to control migration, which has reached unprecedented levels and is a top issue for voters as President Joe Biden seeks reelection. Arrests of migrants for illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border have dropped so this year after a record high in December. The biggest decline was among Venezuelans, whose arrests plummeted to 3,184 in February and 4,422 in January from 49,717 in December. While two months do not make a trend and illegal crossings remain high by historical standards, Mexico's strategy to keep migrants closer to its border with Guatemala than the U.S. is at least temporary relief for the Biden administration. Large numbers of Venezuelans began reaching the U.S. in 2021, first by flying to Mexico and then on foot and by bus after Mexico imposed visa restrictions. In September, Venezuelans briefly replaced Mexicans as the largest nationality crossing the border. Mexico's efforts have included forcing migrants from trains, flying and busing them to the southern part of the country, and flying some home to Venezuela. Last week, Mexico said it would give about $110 a month for six months to each Venezuelan it deports, hoping they won't come back. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lpez Obrador extended the offer Tuesday to Ecuadorians and Colombians. "If you support people in their places of origin, the migratory flow reduces considerably, but that requires resources and that is what the United States government has not wanted to do," said Lpez Obrador, who is barred by term limits from running in June elections. Migrants say they must pay corrupt officials at Mexico's frequent government checkpoints to avoid being sent back to southern cities. Each setback is costly and frustrating. "In the end, it is a business because wherever you get to, they want to take the last of what you have," said Yessica Gutierrez, 30, who left Venezuela in January in a group of 15 family members that includes young children. They avoided some checkpoints by hiking through brush. The group is now waiting in Mexico City to get an appointment so they can legally cross the U.S.-Mexico border. To use the CBP One app, applicants must be in central or northern Mexico. So Gutierrez's group sleeps in two donated tents across the street from a migrant shelter and check the app daily. More than 500,000 migrants have used the app to enter the U.S. at land crossings with Mexico since its introduction in January 2023. They can stay in the U.S. for two years under a presidential authority called parole, which entitles them to work. "I would rather cross the jungle 10 times than pass through Mexico once," said Jose Alberto Uzcategui, who left a construction job in the Venezuelan city of Trujillo with his wife and sons, ages 5 and 7, in a family group of 11. They are biding time in Mexico City until they have enough money for a phone so they can use CBP One. Venezuelans account for the vast majority of 73,166 migrants who crossed the Darien Gap in January and February, which is on pace to pass last year's record of more than 500,000, according to the Panamanian government, suggesting Venezuelans are still fleeing a country that has lost more than 7 million people amid political turmoil and economic decline. Mexican authorities stopped Venezuelan migrants more than 56,000 times in February, about twice as much as the previous two months, according to government figures. "The underlying question here is: Where are the Venezuelans? They're in Mexico, but where are they?" said Stephanie Brewer, who covers Mexico for the Washington Office on Latin America, a group that monitors human rights abuses. Mexico deported only about 429 Venezuelans during the first two months of 2024, meaning nearly all are waiting in Mexico. Many fear that venturing north of Mexico City will get them fleeced or returned to southern Mexico. The U.S. admits 1,450 people a day through CBP One with appointments that are granted two weeks out. Even if they evade Mexican authorities, migrants feel threatened by gangs who kidnap, extort and commit other violent crimes. "You have to go town by town because the cartels need to put food on their plates," said Maria Victoria Colmenares, 27, who waited seven months in Mexico City for a CBP One appointment, supporting her family by working as a waitress while her husband worked at a car wash. "It's worth the wait because it brings a reward," said Colmenares, who took a taxi from the Tijuana airport to the border crossing with San Diego, hours before her Tuesday appointment. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has touted his own efforts to explain the recent reduction in illegal crossings in his state, where at least 95% of Border Patrol arrests of Venezuelans occur. Those have included installing razor wire, putting a floating barrier in the Rio Grande and making plans to build a new base for members of the National Guard. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has mostly credited Mexico for the drop in border arrests. Some Venezuelans still come north despite the perils. Marbelis Torrealba, 35, arrived in Matamoros, across the border from Brownsville, Texas, with her sister and niece this week, carrying ashes of her daughter who drowned in a boat that capsized in Nicaragua. She said they were robbed by Mexican officials and gangs and returned several times to southern Mexico. A shelter arranged for them to enter the U.S. legally on emergency humanitarian grounds, but she was prepared to cross illegally. "I already experienced the worst: Seeing your child die in front of you and not being able to do anything."
Admin to Lend $1.5B for MI Nuke Plant 03/28 06:18
Admin to Lend $1.5B for MI Nuke Plant 03/28 06:18 (AP) -- The federal government will provide a $1.5 billion loan to restart a nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan, officials announced Wednesday. Holtec International acquired the 800-megawatt Palisades plant in 2022 with plans to dismantle it. But now the emphasis is on restarting it by late 2025, following support from the state of Michigan and the Biden administration. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said it would be the first nuclear power plant to be reopened in the U.S. It still faces hurdles, including inspections, testing and the blessing of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, known as the NRC. "Nuclear power is our single largest source of carbon-free electricity, directly supporting 100,000 jobs across the country and hundreds of thousands more indirectly," said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, a former Michigan governor. The Palisades plant is along Lake Michigan, a two-hour drive from Chicago. A Michigan utility, CMS Energy, owned it from 1971 until the plant was sold to Louisiana-based utility Entergy in 2007. It was shut down in 2022. Holtec said it has long-term commitments so far from two electric cooperatives to buy power from the plant. "The repowering of Palisades will restore safe, around-the-clock generation to hundreds of thousands of households, businesses and manufacturers," said Kris Singh, Holtec president and chief executive. Critics, however, have emerged. A coalition opposed to restarting what it derisively calls a "zombie reactor" has requested a hearing at the NRC. Holtec spokesman Patrick O'Brien said it will take four to five months to finalize the financial deal with the government. "It is a loan we have to pay back," he said. Nuclear energy is in the spotlight. Thirty-four countries, including the U.S., last week pledged to use it to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. In California, regulators in December said the Diablo Canyon plant could operate through 2030 instead of 2025 to guard against blackouts as the state shifts toward renewable power sources. Owner Pacific Gas & Electric said federal aid helped it repay a state loan. "There is more enthusiasm toward nuclear power -- in Congress, in the industry and also internationally," said Najmedin Meshkati, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California who has inspected nuclear plants around the world. But restarting a plant, he said, is not easy. "It puts the onus and burden on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Holtec to double down on efforts to make sure this plant is safe enough and all the safety measures are intact," Meshkati said of Palisades.
VP: US Agencies Must Be Clear on AI 03/28 06:26
VP: US Agencies Must Be Clear on AI 03/28 06:26 (AP) -- U.S. federal agencies must show that their artificial intelligence tools aren't harming the public, or stop using them, under new rules unveiled by the White House on Thursday. "When government agencies use AI tools, we will now require them to verify that those tools do not endanger the rights and safety of the American people," Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters ahead of the announcement. Each agency by December must have a set of concrete safeguards that guide everything from facial recognition screenings at airports to AI tools that help control the electric grid or determine mortgages and home insurance. The new policy directive being issued to agency heads Thursday by the White House's Office of Management and Budget is part of the more sweeping AI executive order signed by President Joe Biden in October. While Biden's broader order also attempts to safeguard the more advanced commercial AI systems made by leading technology companies, such as those powering generative AI chatbots, Thursday's directive targets AI tools that government agencies have been using for years to help with decisions about immigration, housing, child welfare and a range of other services. As an example, Harris said, "If the Veterans Administration wants to use AI in VA hospitals to help doctors diagnose patients, they would first have to demonstrate that AI does not produce racially biased diagnoses." Agencies that can't apply the safeguards "must cease using the AI system, unless agency leadership justifies why doing so would increase risks to safety or rights overall or would create an unacceptable impediment to critical agency operations," according to a White House announcement. The new policy also calls for two other "binding requirements," Harris said. One is that federal agencies must hire a chief AI officer with the "experience, expertise and authority" to oversee all of the AI technologies used by that agency, she said. The other is that each year, agencies must make public an inventory of their AI systems that includes an assessment of the risks they might pose. Some rules exempt intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense, which is having a separate debate about the use of autonomous weapons. Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said the new requirements are also meant to strengthen positive uses of AI by the U.S. government. "When used and overseen responsibly, AI can help agencies to reduce wait times for critical government services, improve accuracy and expand access to essential public services," Young said.
US Delegation Pledges Taiwan Support 03/28 06:27
US Delegation Pledges Taiwan Support 03/28 06:27 A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation pledged continued support for Taiwan on Thursday, days after Congress approved $300 million in military aid for the self-governed island that's claimed by China. TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) -- A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation pledged continued support for Taiwan on Thursday, days after Congress approved $300 million in military aid for the self-governed island that's claimed by China. Congress also approved $400 million on Saturday to counter the Chinese government's influence in the region, as part of its Defense Appropriations Act. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province to be brought under its control, by force if necessary. Beijing sends warships and fighter jets near the island daily, as it ramps up its military pressure. The United States, like most nations, doesn't recognize Taiwan as a country. However, it is bound by U.S. laws to ensure the island can defend itself and considers all threats to Taiwan as a matter of "grave concern." The delegation led by Rep. Jack Bergman, who chairs the House Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, sought to reassure Taiwan's leadership of continued support. "We will continue to assure our colleagues that the strategic relationship is key for the future security of the region," Bergman said during a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. "This includes a strong Taiwan maritime strategy and how we can work together on shared goals to counter China on their increasingly aggressive actions in the region," the Michigan Republican said. Tsai thanked the Biden administration and Congress for helping to bolster Taiwan's self-defense. "This support will continue to strengthen the Taiwan-U.S. partnership," she said. In Beijing, a Defense Ministry spokesperson said China firmly opposes U.S. arms sales to what he called China's Taiwan region. "We strongly demand that the U.S. side abide by the one-China principle, refrain from undermining China's sovereignty and security interests, and not interfere in China's internal affairs," Senior Col. Wu Qian said at a monthly briefing. The U.S. delegation also includes Democratic Reps. Donald Norcross from New Jersey and Jimmy Panetta from California. The lawmakers arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday and are to stay until Friday. They also met with Taiwanese Vice President and President-elect William Lai and with Vice President-elect Bi-khim Hsiao. Taiwan's new administration takes office on May 20. China prohibits countries it has diplomatic relations with from having formal exchanges with Taipei and regularly criticizes U.S. officials' visits to the island. A trip by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in 2022 resulted in China dispatching warships and military aircraft around the island and freezing a series of exchanges, including military communications, with the U.S. Beijing and Washington restored military-to-military contacts after a flurry of diplomatic exchanges in recent months culminated in a meeting between the country's presidents in San Francisco in November. Taiwan has expressed concern in recent months about China's expansion of military bases near the island but says it wants to avoid an escalation in tensions with Beijing.
Financial Markets 03/28 15:36
Financial Markets 03/28 15:36 NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street coasted to its latest winning month and quarter by rising to more records. The S&P 500 rose 0.1% Thursday, adding to its all-time high set the day before. It roared 10.2% in the first three months of the year as the market continues a nearly unstoppable run that began last October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1% Treasury yields inched higher in the bond market following several reports on the economy. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.20%. U.S. bond and stock markets will be closed for Good Friday. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street is coasting to the close of its latest winning month and quarter on Thursday by rising toward more records. The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher in late trading and adding to its all-time high set the day before. It's roared roughly 10% in this year's first three months. The only quarter that's been better in the last two years was the one that came just before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 77 points, or 0.2%, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and on track to set its own record. The Nasdaq composite was virtually flat and close to its all-time high. The stock market has been on a nearly unstoppable run since late October, with the S&P 500 on the cusp of its fifth straight winning month. It's leaped as the U.S. economy has remained remarkably solid despite high interest rates meant to get inflation under control. And with inflation hopefully still cooling from its peak, the Federal Reserve has indicated it will likely cut interest rates several times later this year. Thursday is the last day of trading for both the U.S. stock and bond markets this month and quarter. Financial markets will be closed on Friday for Good Friday. In the bond market, Treasury yields inched higher following several reports on the economy. One said that the U.S. economy's growth in the final three months of last year was stronger than earlier estimated. Another one said fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, the latest indication of a solid job market. Other reports showed that sentiment among U.S. consumers is stronger than economists expected, but manufacturing in the Chicago region is contracting by more than forecast. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.20% from 4.19% late Wednesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, rose to 4.62% from 4.57%. The hope on Wall Street is still that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting its main interest rate in June. Lower interest rates ease the pressure on the economy, while boosting prices for investments. But progress on bringing inflation down has become bumpier recently, with reports this year coming in hotter than expected. A top official at the Federal Reserve, Gov. Christopher Waller, said in a speech late Wednesday that "there is no rush to cut the policy rate" given such data. "Indeed, it tells me that it is prudent to hold this rate at its current restrictive stance perhaps for longer than previously thought to help keep inflation on a sustainable trajectory toward 2%." On Wall Street, RH jumped 17.8% even though the retailer of home dcor reported weaker profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also indicated demand is trending upward, and it gave a revenue forecast for the upcoming year that was slightly above analysts' expectations. Analysts said investors are ready to pounce on signs of a recovery in the housing market, with interest and mortgage rates expected to come down later this year. Chemours fell 9.2% despite reporting better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It gave a forecast for earnings before taxes and other items in the current quarter that was below analysts' expectations. The company also said its board has completed its internal reviews of accounting issues and found some weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting. Also on the losing end was Trump Media & Technology Group. The company behind former President Donald Trump's Truth Social fell 6.4% after soaring more than 14% in each of the past two days. Its stock has shot well beyond what critics say is reasonable for the money-losing company, driven by fans of Trump and investors hoping to cash in on the mania. In stock markets abroad, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 slumped 1.5% amid speculation about whether Japanese officials will make moves to support the value of the Japanese yen. Movements were more modest across much of the rest of Asia and Europe. ___ AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. --------- itemid:79e08c669fb2d4770dddb02923fc7fdf