Stories from Washington · United States

The United States faces a projected annual deficit of approximately $2 trillion as government spending outpaces revenue. The US deficit is projected to increase by approximately $1.1 trillion over the next ten years following Supreme Court rulings and tariff adjustments. Swagel noted that while the Supreme Court canceled certain tariffs, the government has re-added others. The government maintains authority to adjust tariff content at any time. Consequently, the final deficit figure remains difficult to estimate precisely until the entire process is complete. Gas supply is expected to decrease by 10 million barrels per day due to the war in the Middle East and infrastructure attacks. Brent crude prices could reach $86 per barrel this year, potentially rising to $115 if the conflict escalates. Prices for industrial metals are projected to increase by 42%.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with 23 other attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania, has filed a request in federal court to block President Trump's executive order on mail voting. The officials argue that states, not the president, hold the authority to establish election rules. The administration is required to respond to the legal challenge by a forthcoming deadline. The Department of Justice stated that federal agencies have not yet begun work on an order from the Trump administration to restrict voting by mail.

Rosa Kettumäki has been appointed as the second correspondent to Washington, joining Ilmari Reonameen.

Autonomous taxi companies are testing their services in Washington D.C. but face delays in regulatory approval from DDOT. While companies are eager to launch, citing successful operations in other cities like Los Angeles and Austin, D.C. has cited federal issues. Proponents argue self-driving taxis could be safer than human drivers. The announcement comes alongside new data regarding the impact of federal cuts on the regional economy. No specific timeline for the rollout was provided in the report.

Casinos have been actively recruiting churchgoers, offering them incentives like free rooms and liquor to gamble. This strategy has led to some individuals becoming 'whales,' or high-stakes gamblers, with casinos flying them to various locations for play.

Prosecutor St Van Dyke has been charged with wire fraud and the theft of non-public government information. The charges follow his withdrawal of winnings from a Polymarket account on the day of a major operation. Polymarket has referred the matter to the Department of Justice and is cooperating with investigations.

The US Treasury Department is providing cybersecurity intelligence to the cryptocurrency industry at no cost.

Senator Chris Van Hollen and other Democrats have proposed a new tax targeting the income of millionaires. Democrat Graham Plattner is proposing a wealth tax targeting individuals with assets exceeding $1 billion. The proposed tax would levy a rate of 5-6% on such wealth. Implementation of the tax could potentially generate $4 trillion for the treasury over many years.

President Trump is scheduled to attend the White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington, D.C. This marks his first appearance at the event as president, following a history of boycotting the dinner during his first term.

The U.S. Department of Justice has dropped its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. The probe originally focused on renovation costs at the Federal Reserve headquarters that the Trump administration claimed were over budget. This decision follows a federal judge's recent ruling quashing subpoenas issued by prosecutors to the central bank.