the americas – Gloomberg News

15Apr

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Business

What Walmart’s pullback from Chicago says about Corporate America’s limits

New York CNN — A line of Chicago mayors heavily courted Walmart over the last two decades, brushing aside community protests. And Walmart welcomed the opportunity to show cities it could be a strong corporate partner. But now, Walmart is pulling back from Chicago. The largest retailer in the country announced plans this week to close four of its eight stores in the city, citing growing financial losses. Three are in predominantly Black and low-income neighborhoods, and their closures with little warning mean residents — including elderly citizens and people without reliable transportation — will have to travel further to buy groceries and pick up their medications. “These stores lose ten...

18Jan

By Gloomberg NewsNo Comments

Politics

Legal challenges begin over Illinois’ new firearms ban

Washington CNN — Multiple lawsuits have been filed in Illinois challenging recently enacted gun legislation that bans certain firearms and high-capacity magazines in the state. The law, signed by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week, caps the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines, bans “switches” that allow handguns to fire rounds automatically and “extends the ability of courts to prevent dangerous individuals from possessing a gun through firearm restraining orders.” A joint lawsuit that was filed in the Southern District of Illinois on Tuesday by multiple gun-rights groups, including the Illinois State Rifle Association, Second Amendment Foundation and Firearms Policy Coalition, argues tha...

Why there are more Republican women in Congress than ever before

14Jan

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Politics

Why there are more Republican women in Congress than ever before

CNN — Lori Chavez-DeRemer sat in the gallery of the House nearly two decades ago with her mom and her twin daughters – tourists peering down at lawmakers on the floor of the chamber. “I’d really love to be here someday,” the Oregon Republican recalled telling her mother, who encouraged her to think about a run. She’d recently been elected to her city council, but she had her doubts. “I said, ‘Everybody on the floor there probably has a law degree. I’m a stay-at-home mom.’” But Chavez-DeRemer flipped a Democratic seat in November, helping Republicans win a narrow House majority. She is now among a record 42 Republican women in Congress and one of the first two Latino members of Congress from Orego...

Citgo 6: How the US government brought seven Americans home

23Nov

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Politics

Citgo 6: How the US government brought seven Americans home

CNN — On October 1, five of the so-called Citgo 6 were woken up early in their Venezuelan prison by a guard telling them to “get dressed up properly.” The men put on their yellow prison suits – “We called it our ‘Minion’ suit,” Jose Pereira said – before they were instructed by the head of the prison to instead change into civilian clothes. “We said, ‘Why?’ and he said, ‘Well, because you’re going home,’” Pereira recounted to CNN. The day would mark the end to the “nightmare” that began nearly five years prior, when the six oil executives were lured to Venezuela for what they were told would be a business meeting right before Thanksgiving 2017. In addition to securing the ...

Donald Trump is at his weakest political position in years

20Nov

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Politics

Donald Trump is at his weakest political position in years

CNN — Former President Donald Trump is giving it another go. He announced last week that he’s trying to become only the second man (after Grover Cleveland) to be elected to non-consecutive terms as US president. Trump’s move comes at a time when his political brand is at its weakest point since his first presidential bid in 2015-2016. He does remain a force to be reckoned with in GOP circles, and the news that the Justice Department has appointed a special counsel to oversee investigations related to the former president could elicit a rally-around-Trump effect among Republicans. Nevertheless, it’s clear his power within the party has diminished following the 2022 midterm elections. The easi...

15Nov

By Gloomberg NewsNo Comments

Politics

Donald Trump is no Grover Cleveland

A version of this story appears in CNN’s What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN — Former President Donald Trump wants to do a full Grover Cleveland and match the only US president to lose a presidential election and then rise from the ashes to regain the White House four years later. Other examples of former presidents trying to regain power have gone poorly. Theodore Roosevelt’s progressive rebellion split open a schism in the GOP; neither Herbert Hoover nor Martin Van Buren could get the Republican nomination after previous losses. So if Trump does indeed announce his third White House run, he’ll be trying to emulate Cleveland, who won, lost and then w...

Biden celebrates Democrats holding the Senate on second day of Asia summits

13Nov

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Politics

Biden celebrates Democrats holding the Senate on second day of Asia summits

Phnom Penh, Cambodia CNN — President Joe Biden landed in Cambodia on Saturday still reveling in midterm election results that have produced an unexpected boost at home for his second two years in office. A day after he arrived in Asia, he got another piece of news from back home that could give him a lift through the rest of his international swing – CNN and other outlets projected his party would retain control of the Senate. “We feel good about where we are. And I know I’m a cockeyed optimist,” he said from his hotel lobby on Sunday after the projection. Yet the scale of the challenges abroad, and the effort to translate 21 months of intensive engagement into tangible results for US al...

Opinion: The US must free itself of political delusions about the border

4Nov

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Politics

Opinion: The US must free itself of political delusions about the border

Editor’s Note: Michelle García is the author of a forthcoming non-fiction book about the US-Mexico border. She is the 2021 winner of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize and the Covering Climate Now Award. She tweets @pistoleraprod. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN. CNN — During the recent political hysteria surrounding the US-Mexico border, I took a stroll around my new neighborhood in South Texas, near the Rio Grande. It was a nice day – not too hot or humid. Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas were using people as political billboards by sending people released by border agents to ci...

Opinion: Inflation has driven US politics before

30Oct

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Politics

Opinion: Inflation has driven US politics before

Editor’s Note: Meg Jacobs teaches history at Princeton University. Follow her on Twitter @MegJacobs100. The opinions expressed in this commentary are hers. Read more opinion on CNN. CNN — President Joe Biden stands accused of playing politics with petroleum. His opponents say the reason he is releasing millions of barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is to bring prices at the pump down before the midterm elections. They might be right. As public opinion polls reveal, the economy appears to be the top issue for voters. As we approach the midterms, more and more candidates, especially in the GOP, are running on anti-inflati...

Georgia Republican: Trump is a political falling knife

13Jun

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Politics

Georgia Republican: Trump is a political falling knife

Editor’s Note: Geoff Duncan, a Republican, is the 12th lieutenant governor of Georgia serving alongside Gov. Brian Kemp. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinion on CNN. CNN — The political stars appeared to be aligning for the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. According to CNN’s Poll of Polls, President Joe Biden’s approval rating dipped below 40%. Inflation hit a fresh 40-year high, and gas eclipsed $5 per gallon for the first time ever. Vulnerable Democratic incumbents rushed for retirement, while many Democratic Party officials questioned the 79-year-old President’s capability. ...