20250718-news-a02briefs

Trump administration gives ICE Medicaid recipients’ data

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will gain access to personally identifiable information for all of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees. That’s according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. ICE officials plan to track immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States. The agreement was signed Monday between officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. Direct access will be given to the addresses, Social Security numbers, birth dates as well as the ethnicity and race of all Medicaid enrollees.

House poised to OK $9B cut to public broadcasting, foreign aid

WASHINGTON — The House is expected to approve President Donald Trump’s request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid. Democrats argued that the Republican administration’s animus toward foreign aid programs would hurt America’s standing in the world and create a vacuum for China to fill. The White House argued that many of the cuts best served the taxpayer and would incentivize other nations to step up and do more to respond to humanitarian crises. A final vote to approve the spending cuts package is expected Thursday night.

Stephen Colbert says CBS is ending his ‘Late Show’ in May

CBS is axing “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in May 2026. The announcement on live air Thursday came two days after Colbert spoke out against Paramount Global settling with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” story. The news was also announced in a press release sent from CBS with a link to a clip of Colbert’s announcement on Instagram. The comedian and TV personality began by telling the audience he was sharing something he learned the night before. Colbert said, “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”

‘Fear is the tool of a tyrant,’ says fired federal prosecutor

WASHINGTON — Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey who as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan worked on cases against Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, has told colleagues in a note that “fear is the tool of a tyrant” and that her firing without reason should fuel “a fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power.” In a message obtained by The Associated Press, she wrote that “if a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain.” She told colleagues that they should not let that happen.

Syrian forces who fought Druze militias leave Sweida province

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian government forces have started withdrawing from the southern province of Sweida following days of vicious clashes with militias from the Druze minority. Druze leaders and Syrian government officials announced a renewed ceasefire late on Wednesday that was mediated by the United States, Turkey and Arab countries. Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa said in an address early on Thursday that some Druze factions and clerics were appointed to maintain internal security in Sweida. However, Israeli strikes targeting government troops in defense of the Druze did not immediately stop. The dayslong fighting has threatened to unravel Syria’s postwar political transition and brought in further military intervention by Israel.

Juul gets OK to keep selling tobacco, menthol e-cigarettes

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials will allow Juul to keep selling its electronic cigarettes. The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that Juul’s benefits as a less harmful alternative for adult smokers outweigh the risks of teen use. It’s a major win for a company that has struggled for years after being widely blamed for sparking the teen vaping trend. Parents, politicians and anti-tobacco advocates wanted a ban on the devices that many blame for the recent spike in underage vaping. The FDA decision applies to both tobacco and menthol-flavored versions of the reusable product.

Severe weather triggers state of emergency in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina has declared a state of emergency after Tropical Storm Chantal caused severe flooding and at least six deaths. Gov. Josh Stein announced the declaration Thursday, citing overwhelmed local response efforts. The storm, followed by more severe weather, dumped up to 12 inches of rain in some areas, causing rivers to reach record levels. Damage to water systems left some residents without safe drinking water. The emergency declaration, effective Wednesday, allows the state to seek federal aid for recovery.