Democrat Wiley Nickel may suspend NC Senate campaign: Reports
A shift from Wiley would open up the Senate field for former Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who has not yet formally launched his campaign but is expected to do so next week, Axios reported. Many Democrats are hoping for the former governor to run for a seat that is wide open after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced he would not seek reelection.
Wiley served one term in Congress, from 2022 to 2024, opting not to run again after his district was re-drawn to heavily favor Republicans.
Nickel is instead considering entering the race for the open district attorney position in Wake County, the state's most populous, WNCN and WRAL reported.
Democrats are hoping North Carolina could be a prime pickup opportunity in the upcoming midterms. The party would need to flip four seats to gain control of the upper chamber.
The general election is shaping up to be a showdown between Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who is running with the blessing of President Trump.
Tills's successful reelection bid in 2020 became the most expensive race in Senate history after a close challenge from Democrat Cal Cunningham. The Republican senator announced he would not seek reelection in June after Trump mulled backing a challenger over Tillis's opposition to the 'big, beautiful bill.'
After Tillis announced he would retire, the Cook Political Report rated the race a toss-up.
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Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
US-EU trade deal wards off further escalation but will raise costs for companies, consumers
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have announced a sweeping trade deal that imposes 15% tariffs on most European goods, warding off Trump's threat of a 30% rate if no deal had been reached by Aug. 1. The tariffs, or import taxes, paid when Americans buy European products could raise prices for U.S. consumers and dent profits for European companies and their partners who bring goods into the country. Here are some things to know about the trade deal between the United States and the European Union: What's in the agreement? Trump and von der Leyen's announcement, made during Trump's visit to one of his golf courses in Scotland, leaves many details to be filled in. The headline figure is a 15% tariff rate on 'the vast majority' of European goods brought into the U.S., including cars, computer chips and pharmaceuticals. It's lower than the 20% Trump initially proposed, and lower than his threats of 50% and then 30%. Von der Leyen said the two sides agreed on zero tariffs on both sides for a range of 'strategic' goods: Aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, semiconductor equipment, certain agricultural products, and some natural resources and critical raw materials. Specifics were lacking. She said the two sides 'would keep working' to add more products to the list. Additionally, the EU side would purchase what Trump said was $750 billion (638 billion euros) worth of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel to replace Russian energy supplies, and Europeans would invest an additional $600 billion (511 billion euros) in the U.S. What's not in the deal? Trump said the 50% U.S. tariff on imported steel would remain; von der Leyen said the two sides agreed to further negotiations to fight a global steel glut, reduce tariffs and establish import quotas — that is, set amounts that can be imported, often at a lower rate. Trump said pharmaceuticals were not included in the deal. Von der Leyen said the pharmaceuticals issue was 'on a separate sheet of paper' from Sunday's deal. Where the $600 billion for additional investment would come from was not specified. And von der Leyen said that when it came to farm products, the EU side made clear that 'there were tariffs that could not be lowered,' without specifying which products. What's the impact? The 15% rate removes Trump's threat of a 30% tariff. It's still much higher than the average tariff before Trump came into office of around 1%, and higher than Trump's minimum 10% baseline tariff. Higher tariffs, or import taxes, on European goods mean sellers in the U.S. would have to either increase prices for consumers — risking loss of market share — or swallow the added cost in terms of lower profits. The higher tariffs are expected to hurt export earnings for European firms and slow the economy. The 10% baseline applied while the deal was negotiated was already sufficiently high to make the European Union's executive commission cut its growth forecast for this year from 1.3% to 0.9%. Von der Leyen said the 15% rate was 'the best we could do' and credited the deal with maintaining access to the U.S. market and providing 'stability and predictability for companies on both sides.' What is some of the reaction to the deal? German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the deal which avoided 'an unnecessary escalation in transatlantic trade relations" and said that 'we were able to preserve our core interests,' while adding that 'I would have very much wished for further relief in transatlantic trade.' The Federation of German Industries was blunter. "Even a 15% tariff rate will have immense negative effects on export-oriented German industry," said Wolfgang Niedermark, a member of the federation's leadership. While the rate is lower than threatened, "the big caveat to today's deal is that there is nothing on paper, yet," said Carsten Brzeski, global chief of macro at ING bank. 'With this disclaimer in mind and at face value, today's agreement would clearly bring an end to the uncertainty of recent months. An escalation of the US-EU trade tensions would have been a severe risk for the global economy," Brzeski said. 'This risk seems to have been avoided.' What about car companies? Asked if European carmakers could still sell cars at 15%, von der Leyen said the rate was much lower than the current 27.5%. That has been the rate under Trump's 25% tariff on cars from all countries, plus the preexisting U.S. car tariff of 2.5%. The impact is likely to be substantial on some companies, given that automaker Volkswagen said it suffered a 1.3 billion euro ($1.5 billion) hit to profit in the first half of the year from the higher tariffs. Mercedes-Benz dealers in the U.S. have said they are holding the line on 2025 model year prices 'until further notice.' The German automaker has a partial tariff shield because it makes 35% of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles sold in the U.S. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but the company said it expects prices to undergo 'significant increases' in coming years. What were the issues dividing the two sides? Before Trump returned to office, the U.S. and the EU maintained generally low tariff levels in what is the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world, with some 1.7 trillion euros ($2 trillion) in annual trade. Together the U.S. and the EU have 44% of the global economy. The U.S. rate averaged 1.47% for European goods, while the EU's averaged 1.35% for American products, according to the Bruegel think tank in Brussels. Trump has complained about the EU's 198 billion-euro trade surplus in goods, which shows Americans buy more from European businesses than the other way around, and has said the European market is not open enough for U.S.-made cars. However, American companies fill some of the trade gap by outselling the EU when it comes to services such as cloud computing, travel bookings, and legal and financial services. And some 30% of European imports are from American-owned companies, according to the European Central Bank. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Post
2 minutes ago
- New York Post
AOC ripped as her NYC district is overrun by 'Market of Sweethearts'
Queens residents, merchants and civic leaders blasted US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for being missing in action in the fight to clean up the infamous 'Market of Sweethearts'. Locals along the Roosevelt Avenue corridor have begged for help as the area has been plagued by rampant prostitution and illegal street vendors — fueled in part by gangs who got a foothold in the area due to the city's migrant crisis. 'I have not personally seen Ocasio-Cortez since she's been elected. I have not seen her in the community,' said Rosa Sanchez, president of the Restore Roosevelt Avenue Coalition. 'I have seen her in a parade — that's it.' Advertisement 4 Queens residents and local leaders blasted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for not working to clean up the infamous 'Market of Sweethearts' and other issues in her district. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno Part of the avenue is in the heart of the district that the high-profile Democrat represents in the US House of Representatives, while part of the neighborhood crosses into Rep. Grace Meng's district. Despite efforts of the NYPD and the city to clean up the troubled corridor, illegal vendors and merchants still have a foothold — sometimes peddling items stolen from local stores, locals said. Sanchez said the unlicensed vendors are putting legitimate merchants out of business while young women forced into sex work who are getting no help from politicians. Advertisement 'You have young women held against their will. They're being sex trafficked. This is not normal,' said Sanchez. 'Our community is suffering.' Mauricio Zamora, head of the Neighbors of the American Triangle, said AOC has 'never' been helpful on the area's biggest problems as residents and businesses try to take Roosevelt back. Zamora met with Ocasio-Cortez last Friday about the illegal vending in Corona Plaza but he claimed the congresswoman said larger crime issues should be addressed by the mayor's office, the NYPD and city elected officials rather than her office. By comparison, Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres has led the charge and personally called on Mayor Eric Adams to clean up a notorious open-air drug market full of junkies and prostitutes in his district in the Bronx, called The Hub. Advertisement 4 Alleged sex workers seen on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens in the 'Market of Sweethearts' on July 27, 2025. New York Post The Post visited the Roosevelt Avenue neighborhoods again on Sunday — and immediately spotted prostitutes under the elevated No. 7 subway line. Twenty three residents and local merchants told a reporter they have never seen AOC in the neighborhood. 'No, I have never seen AOC here. I've seen the local city councilman [Francisco Moya]. I've seen the police. I've never seen AOC,' said Jenny Leo, 54, a pharmacist at Mi. Farmacia at 90-15 Roosevelt Ave. Advertisement 4 Illegal vendors on the sidewalk on 91st St. near Roosevelt Ave. in Queens on July 27, 2025. New York Post Leo said the situation along Roosevelt is 'not getting worse but it's not getting better either' after the police launched a targeted crackdown in the area for 90 days, part of Operation Restore Roosevelt. It's been a familiar story, with illegal vendors flooding the streets again about two weeks ago after the surge of law enforcement tapers off. David Ortega, 50, manager of nearby Bravo Supermarket, said little has changed. 'People are stealing meat and beer and laundry detergent. The police come and they take them outside,' Ortega said. 4 The street vendors often sell items shoplifted from local stores, according to residents. New York Post 'Two times recently the thieves tell me that they're going to wait for me when I leave. They're not afraid. It is not changing. It is the same.' Through it all, he said AOC 'doesn't come here.' Advertisement Local leaders sent letters to the Trump administration asking the FBI and Homeland Security to intervene and break up the migrant gangs and lawlessness on Roosevelt Avenue. Last month, the feds charged a gang of illegal migrants with extorting brothels, beating up rivals and selling drugs and phony IDs along Roosevelt Avenue to finance an illicit network based in El Salvador. Much more needs to be done and residents in the corridor could use AOC's help, said former Councilman Hiram Monserrate — a neighborhood activist who used to rep the area and resides in East Elmhurst. Advertisement 'We want our Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to use her platform to bring in more police officers to stabilize the area. We want our community back,' Monserrate said. Monserrate said the NYPD put a dent in the lawlessness during its 90-day Operation Restore Roosevelt operation. But the department scaled back its presence after the surge, he said. Crime dropped 28% amid beefed up police enforcement, the mayor said last month. Gov. Kathy Hochul last fall also dispatched 100 state troopers to assist the NYPD along Roosevelt. Advertisement 'We need them back,' Monserrate said, referring to a larger police presence. Ocasio-Cortez's rep on Sunday defended her advocacy to improve the quality of life along Roosevelt Avenue in Corona-East Elmhurst, particularly citing a meeting the congresswoman attended with constituents last Friday about the proliferation of vendors in and around Corona Plaza. 'The congresswoman is focused on solutions not credit. She has done multiple cleanups of the plaza on the other side, and on the official side has worked with DOT to fix street lights and improve sanitation,' said Ocasio-Cortez congressional spokeswoman Karla Santillan. Advertisement She referred The Post to AOC's statement on X about the meeting. 'Happy to be back in Corona Plaza to continue our team's conversations with vendors and local business owners about our coordinated efforts to make Roosevelt Avenue a safer and cleaner place,' Ocasio-Cortez said.
New York Post
2 minutes ago
- New York Post
NYC's ‘We're With Colbert' rally for late-night host is a bust with just 20 protesters
What a joke. A Big Apple rally in support of on-his-way-out 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert drew fewer than two dozen people Sunday — with even the NYPD cops on scene quickly calling it a day since most of the demonstrators left after just a few minutes. Organizers said the 'We're With Colbert' gathering outside the CBS Broadcast Center on Manhattan's West Side said it was meant to be part of a nationwide call for 'integrity.' Advertisement 4 Demonstrators gather outside CBS' offices in Manhattan on Sunday to protest the end of the 'Late Show' with Stephen Colbert. REUTERS 4 Colbert was told this was his last season on CBS, sparking controversy on both sides. CBS 'Our country is not perfect, never has been,' said the event's organizer, who would only identify himself as Matt and said his nickname is 'Slim.' Advertisement 'But we've always had the First Amendment, and now Mango Mussolini is trying to take that from us,' he said, referring to a derogatory nickname for President Trump. CBS said declining viewership and diminishing profits led to its decision to end the show in May 2026, effectively firing the 61-year-old talk-show host Colbert — but critics claim the network bowed to pressure from Trump. 4 CBS officials said the decision to fire Colbert was the result of growing costs and diminishing viewership. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post 4 The number of protesters at Sunday's 'We're With Colbert' rally topped off at about 20 at its peak. REUTERS Advertisement CBS's parent company finalized an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media shortly after Colbert was told he was on his last season. The merger required federal approval. Colbert has also been among the top talk-show hosts who routinely roast Trump. 'This is a First Amendment attack,' a protester who refused to give her name said of the closing-down of the show. 'We can't stand for that.' Advertisement Still, Colbert has also come under fire for featuring predominantly lefty-leaning guests. According to the right-leaning group MRC NewsBusters, Colbert has had 176 liberal guests and only one Republican on his show since 2022.
