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AP
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government announces new measures to lower fuel prices. This comes ahead of the presidential election's second round in just over two weeks. Fuel costs are a sensitive issue for voters, who will decide on October 25 between Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula. A new decree eliminates federal taxes on gasoline imports and sales for 30 days. Ethanol tax exemptions and subsidies are also extended. The government will provide additional subsidies to diesel importers.
AP
A first-in-the-nation proposal in California to tax billionaires could test voters' appetite for levying a wealth tax on the ultra-rich. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is headlining events to urge Californians to pass the measure. But it faces significant political headwinds. Billionaires are spending millions to fight the tax. And Democratic Gov. Gavin 69ÂÜÀòom and other major players in the state capital are warning that it could have unintended consequences. They are worried that wealthy residents are leaving the state and taking what they would have contributed in income tax revenue with them.
AP
The Democratic National Committee has sued the Trump administration over recent TV ads promoting the president. Its lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the ads are government-sponsored propaganda that runs afoul of federal law and asks a judge to block the use of federal funds to pay for them. The ads began in September and have cost taxpayers at least $12 million out of a contracted $20 million. President Donald Trump has defended the ads as positive promotion for the country. But in response to bipartisan backlash, he has said he’ll pay for them through his super PAC going forward.
AP
Farmers, truckers, and economists say cutting taxes on diesel may not ease record-high fuel prices. Prices have soared since the U.S. attacked Iran months ago, with diesel prices averaging $6.30 per gallon on Wednesday. Industry groups said they appreciate President Donald Trump's executive order expanding the use of off-road diesel, but many farmers already have access to it and truckers face challenges with varying state rules. The order defers the $0.24 federal tax per gallon until the end of the year, and experts warn that easing limits may increase competition for the dyed diesel.
AP
A day after President Donald Trump said he would start paying for controversial taxpayer-funded ads with a campaign account, a White House official insisting on anonymity said Trump’s promises don’t mean there’s any reimbursement coming. Some $12 million worth of ads have already aired as part of a $20 million campaign using money Congress appropriated for the Department of Homeland Security. The White House also sought to clarify Trump’s comments that the U.S. should let Iran attack Los Angeles and San Diego, saying that the president wants to protect the US from nuclear war. Californians say no president should suggest that it’s OK to consider Americans collateral damage.
AP
Spain's government is expected to approve urgent measures on the country's housing crisis. This follows an outbreak of violence in Barcelona on Monday night, where tens of thousands took to the streets. The turmoil in Barcelona followed protests across the country over the weekend, sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government is expected to approve measures similar to those rejected by Parliament last Friday. The new measures aim to extend protection against evictions, regulate room rentals, and impose a tax on seasonal rentals. Rising costs and a housing shortage are pricing many Spaniards out of the market.
AP
President Donald Trump is trying to rally voters in the Dayton, Ohio, area on Saturday. But days ago, 1,400 workers were laid off from a truck factory there. The November midterms are a test for the working-class coalition that lifted Trump into the White House and gave Republicans control of Congress. The outcome will be decided in places like Dayton. It lost factories to Mexico, though has been on the rebound recently. But voters are concerned about the high cost of living and say Trump's policies aren't helping them. Trump has scoffed at concerns about affordability, and has said the only thing hurting his party is bad public relations.
AP
Betting that funding will be restored, some Texas agencies accept Flock’s offer to keep cameras on
Dallas will keep over 300 Flock Safety cameras after the company paused payments for 90 days. This move follows Governor Greg Abbott's funding freeze for the cameras. Other areas like Addison and New Braunfels have also received extensions. Local officials say without Flock's help, they would have shut down the devices. Abbott's freeze, initiated in late August, has led to many cameras being turned off. The funding pause aims to give departments time to find new funding sources. The cameras have sparked privacy concerns, with some lawmakers considering bills to restrict or ban them.
AP
A new report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and University of Illinois Project for Middle Class Renewal projects $57 billion in new data center developments over the next decade to generate thousands of jobs and millions in property tax revenues in Illinois. The report predicts those data centers’ energy use will add an average $12 to Illinoisans’ monthly bills. Utility watchdogs fear the impact will be much higher and question whether the promised jobs will materialize. Both the skeptics and those who hope to attract data centers for the jobs agree that lawmakers need to pass regulations to guide development and protect ratepayers.
AP
The Trump administration has proposed a change to the 1040 tax form that will require Americans to disclose their citizenship and residency status. Officials argue the goal is to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. Critics express privacy concerns, saying this information isn't needed to process returns. It's the latest effort by the Trump administration to use the IRS to pursue its immigration policies.