Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some really pressing stories to share with you right now, and here’s what’s going on.
The U.S. Supreme Court rules against the Biden administration regarding a Texas abortion law, a controversial Georgia abortion law is reinstated, and Vice President Kamala Harris sits for a primetime interview explaining her shifting positions.
Also, you may be surprised about an item that Costco continually sells out of, and the IRS has an important reminder for anybody who hasn’t filed their taxes yet.
Supreme Court Tosses Biden Admin’s Appeal
The justices left intact a ruling, which was issued by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in favor of Texas as they handed down their decision on Monday without comment.At the heart of the Texas case is the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). That’s a federal law requiring emergency rooms in hospitals that receive Medicare funds to provide “necessary stabilizing treatment” to patients who arrive with an “emergency medical condition.” When it comes to pregnant women, an emergency medical condition would include one that endangers the health of the woman or her unborn child.
So, following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued guidance that says abortion qualifies as stabilizing care under EMTALA.
While the federal law leaves it up to the doctor to determine what is an emergency medical condition for a pregnant woman, the guidance listed specific examples—such as ectopic pregnancy, complications from miscarriage, and severe preeclampsia—that HHS said would necessitate abortion to stabilize a patient.
Texas responded by suing HHS, arguing that it overstepped its authority. Its guidance, said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, introduced new abortion-related requirements that “do not exist under federal law” and would transform “every emergency room in the country into a walk-in abortion clinic.”
You should know that both a district court and the 5th Circuit court sided with Texas, ruling that EMTALA does not preempt the restrictions under Texas law when it comes to abortion.
Georgia Supreme Court Rules on Abortion
A judge’s ruling striking down Georgia’s abortion ban was stayed on Monday by the state’s high court. The stay means the ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected will go back into effect as the case proceeds in the courts.You should know the law states that abortion is not authorized if the heartbeat of an unborn child has been detected. Exceptions include cases where doctors determine a medical emergency exists and, in some instances, incest or rape.
By the way, the abortion bill was approved by the Georgia Legislature in 2019 and the law took effect in 2020.
So you know, six justices granted state officials’ request to reinstate the law after a county judge ruled last month that it violates the right of women in the state to have an abortion. In his ruling, the judge said that Georgia’s Constitution gives residents liberty, and that liberty includes the right of a woman to “control what happens to and within her body.”
The stay will remain in place as the state lodges an appeal, which will be heard in due course. The ban could become permanent or ultimately be withdrawn.
Harris Asked to Explain Policy Shifts
Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz just appeared on CBS' “60 Minutes.” They discussed a wide range of topics including ongoing wars, the economy, and immigration.In Monday night’s pre-taped interview, Harris was asked to clarify her shifting positions on fracking and border security. She responded by saying that she’s “been listening to folks and seeking what is possible in terms of common ground,” and that she believes in building consensus.
In prior interviews, Harris shocked people by revealing that she owned a gun. CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker addressed the issue and asked Harris what type of gun she owned. She said she owns a Glock and has had it for some time, saying that her background is in law enforcement.
Harris also faced several questions regarding the funding of her economic plan, which includes the expansion of the child tax credit. She maintained her position that she would increase taxes on the wealthy.
When questioned about Congress’s hesitation to raise taxes and how she would achieve consensus on the matter, she defended her position, saying there are “a lot of folks in Congress” who agree with her on taxes.
Meanwhile, in a separate interview with “60 Minutes,” her running mate was asked whether he could be trusted after falsely claiming he was in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Walz said he thinks he could, saying he’s a “knucklehead at times,” but that the people who know him say that he keeps his word.
On a final note, former President Donald Trump declined an interview with “60 Minutes” for its election special. The network said he changed his mind last week, after initially agreeing to a sit-down at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The communications director for the Trump campaign disputed that, saying despite initial discussions, “nothing was ever scheduled or locked in.”
You should know that recent polls show Harris and Trump are tied in all seven battleground states.
Latest Development on Costco Gold Bar Sales
Costco shoppers can’t get enough of the store’s 1-ounce gold bars despite the precious metal’s record-high prices in recent months.A Bloomberg survey found that around 77 percent of Costco outlets that sell bullion bars were sold out in the first week of October. The apparently high number of sales has not slowed down, despite gold prices surging in the past year or so.
By the way, in the past 12 months, gold is up about 41 percent, and currently selling for just over $2,600 per ounce. So you know, this past April, Wells Fargo estimated that Costco is selling up to $200 million in gold per month. They say it’s due to Costco’s aggressive pricing and high level of customer trust.
Costco Chief Financial Officer Gary Millerchip told Bloomberg that gold and silver are a “meaningful part” of the company’s growth, adding that Costco is happy to be able to offer those products.
Interesting to note, the big box store is hoping to achieve the same success with platinum bars and coins. Just last week, it listed Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf coins and Swiss-made one-ounce platinum bars for just under $1,100.
IRS Issues October Reminder
You have until Oct. 15 to file your 2023 federal income tax return.The IRS says that making the payment on or before that date will prevent “possible late filing penalties.” It says you can still file your taxes electronically, and filing options, including IRS Free File, are still available.
Meanwhile, citizens who live in areas covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster declarations and those returning from a combat zone may qualify for additional time to file their taxes.
Besides natural disasters, U.S. citizens who were impacted by the terrorist attacks in Israel have been given until Sept. 30, 2025, to file their 2023 returns and pay any tax due.
You should know that members of the military and qualifying veterans can use a free online service, MilTax, to file returns and up to three state income tax returns. With this exclusive service, individuals within the community can complete their filing with specialized software and connect with tax professionals for free. By the way, military members are typically given 180 days after they leave a combat zone to file returns.
Interesting to note, the agency’s Direct Filing program is set to expand, and more than 30 million Americans across 24 states will be eligible in the filing season of 2025. More than 140,000 taxpayers across 12 states have already used the program, which reportedly had “overwhelmingly positive” reviews.
And now, it looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re going to call it a wrap for the Wednesday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
*(Don’t forget the News Brief Motto): We’re portable, affordable, and always on-demand.
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from Elvis Presley, who said: “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t going away.”
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
The Epoch Times News Brief program was written today by Sharon Reardon.
Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased daily synopsis of many of the news stories you need to know about.
Enjoy the remainder of your Wednesday, and we’ll see you right back here next time for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief. For now, let’s all continue to watch out for one another, and have an absolutely superb day today. Bye for now.
