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George Santos faces arraignment on new fraud indictment in New York

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos is set to be arraigned Friday on a revised indictment accusing him of several frauds, including making tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges on credit cards belonging to some of his campaign donors.The New York Republican was scheduled to appear at a courthouse on Long Island to enter a plea to the new allegations. He has already pleaded not guilty to other charges, first filed in May, accusing him of lying to Congress about his wealth, applying for and receiving unemployment benefits, even though he had a job, and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses like designer clothing.Santos has been free on bail while he awaits trial. He has denied any serious wrongdoing and blamed irregularities in his government regulatory filings on his former campaign treasurer, Nancy Marks, who he claims “went rogue.”Marks in turn has implicated Santos. She told a judge when she recently pleaded guilty to a fraud consp...

The sudden death of former China’s No. 2 leader Li Keqiang has shocked many

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — The sudden death of former China’s No. 2 leader Li Keqiang has shocked many people in the country, and they are paying tribute to the ex-official who promised market-oriented reforms but was politically sidelined. Li, who died Friday of a heart attack, was China’s top economic official for a decade, helping navigate the world’s second-largest economy through challenges such as tensions with the United States and the COVID-19 pandemic.He was known for his advocacy of private business but lost much of his influence as President Xi Jinping accumulated ever-greater powers and elevated the military and security services in aid of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”A hashtag related to his death on the Chinese social media platform Weibo drew over 1 billion views in just a few hours. On posts about Li, the “like” button was turned into a daisy — a common flower for funerals in China, many users commented “rest in peace” and some said the news was “hard t...

Her 6-year-old son shot his teacher. Now she is being sentenced for child neglect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — The mother of a 6-year-old who shot his teacher in Virginia is expected to be sentenced Friday for felony child neglect, 10 months after her son used her handgun to critically wound the educator.Deja Taylor faces up to five years behind bars. But as part of a plea deal, prosecutors will recommend a six-month sentence that falls within state guidelines. A judge will ultimately decide Taylor’s punishment. Taylor’s sentencing offers the first measure of accountability for January’s classroom shooting, which revived a national dialogue about gun violence and roiled the military shipbuilding city of Newport News.The bullet fired from Taylor’s gun struck first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner in the hand and chest. She spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and has endured multiple surgeries.Taylor told police she believed her 9mm handgun was secured at home with a trigger lock. But authorities said they never found a lock during searches of the home. Taylor...

What’s streaming now: ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version),’ Emily Blunt and ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” a Paramount+ documentary on the duo Milli Vanilli examining one of music’s biggest lip-syncing scandals and the horror movie “Five Nights at Freddy’s” are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near youAmong the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are Julian Fellowes’ “The Gilded Age” back for a second season on HBO and Hollywood’s latest attempt to delve into the opioid crisis with the glossy “Pain Hustlers,” starring Emily Blunt, Chris Evans and Andy Garcia.NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— Hollywood’s latest attempt to delve into the opioid crisis is the glossy, starry “Pain Hustlers,” starring Emily Blunt, Chris Evans and Andy Garcia. Based on a New York Times Magazine article (which then became a book) by Evan Hughes, “Pain Hustlers,” on Netflix now, centers on a pharmaceutical startup, Insys Therapeutics, which engaged in criminal activities like bribery and kickb...

Biden will face a primary bid from Rep. Dean Phillips, who says Democrats need to focus on future

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — For months, Dean Phillips has been calling for a Democratic primary challenge to President Joe Biden. He’s drawn no public interest from governors, lawmakers, and other would-be alternatives.On Friday, the Minnesota congressman will finally enter the race himself.The 54-year-old Phillips has scheduled a campaign announcement Friday morning at the New Hampshire statehouse in Concord. Asked by CBS News in an interview posted late Thursday if he was running for president, Phillips responded: “I am. I have to.”“I think President Biden has done a spectacular job for our country,” he said. “But it’s not about the past. This is an election about the future.”While Phillips is highly unlikely to beat Biden, a run would offer a symbolic challenge to national Democrats trying to project the idea that there is no reason to doubt the president’s electability — even as many Americans question whether the 80-year-old Biden should serve another term. Phillips may al...

Republicans hope the chaos of recent weeks will become a distant memory in next year’s elections

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — “Embarrassing,” “chaotic” and “irresponsible.” And those were just the words that House Republicans used to describe the past three weeks as they removed one speaker from office and splintered over three successive nominees before finally landing on Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La.Now they hope voters won’t hold the GOP’s infighting against them as they seek to hold onto their exceedingly narrow House majority in next year’s election.Republicans already had a tough task on their hands. They can afford to lose only four seats to maintain the majority, and 18 of their incumbents are running in districts won by President Joe Biden in 2020. A Supreme Court decision siding with Black voters in a redistricting lawsuit could give Democrats a pick-up opportunity in Alabama. And Republican Rep. George Santos’ extensive legal troubles will make it harder for the GOP to keep that Long Island-based district in the Republican column.Some Republicans ...

Will Ivanka Trump have to testify at her father’s civil fraud trial? Judge to hear arguments Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Days after former President Donald Trump got a taste of the witness stand, his New York civil business fraud trial is turning to the question of whether his daughter Ivanka will have to testify, too.Friday’s court session is set to start with a hearing on the issue. Ivanka Trump has been dismissed from the case, and lawyers for her family and its business contend that she shouldn’t have to take the stand. New York state lawyers say she should, and they argue that the former Trump Organization executive vice president has relevant information. It’s unclear how soon Judge Arthur Engoron will decide, or when Ivanka Trump would testify if ordered to do so. The civil case, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses the former president, sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and the company of overstating the patriarch’s wealth for years on financial statements that were given to banks, insurers and others to help secure loans and deals. The Trumps a...

China’s top diplomat visits Washington to help stabilize ties and perhaps set up a Biden-Xi summit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — China’s top diplomat is meeting high-level U.S. officials, possibly including President Joe Biden, on a highly watched visit to Washington that could help stabilize U.S.-China ties by facilitating a summit between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, met Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday afternoon, shortly after he landed for the three-day visit and quickly raised hopes that the relationship can be steadied.Before going into their closed-door meeting, Wang said China would seek consensus and cooperation to “push the relationship as soon as possible back to the track of healthy, stable and sustainable development.”Before the meeting, U.S. officials said they would press Wang on the importance of China stepping up its role on the world stage if it wants to be considered a responsible major international player. The U.S. has been disappointed with China over its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine an...

Many Americans say their household expenses are outpacing earnings this year, AP-NORC poll shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — For 12:01 ETAbout 2 in 3 Americans say their household expenses have risen over the last year, but only about 1 in 4 say their income has increased in the same period, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. As household expenses outpace earnings, many are expressing concern about their financial futures. What’s more, for most Americans, household debt has either risen in the last year or has not gone away.Steve Shapiro, 61, who works as an audio engineer in Pittsburgh, said he’d been spending about $100 a week on groceries prior to this past year, but that he’s now shelling out closer to $200.“My income has stayed the same,” he said. “The economy is good on paper, but I’m not doing great.”About 8 in 10 Americans say their overall household debt is higher or about the same as it was a year ago. About half say they currently have credit card debt, 4 in 10 are dealing with auto loans, and about one in four have medical...

Twitter takeover: 1 year later, X struggles with misinformation, advertising and usage decline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:53 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — One year ago, billionaire and new owner Elon Musk walked into Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters with a white bathroom sink and a grin, fired its CEO and other top executives and began transforming the social media platform into what is now known as X. X looks and feels something like Twitter, but the more time you spend on it the clearer it becomes that it’s merely an approximation. Musk has dismantled core features of what made Twitter, Twitter — its name and blue bird logo, its verification system, its Trust and Safety advisory group. Not to mention content moderation and hate speech enforcement. He also fired, laid off or lost the majority of its workforce — engineers who keep the site running, moderators who keep it from being overrun with hate, executives in charge of making rules and enforcing them.The result, long-term Twitter watchers say, has been the end of the platform’s role as an imperfect but useful place to find out what’...