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North Korea says Kim Jong Un is back home from Russia, where he deepened ‘comradely’ ties with Putin

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Tuesday that leader Kim Jong Un has returned home from a trip to Russia where he deepened a “comradely fellowship and friendly ties” with President Vladimir Putin. The official Korean Central News Agency didn’t give many specifics on the six-day trip that was Kim’s longest foreign travel since he took power in late 2011. Kim visited several military sites in Russia and said in live comments last week that his country offered “full and unconditional support” to Putin. KCNA also said in an earlier report from his trip that Kim and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed expanding “strategic and tactical coordination” between the countries’ armed forces.His comments and itinerary raised concerns about possible arms deals, in which North Korea could supply ammunition to refill Russia’s drained inventory in the second year of the war in Ukraine in return for receiving Russian technologies to modernize his nuclear weapons arsenals. U.S. ...

Hunter Biden has gone on the offensive against Republicans. That could be tricky for the president.

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden has gone on the offensive against his Republican critics, arguing in a new lawsuit that although he is the son of the president of the United States, he shouldn’t be treated differently than any other American.The lawsuit against the IRS is only the latest in a series of counterpunches by the president’s son. But while Hunter Biden’s lawyers might think that an aggressive approach is the best legal strategy for Biden the son, that might not be what’s best for Biden the father as he seeks reelection and tries to keep the public focused on his policy achievements. The president has had little to say about his son’s legal woes — which now include a felony indictment — beyond that Hunter did nothing wrong and he loves his son. The White House strategy has been to keep the elder Biden head-down and focused on governing, reasoning that that’s what voters will prioritize, while working to keep Hunter’s troubles at arm’s dis...

Florida jury pool could give Trump an advantage in classified documents case

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — The classified documents indictment of Donald Trump would seem, on paper at least, to be the most straightforward of the four criminal cases the former president is facing.Reams of classified files were stashed in Trump’s office and storage room and he boastfully showed off to guests one such document he acknowledged was “secret,” federal prosecutors have alleged. His own lawyer is quoted in the indictment as saying Trump encouraged him to mislead investigators who demanded the documents back, and prosecutors have since secured the cooperation of a Mar-a-Lago staffer who says the ex-president asked about deleting surveillance footage at the Palm Beach property.But that doesn’t make the path to conviction easy, particularly with the case set for trial in a Florida courthouse expected to draw its jury pool from a conservative-leaning region of the state that supported Trump in the 2020 election. Those built-in demographics may be a challenge for prosecutors de...

Political divide emerges on Ukraine aid package as Zelenskyy heads to Washington

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington this week comes at a critical juncture for his alliance with the United States as Republican leaders in Congress diverge on how to send more military and humanitarian aid to the country. President Joe Biden is seeking an additional $24 billion in security and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, in line with his promise to help the country for “as long as it takes” to oust Russia from its borders. But ratification of Biden’s request is deeply uncertain thanks to a growing partisan divide in Congress about how to proceed. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has told reporters that he wants more Ukraine aid to be debated on its own merits as a standalone bill, rather than attaching it to other priorities like government funding. But the Senate has other ideas. Leaders in the chamber would like to combine the Ukraine aid with other priorities, such as a short-term spending bill that will likely be ...

Most Americans view Israel as a partner, but fewer see it as sharing US values, AP-NORC poll shows

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — As President Joe Biden prepares to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week in New York, a new poll finds that while Americans generally view Israel as a partner or ally, many question whether his far-right government shares American values.The poll results from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the meeting come during a new period of tension between the Biden administration and Israel. Those tensions are caused by Netanyahu’s proposed judicial overhaul that has sparked mass protests in major Israeli cities, ongoing disagreements over how to deal with Iran and how to approach the Palestinians, and comments from Netanyahu political allies that have irked U.S. officials.Despite the friction, Biden, who spoke out in barely disguised opposition to the judicial plan, and Netanyahu are expected to project a solid partnership in which the U.S. continues to support Israel’s security.Biden will also emphasize that the...

US firms in China say vague rules, tensions with Washington, hurting business, survey shows

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

American companies operating in China view tensions with Washington over technology, trade and other issues as a major hindrance for their businesses there, according to a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. The survey released Tuesday showed a continued downgrading of China’s importance as an overseas destination for investment, even though two-thirds of the 325 companies responding said they had no immediate plans to change their China strategy. Just over one in five of the companies surveyed said they were decreasing their investment in China this year, with the top reason being uncertainty about the U.S.-China trade relationship, followed by expectations of slower growth in China, it said.Overall, the survey showed sentiment worsened from last year, when companies were embroiled in disruptions from “zero-COVID” policies that caused parts of entire cities, transport networks and travel to be shut down, sometimes for weeks at a time.Such disruptions were ...

Control of the Pennsylvania House will again hinge on result of a special election

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Control of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives will again be determined by the results of a special election, this time a race being held Tuesday to fill the seat of a Pittsburgh lawmaker whose resignation put the chamber at a 101-101 partisan tie.If voters in the heavily-Democratic district cast their ballots for former congressional staffer Lindsay Powell, Democrats will keep the slight majority they previously had. The party has defended its majority in a series of special elections since November. A win for Erin Connolly Autenreith, a real estate agent and local Republican chairperson, would tilt the partisan divide back to the Republicans, who lost their majority for the first time in 12 years last year.With either outcome, Pennsylvania’s government will remain divided with Democrat Josh Shapiro in the governor’s office and Republicans holding a Senate majority.Powell, 32, highlighted recent legislation that Democrats advanced with their n...

Families upended by school shootings share trauma in push for gun law changes, but get mixed results

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — For nearly a week, families whose lives were upended by a Nashville elementary school shooting took turns sharing dark details to Tennessee lawmakers.Their children thought they were going to die. A teacher told students to race each other, knowing they needed to get some place safe quickly to avoid the spray of bullets. Children died after fire alarm evacuation protocols led one class to collide with the shooter in a hallway.The parents who testified spilled their own stories, but also carried the weight of representing and speaking for the six people — including three children — who were killed by a shooter on March 27 inside The Covenant School. They hoped that doing so during a brief special session in August would compel lawmakers to pass meaningful legislation.“To me, that was the most nerve-wracking piece,” said Melissa Alexander, whose child attends Covenant. “Trying to tell someone else’s story in the most perfect way, it’s not easy.̶...

Rudy Giuliani sued over $1.4 million in unpaid legal fees

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

By Joel Rosenblatt, BloombergThe law firm that represented Rudy Giuliani sued him for $1.4 million in unpaid fees racked up over the course of various law suits and investigations the former New York City mayor has faced even as he has claimed to be close to broke.Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP billed Giuliani for $1.57 million, but he has only paid $214,000, the firm said in a complaint filed Monday in New York state court. Giuliani has broken the retainer agreement he signed with the firm, according to the filing. His last payment was made Sept. 14 for $10,000.Giuliani faces a slew of civil and criminal complaints, most stemming from his efforts to keep former President Donald Trump in office after he lost the 2020 election. Davidoff Hutcher & Citron said it represented Giuliani from November 2019 to July in cases that included a criminal investigation in New York, another in Fulton County, Georgia, and more than 10 civil lawsuits.A Giuliani spokesman didn’t immediately res...

Mama bear and cubs enjoy quick swim in Tujunga backyard

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:41:20 GMT

Some Tujunga homeowners found some unexpected guests enjoying their backyard amenities last month. The couple found a bear and her two cubs taking a dip in their pool behind their house on Hillhaven Drive. The homeowners, Jon and Karen Von Gunten, say the bears came out of Rowley Canyon, which connects to the Angeles National Forest, in search of a place to cool down in the scorching temperatures. The couple captured a video of the bears taking a quick dip in the pool and enjoying some fun play time, before heading back into the forest. “I’m just glad I wasn’t in the pool,” said one of the homeowners while recording the video. Throughout the summer months, bear sightings and encounters have become more frequent in Southern California. If you find yourself face-to-face with a bear, the National Park Service offers these tips to stay safe:-Identify yourself by talking calmly so the bear knows you are a human and not a prey animal. Remain still; stand your ground bu...