November 9, 2023 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hunter Biden’s attorney says subpoenas issued by House Republicans to members of President Joe Biden’s family are a “political stunt.” Wednesday’s subpoenas are the most aggressive step yet by Republicans in an impeachment inquiry bitterly opposed by Democrats. The move by House Oversight Committee chair James Comer to subpoena the Democratic president’s son Hunter and brother James comes as Republicans look to gain ground in their nearly yearlong investigation. The Republicans have thus far failed to uncover evidence directly implicating the president in any wrongdoing. The White House and the family’s lawyers say the investigation has been a political ploy but Hunter’s attorney indicated that he could be inclined to appear “at the right time.”
November 9, 2023 5:01 am
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A judge in Michigan is expected to hear arguments Thursday on whether Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has the authority to keep Donald Trump’s name off state ballots for president. Activists are suing to force Benson to keep the former president’s name off ballots. His attorneys are demanding that Trump be allowed on the 2024 Republican primary ballot. Liberal groups have filed similar lawsuits in other states, portraying Trump as the inciter of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. Activists point to part of the U.S. Constitution that prohibits a person from running for federal office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. or given aid or comfort to those who have.
November 9, 2023 5:00 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s actors union has reached a deal with studios to end its strike. The contract agreement reached Wednesday must still be approved by the union’s board and its members, but the leadership said actors will be allowed to return to work starting Thursday. They can rejoin writers, whose own long strike ended in late September. For the first times since spring, all the parts of Hollywood production will be back in action. The actors chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland tells The Associated Press that they reached a deal that was worth the cost on issues including pay and the use of artificial intelligence in production.
November 9, 2023 4:58 am
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes pounded Gaza City overnight as ground forces battled Hamas militants in dense urban neighborhoods from which tens of thousands have fled in recent days. Israel has been vague on troop movements, but officials say Gaza’s largest city is the focus of their campaign to crush Hamas’ military and governing capabilities following its deadly Oct. 7 assault inside Israel. Officials told The Associated Press that international mediators are closing in on a possible deal for a three-day humanitarian cease-fire in exchange for the release of around a dozen of the estimated 240 hostages captured by Hamas.
November 9, 2023 2:54 am
A Centerville teenager that was driving at an excessive speed when he crashed his car into an embankment killing a passenger learned his fate in court on Wednesday. Nineteen year old Ruben Miller pleaded guilty to a single charge of misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter. According to State police, Miller was travelling 65-80 mph on Sunset Dr. in West Pike Run Twp. before the fatal crash that killed 13 year old Jayden Anderson of Fredricktown and injured another passenger. Miller received 5 years probation with 9 months on electronic home monitoring. He was initially charged with felony vehicular homicide. Anderson’s mother Heather Laidella asked for a lighter sentence for Miller, stating that her son and Miller were just like brothers. She said that Miller has “already sentenced himself to life in prison without parole.” She has forgiven Miller and does not want to hinder his future life.
November 8, 2023 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans are divided over Israel’s response to Hamas’ attack one month ago. That is according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. While 40% of Americans believe Israel has gone too far, 38% said the counterattack has been appropriate. Only 36% said it’s extremely or very important to provide aid to Israel’s military to fight Hamas. At the same time, Americans have become more likely to describe Israel as an ally that shares U.S. interests and values since the war began. The poll was conducted from Nov. 2 to 6.
November 8, 2023 5:03 am
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s Ivanka Trump’s turn to take the witness stand in the civil fraud trial that is publicly probing into former President Donald Trump’s family business. His eldest daughter is due to testify Wednesday, after trying unsuccessfully to block her testimony. She’s following her father and her brothers Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump to the stand. Ivanka Trump has been in her father’s inner circle in both business and politics. But unlike him and her brothers, she was dismissed as a defendant in the New York attorney general’s lawsuit. It alleges that Donald Trump’s asset values were fraudulently pumped up for years on financial statements that helped him get loans and insurance. He and other defendants deny wrongdoing.
November 8, 2023 5:00 am
MIAMI (AP) — The third Republican debate will prominently feature foreign policy and Israel’s offensive in response to Hamas’ attack. But the five candidates on stage are also hoping to distinguish themselves as the top rival to former President Donald Trump. They’ll try to do so without Trump being there. While the debate is going on Wednesday night in Miami, Trump will be holding his own rally in a nearby suburb. Many of the candidates have gone after each other hoping to break out as a viable alternative to the former president. They emphasize their differences on foreign policy but also ripping Trump for criticizing Israel’s prime minister and suggesting the militant group Hezbollah was “very smart.”
November 8, 2023 4:58 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have plenty of good news to celebrate in Tuesday’s off-year elections and more evidence that they can win races centered on the national debate over abortion. Abortion rights supporters won big in an Ohio ballot measure. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear was reelected in Kentucky after running television ads painting his challenger as extremist on abortion. And Virginia’s statehouse will be fully in Democratic control, preventing state Republicans from pursuing new abortion restrictions and delivering a big loss to Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The off-year elections provide a snapshot of American politics heading into 2024. But two big names — Joe Biden and Donald Trump — weren’t on the ballot this time.
November 8, 2023 4:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to censure Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan for her rhetoric about the Israel-Hamas war. Tuesday night’s action was an extraordinary rebuke of the only Palestinian American in Congress. The resolution to censure Tlaib was introduced by Republican Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia in response to what he called Tlaib’s antisemitic rhetoric. The debate on the censure resolution was emotional and intense. With other Democrats standing by her side, Tlaib defended her stance, saying she “will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words.” Lawmakers who opposed censuring Tlaib cited free speech and warned of the precedent it would set.
