International

International


Self-exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui convicted of defrauding followers after fleeing to US

NEW YORK (AP) — Guo Wengui, a self-exiled Chinese business tycoon whose criticism of the Communist Party won him legions of online followers and powerful friends in the American conservative movement, was convicted by a U.S. jury Tuesday of engaging in a massive multiyear fraud that ripped off some of his most devoted fans. Once […]

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Expert calls NRA’s spending policies a ‘dumpster fire’ as gun group’s civil trial begins a new phase

NEW YORK (AP) — The second phase of the trial in a civil lawsuit against the National Rifle Association began Monday in Manhattan, with New York Attorney General Letitia James seeking an independent monitor to oversee the powerful gun rights group’s finances. In addition, the Democrat wants Wayne LaPierre, the organization’s former CEO, banned from […]

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California is 1st state to ban school rules requiring parents get notified of child’s pronoun change

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California became the first U.S. state to bar school districts from requiring staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identification change under a law signed Monday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law bans school rules requiring teachers and other staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to […]

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Macy’s ends takeover talks with Arkhouse and Brigade citing lack of certainty over financing

Macy’s is terminating its monthslong buyout talks with two investment firms, citing a substandard offer and the lack of certainty over financing.  In announcing the end of negotiations on Monday, Macy’s alleged that Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management did not meet its request for information by a June 25 deadline, including the highest purchase […]

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Venice nets $2.2 million in day-tripper tax pilot. Opponents say it failed to deter visitors

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Venice on Sunday wrapped up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than 2 million euros ($2.2 million) richer and determined to extend the levy, but opponents in the fragile lagoon city called the experiment a failure. Several dozen activists gathered outside the Santa Lucia train station overlooking a […]

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Data of nearly all AT&T customers downloaded from a third-party platform in security breach

The data of nearly all customers of the telecommunications giant AT&T was downloaded from a third-party platform in a security breach, the company said Friday, as cyberattacks against businesses, schools and health systems continue to spread globally.  The breach, which took place in April of this year but mostly involved data from 2022, hit AT&T’s […]

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What’s worse than thieves hacking into your bank account? When they steal your phone number, too

WASHINGTON (AP) — One Monday morning in May, I woke up and grabbed my cell phone to read the news and scroll through memes. But it was out of cell service. I couldn’t make calls or texts.  That, though, turned out to be the least of my problems.  Using my home Wi-Fi connection, I checked […]

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Conservative groups are pushing to clean voter rolls. Others see an effort to sow election distrust

Conservative groups are systematically attempting to challenge the legitimacy of large numbers of voter registrations across the country before the presidential election. The strategy is part of a wider effort raising questions about the integrity of this year’s election as former President Donald Trump repeatedly claims without evidence that his opponents are trying to cheat. […]

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Former Georgia insurance commissioner sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to health care fraud

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal judge on Friday sentenced former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine to serve three-and-a-half years in prison after Oxendine pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones had one question for the 62-year-old Republican, who was elected four times to the office before mounting a […]

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Japan punishes hundreds of defense officials for mishandling classified data and other misconduct

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s defense ministry announced disciplinary action on Friday against more than 200 senior officials and service members over mishandling of classified materials and other misconduct, an embarrassment that could undermine Tokyo’s efforts to work more closely with United States and other partners in the face of China’s growing threat. The Ministry and […]

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One Tech Tip: What to do if your personal info has been exposed in a data breach

LONDON (AP) — Data breaches like the most recent one involving AT&T customers are becoming an almost regular occurrence.  As more of our lives move online, our personal data like email addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and even passcodes are becoming ever more vulnerable to theft or being mistakenly exposed.  In malicious breaches, cybercriminals can use […]

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European Union says X’s blue checks are deceptive ‘dark patterns’ that breach its social media laws

LONDON (AP) — The European Union said Friday that blue checkmarks from Elon Musk’s X are deceptive and that the online platform falls short on transparency and accountability requirements, the first charges against a tech company since the bloc’s new social media regulations took effect.  The European Commission outlined the preliminary findings from its investigation […]

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