Author: admin

By COLLEEN LONG and ZEKE MILLER, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — Just moments before leaving office, President Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier, who was convicted in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.Peltier was denied parole as recently as July and wasn’t eligible for parole again until 2026. He was serving life in prison for the deaths of the agents during a standoff on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He will transition to home confinement, Biden said in a statement.FILE – Marchers carry a large painting of jailed American Indian Leonard Peltier during a…

By MARC LEVY, Associated PressHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The bitcoin-friendly administration of President-elect Donald Trump and an expanding lobbying effort in statehouses could push states to become more open to crypto and lead public pension funds and treasuries to buy into it.Proponents of the uniquely volatile commodity argue it is a valuable hedge against inflation, similar to gold.Many bitcoin enthusiasts and investors are quick to say government-backed currencies are prone to devaluation and increased government buy-ins will stabilize future price swings, giving them more legitimacy and boosting already rising prices.But the risks are significant. Critics say crypto investments are highly…

By STEVE PEOPLES, NICHOLAS RICCARDI and BILL BARROWNEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump’s second inaugural address featured similar themes to his first: a sweeping indictment of the country he inherits and grand promises to fix its problems.Eight years ago, Trump described “American carnage” and promised to end it immediately. On Monday, he declared that the country’s “decline” will end immediately, ushering in “the golden age of America.”Trump added a long list of policies that sounded more like a State of the Union speech than an Inauguration Day speech. But the broad themes were fundamentally Trumpian, setting himself up as…

By Taryn Phaneuf, NerdWalletAs “day 1” of the new Trump administration approaches, one of its highest policy priorities could have a profound impact on consumers’ wallets.Based on what’s known so far about President-Elect Donald Trump’s plan to raise tariffs on all imported goods, it’s likely U.S. shoppers would see prices rise for a wide range of items, including: Everyday essentials like food, gas and clothing. Luxuries like consumer electronics, jewelry and cosmetics. Major purchases like new cars and homes. Goods made by U.S. manufacturers using imported raw materials and equipment. That’s because tariffs are paid by the domestic companies importing…

By MATT BROWNWASHINGTON — When President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in as president of the United States inside the Capitol’s rotunda, he will do so facing a bust of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the federal holiday commemorating King’s legacy.It’s a disquieting contrast for some civil rights advocates who wish to fulfill the late reverend’s dream of non-violent social revolution.Events honoring King and advocating for his vision of a just society will occur across the nation as many in the U.S. observe the peaceful transfer of power in the capital. The concurrent events have been met with mixed…

Jeff Torborg, the former catcher who caught Sandy Koufax’s perfect game and was the 1990 AL manager of the year with the Chicago White Sox, died Sunday. He was 83.The White Sox said on social media that Torborg — who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2010 — died in his hometown of Westfield, New Jersey. A cause of death wasn’t given.“I am heartbroken,” former White Sox player and manager Ozzie Guillen posted on X. “My mentor and my friend has passed away. Someone who truly understood me and gave me a chance to lead, to be a captain. So…

Construction on a 200-room, four-story hotel recently began at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Cabazon.The Morongo Band of Mission Indians is building the hotel in partnership with Marnell Hospitality and Tharaldson Hospitality.It is expected to open in early 2026 as a dual-branded Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites hotel.The tribe expects to add “dozens of permanent new jobs and new economic opportunities to the San Gorgonio Pass.”In other tribe news, applications are being accepted until Jan. 24 for its 2025 Community Outreach Awards Program, which gives out dozens of awards of up to $5,000, are open until Friday, Jan.…

As another windstorm was set to hit Southern California starting Monday, Jan. 20, fire crews were nearing full containment of the Eaton fire and made a marginal increase in containment of the Palisades fire overnight into Monday morning, officials said.Air resources continued to assist firefighters battling the Eaton by extinguishing hot spots in steep terrain near Winters Creek, Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson, Angeles National Forest officials said Monday. The fire was now 87% contained.Officials also slightly downgraded the acreage of the fire, which now stands at 14,021, nearly 100 acres less than what had been reported for most of…

FILE – Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pa., as moderator South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) FILE – A sign is displayed at an electric vehicle charging station, March 8, 2024, in London, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File) FILE – The Marriner S. Eccles Federal Reserve Board Building is seen in Washington, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) FILE – Amazon Web Services data center is seen on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024,…

By GISELA SALOMON, SOPHIA TAREEN and REBECCA SANTANA, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is going to issue a series of orders aimed at remaking America’s immigration policies, ending asylum access, sending troops to the southern border and ending birthright citizenship, an incoming White House official said.But it’s unclear how Trump would carry out some of his executive orders, including ending automatic citizenship for everyone born in the country, while others were expected to be immediately challenged in the courts.The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview some of the orders expected later Monday.Immigrant communities were bracing…