Trump offers platitudes while Xi warns of coming confrontation during China summit
BEIJING (AP) — President Donald Trump began his trip to Beijing by calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a friend. His warm words were in stark contrast to Xi, who opened the meeting cautioned about potential conflict between the U.S. and China. The leaders' meeting is expected to feature more symbolism than major breakthroughs on top issues like trade, Taiwan, and Iran. Trump nonetheless praised Xi, while Xi said that the U.S. and China should be partners rather than rivals. The visit included elaborate welcome ceremonies for Trump and discussions on trade. But concrete expected outcomes remain unclear. Economic concerns, including the U.S. war in Iran and its impact on global markets, continue to loom over Trump's China visit.
Netanyahu's secret visit to UAE during the Iran war leads to a breakthrough, his office says
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says that he secretly visited the United Arab Emirates during the Iran war. His office said Wednesday that Netanyahu met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the visit. It added that the visit “resulted in a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates." The announcement comes just a day after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee revealed that Israel had sent Iron Dome air-defense weapons to UAE along with personnel to operate them. The UAE has not commented on the reported visit by the Israeli leader.
Prosecutors to retry Alex Murdaugh in deaths of wife and son after high court overturned convictions
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Alex Murdaugh’s murder convictions and life sentence for the deaths of his wife and son have been overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court because the court clerk at his trial suggested he was guilty. But the disgraced lawyer won’t be leaving prison anytime soon. Prosecutors say they plan to retry Murdaugh, which likely means there will be another lengthy trial for the case that because of the combination of money, power, Southern accents and treachery has become a true crime sensation with several streaming miniseries, best selling books and dozens of true crime podcasts. Murdaugh will remain in prison. He pleaded guilty to stealing around $12 million from his clients and currently is serving a 40-year federal sentence.
Drug counselor who delivered 'Friends' star Matthew Perry ketamine that killed him gets 2 years
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A licensed drug addiction counselor who delivered the ketamine that killed “Friends” star Matthew Perry has been sentenced to two years. Erik Fleming received the sentence in a Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday. He had pleaded guilty to distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming connected Perry with drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, who was previously sentenced to 15 years in prison. Fleming cooperated with authorities and gave up Sangha, leading to a lighter sentence. Fleming became the fourth person sentenced of the five who have pleaded guilty.
Kouri Richins, author of a children’s book on grief, gets life sentence for killing her husband
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — A Utah mother who wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband’s death will serve life in prison without parole for his murder, a judge has ruled. Kouri Richins was convicted in March of poisoning her husband, Eric, with fentanyl in 2022. A jury also found her guilty of insurance fraud, forgery, and attempted murder for a previous poisoning attempt. Prosecutors said she was in debt and had taken out life insurance policies on her husband. Her sons, now in the care of relatives, expressed fear of her release. Richins maintains her innocence and plans to appeal the conviction.
Senate confirms Trump pick Warsh as chairman of the Federal Reserve, following Powell
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed Kevin Warsh as chairman of the Federal Reserve. The vote to confirm Warsh on Wednesday brings new leadership to the world’s most powerful central bank at a fraught moment for the global economy. Warsh’s nomination faced uncertainty after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina threatened to block it while the Justice Department investigated Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The Powell probe was dropped in April, allowing the Warsh confirmation to move forward. Warsh will take over as the Fed confronts stubborn inflation, deep divisions over interest rates and renewed scrutiny from President Donald Trump over its independence.
Doctor on ship who helped care for passengers with hantavirus leaves medical isolation unit
An oncologist traveling on the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak has been cleared to leave a special biocontainment unit in Nebraska, where he was the lone American placed in isolation after he helped care for fellow passengers who became sick on board. Dr. Stephen Kornfeld of Bend, Oregon, was among more than 120 passengers and crew evacuated from the ship and flown to different countries to enter quarantine. Kornfeld was brought to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha with 15 other Americans, but he was the only one taken to an isolated biocontainment unit after a nasal swab he took on the ship produced inconclusive results about whether he had the virus.
Officials say $1.3 billion in Medicaid money to California will be deferred over suspicions of fraud
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is expanding its fraud-busting initiative in federal health programs. Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday announced a $1.3 billion deferral of Medicaid funding to California, which is said to be the largest-ever deferral. The press office of California's governor is disputing the administration's suspicions of fraud. The administration is also imposing a six-month freeze on some new Medicare enrollments and warning states to investigate Medicaid fraud or risk losing funding. The new efforts are part of Vance's anti-fraud task force. Several alleged fraud schemes have been prosecuted in federal health programs, and states have acknowledged it's a legitimate concern. But some have pushed back on the administration’s aggressive tactics.
Survivors of plane crash off Florida were on a life raft for hours with no idea if help was coming
Eleven people who survived a plane crash about 50 miles off the Florida coast were on a life raft for hours and had no idea anyone was coming to save them when rescue crews from the U.S. military arrived. The plane was flying between two airports in the Bahamas when it suffered engine failure Tuesday. The pilot ditched the plane in the ocean, and everyone on board made it onto the life raft. Rescue crews from the Air Force Reserve and the U.S. Coast Guard arrived and hoisted them to safety. Air Force Reserve Maj. Elizabeth Piowaty called it “miraculous” they all survived.
Foreign ticket holders from World Cup qualifying countries won't have to pay bonds to enter US
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is suspending a requirement that foreign visitors from countries that have qualified for the World Cup and have bought tickets for the soccer tournament pay as much as $15,000 in bonds to enter the United States. The department imposed the bond requirement last year for countries that it said had high rates of people overstaying their visas and other security issues. Travelers from 50 countries are required to pay the new bond, and five of those countries have qualified for the World Cup. Citizens from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia who have purchased tickets from FIFA are now exempt from the bond requirement.
