FBI says it's unaware of Savannah Guthrie talking with her mom's suspected kidnappers
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The FBI says it is not aware of ongoing communication between Savannah Guthrie’s family and suspected kidnappers. The FBI said in a statement Monday that it has not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the mysterious disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. Savannah Guthrie said the family was “at an hour of desperation” in a video released Monday. She said her family in Arizona continues to believe her mother is out there and hearing everyone’s prayers. By Monday evening, a purported ransom deadline apparently set by her mom’s abductors appeared to have passed.
Ghislaine Maxwell appeals for clemency from Trump as she declines to answer questions from lawmakers
WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers have tried to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, but the former girlfriend and confidant of Jeffrey Epstein invoked her Fifth Amendment rights to avoid answering questions that would be incriminating. An attorney for Maxwell also told lawmakers that if President Donald Trump ended her prison sentence, she would be willing to testify that neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton were culpable for wrongdoing in their relationships with Epstein. The House Oversight Committee had wanted Maxwell to answer questions during a video call to the federal prison camp in Texas where she’s serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking
Democrats say White House offer on ICE is 'insufficient' as Homeland Security funding set to expire
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic leaders say a proposal from the White House is “incomplete and insufficient” as they are demanding new restrictions on President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and threatening a shutdown of the Homeland Security Department. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement late Monday that a White House counterproposal to the list of demands they transmitted over the weekend “included neither details nor legislative text” and does not address “the concerns Americans have about ICE’s lawless conduct.” The White House proposal was not released publicly.
Palace says King Charles III will support police assessing former Prince Andrew's Epstein links
LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace says King Charles III will “support’’ UK police assessing reports that the former Prince Andrew gave confidential information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The statement came after Thames Valley Police said Monday that they were “assessing” reports that the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,sent trade reports to Epstein in 2010. The department, which serves an area west of London that includes Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, previously said it was evaluating allegations that Epstein flew a young woman to Britain to have sex with Andrew, also in 2010.
Social media 'addicting the brains of children,' plaintiff's lawyer argues in landmark trial
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The world’s biggest social media companies face several landmark trials this year that seek to hold them responsible for harms to children who use their platforms. Opening statements for a trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court began on Monday. Instagram parent company Meta and Google’s YouTube will face claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children. TikTok and Snap, which were originally named in the lawsuit, settled for undisclosed sums. The companies will argue their case before a jury, and the outcome could have profound effects on their businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms.
Asian benchmarks mostly rise, led by a post-election rally in Japan
TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares are mostly higher as Japan’s benchmark topped new highs after a historic election win for the nation’s first female prime minister. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 jumped on Tuesday, having set records the day before with a 3.9% advance after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democrats scored a landslide victory in a parliamentary election. Shares slipped in Australia but rose in South Korea and China. U.S. stocks finished higher. The S&P 500, rising 0.5%, pulled closer to its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up by less than 0.1%. The Nasdaq gained 0.9%.
Misery deepens in the West Bank as Israel provides few Palestinian work permits
TULKAREM, West Bank (AP) — Many Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are struggling to get by after losing their permits to work inside Israel. Israel revoked around 100,000 permits after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. Confined to the West Bank, where jobs are scarce and wages far lower, some Palestinians have sold their belongings or gone into debt. Others have paid steep fees for black-market permits or tried to sneak into Israel, risking arrest or worse. Israel, which has controlled the West Bank for nearly six decades, says it is under no obligation to allow Palestinians to enter for work and says it revoked the permits because of security considerations.
Navy leader wants to move faster and leaner instead of turning to aircraft carriers in crisis
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Navy’s top uniformed officer has introduced his vision for the Navy's future, focusing on using smaller and newer assets instead of consistently turning to huge aircraft carriers. Adm. Daryl Caudle’s strategy aims to create more flexible and tailored groups of ships and equipment. Caudle spoke to The Associated Press before the rollout of the new strategy, which comes as the Trump administration has moved aircraft carriers and other ships to regions around the world to address emerging concerns. Caudle says the Navy's presence in regions like the Caribbean can be leaner and better tailored to actual threats, using smaller combat ships, helicopters and drones instead of destroyers and aircraft carriers.
Officials deny seeking quick end to asylum claims for the Minneapolis family of 5-year-old
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal authorities have denied trying to expedite an end to asylum claims for the family of a 5-year-old boy who was detained with his father during the immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis area. Images of Liam Conejo Ramos wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack surrounded by immigration officers stirred outrage. Danielle Molliver, a lawyer for the boy and his father, told The New York Times that the government maybe be trying to retaliate by expediting his deportation proceedings. Homeland Security official Tricia McLaughlin denied this, saying the family faces “regular removal proceedings.” A spokeswoman for Liam's school district says they're being sequestered until their next hearing on Friday.
NYC nurses reach a deal to end a strike at 2 major hospitals while walkout continues at another
NEW YORK (AP) — Nurses and two major hospital systems in New York City have reached a deal to end a nearly monthlong strike over staffing levels, workplace safety and other issues. The tentative agreement announced Monday involves Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospital systems. Nurses remain on strike at NewYork-Presbyterian. The walkout began Jan. 12. The hospitals scrambled to hire legions of temporary nurses to fill in during a demanding flu season. The three-year deal still needs to be approved by union members. It affects roughly 10,500 of the some 15,000 nurses on strike at some of the city’s biggest private, nonprofit hospitals.
