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Hunter Biden plea deal falls through, at least for now, after judge expresses concern over agreement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s son Hunter’s plea deal on two tax charges fell apart on Wednesday, at least temporarily, after the federal judge hearing his case expressed concern over a related agreement on a more serious gun possession charge.The outcome leaves in jeopardy the yearslong investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings. He had been charged with two misdemeanor tax crimes of failure to pay more than $100,000 in taxes from over $1.5 million in income in both 2017 and 2018, and he made an agreement with prosecutors, who were planning to recommend two years of probation.Last month, Biden was charged with possession of a firearm by a person who is a known drug user, a felony. He had a Colt Cobra .38 Special for 11 days in October 2018. He agreed to enter into a diversion agreement, which means that he would not technically plead guilty to the crime. As long as he adhered to the terms of his agreement, the case would be wiped from his rec...

Domestic Visitors Fuel Rebound in Tourism Spending in Massachusetts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

International tourists to Massachusetts spent only about half as much money here in 2022 than they did before the pandemic, but a boost in spending among visitors from other parts of this country helped push the economic impact of the state’s travel and tourism industry to $24.2 billion in direct spending last year. The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism said Tuesday that 21 million domestic and international travelers spent money in Massachusetts last year, supporting 131,200 jobs and generating $1.9 billion in taxes for the state and its municipalities. Domestic tourists spent $22 billion, exceeding the pre-pandemic calendar year total of $20.8 billion in 2019, while international travelers spent $2.2 billion, still well shy of the $4 billion spent in 2019. “Tourism plays such an important role in our state’s economic vision, and we’re excited to see the industry had a positive impact in 2022, generating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in ...

Brennan: Congress must rein in swipe fees to help consumers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

As Massachusetts residents face higher and higher costs of living and stubbornly high prices for gas, food, beverages and other staple items, a bi-partisan coalition of senators is looking to give consumers and small businesses some much-needed relief.The Credit Card Competition Act would stop Visa and Mastercard from exacerbating inflation and hurting small business operators by reining in predatory swipe fees that are among the highest in the world. Americans pay more than double w00hat Canadians pay in credit and debit purchase fees and seven times more than consumers in Europe. The two credit card conglomerates have a duopoly in the retail industry, cashing in on extra fees that force retailers to hike prices to cover ever-escalating costs.Swipe fees paid by store merchants soared 17% in 2022 to $160 billion, and cost families on average $1,000 per year, all while the credit card companies raked in more than $25 billion in net profits. Visa Chief Financial Officer Vasant Prabhu ...

Are you getting billed for COVID-19 tests you didn’t order? Here’s what you need to know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

By Gisselle Medina, Los Angeles TimesIf 2022 was the year of free COVID-19 test kits, 2023 is shaping up to be the year of fraudulent COVID-19 test kits.Consider what happened to Judy, an 85-year-old Medicare recipient in Southern California (we’re withholding her last name because she’s concerned about being victimized further). One day this year, five COVID-19 test kits showed up at her home without her ever requesting them.“I didn’t pay any attention to the unsolicited COVID tests, so I threw them out,” Judy said. “It wasn’t until some months later that I received my Medicare summary bill and I saw charges for over-the-counter COVID tests I didn’t order.”Each kit cost $120 to $150 — and she was responsible for a portion of the bill.Judy is just one of hundreds of people who have fallen victim to a new scam involving COVID-19 test kits, part of the rising trend of fraudulent activity since the start of the pandemic.Here’s how it works: Scammers buy stolen Medicare numbers online o...

‘Jeopardy!’ winners refusing to join Tournament of Champions during WGA strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

By Dan Clarendon, New York Daily News“Jeopardy!” fans may not see some usual suspects in next season’s Tournament of Champions.As producers of the game show reportedly plan to recycle questions for the 2023–2024 season, former winners — including the four highest earners from last season — say they are declining invitations to the tournament out of solidarity with the WGA members on staff.Ray LaLonde, a TV set builder who took home $388,400 in winnings last season, announced in the “Jeopardy!” Reddit forum that he would opt out of Season 40′s Tournament of Champions should the showdown be filmed during the strike. (The tournament is typically filmed in late August and September, according to The Hollywood Reporter.)LaLonde prefaced his announcement by saying that he will always be grateful for his “Jeopardy!” experience and that the Tournament of Champions invitation is a dream come true.“That being said, I believe that the show’s writers are a vital part of the show and they are ju...

The death of the Obamas’ chef on Martha’s Vineyard is reportedly not suspicious, toxicology results take several weeks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

The death of the Obamas’ personal chef near the former president’s Martha’s Vineyard estate is reportedly not suspicious, according to Massachusetts State Police who found “no external trauma or injuries” on the 45-year-old man.Tafari Campbell, of Virginia, died after paddleboarding on Edgartown Great Pond Sunday evening. His body was recovered Monday morning by Mass State Police divers — about 100 feet from shore at a depth of about eight feet.Campbell was not wearing a personal flotation device and he was not leashed to the paddleboard when he lost balance and went underwater, a witness told police.“The Massachusetts State Police investigation into the death of Tafari Campbell, 45, of Virginia, who was recovered from Edgartown Great Pond on Monday, as well as an initial post-mortem examination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, found no evidence that the death was suspicious,” a Mass State Police spokesperson said in a stat...

Alleged North End shooter Patrick Mendoza detention decision to come later today

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

The man accused of shooting at a man in front of Modern Pastry earlier this month is being held without bail until a judge makes a decision on his detention, which he promised to do by the end of the day today.Alleged shooter Patrick Mendoza, 54, faces charges including assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, intimidating a witness, and three charges related to unlawful possession of a gun.Police arrested Mendoza on July 21 — nine days after he allegedly fired three shots in front of Hanover Street’s Modern Pastry at a man he had a long-simmering relationship with. That history includes Mendoza previously striking the man on his head with a glass bottle in February 2019, for which he received six months probation.While Mendoza was able to hide away in the detention room next to for his arraignment on Friday, he appeared Wednesday in Boston Municipal Court wearing a lightly checkered gray suit — extensive hand tattoos visible, which includes the city of Boston seal on his...

FedEx driver pulls man from burning car after crash in Miramar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A FedEx driver pulled a man out of a burning car following a Wednesday morning crash in Miramar, authorities said. Media Information Officer Mark Latulippe with California Highway Patrol confirmed to FOX 5 that a man crashed into the right shoulder guardrail on southbound Interstate 15, just north of Highway 52, around 3 a.m. Man seriously injured in e-bike crash Authorities say the car burst into flames with the driver still inside. That's when a FedEx driver pulled over to help the man out of the fiery vehicle, Latulippe confirmed. The man was reported to have sustained major injuries to his leg. He was transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital for care, authorities said.CHP says drugs and/or alcohol were not suspected to be a factor in this collision.Anyone with information related to the crash is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Israel’s top court to review challenges to law that weakens its power, escalating political crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s highest court said Wednesday it would review legal challenges to a divisive new law that weakens its power, putting the country’s top justices in the position of defending their own independence and escalating a political crisis that has unleashed the country’s biggest protests in history. Israeli civil society groups and others have filed petitions asking the Supreme Court to strike down the law enacted Monday — the first major piece of legislation in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s broader program to overhaul Israel’s judiciary. The opposition’s legal challenges are pushing Israel toward a showdown over the foundations of its system of government. The court faces massive public pressure to strike down the law and has an inherent interest in preserving its powers and independence. But if it does so, Netanyahu’s government could ignore the ruling, setting the stage for a crisis over who has ultimate authority.“I...

Big global brands drove supplier prices higher in second quarter: Loblaw

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:31 GMT

BRAMPTON, Ont. — Large global suppliers are driving costs higher for Loblaw Companies Ltd., the firm said as it released earnings for the second quarter, reporting increased sales and lower gross margins.“We have received double-digit increases from the same suppliers who gave us double-digit increases last year. That’s why you see products that are noticeably more expensive than they were just a couple years ago,” said CFO Richard Dufresne on a conference call with analysts. “While cost increases are coming in from all tiers of our supplier base, the largest global brands stand out.”  One of the company’s largest vendors submitted price increases totalling 50 per cent, or a quarter-billion dollars, said Dufresne. He added that prices for meat, fruit and vegetables rose in the mid-single-digits while centre-of-store prices were up in the double-digits. “The math is very simple: Cost increases from big brands were well above Canada’s food inflation...