US launches strikes on Iranian targets a day after it foiled missile attack on American forces
BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.S. military says it has completed what it describes as “a heavy wave of strikes against Iran” conducted in response to an earlier Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Jordan. U.S. Central Command said in a social media post early Thursday that over the span of two hours they struck “dozens” of targets belonging to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, including military command centers as well as missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance and defense sites. The latest barrage came after the U.S. partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Iran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers.
Fauci repeatedly invokes the Fifth Amendment in a contentious Senate committee hearing
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci will face a contempt of Congress vote in a Senate committee next week after he invoked the Fifth Amendment in a hearing about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Wednesday's hearing, Fauci declined to answer dozens of questions from senators. The scientist's decision to not testify injected drama into the lingering tensions between Fauci and GOP lawmakers over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and accusations he lied about its origins, which he denies. Fauci was subpoenaed by Sen. Rand Paul, who led the charge to have the now-retired infectious disease expert testify again. The hearing was part of a campaign to arrest Fauci, spearheaded by some congressional Republicans. Fauci says Paul has an “obvious obsession” with calling for his prosecution.
'Pleading the Fifth' invokes a constitutional amendment that has a long history in US society
NEW YORK (AP) — The Fifth Amendment is part of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights and protects against self-incrimination. This principle is rooted in 17th-century English common law and ensures people aren't forced to testify against themselves in criminal cases. It's a well-known concept in the U.S., referenced in TV legal dramas and real-life cases. The amendment is crucial for maintaining the presumption of innocence, requiring prosecutors to prove guilt. Originally for federal cases, it now applies to state and civil cases, too. In criminal trials, jurors can't assume silence means guilt, but civil cases may allow negative inferences. Dr. Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth on Wednesday at a Republican-led Senate committee hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fed leaves interest rate unchanged but with 3 dissents as Warsh praises 'good family fight'
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday despite persistently high inflation and a spike in energy prices caused by the Iran war. The Fed’s rate-setting committee reached the 9-3 decision after two days of deliberations, marking the fifth straight meeting at which the benchmark rate was kept at around 3.6%. Three Fed officials dissented in favor of a rate increase, and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh described the policy discussion to reporters as a “good family fight.” Inflation has been stuck above the central bank’s 2% target for more than five years and Wall Street still expects a rate hike in September.
Senate panel delays vote on Blanche attorney general nomination as key Republicans withhold support
WASHINGTON (AP) — Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general has stalled as lawmakers scrapped a planned committee vote. Key Republicans have demanded more assurances about the settlement of President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service. The Senate Judiciary Committee had been scheduled to vote Thursday to advance Blanche’s nomination to the floor. But Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Thom Tillis have threatened to withhold their support without more answers from the Justice Department about the controversial settlement. A spokeswoman for the committee said in a statement Wednesday night that the vote would be postponed.
Oil prices jump, while the Dow drops more than 1,100 as sinking AI stocks drag Wall Street lower
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices got back to jumping, while sinking technology stocks dragged Wall Street lower amid uncertainty about what the Federal Reserve will do to get high inflation under control. The S&P 500 fell 1.5% Wednesday after briefly erasing all of an earlier drop of 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 2.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.7%. The price of Brent oil leaped back above $88 per barrel to add further pressure on inflation. The Fed pledged again to get inflation back down to 2%, but it offered few clues on how it would do so after holding interest rates steady.
Police: Bullets that killed 2 bystanders at Seattle festival weren't from teen shooter's gun
SEATTLE (AP) — Bullets recovered from two bystanders killed during a shootout at a Seattle festival last weekend do not appear to have come from the gun that a 15-year-old arrested at the scene was firing, police said in court documents filed Wednesday. The King County prosecutor’s office filed charges of first-degree assault with a firearm enhancement as well as unlawful possession of a handgun by someone under 18. In a statement supporting the charges, police said the teen was seen firing an untraceable ghost gun into a crowd, but preliminary testing of bullets recovered from two bystanders killed showed they did not match that weapon. Shell casings found at the scene of Sunday’s shooting indicate four weapons were fired during the shootout.
Man convicted in terrorism trial over the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie
A man has been convicted of federal terrorism charges in the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie. A jury delivered its verdict Wednesday in Buffalo, New York. Jurors found Hadi Matar guilty of all the charges against him, including engaging in an act of transnational terrorism. The 28-year-old had pleaded not guilty. Matar already is serving a 25-year New York state prison sentence on an attempted murder conviction in the August 2022 attack. Rushdie has faced a decades-old death threat over his novel “The Satanic Verses.”
'She killed the kids!' 911 call from Lindsay Clancy's husband brings tears to the courtroom
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts mother who strangled her three young children and tried to kill herself sobbed in court as jurors listened to her then-husband's anguished 911 call from that day. The trial focuses on Lindsay Clancy’s mental state, with her lawyers arguing she had postpregnancy psychosis. Prosecutors say she acted intentionally and is criminally responsible for the deaths in January 2023. Patrick Clancy also gave a second day of testimony Wednesday about his family's last ordinary hours and his wife’s deteriorating mental health. He has said in interviews that he views her as ill, rather than evil. If convicted, she faces life in prison. If found not guilty, she could be committed to a mental health facility.
Southern Europe burns as 3 firefighters die and France battles blaze 4 times the size of Paris
LEGE-CAP FERRET, France (AP) — Fire crews in southwest France are battling a massive blaze four times the size of Paris, while two firefighters were killed fighting a wind-driven blaze on the Greek island of Crete. Temperatures in France are forecast to climb above 104 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, complicating efforts. The fire has forced 220,000 people from their homes. Authorities in the Gironde region said the situation was calm overnight, but the heat wave and winds could cause flare-ups. Across France and Spain, 330,000 people have been displaced by wildfires. More than 2,200 firefighters and over 20 aircraft remained mobilized, backed by crews from across France and European partners.
