North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping
BEIJING (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the sidelines of festivities commemorating the end of World War II, state media reported Thursday. Kim attended a Chinese military parade in Beijing a day earlier alongside other foreign leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin. Experts say Kim likely hopes to restore ties with China. The country is North Korea’s biggest trading partner and aid provider. There have been questions about the bilateral relationship. China wants its neighbor to return to negotiations and give up its nuclear weapons development.
Trump will host top tech CEOs except Musk at a White House dinner
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will host a high-powered list of tech CEOs for a dinner at the White House. The White House says Thursday’s guest list includes Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a dozen other executives from the biggest artificial intelligence and tech firms. One notable absence from the guest list is Elon Musk, once a close ally Trump tasked with running the government-slashing Department of Government Efficiency. Musk had a public breakup with the Republican president. Some dinner guests also are expected to participate in a meeting of the White House’s Artificial Intelligence Education task force, chaired by first lady Melania Trump.
The president blamed AI and embraced doing so. Is it becoming the new 'fake news'?
Politicians are increasingly blaming artificial intelligence to dodge accountability for embarrassing situations. AI can't defend itself, making it an easy target. This tactic is known as “the liar's dividend,” where the untruthful benefit when truth is hard to discern. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump dismissed a viral video of someone tossing something out a White House window as “probably AI.” Experts warn this practice can be dangerous, eroding trust in real evidence. Polls show many Americans are wary of AI, with concerns about its use in spreading fake information. This trend could lead to a future where accountability is lost.
Death toll from Afghan earthquake jumps to more than 2,200 as aid agencies plead for funds
JALALABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — A Taliban government spokesman says the death toll from a major earthquake in Afghanistan has risen to 2,205. The shallow, magnitude-6.0 quake struck the mountainous and remote eastern part of the country late Sunday, leveling villages and trapping people under rubble. Most of the casualties have been in Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep river valleys separated by high mountains.. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but rough terrain and funding cuts are hindering relief. The Norwegian Refugee Council says it has significantly fewer resources than during previous earthquakes. Afghanistan has already been facing drought, a weak economy, and the recent return of some 2 million refugees.
Remote jobs are hard to get. Workers who did share tips for finding one
NEW YORK (AP) — The trend of ditching traditional office space to work from living rooms and hotels accelerated when the coronavirus hit in 2020. Once given a taste of the freedom and flexibility, many workers grew accustomed to that lifestyle. Working parents enjoyed being home when children got off the school bus. Others found more time for exercise, socializing and nature. But many large companies began calling workers back into the office, making competition for remote jobs fierce. Many jobs advertised as remote attract hundreds of applications. Workers and career experts offer advice on how to land remote jobs in a competitive climate.
Wall Street holds steady following the latest signals that the job market is slowing
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is holding steady as pressure from the bond market eases. The S&P 500 was virtually unchanged in Thursday morning trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 52 points, and the Nasdaq composite was flat. Treasury yields eased following the latest discouraging signals on the job market. Reports indicated weaker hiring among private employers and a potential increase in layoffs. Neither is flashing a recession, but a slowdown in the job market could push the Federal Reserve to cut its main interest rate in a couple weeks. A more comprehensive jobs report is due Friday, which will likely carry more weight with the Fed.
Gregory Bovino, head of Los Angeles campaign, shows how immigration agents rack up arrests
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Border Patrol agent leading immigration enforcement in Los Angeles was removed from his position in 2023 under President Joe Biden. Gregory Bovino's remarkable fall and rise illustrates how much immigration policy and tactics have changed under Biden's successor, Donald Trump. The telegenic, North Carolina native’s views and style are in lockstep with the White House. He unflinchingly defends actions that have broken norms, including from Trump’s first term. Catchphrases describe the work. “Time on the X” refers to how long agents spend at a raid; they must leave quickly to avoid protesters. “Turn and burn” is about pacing.
The Latest: RFK Jr. appears before Congress amid turmoil at CDC
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is appearing before a congressional committee, where he’s expected to face questions about turmoil at federal health agencies. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee has called Kennedy to a hearing Thursday about his plans to “Make America Healthy Again.” But the health secretary is expected to face questions about layoffs and planned budget cuts that detractors say are wrecking the nation’s ability to prevent disease. Kennedy recently fired Susan Monarez, a longtime government scientist he installed as the CDC director for less than a month and has sought to reshape the nation’s vaccine policies to match his long-standing suspicions about the safety and effectiveness of long-established shots.
Trump suggests National Guard could go into New Orleans, a blue city in a red state
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump suggests New Orleans could be his next target for deploying the National Guard to fight crime. This follows his decision to send additional law enforcement to Chicago and Baltimore. Trump said Wednesday that Louisiana's Republican governor wanted him to send in law enforcement to help police the state's biggest city. City leaders are balking at the idea. City Councilmember Oliver Thomas noted that crime has decreased in New Orleans and calls the move "very political or a major overreaction!” Trump’s latest comments came a day after he suggested that the National Guard might soon be deployed to Chicago and Baltimore.
Hurricane Lorena weakens as risk of flash floods and mudslides for Mexico's west coast remain
MIAMI (AP) — Forecasters say Hurricane Lorena is weakening and should become a tropical storm. However, life-threatening flash floods and mudslides remain a risk for parts of Mexico's west coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center has also issued watches for parts of the U.S. Southwest, where heavy rainfall could lead to scattered flash flooding. Lorena is currently a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. Meanwhile, Hurricane Kiko remains a Category 4 storm in the Pacific Ocean, well away from Hawaii. There are no watches or warnings associated with Kiko, and no hazards are affecting land.
