National News

Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies from cancer at 70

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian whose character Pee-wee Herman became a cultural phenomenon through films and TV shows, has died. Reubens' publicist says he died Sunday night after a six-year struggle with cancer that he did not make public, his publicist said in a statement. Reubens said in a statement…
Read More

Hunter Biden’s plea deal on hold after federal judge raises concerns over the terms of the agreement

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The plea deal in Hunter Biden’s criminal case unraveled during a court hearing Wednesday after a federal judge raised concerns about the terms of the agreement that has infuriated Republicans who believe the president’s son is getting preferential treatment. Hunter Biden was charged last month with two misdemeanor crimes of failure…
Read More

North Korea stays silent on its apparent detention of a US soldier who bolted across the border

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is staying silent about the detention of an American soldier who sprinted across the Koreas’ heavily fortified border as members of his tour group looked on in shock. Some observers say heightened tensions between the two countries make it unlikely that he will return any time soon. Pvt.…
Read More

House Republicans push through defense bill limiting abortion access and halting diversity efforts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has passed a sweeping defense bill that provides a pay raise for service members but strays from traditional military policy with Republicans add-ons blocking abortion coverage, diversity initiatives at the Pentagon and transgender care. Democrats voted against the package, which had sailed out of the House Armed Services Committee on…
Read More

3 tax prep firms shared ‘extraordinarily sensitive’ data about taxpayers with Meta, lawmakers say

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some congressional Democrats say three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to Facebook parent company Meta over at least two years. Their Wednesday report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the information H&R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer shared with…
Read More