Former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Andrew McCabe suggested Thursday a computer repairman could face charges over Hunter Biden’s laptop. Attorneys for Biden admitted Thursday that the data from the laptop belonged to Hunter Biden, as reported by the New York Post in October 2020, when they asked federal and state authorities to investigate John Paul Mac Isaac and Rudy Giuliani. (RELATED: Major Media Outlet Apologizes To Repairman Who Obtained Hunter Biden’s Laptop) Read More

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he and U.S. President Joe Biden plan to meet again soon to talk about how and when to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Read More

Amazon said revenue in its cloud unit increased by 20% in the fourth quarter, a slower pace than analysts had projected and more sluggish than the 27.5% growth rate in the third quarter. Cloud growth appears to be moderating along with other parts of the technology industry that boomed over the past decade and accelerated in the pandemic, when businesses adopted services that could foster remote work. Read More

Rodents predicting weather trends. Why? Just as fair a Groundhog Day question, though, is this: Why not? And more importantly, why should Punxsutawney Phil always get to, well, hog the press? The spring-heralding (or spring-delaying) small animal has taken firm root in some swaths of American culture. And while Phil and his Pennsylvania ilk are the most celebrated, there is an astonishingly broad selection of other critters who have felt the need (or, at least, their handlers have) to put reputations on the line to “predict” meteorology in the dead of winter. Here we offer just a few. Read More

By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- If your dog is bigger, male and a purebred, it may get a diagnosis of cancer earlier in its life compared to other dogs, a new study finds. A dog’s size, gender and breed appear to affect its average age at cancer diagnosis, researchers found. This should inform canine cancer screening guidelines, they wrote in the Feb. 1 issue of PLOS ONE. Read More

Should the IOC allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, it should be “absolutely clear” that they are not representing their respective countries, the White House said. Read More

Punxatawney, Pennsylvania, is home to America's most famous groundhog, but towns across the country have their own versions of the fabled rodent. Read More

Three years following the emergence of COVID-19, authorities at state and federal levels are preparing to lift emergency declarations originally issued to marshal pandemic responses. While the moves will undoubtedly be cheered in some circles — particularly those eager to see the end of COVID restrictions or who have viewed the health measures as government overreach — such steps aren’t merely symbolic. Transitioning out of the emergency phase could eventually spell the end of universal access to free vaccines, treatments and tests. Read More

"This is about targeting women of color in the United States of America," she says of the vote to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the foreign affairs committee. Read More

DETROIT – Ford Motor is set to report its fourth-quarter earnings after the bell Thursday. Here's what Wall Street is expecting, according to Refinitiv consensus estimates: Adjusted earnings per share: 62 cents Automotive revenue: $40.37 billion In October, Ford confirmed its prior full-year guidance of adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of between $11.5 billion and $12.5 billion. Through the first three quarters of the year, its brought in $7.9 billion, led by its North American operations. If Ford meets or exceeds Wall Street's top- and bottom-line expectations, EPS would more than double the 26 cents it reported for the same period a year earlier. Revenue would be an increase of 14.5% from the fourth quarter of 2021. Read More

Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. Meta — The tech giant's shares jumped 25% by the middle of the trading day, on track for its strongest day in nearly a decade. Late Wednesday, Meta reported revenue that topped analysts' expectations and announced a $40 billion stock buyback plan. Firms also responded positively to Meta's earnings report, with Bank of America and Goldman Sachs rating the stock a buy. Meta shares sit at their highest point since September 2022. Read More

Two Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers accused of Dale Culver’s manslaughter and three others face obstruction charges. Five officers with the Royal Canadian Mounted police have been charged over the death of an Indigenous man, nearly six years after he died while in police custody. Dale Culver, 35, was arrested by police in the British Columbia city of Prince George in 2017 following reports that a man had been seen “casing” vehicles on a downtown street. Police say there was a struggle between the officers and Culver, a member of the Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan First Nations, who attempted to flee on a bicycle. Read More

A photo shared on Facebook purports Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene stated deaths caused by COVID-19 are due to “natural selection.” Verdict: False The claim is fabricated. The tweet originates from a Twitter account that regularly posts parody. Read More

Grab some essential kitchen appliances on the cheap, thanks to this massive sale from Hamilton Beach at Amazon as of Feb. 2. Save up to 31% off on blenders, food processors, induction cooktops, and so much more. Here are the best deals worth shopping: BEST BLENDER DEAL: The Hamilton Beach 58181 Blender features 800 watts of blending power to crush anything you choose to throw in it. $49.99 $64.99 (save 23%) BEST INDUCTION COOKTOP DEAL: The Hamilton Beach Portable Single Induction Cooktop has 10 heat settings for perfect temps every time. $55.99 $69.99 (save 20%) BEST FOOD PROCESSOR DEAL: The Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor is a small space wonder that still packs a huge punch. $19.99 $24.99 (save 20%) Need to upgrade your kitchen on a budget? Look no further. As of Thursday, Feb. 2, Amazon is having a huge sale on several essential Hamilton Beach appliances, and you can get tons of great deals for up to 31% off: Think air fryers, blenders, and so much more. Shop the best deals below:Best blender deal Opens in a new tab Credit: Hamilton Beach Hamilton Beach 58181 Blender (opens in a new tab) $49.99 at Amazon (save 23%) Get Deal (opens in a new tab) Why we like it Featuring six different speed and pulse options, the 800-watt Hamilton Beach 58181 Blender is perfect for whipping together a wide range of tasty delicacies, from smoothies and sauces to salsas and cocktails. It’s durable and powerful, and the unique design forces ingredients downwards into the blades for complete blending. It's dishwasher safe for a no-fuss cleanup.Best induction cooktop deal Opens in a new tab Credit: Hamilton Beach Hamilton Beach Portable Single Induction Cooktop (opens in a new tab) $55.99 at Amazon (save 20%) Get Deal (opens in a new tab) Why we like it Perfect for a dorm, RV, or any small space, the Hamilton Beach Portable Single Induction Cooktop is super portable and energy efficient. The cool thing about this induction cooktop is that it only heats up your pan, so there are no hot coils or open flames to worry about. When you remove your cookware, heat conduction stops instantly. This product heats your food up to 40% faster than a traditional cooktop. What more could you want?Best food processor deal Opens in a new tab Credit: Hamilton Beach Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor (opens in a new tab) $19.99 at Amazon (save 20%) Get Deal (opens in a new tab) Why we like it Don't let its small size fool you: The Hamilton Beach Electric Vegetable Chopper & Mini Food Processor uses a cool stack and press design that lets you do much more with less space, and the three-cup chopper is still the perfect size for everyday use. The stainless steel blades allow it to work efficiently on a number of ingredients. Read More

The Department of Defense expressed doubt over whether Ukraine could retake Crimea in a classified briefing to Congress on Wednesday, Politico reported, citing four people with firsthand knowledge of the briefing. Ukraine’s leaders have repeatedly communicated that their war aims include recapturing the entirety of Ukraine, including Crimea, a territory in the east under Russian occupation since 2014. However, Pentagon briefers conveyed to the House Armed Services Committee an assessment that Ukraine likely lacks the capabilities necessary to push the Russians out of Crimea, three of the individuals with knowledge of the briefing told Politico on condition of anonymity. Read More

Goldman Sachs' commodities traders pulled in $3 billion in revenue in 2022, Bloomberg reported Thursday, marking a near-record performance.  Traders profited from big prices swings for energy, metals and other natural resources after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.  The commodities group has emerged as a key profit source for the investment bank.  Commodities traders at Goldman Sachs hauled in more than $3 billion last year, Bloomberg reported Thursday, marking one of their best performances as they profited from sharp price swings set off by Russia's war against Ukraine. Read More

A federal judge signed off on a settlement giving 200,000 student-loan borrowers $6 billion in debt relief last year. In January, three companies requested a stay on the relief, citing reputational harm the settlement brought them. Borrowers in the case recently filed a motion opposing the stay due to the harm postponing the relief would bring. A group of student-loan borrowers who believe they were defrauded by their schools responded to the companies that want to block them from getting long-awaited debt relief. Read More

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have made other aspiring Republicans hesitant to jump into the 2024 Republican presidential primary. A report, released by Politico, claims that many prominent Republicans are not planning on running in the current GOP primary cycle due to the looming presence of Trump. Although Trump’s popularity within the party and his status as former president make him a very formidable contender, the rise of Ron DeSantis as a popular conservative nationwide has created another obstacle for other primary hopefuls. Read More

National cabinet is due to meet on Friday with the reform of primary healthcare on the agenda. Follow the day’s news live.Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of everything newsworthy in Australia today. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you some of the headlines before my colleague Natasha May takes the helm. It’s been another busy night with Penny Wong and Richard Marles discussing the Aukus defence pact with their UK counterparts. James Cleverley, the British foreign secretary, also responded to Wong’s criticism of what she said was Britain’s failure to recognise its colonial sins by pointing out the diversity of his government. Back home, Malcolm Turnbull says the government must answer questions about whether it will have control over the planned new nuclear submarines or whether the agreement with the UK and US compromises Australian sovereign capability, as claimed by others including Paul Keating. Read More

Foreign secretary rejects Penny Wong’s reference to ‘British colonists’ in speech at King’s College about her descendants. The UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, has rejected suggestions Britain needed to do more to confront its colonial past, pointing out that he was a black foreign secretary in the UK. He was responding to questions after a speech by the Australian foreign minister Penny Wong in which she said Britain needed to reflect on its past while on a visit to London earlier this week. Read More

A lack of trust in your workforce hampers productivity, increases costs, and leads to attrition. As many as 79% percent of employees have experienced micromanagement. To build trust, screen for character during the hiring process and clarify your expectations. As the recent health crisis tested businesses across the globe, people seized the opportunity to become entrepreneurs and take control of their careers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as reported by NPR, 5.4 million new business applications were filed in 2021. And in the first half of 2022, new business applications were 23% higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to the Economic Innovation Group. Instead of relying on their employers to provide security, millions of new business owners sought the ability to run their teams and call the shots in an environment where control was elusive. Read More

Meta Platforms saw a slew of analyst upgrades as shares rose nearly 20% off the backs of a better-than-anticipated earnings report and optimistic commentary. Read More

DETROIT – Ford Motor's new U.S. vehicle sales started 2023 on stronger footing than a year earlier, but were down 18.4% from December. January is historically one of the weakest months of the year, while December is one of the strongest. Still, the month-over-month decline is notable, as the worst for the automaker since a 28% drop between May and June of last year. Between December 2021 and January 2022, sales declined 17.4%. Read More

Democratic California Rep. Maxine Waters said she had little hope for police reform ahead of Democrats’ meeting with President Joe Biden on Thursday. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are slated to meet with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to push police reform in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols. Read More

A Republican New Jersey councilwoman was gunned down in her car outside of her home and killed Wednesday evening, according to multiple reports. Police found Eunice Dwumfour, 30, dead inside of her crashed SUV after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds outside of her apartment complex in Sayreville, according to a report from ABC 7.  Though police have no motive for the shooting, they told the outlet they believe she was targeted. (RELATED: Bullet Pierces Window Of GOP House Candidate’s Parents Home) Read More

Hollie Adams | Bloomberg | Getty Images LONDON — The Bank of England on Thursday hiked interest rates by 50 basis points and dialed back some of its previous bleak economic forecasts. The Monetary Policy Committee voted 7-2 in favor of a second consecutive half-point rate hike, taking the main Bank rate to 4%, but indicated in its decision statement that smaller hikes of 25 basis points may be in the cards in coming meetings. The two dissenting members voted to leave rates unchanged. Read More

Seattle homeowners, an alleged intruder and a SWAT team were involved in a standoff early Thursday morning. The homeowners called the Seattle Police Department when they noticed they were locked out of their home, local NBC affiliate KING 5 reported. As they investigated what might have been raccoon nest, the alleged intruder snuck in through the […] Read More

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Two more Memphis police officers have been disciplined and three emergency responders fired in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols, officials said Monday, widening the circle of punishment for the shocking display of police brutality after video showed many more people failed to help him beyond the five officers accused of beating him to death. Officer Preston Hemphill, who is white, was relieved of duty shortly after Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest, the police department announced. Later in the day it said another officer had also been relieved, but without naming the person or specifying what role they played in the incident. Read More

Qualcomm shares rose by as much as 4% in extended trading on Thursday after the chipmaker reported lower fiscal first-quarter revenue than analysts had predicted and issued weak quarterly guidance. Here's how the company did: Earnings: $2.37 per share, adjusted, vs. $2.34 per share as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. Revenue: $9.46 billion, vs. $9.60 billion as expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv. Qualcomm's overall revenue decreased 12% year over year in the quarter, which ended Dec. 25, according to a statement. Net income fell 34% to $2.24 billion. The macroeconomic environment and higher channel inventory hurt results, the company said. Read More

Larry Busacca | PW18 | Getty Images Ticketmaster is gearing up for what's expected to be high demand for tickets to Beyoncé's upcoming "Renaissance World Tour," as the ticketing giant continues to face criticism over the botched presale for Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour last year. Beyoncé announced Wednesday that her first solo world tour since 2016 will kick off May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden, and conclude Sept. 27 in New Orleans. The superstar will perform songs off of her seventh studio album "Renaissance," which released over the summer and is in the running for Album of the Year at Sunday's Grammy's awards ceremony. Read More

Some changes outlined in a report include requiring that election supervisors verify the signature of a voter who signs a request for a mail-in ballot. Read More

New research suggests major pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and preterm birth, should be recognized as lifelong risk factors for women's heart disease. Read More

Al-Qaida courier turned informant Majid Khan to be permanently resettled after being held in US custody for nearly 20 years. The US has released Majid Khan, an al-Qaida courier turned informant who was tortured in secret CIA prisons and held in custody for nearly 20 years, marking the first time a “high-value detainee” has been freed from Guantánamo Bay. Khan, a 42 year-old Pakistani born in Saudi Arabia, completed his jail term last March and landed in Belize on Thursday, where he is to be permanently resettled. Read More

If you’re like most people, you’ve been affected by stress-related sleep problems at some point or another, lying awake at night filled with anxiety about your career and the future. You may feel exhausted during the day but wired at night, desperate to shut off your racing mind so you can finally rest. It may be hard to believe, but your brain wants (and knows how) to sleep well. You simply need to reset your relationship with sleep, so that instead of it feeling like a battle or a chore, it becomes the easy and enjoyable experience it should be. Read More

Former Grand Prix driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille, the man who took Renault's first Formula 1 win, has died aged 80. The Frenchman was a key part of Renault's 1977 entry into Formula 1 - and they were the first manufacturer to use a turbocharged engine. Read More

The $500,000 donation from Salame was part of a $28.6 million haul that the association brought in over the last three months of 2022, according to filings with the IRS. That money — coupled with seven-figure donations from GOP mega-donors — fueled its aggressive push to claim the executive branch in a number of states on Nov. 8. Ultimately, however, Democrats flipped three governorships in their favor. And they did so with an atypical cash advantage. Read More

Shares of Starbucks have risen more than 12% over the last year, fueled by optimism around China's reopening and the persistence of U.S. coffee habits. Read More

(Permanent Musical Accompaniment To This Post) Being our semi-regular weekly survey of what's goin' down in the several states where, as we know, the real work of governmentin' gets done, where insanity is smashin' up against my soul. We begin in Florida, where we could pitch a nice tent and stay to produce this semi-regular feature from now until Gov. Ronald DeSantis finishes his effort to turn the state into a re-education camp for white people. His muscling of public education is well established at this point, but the clamor surrounding it has obscured his hunger for the state to kill more people. Read More

AUSTIN, Texas ― On Jan. 11, the second day of the Texas legislative session, Rep. Tony Tinderholt took the microphone to offer an amendment to a procedural resolution laying out the House of Representatives’ rules. “Members, this amendment simply says if you want to be a committee chairman in the Texas House, you should be able to affirm the obvious fact that there are two genders,” Tinderholt said on the House floor. “It’s sad to even say this these days, but the push from the radical left has shifted reality.” Read More

Australia’s currency will replace its portraits honoring the royal family in favor of representing aboriginal culture, the country’s central bank announced Thursday. The government and central bank made the decision not to put King Charles III’s portrait on the $5 banknote after the death of Queen Elizabeth II reportedly sparked debate over how connected Australia sitll is with the commonwealth. Although Australians decided to keep the monarchy as their head of state, the bank will pass over Charles, who leads the commonwealth, for something that will represent indigenous culture on its currency, Reuters reported. (RELATED: GOP Rep Introduces Bill That Would Protect National Monument From Being Demolished) Read More

Even on the company’s broader metric, the greener stuff came out at only one-third of total expenditure. The chief executive has changed at Shell but the song remains the same. The energy transition will be “balanced” and “we intend to remain disciplined while delivering compelling shareholder returns,” declared Wael Sawan. Translation: the company will not use the sudden arrival of spectacular financial riches to boost spending on renewables. Being “disciplined” is, of course, an admirable ambition when presented starkly and without context. No chief executive of any company is ever likely to tell investors that the plan is to take wild punts on projects with little prospect of a decent return. But there is a world of nuance between the extremes. Read More

Feb.2, 2023 – Add this to the list of social media’s potential health risks: unintended pregnancy. That’s for women who take birth control advice from influencers, particularly on YouTube, where many talk about stopping hormonal contraception and may give incomplete or inaccurate sexual health information. Read More

An American tourist was arrested in Jerusalem Thursday after he allegedly vandalized a statue of Jesus in the Old City, Israeli police say. The incident occurred at the Church of the Flagellation along the famed Via Dolorosa when an unnamed man, believed to be in his 40s, knocked over a statue of the Scourged Savior, damaging it, the Times of Israel reported.  Video shared on social media shows security grappling with the suspect who can be heard saying, “you can’t have idols in Jerusalem, this is the holy city,” CBS News reported. Read More

Eunice K. Dwumfour, 30, was found shot multiple times Wednesday evening in a Sayreville neighborhood, authorities said. Read More

Ready the spicy tots and thunder sticks. Game Day is Feb. 12 and, if you’re like us, you’re thrilled to don the jersey and spend the day noshing, screaming at the TV, and high-fiving with your pals. Hosting a big Game Day party at your place this year? No sweat. These rad party favors from Walmart will score serious points from your home team. Read More

Mike Stocker | South Florida Sun Sentinel | Tribune News Service | Getty Images The average rate on the 30-year fixed rate mortgage has fallen to 5.99%, according to Mortgage News Daily. Read More

Promise Li. Recent massacres have made anti-Asian violence seem more entrenched than ever. But there are concrete steps we can take right now to make our communities safer. The post What We Can Do Right Now to Stop Anti-Asian Violence appeared first on The Nation. Read More

In the saga of Hunter's Laptop In The Conservative Mind, things took a turn Wednesday. Which is significant because that happens to be the only place where this pseudo-scandal is real. The accused in this weird shadow play is punching back. From the Washington Post: The string of letters, which included criminal referrals and cease-and-desist missives aimed at critics and detractors, marked the start of a new and far more hard-hitting phase for the president’s son just as House Republicans prepare their own investigations into him. Read More

Director Guy Ritchie's upcoming film The Covenant is a military thriller about the extraordinary bond between two men who save each other's lives. They are US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim), both on assignment in Afghanistan. After a Taliban ambush injures John, Ahmed cares for him and drags him across mountains in order to get him home safely. However, when John learns that Ahmed and his family did not receive safe passage to America, he must re-enter the war zone to find them and repay his debt. The Covenant hits theaters Apr. 21. Read More

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi praised the police for bringing to justice one of Italy's worst criminals, while the head of the Calabria region, Roberto Occhiuto, said the arrest underlined Italy's commitment to the fight against all forms of organised crime. Read More