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Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto empire was ‘built on lies,’ US prosecutor says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

New York (CNN) — In their opening statements to a newly sworn-in jury in Manhattan federal court, lawyers laid out previews of their cases, offering two divergent narratives for the collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto empire.Assistant US Attorney Thane Rehn painted a picture of a villainous, greedy businessman whose boundless appetite for wealth and power led him to steal billions of dollars in customer funds.“He had wealth, he had power, he had influence,” Rehn said. “But all of that — all of it — was built on lies.”Rehn reiterated the government’s accusations that Bankman-Fried, known as SBF, used his crypto exchange, FTX, as his own personal piggy bank, using the money he took from customers to enrich himself and his family, buy luxury beachfront property in the Bahamas and funnel millions into US political campaigns.The US government has charged Bankman-Fried with multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy, following the implosion of his crypto-trading platform, FTX, l...

Police investigating shooting in Holyoke that involved ‘multiple victims’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Police in Holyoke are investigating a shooting near the city’s downtown area that included “multiple victims,” according to authorities.The Holyoke Police Department said the intersection of Maple and Sargeant streets was closed off to traffic as officers continued to sweep through the area.In a Facebook post, the department said it initially responded to the block after receiving “multiple calls for help” and alerts from the city’s ShotSpotter system.“We can confirm that there are multiple victims and this is an active and ongoing investigation,” Holyoke PD said. “Please avoid this area, we will provide another update this afternoon.”Details on the condition of the victims or number of people injured have not yet been released.This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

Biden cancels another $9 billion in student loan debt days after payments restart

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Washington (CNN) — The Biden administration has approved debt relief for an additional 125,000 student loan borrowers, totaling $9 billion in forgiveness, the White House said Wednesday.The announcement comes just days after federal student loan payments restarted after a three-plus year pause.Though the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s hallmark student loan forgiveness program, which promised up to $20,000 in debt relief for low- and middle-income borrowers, the administration has continued to find other ways to provide debt relief.The cancellations announced Wednesday come through three different existing debt relief programs that have been plagued with problems in the past. The White House is conducting what it calls “fixes” to a “broken student loan system.”An additional 53,000 borrowers will receive debt cancellation under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which wipes away remaining student loan debt after qualifying public sector w...

Dianne Feinstein lying in state at San Francisco City Hall

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Washington (CNN) — Californians are paying their respects to the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Wednesday, as the political titan lies in state at San Francisco City Hall.Feinstein, who died last week at 90, was born in San Francisco and was the first female mayor of the city, a position she held for 10 years. She later served in the US Senate for more than 30 years.The public can pay their respects from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT. A funeral service will be held at city hall on Thursday, with the public invited to attend. Previously, the service was planned to be closed to the public due to limited space.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to speak at Feinstein’s memorial service, and the Senate floor will close on Thursday so members can attend the service.A live stream link for those unable to attend will be provided. Following the service, the longtime senator will be buried at a private, family-only ceremony.A plane from the president’s military fleet carryin...

Ron DeSantis blasts Massachusetts bumping Army-Navy game fans for migrants

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted an apparent streak of hotel cancellations in Massachusetts to host migrant and homeless families instead of fans for Dec. 9 Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium.DeSantis, in a social post Wednesday, blasted the situation as a “a farce,” adding he will end putting illegal aliens “over Americans.”The ire from the Republican came as Gov. Maura Healey said she was directing her secretary of veterans services to reach out to “anyone affected” by the cancellations for the game.At an unrelated press conference, Healey said she was “distressed” to learn that any veteran heading to the Army-Navy game had been moved from a hotel.“I understand that those were decisions made by area hotels,” she told reporters. “Secretary of Veterans Services John Santiago (is going) to reach out to anyone affected. I do understand that those hotels are working with people who&...

The highest-grossing Halloween-season horror hits … don’t scare their way up the all-time list

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Michael Ordona | (TNS) Los Angeles TimesWith several (supposedly) scary movies atop the box-office charts right now or about to be released, it seems like that time of year, when all the big horror hits come out, right? Looking at the top-grossers of the genre … not so much.As September turned to October, “Saw X” slashed its way to an $18 million opening (about average for the franchise), and “The Nun II” has already risen into the Top 25 all-time highest horror grossers, with more than $230 million worldwide. This month sees the usual gushing of blood-spilling titles, with at least six releases, including “Exorcist: Believer” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” — the latter tracking, according to some estimates, for a very nice $33-million to $44-million bow. But while the month is closely associated with horror movies (it contains Halloween, after all), it actually hasn’t seen that many all-time hits come out.On the Numbers’ list of top-grossing horror films, one must go all the w...

Black travel summit to launch National Black Travel Day

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

By Brian Major | TravelPulse (TNS)The Miami-based Black Travel Summit is launching a National Black Travel Day celebration on Nov. 11 as “a day for Black travelers and travel professionals to celebrate” diversity and culture in travel, said Anita Francois, the organization’s CEO and founder.“We’re thrilled about this new call-to-action to recognize the importance of the global Black diaspora and culture in travel,” Francois said.Francois selected Nov. 11 for National Black Travel Day to honor the birth date of Jamaican-American pilot Barrington Irving Jr., who in 2007 became the first Black person to fly around the world solo.She described National Black Travel Day as “an homage to the Black travel movement [and] a reminder for allies, supporters, [and] the community that diversity in travel isn’t a trend that ends, it’s necessary for a brighter future for all who travel.”National Black Travel Day will kick off with a private launch event at the Red Rooster Overtown restaurant in Mi...

How Patriots can utilize three players returning from PUP, injured reserve

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots had five players on reserve lists eligible to return to practice Wednesday. Three of them showed up.Wednesday’s practice saw offensive lineman Riley Reiff, who’s on injured reserve, and defensive end Trey Flowers and safety/special teamer Cody Davis, both of whom are on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, get designated to return. That opens their 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | How Patriots plan to replace Matthew Judon with in-house options New England Patriots | Injury-ravaged Patriots get good news at Wednesday practice before Saints game New England Patriots | What Patriots can expect from J.C. Jackson after trade with Chargers New England Patriots | Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez likely to miss 2023 season with shoulder injury New England Patriots | Source: Patriots reacquire CB JC Jackson via trade from Chargers ...

What to stream: New horror movies and more to ring in October

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

Katie Walsh | Tribune News ServiceOctober means spooky season, which means there’s a new slate of streaming movies this week to set the mood — whatever mood might help you get into the Halloween mindset. Here’s a rundown of what to look forward to on your favorite streaming sites.Launching on Prime Video on Friday, Oct. 6, is the totally fun horror comedy “Totally Killer,” which is a mashup of “Scream” and “Back to the Future.” Kiernan Shipka stars as Jamie, a teenage girl in 2023 who time travels back to the ‘80s to stop the Sweet Sixteen Killer in order to prevent her mother’s death 35 years later. The most horrifying thing she discovers in her journey? 1980s culture (smoking, sexism, insensitivity). This slasher riff is directed by Nahnatchka Khan, the brains behind the TV comedy favorites “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Young Rock.” Stream it starting Friday on Prime Video.The popular horror anthology movie series “V/H/S” has a new installment arriving Friday, Oct. 6, on Shudder. “V/H...

Say goodbye to the COVID-19 vaccination card. The CDC has stopped printing them

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:49:33 GMT

By DEVI SHASTRI (AP Health Writer)It’s the end of an era for a once-critical pandemic document: The ubiquitous white COVID-19 vaccination cards are being phased out. Now that COVID-19 vaccines are not being distributed by the federal government, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped printing new cards. The federal government shipped more than 980 million cards between late 2020, when the first vaccines came out, through May 10, according to the latest available data from the CDC. Federal and local health officials don’t expect the discontinuation of the cards to be a particularly big change, since the days of keeping them tucked in purses and wallets to ensure entry into festivals, bars and restaurants are largely over. If you’ve held on to your card, it’s still valid as proof of vaccination. Otherwise, people who need their COVID-19 immunization records will need to request them just like any other vaccine. In many cases, the clin...