Tens of millions of older Americans will see a modest increase in benefits this January when a new cost-of-living adjustment is added to Social Security payments. The 3.2% raise is intended to help meet higher prices for food, fuel, and other goods and services. The average recipient will see an increase of …
Read More »Many who struggled against Poland’s communist system feel they are fighting for democracy once again
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Dariusz Stola began working with Poland’s anti-communist Solidarity movement in 1983. He was just 19 but already appalled by the way the regime imposed its harsh censorship, not just on political thought but culture as well. A member of his church choir would give him a …
Read More »Microsoft’s bid for Activision gets UK approval. It removes the last hurdle to the gaming deal
Microsoft’s purchase of video game maker Activision Blizzard won final approval Friday from Britain’s competition watchdog, reversing its earlier decision to block the $69 billion deal and removing a last obstacle for one of the largest tech transactions in history. The Competition and Markets Authority’s blessing was expected after it gave preliminary approval last …
Read More »Judge scolds prosecutors as she delays hearing for co-defendant in Trump classified documents case
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A judge on Thursday scolded federal prosecutors in the classified documents case against Donald Trump as she postponed a hearing to determine if the lawyer for one of the former president’s co-defendants had a conflict of interest. U.S District Judge Aileen Cannon admonished prosecutors for “wasting the …
Read More »Social Security benefits will increase by 3.2% in 2024 as inflation moderates
Millions of Social Security recipients will get a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, far less than this year’s historic boost and reflecting moderating consumer prices. The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, means the average recipient will receive more than $50 more every month beginning in January, the Social Security Administration said Thursday. …
Read More »Elijah McClain’s final words are synonymous with the tragic case that led to 1 officer’s conviction
As the death of Elijah McClain became a rallying point at police reform rallies in Colorado and across the county in 2020, the young man’s final words became synonymous with the tragic case. Prosecutors also played them during a trial for two officers charged in his death that culminated Thursday …
Read More »Sony’s Access controller for the PlayStation aims to make gaming easier for people with disabilities
Paul Lane uses his mouth, cheek and chin to push buttons and guide his virtual car around the “Gran Turismo” racetrack on the PlayStation 5. It’s how he’s been playing for the past 23 years, after a car accident left him unable to use his fingers. Playing video games has …
Read More »At Colorado funeral home where 115 decaying bodies found, troubles went unnoticed by regulators
As legal and financial troubles piled up at the Colorado funeral home where authorities last week discovered at least 115 decomposing bodies, the troubles went unnoticed by state officials who have long struggled to effectively oversee the industry. Colorado has some of the weakest rules for funeral homes in the nation with no routine …
Read More »Powerball bonanza: More than 150 winners claim nearly $20 million in lower-tier prizes
Although a California resident was the sole winner of the $1.76 billion Powerball jackpot after Wednesday night’s drawing, at more than 150 players in around the U.S. won between $50,000 and $2 million by getting the majority of the numbers right. Two players won $2 million from Powerball before taxes – one …
Read More »IOC suspends Russian Olympic Committee for incorporating Ukrainian sports regions
fter nearly 20 months of waging war in Ukraine, Russia was suspended by the IOC on Thursday for a land grab in sports administration. The International Olympic Committee’s executive board imposed the suspension on the Russian Olympic Committee for a breach of the Olympic Charter — a book of rules and principles for …
Read More »