WASHINGTON — A former FBI informant whose false claims about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden were at " the heart " of the Republican impeachment inquiry against the president has now been indicted on tax charges. Alexander Smirnov, the former FBI informant charged with lying to the FBI about President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, has now been indicted on 10 separate tax-related charges. The new indictment states that Smirnov “received more than two million dollars in income from multiple sources in 2020, 2021, and 2022” and bought “a $1.4 million Las Vegas condominium, a Bentley, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of clothes, jewelry and accessories for himself and Domestic Partner purchased at high-end retailers in Los Angeles and Las Vegas." The charges against Smirnov, who had been a confidential human source for the FBI since 2010, were brought by David Weiss, the special counsel on the Hunter Biden case, which resulted in convictions on gun charges in June and tax charges in September . Before Smirnov was indicted, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said his claims were " the heart " of Republicans' impeachment inquiry against the president . Biden has denied any wrongdoing. In February, federal prosecutors said that Smirnov claimed some of his information came from "officials associated with Russian intelligence." Prosecutors said Smirnov was "actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials" in Nov. 2023. Russia had sought to aid Trump's campaign, and even paid right-wing influencers , according to a separate indictment returned in September. U.S. District Judge Otis Wright also issued an order in Smirnov’s false statements case today, ahead of a trial that is now set to get underway on Jan. 8, 2025.superph login app download 。

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ISRO to demonstrate docking of satellites in space in January, launch on MondayA woman was left red-faced in an airport when she asked another passenger to use headphones instead of taking their phone call on loud speaker. Shannon Black was traveling from Salt Lake City International Airport to Portland after seeing family for Thanksgiving when she had the awkward interaction in the airport's Sky Club lounge. "The sound from other people's speakerphones is really distracting and this woman's volume was very loud," she told Newsweek . "I was nervous to ask her to use headphones but have read a lot of comments about this issue and most people wish they had said something, and there have been times previously when I did not and wished that I had, so I did." In a Reddit post , which has received thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments, Black explains that the other woman was on speakerphone with what sounded like a child and was sitting about 30 feet away. "I walked up to her and said 'excuse me, would you mind using headphones? That's louder than you realize and we can all hear you'," she wrote. "She seemed shocked, then told me she thought it was incredibly rude of me to say that. I just shrugged and walked away. But she did either turn the volume down or use headphones because we can no longer hear! Success, I think? Was I rude?" Black told Newsweek : "When she told me I was incredibly rude I didn't know what to say back and I know my face turned red." Black was traveling during what was a record Thanksgiving season for air passenger numbers. The Transportation Security Administration revealed that December 1, 2024 was its busiest day on record as it screened 3.087 million individuals at airports nationwide. Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman shed light on the interaction between the two passengers. She told Newsweek : "Most everyone would wish that loud talkers in an airport, airplane, or any other public space would be courteous and keep their volume low and use earbuds so no one else can hear their conversation. "Asking someone to use their headphones is somewhat of a brazen move because you don't know how the other person is going to respond. It's not courteous to be disruptive and share your conversation with everyone around you, but it's also a risk to ask a stranger to put on their headphones. And the big picture, the annoyance outweighs the risk. "Some people might be able to get away with a kind tone of voice and friendly smile, requesting for someone to lower their voice or put their headphones on, but that's not the norm and who is to say the other person even has headphones to use in the first place. "The loud talker was incredibly rude, and the person requesting the other person to use headphones should ask themselves for the big picture, is it worth the risk in this case? The woman was embarrassed if her face turned red so I would say it wasn't." Reddit users gave their thoughts on the situation in the comments section. "You were spot on. It's not rude to ask someone to follow social norms," said u/Cruisingaltitude330. Another, u/SaffronSimian, commented: "The erosion of social norms is largely due to people never enforcing them, for fear of discomfort of confrontation. Yeah, it takes some moxie to do it, but just know that whatever happens, every other person in earshot is glad for what you did." "You were not rude. Rude people (her) don't get to dictate to others who or what is rude. She was probably just shocked and embarrassed in the moment and took it out on you," u/misterecho11wrote. Has a dream vacation turned into a nightmare? Whether it's a missed flight or lost luggage, we want to hear about your travel disasters. Let us know via life@newsweek.com, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

No. 22 Illinois reaches 9 wins for first time in 17 years with 38-28 victory over Northwestern

Happy Centennial to an iconic N.J. institution | OpinionBut the City boss has vowed to stay on and lift the club back to the top even if they are sent all the way down to the National League. Guardiola ended speculation over his immediate future this week by extending his contract, which had been due to expire at the end of the season, through to the summer of 2027. That has given the club some stability at a time of great uncertainty as they fight 115 charges related to alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. City have denied all wrongdoing but their punishment if found guilty could be severe, with demotion even a possibility. Guardiola has strongly defended the club in the past and is happy to continue doing so. The Spaniard said: “I don’t enjoy it, I prefer not to be in that position, but once it’s there I love it because, when you believe in your club, and the people there – I believe what they say to me and the reasons why. “I cannot say yet because we’re awaiting the sentence in February or March – I don’t know when – but at the same time, I like it. “I read something about the situation and how you need to be relegated immediately. Seventy-five per cent of the clubs want it, because I know what they do behind the scenes and this sort of stuff. “I said when all the clubs accused us of doing something wrong, (and people asked) what happens if we are relegated, (I said) I will be here. “Next year, I don’t know the position of the Conference they are going to (put) us, (but) we are going to come up and come up and come back to the Premier League. I knew it then and I feel it now.” The immediate priority for Guardiola, who said his contract negotiations were completed in “just two hours”, is to arrest a run of four successive defeats in all competitions. Yet, ahead of their return to action against Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the champions continue to grapple with a lengthy injury list. Mateo Kovacic is their latest casualty after sustaining a knock on international duty that could keep him out for up to a month. On the positive side, defenders Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji could feature and Jack Grealish is also closing in on a return after a month out. Much to Guardiola’s frustration, Grealish was called up by England for their recent Nations League games, although he later withdrew. Guardiola said: “I want the best for Jack and I want the best for Jack with the national team but the doctor said to me that he was not ready to play. “I know (England) want him but they have 200 players to select from and Jack was not fit. He had to recover from many things.” Kyle Walker played for England against both Greece and the Republic of Ireland despite limited game time since suffering injury in the October international break. Guardiola said: “If he is fit I like him to play in the national team. It is not a problem, don’t misunderstand me. “Kyle has a dream to make 100 caps for the national team. Do I want to cancel this dream? Absolutely not. “But if you are not fit, if you cannot play here, you cannot play for the national team. It is quite obvious.”

Bank of America ( BAC -0.47% ) shareholders have plenty to celebrate heading into 2025. The combination of a resilient economy, climbing financial asset prices, and optimism toward lending conditions have propelled the stock to a fantastic 31% return during the past year. The megabank's upcoming fourth-quarter earnings report on Jan. 16 will be an opportunity for management to reaffirm these positive trends and set the tone for the stock in the new year. Can the rally keep going, and should you buy Bank of America shares before this important company update? Here's what investors need to know. Organic growth supports a positive outlook The financial services sector is more competitive than ever, considering the rise of financial technology (fintech) players attempting to disrupt the traditional banking model. Nevertheless, Bank of America is proving it remains highly relevant and capable of navigating an ever-evolving industry landscape. Through the first nine months of 2024, multiple operating metrics for the bank, including higher average loans, climbing deposits, and even a record level of customer investment asset balances, highlight the bank's successful strategic execution. Bank of America's ability to generate organic growth, leveraging the core strengths of its platform into market share gains, has been a major theme this year. The bank's consumer banking franchise stands as a particularly bright spot, boasting 23 consecutive quarters of net new checking account growth. Meanwhile, its wealth management division has capitalized on robust demand, while the global markets segment has achieved record equities sales and trading volumes. Adding to this momentum, Bank of America successfully rode the wave of recovering merger and acquisition activity, with higher advisory fees bolstering its global banking revenue. What to expect from Bank of America's Q4 earnings All eyes are now on the upcoming fourth-quarter earnings report (for the period ending Dec. 31) to see whether these positive trends maintain their trajectory through year-end. Wall Street expects Bank of America to deliver solid fourth-quarter results, with revenue projected to rise 6.8% and adjusted earnings per share reaching $0.79, up from $0.70 last year. These improvements stem from both recovering net interest income and continued organic growth. The Federal Reserve's recent interest rate cuts could provide an additional tailwind for loan demand, particularly encouraging given the bank's currently stable delinquency and charge-off rates. A key focus this quarter will be Bank of America's provision for credit losses, which stood at $1.3 billion in the third quarter. Any significant increase would signal concerns about borrower health across consumer loans, mortgages, credit cards, and corporate lending. On the other hand, a modest adjustment or even a move by Bank of America to release some of its reserves with a lower provision for credit would indicate management's confidence in credit conditions. Room for more upside in 2025 I'm bullish on Bank of America as an industry leader well-positioned to consolidate its market share. One sign that suggests Bank of America stock has further upside is its price-to-book (P/B) ratio, currently at 1.3. This valuation multiple measures the stock's total market capitalization relative to the value of its balance sheet assets. Notably, Bank of America stock today is trading below its peak P/B ratio of above 1.6 in 2022 when the stock price was at a similar level. The bank's ability to benefit from a new credit growth cycle and steady economic conditions could be a tailwind for the stock to reclaim a more premium valuation. Efforts to improve operating and financial efficiency with a runway for higher return on equity can keep shares climbing going forward. BAC Price to Book Value data by YCharts . So, while a repeat of Bank of America stock's spectacular 2024 outperformance will be difficult to achieve, investors confident in the bank's long-term outlook should stay the course. A strong fourth-quarter earnings report, coupled with positive guidance , may be the catalyst the market is waiting for ahead of the next stage in the stock price rally. As long as economic growth remains steady, the bank should continue delivering positive shareholder returns.CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has no doubt about where his surging, 16th-ranked Gamecocks belong in the postseason — chasing a national championship. “It's hard for me to say we're not one of the 12 best teams in the country,” a giddy Beamer said Saturday after watching his team pull off another late miracle, courtesy of quarterback LaNorris Sellers, to defeat No. 12 Clemson 17-14. Sellers scored his second touchdown , this one from 20 yards out with 1:08 to play, for South Carolina's sixth straight victory, four of them in that run coming over ranked opponents. Are you paying attention, College Football Playoff selectors? “If the committee's job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me,” Beamer said. It would be hard to pick against the Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3 SEC; No. 15 CFP) with Sellers, a confident, poised freshman, playing as well as he is. He finished with 166 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. Two games ago, he set career bests with 353 yards passing and five TD throws in twice rallying the Gamecocks from fourth-quarter deficits to defeat Missouri 34-30. This time, Sellers shrugged off his interception near Clemson's goal with less than 11 minutes left to lead his team to a field goal and then his game winner. Sellers spun away from defender Peter Woods in the backfield, broke through the line and cut left to reach the end zone. Sellers hears defenders get angry when they get their hands on but can't bring down the speedy, 6-foot-3 passer in his first year since taking over for Spencer Rattler. How does he do it? “I don't really know,” Sellers said. Beamer had an answer to that one, too. “He's a competitor, he's a warrior,” Beamer said. “He doesn't get too high or too low. He's out there having fun.” The Gamecocks hope to have more fun in a week so, confident they'll hear their name called among the expanded field of 12 that will play for a national crown. They know, too, they'll have Sellers leading the way. “He's a magician, man,” Gamecocks linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. said. “LeMagic, LeComeback, whatever you want to call him.” Clemson (9-3, 7-1 ACC, No. 12) had a final chance and drove to the South Carolina 18 with 16 seconds left — well within reach of a tying field goal — when Cade Klubnik was intercepted by Knight to end things. The Gamecocks were 3-3 after losing at Alabama in mid-October and then pulled off their longest winning streak since 2012. The Tigers also were hoping to play their way into the CFP's 12-team field. But their offense had too many costly mistakes and their defense could not corral Sellers. “He's a great player and made great players,” Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter said. Still, there could be postseason hope for Clemson, which will cross its fingers and pray Syracuse can pull off an upset over No. 8 Miami later Saturday that would get the Tigers into the Atlantic Coast Conference title game next week against SMU. Both teams came in on highs, the Tigers having won three straight and the Gamecocks five in a row, including three consecutive over ranked opponents Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Missouri. But neither team found its offensive rhythm in the opening half. Sellers was sacked by T.J. Parker and turned the ball over as Parker recovered with South Carolina inside the Clemson 20. The Tigers drove to the South Carolina 11 and turned down a chip-shot field goal to go for it on fourth-and-1. But Mafah was stopped way short by Jalon Kilgore and Knight. Klubnik had scoring runs of 13 and 18 yards for the Tigers. South Carolina: What a run by the Gamecocks, who before the season were picked 13th in the SEC and now may find themselves part of the national championship playoff field. Clemson: The Tigers lost to both ranked SEC opponents they faced this season, first to No. 1 Georgia to start the year and then to rival South Carolina. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney was proud of his team's regular season but knew the loss might leave it short of getting back to the playoff. “We could've had a great year,” he said. "We got better this season, a lot of positives to build on. “But this one is tough. It's tough. It hurts,” he continued. Shane Beamer knew what a big week it was when he got a voicemail from his old boss, former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. “Beamer, you're doing great,” said Spurrier, who coached the Gamecocks from 2005-2014. “This might be the biggest game in the history of South Carolina.” South Carolina and Clemson both await their postseason games. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Musk causes uproar for backing Germany's far-right party ahead of key elections

Larson Financial Group LLC cut its holdings in Vanguard Total International Bond ETF ( NASDAQ:BNDX – Free Report ) by 38.9% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 1,051 shares of the company’s stock after selling 668 shares during the period. Larson Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Vanguard Total International Bond ETF were worth $53,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in BNDX. Chris Bulman Inc acquired a new position in Vanguard Total International Bond ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Reston Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vanguard Total International Bond ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. Gradient Investments LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Vanguard Total International Bond ETF by 32.4% in the second quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 911 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 223 shares in the last quarter. GHP Investment Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard Total International Bond ETF during the second quarter worth about $57,000. Finally, Eastern Bank acquired a new position in shares of Vanguard Total International Bond ETF during the third quarter worth about $60,000. Vanguard Total International Bond ETF Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ:BNDX opened at $50.55 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $50.03 and a 200 day moving average price of $49.52. Vanguard Total International Bond ETF has a 52 week low of $48.19 and a 52 week high of $51.04. Vanguard Total International Bond ETF Cuts Dividend Vanguard Total International Bond ETF Company Profile ( Free Report ) The Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The fund tracks an investment-grade, non-USD denominated bond index, hedged against currency fluctuations for US investors. BNDX was launched on Jun 4, 2013 and is managed by Vanguard. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BNDX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vanguard Total International Bond ETF ( NASDAQ:BNDX – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Vanguard Total International Bond ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Vanguard Total International Bond ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Data collected from councils around England and Wales highlight a sheer drop in rogue landlords being prosecuted, with more than 100 authorities saying that they have not prosecuted any housing landlords at all in half a decade. Landlords getting away with it by not being prosecuted Public Interest Lawyers collected information from English and Welsh councils, finding that over 100 of them did not take any landlords to court between 2019/20 and 2023/24. There were 1,267 reported prosecutions across five years, working out at around one per 335 complaints the councils received from concerned tenants. 252 councils, or 80% of the metropolitan, unitary, district, London or Welsh local authorities, responded within the time frame for a request. 115 (46%) confirmed that there were no prosecutions at all from April 2019 to March 2024. A further 49 only sought court action against a solitary landlord in the five-year period, meaning just under two-thirds of councils did not undertake a court prosecution of multiple landlords. As a number of authorities did not differentiate between civil penalties and court prosecutions in their response, that number may be higher. This data was described by a group of prominent renters' rights organisations as 'worrying', while another claimed that councils 'lack both the resources and the political will' to sufficiently deter landlords who fail to uphold their legal duties. Failing to collect fines on a huge scale Since the introduction of The Housing and Planning Act 2016, local authorities have had the ability to issue a civil penalty of up to £30,000 as an alternative to prosecution. Some councils have argued that these penalties, as well as formal warnings, have been sufficient in maintaining landlord compliance. However, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) learned earlier this year that less than half of the fines issued against rogue landlords between 2021 and 2023 had been collected. The Act also does...By Dan Gelston Associated Press PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7 on Sunday. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles (13-3) led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee, a career third-stringer, entered the game and the Eagles finished the drive with a field goal. McKee later threw two TD passes, a 20-yarder to A.J. Brown and a 25-yarder to DeVonta Smith, in front of a roaring crowd delighted to watch the Eagles dominate their fiercest rival to wrap up the division title and at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Hurts was injured in last week’s loss at Washington and remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol — he didn’t practice all week — which opened the door for Pickett to start. Pickett, acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason, played with extra protection under his jersey after he suffered a rib injury when he was pressed into service against the Commanders. Sore ribs or not, Pickett was pumped for this start all week. He was raised a diehard Eagles fan in central New Jersey about 80 miles from Lincoln Financial Field and recalled “great memories” of going to games with his dad and grandfather since he was 5 years old. The 26-year-old Pickett said he had plenty of family at the Linc to cheer him on against Dallas (7-9). More than 60,000 other Eagles rooted him on, too, but Pickett’s dream day ended prematurely. He finished 10 of 15 for 143 yards. With the Eagles no longer having a division title to play for, it’s likely Hurts will rest another week ahead of the playoffs. Now, Pickett could be sidelined as well — possibly forcing McKee into the starting lineup. Barkley had 31 carries and his last one went for 23 yards to push him over 2,000. He could also sit out rather than risk injury chasing Dickerson’s record. Barkley, who left the Giants and signed a three-year deal with the Eagles for $26 million guaranteed, set the NFL mark for most yards rushing in a player’s first season with a new team. The friends and family that traveled to see Pickett play had to wait a bit after Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned an interception 69 yards for a score on Dallas’ opening drive. Cooper Rush — who threw for 147 yards and had two interceptions — followed on the next drive for Dallas with a 4-yard TD pass to Jalen Tolbert. Pickett connected with Grant Calcaretta for 34 yards and then hit Smith — who had six catches total for 120 yards — for a 22-yard score and a 14-7 lead. The Eagles’ defense broke the game open for Pickett when a recovered fumble led to Jake Elliott’s 31-yard field goal and Gardner-Johnson’s second pick of the day set up Pickett’s rushing score on a tush push. Just like Hurts. Pickett, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards, took two tough shots on the same drive on the third: Odighizuwa was flagged for roughing the passer on a late hit and Parsons delivered the knockout blow. The Eagles were thrilled to have a capable backup QB who went 14-10 as a starter with the Steelers. His performance prompted Pittsburgh legend and Fox broadcaster Terry Bradshaw to say the Steelers never should have gotten rid of him. S Donovan Wilson suffered a knee injury. ... Played without All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb, who was shut down for the final two weeks with a sprained right shoulder. DE Bryce Huff briefly left with a shoulder injury sustained in his first game back since he was activated off the injured list. He had wrist surgery. The Cowboys host Washington next week in their final game of the season. The Eagles tune up for the playoffs with a home game against the Giants.

NoneSellers' 20-yard TD run with 1:08 to go lifts No. 16 South Carolina to 17-14 win over No. 12 ClemsonTrump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutionsGaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the Senate

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Leaks: From Price To Battery & Camera, Here's All You Need To KnowCHICAGO (AP) — Aidan Laughery rushed for three touchdowns and No. 22 Illinois topped Northwestern 38-28 on Saturday to reach nine victories for the first time since its 2007 Rose Bowl season. Pat Bryant dashed in to score off Luke Altmyer’s 43-yard pass early in the third quarter as Illinois (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) struck for touchdowns just over 4 minutes apart early in the third quarter to open a 28-10 lead in what had been a tight game. Bryant's 10th receiving touchdown tied a school record. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week