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Former Wells Fargo exec pleads guilty to role in scandal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

Associated PressLOS ANGELES — A former Wells Fargo Bank executive accused of overseeing a ruse that created millions of bogus customer accounts has agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges likely to send her prison for her role in the scandal.The agreement filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles federal court calls for the former Wells Fargo executive, Carrie Tolstedt, to serve a 16-month prison sentence for obstructing regulators’ investigation into abusive sales practices that culminated in the bank paying billions of dollars in fines. Tolstedt, 63, also agreed to pay a $17 million fine in a separate civil settlement with the government that also bans her from working again in the banking industry.Prosecutors are requesting an April 7 court hearing to review the plea agreement.Tolstedt was the longtime head of the Wells Fargo’s division responsible for its sprawling network of retail branches, before leaving in 2016 just before evidence of the bank’s abusive sales tac...

Biden administration threatens to ban TikTok

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

By Brian Fung | CNNThe Biden administration has threatened to ban TikTok from the United States unless the app’s Chinese owners agree to spin off their share of the social media platform, TikTok acknowledged Wednesday evening.The apparent ultimatum by a US multiagency panel known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) marks a possible turning point in the long-running negotiations between federal officials concerned about TikTok’s links to China and a wildly popular social media company with more than 100 million US users.The recent divestiture request was first reported Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal; TikTok later confirmed to CNN that CFIUS had contacted the company, adding that it did not dispute the Journal’s report. But TikTok declined to discuss specifics of the US government’s request, including details around its timing.“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn’t solve the proble...

Over 200 evacuated after Santa Rosa building catches fire

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KRON) -- Over 200 people were evacuated after a building caught on fire Wednesday afternoon, the Santa Rosa Fire Department (SRFD) announced on Twitter. The fire happened at a three-story building on 301 6th Street around 4 p.m.The evacuated individuals sheltered and went to a parking garage at the nearby Santa Rosa Plaza, officials said. Crews located the fire on the roof of the building around a surface-mounted electrical box.Video (above) shows SRFD crews using two ladder trucks to get on the roof of the building and contain the blaze. The Santa Rosa Police Department and PG&E assisted in SRFD's response. The address of the building is the listed home for the Catholic Charities Caritas Center and the Santa Rosa Community Health -- Caritas Campus. No other information was immediately available. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

San Jose mayor announces new public safety budget proposal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss his upcoming March budget to the city council and residents of San Jose."Our budget starts by focusing on safety,” said Mayor Mahan.Mahan is preparing to present his first budget proposal after being sworn in as the new mayor earlier this year. He outlined the top three priorities of his Back-to-Basics budget, leading with public safety. Suspect arrested after armed robberies of day laborers in San Rafael "It includes doubling the rate in which we are hiring police officers to reduce response time and improve our investigation capacity. The extra minute it takes for help to come could mean the difference between life and death,” said Mahan.He said in light of a nationwide recruitment crisis, the city needs to spend more money on outreach and retention programs like referral bonuses and relocation stipends. When surveyed, 65-percent of San Jose residents said they feel unsafe downto...

Small but rising number of Va. babies born with a preventable disease

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

In Virginia and nationwide, there’s been a jump in syphilis cases among women of childbearing age. And there’s a corresponding increase in the number of babies born with the condition.The Virginia Department of Health reports that there were 20 babies born last year with syphilis, the highest number in more than three decades.More Health and Fitness NewsMore Virginia News“Congenital syphilis cases nationally have increased 185% from 2017 to 2021 … We went from one case that we had in 2003 to 20 cases that were diagnosed in 2022,” said Oana Vasiliu, director of STD prevention and surveillance at the Virginia Department of Health.The majority of cases in Virginia are among African American and Hispanic babies, and more than a third of moms had late or no prenatal care.“This is a result of several years of continuous increases of syphilis rates among Virginia populations as well as nationally. To give you an example of the extent of the problem, rates of s...

AP source: Saints, RB Jamaal Williams agree on 3-year deal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

The New Orleans Saints and running back Jamaal Williams agreed on a $12 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the agreement, said it includes $8 million in guaranteed money. Williams led the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns while running for a career-best 1,066 yards with the Detroit Lions last season. Williams played four seasons with the Packers before joining the Lions in 2021. He has averaged 4.0 yards per carry in his career. Williams joins five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara in the backfield. Kamara is facing a potential suspension for legal troubles. Last month, a grand jury in Nevada indicted Kamara, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chris Lammons and two others on two criminal counts in connection with an alleged beating at a Las Vegas nightclub last February.Williams has 3,652 yards rushing, 160 receptions for 1,191 yards and ...

Mississippi State women win First Four game over Illinois

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jessika Carter had 22 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, Anastasia Hayes added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Mississippi State beat Illinois 70-56 on Wednesday night to begin the NCAA Tournament in a First Four game.Mississippi State (21-10) advances to the field of 64 to take on No. 6 seed Creighton. The Bulldogs improved to 14-3 in the NCAA Tournament since the 2016-17 season. Freshman Debreasha Powe scored four points during Mississippi State’s 11-2 run to begin the third quarter for a 42-32 lead. The Bulldogs extended it to 52-38 at the end of the quarter after shooting 53%. Kourtney Weber sank a 3-pointer to cap a 9-1 run to begin the fourth quarter for a 61-39 lead.After Mississippi State’s lead was cut to 12 points with 4:19 left, Carter scored four straight points to reach 20-plus for the sixth time this season.JerKaila Jordan also scored 11 points for Mississippi State. Weber finished with eight points.Carter scored 1...

The Hunt: ‘Rare’ mass shooting in Germany prompts concerns about mental illness, terrorism, and guns

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

On this week’s edition of “The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green,” Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, says Germans are shocked and worried. toggle audio on and off change volume download audio Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler speaks about how rare the most recent mass shooting was for Germany because of strict gun laws $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); SIGN UP TODAY for J.J. Green’s new natio...

Kelly’s 21 lead UCF past Florida 67-49 in NIT

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — CJ Kelly scored 21 points and UCF beat No. 4 seed Florida 67-49 on Wednesday night in the NIT.UCF (19-14) advances to the second round to play the winner of the Oregon-UC Irvine game.Kelly shot 9 for 13, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc for the Knights. Taylor Hendricks scored 17 points and added eight rebounds. Ithiel Horton recorded 12 points and shot 5 for 10, including 2 for 6 from beyond the arc.Riley Kugel led the way for the Gators (16-17) with 13 points. Niels Lane and Myreon Jones each added six points. Florida lost eight of its last 11 contests, and went without its leading scorer, Colin Castleton, since Feb. 15 due to a broken hand.UCF took the lead with 11:52 left in the first half and never looked back. Hendricks led his team in scoring with 13 points in the first half to help put them up 35-26 at the break. UCF pulled away with a 9-0 run in the second half to extend a nine-point lead to 18 points. They outscored Florida by nine points in t...

Company gets a bit closer to raising $1.1B it needs for mine

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:06 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A mining company that wants to extract a collection of rare elements from beneath southeast Nebraska raised funds Wednesday toward its goal of finding the $1.1 billion it needs to build the mine that has been in the works for decades.Shareholders of a special purpose acquisition company called GX Acquisition Corp. II overwhelmingly approved merging with NioCorp, a Centennial, Colorado-based mining company, according to a regulatory filing. About $15 million from the deal will go to NioCorp, the company said.The GXII deal involves one of the risky shell companies once popular on Wall Street before many fell out of favor and had to be liquidated before they ever completed a deal. The SPACs, as they are known, are essentially companies created solely to merge with another business to invest in it.NioCorp shareholders also approved an $81 million financing deal with Yorkville Advisors Global last week.But the mine the company hopes to build about 80 miles (130 kilomet...