AP-Newswatch

Israel assures US it won’t strike Iranian nuclear or oil sites, US officials say

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say the Biden administration believes it has won assurances from Israel that it will not strike Iranian nuclear or oil sites as it looks to strike back following Iran’s missile barrage earlier this month. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic discussions, cautioned that the pledge is not ironclad and that circumstances could change. The officials also noted that Israel’s track record on fulfilling assurances in the past is mixed and has often reflected domestic Israeli politics that have upended Washington’s expectations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says that “we listen to the opinions of the United States, but we will make our final decisions based on our national interests.”

North Carolina governor candidate Mark Robinson sues CNN over report about posts on porn site

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson has sued CNN over its recent report that he made explicit racial and sexual posts on a pornography website’s message board. He made the announcement Tuesday and calls the reporting reckless and defamatory. The lawsuit comes less than four weeks after a report that led many of his fellow GOP elected officials and candidates to distance themselves from Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign. CNN declined to comment on the lawsuit. Robinson is also suing a man who alleges Robinson frequented a porn shop the man worked at decades ago. The man says he stands by his comments.

Canada-India ties could take a long time to recover

NEW DELHI (AP) — A simmering diplomatic row that has strained bilateral relations between India and Canada has resurfaced as the countries have expelled each other’s top diplomats over a year-long dispute about the killing of a Sikh activist in Canada. Monday’s tit-for-tat expulsions came after Canada said India’s top diplomat in the country is a person of interest in the 2023 assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India has rejected the accusations as absurd. Experts say the diplomatic standoff will make it difficult for both the countries to move forward with other aspects of a once-promising partnership and also impact India’s ambitions as it tries to project itself as a rising world power.

USDA launches an internal investigation into the deadly Boar’s Head outbreak

U.S. Agriculture Department officials have launched an internal investigation into how the agency handled reports of serious problems tied to a deadly listeria outbreak at a Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia. Sen. Richard Blumenthal says that the USDA inspector general is looking into whether federal investigators and state inspectors responded appropriately to dozens of reports of problems at the factory. At least 10 people died and nearly 50 were hospitalized since May after eating Boar’s Head products, including liverwurst. The Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt was inspected under a program that allows state inspectors to act on behalf of the federal agency. The company shut down the plant in September.

After hurricanes, the business of rebuilding lives means navigating the insurance claims process

Now that the threat of Hurricanes Helene and Milton has receded, millions of homeowners and business-owners across Florida and the Southeastern U.S. are faced with traversing the often long and laborious process of using insurance to rebuild their lives. Immediately after disasters like these, property insurance is likely not top of mind as people secure their safety and basic needs, but insurance claims are part of the process of resetting. Many buy the policies in hope they can help protect them when disaster strikes. But oftentimes insurance doesn’t cover what the policy holder thinks it does — or thinks it should.

Lowriding is more than just cars. It’s about family and culture for Mexican Americans

CHICAGO (AP) — Lowrider enthusiasts say the predominantly Latino cultural expression may be on the verge of a renaissance. It is a movement of expression through elaborate vehicle modification with origins in Mexican American and Chicano communities. Lowriding is an aspect of Latino history in the U.S. in which people show their pride, honor their family and uplift culture. But misrepresentation of the culture in entertainment and media has associated the lowriding with gang culture. Decades since its emergence, and as the Hispanic U.S. population increases, lowriding has experienced a boom. That is evidenced by an increase in car shows and conventions nationwide. Lowriding clubs exist across the U.S. and even in Japan.

Rulings signal US courts may be more open to lawsuits accusing foreign officials of abuses

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. court has given two top associates of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman until early November to turn over any evidence in a lawsuit. The case was brought by a former senior Saudi intelligence official who says he survived a Saudi plot to kill him. The order is one of several recent rulings that legal experts say are buoying efforts to hold foreign governments and officials accountable in U.S. courts for rights abuses. Lawyers for Saudi officials say there’s no evidence for the claim of an assassination attempt in 2018. A recent federal appeals court reinstated part of the man’s lawsuit, saying he’s entitled to gather any evidence from the two Saudi aides.

How the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla has turned the AI boom into a digital gold mine

The artificial intelligence boom is providing an unusual windfall for Anguilla, a tiny island in the Caribbean. ChatGPT’s debut nearly two years ago sent companies scrambling to acquire websites that end in .ai, which are controlled by Anguilla. Government revenue from web domain fees quadrupled last year to $32 million fuelled by the surging interest in AI. To help keep up with explosive growth, Anguilla said Tuesday it’s signing a deal with a U.S. company, Identity Digital, to help manage the domain registrations. The company said it will protect web users against online scammers trying to take advantage of the hype around artificial intelligence.