Top 8 today

Top eight stories for today including U.S. Representative George Santos surrendered to authorities; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in the fight of his political life; Missouri lawmakers passed a ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors, and more.

National

From Congress to federal court: Santos pleads not guilty to 13 criminal counts

U.S. Representative George Santos surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty this afternoon to 13 criminal counts, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and lying to Congress.

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., are sworn in by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy of Calif., as members of the 118th Congress on Jan. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Lawmakers act on measure to scuttle student loan forgiveness plan

Amid a partisan skirmish, House Republicans on the lower chamber’s education panel voted Wednesday in what amounts to a congressional thumbs-down on the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan.

Virginia Congressman Bob Good speaks in support of his resolution rolling back the Biden administration's student loan cancellation plan during a markup in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on May 10, 2023. (Screenshot via Courthouse News)

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Why do so many Democrats prefer ‘fringe’ candidates to Biden?

Historically, big poll numbers for obscure challengers — such as Robert Kennedy and Marianne Williamson — are a scary harbinger for an incumbent. This time around, though, analysts say they might not be as scary.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk from the Oval Office to attend a ceremony honoring the Council of Chief State School Officers' 2023 Teachers of the Year in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Regional

10th Circuit denies arbitration bid by Ukrainian oligarch in RICO suit

The 10th Circuit on Wednesday rejected a Ukrainian oligarch’s effort to send a RICO lawsuit he faces in the U.S. District of Wyoming to arbitration.

Missouri House passes restrictions on gender-affirming care

In a move that will almost certainly draw a legal challenge, the Missouri House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors.

Protesters hold signs in support of transgender care for minors at the Missouri State Capitol on March 29, 2023. (Be Lovely Photography via Courthouse News)

International

Erdoğan’s grip on power in peril as Turks go into crucial vote

After 20 years in power, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in the fight of his political life as he faces possible defeat at the polls this month due to rising public anger over soaring inflation, disillusionment with his leadership after catastrophic earthquakes and a united opposition eager to oust a man they condemn as a corrupt autocrat.

People listen to Turkish President and People's Alliance's presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during an election campaign rally in Ankara on Sunday, April 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Ali Unal)

Former Italian prime minister faces charges over pandemic response

Former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday appeared before a panel of judges looking into whether he and other top officials should face criminal charges for allegedly not doing enough to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus at the outset of the pandemic.

Former Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte talks to the press at the Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome after a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Oct. 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

Science

Researchers say Australian bushfires triggered rare climate event in North America

Bushfires in Australia in 2019 devastated the country, burning approximately 46 million acres, harming or killing billions of animals and taking the lives of at least 34 people. And their effects were likely felt across North America, too, according to research published in Science Advances on Wednesday ties the "Black Summer" to a rare multi-year La Niña event.

In this Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, photo, NSW Rural Fire Service crew fight the Gospers Mountain Fire as it impacts a property at Bilpin, New South Wales state, Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday, Dec. 22, apologized for taking a family vacation in Hawaii as deadly bushfires raged across several states, destroying homes and claiming the lives of two volunteer firefighters.(Dan Himbrechts/AAP Images via AP)

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