Prosecutors have accused Alexander Smirnov of falsely telling his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015.
Nation & World
National and world news from the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
Russian officials threaten to bury late Kremlin critic Navalny on prison grounds
An ally of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny says that Russian authorities have given his mother a deadline to agree to forgo a public funeral or else they’ll bury him immediately on prison grounds.
U.S., Europe pile new sanctions on Russia for Ukraine war anniversary, Navalny death
The U.S. Treasury plans to impose more than 500 new sanctions in the largest single tranche of penalties since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
White House announces plan to cancel $5.3 million in student loan debt for 700 Mainers
The average debt relief in Maine is roughly $7,600 under the program to clear $1.2 billion in loans for 153,000 borrowers nationwide.
How do whales sing? Lab experiments suggest their voice boxes have a unique feature
Knowing the mechanics behind whale singing has long been a mystery. Scientists now think they have an idea.
Texas school’s monthslong punishment of Black student over hairstyle is legal, judge rules
Darryl George, 18, has not been in his regular Houston-area classes since Aug. 31 because the district says the length of his hair violates its dress code.
Alaska man found guilty of first-degree murder in violent killing captured on stolen memory card
The woman who stole the suspect’s phone became a key witness during the trial in Anchorage prosecutors said.
Ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens and having Russian contacts taken back into custody
Alexander Smirnov was arrested again after prosecutors asked a judge to reconsider Smirnov’s custody status while he awaits trial.
Private spacecraft makes first U.S. moon landing in 50 years but is sending weak signal
There was no immediate word from Intuitive Machines, the company that built and managed the craft, on the condition – or even the exact location – of the lander.
Mideast cease-fire efforts gain steam as U.S. envoy visits, with mediators reporting ‘encouraging’ signs
The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been struggling for weeks to find a formula that could halt Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza.