Hunter Biden has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of willful failure to pay federal income taxes on over $1.5 million in income earned in 2017 and 2018. He will also enter a pretrial diversion agreement on a gun charge, and his attorney has stated that the five-year investigation into Hunter is resolved. The plea agreement is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, though it is unclear if Hunter Biden will face any jail time or other penalties.
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At a private fundraising event in California, President Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator, and implied that Xi was caught off guard by the U.S. military shooting down a Chinese surveillance balloon in February. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had just visited China for a rare diplomatic trip, in an attempt to ease tensions between the two countries. The meeting between Blinken and Xi was the first high-level diplomatic meeting between the two countries since President Biden took office, and the White House has said that the U.S. will continue to push for a more equitable relationship with China.
A federal judge in Arkansas has struck down the state's first-in-the-nation ban on gender-affirming care for children, ruling it unconstitutional. The ruling, which noted that the law would have caused "irreparable harm" to transgender youth, is being seen as a victory for transgender rights advocates and is likely to have implications for other states considering similar bans. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the plaintiffs in the case, said the ruling was a "victory for transgender youth and their families."
The U.S. Coast Guard is holding a news briefing Tuesday to provide an update on the search for a submersible carrying five people, including British explorer Hamish Harding and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, to the wreckage of the Titanic. The Canadian research vessel lost contact with the sub Sunday morning and the Coast Guard is continuing to search for it. The Explorers Club, the family of Shahzada Dawood, and the Coast Guard have all expressed their hope that the submersible is located quickly and the crew is safe.
Romanian social media influencer Andrew Tate and three other defendants have been charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. The group allegedly recruited seven victims, including minors, and forced them into prostitution, promising money and a better life in exchange. The trial is expected to begin in the coming months, and if found guilty, the four defendants could face up to 20 years in prison.
Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, has reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Attorney in Delaware to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and a felony gun possession charge. The plea agreement is expected to include a provision for probation for the tax violations, and drug use is acknowledged as a factor in the gun crime. The U.S. Attorney has been investigating Hunter Biden since 2018, and the plea agreement is still subject to approval by a judge.
Former President Donald Trump is set to face trial in mid-August on 37 felony counts related to the alleged mishandling of classified documents. The trial is expected to be closely watched by the public, as it is the first criminal case to be brought against a former president. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has set the criminal jury trial to take place over a two-week period beginning Aug. 14, although the start date could be delayed by motions from Trump's legal team.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has concluded his two-day visit to Beijing, China, describing it as an "important start" in stabilizing U.S. ties with China. During the visit, Blinken met with Chinese officials, including President Xi Jinping, to discuss the re-establishment of military-to-military communication between the two countries, though he noted that the effort is still a "work in progress." The visit was Blinken's first to China as Secretary of State and the two countries discussed a range of issues, including human rights, climate change, and economic ties.