Nation and world news in brief for October 9
Deputy of New York Mayor Eric Adams is seventh senior official to resign
NEW YORK (Reuters) — New York First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright became at least the seventh senior official in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to resign as multiple federal corruption investigations have engulfed City Hall in recent weeks.
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Her departure on Tuesday comes nearly two weeks after Adams was indicted on charges of accepting bribes and illegal donations to his election campaigns from foreign nationals, including Turkish citizens.
Adams, a former New York City police captain, has pleaded not guilty to the five counts in the indictment and has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
OnlyFans creator pleads guilty in child pornography case
(Reuters) — A New York man who posted a sex video of a 16-year-old girl on the adults-only website OnlyFans pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of distributing child pornography.
Matthew Richardson, 36, faces five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he’s sentenced on Dec. 19. The plea agreement was reached in August.
Richardson’s attorney and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, which prosecuted the case, declined to comment until after sentencing.
Poll finds Harris rising as she challenges Trump on change
(NYT) — Voters are now more likely to credit Vice President Kamala Harris than former President Donald Trump with representing change and caring about people like them, as Harris takes a slim lead nationally in the race for the White House, according to the latest New York Times/Siena College poll.
The finding is the first time Harris has led Trump in the Times/Siena poll since July, when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and Democrats rallied behind Harris as his replacement. It comes as the contest moves into its final month, and surveys from the battleground states find the race to be one of the closest in modern history.
While the Times/Siena poll shows some solid advantages for Trump, the results suggest Harris is making gains, if small ones, on questions about temperament, trust and change that can be critical in a presidential race.
US budget deficit rises to $1.8 trillion in 2024
WASHINGTON (NYT) — America’s federal budget deficit rose to $1.8 trillion in the 2024 fiscal year, reaching the highest level in three years, according to new Congressional Budget Office estimates released Tuesday.
The increase from last year’s $1.7 trillion deficit came as tax revenue failed to keep pace with the rising costs of government programs and the mounting interest on the national debt.
The figures show the continuing fiscal strain facing the U.S. economy, where the national debt is approaching $36 trillion. Despite steady economic growth and low unemployment, annual deficits are growing again after declining from pandemic-era highs.
