US Domestic News Roundup: White House works on new measures to counter Islamophobia; US lawmakers press Biden for plans on Chinese use of open chip technology and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. White House works on new measures to counter Islamophobia The White House said Wednesday it will develop a national strategy to battle Islamophobia as President Joe Biden faces skepticism from many Muslim Americans for his staunch support of Israel's military assault on Hamas in Gaza in response to the militant group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

White House works on new measures to counter Islamophobia

The White House said Wednesday it will develop a national strategy to battle Islamophobia as President Joe Biden faces skepticism from many Muslim Americans for his staunch support of Israel's military assault on Hamas in Gaza in response to the militant group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The launch of the anti-Islamophobia effort has been expected for months. The administration in May released a national strategy to combat antisemitism that also made a reference to countering hatred against Muslims, but the effort gained momentum in the wake of the ongoing deadly clash between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Uber, Lyft to pay $328 million to settle New York wage theft claims

Uber and Lyft will pay a combined $328 million to settle claims by New York's attorney general that the ride-sharing companies systematically cheated drivers out of pay and benefits. Attorney General Letitia James said Uber will pay $290 million and Lyft will pay $38 million to resolve her office's multi-year investigation into the companies, calling it the largest wage theft settlement in her office's history.

US lawmakers press Biden for plans on Chinese use of open chip technology

A wider bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is asking the Biden administration about its plans to respond to China's rising use of RISC-V chip design technology after Reuters last month reported on growing concerns about it in both houses of Congress. RISC-V, pronounced "risk five," is a free open-source technology that competes with costly proprietary technology from British semiconductor and software design company Arm Holdings and Intel Corp. It can be used as a key part of anything from a smartphone chip to advanced processors for artificial intelligence.

Donald Trump Jr. to testify for second day in New York fraud trial

Donald Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. is due to testify for a second day on Thursday about the family company's financial statements that a New York judge has ruled were fraudulently inflated to mislead lenders and insurers. Donald Jr. is one of four family members set to take the witness stand in a New York civil fraud trial that could hobble the real-estate empire that built his father's reputation as a business mogul before he entered politics.

Actors, Hollywood studios still at odds on AI and other issues, union says

Negotiators for Hollywood actors and major studios have not resolved concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and other issues in talks aimed at ending an 111-day strike, the SAG-AFTRA union said late Wednesday. The union said it had presented a revised proposal on the use of artificial intelligence to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents Netflix, Walt Disney and other media companies.

US House defeats move to expel Republican George Santos

A vote to expel Republican lawmaker George Santos from the U.S. House of Representatives failed on Wednesday when fewer than two-thirds of the chamber supported the resolution, preserving Republicans' narrow 221-212 majority. The 35-year-old New York lawmaker has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of crimes including laundering funds to pay for his personal expenses, illegally receiving unemployment benefits and charging donors' credit cards without their consent.

Heckler pushes Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Biden says: 'we need a pause'

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a "pause" in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in the Gaza Strip after a heckler pushing for a ceasefire confronted him at a campaign fundraiser. Biden was speaking to about 200 people when the heckler shouted: "As a rabbi, I need you to call for a ceasefire right now."

Donald Trump Jr. says he played minor role in company finances

Donald Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. testified on Wednesday that he had little to do with preparing financial documents at the family real-estate company that a judge has found fraudulent, in a trial that could hobble the former U.S. president's business empire. Over the course of one and a half hours on the witness stand, Donald Jr. said he provided cash-flow figures to company accountants while he and his brother Eric oversaw the Trump Organization during their father's 2017-2021 presidency.

Five tips for Gen Xers feeling squeezed by student debt

Generation X is often referred to as the "Forgotten Generation," eclipsed by bigger demographics like Baby Boomers and Millennials. But here is something that is not forgotten: Their student debt.

Abortion foes in Ohio aim to snap losing streak with 2024 election looming

At a recent hog roast fundraiser for the Clark County Republican Party, Ohio Right to Life CEO Peter Range offered his audience a stark warning: The outcome of Ohio's Nov. 7 vote on abortion rights will reverberate far beyond the state. "They feel like if they can win here, they'll take this roadmap to the rest of the country," he said of abortion rights groups. "So our battle here is important, not only for the kids' lives at stake and the culture of the state, but also for the rest of the nation."