COLORADO SPRINGS (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden warned graduates of the Air Force Academy on Thursday that they will face an increasingly unstable world, with challenges from China to Russia to climate change, while pledging that American support for Ukraine would not waiver.

“The world needs you,” Biden told the graduates in Colorado Springs.

Biden praised the strength and unity of the NATO alliance and vowed that Sweden, in addition to Finland, would be joining the military group.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged Turkey to immediately finalize Sweden’s accession to NATO, saying the Nordic country had already taken significant steps to address Ankara’s objections to its membership.

“It will happen, I promise you,” Biden said.

The president emphasized U.S. support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

“The American people’s support for Ukraine will not waiver,” Biden said.

Biden noted other challenges facing the United States, including China.

“The United States does not seek conflict or confrontation with China. China and the United States should be able to work together where we can to solve some global challenges, like climate,” he said.

“But we are prepared for vigorous competition,” he said, adding the United States would stand up for its interests and that of its partners.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Heather Timmons, Editing by Caitlin Webber and David Gregorio)

(Reuters) -“That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson was convicted on Wednesday of raping two women at his Hollywood Hills home.

A jury deadlocked on another charge that Masterson raped a third woman between 2001 and 2003, said Greg Risling, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

Masterson, 47, got his breakout role as an adolescent rebel in the 1998 to 2006 television comedy series “That ’70s Show.”

The actor had pleaded not guilty to the rape charges.

Defense attorney Philip Cohen had urged jurors to acquit his client. According to City News Service, Cohen questioned the credibility of the alleged victims and said their stories had been tweaked over the years.

The case drew attention in part because Masterson met the women through the Church of Scientology, and two of the accusers said the organization discouraged them from contacting law enforcement.

The Church of Scientology has rejected that claim and said Masterson’s religion should not have been an issue in the case.

“The church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone, Scientologists or not, to law enforcement,” the organization said in a statement.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Stephen Coates and Richard Chang)

COLORADO SPRINGS (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden warned graduates of the Air Force Academy on Thursday that they will face an increasingly unstable world, with challenges from China to Russia to climate change, while pledging that American support for Ukraine would not waiver.

“The world needs you,” Biden told the graduates in Colorado Springs.

Biden praised the strength and unity of the NATO alliance and vowed that Sweden, in addition to Finland, would be joining the military group.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged Turkey to immediately finalize Sweden’s accession to NATO, saying the Nordic country had already taken significant steps to address Ankara’s objections to its membership.

“It will happen, I promise you,” Biden said.

The president emphasized U.S. support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

“The American people’s support for Ukraine will not waiver,” Biden said.

Biden noted other challenges facing the United States, including China.

“The United States does not seek conflict or confrontation with China. China and the United States should be able to work together where we can to solve some global challenges, like climate,” he said.

“But we are prepared for vigorous competition,” he said, adding the United States would stand up for its interests and that of its partners.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Heather Timmons, Editing by Caitlin Webber and David Gregorio)

COLORADO SPRINGS (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden warned graduates of the Air Force Academy on Thursday that they will face an increasingly unstable world, with challenges from China to Russia to climate change, while pledging that American support for Ukraine would not waiver.

“The world needs you,” Biden told the graduates in Colorado Springs.

Biden praised the strength and unity of the NATO alliance and vowed that Sweden, in addition to Finland, would be joining the military group.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged Turkey to immediately finalize Sweden’s accession to NATO, saying the Nordic country had already taken significant steps to address Ankara’s objections to its membership.

“It will happen, I promise you,” Biden said.

The president emphasized U.S. support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.

“The American people’s support for Ukraine will not waiver,” Biden said.

Biden noted other challenges facing the United States, including China.

“The United States does not seek conflict or confrontation with China. China and the United States should be able to work together where we can to solve some global challenges, like climate,” he said.

“But we are prepared for vigorous competition,” he said, adding the United States would stand up for its interests and that of its partners.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Heather Timmons, Editing by Caitlin Webber and David Gregorio)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House Oversight Committee’s Chairman James Comer opened a probe Thursday into U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan’s management of the agency, citing complaints of abuse of power.

Khan has angered companies and trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce by pushing the FTC, which enforces antitrust law and laws against deceptive marketing, to be more aggressive in investigations and law enforcement.

In a letter to Khan and agency officials dated Thursday, Comer cited complaints made by former commissioner Christine Wilson, a Republican.

“We are concerned that the developments at the Commission cataloged by Commissioner Wilson and others could undermine consumers’ and markets’ confidence in the Commission’s ability to perform its functions effectively and with integrity,” Comer wrote in the letter.

Comer’s letter cited Wilson’s concern over a transaction by Meta Platforms. She had accused Khan of abuse of power by voting to challenge Meta’s acquisition of virtual reality content maker Within. Wilson argued that Khan had said before coming to the FTC that Meta should be barred from making additional acquisitions, and that this meant Khan should be recused from FTC deliberations regarding the deal.

The FTC lost a court fight aimed at stopping that transaction and the deal went forward.

“Under Chair Khan, the FTC is proud to be defending American consumers from harm and ensuring fair competition in the economy. We look forward to working with Congress to dispel former Commissioner Wilson’s imaginative allegations,” FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said in an email.

The committee asked for documents related to the probe, including unredacted documents related to whether Khan should recuse herself from discussions about Meta’s plan to buy Within as well as discussions about the use of delay in order to deter or prevent corporate mergers.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House Oversight Committee’s Chairman James Comer opened a probe Thursday into U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan’s management of the agency, citing complaints of abuse of power.

Khan has angered companies and trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce by pushing the FTC, which enforces antitrust law and laws against deceptive marketing, to be more aggressive in investigations and law enforcement.

In a letter to Khan and agency officials dated Thursday, Comer cited complaints made by former commissioner Christine Wilson, a Republican.

“We are concerned that the developments at the Commission cataloged by Commissioner Wilson and others could undermine consumers’ and markets’ confidence in the Commission’s ability to perform its functions effectively and with integrity,” Comer wrote in the letter.

Comer’s letter cited Wilson’s concern over a transaction by Meta Platforms. She had accused Khan of abuse of power by voting to challenge Meta’s acquisition of virtual reality content maker Within. Wilson argued that Khan had said before coming to the FTC that Meta should be barred from making additional acquisitions, and that this meant Khan should be recused from FTC deliberations regarding the deal.

The FTC lost a court fight aimed at stopping that transaction and the deal went forward.

“Under Chair Khan, the FTC is proud to be defending American consumers from harm and ensuring fair competition in the economy. We look forward to working with Congress to dispel former Commissioner Wilson’s imaginative allegations,” FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said in an email.

The committee asked for documents related to the probe, including unredacted documents related to whether Khan should recuse herself from discussions about Meta’s plan to buy Within as well as discussions about the use of delay in order to deter or prevent corporate mergers.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House Oversight Committee’s Chairman James Comer opened a probe Thursday into U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan’s management of the agency, citing complaints of abuse of power.

Khan has angered companies and trade groups like the Chamber of Commerce by pushing the FTC, which enforces antitrust law and laws against deceptive marketing, to be more aggressive in investigations and law enforcement.

In a letter to Khan and agency officials dated Thursday, Comer cited complaints made by former commissioner Christine Wilson, a Republican.

“We are concerned that the developments at the Commission cataloged by Commissioner Wilson and others could undermine consumers’ and markets’ confidence in the Commission’s ability to perform its functions effectively and with integrity,” Comer wrote in the letter.

Comer’s letter cited Wilson’s concern over a transaction by Meta Platforms. She had accused Khan of abuse of power by voting to challenge Meta’s acquisition of virtual reality content maker Within. Wilson argued that Khan had said before coming to the FTC that Meta should be barred from making additional acquisitions, and that this meant Khan should be recused from FTC deliberations regarding the deal.

The FTC lost a court fight aimed at stopping that transaction and the deal went forward.

“Under Chair Khan, the FTC is proud to be defending American consumers from harm and ensuring fair competition in the economy. We look forward to working with Congress to dispel former Commissioner Wilson’s imaginative allegations,” FTC spokesperson Douglas Farrar said in an email.

The committee asked for documents related to the probe, including unredacted documents related to whether Khan should recuse herself from discussions about Meta’s plan to buy Within as well as discussions about the use of delay in order to deter or prevent corporate mergers.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

(Reuters) – New England is expected to have enough resources this summer to meet consumer demand for power in normal weather conditions, the region’s independent electricity operator said on Thursday.

ISO New England forecast electricity demand of about 24,605 megawatts (MW) this summer, compared to last year’s peak demand of 24,780 MW.

Above-average summer weather, such as an extended heat wave, might increase demand to 26,421 MW, the electricity operator said.

If forecast peak system conditions connected to above-average hot and humid weather occur, there could be tight supply margins, ISO said.

ISO highlighted that to meet New England consumer demand for electricity and required reserves, more than 30,000 MW of capacity is anticipated to be available.

In the wake of a prolonged heat wave, demand for electricity reached a record-high 28,130 MW on August 2, 2006.

(Reporting by Ananya Bajpai in Bengaluru)

COLORADO SPRINGS (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden warned graduates of the Air Force Academy that they will face an increasingly unstable world, with challenges from China to Russia to climate change.

“The world needs you,” Biden told the graduates in Colorado Springs.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Heather Timmons, Editing by Caitlin Webber)

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Far-right Oath Keepers militant group member Roberto Minuta was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on Thursday after he was convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes arising from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by then-President Donald Trump’s supporters.

“You can feel a way about a government and about the way it’s treating its citizens without resorting to violence,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said. “That is why you find yourself where you are today.”

Minuta’s sentencing comes just one week after Mehta sentenced Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes to 18 years in prison following his November conviction for seditious conspiracy and other charges.

Rhodes received the longest prison term handed down to any of the 1,000-plus people charged in the attack that was intended to block Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory over Republican Trump.

Mehta is due to sentence Minuta’s co-defendant Edward Vallejo at 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Minuta, who provided a security detail to Trump ally Roger Stone during political rallies on the day of the attack, entered the Capitol with other Oath Keepers and, according to prosecutors, pushed past police officers while screaming obscene language.

Minuta on Thursday said he regretted the violent and profane rhetoric he used on Jan. 6, which was captured on video and played for the jury during his trial in moments he said made him cringe.

“As a father I would be embarrassed for my children to see me behave the way I did on that day,” he said. “I’m sincerely disgusted by my behavior.”

He added that he has since disavowed the Oath Keepers and feels “repulsed” by Rhodes’ lack of remorse for his conduct on Jan. 6.

Mehta told Minuta he was not convicted based solely on his own words.

“It’s because your words reflected your state of mind. Your words gave us a window into what you were thinking and ultimately why you came to Washington,” Mehta said.

The sentence Mehta imposed was far lower than the 17-year prison term the government had requested.

“Mr. Minuta is dangerous individual” due to his “warped sense of patriotism,” federal prosecutor Troy Edwards said.

“Mr. Minuta to this very day has not shown remorse for what he did. Throughout his pretrial release he took to Twitter to call Jan. 6 defendants political prisoners,” Edwards said.

Vallejo was not at the Capitol on the day of the attack. Prosecutors said he stayed at a suburban Virginia hotel where the Oath Keepers had staged a “quick reaction force” and stashed firearms to be quickly ferried into Washington if needed.

Matthew Peed, Vallejo’s attorney, sought to shift blame to Trump, who during a speech to supporters shortly before the riot repeated his false claims that the election had been stolen from him through widespread voting fraud and urged them to march on the Capitol and “fight like hell.”

“The tragedy of Jan. 6 is that hundreds of lifelong law-abiding people like Edward Vallejo were lied to by the sitting president and told that the certification was an orchestrated assault on our democracy,” Peed wrote in his sentencing memo.

In addition to Rhodes, three other co-defendants were sentenced last week to between four and 12 years in prison.

Two of those three were acquitted of seditious conspiracy – a felony charge involving attempts “to overthrow, put down or to destroy by force the government of the United States” – but convicted on other felony counts.

Joseph Hackett and David Moerschel, co-defendants in the trial in which Minuta and Vallejo were convicted – are due to be sentenced on Friday.

They too were convicted of seditious conspiracy and other crimes. The prosecution has recommended a sentence of 12 years in prison for Hackett and 10 for Moerschel.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Will Dunham and Mark Porter)