Giuliani settles legal fight with former Georgia election workers

NEW YORK (AP) — Rudy Giuliani has settled with two Georgia election workers in a deal that they say let him keep his homes and personal belongings in return for compensation and a promise to never defame them again. The deal announced Thursday came after the women were awarded a $148 million judgment against Giuliani. He had been scheduled to testify in the morning in Manhattan federal court at a trial to decide whether he must give the assets to two former Georgia election workers. Giuliani didn’t come to court. In the last week, the 80-year-old former New York City mayor has been found in contempt of court for failing to provide information about some assets and for continuing to speak disparagingly about the election workers.

College students charged in TikTok-inspired ‘catch a predator’ plot appear in court

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Five Massachusetts college students have appeared in court, accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus through the Tinder dating app and then seizing him as part of a “Catch a Predator” trend on TikTok. The Assumption University students, all teenagers, were arraigned Thursday on conspiracy and kidnapping charges. Not-guilty pleas were entered, and they’re due back in Worcester District Court on March 28. Police said students recorded themselves laughing and high-fiving each other after chasing the man. Before leaving court, the teens were ordered to have no contact with the targeted man, who police said showed no indication he was looking for underage girls.

FDA OKs sales of Zyn nicotine pouches, citing health benefits for adult smokers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials are backing the health benefits of nicotine pouches, ruling that Philip Morris International’s Zyn can help adult smokers cut back or quit cigarettes. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday OK’d sales of 10 different Zyn flavors, including coffee, mint and menthol. It’s the first time regulators have authorized sales of the products, which are the fastest-growing segment of the tobacco market. FDA officials say that Zyn contains fewer harmful ingredients than cigarettes and other types of chewing tobacco, including snuff, which are linked with cancer and other diseases.

More Americans file for unemployment benefits last week

(AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week, but layoffs remain historically low and the job market broadly healthy.The Labor Department said Thursday that applications for jobless benefits rose by 14,000 for the week ending January 11, up from the previous week’s 203,000. The previous week’s figure was the lowest since February of last year. The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of January 4 fell to by 18,000 to 1.86 million. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs.