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Trump lawyers meet with Jack Smith’s team ahead of possible 2020 election indictment, AP source says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump were meeting Thursday with members of special counsel Jack Smith’s team ahead of a potential indictment over the former president’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to a person familiar with the matter.The meeting included Trump lawyer John Lauro, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to describe a private gathering.Trump, the front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, earlier this month was informed by Smith’s office that he was a target of the Justice Department’s investigation, suggesting that an indictment could be soon.The investigation has focused on the turbulent two month-period after the November 2020 election in which Trump refused to accept his loss to Democrat Joe Biden and spread lies that victory was stolen from him. The turmoil resulted in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, when Trump loyalists violently b...

Montreal police investigate double homicide after mother, daughter found dead in home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

MONTREAL — A 911 call about missing persons led officers to discover the bodies of a mother and daughter inside a Montreal home early Thursday in what police said was a double homicide.The bodies of the 56-year-old mother and her 12-year-old daughter were found inside a property in a residential area of the southwest borough of Lachine.Police have not released details about who they suspect committed the murders — the city’s 17th and 18th homicides of the year — nor have they made arrests. Const. Mariane Allaire Morin said police received a call around 12:15 a.m. Thursday about missing people, adding that a short investigation led officers to the residence about 75 minutes later.“At the beginning, we were talking about multiple people reported missing, we weren’t talking about one, two, or three people,” Allaire Morin said.“There is a suspect in the case, there are important witnesses we want to meet and that will depend on the evidence we gather and a ...

A car-carrying cargo ship burning near a Dutch bird habitat stokes environmental worries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A cargo ship packed with cars burned close to a world-renowned bird habitat off the Dutch coast Thursday as firefighters and salvage crews waited for the flames from a fire that started more than a day earlier to subside before attempting to board the vessel.The Fremantle Highway was sailing from the German port of Bremerhaven to Singapore when it caught fire in the North Sea shortly before midnight Tuesday about 27 kilometers (17 miles) north of the Dutch island of Ameland, sparking fears of an environmental disaster.One crew member died and others were injured early Wednesday. The entire crew, made up of 21 Indian nationals, has been evacuated from the ship. The cause of the fire hasn’t been established.The coast guard of the Netherlands said “the situation at the moment is stable.” The agency released a photo after a flyover Thursday that showed smoke still pouring from the ship and drifting low over the slate-gray sea.The coast guard said late Thurs...

US prosecutors accuse ex-Tennessee lawmaker of delaying sentencing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Federal prosecutors on Thursday accused a former Tennessee state senator of intentionally delaying his sentencing after the Republican unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw his guilty plea to federal campaign finance laws.Earlier this spring, Brian Kelsey announced that he pleaded guilty with an “unsure heart and confused mind” due to events in his personal life — his father had abruptly died in February, and he and his wife were caring for their twin sons born in September. He has since replaced his legal team and sought to prove that he was given bad legal advice. Kelsey had entered a guilty plea before a federal judge in November in the case related to a failed 2016 congressional campaign. Kelsey had previously pleaded not guilty — often describing his case as a “political witch hunt.” But he changed his mind shortly after his co-defendant, Nashville social club owner Joshua Smith, pleaded guilty to one count under a deal that required him to “c...

Nearly two months into his term, Nigeria’s leader finally proposes his Cabinet to legislators

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Thursday forwarded 28 ministerial nominees to federal legislators for confirmation as he seeks to finally set up his Cabinet to lead Africa’s most populous country.The long-awaited list featuring six women was presented to the Nigerian Senate by Tinubu’s chief of staff Femi Gbajabiamila, a day before the deadline and nearly two months after the Nigerian leader took office. On the list with no assigned portfolios are four former governors and three presidential aides. It also features prominent professionals such as Muhammed Ali Pate, a former Nigerian health minister and former director at the World Bank who recently turned down an appointment to lead the global vaccine alliance Gavi.Tinubu on May 29 took the reins of Africa’s largest economy, a nation of more than 210 million people, after promising to build on the achievements of his successor and end chronic bad governance that has stifled development. In addition to ...

Supreme Court allows construction to resume on the Mountain Valley Pipeline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed construction to resume on a contested natural-gas pipeline that is being built through Virginia and West Virginia.Work on the Mountain Valley Pipeline had been blocked by the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, even after Congress ordered the project’s approval as part of the bipartisan bill to increase the debt ceiling. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law in June.The high court’s order came as a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was hearing arguments in the case.The Biden administration backed the company in calling for the Supreme Court’s intervention.“All necessary permits have been issued and approved, we passed bipartisan legislation in Congress, the president signed that legislation into law, and now the Supreme Court has spoken: construction on the Mountain Valley Pipeline can finally resume, which is a major win for American energy and American jobs,” West Virginia ...

Justice Dept announces broad investigation of Memphis police practices after Tyre Nichols death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday it is investigating the patterns or practices of the police department in Memphis, Tennessee, seven months after the violent beating of Tyre Nichols by five officers after a traffic stop.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division made the announcement in Memphis. The investigative tool can look collectively at an agency’s stops, searches, or arrests; use of excessive force; possible discriminatory policing; potential violations of suspects’ constitutional rights; and more.Clarke said the probe will look into the city and its police department. She mentioned Nichols’ death, but said the investigation is not based on a single event, or a single unit with the police agency.The five officers have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges including second-degree murder in the Jan. 7 beating of Nichols after a traffic stop — and his death three days later. Caught on police video, ...

Man charged with buying gun in murder of Jaslyn Adams receives probation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS — The man who was charged with supplying the gun used in 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams' murder at a McDonald's drive-thru on Chicago's West Side received probation.In Oct. 2021, federal authorities announced that Eric Keys Jr., then 23, of Indianapolis, straw purchased two guns that ended up in Chicago. He was subsequently charged with the following two counts; making a false statement during purchase of a firearm and making a false statement with respect to information required to be kept by a licensed firearms dealer.He pleaded guilty and on July 7, a federal judge in Indianapolis sentenced Keys Jr., to two years of probation. According to the Sun-Times, who obtained a transcript of the sentencing hearing, the judge told Keys Jr. prison "would be counterproductive to the progress he is making in his life."Prior to that, the judge mentioned that a "child is dead" because of his actions and lambasted Indiana gun trafficking to Chicago, the outlet reported.One of the guns was ...

Ammonia leak led to hazmat situation at Home City Ice facility on SW side: CFD

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

CHICAGO -- Chicago fire responded to a level 2 hazmat situation of an ammonia leak near Home City Ice in Chicago Lawn Thursday morning. The shelter that was in place has been lifted and the reported leak stopped. The cause of the leak has yet to be determined.CFD reported a 911 call around 4:00 a.m. Thursday morning of an ammonia leak from an internal tank at Home City Ice facility located in the 3600 block of West 59th Street Street. Firefighters were able to respond promptly with the fire station directly across the facility. Hazmat teams were also called to turn the main ammonia valve off. Streets and sewers were flooded by opening several hydrants to help dispel the ammonia. Neighbors in the area told WGN about the strong odor circulating the community. After four hours of response, the Chicago Lawn neighborhood was able to breathe clean air. Home City Ice told WGN that they immediately took steps to get the leak contained and that they will be doing a thorough inspection and ta...

CTA running historic 'L' train cars in Loop Saturday to mark 100th anniversary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:47 GMT

CHICAGO — To celebrate its 100th anniversary of the rollout, you can hop aboard a vintage "L" train this weekend in the Loop.On Saturday from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m., historic 4000-series rail cars will depart from the Washington/Wabash inner loop. At around 11 a.m., they will be making all stops in the Loop.The normal $2.50 fare still applies.“The 4000-series railcars and the entire Heritage Fleet are a treasure not just in CTA’s history, but the City of Chicago’s history too, and Chicagoans of all ages are welcome to come out and experience this century-old gem,” said CTA President Dorval Carter Jr.The two preserved rail cars, numbered, 4271 and 4272, were built in 1923 and ran in Chicago for 50 years. Video shows crop dusting plane nearly clipping semi-truck in Northwest Indiana The CTA will also be distributing a limited quantity of commemorative posters from a table at the Washington-Wabash station.