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Trump will face judge in historic court appearance over charges he hoarded secret documents

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

By ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER (Associated Press)MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump is expected to become Tuesday the first former president to face a judge on federal charges as the city of Miami prepared for possible protests by crowds that officials said could number in the tens of thousands.Trump approached his history-making court date with characteristic bravado, insisting as he has through years of legal woes that he has done nothing wrong and was being persecuted for political purposes. But the gravity of the moment was unmistakable as he answers to 37 felony counts that accuse him of willfully retaining classified records that prosecutors say could have jeopardized national security if exposed, then trying to hide them from investigators who demanded them back.The case is laden with political implications for Trump, who currently holds the dominant spot in the early days of the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it also poses profound legal consequences given t...

Column: Lake County officials have nothing to lose by making a stadium pitch for the Chicago Bears

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

As long as real bears are roaming Lake County, we might as well make a pitch for the gridiron Bears. Seems like other locales are trying to lure them, so perhaps county economic development officials have a new stadium package prepared for the team.Folks may have missed the black bear sightings last week first lumbering near Gurnee Mills, then in the backyard of an Antioch-area home. State wildlife officials didn’t seem too upset about a rare bear encounter.The ursine sightings must be the first such in the county, although we have had bison and cougar visitors in the past. Black bears were once common in the county until our forefathers disposed of them in the late 1870s in favor of farms and pioneer housing.With the glimpse of the beasts at least Lake County can claim there’s some real bears here, compared to those suburbs who want to be the eventual home of the Monsters of the Midway.Having a new Chicago Bears stadium in Lake County would piggyback on the team’s...

9 wounded in Denver shooting, hours after Nuggets won NBA championship: police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

At least nine people suffered gunshot wounds early Tuesday during a violent incident in downtown Denver, where people had gathered after the Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship earlier in the night, police said.A suspect, who has not been identified, also suffered a gunshot wound before being taken into custody, according to the Denver Police Department.Investigators are still working to determine a motive for the shooting, which occurred around 12:30 a.m. local time about a mile from the Nuggets’ home, Ball Arena. Three victims were in critical condition, while woundsthe suspect and the other victims sustained were considered non-life-threatening, officials said.“As far as what led up to this altercation that resulted in the shots being fired, that’s still under investigation at this time,” said Doug Schepman of the Denver Police Department. “It did occur in the area where we had largest gathering of folks celebrating during the night.̶...

DeAndre Hopkins visiting Patriots on Wednesday and Thursday, per report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

The Patriots will host wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a free-agent visit Wednesday and Thursday, according to the NFL Network.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Mac Jones plays it safe, Jack Jones shines and more Patriots minicamp Day 1 takeaways New England Patriots | Former Patriots captain reportedly skipping mandatory minicamp over contract New England Patriots | Patriots release top free-agent signing after 3 months New England Patriots | Mac Jones reacts to DeAndre Hopkins’ reported Patriots visit: ‘Obviously we’d love to have him’ New England Patriots | Bill Belichick expresses uncertainty about DeAndre Hopkins’ Patriots visit Hopkins took his first visit to Tennessee on Monday. The 31-year-old has drawn interest across the league, but only recently started to tour team facilities. Hopkins hit free agency in late May after the Cardinals failed to trade him and h...

US consumer price growth slowed last month

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER (AP Economics Writer)WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer prices in the United States cooled last month, rising just 0.1% from April to May and extending the past year’s steady easing of inflation. At the same time, some measures of underlying price pressures remained high.Measured year over year, inflation slowed to just 4% in May — the lowest 12-month figure in over two years and well below April’s 4.9% annual rise. The pullback was driven by tumbling gas prices and smaller increases in grocery prices and other items.The drop-off in overall inflation isn’t likely to convince the Federal Reserve’s policymakers that they’re close to curbing the high inflation that has gripped the nation for two years. The Fed tends to focus more on “core” prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs and generally provide a clearer view of inflation.And core prices remained high last month, rising 0.4% from April to May, the sixth straight month of increases at that level or high...

Longmeadow playground slide doused with acid, two injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

Two children suffered what were described as “burn-like injuries” after playing on slides that had been doused with acid at a park in Longmeadow, authorities said.Police and firefighters responded to Bliss Park in Longmeadow on Sunday morning for a report of a suspicious substance on the playground equipment, the fire department posted on social media.At about the same time, firefighters and emergency medical technicians went to a home in town for a report of two children with burns who had just left the park.Authorities determined that someone broke into a storage room where chemicals are kept at the park’s swimming pool and stole some muriatic acid. The acid, which can be used for cleaning or for maintaining a pool’s pH balance, was then poured on three slides, authorities said.Evidence was gathered and sent to the state crime lab for forensic analysis.No one has been charged, but authorities said the suspect or suspects may have also been injured.“We...

Trump heavily favored over DeSantis among California Republicans, poll shows 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

Former President Donald Trump is favored over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis among registered Republican voters in California in the 2024 presidential primary, a new poll from Emerson College Polling and Inside California Politics shows. 54.5% of registered Republican respondents said they would most likely vote for Trump in the presidential primary, nearly three times as many who said they would vote for DeSantis (18.7%).The poll was conducted from June 4 - 7, before a federal indictment against Trump became public.Former Vice President Mike Pence was the top choice for 11.8% of those polled, with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley rounding out the top four with support from 5.7% of respondents. Most Californians think Dianne Feinstein should resign, poll shows However, among California voters, both Trump and DeSantis trailed President Joe Biden by more than 20 percentage points in hypothetical matchups.53.5% of respondents favored Biden over Trump, who was the prefer...

Californians most concerned about economy, half of voters oppose reparation recommendation, poll says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

Nearly a quarter of registered California voters think the economy is the most important issue facing their state, a new survey by Emerson College Polling and Inside California Politics shows. 24.6% of voters surveyed placed the economy as being of primary concern for California, beating out homelessness (17.4%) and housing affordability (16.1%).Video Above: Trump heavily favored over DeSantis among California RepublicansMore than 5% of respondents also said either crime (10.5%), immigration (6.7%) or threats to democracy (5.4%) were their chief concern.The ranking of topics held mostly consistent among almost every group surveyed regardless of of age, race, gender, or region of the state.Only among registered Democratic voters did another issue, housing affordability, tie the economy as the voters’ highest concern. No group reported any issue as being more of a concern than the economy. Most Californians think Dianne Feinstein should resign, poll shows Registered Republican ...

Nigeria president-backed legislators elected leaders of parliament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s ruling party retained leadership of the West African nation’s parliament with the election Tuesday of its consensus candidates as Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives.Godswill Akpabio was elected to lead the Senate and Tajudeen Abbas was picked as House speaker before members of parliament who won February elections were sworn into the chambers, where the ruling party has a majority. Akpabio and Abbas both had the backing of Nigeria’s new president, Bola Tinubu. All three belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress party.The Nigerian National Assembly has long been criticized for not serving as a check on the executive branch, a trend that analysts said would continue under parliament’s new leaders.Akpabio, who has been under investigation by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency for alleged corruption during his time as governor of the oil-rich Akwa Ibom state, will Akpabio, also becomes Nigeria’s National Assembly by virtue of...

How population growth is affecting everything from jobs to housing in the economy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:12 GMT

OTTAWA — Rapid population growth is challenging economists’ understanding of the economy as they monitor how businesses and consumers are responding to high interest rates.The Canadian economy has outperformed expectations so far this year, avoiding the slowdown many forecasters were anticipating in response to the Bank of Canada’s aggressive rate hikes. The resilience of the Canadian economy prompted the central bank to raise interest rates again last week, saying that the risk of sticky inflation has risen.But a closer look at the numbers shows high population growth is partly responsible for the strong economic results, potentially propping up the housing market at a time when high interest rates are supposed to suppress demand.Here’s how population growth is affecting jobs, growth and the housing market: JobsThe Canadian labour market made a remarkable recovery post-pandemic and continued to add jobs even as interest rates began climbing last year.But much of t...