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Kari Lake’s trial to review signed ballot envelopes from Arizona election wraps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — The trial in a lawsuit brought by Kari Lake, the defeated Arizona Republican nominee for governor, to get access to 1.3 million voters’ signed ballot envelopes is now in the hands of a judge after wrapping up midday Monday.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah said he would issue a ruling as soon as possible after closing arguments in the two-day bench trial.Lake was not in attendance after appearing Thursday. Maricopa County election officials argue state law mandates the signatures on the envelopes remain confidential.Lake’s lawyer counters she has a right to look into how the county runs its election operations and that people’s signatures are public in other places, such as property deeds. This is Lake’s third trial related to her election loss. Lake previously lost two trials that challenged her competitor Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ win by more than 17,000 votes. In the second trial, a judge rejected a misconduct claim L...

3 teenagers were fatally shot in South Carolina, and two schoolmates have been arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Two people showed up at an abandoned house where four teenagers were hanging out and opened fire, killing three of them and wounding the fourth in an escalation of an old quibble over a burglary, authorities said Monday in Columbia, South Carolina.Two 17-year-old Eau Claire High School students were both arrested on three counts of murder, one of attempted murder and possessing a weapon during a violent crime, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. An investigation is ongoing, and more arrests could be made, Deputy Veronica Hill, a public information officer, told The Associated Press Monday afternoon.The teenagers who were killed also attended Eau Claire High School, according to a statement from Craig Witherspoon, the district superintendent. The lone survivor attended a nearby middle school.The district provided additional counseling and security at the high school Monday in response to the “unimaginable tragedy,” which Witherspoon decr...

New book alleges Trump’s ex-chief of staff’s suits smelled ‘like a bonfire’ from burning papers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A former aide in Donald Trump’s White House says chief of staff Mark Meadows burned papers so often after the 2020 election that it left his office smoky and even prompted his wife to complain that his suits smelled “like a bonfire.”Cassidy Hutchinson, who was a prominent congressional witness against former President Trump before the House Jan. 6 committee, described the burning papers in a new book set to be released Tuesday. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the book, “Enough.”Hutchinson was a White House staffer in her 20s who worked for Meadows and testified for two hours on national television about the White House’s inner workings leading up to and including the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Trump and Meadows tried to challenge the former president’s election loss in several states. Both are under indictment in Georgia for what prosecutors have called an illegal conspiracy to overturn the results. In her book, Hutchinson wri...

New immigration minister says one-click citizenship oath still worth considering

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

OTTAWA — The new immigration minister is still considering a controversial option to allow new Canadians to take their oath of citizenship with the click of a button, but there are no immediate plans to implement it, he said Monday.The government asked for public feedback in February about the idea to allow new Canadians to skip a virtual or in-person ceremony and opt instead to take the oath with the click of a mouse.Consultation documents posted online say the new regulations were expected to come into force in June 2023, but the government has been mum about its plans since then.The department is still mulling it over, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Monday, and he thinks it’s a good idea.“You don’t want to take these moments lightly, but we do need technological options,” Miller said on his way into Question Period. “The department has been criticized, rightly, for not being adjusted to the 21st century and that option is one I think that we s...

Mel Tucker’s attorney: Michigan State doesn’t have cause to fire suspended coach over phone sex

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

Mel Tucker’s attorney said Monday that Michigan State does not have cause to fire its suspended football coach after Tucker acknowledged having phone sex with an activist and rape survivor because he did not “engage in unprofessional or unethical behavior” or violate his contract.Attorney Jennifer Belveal denied in a statement that Tucker’s actions were acts of moral turpitude — “by any stretch of the imagination” — at the university that operates in the shadow of Larry Nassar’s abuse of more than 100 athletes. Belveal also cited Tucker’s “serious medical condition” in stating that the embattled coach reserves his right to fully respond to the university’s planned firing when he’s medically cleared.Michigan State informed Tucker it planned to fire him last week, potentially costing him about $80 million.Activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy said Tucker sexually harassed her during a phone call in April 2022. Several months later, Tracy fil...

Investigation underway after shooting along I-290 in Forest Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

FOREST PARK, Ill. — A portion of I-290 in Cook County was shut down on Monday afternoon after a shooting, according to Illinois State Police.Officers say they were called to the scene to investigate reports of a shooting around 2:20 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 290 at Des Plaines Avenue in Forest Park.According to police, a preliminary investigation indicates that one vehicle was hit by gunfire before the offender fled the scene. Chicago Traffic: Visit the WGN News traffic map for the latest real-time updates Police closed the eastbound lanes of I-290 between 1st Avenue and Harlem Avenue while crews investigated the scene. All lanes have since reopened. Police say nobody was injured in the shooting and an investigation is ongoing.Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Illinois State Police at 847-294-4400. Those with information can also email tips to police at [email protected]. Tips can be left anonymously.

Sen. Menendez refuses to resign as lawmaker pressure grows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Pressure is growing from lawmakers for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to resign after his indictment Friday."The allegations leveled against me are just that, allegations," Menendez said.In his first event since his indictment, Menendez said he's not stepping down."When all the facts are presented, not only will I be exonerated, but I still will be the New Jersey's senior senator," he said.Federal prosecutors accuse the senator and his wife, Nadine, of accepting hundreds and thousands of dollars in bribes and gifts from New Jersey businessmen. Menendez said the cash didn't come from anyone else."Now this may seem old-fashioned, but these were monies drawn from my personal savings account," Menendez said.Although Menendez wants to stay in office, some Democrats are calling on the Garden State senator to resign."I do believe that it is in the best interest for Sen. Menendez to resign in this moment," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said.Ocasio-Cortez told CBS...

David McCallum of 'NCIS,' 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' dies at 90

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor David McCallum, who became a teen heartthrob in the hit series "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." in the 1960s and was the eccentric medical examiner in the popular "NCIS" 40 years later, has died. He was 90.McCallum died Monday of natural causes surrounded by family at New York Presbyterian Hospital, CBS said in a statement.“David was a gifted actor and author, and beloved by many around the world. He led an incredible life, and his legacy will forever live on through his family and the countless hours on film and television that will never go away,” said a statement from CBS.THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. -- Pictured: (l-r) Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo, David McCallum as Illya Kuryakin (Photo by NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. -- "The Deadly Toys Affair" Episode 209 -- Pictured: (l-r) Diane McBain as Joanna Lydecker, David McCallum as Illya Kuryakin -- (Photo by: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Ge...

A biomarker for long Covid? Plus more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

Medical Watch Digest for Sept 25Long Covid BiomarkerTwo new studies hoping to clear up the mysteries of long Covid.The studies are examining the biology behind the chronic condition, with an aim to pin point the hallmarks of it.Experts say long Covid can often be misdiagnosed as depression or a mental condition. But identifying biomarkers would give scientists an objective way to identify who has long Covid and how to treat it. More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch Big tobacco may be responsible for junk food additionsA new study claims tobacco companies are responsible for hooking Americans on junk food.In the '80s, tobacco giants Phillip Morris and R.J. Reynolds acquired Kraft, General Mills, and Nabisco. By the 2000s, they offloaded the companies.But a new study finds during the years of tobacco industry ownership,  junk foods were more likely to contain ingredients that drive people to crave and overeat them than those owned by other companies.In the past 30 years, these foo...

Test of FEMA emergency alert system planned for early October

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:42 GMT

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — If an alarm blares on your phone the first week of October, don't worry – it might just be a test. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said they will conduct a test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.All major U.S. wireless providers participate in the emergency alert system and will transmit the national test to their customers. If your phone is on and within range of an active cell tower, from a participating wireless provider, you should receive the national test, FEMA and FCC said. New IRS ‘$600 rule’ also applies to resold tickets, side hustles like Etsy According to FEMA, the test will take place at approximately 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time on Oct. 4. If there’s widespread severe weather on Oct. 4, the test will be postponed by one week so it doesn’t create confusion between real emergency alerts and the test. The backup test date is Wednesday, Oct. 11. ...