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Biden interview in special counsel documents investigation suggests sprawling probe near conclusion

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s interview with prosecutors over his handling of classified documents signals that a sprawling investigation that has included questioning of some of his closest aides and at least one cabinet member is nearing a conclusion.The White House revealed on Monday night that Biden was interviewed on Sunday and Monday by special counsel Robert Hur’s team, meaning that he was fielding questions from investigators during the same hours that his administration was consumed by the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. It’s a familiar dynamic for a president who over the last year has had to fulfill his duties as commander in chief while dealing with scrutiny over his own classified records retention and the legal problems of his recently indicted son, Hunter.Investigators typically save interviews of key players for the final days of an investigation, a sign that Hur’s nine-month-old probe is likely near the end. Because Hur is a Justi...

Deadly bird flu reappears in US commercial poultry flocks in Utah and South Dakota

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Highly pathogenic bird flu has made its first appearances in U.S. commercial poultry flocks this season, affecting one turkey farm in South Dakota and one in Utah.The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that avian influenza, which is deadly to commercial poultry, was confirmed in a flock of 47,300 turkeys in Jerauld County, South Dakota, on Oct. 4 and at a farm with 141,800 birds in Utah’s Sanpete County last Friday. The outbreaks are the first reported among commercial flocks in the U.S. since the disease struck two turkey farms in the Dakotas in April. Infected flocks are normally destroyed to prevent the flu’s spread, and then the farms are decontaminated. Before last week, the only reports of bird flu in recent months in the U.S. in recent months were sporadic appearances in backyard flocks or among wild birds such as ducks, geese and eagles. While wild birds often show no symptoms of avian influenza, infections in them are a concern to the pou...

Biden confirms Americans among hostages captured in Israel, condemns ‘sheer evil’ of Hamas militants

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday confirmed that U.S. citizens are among the hostages captured by Hamas in this weekend’s attack on Israel and he condemned the militant group for “sheer evil” for its shocking multipronged attack on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds of civilians, including at least 14 American citizens.Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the situation on the ground. Biden outlined the actions he and other allies have taken to support Israel in the aftermath of the attack and expressed his horror about “sickening” reports of torture inflicted by militants on innocent civilians.“Our hearts may be broken but our resolve is clear,” said Biden, who compared Hamas action to the terrorist group ISIS. He added, “Let there be no doubt. The United States has Israel’s back. We’ll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend i...

Atlanta police chief fires officer after traffic stop led to Black deacon’s death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta’s police chief on Tuesday fired an officer who shocked a 62-year-old Black church deacon with a stun gun during a dispute over a traffic ticket, leading to the man’s death.Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Officer Kiran Kimbrough didn’t follow department procedures Aug. 10 when he didn’t wait until a supervisor arrived to arrest Johnny Hollman Sr. The chief said he decided to fire Kimbrough after an internal investigation concluded Monday.“Part of my job is to assess, evaluate, and adjust how this police department is carrying out its sworn mission to serve and protect the citizens of this city,” Schierbaum said in a statement. “I understand the difficult and dangerous job that our officers do each and every day throughout the city. I do not arrive at these decisions lightly.”Schierbaum’s decision comes days before video that Kimbrough’s body camera recorded of his interactions with Hollman could be released. Ma...

Fraud trial: Trump acknowledged penthouse size at 11,000 square feet, not 30,000 he later claimed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump signed a document 30 years ago that gave the true size of his New York penthouse that was later listed as far larger on his financial statements, according to evidence shown Tuesday at the former president’s civil business fraud trial.The evidence appeared in an email attachment shown as Allen Weisselberg, the former finance chief of Trump’s company, testified in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ fraud lawsuit against Trump and his Trump Organization. Trump denies any wrongdoing.The attachment was a 1994 document, signed by Trump, that pegged his Trump Tower triplex at 10,996 square feet — not the 30,000 square feet later claimed for years on financial statements that were given to banks, insurers and others to make deals and secure loans. Weisselberg said he recalled seeing the email but not the attachment, explaining that the attachments were documents he already had on file in the company’s offices. But in any event, he said, he did...

Ontario man charged in past sexual assault wanted for 2nd-degree murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

An Ontario man charged with a prior violent sexual assault is wanted Canada-wide for second-degree murder in a fatal arson investigation from March.The fire broke out at an address on Court Street, in the area of Olive Avenue and Simcoe Street in Oshawa, just before 10 a.m. March 6, 2023.When officers arrived at the address, officials informed them that one person was found deceased. The man’s death was ruled a homicide, and the victim was identified as Amaar Jawaid.On Tuesday, police said 37-year-old Josh Bickle of Tweed, Ont., is wanted for second-degree murder in Jawaid’s death.Durham Police have identified a homicide victim who was found dead in an Oshawa house fire on March 6, 2023. CITYNEWS/Rob Ramlackhan.Authorities said Bickle was facing charges in a violent sexual assault and was required to wear an ankle monitoring bracelet.Investigators have evidence that the accused removed the bracelet and are appealing to the public for assistance in locating him.Police sai...

'So grateful': Ohio family elated after reuniting with trucker's dog in Romeoville viral video

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A family in Ohio is exhilarated to have their dog back thanks to a viral video, but hope was admittedly dwindling.On the night of Sept. 27, Deb Liden, whose passion is helping and finding lost pets, received a call from Romeoville Animal Control.They were having a tough time getting a cute American Pit Bull, with one dark eye and one blue eye, inside.Liden was helping another dog in Oswego, so her friends Jill Boland and Brian James were able to lay in the grass for hours to loop the dog, later identified as King, for intake.Earlier, when Boland arrived, King was howling and wouldn't leave a particular spot in a parking lot near the 1200 block of Normantown Road."We knew he was not a dump and obviously a trucker's dog," Liden told WGN News.Boland was able to take heartbreaking footage of King howling, waiting for his owner, truck driver Brandon Weh, to return. They also contacted nearby businesses, which showed surveillance footage of King looking for Weh."At one ...

Man killed after attempted armed robbery leads to shooting on West Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

CHICAGO — A man is dead after he was shot during an attempted armed robbery on the city's West Side, police said.Officers say the deadly shooting happened in the 1600 block of North Lawndale Avenue in Humboldt Park just after 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday. According to police, a 48-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman were standing outside in the area when a white-colored sedan approached and two armed individuals exited the vehicle. The two offenders then demanded property from the victims.  Man arrested after climbing Accenture Tower in Chicago Police say the man attempted to intervene and was shot in the head by one of the offenders. According to police, the two offenders then got back in the sedan and fled the scene in an unknown direction without taking any belongings from the victims. The man was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The woman was not injured in the altercation. Police did not provide a description of the individuals involved ...

'Gut-wrenching': Parents of Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie meet for first time since Petito's killing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

VENICE, Fla. (WFLA) — The parents of Gabby Petito have come face-to-face with the parents of Brian Laundrie for the first time since Petito's killing more than two years ago.On Tuesday in Venice, Florida, the legal team for Petito's parents deposed Christopher Laundrie, Brian Laundrie's father, as part of the civil lawsuit filed against the Laundries and their longtime attorney Steven Bertolino. Laundrie attorney offers ‘confidential’ settlement proposal to Gabby Petito’s parents Petito's parents, Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt, described Christopher Laundrie's testimony as "gut-wrenching.""It was extremely hurtful to listen to someone that has no remorse and no compassion for the girl they would call their daughter-in-law," Schmidt told WFLA.Attending the depositions in person were Christopher Laundrie, Roberta Laundrie, Joe Petito, Steven Bertolino, and various attorneys. Schmidt listened in virtually over Zoom."It was difficult to be in the room with Joe and Nichole on Zoom ask...

2024's Social Security COLA increase to be announced this week: What we know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:58 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – It’s already very likely that Social Security recipients can expect a significantly lower cost-of-living increase than the 8.7% adjustment they received in 2023. But they’ll know for certain this week.The Social Security Administration’s annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) are designed to help Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients retain their buying power amid rising inflation. These increases, which are issued annually, are determined using the Bureau of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which itself is a measure of the change in prices for common consumer goods and services.The Labor Bureau actually releases a revised CPI-W each month, reflecting the change in prices concerning a number of consumer goods and services including food, utilities and shelter. But only the data from July, August and September are considered when calculating the annual COLA adjustment for the following year.Sep...