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House gives unanimous consent to rubber-stamp bail reform bill, send it to Senate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

OTTAWA — The House of Commons has unanimously agreed to adopt the Liberal government’s bail-reform bill at all stages and send it to the Senate for review. The decision came on MPs’ first day back in Ottawa after a summer break. The proposed legislation would make it harder for some repeat, violent offenders to be granted bail. Canada’s justice system currently requires prosecutors to prove why someone should stay behind bars, but the legislation would instead put the onus on some offenders to prove why it would be safe for them to be let out of prison. The Liberal government introduced the bill in the spring amid sustained pressure from premiers, police associations and victims’ rights groups to change the law. Liberals hinted during debate that they would be open to the bill’s speedy passage, and it was a Conservative motion to make that so that ultimately received support from all parties. The motion stipulated that the bill would be considered adopt...

Bears raid a Krispy Kreme doughnut van making deliveries on an Alaska military base

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — Two bears on an Alaska military base raided a Krispy Kreme doughnut van that was stopped outside a convenience store during its delivery route.The driver usually left his doors open when he stopped at the store but this time a sow and one of her cubs that loiter nearby sauntered inside, where they stayed for probably 20 minutes Tuesday morning, said Shelly Deano, the store manager for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson JMM Express. The bears chomped on doughnut holes and other pastries, ignoring the banging on the side of the van that was aimed at shooing them away, Deano said. “I was beating on the van and they’re not moving. I could hear them breaking open the packages and everything,” she said. “I was like, ‘They don’t even care.’”When the bears couldn’t be roused, base security was called and sounded sirens meant to scare the bears off, she said. The bears eventually came out and wandered in front of the conveni...

Marines pause aviation operations for two days as search continues in South Carolina for fighter jet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — All U.S. Marine Corps aviation units are pausing operations for two days after a fighter jet’s apparent crash over the weekend marked the third costly accident in recent weeks.Gen. Eric Smith, the acting commandant of the Marine Corps, ordered the stand-down Monday while authorities searched near two South Carolina lakes for the missing FB-35B Lightning II aircraft. The pilot, whose name hasn’t been released, parachuted to safety into a North Charleston neighborhood about 2 p.m. Sunday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition, Marines Maj. Melanie Salinas said Sunday.It’s the third event documented as a “Class-A mishap” over the past six weeks, according to a Marine Corps announcement. Such incidents occur when damages reach $2.5 million or more, a Department of Defense aircraft is destroyed, or someone dies or is permanently disabled.Commanders will spend the stand-down reinforcing safe flying policies, prac...

Norfolk Southern announces details of plan to pay for lost home values because of Ohio derailment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

Norfolk Southern announced new details Monday about its plan to compensate East Palestine residents for lost home values since the fiery derailment disrupted life in the eastern Ohio town in February.The railroad’s program will no doubt be welcomed by some people who want to sell their homes and move away from the town rather than deal with the lingering health worries. But some critics say the railroad should be doing more to address those health concerns instead of worrying so much about economic recovery in the area.And the details are still tentative because the Ohio Attorney General’s office is still negotiating an agreement that will create a long-term fund to compensate homeowners along with two other funds to pay for any health problems or water contamination issues that crop up down the road. The Attorney General’s office said it’s not clear when those funds will be finalized because of all the unanswered questions at this stage.Already, the railroad...

A top Maine Republican leader, a lobsterman, survives boat capsize from giant wave ahead of Lee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

Like most lobstermen, the Maine House Republican leader scrambled to complete his work ahead of the remnants of Hurricane Lee. Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham was rushing home from sea when a giant wave rose up, seemingly from nowhere, and towered over his boat.Moments later, he and fellow fishermen Alex Polk found themselves plunged into the cold North Atlantic as they witnessed a horrifying sight: The sturdy 40-foot (12-meter) vessel built for offshore fishing had flipped over, its propeller still turning and its diesel engine belching black smoke.“This boat was turned upside down in a nanosecond like a bathtub toy,” Faulkingham recounted.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Coast Guard had warned mariners at noon Friday that they needed to immediately begin making plans to avoid the onrushing storm — just about when Faulkingham was turning to home at Winter Harbor, a few miles (kilometers) east of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.Suffering a black e...

Attorneys for man charged with killing 2 teenage Indiana girls argue they died in ritual sacrifice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

DELPHI, Ind. (AP) — Attorneys for a northern Indiana man charged with killing two teenage girls contend in court documents filed Monday that their client had nothing to do with the crimes and that the girls actually died as part of a ritual sacrifice.Attorneys Andrew Baldwin and Brad Rozzi, who represent Richard Allen of Delphi, said in a 136-page document that 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German were killed by members of a pagan Norse religion and white nationalist group known as Odinists.They also requested a hearing to present evidence that the search warrant for Allen’s house was based on faulty probable cause and should be suppressed.“Members of a pagan Norse religion, called Odinism, hijacked by white nationalists, ritualistically sacrificed Abigail Williams and Liberty German,” the attorneys state said in the filing.”(N)othing, absolutely nothing, links Richard Allen to Odinism or any religious cult,” they wrote.The attorneys claim that two group...

Prince William sees oyster reef restoration project on NYC visit for environmental summit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Prince William got a first-hand look at the waters of New York City on Monday on a visit to an oyster reef restoration project, after arriving in the United States for an environmental summit connected to a global competition for solutions to climate change challenges.William was taken to Governors Island in New York Harbor to see the efforts of the Billion Oyster Project. The organization is trying to rebuild the oyster reefs that were once abundant in New York waters, and which can help with water filtration and to protect against storm damage.On Tuesday, William is scheduled to speak at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit. He founded the prize, which looks for ways to address the problems created by climate change, and is announcing a second group of finalists.The summit is taking place during New York Climate Week and the 78th convening of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.The Associated Press

GOP gubernatorial candidate signals support for rape, incest exceptions to Kentucky abortion law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron appeared to soften his hardline opposition to abortion on Monday, telling a Kentucky radio station that he would support amending the state’s abortion ban to add exceptions allowing for the termination of pregnancies caused by rape or incest.Cameron, the state’s attorney general, has steadfastly supported the current Kentucky law banning all abortions except when carried out to save a pregnant woman’s life or to prevent a disabling injury.But during an interview with WHAS-AM, Cameron signaled that if elected governor he would be willing to sign legislation providing abortion exceptions for instances of rape and incest.“There’s no question about that,” the GOP challenger said.Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s campaign accused Cameron of trying to hide his well-established “extreme views” on the abortion issue.“Throughout his time in office, even before this campaign began, Daniel Cameron has made it clear...

No cash bail now in effect in Illinois

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

CHICAGO -- After years of debate in the legislature and a nine-month delay due to litigation, no cash bail is now in effect. Some politicians are celebrating while others sound the alarm.Hours after Illinois became the first U.S. state to remove cash bail as a condition of pre-trial release Monday morning, supporters took a victory lap.   No cash bail starts in Illinois: Here’s what you need to know Starting Monday, police must issue citations for suspects accused of low-level misdemeanors. Those individuals will be given a court date and released.For more serious crimes, where a suspect is arrested and remains in police custody, a decision about pre-trial release will go to the court. Conditions for release are set in an initial hearing. Then, the prosecutor can request a defendant remain in jail. Witnesses are allowed and the victim will be notified. The judge will issue a ruling after listening to arguments from the prosecutor and defense attorney....

'Rain was everywhere': South Suburban residents cleaning up after heavy rains, damaging floods

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:34 GMT

CHICAGO — Some residents across Chicago's south suburbs spent the day cleaning up after heavy rains led to flooding on Sunday.More than 24 hours after the heavy rains fell and flooded parts of the south suburbs, standing water in the street remains. Now residents are facing damage to garage doors and a lot of debris is left behind on sidewalks and roads.Calumet City was a suburb that was hit hard on Sunday. Around 8 to 10 inches of rain fell, leaving behind damage that will take some residents weeks, if not months, to clean up."Rain was everywhere man. I don’t know how it was coming, I just knew it was coming down, and it was a lot," homeowner Craig Williams said. Parts of Chicago, suburbs deal with flooding after morning showers The Calumet City resident says he was just getting home when the intense rain began to fall, overwhelming sewers and sending feet of water into the streets, damaging garages and flooding basements."The sump pump went out. It was working fine and then all ...