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Florida official says migrants flown to California went willingly, disputes claims of coercion

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

By TRÂN NGUYỄN and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ (Associated Press)SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration said Tuesday that three dozen migrants whom the state flew from the U.S. southern border to California on private planes all went willingly, disputing allegations by California officials that the individuals were coerced to travel under false pretenses.The admission of responsibility — five days after the first flight touched down in California’s capital — only served to heighten tensions between DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, his frequent political sparring partner.Two planes arrived in Sacramento, on Friday and Monday, each carrying asylum-seekers mostly from Colombia and Venezuela. The individuals had been picked up in El Paso, Texas, taken to New Mexico and then put on charter flights to California’s capital of Sacramento, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. He is investigating whether any vi...

Cambridge holds off Lexington in marathon boys volleyball match

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

CAMBRIDGE — The stage was set for an epic comeback from No. 9 Lexington in an all-time Div. 1 second-round matchup Tuesday night, and No. 8 Cambridge was on its way to losing out on its grand opportunity to move on in the state tournament in front of a raucous crowd.First, the Falcons were one point away from advancing in the fourth set before Lexington rallied from down 24-22 to force a fifth. Then, 14-13 and 15-14 leads were washed away by more Minutemen heroics.Both teams were throwing haymakers in the most critical times. But with a Henry Bonney block that just barely touched down inside the line to ice the match, Cambridge connected on just one more to hold on for a 3-2 win (22-25, 25-19, 25-18, 26-28, 17-15).The Falcons, waiting for the winner of No. 1 Needham/No. 16 Methuen in the Div. 1 state quarterfinal round, aren’t done yet.“I’d say it exhibits a lot of grit, but in the first place, we don’t want it to get to that point,” said Cambridge senior Isaac Wedaman. “We’ve worke...

Newly graduated student, man attending graduation died in Richmond shooting, police say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

RICHMOND — Seven people were shot, two fatally, when gunfire rang out Tuesday outside a downtown theater where a high school graduation ceremony had just ended, causing hundreds of attendees to flee in panic, weep and clutch their children, authorities and witnesses said.A 19-year-old suspect tried to escape on foot but was arrested and will be charged with two counts of second-degree murder, Interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said during a nighttime news conference at which he confirmed the two fatalities.Five others were wounded by the gunfire outside the state capital’s city-owned Altria Theater, which is across the street from a large, grassy park and in the middle of the Virginia Commonwealth University campus. At least 12 others were injured or treated for anxiety due to the mayhem, according to police.“As they heard the gunfire, it was obviously chaos,” Edwards said. “We had hundreds of people in Monroe Park, so people scattered. It was very chaotic ...

Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies hosts soccer camp, inspires young players

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

Eight-year-old Emerson Doyle was thrilled to show his moves to Canadian soccer star Alphonso Davies on Tuesday.“I did a step-over. I showed him a step,” Emerson said, holding his blue soccer ball in his left arm. “And Alphonso said, ‘That’s cool.”’Emerson was among 44 kids, aged eight to 12, who joined the Canadian player at Victoria Soccer Club in west Edmonton – the first of many soccer camps said to be Davies’s legacy project to inspire the next generation of soccer players in Canada.“It’s (about) enjoying the game and inspiring them to keep believing in your dreams,” Davies said Tuesday at the soccer club.Davies said camps like the one held Tuesday helped him find new friends as he was growing up, develop skills and compete, while also enjoying the moments.The 22-year-old Edmontonian, who made history by scoring Canada’s first and only goal at the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2022, has inspired a youn...

Florida grand jury involved in Trump documents probe by Justice Dept., AP source says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors are using a grand jury in Florida as part of their investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach property, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday night.The grand jury is in addition to a separate panel that has been meeting in Washington for months to consider charges against Trump over the retention of hundreds of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and potential obstruction of the government’s efforts to reclaim the records.It is not clear why prosecutors are using an additional grand jury, which was described to The Associated Press by a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss secret proceedings, or which witnesses might be testifying before it. A variety of witnesses, including lawyers for Trump, close aides to the former president and officials with the Trump Organization, have appeared over the last year before the grand jury in Washington. But the u...

‘A situation that’s unprecedented.’ Quebec confronted with over 150 wildfires

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

MONTREAL — Northern Quebec’s largest city was being evacuated while another that had been threatened by wildfires lifted an evacuation order Tuesday, as authorities turned their attention to communities in the northern and northwestern parts of the province where firefighters worked to beat back threats from out-of-control blazes.“We’re following all of this from hour to hour, obviously,” Premier François Legault told reporters in Sept-Îles, Que. “If we look at the situation in Quebec as a whole, there are several places where it is still worrying.”Late Tuesday, authorities issued an evacuation order for Chibougamau, a city of about 7,500 in the central region of the province. Authorities said the evacuation was underway and promised more details Wednesday. According to the province’s forest fire prevention agency, more than 150 forest fires were burning in the province on Tuesday, including more than 110 deemed out of control.Legault said t...

Fiji reconsiders security ties with China amid Pacific tensions

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Fiji’s leader indicated Wednesday his nation is reconsidering its security ties with China at a time that geopolitical tensions in the Pacific are rising. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said Fiji was reviewing a contentious police cooperation agreement it signed with China in 2011 that has allowed Chinese police officers to be stationed in Fiji. At one point during a news conference in Wellington with his New Zealand counterpart Chris Hipkins, Rabuka appeared to go one step further by referring to Fiji’s “discontinuation” of the agreement.“If our systems and our values differ, what cooperation can we get from them?” Rabuka said, referring to China. “We need to look at that again before we decide whether we go back to it, or if we continue the way that we have in the past by cooperating with those who have similar democratic values and systems.”Fiji expanded its policing agreement with China in 2013 to include some military cooperation...

Police seek 4 youth suspects in Woodbine Beach stabbing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

Toronto police are trying to identify four suspects, three females and a male, after a stabbing at Woodbine Beach late last month.Officers were called to the beach on Tuesday, May 30, at around 9:20 p.m. for reports of a stabbing.Investigators say a group of young people got into an altercation that resulted in one person suffering stab wounds.The suspects are described as:Female, white, 16 to 18 years old, straight brown hair with red highlights. Wearing a blue sweater with a Brooklyn Nets logo, beige shorts.Female, white, 16 to 18 years old, straight black hair in a ponytail. Wearing a black sweater red logo on left shoulder, black shortsFemale, white, 16 to 18 years old, straight brown hair. Wearing a light colour sweater, black shorts and white shoesMale, white, 16 to 17 years old. Wearing a back t-shirt, black shorts, black satchel, black shoes and black face covering Police say no images of the suspects are currently available.

Police pursuit ends at River Oaks Shopping Center after suspects flee into mall

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

CALUMET CITY, Ill. -- A police chase that started in Chicago ended at River Oaks Shopping Center in Calumet City Tuesday.According to the Calumet City Police Department, officers were notified by another law enforcement agency that a vehicle wanted in connection with incidents that occurred in multiple jurisdictions had been seen near the River Oaks Shopping Center. Body of woman found in car on South Side Skycam9 witnessed police pursuing a minivan that ended at the River Oaks Shopping Center in Calumet City Tuesday evening. The minivan was seen driving south at a high rate of speed on the Bishop Ford Expressway.Three people were seen jumping out of the minivan and ran into the River Oaks Shopping Center.Calumet City police were able to locate the vehicle, but the suspects fled the property. The suspects still remain at large.No further information has been provided at this time.Anyone with information regarding this incident are asked to contact the Calumet City Police Departmen...

Wisconsin teen's body found in SUV 4 days after it was towed to lot following crash

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:56 GMT

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The body of a 17-year-old Milwaukee boy was found inside an SUV, four days after the vehicle was towed to a city-owned lot following a crash, authorities said.Milwaukee police officers who were called Monday morning to the lot saw the teen's body on the floor of the SUV's rear portion, police said in a statement.The boy’s cause of death is being investigated by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, while the Milwaukee Police Department and the city’s Department of Public Works will investigate the circumstances that resulted in the youth's body not being initially found in the SUV, police said.The SUV, which police suspected was stolen, was towed to the lot last Thursday after it was severely damaged when it crashed into a tree. That crash injured a 16-year-old boy who had been driving the vehicle and he was taken into custody, police said.The incident marks the third time since 2018 that city personnel left someone in a car that was eventually towed away,...