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Trial to begin in 2018 killing of 11 at Pittsburgh synagogue

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jury selection will begin Monday in the federal death penalty trial of a truck driver accused of shooting to death 11 Jewish worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history.Robert G. Bowers, who is from the Pittsburgh suburb of Baldwin, faces 63 counts in the Oct. 27, 2018, attack at the Tree of Life synagogue while members of three Jewish congregations were holding Sabbath activities in the building. The charges include 11 counts of obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death and 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death. If convicted, Bowers, 50, could get the death sentence. He offered to plead guilty in return for a life sentence, but federal prosecutors turned him down. His lawyers also recently said he has schizophrenia and structural and functional brain impairments.During the trial, prosecutors are expected to tell jurors about incriminatory statements he allegedly made to investigators, an online ...

Florida gov in Japan ahead of expected US presidential bid

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Japan on Monday to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other officials as part of his four-nation trade mission seen as an attempt by the expected Republican presidential candidate to improve his diplomatic profile.During their meeting Monday at the Prime Minister’s Office, Kishida told DeSantis that reinforcement of Japan-U.S. ties is key to ensuring the peace, stability and prosperity of the international society, and the two exchanged views on regional issues, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry statement.DeSantis is considered the biggest challenger to former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election. He is expected to announce his candidacy in early May. He has already been meeting with Republican officials and aggressively touring battleground states in the U.S.DeSantis’ trip, announced Thursday, also includes South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom. ...

Ed Sheeran hit, Marvin Gaye classic soul of copyright trial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Jury selection and opening statements are set to begin Monday in a trial that mashes up Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” with Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” The heirs of Ed Townsend, Gaye’s co-writer of the 1973 soul classic, sued Sheeran, alleging the English pop star’s hit 2014 tune has “striking similarities” to “Let’s Get It On” and “overt common elements” that violate their copyright.The lawsuit filed in 2017 has finally made it to a trial that is expected to last a week in the Manhattan federal courtroom of 95-year-old Judge Louis L. Stanton.Sheeran, 32, is among the witnesses expected to testify.“Let’s Get It On” is the quintessential, sexy slow jam that’s been heard in countless films and commercials and garnered hundreds of millions of streams, spins and radio plays over the past 50 years. “Thinking Out Loud,” which won a Grammy for song of the year, is a much more marital take on love and sex.While the jury ...

Westlake Community gathers to help victims of fatal collision that left teen dead, 3 others injured 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

Hundreds of people in the Westlake community came together for a fundraiser on Sunday to support the families impacted by the tragic collision that claimed the life of Westlake High School freshman Wesley Welling and injured three others.The benefit featured a silent auction, live music, and activities to help support and raise funds for the families struggling after the devastating crash. All the proceeds from the event will go to the affected students’ families. “It has warmed my heart to know how many people know about this event and how many people are planning on attending because we are small,“ said Alissa Morton, the fundraiser organizer. “Westlake is a small community, but we are resilient and we are compassionate and tonight is proof of that.” The fundraiser came in response to the fatal car collision outside of Westlake High School Last Tuesday, when 24-year-old Austin Eis plowed into a group of teens in what officials believe was an intentional act.Wesley Wellin...

Woman facing kidnapping charges after stealing van in Sherman Oaks with 93-year-old man inside

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

A 38-year-old woman was arrested and is facing charges of kidnapping after stealing a vehicle with a 93-year-old man inside, authorities announced Thursday.  The incident unfolded on April 20, just after 9 a.m., when a driver for a medical transportation company parked the van near the 15000 block of La Maida Street in Sherman Oaks with the 93-year-old passenger seated inside the vehicle and then exited the van to pick up another passenger, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Police Department.  That’s when police say the suspect, now identified as Lindsey Gordonellyson, got in the driver’s seat of the van and drove away with the elderly male occupant.  Officers with the Van Nuys Patrol Division were able to locate the vehicle with the help of LAPD’s Air Support Unit.  “The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle; however, the suspect failed to stop, and a pursuit was initiated,” the news release stated. “During the pursuit, the suspec...

Supporters hold rally in Oakland for DA Pamela Price

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) -- The new Alameda County District Attorney has barely been in office for 100 days. Some are already calling for Pamela Price's resignation.Many others continue to support the embattled district attorney. There was a rally outside of the Alameda County Courthouse Sunday. Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price addresses controversy since she took office Price says she was anticipating backlash because she planned to make big changes to the way the office handles cases. She still feels like she’s doing the right thing for the community.More than a hundred people gathered on the stairs of the Alameda County Superior Courthouse steps waving signs in support of Price."I stand before you as the first non-appointed, non-anointed district attorney in Alameda County in over 100 years," she said.Price ran on a platform of criminal justice reform. There were several previously incarcerated individuals who attended the rally.But Price says she will also stand up ...

EU schemes up sweeteners to woo countries away from Russia and China

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

The EU is plotting how to win friends and influence people — in other countries. Earlier this week, EU officials circulated a confidential briefing, obtained by POLITICO, that details several individualized plans to win back — or not lose — four key “priority countries” that sit on the edge of the Western-led alliance trying to isolate Russia, arm Ukraine and constrain China.The countries: Brazil, Chile, Nigeria and Kazakhstan.The document indicates where — and how — the EU thinks it can make progress in each one. There is the expected invocation of possible trade agreements, but the document goes well beyond that, suggesting tailored offers the EU can make on energy, migration, economic development or security coordination. The focus is distinctly on carrots, not sticks. The unstated goal: To get more friends and build a next-generation economy without cozying up to autocrats. Indeed, Russia and China loom over the entire document, with several anxious mentions of th...

Stock markets today: Asian stocks mixed ahead of US data

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets were mixed Monday ahead of a U.S. economic update this week that is expected to show growth slowing.Shanghai and Hong Kong declined while Tokyo advanced. Oil prices fell.Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index gained 0.1% on Friday but ended with a small loss for the week.U.S. data on Thursday are expected to show first-quarter economic growth weakened after interest rate hikes to cool business activity and inflation. That might encourage the Federal Reserve to postpone or scale down more possible rate hikes at its May meeting.France and Germany report economic growth Friday following surveys that show European factory activity declining.“There is no doubt that the global economy is weakening and vulnerable to further slowing,” Clifford Bennett of ACY Securities in a report.The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.7% to 3,279.57 while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo advanced 0.1% to 28,591.69. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong retreated 1.3% to 19,807.19.The K...

When is the Normal Last Freeze? Patchy frost and cool Canadian air in the forecast

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

Frosty Monday MorningWe'll likely wake up to widespread frost Monday morning. Tuesday night and Wednesday night we could see patchy frost as well.  This can be worrisome for the sensitive vegetation that has been growing lately.  Whenever a Frost Advisory is issued, cover up plants before the sun sets to help retain heat near the plants. A Freeze Warning is issued when low temps are expected to be 29-32°. When a Freeze Warning/Watch is issued there is little you can do to protect plants. If you can move sensitive plants inside, do so because the freeze will likely kill them, depending on the severity of conditions.Cool Canadian air continues to fall into our laps beyond the 7-Day forecast.  We're stuck with a stubborn trough in the jet stream and accompanying upper-level low.   Here is the predicted 6-10 day outlook starting Saturday April 28 through Wednesday May 3: 2022-23 Seasonal Snowfall UpdateOn Saturday most of our precipitation fell in rain form but O'Hare clocked 0.1" of sn...

'French Spiderman' climbs Paris skyscraper as protest against pension law

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:49 GMT

A free climber known by the nickname "French Spiderman", scaled a skyscraper of 38 stories in Paris to show his support for protesters who are angry over a new pension law which will delay the retirement age in France.Alain Robert climbs using his hands only and climbing shoes.He told Reuters that he was here to support those who opposed the pension reform before he began his ascent up the 150-metre (492-foot) skyscraper in Paris' La Defense district."I'm here today to tell (President) Emmanuel Macron that he should come down to Earth... by climbing without a safety net."Robert said that the pension reform, signed by Macron into law over the weekend, would mean, in combination with the loss of income he suffered due to the COVID epidemic, that he'd have to continue working and climbing for longer.The French retirement age will rise gradually to 64 years old under the reform.Robert has scaled over 150 towering structures around the world, including Dubai's Burj Khlifa, the Eiffel Tow...