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Texas AG Ken Paxton’s orders to help donor rattled office, former aides say at impeachment trail

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — An extramarital affair Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had with a donor’s employee helped connect the dots about why the Republican was using his power in ways that are now at the center of his impeachment trial on accusations of corruption, a former top aide testified Wednesday. “It answered that ‘why’ question,” said Jeff Mateer, who was Paxton’s second-in-command at the Texas attorney general’s office.The account by Mateer, who went on to report Paxton to the FBI in 2020 over allegations of abuse of office, quickly injected an affair that Paxton has acknowledged to staff into the historic impeachment trial — the gravest threat to Paxton’s political career after years of criminal charges and alleged scandal.The trial, which could last weeks, was set to resume Thursday for a third day with the testimony of another former aide who has also accused Paxton of wrongdoing.At the center of the case are accusations that Texas’ top lawyer wron...

Former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum to be the ruling party’s presidential candidate

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The former mayor of Mexico City will be the dominant ruling party’s presidential candidate, making it highly likely that Mexico will elect its first female president next year.The decision driven by polls of Morena party members means that Claudia Sheinbaum will run as the party’s candidate in the June presidential election. Mexico’s constitution bars popular outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador from a second six-year term.Morena national council president, Alfonso Durazo said that Sheinbaum beat former Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, her closest rival by double figures in five party surveys.Sheinbaum is the president’s close ally and as Morena’s candidate she will enjoy a distinct advantage. Last week, a broad opposition coalition selected female lawmaker Xóchitl Gálvez as its candidate.Sheinbaum, 61, led Ebrard in recent polling and both had stepped down from their positions to campaign full time. Durazo said “the result of this exercise is d...

2 men plead guilty to vandalizing power substations in Washington state on Christmas Day

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Two men have pleaded guilty to vandalizing power substations in Washington state in attacks that left thousands without power on Christmas Day.Jeremy Crahan, of Puyallup, admitted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma that he and Matthew Greenwood conspired to cut electrical power in order to break into ATM machines and businesses and steal money, Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a news release. According to the plea agreement, Crahan, 40, and Greenwood, 32, damaged four power substations on Dec. 25, 2022. The substations targeted were the Graham and Elk Plain substations operated by Tacoma Power and the Kapowsin and Hemlock substations operated by Puget Sound Energy.In all four cases, the men forced their way into fenced areas surrounding the substations and damaged equipment to cause a power outage. Crahan admitted that he helped plan the scheme and primarily served as a lookout that day.Afterward, the men plotted additional ways to cause powe...

Bruce Springsteen postpones September shows, citing doctor’s advice regarding ulcer treatment

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The Boss is taking an unexpected breather and postponing his September shows, citing doctors’ orders.Bruce Springsteen announced on his website Wednesday that he was postponing shows for the remainder of the month while he is treated for symptoms of “peptic ulcer disease.”The disease causes ulcers to form in the stomach or small intestine that can cause heartburn, nausea and stomach pain.The postponed shows including scheduled stops in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Albany and Syracuse in New York, Pittsburgh, Washington, and shows in Connecticut and Ohio.“Over here on E Street, we’re heartbroken to have to postpone these shows,” Springsteen said in a statement posted on his site and social media. “We’ll be back to pick up these shows and then some.”Springsteen, renowned for his high-energy, three-hour concerts with the E Street Band, recently performed three nights of shows in his home state of New Jersey. Springsteen and the E Street Band’s first ...

Heat warning ends in Toronto, slightly cooler temperatures on the way

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

A heat warning in place for several days in Toronto and across much of southern Ontario has ended following days of sweltering temperatures.Environment Canada first issued the heat warning in Toronto and much of the GTA on Saturday, September 2, in preparation for temperatures and humidex values among the highest this summer.It was one of the hottest stretches of weather experienced in the GTA in some time. There were no days when the temperature reached more than 30 C in August, compared to five days of 30-plus temperatures in July.RELATED: Only 30% of TDSB schools have functioning air conditioning as heat wave blankets cityAt the time, Environment Canada said the hot and humid weather could bring a deterioration in the air quality, with the Air Quality Health Index approaching the “high-risk category.”Some heat warnings remain in parts of the province, including Ottawa.While Toronto will likely evade another humid day of temperatures feeling more like 40 C, it will sti...

China sending delegation to North Korea to celebrate its founding as nations foster their ties

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A Chinese delegation led by Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong will visit North Korea to participate in celebrations for its 75th founding anniversary, which is on Saturday, the North’s state media said Thursday. The report came amid speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to visit Russia soon for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that could be focused on advancing talks for North Korean arms sales to refill Russian reserves drained by its war on Ukraine.Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency said the visit by Liu’s delegation comes at the invitation of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party. It didn’t specify the events the Chinese officials would be participating or whether they would be meeting Kim.A U.S. official said Monday that Washington expects Kim to make a trip to Russia within this month to meet Putin as the Kremlin tries to acquire military equipment for use in its war in Ukraine.According to some U.S. reports, t...

A powerful 6.2-magnitude earthquake shakes northern Chile

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook northern Chile on Wednesday but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 8:48 p.m. local time, and its epicenter was 41 kilometers (25 miles) south-southwest of Coquimbo, Chile. The quake had a depth of 41 kilometers (25 miles).Chile’s national emergency office did not report any damages or injuries.Chile is located in the so-called “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific and experiences frequent earthquakes. In 2010, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami claimed 526 lives.The Associated Press

Japan launches rocket carrying lunar lander and X-ray telescope to explore origins of universe

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan launched a rocket Thursday carrying an X-ray telescope that will explore the origins of the universe as well as a small lunar lander. The launch of the HII-A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan was shown on live video by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, known as JAXA.“We have a liftoff,” the narrator at JAXA said as the rocket flew up in a burst of smoke then flew over the Pacific. Thirteen minutes after the launch, the rocket put into orbit around Earth a satellite called the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, or XRISM, which will measure the speed and makeup of what lies between galaxies.That information helps in studying how celestial objects were formed, and hopefully can lead to solving the mystery of how the universe was created, JAXA says.In cooperation with NASA, JAXA will look at the strength of light at different wavelengths, the temperature of things in space and their shapes and brightness.David Alexander, director of...

NBA owner putting millions toward stroke care, health research in Detroit

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — The family foundation of NBA team owner Dan Gilbert will give nearly $375 million for a 72-bed rehabilitation center for stroke patients in Detroit and a research institute that will focus on a genetic disease that afflicted his son, officials announced Wednesday.Gilbert, the billionaire owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and founder of Detroit-based Rocket Companies, had a stroke in 2019 and received extensive care in Chicago. He said his foundation would create a $10 million fund to help low-income residents who get care at the new Detroit rehab center.“I’m forever grateful to the doctors, nurses, therapists and staff who helped me improve every day,” Gilbert said. “However, while there I met many other patients who could not get all the rehabilitative care they need because insurance limited the number of hours covered.”The rehab center will be managed by the Chicago-based Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and become part of an expansion by Henry Ford Health, a major Det...

64 Fall Festivals and events coming to Chicagoland this autumn

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:27 GMT

Do you have a hankering for apple cider, craft beer, pumpkin pie, hayrides and good times?If so, whether you're taking the kids out for some family-friendly fun, or looking for something to do with friends, we have a list of 64 fall festivals and events happening from Chicago, to the suburbs, and out to Northwest Indiana as the leaves change on the way to the holiday season.Chicago-AreaSept. 8-10, 12-8 p.m. — Taste of ChicagoSet to take over Grant Park for three days, the Taste of Chicago will include 35 of Chicago's most popular food vendors' live music entertainment and a number of other hand-on activities for Chicagoans to partake in.For information on the event's schedule, participating restaurants, and concerts set to take place, visit choosechicago.com.Sept. 8, 5-11 p.m. / Sept. 9, 12-11 p.m. / Sept. 10, 12-10 p.m. — German-American FestGerman-American Fest crowd in 2022 (Courtesy: Ripson Group)For more than 100 years, Chicagoans have come out for German-themed bands, dancing,...