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Arguments in trial of man accused in London, Ont., attack set to begin today

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

Arguments are set to get underway Monday at the trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in Ontario.Nathaniel Veltman is accused of deliberately hitting members of the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk in London, Ont., on the evening of June 6, 2021.He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in what prosecutors allege was an act of terrorism.Jury selection for the trial, which is taking place in Windsor, Ont., wrapped last week, with 14 jurors and two alternates chosen.RELATED: Man accused of killing Muslim family members pleads not guilty as trial opensSuperior Court Justice Renee Pomerance ruled last year that a change of venue was warranted in the case, moving the trial from London to Windsor.The reasons for that decision, as well as the evidence and arguments presented in court on the matter, cannot be disclosed due to a publication ban.

UN rights chief calls for ‘urgent reversal’ to civilian rule in coup-hit African countries

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights chief called on Monday for an “urgent reversal” of military takeovers and return to civilian rule in countries in Africa where coups have driven out elected leaders in recent years as he assailed a multitude of crises across the globe. Volker Türk’s comments set the early tone for the U.N.’s top human rights body as he opened its fall session against the backdrop of conflicts and crises — including the plights of migrants from Myanmar to Mali and Mexico.Speaking of the decade-old crisis in the Sahel region that stretches across North Africa, in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, he pointed to the impacts of climate change and a lack of investment in services like education and health care as factors that have fueled extremism. “The unconstitutional changes in government that we have seen in the Sahel are not the solution,” Türk said. “We need instead an urgent reversal to civilian governance and open spaces where people ca...

Russia’s election commission says the ruling party wins the most votes in occupied Ukrainian regions

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

Russia’s Central Election Commission said Monday that the country’s ruling party won the most votes in elections held in occupied Ukrainian regions as Russian authorities attempt to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year ago and still does not fully control.Voting for Russia-installed legislatures began last week . According to the Central Election Commission, lawmakers from the ruling party, United Russia, came out on top in the four Ukrainian regions Moscow annexed illegally in 2022 — Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia — and on the Crimean Peninsula, which the Kremlin annexed in 2014. Balloting in the occupied areas of Ukraine has been denounced by Kyiv and the West as a sham and a violation of international law. On Friday, Ukrainian officials urged other countries not to recognize the results of the vote, which the Foreign Ministry called “fake elections.”The votes in the illegally annexed Ukrainian regions were timed to coincide with nationwide...

Escaped prisoner may have used bedsheets to strap himself to a truck, UK prosecutor says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A former British soldier who escaped from prison may have sneaked out by using bedsheets to strap himself to the bottom of a food delivery truck, prosecutors said Monday. Daniel Abed Khalife, 21, was arrested while he was cycling on a canal towpath in west London on Saturday after a four-day manhunt. Khalife escaped Wednesday from Wandsworth Prison, a medium-security facility in southwest London where he had been awaiting trial on charges of terrorism and trying to spy for an enemy state.The ex-soldier appeared in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court Monday for a brief hearing, speaking only to confirm his name and birthdate. He was remanded in custody after the hearing.Prosecutor Thomas Williams said Khalife, who held a job in the prison’s kitchen, allegedly escaped by strapping himself to the catering truck using “material which may have been from bed sheets.” He said police found the material underneath the truck, with clips at each end and m...

Hurricane Lee generates big swells along northern Caribbean while it churns through open waters

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee whipped up waves of more than 15 feet (5 meters) on Monday as the Category 3 storm cranked through open waters just north of the Caribbean region.The storm is not expected to make landfall. It was located some 340 miles (545 kilometers) north of the northern Leeward Islands. It had winds of up to 120 mph (195 kph) and was moving northwest at 7 mph (11 kph).A high surf advisory was in effect for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the National Weather Service warning of breaking waves of up to 15 feet (5 meters) for north and east-facing beaches.The National Hurricane Center also warned of dangerous surf and rip currents for most of the U.S. East Coast this week, but what the hurricane might do beyond that is unclear.“It remains too soon to know what level of impacts, if any, Lee might have along the U.S. East Coast and Atlantic Canada late this week, especially since the hurricane is expected to slow down considerably over t...

Escaped murderer slips out of search area, changes appearance and tries to contact former co-workers

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Authorities searched Monday for an escaped murderer who has eluded capture since breaking out of a southeastern Pennsylvania prison a week and a half ago after they said over the weekend he slipped out of the search area, changed his appearance, stole a dairy delivery van and tried to contact acquaintances.Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said Sunday that Danelo Souza Cavalcante stole the unlocked van, which had the keys inside, sometime Saturday night about three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) from the northern perimeter of the search area where hundreds of law enforcement officers had been searching for him.Bivens vowed to “aggressively continue” the search with the aid of federal, state, county and local resources and expressed confidence that the fugitive would eventually be recaptured.“This is a minor setback,” he said. “We’ll get him, it’s a matter of time.”Baily’s Dairy said on its Facebook page that the delivery van ...

Kimberly Palmer: A fall financial cleanse could get your spending back on track

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

If summer is a season of spontaneity and indulgence, then fall offers a counterpoint: It’s a chance to get back on schedule, and back on budget.“Summer, with travel and no school, tends to be a really spendy time. The fall is a nice reset,” says Ashley Feinstein Gerstley, a certified financial planner and author of “The 30-Day Money Cleanse.”Gerstley says giving yourself a “money cleanse” offers a chance to carefully go over your spending and financial habits so you can make any necessary changes to end the year strong. With inflation and economic uncertainty in the background, that’s no easy task, but putting in the extra effort now can pay off.Here’s a step-by-step guide to a fall financial cleanse that could help get your budget on track for the rest of the year:START WITH A LOOK BACKNate Hoskin, a CFP and financial assistant at Brightside, a provider of financial wellness to employees, says the first step to a fall financial cleanse is to look backward, starting with your New Ye...

9/11 victims to be honored at memorial ceremony in Lower Manhattan

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Monday marks 22 years since thousands of people were killed in the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center in New York City. Nearly 3,000 people died when 19 al-Qaida members hijacked four commercial airline planes, sending two of the planes into the Twin Towers and one into the Pentagon. The fourth crashed into a field in western Pennsylvania, never reaching the terrorists' intended target. Tribute in Light 2023: How the Manhattan skyline will mark 22 years In the two decades since the deadliest attack on U.S. soil, first responders who heroically spent time looking for people at ground zero, as well as those who spent months cleaning up the rubble, have dealt with serious and deadly health ailments, including cancer. Family members of 9/11 victims will gather Monday morning in Lower Manhattan to read aloud their names and honor a vow to never forget.

Monday Forecast: Temps in upper 60s with rain and few t-storms

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

CHICAGO — Mainly cloudy Monday with showers and a few thunderstorms. Winds: N 5-10. High: 68. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly cloudy tonight and showers expected to continue. Winds: N 5-10 G20. Low: 56.Tuesday Forecast: Mostly cloudy, showers (especially near the lake), N 5-10 G20. High: 69.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupts after nearly 2 months of quiet

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 07:10:03 GMT

HONOLULU (KHON) — Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, began erupting Sunday after a two-month pause, displaying glowing lava that is a safe distance from people and structures in a national park on the Big Island.The Hawaii Volcano Observatory said the eruption was observed in the afternoon at the summit of Kilauea.The observatory said gases released by the eruption will cause volcanic smog downwind of Kilauea. People living near the park should try to avoid volcanic particles spewed into the air by the eruption, the observatory said.Visitors to the Big Island’s Hawaii Volcanoes National Park were advised of potential for a dusting of powdery to gritty ash due to the composition of volcanic glass and rock fragments.The volcano’s alert level was raised to warning status and the aviation color code went to red as scientists evaluate the eruption and associated hazards.In June, Kilauea erupted for several weeks, displaying fountains of red lava without threatening a...