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Analysis: China’s sway over Russia grows amid Ukraine fight

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — It was a revealing moment during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s tightly scripted visit to Moscow: Standing in the doorway of the Grand Kremlin Palace, he told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two of them were “witnessing the changes that haven’t been seen in more than a century, and we are pushing them together.”“I agree,” Putin responded.The remarks — caught on a Kremlin camera over a bodyguard’s shoulder — offered a rare glimpse into Xi’s ambitions and his relationship with Russia after more than a year of fighting in Ukraine. While Moscow increasingly looks like a junior partner to Beijing, Xi is likely to offer a strong lifeline to Putin, his key partner in efforts to reshape the world to try to limit U.S. domination.Xi’s unusually blunt statement capped more than 10 hours of Kremlin talks, which ended with long declarations filled with florid rhetoric about expanding the “comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” between Russia and China, pl...

‘Our world changed forever:’ Husband of surviving victim of Vaughan condo shooting speaks out

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

It’s been over three months since a mass shooting at a Vaughan condominium rocked the community.On December 18, 73-year-old gunman, Francesco Villi, opened fire on members of the condo board at Bellaria Residences.Villi killed five people before being shot by a York Regional Police officer. The victims were identified as Rita Camilleri, 57, Vittorio Panza, 79, Russell Manock, 75, Lorraine Manock, 71 and Naveed Dada, 59.The sixth victim, Doreen DiNino, suffered life-threatening injuries. Her husband, John DiNino, said the tragedy will be part of their lives forever.“It was a typical Sunday evening and within seconds, our lives and our worlds changed forever as we know it,” DiNino said.DiNino, who is the president of the condo board, said his wife is still recovering from her injuries.“When people ask, ‘Is your wife expected to make a full recovery?’ We wish we knew what a full recovery meant, because we don’t. Every day is a challenge, every day gets better, some days you go backward...

Prosecutors reveal planned Proud Boys witness was informant

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors disclosed Wednesday that a witness expected to testify for the defense at the seditious conspiracy trial of former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four associates was secretly acting as a government informant for nearly two years after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, a defense lawyer said in a court filing.Carmen Hernandez, a lawyer for former Proud Boys chapter leader Zachary Rehl, asked a judge to schedule an immediate emergency hearing and suspend the trial “until these issues have been considered and resolved.” Lawyers for the other four defendants joined in Hernandez’s request. Hernandez said in court papers that the defense team was told by prosecutors on Wednesday afternoon that the witness they were planning to call to the stand on Thursday had been a government informant. The judge ordered prosecutors to file a response to the defense filing by Thursday afternoon and scheduled a hearing for the same day, putting testi...

Fake AI images of 'Trump arrest' hit internet 

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

(The Hill) - Fabricated images of former President Trump being arrested are circulating social media as the country prepares for his possible indictment this week. The images, created using artificial intelligence software (AI), show what appears to be a large group of New York City Police Department officers arresting the former president as he resists being detained. Some of the images that were posted on Twitter even depict Trump being forced to the ground, while another image shows him running away from the police officers. The text in the images, like on the police officers' uniforms, is garbled — an indicator that they were fake. More Americans think Trump should face charges in hush money scandal: poll Eliot Higgins, founder and creative director of investigative collective Bellingcat, first shared these images Monday on Twitter, and they have gained traction over the last several days. He explained in a tweet that he used MidJourney V5 — an AI software that creates images ...

Wisconsin moves to toughen reckless driving penalties

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Penalties for reckless driving and carjacking would increase under Republican-authored bills that the Wisconsin Legislature approved Wednesday.Supporters say they are responding to increased incidents of reckless driving and carjacking, primarily in Milwaukee.The Senate passed a bill, on a bipartisan 23-8 vote, increasing penalties for carjacking. The measure now heads to the Assembly.MORE WISCONSIN NEWS | Son charged with killing Wisconsin cheese owners; journal detailing their ‘elimination’ foundThe Senate also voted 30-1 to pass a bill that would allow police to impound a repeat reckless driver’s vehicle. The Assembly followed suit later Wednesday afternoon, approving the legislation on an 85-12 vote.The bill goes next to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who can sign it into law or veto it.The Assembly also approved a bill Wednesday that would double the fine and forfeiture ranges for reckless driving and subsequent offenses. The maximum forfeiture for a first off...

Lindsay Lohan, others hit with SEC charges for endorsing cryptocurrencies

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

(KTLA) — Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul and rapper Lil Yachty are among the eight celebrities who have agreed to pay tens of thousands of dollars to settle claims by the Securities and Exchange Commission that they illegally touted cryptocurrencies and violated security laws. Other celebrities charged include rapper Soulja Boy, Austin Mahone, Ne-Yo, Akon, and adult film star Kendra Lust, a news release said. The SEC is charging the celebrities because they didn’t disclose that they were paid for their endorsements of Tronix (TRX) and BitTorrent (BTT), cryptocurrencies created by entrepreneur Justin Sun. Rapidly spreading fungus already in 28 states, including Illinois, presents ‘urgent’ threat, CDC warns None admitted or denied the SEC’s findings as part of the settlement. Soulja Boy and Austin Mahone did not reach a settlement with the SEC, the agency said.In response to a request for comment, Lohan's publicist Leslie Sloane said the actress was contacted in March 2022, was unaware of ...

NDP Health Care Critic Uzoma Asagwara, Calls For Health Minister To Resign

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

Texas family of 4 waits over 2 hours for Austin police after crash

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — On a Saturday afternoon, the Pulcifur family was on the way home to Killeen from a trip to the aquarium when they said a car hit them head-on on Jollyville road.“The kids were screaming. The smoke. The airbag. Everything," Lacey Purciful said. The 911 call came in at 4:18 p.m., according to the Austin Police Department (APD), and officers arrived at 6:35 p.m. “APD officers in that sector and surrounding sectors were busy assisting with other emergency calls when that incident was reported,” the department said in a statement, adding that the officers who showed up came from a “surrounding sector.”The Pulcifurs said the driver of the car that hit them was visibly drunk, and admitted to recently leaving a nearby bar.At this time, APD said there is no criminal investigation into the incident.The crash victims, who said they have injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to fractured wri...

Gambling in Texas: House considers profits and pitfalls

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The Texas House Committee on State Affairs heard testimony on two bills which would legalize sports betting and casino gambling in Texas on Wednesday, fielding condemnations from concerned religious groups and eye-popping profit estimates from sportsbooks eager to cash in.HB 1942 by Plano Republican Jeff Leach would allow online sports wagering websites to operate in Texas. His legislation is limited to online platforms and makes no provisions for "brick and mortar" sportsbooks."Wagering on sports is here, and it's here to stay," Rep. Leach testified to the committee. "It's being done in the shadows with bookies and offshore accounts with no regulation."Major sportsbooks and franchises like the Houston Astros, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs spoke in support of the bill. Each echoed the same argument: Texans are already gambling, but Texas is not getting their money.PENN Entertainment, North America's largest gaming operator, estimated Texans place more than $6...

Alex Kirilloff, Jorge Polanco to begin the season on injured list

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:14:46 GMT

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins will be down a first baseman and a second baseman, and two big bats, when they open the season next Thursday in Kansas City.Both Alex Kirilloff (wrist) and Jorge Polanco (knee) are set to begin the year on the injured list as they continue to rehab long-term injuries that have forced them off the field since last season.Kirilloff is returning from a second consecutive season-ending right wrist surgery, this one to shorten his ulna, and while manager Rocco Baldelli said he wasn’t “quite where he needs to be,” he was moving in that direction.“Being able to hit and then come back the next day and swing again and having the wrist completely out of mind is what we need,” Baldelli said. “It’s the only way to perform at the highest level, and I think he’s getting there.”Kirilloff said he has found only one other Major League Baseball player, former NL MVP Kirk Gibson, who has had the same surgery, and given the lack of precedence in this context, Kirillof...