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6 charged in alleged straw donor scheme to help get Eric Adams elected New York City mayor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Six people were charged Friday in an alleged scheme to divert tens of thousands of dollars in public funds to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign months before his election.The indictment announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg does not implicate Adams or any other city employees. Rather, it describes a straw donor scheme orchestrated by individuals with business before the city who hoped to maximize their donations to the future mayor in exchange for political favors.“We allege a deliberate scheme to game the system in a blatant attempt to gain power,” Bragg said in a statement. “The New York City Campaign Finance Board program is meant to support our democracy and amplify the voices of New York City voters. When the integrity of that program is corrupted, all New Yorkers suffer.”Prosecutors said the scheme was led by Dwayne Montgomery, a former NYPD inspector currently listed as the director of integrity for the Teamsters Local 237, which represen...

Bell Media brands urge readers to download apps as Meta, Google block news

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

TORONTO — Some of Bell Media’s news brands are urging their social media followers to download their apps as Meta and Google move away from linking to Canadian news sites.CTV and BNN Bloomberg issued Instagram statements recommending people seeking their news look directly on their websites or visit their apps.CBC News prodded readers to make a similar move earlier this week.Other media companies including Toronto Star owner Torstar Corp., TVA and Videotron owner Quebecor Inc. and broadcaster Cogeco Inc. have suspended advertising on Meta’s platforms. The federal government, as well as the province of Quebec and the City of Montreal, said they plan to do the same.The moves come after Parliament last month passed the Online News Act, which will force digital giants to pay media outlets for  content they share or repurpose on their platforms when the act comes into effect later this year.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2023.—Meta funds a...

S&P/TSX composite up in late-morning trading as oil rises, U.S. stock markets mixed

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

TORONTO — Gains by the energy and base metal stocks helped lift Canada’s main stock index higher in late-morning trading as commodity prices rose and U.S. stock markets put in a mixed showing.The S&P/TSX composite index was up 58.44 points at 19,869.13.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 50.24 points at 33,872.02. The S&P 500 index was up 0.88 of a point at 4,412.47, while the Nasdaq composite was up 33.24 points at 13,712.28.The Canadian dollar traded for 75.21 cents US compared with 74.92 cents US on Thursday.The August crude oil contract was up US$1.14 at US$72.94 per barrel and the August natural gas contract was up four cents at US$2.65 per mmBTU.The August gold contract was up US$22.30 at US$1,937.70 an ounce and the September copper contract was up five cents at US$3.78 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD=X)The Canadian Press

What will it take to stop Jersey Shore town from bulldozing its beach? $12M in fines hasn’t done it

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

NORTH WILDWOOD, N.J. (AP) — Not even $12 million worth of fines is enough to stop a Jersey Shore town from bulldozing sand on its beach to bolster eroded spots in defiance of state environmental officials.The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says North Wildwood once again carried out unauthorized repairs to its eroding dunes, most recently on June 5 without state approval and in violation of a February court order imposed by a judge trying to sort out the decade-long sand storm between the two parties.On Thursday, DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette wrote to North Wildwood officials offering one final attempt to resolve the matter without imposing additional penalties, and warning that the city’s conduct jeopardizes funding for future beach protection projects.Describing himself as “perplexed” by North Wildwood’s actions, LaTourette wrote that the city “has repeatedly engaged in destructive and illegal conduct in the name of tourism and, supposedly, public...

‘Missed opportunity’ for Canada at summit on climate reform of developing world loans

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Foreign-aid and climate advocates say Ottawa needs to do much more to help developing countries brace for climate chaos without going broke, after Canada’s uninspiring contribution to a summit last month that aimed at reforming global finance.French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the summit in Paris, convening leaders from Africa and small island states, along with rich countries and financial institutions.The New Global Financing Pact was intended to start transforming the systems developing countries use to take on debt, seek bailouts and pay off loans, such as through the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.The meeting came as countries across the developing world face devastating natural disasters, pandemics and inflation that have made them unable to pay back loans, with little funding left to fulfil their pledges to protect biodiversity.Caroline Brouillette, the head of Climate Action Network Canada, said the multilateral development banks aren̵...

U.S. trade envoy presses Canada on digital services tax, home shopping obligations

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — America’s trade envoy is urging her Canadian counterpart to abandon plans for a digital services tax and to allow U.S. home shopping north of the border. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and International Trade Minister Mary Ng met one-on-one in Mexico during two days of meetings in Cancun, which wrap up today. The annual gathering is a chance for all three countries to take stock of their progress under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.A U.S. readout of Thursday’s meeting says Tai pressed Ng on Canada’s obligation under the deal to allow American home shopping television channels like QVC.She also repeated long-standing U.S. concerns about the digital tax, which targets foreign companies that earn revenue from the engagement, content or data of Canadian users. The three per cent levy would go into effect in January unless an ongoing international effort to establish a multilateral tax regime takes hold before then. This report by The Canadian P...

DeSantis blames media for sagging poll numbers: 'They're going after me’

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

(The Hill) -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) blamed members of media outlets for his sagging poll numbers, which have him far behind former President Donald Trump for the lead for the 2024 Republican nomination. DeSantis said during an interview on Fox News on Thursday that “corporate media” are focusing on him because they do not want him to win the nomination. “Well, I think if you look at the people like the corporate media, who are they going after?” he said. “Who do they not want to be the nominee? They’re going after me.” DeSantis also noted that Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has called on U.S. citizens to not vote for him, with the governor arguing that it was because “he knows who’ll be strong on the border and hold him accountable and the cartels.” “So, I think if you look at all these people that are responsible for a lot of the ills in our society, they’re targeting me as the person they don’t want to see as the candidate,” he said. Th...

Tourist who carved into Colosseum wall offers apology, curious excuse

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – The English tourist who was filmed carving his name into a wall at the Colosseum in Rome has offered something of an excuse for his actions, suggesting he had no idea the site was so ancient.“I admit with profound embarrassment that only after what regretfully happened did I learn of the antiquity of the monument,” said the tourist, in a letter to Rome’s mayor and other Italian authorities that was obtained by the BBC and Italy’s Il Messaggero news outlet. Tourist filmed vandalizing Rome’s Colosseum The tourist, identified as Ivan Danailov Dimitrov by USA Today and The Washington Post, was originally caught scratching his name — and the name of an apparent girlfriend — into the wall of the Colosseum on June 23.The American tourist who filmed Dimitrov’s actions told Nexstar’s KTLA he was “pretty upset” over the incident, especially after recording the vandal grinning as he continued to carve “Ivan+Hayley 23” into the wall with what appeared to be a set of keys.“You alwa...

Drake hit by phone thrown during Chicago show

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

(KTLA) – "Hotline Bling"? More like hotline fling. Drake is the latest artist to be struck by an object thrown by a fan while performing on stage. This happened Wednesday night during the rapper's first show of his It's All a Blur tour, which opened at the United Center in Chicago. Drake fans upset at Ticketmaster over ticket prices for the rapper’s It’s All A Blur Tour As the former "Degrassi" star sang a slowed-down version of Ginuwine's "So Anxious," a phone came flying from the crowd. It looked like Drake almost caught it, but it ended up hitting his hand and flying off the stage.Video of the incident was captured on social media. This dangerous practice by fans has been making headlines recently. Bebe Rexha had to get stitches after a fan chucked a phone at her face during a concert in New York City. Kelsea Ballerini was also hit by what was believed to be a bracelet during a performance in Idaho. While she wasn't hurt, Pink was also performing when a fan tossed their dead m...

Registered sex offender accused of finding 10-year-old victim on Snapchat, arrested in Hays County

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:00 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for July 7, 2023HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A registered sex offender was arrested in Hays County Sunday in connection with child sex trafficking, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.HCSO said 24-year-old Diego Alejandro Cortez was taken into custody in Kyle and charged with harboring a runaway child, a Class A misdemeanor. An additional charge of child trafficking to engage in sexual conduct, a first-degree felony, was later added, according to officials.Cortez does not have an attorney listed online.HCSO said Cortez was accused of enticing a 10-year-old victim to leave her home, and on more than one occasion, having sex with the missing child as well as other children in and around San Antonio.“Based on information provided, investigators know Cortez met his potential victims online, through the social media platform Snapchat, and would portray himself as a young teen in attempt to gain their trust,” HC...