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NJ Sen. Menendez and his wife are indicted on bribery charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife have been indicted on charges of bribery.Federal prosecutors on Friday announced the charges against the 69-year-old Democrat nearly six years after an earlier criminal case against him ended with a deadlocked jury. They said a search of Bob Menendez’s home turned up $100,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in hidden cash.The latest indictment is unrelated to the earlier charges that alleged Menendez accepted lavish gifts to pressure government officials on behalf of a Florida doctor.The Senate Historical Office says Menendez appears to be the first sitting senator in U.S. history to have been indicted on two unrelated criminal allegations.Menendez faces reelection next year in a bid to extend his three-decade career in Washington, and as Democrats hold a narrow majority in the Senate.A lawyer for Menendez’s wife hasn’t responded to a message seeking comment. Messages were left for Menendez’s Senat...

VIDEO: 'Mesmerizing dolphin stampede' captured near Dana Point

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

DANA POINT, Calif. -- Thousands of dolphins were seen leaping through the waters off the coast of Dana Point this week.Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Safari, a whale watching tour agency in Orange County, said Thursday that passengers aboard their Manute’a catamaran were "thrilled" to experience the moment. The dolphins could be seen enthusiastically lunging from the Pacific Ocean beside and in front of the boat. World’s largest women’s surf event returns to Oceanside Officials with the tour agency said those witnessing the moment were "awestruck" to be in the middle of such a large number of free-roaming marine mammals."One of the most amazing things you can ever see on this earth is a stampede of a huge herd of common dolphins," said Capt. Dave Anderson, president of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari. "You will never forget it."The tour agency says it's unknown for sure what causes dolphins to exhibit this stampeding behavior, which happens spontaneously. Some t...

Man killed after being ejected from bed of parked pickup truck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. -- A man who was thrown from the bed of a parked pickup truck died when another vehicle crashed into the truck, authorities said.The collision occurred Sunday around 4:58 p.m. within a Park n Ride at 2300 Sweetwater Road in National City, according to California Highway Patrol (CHP). Cost to live in San Diego climbs as gas prices and soon, water rates, spike Gregorio Arreaga, 49, was reportedly standing in the bed of a parked pickup truck when another car struck the vehicle, ejected him from the truck bed and sent him beneath another parked vehicle, per law enforcement.Arreaga was taken to the hospital, but he died from his injuries on Tuesday, CHP said.

Ukrainian missile strikes headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, building smolders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine struck the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in a missile attack Friday that left a serviceman missing and the main building smoldering, according to military officials on both sides of the war and images from the scene in Crimea.The Russian Defense Ministry initially said one servicemember was killed but then issued a subsequent statement saying he was missing following the attack in the port city of Sevastopol.The Crimean Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, has been a frequent target since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost 19 months ago. Crimea has served as the key hub supporting Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Sevastopol, the main base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since the 19th century, has had a particular importance for navy operations since the start of the invasion of Ukraine.Ukraine has increasingly targeted naval facilities in Crimea in recent weeks while the brunt ...

Strikes against automakers spread to 38 locations in 20 states, Stellantis and GM are targeted

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

The president of the United Auto Workers said Friday the union will expand its strike against major automakers by walking out of 38 General Motors and Stellantis facilities in 20 states. The UAW on Friday targeted distribution centers, not production plants. The three strikes that began at plants Ford, GM and Stellantis plants one week ago will go on, the union said. Ford was spared additional strikes because the company has met some of the union’s demands during negotiations over the past week, said UAW President Shawn Fain.The union is pointing to the companies’ huge recent profits as it seeks wage increases of 36% over four years. The companies have offered a little over half that amount. The UAW has other demands, including a 32-hour work week for 40 hours of pay and a restoration of traditional pension plans for newer workers.The companies say they can’t afford to meet the union’s demands because they need to invest profits in a costly transition from gas-powered cars to electr...

White House rejects reports of tension with Canada over India interference allegation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

WASHINGTON — The White House is pushing back against reports that Canada-U.S. relations are straining under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s seismic allegation that the government of India was involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says the U.S. shares Canada’s “deep concerns” and denies any suggestion of a wedge between the two countries. Recent U.S. efforts to woo India as an economic and geopolitical ally have fuelled speculation that the White House was hedging its bets with its neighbour and vital trading partner. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh leader and avowed separatist the Indian government viewed as a terrorist, was killed outside a B.C. temple in June. A Canadian official told The Associated Press that the allegation of India’s involvement is based on surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, including intelligence provided by a major ally. The official said the communications involved ...

Sen. Menendez, wife indicted on bribe charges as probe finds $100,000 in gold bars, prosecutors say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and his wife were indicted Friday on charges that they took bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car for a range of corrupt acts, including having the Democrat use his influence over foreign affairs to benefit the authoritarian government of Egypt.A search of the couple’s home turned up $100,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in hidden cash, said prosecutors, who announced the charges against the 69-year-old Democrat nearly six years after an earlier criminal case against him ended with a deadlocked jury.The latest indictment is unrelated to the earlier charges that alleged Menendez accepted lavish gifts to pressure government officials on behalf of a Florida doctor.The Senate Historical Office says Menendez appears to be the first sitting senator in U.S. history to have been indicted on two unrelated criminal allegations. Menendez faces reelection next year in a bid to extend his three-decade career in Washington as Democrats ...

US ambassador to Japan calls Chinese ban on Japanese seafood ‘economic coercion’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel accused China on Friday of using “economic coercion” against Japan by banning imports of Japanese seafood in response to the release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean, while Chinese boats continue to fish off Japan’s coasts.“Economic coercion is the most persistent and pernicious tool in their economic toolbox,” Emanuel said in a speech Friday in Tokyo, calling China’s ban on Japanese seafood the latest example.China is the biggest market for Japanese seafood, and the ban has badly hurt Japan’s fishing industry.“China is engaged right now in fishing in Japan’s economic waters while they are simultaneously engaged in the unilateral embargo on Japan’s fish,” Emanuel said. He said China’s intention is to isolate Japan.Japan began gradually releasing treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima plant into the sea on Aug. 24. The water has accumulated at the plant since it w...

Police appeal for witnesses after woman found lying on Ajax road in critical condition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

Police are asking for witnesses to come forward after a woman was found in critical condition on a road in Ajax earlier this week.Officers were called to the intersection of Kingston Road and Harwood Avenue around 5 a.m. Wednesday after getting reports of someone lying in the roadway.A 57-year-old woman was found with severe head injuries. She was rushed to hospital where she remains in life-threatening condition.Investigators are asking any witnesses or people with dashcam footage of the area to contact Durham Regional Police. Police say tipsters may be eligible for a $2,000 reward.The investigation is ongoing.

The fall equinox is here. What does that mean?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:51:28 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fall is in the air — officially.The equinox arrives on Saturday, marking the start of the fall season for the Northern Hemisphere.But what does that actually mean? Here’s what to know about how we split up the year using the Earth’s orbit.WHAT IS THE EQUINOX?As the Earth travels around the sun, it does so at an angle.For most of the year, the Earth’s axis is tilted either toward or away from the sun. That means the sun’s warmth and light fall unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet.During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning equal and night. That’s because on the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time — though one may get a few extra minutes, depending on where you are on the planet.The Northern Hemisphere’s spring — or vernal — equinox can land between March 19 and 21, depending on the year. I...