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DeSantis suspends Orlando State Attorney Monique Worrell for ‘dereliction of duty’ on crime

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken the step of suspending Orlando State Attorney Monique H. Worrell, citing what he terms “dereliction of duty” in handling crime-related matters. The suspension comes amid mounting concerns about the handling of criminal cases involving violent offenders.The decision to suspend Worrell was announced by Gov. DeSantis on Wednesday morning, who expressed grave concerns about the state of criminal justice administration under her watch. DeSantis emphasized that the approach taken by Worrell’s office has led to serious consequences, allowing violent offenders to “escape the full consequences.”According to the governor, the suspension was carried out due to what he perceives as a pattern of behavior on Worrell’s part that has compromised public safety. The executive order implemented the suspension outlines specific reasons for the action, including allegations of avoiding minimum mandatory sentences for gun crimes,...

UK migration policy has ‘failed’, says Tory deputy chair.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

LONDON — Britain’s ruling Conservatives have “failed” to get undocumented migration to the U.K. under control, the party’s own deputy chair Lee Anderson has told Nigel Farage. Discussing U.K. migration policy with the former Brexit Party leader on his GB News show on Tuesday, Anderson said: “This is out of control, we are in power at the moment, I am the deputy chair of the Conservative party, we are in government and we have failed on this. There is no doubt about it.”“We have said we are going to fix it, it is a failure,” he added.Anderson, who was given an official party post by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in February, and has his own show on the self-styled anti-woke GB News, is known for his outspoken views. Earlier this week he came under fire for saying that if asylum seekers don’t wish to be housed on a barge — referring to the Bibby Stockholm boat — then they should “fuck off back to France.”Asked by Farage if he wanted to apologize for...

Humanitarian org confirms release of NH woman and child held hostage in Haiti

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

A New Hampshire nurse and her daughter who were held hostage in Haiti have been released, according to the humanitarian group she works with.El Roi Haiti, a faith-based humanitarian organization in Haiti, announced on Wednesday that Alix Dorsainvil and her child had been safely released after the two were held hostage in Port au Prince since Thursday, July 27.“It is with a heart of gratitude and immense joy that we at El Roi Haiti confirm the safe release of our staff member and friend, Alix Dorsainvil and her child who were held hostage in Port au Prince, Haiti,” the organization stated on its website. “Today we are praising God for answered prayer!”The group had reported in July how Dorsainvil was abducted with her child from a campus near Haiti’s capital city, where El Roi Haiti runs a school and ministry.Dorsainvil herself is married to the director of El Roi Haiti, which asked for the world’s prayers following the kidnapping.The kidnapping led to l...

Stock market today: Wall Street holds steady after dropping 5 of past 6 days

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks and bonds are holding relatively steady as Wall Street waits for a highly anticipated report on inflation. The S&P 500 was little changed in early trading Wednesday, coming off a rough run where it’s dropped five of the last six days. The Dow and the Nasdaq were also barely moving. On Thursday the government will give the latest monthly update on inflation that consumers are feeling across the country. Economists expect to see an acceleration to 3.3% in July from 3% in June. That’s down sharply from a peak of more than 9% last summer. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Wall Street inched higher early Wednesday as markets took in more corporate earnings while waiting for U.S. inflation updates later this week.Futures for the Dow Jones industrials ticked up 0.1% before the bell, while futures for the benchmark S&P 500 rose a modest 0.2%. Corporate earnings for the spring quarter have broadly come in better than forecasts, th...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Orlando state attorney. He says she neglected her duties

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday suspended the top prosecutor in Orlando, saying she had neglected her duty to prosecute criminals.“It is my duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature are followed,” DeSantis said during a news conference in Tallahassee announcing the suspension of State Attorney Monique Worrell of the 9th Judicial Circuit, which serves Orange and Osceola counties.This is the second elected state attorney DeSantis has suspended in the past year. Last August he removed Andrew Warren, the Tampa area state attorney, from office, accusing him of neglect of duty and incompetence. Warren, who like Worrell is a Democrat, joined other prosecutors across the country in signing statements opposing criminal charges against abortion providers or women seeking abortions. He also said he wouldn’t prosecute people for providing gender-affirming health care, and his office’s policies didn’t charge people with some ...

All evacuation orders lifted around Osoyoos, B.C., as wildfire no longer spreading

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

All evacuation orders have now been lifted around the southern British Columbia community that saw a wildfire burn to its doorstep late last month as flames swept north across the border from Washington state.The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has rescinded its state of local emergency as well as all evacuation orders related to the nearly 71-square kilometre Eagle Bluff wildfire just west of Osoyoos.More than 130 properties in or around the southern Okanagan community have been evacuated since the fire jumped the border on July 29, but the orders have been eased as the BC Wildfire Service says the blaze is no longer likely to spread.Evacuation orders have been downgraded to alerts and the regional district says homes that were previously on alert are cleared of further restrictions. At the height of the emergency, evacuation orders covered more than 700 properties while 2,000 more were on alert as strong winds blew the fire toward Osoyoos, but a shift in winds the next d...

Dozens of Croatian soccer fans appear in court in Greece after deadly violence outside stadium

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — More than 90 arrested Croatian soccer fans were led in handcuffs Wednesday to appear before an investigative magistrate in Greece for their alleged involvement in deadly soccer fan violence, as police set up highway roadblocks and additional border checks to search for more suspects. The youths – many with their shirts pulled over their heads to hide their identity – appeared in court a day after a 29-year-old Greek fan was stabbed to death outside AEK Athens’ stadium, prompting the cancellation of a Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Zagreb.Amateur video of the attack showed dozens of youths wielding bats and iron bars running past the stadium, as flares and petrol bombs exploded. Ten people were injured and four remain hospitalized. Police in Greece earlier arrested six Croatian nationals as they attempted to flee the country. Five of the suspects were detained in the northwestern port of Igoumenitsa as they prepared to board a ferry bound for Italy, w...

Prince Harry lauds the healing power of sports as he kicks off a promotional tour of Asia in Tokyo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Prince Harry lauded the virtue of sports and its healing powers on Wednesday as he kicked off a trip to promote sports in Tokyo, the first stop on his tour of Asia. Sports not only helps build up physical strength but can also help heal the body and mind, the Duke of Sussex said as he spoke at an event hosted by the International Sports Promotion Society, an organization based in the Japanese capital. He said he has seen sports save people from “rock bottom” of their life. By creating a platform and helping people focus on redefining themselves, “that’s when I see sports really coming to itself.”“I have seen sports literally save their life,” Prince Harry said. “The physical piece to sports is the obviously the most important. But the mental aspect and healing ability is extraordinary.” He also stressed that sports has special value for children that can be taught only on a field, not in a classroom. “It brings people together — all sizes, backgrounds, beliefs or ...

Warlocks motorcycle club member convicted in death of associate whose body was left in crypt

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A member of an outlaw motorcycle club accused of killing an associate member and leaving his body in a crypt at a Philadelphia cemetery has been convicted of murder and other charges.Michael DiMauro, 51, who represented himself at trial, faces a potential term of life without parole when sentenced this month.DiMauro shot David Rossillo Jr., 33, four times in Mount Moriah Cemetery in December 2017, prosecutors said, then tied a rope around his neck, dragged him across the property with a car, and left him in an underground crypt.Rossillo was missing for nearly three years before his body was found in April 2020, as authorities searched for another Warlocks motorcycle associate who had disappeared. The body of the other missing man was also found in the crypt, authorities said, and it’s still not clear why either man was killed.The Associated Press

Angelina Jolie joins producing team for Broadway-bound musical ‘The Outsiders’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:14:26 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Add Angelina Jolie to the growing list of celebrities lately dipping their toes into producing on Broadway.The Oscar-winning “Girl, Interrupted” actor has become a lead producer on the Broadway-bound new musical “The Outsiders,” a show based on S.E. Hinton’s novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 coming-of-age crime drama. “The Outsiders” had its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse earlier this year. The Broadway cast and dates have not been revealed yet.“I hope to be able to contribute while continuing to learn from this amazing team, who I have been working with since my daughter brought me to see the show at La Jolla Playhouse,” Jolie said in a statement. “I can’t begin to express how excited I am for this musical to make its Broadway debut and look forward to sharing this new adaptation of ‘The Outsiders’ with the world.”Other celebs who have signed up to produce Broadway shows include Mariah Carey on the current hit “Some Like It Ho...