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Judge weighing gag order on Trump in 2020 election case says prosecutors’ proposal may be too broad

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s federal election interference case forcefully pushed back against the defense’s claims that a proposed gag order would unfairly censor the Republican’s political speech, but she also suggested on Monday she believed prosecutors’ request could be too broad. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is considering a request to impose the narrow gag order aimed at reining in Trump’s incendiary rhetoric about potential witnesses, prosecutors and others involved in the case. In seeking the order, special counsel Jack Smith’s team has accused the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner of using online attacks to try to undermine the public’s confidence in the justice system and taint the jury pool. Trump’s lawyer John Lauro accused prosecutors of “seeking to censor a political candidate in the middle of a campaign.” But the judge shot back that Trump “does not have a right to say and do exactly as he pleases.” “Y...

Natasha from ‘Natasha’s Kitchen’ makes waves in the food world with a simple approach to dishes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — It started with a simple salad. Natasha Kravchuk began building a cooking mini-empire by combining cucumber, tomato and avocado. When a TV anchor shared the recipe on Facebook in 2015, the dish went viral. “I think that was the recipe that kind of gave us the first lift,” says Kravchuk, whose online hub Natasha’s Kitchen has grown to some 13 million followers across social media. “I think that’s trademark for what you can find on Natasha’s Kitchen.”Kravchuk’s philosophy is indeed mixed into that salad — flavorful food that doesn’t take a long time, uses regular ingredients and doesn’t hurt the pocketbook.“It’s turning humble and just simple ingredients into something really delicious,” she says. “That just has always carried through with me. I don’t think you need saffron to make something taste incredible, you know?”This fall, Kravchuk has put her expertise into her debut cookbook, “Natasha’s Kitchen: 100+ Easy Family-Favorite Rec...

Dairy Farmers of Canada recommend delaying farmgate milk price adjustment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

OTTAWA — The Dairy Farmers of Canada are recommending that an upcoming adjustment to the farmgate price of milk be delayed amid ongoing food inflation and pressure on the food industry to stabilize prices. In a statement on their website Friday, Dairy Farmers of Canada president David Wiens said the organization recommends that the Canadian Dairy Commission delay any price adjustment on milk until further notice. The recommendation comes after the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers last week called for a pause on any further increases to milk prices. The Canadian Dairy Commission is a Crown corporation that reviews the price dairy farmers are paid for their milk every fall, with adjustments to that price made in February.This year, the commission’s formula determined that price could go up 1.77 per cent in February. However, if one or more stakeholders invoke an “exceptional circumstance mechanism,” which the independent grocers did, the price adjustment wi...

FBI report: Violent crime decreases to pre-pandemic levels, but property crime is on the rise

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Violent crime across the U.S. decreased last year — dropping to about the same level as before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — but property crimes rose substantially, according to data in the FBI’s annual crime report released Monday.The report comes with an asterisk: Some law enforcement agencies failed to provide data. But a change in collection methods in compiling 2022 numbers helped, and the FBI said the new data represents 83.3% of all agencies covering 93.5% of the population. By contrast, last year’s numbers were from only 62.7% of agencies, representing 64.8% of Americans.Violent crime dropped 1.7%, and that included a 6.1% decrease in murder and non-negligent manslaughter. Rape decreased 5.4% and aggravated assault dropped 1.1%, but robbery increased 1.3%. Violent crime had also decreased slightly in 2021, a big turnaround from 2020, when the murder rate in the U.S. jumped 29% during the pandemic that created huge social disruption and upe...

Olympic committee president Thomas Bach says term limits at the IOC ‘are necessary’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

One day after some Olympic officials urged him to scrap term limits and stay for four more years, IOC president Thomas Bach said Monday they “are necessary.” The German lawyer also took a public swipe at potential successor Sebastian Coe because some colleagues think he is campaigning too early.The proposal on Sunday to remain as president, which Bach declined to dismiss, heaped negative headlines on the International Olympic Committee. It made the Olympic body seem ready to override a key anti-corruption reform passed following the Salt Lake City bid scandal 25 years ago.Bach, whose 12-year presidential term ends in 2025, also said Monday his supporters were opposed to any campaigning by one potential candidate — Coe, the president of track body World Athletics and a two-time Olympic champion runner.“A number of these colleagues think and feel that an election campaign so early before the election would be disrupting the preparations for the Olympic Games Paris, which are so import...

S&P/TSX composite up nearly 200 points, U.S. stock markets also higher

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

TORONTO — Strength in the base metal and technology stocks helped lead a broad-based rally as Canada’s main stock index rose nearly 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets also climbed higher.The S&P/TSX composite index was up 180.22 points at 19,643.08.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 392.41 points at 34,062.70. The S&P 500 index was up 48.95 points at 4,376.73, while the Nasdaq composite was up 147.25 points at 13,554.48.The Canadian dollar traded for 73.40 cents US compared with 73.20 cents US on Friday.The November crude contract was down 64 cents at US$87.05 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down 16 cents at US$3.08 per mmBTU.The December gold contract was down US$8.50 at US$1,933 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$3.58 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian Press

Women’s voices being heard at Vatican’s big meeting on church’s future, nun says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

ROME (AP) — A prominent Irish nun said Monday that women’s voices are being heard at Pope Francis’ big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church, and said delegates are also acknowledging the hurt caused by the church’s position on homosexuality.Sister Patricia Murray, executive secretary of the main umbrella group of women’s religious orders, provided an update on the status of discussions halfway through the Vatican’s nearly month-long synod, or meeting.Francis called the gathering to press his vision for a church that is more inclusive and welcoming, where ordinary Catholics have a greater say in decision making than the all-male priestly hierarchy. A central theme has been the role of women in church governance, but other hot button issues are also on the agenda, including acceptance for LGBTQ+ Catholics and priestly celibacy.Murray is one of the 54 women granted the right to vote for the first time at a synod. She was also elected to the commission that will draft the synthe...

EU leaders will meet to deal with the fallout in Europe from the Israel-Hamas war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Tuesday as concern mounts that the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas could fuel inter-communal tensions in Europe and bring more refugees in search of sanctuary.The leaders will also attempt to restore some order after a series of social media messages, statements and visits by EU officials sowed confusion about the 27-nation bloc’s intentions after Hamas attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, triggering a new war in Gaza.More than 4,000 people have been killed in Israel and Gaza since Hamas launched its bloody rampage and almost 200 Israelis, including children, were taken hostage. Rallies in support of both sides have been held around Europe. Some have been banned.“The conflict could have major security consequences for our societies,” EU Council President Charles Michel said on Monday as he announced the video summit. The meeting will also focus on getting aid to civilians and working w...

Montreal mayor joins mayors of New York, Paris on UN sustainability advisory group

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has joined a new United Nations group to help local and regional governments implement the organization’s sustainable development plan.The Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments consists of 20 elected officials from five continents.Members include the mayors of New York City, London and Paris.The UN says the group will find ways to improve collaboration between cities, regions, national governments and international organizations, and make recommendations ahead of a 2024 summit.Plante says in a news release that her participation will allow Montreal to learn from other cities on how to minimize the impacts of climate change.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told the group that the UN wants to hear the perspectives of local and regional authorities about how to make multi-country organizations more effective. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2023. The Canadian Press

MUST-WATCH: Living the upper-class life with Frasier Crane

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:16:25 GMT

A reboot of one of the most famous sitcoms of all time has entered the MUST-WATCH Top 10! But will it rise to the top spot, or could it go to a legal drama starring two Oscar-winning actors? Perhaps a new miniseries from the modern master of horror? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!Lessons in ChemistryWhere to watch: Apple TV+Let’s start this week off with some historical fiction!Lessons in Chemistry is a new miniseries based on the book of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. It stars Brie Larson (from Room and Captain Marvel) as a lab tech working in the 1960s. She’s fired from her job and not sure how to proceed with her life, but that all changes when she’s given a opportunity to host a cooking show on television. She uses this opportunity to educate her viewers about cuisine, chemistry, and how women exist in the world. This show also stars Lewis Pullman (from Top Gun: Maverick), Aja Naomi King (from How to Get Away with Murder) and Stephanie Koenig (f...