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DeSantis defends flying migrants to California as he meets with sheriffs near border

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday defended his state’s decision to fly migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to California, arguing that the state had essentially invited the migrants with its welcoming policies toward immigrants.DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, spoke at a meeting with sheriffs near Arizona’s border with Mexico, pledging to get control of the border and flexing his muscles on a signature issue for Donald Trump, his chief rival for the 2024 nomination.“I think the border should be closed. I don’t think we should have any of this,” DeSantis said. “But if there’s a policy to have an open border, then I think the sanctuary jurisdictions should be the ones that have to bear that.”DeSantis’ administration said this week that the three dozen migrants whom the state recently flew from El Paso, Texas, to Sacramento at taxpayer expense all went willingly, disputing allegations that the in...

Bought land located miles from roads

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

They had a dream of buying a piece of land out in the country to raise their family. They bought the property, and guess what they found out? It’s why they called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.Britani and her husband have two young, energetic boys.Britani Royal: “As you can see, I already have my hands full.”And right now, her belly is full as well, with another boy due in July.Britani Royal: “I love being a mom. That’s the best part.”As Britani and Richard thought about their future, they decided they wanted to raise their young family far from the city, out in the country.Britani Royal: “So we had this idea of bringing the kids up, having animals on it, like goats, like, you know, chickens and plants.”Britani started looking on the internet and found a property about 250 miles north of Broward, up in Flagler County.Britani Royal: “So it only had one photo, it was like an aerial photo, highlighted where the property was, an...

Local sports teams, Argentinian community celebrate Messi’s Inter Miami announcement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

As the Miami Heat and the Florida Panthers pursue series titles during their finals, soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s annoncment that he will be joining Inter Miami is sending local sports fans — and local teams — into a frenzy.The South Florida sports community is having zero trouble making room for the iconic athlete, who is fresh off a World Cup win for his native Argentina.The region hasn’t landed a sports star this big since LeBron James joined the Heat in 2010.This time, it’s Major League Soccer and Inter Miami who have hit the lottery.Messi elaborated on his announcement during an interview that was posted Wednesday.Speaking in Spanish, he said, “I made the decision that I’m coming to Miami. I still haven’t closed in 100%. I’m missing some things, but we decided to continue on this path.”Local professional players took to social media to welcome Messi.In an video posted by the Miami Dolphins, wide receiver Tyreek Hill...

How to funnel cash into British politics without anyone knowing who you are

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

LONDON — What connects a Lancashire manor house, several exclusive dining clubs, and a bronze sculpture of David Cameron on a bicycle? The answer is millions of pounds in opaque donations to Britain’s political parties.This is the weird world of “unincorporated associations” — shadowy groups which constitute one of the least-regulated and most-poorly understood aspects of British election finance. Jess Garland, of campaign group the Electoral Reform Society, said they represent a “dangerous loophole in our political financing rules.”In the past five years alone, donations to British political parties from these little-known entities have surpassed £14 million — a sum almost equivalent to the ruling Conservative Party’s entire outlay during its triumphant 2019 election campaign. British political parties are generally required to be open about how and where they raise their cash. Yet unincorporated associations remain an enormous transparency black...

Life along Ukraine’s northern border with Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

Iuliia Mendel is a journalist, the author of “The Fight of Our Lives” and a former press secretary for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.Nowadays, it’s quite difficult to get to the town of Novhorod-Siverskyi in the north of Ukraine.Located in the Chernihiv region, 55 kilometers from the border with Russia, Novhorod-Siverskyi was under occupation for over a month in 2022, with the bridge across the Seim River — the main road leading into town — blown up by Ukraine on the first day of Russia’s invasion. And though it’s being repaired, the town can now only be reached after a lengthy detour. And the closer you get, the more frequent checkpoints become, and the more thoroughly both vehicles and passengers are searched.In Chernihiv, the war is much more noticeable than in it is in Kyiv. Here, Russia bombards border villages with artillery, missiles or guided bombs almost every day, which has prompted some residents to move. But still standing at about 10,000 residents, the populati...

The West isn’t ready to give Ukraine the security pledges it wants

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

Ukraine is pleading for binding security guarantees to ensure long-term survival. Allies just aren’t ready to do that yet.Despite months of conversations about the subject, the Western alliance is still divided over nearly every element of how to respond to the request, according to five European diplomats. Should NATO, which Ukraine is aspiring to join, be having that conversation? Or should the world’s biggest military powers provide individual pledges? Are any guarantees short of NATO membership worthwhile?And, officials are wondering, what even constitutes a “security guarantee”? All these questions remain open, the diplomats said, even as allies are only five weeks away from gathering in Vilnius for a key NATO summit. Ukraine has set the summit as a sort of deadline, pushing for allies to make explicit commitments at the gathering about letting Ukraine into NATO and providing security guarantees along the way.“Ukraine is the most experienced country in the world in he...

1 dead after car crashes into Subway restaurant in Smithfield, RI

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

One person was killed and several others were injured Wednesday when a car crashed into a Subway location in Smithfield, Rhode Island, officials said. The car slammed entirely into the building before slamming into a back wall, leaving behind a trail of destruction in the Subway while also damaging a Planet Fitness gym. Deputy Fire Chief Steven Quattrini said crews arriving at the scene found two people trapped under the car. Quattrini said six people were taken to area hospitals.In a statement, Smithfield police said they responded to the scene off Putnam Pike shortly before 3 p.m.Dan Silva and his wife belong to the Planet Fitness that was also damaged. “We were just coming back home and my wife asked ‘Is the gym going to be open tomorrow’ and I said ‘Well let’s take a quick ride and find out,’” he said.Silva said he’s seen people speeding in the area around the crash site before.  “It’s a straightaway, people tend to maybe go a little bit too fast,” he sa...

Rosario, Naylor each have 3 hits and RBI, Guardians beat Red Sox 5-2

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — Amed Rosario and Josh Naylor each had three hits and an RBI, Josh Bell drove in a run for the sixth consecutive game and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Wednesday night.Rosario singled twice against Kutter Crawford (1-3), then had an RBI double off Justin Garza as the Guardians scored two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to erase a 2-1 deficit.Bell drove in a pair to give him eight RBIs during the streak that began May 28. Naylor had two singles and a double for Cleveland, which has split the first two games of the series.Rookie Tanner Bibee (2-1) pitched five innings, allowing one earned, for his first victory at Progressive Field. The right-hander struck out two and gave up four hits in his eighth start since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus.Emmanuel Clase worked a hitless ninth for his MLB-best 20th save.Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas, second baseman Enmanuel Valdéz and third baseman Rafael Devers committed errors in the ...

Justice Department informs Trump he is target in classified documents probe, CNN sources say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

(CNN) — The Justice Department recently informed Donald Trump’s legal team that he is a target in a federal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, a sign that prosecutors may be moving closer to indicting the former president.The sources have been informed of the target letter and its contents but had not seen it themselves.Prosecutors’ decision to inform Trump he’s a target crystallizes that special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation is focused on Trump’s actions and not just the actions of people around him.Trump’s legal team met with DOJ officials, including Smith, about the investigation on Monday. The meeting focused on the Trump legal team presenting their allegations of misconduct by prosecutors. Smith did not say anything beyond greeting those in the room in the meeting, that source said.Justice Department regulations allow for prosecutors to notify subjects of an investigation that ...

Development company announces new movie studio in the works in Braintree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:07:20 GMT

A little bit of Hollywood is set to come to Braintree in the form of a new movie studio, developers recently announced. The project by RISE Development will be called “Banner Park” and will have everything from sound stages, to production bays to office spaces.Developers have said they are excited about the location, which is just 20 minutes from Logan Airport. “I think this is going to create a great boom for the economy here, for the creativity of the economy and also for the state of Massachusetts as well,” said RISE Development Founder Herby Duverne.Developers have said the new studio will bring job opportunities. They also said they hope the new state-of-the-art facilities will attract more film productions to Boston.