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Ex-Kansas legislator convicted of COVID relief fraud sentenced to more than 2 years in US prison

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas lawmaker who was convicted of 12 felonies for lying on applications for federal COVID-19 relief was sentenced Thursday to two years and three months in prison, according to online court records.An attorney for former Republican state Rep. Michael Capps argued for probation in court documents, citing Capps’ Air Force service in a combat zone. But prosecutors asked for a sentence of four years and three months in prison, arguing in court documents that he “continues to show neither remorse nor contrition” over stealing nearly $500,000 in funds meant to help businesses remain afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.In addition to the prison time, U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren sentenced Capps to two years of supervised release, and he ordered him to pay more than a half-million dollars in restitution and the forfeiture of illegal proceeds, The Wichita Eagle reported. A jury convicted the 45-year-old former lawmaker in December of four counts o...

With Missouri ban on gender-affirming care likely, Kansas City Council approves sanctuary status

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials in Missouri’s largest city approved a resolution Thursday to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, defying state lawmakers who voted a day earlier to ban such care for minors and restrict it for some adults.Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas praised the 12 to 1 vote, saying the city is committed to being a “welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone, including our transgender and LGBTQ+ community.”Kansas City’s new, sanctuary status sets it apart as a Democratic-leaning city in a state with a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature. Similar actions have been taken in cities that oppose state actions to restrict rights for transgender people, as in Austin, Texas. GOP Gov. Mike Parson is expected to sign into law the ban on gender-affirming care, joining at least 16 other states that have enacted similar laws restricting or banning such care for minors. The resolution also comes as a judge co...

US ambassador accuses South Africa of providing weapons, ammo to Russia

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The U. S. ambassador to South Africa accused the country Thursday of providing weapons and ammunition to Russia for its war in Ukraine via a cargo ship linked to a sanctioned company that docked secretly at a naval base near the city of Cape Town in December.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said an investigation into the visit by a Russian vessel named Lady R to his nation’s main naval base was already underway behind the scenes with the help of U.S. intelligence services before Ambassador Reuben Brigety went public at a news conference in the South African capital, Pretoria, that the cargo was weapons and ammunition.Brigety said the U.S. was certain that military equipment was loaded onto the Lady R at the Simon’s Town naval base between Dec. 6 and Dec. 8 and then transported to Russia. He said it brought into question South Africa’s supposed neutral stance on the war in Ukraine and its calls for the conflict to end.“The arming of the Rus...

CP NewsAlert: Suspect in stabbings of mother, child in Edmonton dies

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

EDMONTON — Police say the suspect in the stabbing deaths of a mother and child in southeast Edmonton last week has died in hospital. More coming.The Canadian Press

Secure messaging arrives on Twitter – sort of. ‘Don’t trust it yet,’ Musk warns

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter launched encrypted messaging Wednesday, offering select users the ability to communicate more securely. But its new service is much more of a baby step than a giant leap forward.For starters, it lacks basic protections that security experts consider essential for shielding messages from hackers and other prying eyes. Senders and receivers must also be subscribed to Twitter’s Blue service for $11 a month ($8 for desktop-only) or otherwise affiliated with an organization “verified” by Twitter for $1,000 a month plus $50 per user.The company’s official message announcing the rollout promised additional features soon. But CEO Elon Musk offered his own caution via a tweet: “ Try it, but don’t trust it yet. ”WHAT IS ENCRYPTED MESSAGING AGAIN?Ordinary messages sent across the internet, whether by email, direct message, Twitter or other means — are generally vulnerable to interception that could allow other people or organizations to read them. That includes the...

Fairfax Financial more than doubles first-quarter earnings at US$1.3 billion

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

TORONTO — Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. says it earned US$1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2023, more than double earnings of US$588.7 million a year earlier. The Toronto-based company, which reports in U.S. dollars, says net earnings per diluted share were US$49.38, compared with US$22.67 the same quarter a year earlier. Net gains on investments were US$771.2 million, compared with a loss of US$195.2 million a year ago. Fairfax says gross premiums written totalled US$7.1 billion in the quarter ended March 31, up from US$6.7 billion a year earlier. Net insurance revenues were US$5.2 billion, up from US$4.7 billion. Chairman and CEO Prem Watsa said in a press release that significantly higher operating income from Fairfax’s property and casualty insurance and reinsurance operations reflected increased interest and dividends, among other positive trends. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:FFH)The Canadian Press

NDP leaves spring sitting at legislature facing turmoil in public housing management

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

VICTORIA — The New Democrat government in British Columbia started the spring legislative session promising more affordable homes for vulnerable people, but it ends the sitting amid turmoil over its public housing agency. An Ernst and Young audit found mismanagement and risk to public dollars at the Crown corporation BC Housing, and has the government facing sharp criticism as it leaves the legislature pledging tighter controls.The audit concluded there was mismanagement related to a conflict of interest between Shayne Ramsay, the former chief executive officer at BC Housing, and his spouse, Janice Abbott, who is CEO at Atira Women’s Resource Society, the corporation’s largest housing operator.Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon says the government will continue to provide housing to people who need it most, but for now has halted new funding to Atira and will launch another audit.Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says the report uncovers a scandal that points toward Pre...

New Hampshire Senate rejects marijuana legalization bill, leaving state an outlier in New England

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Senate rejected a marijuana legalization bill Thursday, leaving it the only state in New England that makes smoking pot recreationally a crime.Republicans, who control the Senate, led the effort to dismiss the bill on a 14-10 vote.Though several bipartisan bills in support of legalization have cleared the House in recent years, the Senate has blocked them. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu said earlier this year that he didn’t expect new legislation to reach his desk with teen drug use and overdoses on the rise.Republican Senate President Jeb Bradley said the time isn’t right to legalize marijuana, as the state combats a drug addiction and overdose crisis.“Recreationalizing marijuana at this critical juncture would send a confusing message, potentially exacerbating the already perilous drug landscape and placing more lives at risk,” he said in a written statement.House Democratic Leader Matt Wilhelm said the push to legalize marijuana has strong sup...

Prosecutor says International Criminal Court issues 4 arrest warrants for alleged crimes in Libya

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced Thursday that judges have issued four new arrest warrants stemming from his investigations of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Libya.Prosecutor Karim Khan also said he recently applied for two additional warrants.He told the U.N. Security Council that he has applied to the court’s independent judges to unseal the four new arrest warrants, and they will decide “in due course.”Khan called the warrants “an important step in the rights of victims and survivors” for accountability, but only a first step.The Security Council unanimously referred Libya to The Hague, Netherlands-based ICC in February 2011 to launch an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The referral followed Moammar Gadhafi’s brutal crackdown on protesters that was then taking place. The uprising, later backed by NATO, led to Gadhafi’s capture and death in October 2011.Oil-rich Libya was then sp...

New Edison Park business burglarized twice in less than 24 hours

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:57:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police are investigating two break-ins to a new business in Edison Park. One of those was caught on camera as thieves rummaged through the store in the 6700 block of North Northwest Highway before taking off. ‘What would happen if I bashed you with this bat?’: $800K bond for Chicago woman accused of battery spree It happened in an area made up of mom-and-pop shops, restaurants and a new business now left to deal with the cleanup after the separate break-ins in less than 24 hours.Video from around 1:50 a.m. Wednesday shows what police said is five males who smashed through the front window of HQ Sneakers and Streetwear. They grabbed a handful of merchandise, including clothing and shoes, and then left in a white sedan and a white pickup truck.The store was open less than two weeks before the crimes happened."It's devastating," Michelle Martin, the owner of Penny Bird Boutique, said. "Just the idea of a business being broken into that you've worked so hard to try t...