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Philly cops fired over offensive Facebook posts can pursue First Amendment claim, court rules

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

A dozen Philadelphia police officers who were fired or suspended for racist and violent social media posts can pursue a lawsuit against the city claiming their First Amendment rights were violated, a federal appeals court ruled.The officers’ social media accounts were included in a database, published in 2019, that catalogued thousands of bigoted or violent posts by active-duty and former police officers in several states. In Philadelphia, nearly 200 officers were disciplined, including 15 who were forced off the job. Twelve officers subsequently filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, asserting the police department had retaliated against them for exercising their First Amendment rights.A federal judge dismissed the suit last year, agreeing with the city’s argument that the officers’ posts had undermined public trust in the department and violated the city’s social media policy. The plaintiffs “played racist bingo, mocking as many ethnic or re...

Indictment: Lawyer told authorities that Trump suggested he pluck out damaging documents to keep them from FBI

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Indictment: Lawyer told authorities that Trump suggested he pluck out damaging documents to keep them from FBI.Source

Watch live: Special counsel in Trump documents case delivers first remarks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

Special counsel Jack Smith is delivering his first remarks Friday afternoon after a federal indictment against former President Trump over his handling of classified documents after leaving office was unsealed Friday.The indictment charges Trump with 37 counts, including allegations of attempting to block the government from recovering classified documents at his private Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in November 2022 that Smith would serve as special counsel for the documents probe as well as another into allegations of attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.The press conference is slated to begin at 3 p.m. EDT.Watch the live video above.

Fewer babies in Colorado? Maybe because Coloradans are having less sex

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado's expenses, labor economics, education levels and culture all play a role in low fertility. It looks like a statewide low sex drive might have something to do with it, too.Colorado's birth rate has been sliding and is one of the lowest rates in the U.S. now. Despite being among the states where women are most likely to be married, Colorado's women are also some of the least likely in the nation to be mothers. Colorado women are some of most likely to be married, least likely to have kids Studies show several possible reasons. There is a link between women's education and professional success and their likelihood of childbearing, and Colorado's women are among the most educated and the highest earning. Further, Colorado cities are some of the most expensive in which to raise children, and Colorado is among the most expensive states in which to give birth at all.Coloradans have less sex, too, according to a survey from NapLab, a sleep equipment research fir...

Broward County Transit offers stress-free ride to Florida Panthers game 4

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

Panther fans gearing up for Game 4 between the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights can now enjoy a hassle-free transportation option to the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise. Broward County Transit (BCT) is providing a convenient Park & Ride service on Saturday, June 10, ensuring fans can travel to and from the game without stress.To take advantage of this service, fans can park for free at BCT’s Pop-Up Park & Ride located at Government Center West (GCW), situated at 1 North University Drive in Plantation. From there, they can use bus stop #0906 on Broward Boulevard, just west of University Drive, to catch the bus to the game. A regular bus fare is required for the service.For fans heading to the arena, westbound buses from GCW to the FLA Live Arena (Bus Stop ID 0906) are scheduled to depart at the following times: 6:00pm, 6:30pm, 7:00pm, 7:30pm, and 8:00pm.After the game, eastbound buses will be available for the return trip from the arena (Bus Stop ID 4246) to GCW....

Boris Johnson quits as member of parliament with blast at Partygate probe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is stepping down as a member of parliament with immediate effect.Johnson made the move as he hit out at an investigation by the House of Commons’ privileges committee, which is examining whether the ex-prime minister knowingly misled parliament about COVID rule-breaking parties held in Downing Street.The resignation of Johnson, the Tory MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, will trigger a by-election in a seat he held in 2019 by 7,210 votes.In a statement, Johnson said the committee — whose findings have yet to be published but which can recommend a suspension from the Commons — has “still not produced a shred of evidence that I knowingly or recklessly misled” MPs.He added: “They know perfectly well that when I spoke in the Commons I was saying what I believed sincerely to be true and what I had been briefed to say, like any other minister. They know that I corrected the record as soon as possible; and they...

Trump stashed military secrets throughout his home, indictment says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

A federal indictment unsealed Friday charges former President Donald Trump with 37 felony counts stemming from an investigation into the presence of a trove of classified information at his Florida estate and other locations after he left office.Prosecutors led by special counsel Jack Smith allege that Trump arranged to remove a massive collection of highly sensitive classified material — much of which consists of intelligence about the “defense and weapons capabilities” of the United States and foreign countries — to his private residence as he left the White House in January 2021.As the Justice Department began inquiring about the records stashed at Trump’s home, the indictment alleges, Trump ordered an aide — Walt Nauta — to begin moving boxes with classified records to obscure them from investigators. Trump did this without informing his attorney, who was preparing to search Trump’s property in compliance with court-authorized subpoenas to recover the records.Trump is ...

Boris Johnson quits as UK lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson shocked Britain on Friday by quitting as a lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament.Johnson quit after receiving the results of an investigation by lawmakers over misleading statements he made to Parliament about “partygate,” a series of rule-breaking government parties during the pandemic.In a lengthy resignation statement, Johnson accused opponents of trying to drive him out — and hinted that he might try to return.“It is very sad to be leaving Parliament — at least for now,” he said.Johnson said he had “received a letter from the Privileges Committee making it clear — much to my amazement — that they are determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of Parliament.”He called the committee investigating him a “kangaroo court.”“Their purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts,” Johnson said.The resignation will trigg...

A new supernova has appeared in the night sky

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

(CNN) — A sparkling new supernova has appeared in the night sky, and a telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii was perfectly poised to capture the aftermath of the cosmic burst.The supernova was first spotted within the spiral arms of the Pinwheel Galaxy by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki on May 19. Itagaki, an avid supernova hunter, has discovered more than 80 of the stellar explosions using his observatory in the mountains outside Yamagata, Japan.The supernova, named SN 2023ixf, is the closest one seen in five years. A supernova occurs when a star violently explodes at the end of its lifetime.The Pinwheel Galaxy is in the direction of the Ursa Major constellation, about 21 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy faces Earth head-on, which showcases its stunning spiral structure and nearly 1 trillion stars.The galaxy’s spiral arms are full of nebulae, or regions where stars are born, showcased in pink light. The blue points of light in the image taken by t...

Joran van der Sloot pleads not guilty to extorting and defrauding Natalee Holloway’s mom

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:03:34 GMT

(CNN) — A not guilty plea was entered in US federal court on Friday on behalf of Joran van der Sloot, the Dutch national accused in the alleged extortion of the mother of Natalee Holloway, the American teenager whose disappearance during a high school graduation trip to Aruba in 2005 became an international mystery.In the less than five-minute-long hearing in Birmingham, Alabama, US Magistrate Judge Gray Borden said he would only accept a not guilty plea at this time, and if van der Sloot were to enter any other plea it would be before a different judge at a different time.Borden also advised him of his US Constitutional rights and appointed the Federal Public Defender’s office to represent him. An interpreter was provided for van der Sloot, 35, but he told the court he did not need one.“My English is actually perfect,” he said shortly before the start of the proceeding.US Public Defender for the Northern District of Alabama Kevin Butler was in court with van der Sloot, wh...