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Body cam catches elite federal prosecutor offering Justice Department card during DUI crash arrest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

By JOSHUA GOODMAN and JIM MUSTIAN (Associated Press)TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — When police arrived at his house to investigate a hit-and-run, Joseph Ruddy, one of the nation’s most prolific federal narcotics prosecutors, looked so drunk he could barely stand up straight, leaning on the tailgate of his pickup to keep his balance. But he apparently was under control enough to be waiting with his U.S. Justice Department business card in hand. “What are you trying to hand me?” an officer asked. “You realize when they pull my body-worn camera footage and they see this, this is going to go really bad.”That footage obtained by The Associated Press showed Ruddy apparently attempting to leverage his position to blunt the fallout from a Fourth of July crash in which he is accused of drunkenly striking another vehicle and leaving the scene. But despite being charged, the 59-year-old Ruddy remained on the job for two months, representing the United States in court as...

Patriots are still trying to figure out their backup quarterback situation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots have a tricky backup quarterback situation to navigate before their first game of the season Sunday against the Eagles.Mac Jones is the team’s unquestioned starter. Then it gets complicated.The Patriots have Matt Corral on their 53-man roster, but he was only claimed off of waivers last week and has had limited time to learn the team’s offense. Bailey Zappe — Jones’ backup for most of last season — was waived during roster cuts last Tuesday and was signed back to the practice squad Wednesday.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Source: Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson expected to play Week 1 despite practice absence New England Patriots | Bill Belichick provides injury updates on two Patriots starters New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson, backup QB among 3 Patriots missing to start practice Friday New England Patriots | Robert Kraft ‘sort of likes’ Patriots be...

Bill Belichick provides injury updates on two Patriots starters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots could be down two prospective starters in their season opener against the Eagles on Sunday.Cornerback Jack Jones was absent from practice Thursday and Friday after suffering a hamstring injury in Wednesday’s session. Wide receiver DeVante Parker has been limited in practice all week with a knee injury.Head coach Bill Belichick initially said the Patriots expected Jones, who had gun charges dropped this week, to be available Week 1 as the NFL continues to review the cornerback’s June arrest. That was before the injury, however.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Source: Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson expected to play Week 1 despite practice absence New England Patriots | Patriots are still trying to figure out their backup quarterback situation New England Patriots | Rhamondre Stevenson, backup QB among 3 Patriots missing to start practice Friday New England Patriots | Robert Kraft...

Traffic bottlenecks plague Tijuana neighborhoods near Otay Mesa border crossing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) -- People who live in neighborhoods near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry say they can no longer take the traffic bottlenecks on their streets just south of the border, and they are asking the city to do something to alleviate the "chaos and congestion." Manuel Rojas, vice president of the Neighbors Committee in Otay Mesa, says the excess in traffic is out of control making it impossible to maneuver near their homes, adding that there are daily altercations and road-rage incidents involving residents and border commuters. Some Tijuana residents say new border crossing pushing them away This part of Tijuana is also home to city's international airport and main bus terminal, which add to the traffic jams in the area. Plus, thousands of trucks also traverse this section of Tijuana every day on their way to and from the commercial side of the port of entry.Rojas said the air and noise pollution diminishes the quality of life, and this past Labor Day holiday was t...

Timing of evidence disclosure raises ire of judge in ‘Freedom Convoy’ trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

OTTAWA — The judge presiding over the trial of “Freedom Convoy” organizers says she is seriously unhappy about the late disclosure of text message evidence to the defence.Justice Heather Perkins-McVey called a short recess to “settle” herself after defence lawyers told her they had received two heavy binders of evidence Thursday, three days after the trial began.The messages are from the cellphone belonging to Chris Barber, who is co-accused with Tamara Lich of mischief, counselling others to convince mischief and obstructing police.The charges relate to the role the two played organizing the convoy that blocked streets in downtown Ottawa for three weeks in the winter of 2022.Barber’s lawyer Diane Magas says she asked the Crown to whittle down tens of thousands her client’s text messages to just the ones expected to be entered into evidence.Crown lawyer Tim Radcliffe says that request only came just before the trial started and was fulfilled this ...

More ads coming as Conservatives plot path to make Poilievre the next prime minister

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

QUEBEC — Canadians should expect to see a lot more of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in the coming months as the party uses its full war chest to reach out beyond its base.That’s essentially what Robert Staley, the Toronto lawyer named by Poilievre to lead the Conservative Fund, told delegates Friday at the party convention in Quebec City.“We will continue to spend on tour and we will continue to spend on advertising,” Staley said. “All of this is being done to influence voters, especially in key ridings to support the party and our leader in the next election.” More than 2,000 Conservatives are in Quebec City for the party’s convention, and will hear directly from Poilievre himself when he takes the stage Friday night.The mood at the convention is buoyant, following a number of polls that show the party with a considerable lead over the governing Liberals. While no election is imminent, the numbers are lifting the spirits of party members c...

U of T building evacuated after smoke fills auditorium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

A University of Toronto building was evacuated on Friday after reports of smoke emanating from a bag.Toronto Fire tells CityNews its crews responded to the Faculty of Education building at 371 Bloor St. W. near Huron Street after a battery inside a bag began to smoke inside the auditorium.Crews are now ventilating the building.No injuries have been reported.Police say Bloor Street is blocked between Huron and Spadina.More to come FIRE:Bloor St + Huron St11:53 a.m.– Reports of smoke inside a U of T Schools building– The building is evacuating– Police are on scene with @Toronto_Fire– Bloor is blocked from Huron to Spadina @TTCnotices#GO2099956^lb— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) September 8, 2023

‘Low-key’ King Charles focused on Indigenous reconciliation in first year on throne

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

MONTREAL — Chadwick Cowie says he’s feeling cautiously optimistic about King Charles III’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples in Canada after meeting the monarch at a July garden party in Scotland.Cowie, who was invited to attend as part of a delegation from the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg — or Mississauga — Nation in Ontario, said that as 8,000 guests waited for the King’s attention, Charles spent 15 minutes of the two-hour event talking to the Indigenous group.“It was only 15 minutes we got with him, but it was the first 15 minutes that a political delegation from my nation has had with the Crown since 1860,” Cowie said.Cowie, who is also a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said discussion topics with the King included the Canadian wildfires and what’s happening in their communities. The short meeting, Cowie said, showed that Charles, who is marking his first year on the throne, has a “willingness to listen” to Indigenous people as th...

Music Review: Olivia Rodrigo rages against the machine and bad men with humor on ‘GUTS’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Friday, Olivia Rodrigo — the Grammy winner best known for her 2021 smash single “drivers license” — released her highly anticipated sophomore album, “GUTS.”It’s an apt title, because audacious she is: Across 12 tracks, Rodrigo builds off the life experiences of a pop superstar now in the throes of fame — and her early 20s — with an acute wisdom.From the bloodsucking piano ballad “vampire” to the cheeky backslide anthem “bad idea right?” (Rodrigo has kept the all-lowercase titles that styled her debut), “GUTS” is at times a pop-punk album unafraid of taking dynamic swings, and a diaristic bloodletting. But those lead singles hid greater moments: opener “all-american bitch,” inspired by a cast-off quote from a young hippie in Joan Didion’s “The White Album” essay collection, is pop-punk informed by Liz Phair or, like, the most obscure Rose Melberg record. Irony and anger are her swords: “I’m grateful all the time / I’m sexy and I’m kind / I’m pretty w...

Man pleads guilty to charges stemming from human remains trade tied to Harvard Medical School

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:14 GMT

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the theft and sale of human body parts taken from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary.Jeremy Pauley, 41, of Thompson, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He now faces up to 15 years in prison, but it wasn’t known Friday if a sentencing date has been scheduled.Pauley admitted that he bought human remains from multiple people, knowing the remains were stolen, and also admitted to selling many of the stolen remains to others, including at least one person who also knew they had been stolen. Pauley was among seven people indicted in the case in June. Trials are still pending for the other defendants, including Cedric Lodge, 55, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, who is accused of stealing dissected portions of cadavers that were donated to the medical sc...