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Speaker McCarthy’s job at risk after House votes to move ahead with hard-right effort to oust him

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ability to remain in leadership is now seriously at risk after the House voted Tuesday to move ahead with an effort by hard-right Republican critics to oust him.The narrow vote forced by McCarthy’s chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, brought together a handful of conservative Republican critics of the speaker and many Democrats who say he is not worthy of leadership.By refusing to table the motion, or set it aside, the House now opens an extraordinary floor debate ahead of the next round of voting. A final outcome could be delayed.McCarthy insists he will not cut a deal with Democrats to remain in power.The House quickly opened debate on whether to oust McCarthy as speaker after the Tuesday vote, his job at risk from a conservative rebellion.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Kevin McCarthy is confronting his hard-right critics head-on Tuesday as he faces a historic challenge to o...

Idaho and Missouri shift to Republican presidential caucuses after lawmakers cancel primaries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Republicans in Idaho and Missouri will have to attend caucuses to make their presidential picks next year after the two states’ GOP-led legislatures canceled their presidential primaries and then missed a deadline to reinstate them. Presidential caucuses in both states are planned March 2, putting them near the front of the national presidential selection process. Both states would have been scheduled to hold March 12 primaries, had lawmakers not eliminated them. Members of Idaho’s Republican-led Legislature had talked about calling themselves into a special session to reinstate a primary but failed to agree on a proposal before Sunday’s deadline, imposed by the Republican National Committee, for states to submit their 2024 presidential nominating plans. Idaho lawmakers this year passed cost-saving legislation backed by Republican Secretary of State Phil McGrane that was intended to push the presidential primary to May 21 to coincide with...

Florida man convicted of killing two women over 25 years ago set to die by injection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man is scheduled to die by injection more than 25 years after he killed two women he met in north Florida bars during a dayslong spate of crimes.Michael Zack III was scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. Tuesday for the murder of Ravonne Smith, a bar employee he befriended and later beat and stabbed with an oyster knife in June 1996. He also was convicted and separately sentenced to life in prison for murdering Laura Rosillo, whom he met at a bar in a nearby county. Zack’s nine-day crime run began in Tallahassee, where he was a regular at a bar. When Zack’s girlfriend called and said he was being evicted, the bartender offered to loan him her pickup truck. Zack left with it and never returned, according to court records.Zack drove to a bar in Niceville in the Florida Panhandle, where he befriended a construction company owner. The man learned Zack was living in the pickup truck and offered to let him stay at his home. Zack later stole two guns and $42....

Judges aiming to give Black voters more influence in Alabama set to redraw congressional districts

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge said Tuesday that the court will soon adopt new congressional districts for Alabama, choosing among proposals aimed at giving Black voters a greater opportunity to influence election outcomes in the Deep South state. U.S. District Judge Stanley Marcus, noting a ruling will be issued “shortly,” said the three-judge panel is aware of the time constraints posed by elections next year when the state’s seven U.S. House seats will be on the ballot. The court could rule as early as this week. The panel is stepping in to adopt new district boundaries after ruling that the Republican-controlled Alabama Legislature failed to remedy a Voting Rights Act violation when lawmakers adopted new lines this summer. The judges said the state-drawn plan — which had one majority Black district out of seven in a state that is 27% Black — illegally diluted the political power of Black residents. The judges last month wrote that they were “deeply troubled” that ...

Homeless 25-year-old Topeka man arrested in rape and killing of 5-year-old girl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

A homeless Kansas man has been arrested in the rape and killing of a 5-year-old girl, authorities said Tuesday. Officers responded just before 6 p.m. Monday to a medical call at a Topeka gas station and found a fire crew attempting to save Zoey Felix, police said in a news release. She was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Investigators identified a 25-year-old man as a suspect and booked him into jail Tuesday morning on suspicion of first-degree murder and rape. His bond is set at $2 million and no attorney is listed for him, said Timothy Phelps, deputy director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. No formal charges were immediately filed, court records show. The news release said that the man was known to Zoey, but police spokesperson Rosie Nichols said she couldn’t provide additional details on how. She also declined to release information on the girl’s cause of death. Heather Hollingsworth, The Associated Press

Gun evidence is focus at the trial of a man accused of killing New Hampshire couple on hiking trail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A man charged with shooting a New Hampshire couple to death on a hiking trail last year spent months hiding from police — but over a probation violation from Utah, not the killings — and an analysis of shell casings and bullets found in the area could not conclude that his gun fired the shots, his attorney said at the start of his trial Tuesday. “They got the wrong man,” Caroline Smith said during opening statements in the trial of Logan Clegg in Concord. She said he had no connection to the couple and was not the killer. Clegg, 27, who was living in a tent near the trail at the time, is charged with second-degree murder counts of knowingly and recklessly causing the deaths of Stephen and Djeswende Reid by shooting them multiple times. The newly retired couple were killed shortly after going for a walk on the trail near their Concord apartment on April 18, 2022. Their bodies, found several days later, were dragged into the woods and covered with leaves, sticks a...

South African cabinet minister and 3 other lawmakers cleared of corruption in parliamentary probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A South African cabinet minister and three other lawmakers from the ruling African National Congress party were cleared of corruption Tuesday by a parliamentary ethics committee.Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and lawmakers Cedric Frolick, Mosebenzi Zwane and Winnie Ngwenya were implicated following a commission of inquiry into allegations of large-scale corruption under former President Jacob Zuma, who was South Africa’s leader from 2009-18.The four lawmakers had been under investigation since last year over separate allegations.Nxesi was accused of receiving money from a company connected to well-known South African businessman and government contractor Edwin Sodi.Sodi’s relationship with and payments to prominent ANC figures came under scrutiny at the commission of inquiry. He is reportedly under investigation by the anti-corruption Special Investigating Unit over another government contract.The Zondo Commission of Inquiry ra...

House sets up final vote on ousting McCarthy: live coverage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

The House is set to decide Tuesday whether to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), a vote that hasn't taken place in more than 100 years.Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) followed through on his promises and moved Monday to force a vote on a motion to vacate. On Tuesday afternoon, the chamber voted 208-218 on a motion to table Gaetz’s resolution to oust McCarthy, setting the stage for a vote on whether McCarthy should remain in the top spot.In the narrow GOP majority, McCarthy's fate could hinge on what Democrats decide.Follow along with live updates below.

Bally's Casino, a first for Chicago, celebrates official launch in River North

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago's first casino formally celebrated its launch Tuesday morning with a ribbon-cutting, marking a new era for the city. Bally's opened to the public on Sept. 9, calling the Medinah Temple in River North its new temporary home.  Bally’s Casino temporary location officially opens The city's first casino features almost 800 slot machines and nearly 60 table games across three floors. The gaming revenue taxes will support the city's police and fire pension funds. More than 700 permanent jobs have been created for casino operations. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was on hand to mark the occasion. "This project is going to secure Chicago's fiscally strong and vibrant future," Johnson said. "I am greatly looking forward to the creation of jobs and opportunities, rising tourism and the economic boost that the temporary and permanent casinos can bring." Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Bally's expects to operate at the Medinah Temple for three years while it builds...

With Lionel Messi's status in doubt, Chicago Fire FC has make good for fans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:47 GMT

CHICAGO — One of the biggest regular season matches in club history could be without the star attraction - and Chicago Fire FC is quite aware of that. With Inter Miami CF's Lionel Messi dealing with an unspecified leg injury that's left his status for Wednesday's match at Soldier Field up in the air, the club has released a statement about how they plan to make good for fans if the superstar doesn't play. Regardless of whether Messi plays or not, the Fire are offering a $250 credit towards memberships (season tickets) for the 2024 season at Soldier Field or a $50 account credit to buyers of single-game tickets to Wednesday's match. Ticket prices from the club rose once Messi joined Inter Miami CF in July, keeping up with the trend of other clubs in MLS when they host the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner who is generally considered the greatest player in the game of soccer.The club announced on Monday evening that the match has sold out, with over 61,000 tickets being distributed. In th...