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Exclusive: Former Mar-a-Lago employee-turned-witness repeatedly contacted by Trump and associates before documents charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

West Palm Beach, FL (CNN) — Three months after the FBI seized classified records from Mar-a-Lago last August, a longtime employee of Donald Trump’s private club quit his job.Within days, the former president did something he rarely did – Trump called the former employee on his cell phone to ask why he was leaving after two decades of working at the resort, according to two sources and material seen by CNN.The employee told the former president he had another business opportunity he wanted to pursue. The message later got back to the former employee that Trump thought he was a “good man.”But he wasn’t just any staffer at the club – the former employee was a witness to several episodes special counsel Jack Smith included in his federal criminal indictment charging the former president with mishandling classified documents.He had moved several boxes for Trump and was also privy to conversations referenced in the indictment between Trump and his two co-defendants, Mar-a-Lago proper...

Asylum seeker aboard UK’s Bibby Stockholm barge dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

A person has died aboard the Bibby Stockholm barge, used by the British government to house asylum seekers.Two care groups working to support migrants on the vessel — moored in Portland, Dorset — confirmed to POLITICO Tuesday that one of the people aboard had died. The U.K.’s Home Office said: “We are aware of reporting of an incident involving an asylum seeker on the Bibby Stockholm.  “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”Steve Smith, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais, said the group’s “thoughts are with the person who has lost their life, their family and their friends. It is also with all those stuck on board the Bibby Stockholm who will be experiencing a deep feeling of grief and worry today.”The U.K. government deployed the Bibby Stockholm over the summer amid deep controversy.It argued the use of the barge would cut the mounting cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels while their claims are processed, and would deter people from making dange...

Alexey Navalny fails to attend trial after his team loses contact with jailed Russian opposition leader

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

(CNN) — The trial of Alexey Navalny was postponed on Tuesday, one day after his team said it had lost contact with the jailed Russian opposition leader, who was believed to be imprisoned in a penal colony about 150 miles east of Moscow.Concern was sparked on Monday after spokesperson Kira Yarmysh put out several social media posts, highlighting that her team had lost contact with Navalny, who was supposedly being held in the IK-6 penal colony.The spokesperson for Navalny, who was jailed for 19 years on extremism charges in August in addition to a previous sentence, cited a prison employee who claimed the 47-year-old had “left their colony” but still could not confirm his whereabouts on Tuesday.Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, said in a post on X that the politician’s trial was postponed again on Tuesday. When the judge asked a question regarding Navalny’s whereabouts, he was redirected to the Federal Penitentiary service, Z...

Georgia election workers ask court to warn Rudy Giuliani after he repeats claims judge ruled were defamatory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

(CNN) — After his first day in a Washington, DC, courtroom where a jury will determine how much he owes two former Georgia election workers for defamation, former Donald Trump election attorney Rudy Giuliani still insists everything he said about the two women was true.The federal judge overseeing the case has already ruled that Giuliani spread false information about Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss in the wake of the 2020 election.The defamation damages trial began Monday with jury selection and opening statements, but when court ended for the day, Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor and New York City mayor, continued to attack Freeman and Moss.“Everything I said about them is true,” Giuliani told reporters.“Of course I don’t regret it,” Giuliani then said when asked if he regretted his actions. “I told the truth. They were engaged in changing votes.”When a reporter responded there was no proof of such an allegation, Giuliani said: “O...

Seasonable With Some Sun

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

We’re off to a much easier start weather-wise today as mainly clear skies and seasonable temps are back in place. While there’s a slight chill with a bit of a breeze, the wind gusts around 12-20mph today aren’t too strong overall. With temps bouncing back into the low to mid 40s this afternoon, it’ll be a solid seasonable December day. Ditto for tomorrow. With partly to mainly clear skies prevailing mid to late week, we’ll even have a chance to catch some shooting stars Wednesday night, as the Geminids meteor shower nears peak. Best viewing time is near/after 10pm Wednesday, through at least 2am Thursday. If you are star gazing Wednesday night, there will be a bit of a chill in the air that will last through Thursday. Temps Thursday struggle to get much above the freezing mark. With that said, the bounce back Friday is quick, to near 50 by the afternoon. While the weekend looks mostly dry, Sunday will see increasing clouds. At that point, we’ll lo...

Tricia Tuttle appointed as the next director of the annual Berlin film festival

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Tricia Tuttle, a former director of the London Film Festival, will become the new director of the Berlin International Film Festival next year, the German culture minister announced Tuesday.Tuttle, who is American, will take over in April from the outgoing leadership duo of executive director Mariette Rissenbeek and artistic director Carlo Chatrian. They will lead the upcoming 74th edition of the annual event, which runs from Feb. 15-25.Rissenbeek and Chatrian took the helm in 2019, replacing long-serving festival director Dieter Kosslick. After Rissenbeek decided last year not to renew her contract, Culture Minister Claudia Roth said the festival should revert to being led by one person, and Chatrian announced that he would step down too. Roth announced Tuttle’s appointment Tuesday, German news agency dpa reported.The Berlin festival is one of the major European film festivals — though, falling in winter in the German capital, it doesn’t match the glamor o...

Suspects wearing fake police vests allegedly chased vehicle that crashed into pole in Etobicoke

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

Police are searching for two suspects who fled in separate vehicles after allegedly chasing another vehicle that crashed into a pole in Etobicoke.Toronto police officers were called to Dundas Street West, just east of Shaver Avenue, around 5:10 p.m. Monday after getting reports of a collision.Police tell CityNews that a couple in a black Dodge Ram pickup truck were driving when another black pickup pulled in front of them, and a white car trailed behind.The couple managed to race away with the suspects in pursuit. They eventually crashed their pickup into a pole near Dundas and Shaver.It is alleged two suspects wearing fake police vests emerged from the two other vehicles and assaulted the victims before taking off.No injuries were reported.Investigators say the suspects fled in a black Ford F-150 and a white Chrysler 300 before officers arrived. The suspects are described as:A male with a small build, five foot six inches tall, wearing a beige track suit and a police vestA male wit...

Thousands of protesters gather in Brussels calling for better wages and public services

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Thousands of protesters gathered Tuesday in the capital of the European Union, calling for better public services, salaries and living conditions.The protest in downtown Brussels took place during EU negotiations over the new Stability and Growth Pact, which aims to limit debt and deficits for member countries. Nations seeking to spend their way out of a crisis would instead implement a set of economic policies such as budget cuts and tax increases. But critics say the policy, known as austerity, won’t work.The European Trade Union Confederation, which represents 45 million members, claims the planned reinstatement of the Stability and Growth Pact will force 14 member states to cut a combined 45 billion euros ($49 billion) from their budgets in the next year alone.ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said a return to austerity “would kill jobs, lower wages, mean even less funding for already over-stretched public services and all but guarantee another devastatin...

Israel strikes across Gaza as the offensive leaves both it and the US increasingly isolated

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces carried out strikes across Gaza overnight and into Tuesday as they pressed ahead with an offensive that officials say could go on for weeks or months, even as global calls for a cease-fire left both Israel and its main ally, the United States, increasingly isolated.The war ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel has already brought unprecedented death and destruction to the impoverished coastal enclave, with much of northern Gaza obliterated, more than 18,000 Palestinians killed, and over 80% of the population of 2.3 million pushed from their homes.The health care system and humanitarian aid operations have collapsed in large parts of the besieged enclave, and aid workers have warned of starvation and the spread of disease among displaced people in overcrowded shelters and tent camps.STRIKES AND RAIDS ACROSS GAZAStrikes overnight and into Tuesday in southern Gaza — in an area where civilians have been told to seek shelter — ...

Tennessee Republican extends his rapid-fire Christmas party — to 16 minutes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:41 GMT

(The Hill) -- Santa’s going to have 60 extra seconds this year to make his super speedy cameo at Rep. Tim Burchett’s Christmas party. The Tennessee Republican says he’s extending his holiday festivities from 15 minutes — to a whopping 16 minutes.Burchett told ITK in an interview that at last year’s 15-minute inaugural bash in Washington, he “really just couldn’t pack it all in.”“I thought, well, let's put another minute on it and see if that works this year,” he said.Burchett, who’s known to add some levity at the Capitol with his rapid-fire wisecracks, made headlines last year when he first floated his brief holiday soiree.“You go to a Christmas party and you're sitting there drinking some watered-down drink and some crappy hors d'oeuvres that probably were froze from last year's Christmas party,” the 59-year-old lawmaker said of a traditional holiday gathering. “And you're stuck there talking to somebody with wine breath, and you can’t get away from them, and you’re thinking, ‘Dan...