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Investor fears of mounting economic damage are threatening to overshadow the next round of interest-rate hiking all but

The president says airlines, banks, hotels and concert vendors are playing Americans "for suckers".

US District Judge Aileen Cannon issued her first order since former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith for allegedly mishandling classified information, instructing the parties to get the ball rolling to obtain security clearances for the lawyers who will need them.

Two Americans who were on vacation in Mexico were found dead in their hotel room on Tuesday, 13 June after apparently being “poisoned” by an unknown substance. The couple, identified as 28-year-old Abby Lutz and 41-year-old John Heathco were staying at the luxury hotel Rancho Pescadero in Baja California Sur. Paramedics were called to the couple’s hotel room after receiving a report that they were unconscious, according to ABC News. However, once paramedics checked they determined Lutz and Heathco were unresponsive and did not have vital signs. Now, Lutz’s family is speaking out, believing the two suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. Here’s everything we know so far. What happened Lutz and Heathco were on vacation together in Baja California Sur, according to a statement in a GoFundMe started by one of Lutz’s family members. The two were staying at the Rancho Pescadero, a luxury hotel and Hyatt property located in El Pescader, approximately 40 miles north of Cabo San Lucas. Lutz and Heathco began to experience symptoms they thought were consistent with food poisoning and went to the hospital for treatment during the trip, according to Lutz’s GoFundMe. The couple started feeling “much better” several days later. However, their families received a phone call later saying Lutz and her boyfriend had “passed away peacefully” in their hotel room in their sleep. Paramedics in the area responded to a report of two unconscious people in the hotel and arrived around 9pm on Tuesday 13 June. The Baja California Sur attorney general’s office said in a statement that the two died of poisoning by an unknown substance and had no signs of physical violence. They said the two had been dead between 10 and 11 hours by the time they arrived. Lutz’s family said they were told the deaths were “due to improper venting of the resort and could be carbon monoxide poisoning”. Henar Gil, the general manager of Rancho Pescadero said in a statement provided to The Independent: “We are truly heartbroken by this terrible tragedy. Our hearts are with the impacted families and loved ones during this unimaginable loss.” “Local authorities are still actively investigating the situation, and the safety and security of our guests and colleagues remains a top priority, as always. We can confirm there was no evidence of violence related to this situation, and we are not aware of any threat to guests’ safety or wellbeing,” Ms Gil said. She added “We are working to care for those who have been impacted and we are working closely with authorities as they conduct their investigation to understand the cause of death. Further inquiries should be directed to local authorities.” Who are the victims? The victims are Abby Lutz and John Heathco. According to the GoFundMe description, they were dating at the time of their deaths. Lutz, 28, was from Newport Beach, California but grew up in Idaho, her aunt, Karen Lutz, told The Daily Beast. According to Karen, Lutz loved travelling and had previously visited Europe, Asia and Mexico. “Abby was supposed to meet up with her dad this week for Father’s Day,” the GoFundMe description for Lutz says. “Abby was the most beautiful soul and we will miss her so much.” Her family is asking for assistance in bringing her home so they give her a funeral. Heathco owned a health supplement company in Newport Beach, according to his LinkedIn profile. It is unclear where he is from originally. Read More Two Americans found dead in luxurious Baja California Sur hotel as family suspects carbon monoxide poisoning Hero 12-year-old honoured for saving family from carbon monoxide poisoning Mexico authorities find 45 bags filled with body parts in search for seven missing call centre workers

A prosecutor has issued a public plea urging Missouri Governor Mike Parson not to pardon a former police detective over the fatal shooting of a Black man. Eric DeValkenaere was convicted in 2021 of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the December 2019 death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb. DeValkenaere, a former Kansas City police officer, was sentenced in 2022 to six years in prison but has remained free on bond as his appeal is reviewed. After reports emerged earlier this week that Gov Parson is considering a pardon in the case, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker warned in a public letter that the greater long-term effect of the potential pardon would be the “erosion of our public safety system as fair and just.” “Pardons are political actions by design, not devised for the innocent but for the guilty,” wrote Ms Peters Baker in the letter addressed to Gov Parson. “I imagine you might view a pardon as a way to support police. But I expect this extreme action for the only KCPD officer convicted of fatally shooting a black man will ignite distrust, protests, and public safety concerns for citizens and police.” Ms Peters Baker accused Gov Parson of “being lobbied” into the decision and of “using a political action to subvert the rule of law.” According to the prosecutor, no one from the governor’s office has reached out to the family members of the victim. Lamb family members and loved ones also gathered on the steps of the Jackson County Courthouse on Tuesday, asking the governor to speak with them before making a final call. “Governor, if you pardon DeValkenaere, you will create more tension in the city and we will be left to pick up the pieces,” Reverend Emmanuel Cleaver said during the Tuesday rally, according to KCTV. In a statement to KCTV, the governor’s office accused Ms Peter Baker of “political games ... for her re-election bid.” “Governor Parson is grounded in his faith and believes in second chances,” spokesperson Kelli Jones said, noting the 538 the governor has issued. “He has created more workforce training opportunities for offenders, brought the landmark Reentry 2030 program to assist offenders, and started the first law enforcement academy at a historically black college.” During a bench trial in 2021, a judge said DeValkenaere and his partner violated Lamb’s constitutional rights because they had no probable cause to believe he had committed a crime, had no warrant for Lamb’s arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property. The convicted officer shot Lamb as the victim was backing up a truck into a garage and within seconds of arriving where Lamb lived. The officers had followed him after reports of several traffic violations. DeValkenaere testified that he shot Lamb because he believed his partner’s life was in danger. Meanwhile, Lamb’s family has said he was not armed and that a gun found at the scene was planted. In a motion filed last year with the Missouri Court of Appeals, DeValkenaere’s attorneys argued that DeValkenaere and his partner had probable cause to be on Lamb’s property and to arrest him for the traffic violations, The Kansas City Star reported. Read More Daniel Penny indicted in Jordan Neely subway death as ex-marine’s arraignment set for 28 June How Republicans and right-wing media turned Jordan Neely’s killer into a hero Grand jury votes to indict Daniel Penny in subway killing of Jordan Neely

A Colorado plastic surgeon has been convicted in the death of a 19-year-old female patient whom he performed breast augmentation on. A jury in Arapahoe County cleared Dr Geoffrey Kim of negligent homicide, the most serious charge he faced, but did find him guilty of attempted reckless manslaughter and obstructing a telephone service following a week-long trial, The Denver Post reported. Throughout the proceedings, prosecutors argued that Kim did not immediately call 911 after then-18-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen went into cardiac arrest while she underwent surgery at his clinic in August 2019. The doctor only called emergency responders five hours later, but Nguyen had fallen into a coma and died a year later. “We understand medical procedures don’t always go as planned, but this defendant showed a shocking and extreme lack of judgment and humanity by failing to call for an ambulance and denying his patient appropriate treatment in a hospital setting,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Dawson told the newspaper in a statement. “…This defendant made decisions based on what was best for his business, and not for his patient.” Meanwhile, Kim’s defence argued that the large dose of fentanyl and other drugs administered by anaesthetist Rex Meeker were to blame for Nguyen’s complications. Mr Meeker was initially charged in the investigation but the case against him was dropped last year. He testified during the trial that Kim performed CPR on Nguyen but ordered staff at Colorado Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery not to call emergency services. Mr Meeker surrendered his nursing license in 2021, while Kim’s license was briefly suspended in 2020 before it was reinstated on a probationary condition for three years. Kim is now facing up to more than three years in prison, according to the Post. His sentencing is scheduled for September. Read More U.S. attorney general to visit Minneapolis for 'civil rights matter' announcement How Republicans and right-wing media turned Jordan Neely’s killer into a hero Mother and ‘sadistic’ stepfather ‘who enjoyed inflicting pain’ jailed for killing her son

Nathan Carman’s rescue from an inflatable life raft 200 kms off the coast of Cape Cod in 2016 after spending eight days adrift in the North Atlantic Ocean was hailed as a miracle. The then 22-year-old and his mother Linda Carman had set off for an overnight fishing trip from Rhode Island on 17 September that year to try to mend their fractured relationship. She was never heard from again, and authorities quickly realised something about his extraordinary tale of survival wasn’t adding up. It would take prosecutors nearly six years to charge Nathan with her murder, and also name him as a prime suspect in the 2013 murder of his grandfather John Chakalos. The 29-year-old was arrested last May and pleaded not guilty to murder and fraud charges. He had been due to stand trial in October. Prosecutors alleged he had been plotting for more than a decade to claim his grandfather’s $40m estate, and stood to inherit millions with both elder family members dead. On Thursday morning, he was found “unresponsive” in his cell in Cheshire County Jail in Keene, New Hampshire. He was pronounced dead about 40 minutes later, an official said. Who was Nathan Carman? Nathan Carman grew up in Connecticut, the only child of Clark and Linda Carman. The family had a web of “strenuous and often combative relationships”, according to a 2018 New York article. Linda Carman had suffered from depression, and reportedly had struggled with a gambling addiction. Nathan was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, and underwent years of psychiatriac analysis and pharmaceutical treatment, according to a 2022 investigation by Air Mail. He was described by those close to him as an “angry, wayward, unpredictable” child, who “matured without empathy, or recognition of the reality of anyone” other then himself, according to the article. His mother, the second of four daughters, separated from Clark Carman and struggled to maintain a harmonious relationship with Nathan. Prosecutors said they would go on fishing trips to try to mend the fractured bond. In spite of this, he had a good relationship with his grandfather, who he considered his “best friend”, Nathan’s lawyers have said. After finishing high school in 2012, Nathan Carman enrolled in community college but failed to complete most of his courses. He then began showing an interest in his grandfather’s businesses and attended several meetings with him in 2012 and 2013, according to prosecutors. During this period, his grandfather convinced Linda Carman to designate her son as a beneficiary of her trust. Chakalos also paid for his grandson’s personal expenses, funding the purchase of a truck and an apartment, and a white Irish Sport horse named Cruise. Killing of John Chakalos John Chakalos was found dead at the age of 87 from gunshot wounds in his home in Windsor, Connecticut, on 20 December 2013, one month after his wife of 59 years Rita had passed away from cancer. Chakalos had made an estimated $40m fortune in real estate, primarily from building and renting luxury nursing homes, and continued to work right up until the day he died, according to an obituary. Even after amassing enormous wealth, he and his wife continued to live in the modest home where they had raised their daughters and lived for much of their married lives. The obituary stated that Chakalos had “showered his grandchildren, nieces and nephews with paternal love”. His motto was “without family you’ve got nothing”. However, prosecutors believed his then 19-year-old grandson was secretly plotting to murder him and claim his fortune. Carman was never charged over his grandfather’s death. But authorities laid out in detail in a 2022 indictment how they believed he had carried out the killing. Authorities said that Nathan purchased a Sig Sauer rifle about a year before the shooting. They alleged that he drove from his apartment in Bloomfield, Connecticut, to his grandfather’s home at about 3am and shot him twice in the head while he slept. Carman then discarded his computer hard drive and a GPS unit in his truck, they stated, preventing them from tracing his movements and plans. He received $550,000 after his grandfather’s death. In 2014, he moved to Vernon, Vermont, and by 2016, had allegedly squandered most of his inheritance. Linda Carman’s mysterious death In 2015, Nathan Carman purchased a 31-foot fishing boat, the Chicken Pox, using his newfound wealth from his grandfather’s death. Prosecutors stated that fishing had been a way for Nathan and Linda Carman to get together, and put aside their differences. In September 2016, Nathan arranged to go on a fishing trip with his mother around Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. They left from Ram Point Marina in South Kingston, Rhode Island, late on the evening of 17 September, and Linda told friends they would return by noon the next day. Prosecutors say that prior to the departure, Nathan removed parts of the engine and a part of the hull that stabilises the boat. At some point soon after departing, he murdered his mother and deliberately sank the boat, prosecutors alleged. The US Coastguard was notified that the boat was missing on 18 September, and mounted an extensive search and rescue effort. On 25 September, Nathan Carman was found floating on an inflatable life raft by the Orient Lucky commercial boat 200kms off the coast of Cape Cod. The then 22-year-old would later tell investigators that he had noticed the engine making unusual noises on the day he had set off, and the Chicken Pox started taking on water. He said he saw his mother in the cockpit, and grabbed three bags containing food, flares and life jackets. But when he looked back, his mother was no longer there. The unlikely survival tale set off a media frenzy as outlets tried to secure interviews with the survivor and the ship’s captain. “I was yelling, ‘Mom! Mom!” Nathan Carman said in an interview with the Associated Press describing the sinking. “I loved my mother and my mother loved me.” The Hartford Courant reported at the time that police were investigating Nathan Carman for knowingly operating an unsafe vessel and putting his mother's life in danger. Police obtained a search warrant for his Vermont home, and found Nathan had removed his computer prior to leaving. When asked about the police search, he told the AP: “I don’t know what to make of people being suspicious. I have enough to deal with.” Arrest and death In 2019, Chakalos’ three surviving daughters filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire seeking to block Carman from receiving any more of his grandfather’s inheritance. They publicly accused him of involvement in his mother’s death. The case was dismissed after a judge ruled that Chakalos was not a New Hampshire resident. It was later refiled in Connecticut and was still pending at the time of his death. In May 2022, Carman was charged with “murder on the high seas” by US attorneys in Vermont. He was also charged with insurance fraud, relating to an attempt to claim $85,000 for the loss of the Chicken Pox. Authorities said his arrest was the culmination of a multi-year investigation conducted by the FBI, the US Coast Guard, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Connecticut State Police, the Windsor Police Department in Connecticut, and the South Kingstown Police Department in Rhode Island. Carman denied the charges and was ordered to be held in custody pending the trial. On Thursday morning, he was found “unresponsive” in his cell at the Cheshire County Jail and was pronounced dead soon after, according to the CT Insider. A cause of death has not yet been released, and police are investigating. Carman’s attorney Martin Minnella told the Associated Press that he had been in good spirits when they spoke on Wednesday, and they had been due to meet again on Thursday. “It’s just a tragedy, a tragedy.” Carman’s three aunts issued a statement to the AP saying they were “deeply saddened” by his death. “While we process this shocking news and its impact on the tragic events surrounding the last several years we ask for your understanding and respect relative to our privacy,” they said through a lawyer. Read More Man, 28, accused of killing mother on fishing trip when he was 22 years old dies awaiting trial Youth environmentalists bring Montana climate case to trial after 12 years, seeking to set precedent Treat Williams death: Everwood and Hair star dies aged 71 following motorcycle accident

UFC star Conor McGregor has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a bathroom during a Miami Heat game in the NBA Finals. Miami Police Department has confirmed that an investigation has been launched by its Special Victims Unit after the claims were made against the Irish fighter. Ariel Mitchell, the lawyer for the alleged victim, told The Independent that her client had turned over the clothes she was wearing during the alleged incident for investigators to carry out forensic tests. “My client went to the police on Sunday, but was instead turned away and encouraged to seek legal counsel before pursuing the matter further. She then consulted with me and we filed a report on Wednesday,” she said in a statement. “My client seeks only one thing and that is justice it and that is what she sent out to do and that’s what I will make sure she gets.” McGregor’s lawyer, Barbara Llanes, told The Independent in a statement: “The allegations are false. Mr McGregor will not be intimidated.” Ms Mitchell claims that the alleged victim was separated from her friend by NBA and Heat security and ended up in a men’s toilet at the arena. she claims that McGregor kissed her and forced her to perform a sex act. She alleges that McGregor then forced her up against the wall and tried to have sex with her. The lawyer says that her client finally elbowed McGregor and escaped the bathroom. In a statement, the Miami Heat said, “We are aware of the allegations and are conducting a full investigation. Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will withhold further comment.” The alleged incident happened on the same night that McGregor was involved in a stunt with the Miami Heat mascot that saw the person wearing the costume go to hospital after being punched in the face by the professional fighter. Read More Miami Heat, NBA investigating allegation that Conor McGregor assaulted a woman at Finals game Conor McGregor announces fiancee Dee Devlin is pregnant with couple’s fourth child Conor McGregor offers update on Miami Heat mascot after punching incident Conor McGregor pays young action-figure artist $1,200 for figurines Calls for Conor McGregor to be investigated after violent punch hospitalised Miami Heat mascot

Former President Donald Trump got some good legal news on Thursday when the Westchester County, New York district attorney confirmed that a two-year investigation into the Trump Organization’s valuation of a golf club there has been closed and will not result in any criminal charges. News of the closure of the investigation was first reported by Insider on Wednesday. The news that Mr Trump will not be charged in the case comes days after he became the first former president to ever be federally indicted. Mr Trump was arraigned on 37 felony charges relating to his handling of classified documents after leaving the presidency in Miami on Wednesday. He has also been indicted in New York for his alleged role in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. In a post on social media on Thursday, the former president heralded the end of the investigation into the Trump Organization in Westchester County as the “honorable thing to do” and asked when the other cases against him would be dropped. “THIS WAS THE HONORABLE THING TO DO IN THAT I DID NOTHING WRONG, BUT WHERE AND WHEN DO I GET MY REPUTATION BACK? WHEN WILL THE OTHER FAKE CASES AGAINST ME BE DROPPED? ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!!” Mr Trump wrote in a post on the platform Truth Social. The closure of the Westchester County investigation brings to a conclusion a years-long dispute between the county and the Trump Organization over what its tax burden should be. In 2015, Ossining’s valuation of the worth of the Trump Organization’s club was 90 per cent higher than the Trump Organization’s own valuation. In July of 2021, however, the town and the club reached a deal in which the town agreed to pay the club about $875,000 and cut its property assessment by nearly 30 percent. Over the course of the Westchester County investigation, which was led by a special prosecutor, the district attorney’s office subpoenaed records from the Trump National Golf Club Westchester and the small town of Ossining where the club is located to see whether the club took any steps to reduce its reported value. It was a particularly intriguing investigation given that, in a lawsuit filed last year, New York Attorney General Letitia James accused Mr Trump of overstating the value of the club to inflate his net worth. CBS News noted the connection. The Westchester County case may now be closed, but there are still more investigations into Mr Trump that may result in additional charges — including multiple investigations into his attempts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election. Read More Trump news – live: Trump rejected efforts to settle classified papers as Melania spotted in NYC on birthday Is Donald Trump going to prison?

Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on Thursday for allegedly leaking highly classified materials on social media, according to the Justice Department. “The unauthorized removal, retention and transmission of classified information jeopardizes our nation’s security,” Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy said in a statement announcing the indictment. “Individuals granted access to classified materials have a fundamental duty to safeguard the information for the safety of the United States, our active service members, its citizens and its allies.” Mr Teixeira is charged with retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or materials. The Massachusetts man, 21, could face a sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted. Mr Teixeira, who allegedly posted defence documents on a server within the gamer-focused chat app Discord, has pleaded not guilty. According to prosecutors, the guardsman was warned multiple times by superiors about his “concerning actions” regarding viewing and handling classified information. “The Defendant even continued to share information with his online associates, defying these admonishments and taking further efforts to conceal his unlawful conduct,” officials wrote in a May filing. The guardsman had top-secret security clearance. Armed FBI officials raided Mr Teixeira’s home in April and arrested him. Officials found a collection of weapons including hanguns, bolt-action rifles, shotguns, and an “AK-style high-capacity weapon” in his room. Mr Teixeira was allegedly behind one of the largest intelligence leaks of the decade, and the materials he shared online contained sensitive information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine’s air defences, and the ways the US spies on its partners and allies, according to The Washington Post. On Discord, Mr Teixeira, a cyber transport systems journeyman responsible for communications networks in the Air Force, posted under the screen names “jackthedripper” and “excalibureffect.” One member of the “Thug Shaker Central” Discord server at the centre of the leaks told the Post Mr Teixeira once shared a video of himself shouting racist and antisemitic slurs before firing a rifle. Read More How was a 21-year-old gamer able to leak a mountain of major Pentagon secrets? Guardsman indicted on charges of disclosing classified national defense information Documents leak suspect had been warned about handling of classified information, prosecutors say

The crash between a truck and a bus carrying elderly people sparks massive emergency response.

By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) -At least 15 people were killed in the Canadian prairie province of Manitoba on Thursday