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Colombia’s first leftist president is stalled by congress and a campaign finance scandal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro took office a year ago laying out ambitious goals for the nation’s first leftist government.He said his agenda would provide Colombians with a “second opportunity” to end decades of internal violence, and he promised that his “government of change” would tackle longstanding inequalities by increasing government spending and reforming the health system and labor laws.Yet, while celebrating his first year in office Monday, Petro is facing growing doubts about his ability to fulfill his promises in the remainder of his four-year term.The president’s approval rating has plunged 20 points, leaving just over a third of Colombians expressing satisfaction with his performance. Fighting among rebel groups and drug traffickers persists in rural areas, and his social and economic reforms are stalled in the fractured congress.A campaign finance scandal involving Petro’s eldest son, which broke out earlier this summer, has further weakene...

Cost of Missouri abortion-rights petition challenged in court again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion activists on Monday filed a court challenge against an initiative petition to legalize abortion. In the lawsuit, Rep. Hannah Kelly, Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman and activist Kathy Forck argued that the cost estimate that will be provided to voters considering whether to adopt the constitutional amendment is too low. Attorneys for the plaintiffs wrote in a court brief that the price tag should account for a potential loss of Medicaid funding, as well as the projected number of fewer people born because of abortions and subsequent lost tax revenue.“These future losses to Missouri from loss of population due to abortion are both absolutely certain (fewer citizens definitely means fewer future taxpayers and laborers) and potentially generational and infinite,” the lawsuit argues. The Missouri Supreme Court last month sided with the abortion-rights campaign in a lawsuit over a similar dispute about the petition’s cost. ACLU...

Arrest warrants issued for Alabama riverfront brawl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Police said Monday that arrest warrants have been issued in connection with a riverfront brawl in Alabama’s capital that drew nationwide attention after video showed a group of white people pummeling a Black riverboat worker, an exchange that sparked a massive fight.Major Saba Coleman of the Montgomery Police Department said there are currently four active warrants and more could be issued after authorities review more footage. Police said Sunday that several people were detained and charges are pending.Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.A white man shoved and punched the Black crew member, according to the video taken by a riverboat passenger and published by WSFA. The conflict escalated when several white people joined in on attacking the Black crew member. A separate video s...

Federal judge says California’s capital city can’t clear homeless camps during extreme heat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily banned Sacramento from clearing homeless encampments for at least 14 days, citing the extreme heat forecast this month in California’s capital city. Judge Troy L. Nunley in the U.S. District Court for Eastern California issued the order last week after homeless advocates argued that the city disregarded its own protocol by pushing a vulnerable population out of shaded areas during blistering heat. Advocates said clearing the camps in such weather puts homeless people in “obvious danger.” Sacramento defines temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 Celsius) as being “excessive heat” in its protocols, the complaint reads. The temperature at the state capital is forecast to hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit or greater on 21 days in August, including nine days where the temperature is expected to reach 95 Fahrenheit (35 Celsius). The complaint includes details about a so-called sweep in mid-July, when the temperature was...

Fargo officer wounded in fatal shooting while responding to crash to leave hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A Fargo police officer wounded last month by a shooter who killed an officer and injured another is expected to leave the hospital on Monday, police said.Officer Tyler Hawes, who was wounded along with officer Andrew Dotas, was “anticipated to be released” from the hospital, the Fargo Police Department announced on Facebook. Dotas left the hospital Saturday.Dotas, Hawes and a bystander, Karlee Koswick, were wounded when Mohamad Barakat opened fire on them as police responded July 14 to a routine traffic crash. Barakat fatally shot officer Jake Wallin, 23. A fourth officer, Zach Robinson, shot and killed Barakat, 37.After the shooting, investigators found guns, 1,800 rounds of ammunition and explosives in Barakat’s vehicle. Authorities have said he appeared to have been planning a larger attack on the day of the shooting, when summer festivities were underway in the Fargo area.Police visited Barakat’s home and interviewed him at least twice in recent ye...

Neighbors say a Chicago man charged with killing an 8-year-old girl was upset over noise

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A man was charged with first-degree murder Monday after witnesses said an 8-year-old Chicago girl riding a scooter was fatally shot by someone upset over noise.The charge was filed against Michael Goodman, 43, in the death of Sarabi Medina, Chicago police announced. “It just didn’t make sense. None of it made sense,” neighbor Megan Kelle told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Everybody in the community would just tell him they are just kids having fun playing. Just let them be.” The shooting happened Saturday night in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood. Police were at Goodman’s apartment building Sunday, interviewing people and collecting evidence, hours after the shooting.“Before he shot her, he had said something about them being too loud,” Kelley said.After the shooting, Goodman was tackled by Sarabi’s father and shot during a struggle, according to a police report. He was taken to a hospital.“He ran over there, football-tackled this guy,”...

Skilling: Cloudy, warm on Tuesday before possible showers arrive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

Chicagoans came off the first weekend of August---a weekend which was  cooler than normal and sporadically wet in the city with drenching rains soaking southern sections of the metro area where as much as 4 to 6" of rain was reported Friday night into Saturday---into a Monday which opened cloud but saw breaks in the clouds allow patches of blue sky and some mixed sunshine by and during the afternoon. Monday will go into the books with a high of 79 and a low of 67—which average out 2.4-deg below normal. It's the 3rd consecutive day to post a daily average temp deficit.  Still. last week finished nearly a deg ABOVE NORMAL—this week is likely to post a 0.4-deg temp surplus with next week likely to approach a degree above normal. (NOTE: There has been a "cool bias" in recent official 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day temp projections—a trend which seem likely to continue based on the latest forecasts and our in house model work).It's worth noting August's opening 7 days are off to a coo...

Southwest suburban travel agent charged with identity and felony theft after alleged travel scams

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

A Southwest suburban travel agent is headed back to court Tuesday after she was arrested this weekend.52-year-old Maysoon Nasir is charged with two counts of identity theft, four counts of felony theft by deception and one misdemeanor count of obstruction of identification.Oak Lawn Police has been looking into the business practices of M&M Events for months.  More than 15 families filed complaints alleging fraud, claiming they paid thousands of dollars for vacation packages that weren’t booked by the travel agent. Carmen Bonilla is still waiting to get her money back.  Days before her Key West trip she says she realized nothing was booked. Bonilla said, “I called the hotel, they didn’t have my name and no confirmation.  I asked for my name, her name but nothing.” More from Lourdes: North Central College professor discusses this week’s political headlines Police said Nasir would advertise the vacation deals through social media.  Customers pai...

Car was intentionally crashed into second floor of Pennsylvania home, authorities say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A driver is facing charges after authorities say he intentionally crashed a car into the second floor of a Pennsylvania home over the weekend.Shortly after 3 p.m. on Sunday, Junction Fire Company said it was called to assist the Decatur Volunteer Fire Company with a reported vehicle accident on Alfarata Road in Decatur Township, about 120 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Upon arrival, responders found a vehicle had crashed into the second floor of the home. The driver had already been removed from the car, according to a spokesperson with the fire department. Veterans: Important deadline coming up for PACT Act benefits The driver, identified by Pennsylvania State Police as 20-year-old Evan Miller, was transported to a nearby hospital with undisclosed injuries. Three people were inside the home when it was hit. Authorities have not said if any others were injured.According to Junction Fire Company, Miller appeared to have been traveling at a high rate of...

DJ Moore's TD in Bears' Soldier Field scrimmage had daughter's approval

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:08 GMT

CHICAGO — There were a lot of fans that were quite happy with a moment from a new Bears' receiver during his first appearance with the team on Sunday morning. But there was one who was happier than most for DJ Moore - and she had the chance to let reporters know about it. It just took a little bit of convincing. "She's acting shy, but she ain't shy," said Moore of his daughter, Ari, who was in his hands as he stood and addressed the media after Sunday's fan fest workout at Soldier Field. "She was all go until now."The first question asked to Moore was what his daughter thought of the touchdown he scored during the one training camp practice that takes place at the Bears' home stadium. It was one where he caught the ball in stride on a crossing pattern then raced towards the pylon for the score.It was one of the highlights of the session that the team along with a few fans featured on social media."Didn't you love the touchdown?" the receiver asked Ari, who immediately nodded in appr...