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US officials to meet with counterparts in Mexico on drugs, arms trafficking and migration

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top officials from the Biden administration will visit Mexico on Wednesday to discuss shared security issues, foremost among them trafficking of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, but also arms trafficking and increasing migration.The latest round of the High-Level Security Dialogue brings together Blinken, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, among others, with their Mexican counterparts for two days of talks.Heightened migration flows are expected to be discussed as the Biden administration comes under increasing pressure from Republicans and mayors from the president’s own party to do more to slow migrant arrivals.Blinken was scheduled to discuss migration Wednesday with Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Alicia Bárcena, as well as the foreign ministers of Colombia and Panama.New York City Mayor Eric Adams was also scheduled to arrive in Mexico City Wednesday...

A Texas neighborhood became a target of the right over immigration. Locals are pushing back

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — Mario Carranza put a mobile home on a $28,000 lot in Colony Ridge, one of the biggest neighborhoods in Texas, lured by cheap land and the chance for his family to escape the crime he says was rampant around their apartment in nearby Houston. “Here, we are good,” said Carranza, 65, who now drives about an hour to his maintenance job in a Houston suburb.But his quiet neighborhood is now in an unwelcome national spotlight. For weeks in Texas, conservative media and GOP activists have been pushing unsubstantiated claims that Colony Ridge has become a magnet for immigrants living in the U.S. illegally and that cartels control pockets of the neighborhood.There is no evidence to support the claims, and residents, local officials and the developer dispute the portrayals. The unsubstantiated reports have spread quickly and gained traction among Republicans, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president.The attention has a...

Massachusetts shooting claims life of baby delivered after mother was one of several hit by gunfire

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

HOLYOKE, Mass. (AP) — A shooting claimed the life of a baby that was delivered after its mother was one of several people hit by gunfire Wednesday on a downtown street in the western Massachusetts city of Holyoke, police said. The Hampden District Attorney’s Office said the woman was shot in the afternoon while in a bus,She was taken to a hospital lin critical condition, and the baby was delivered but did not survive. Authorities said police responded at 12:38 p.m. to the shooting, which they believe stemmed from an altercation. The District Attorney’s Office said all involved suspects were believed to have been identified and taken to hospitals and are in custody.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.HOLYOKE, Mass. (AP) — At least three people, including a person riding a bus, were shot Wednesday in the western Massachusetts city of Holyoke following a fight on a downtown street, state police said. Authorities didn’t immediately release the conditio...

Twins complete two-game sweep, eliminate Blue Jays from playoffs

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays were eliminated from the playoffs on Wednesday with a 2-0 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the American League wild card.Backed by veteran starter Sonny Gray, the Twins stymied the underachieving Blue Jays lineup with nine combined strikeouts en route to the shutout win.Gray picked up the win, going five scoreless innings with two walks and six strikeouts.Toronto managed only one run in the two AL wild-card games, an RBI single from Kevin Kiermaier on Tuesday.Twins shortstop Carlos Correa put his team on the board with a bases-loaded RBI single, leading to a fielders choice RBI a batter later. That’s all the Twins needed to eliminate Toronto in two games.Fans question Schneider’s decision-making in pivotal playoff gameBlue Jays manager John Schneider caught the ire of many fans on social media when he decided to remove starter Jose Berrios from Wednesday’s game after three innings in which Berrios performed well, ...

County agrees to $12.2M settlement with man who was jailed for drunken driving, then lost his hands

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota county agreed to pay a $12.2 million settlement to a man who was jailed on suspicion of drunken driving but ended up losing both his hands and suffering a heart attack, a stroke and skin lesions all over his body, allegedly due to the inaction of officials in the county jail, attorneys said Wednesday.Terrance Dwayne Winborn spent about four months in hospitals, including two months on a ventilator, because Scott County jail officials failed during the 39 hours he was incarcerated to ensure he got the prompt treatment he needed, his lawyers said at a news conference. It’s a case that highlights the vulnerability of prisoners who are dependent on authorities for medical care.The attorneys said the settlement will cover the more than $2 million in medical bills Winborn has already incurred — a sum which they said the county didn’t cover — as well as the millions he’ll need for ongoing care. The county’s insurance plan will cover the sett...

Barn erupts into flames in Mississauga

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

Fire crews in Mississauga are responding to a significant fire at a barn.Peel Regional Police says it happened at Hurontario Street and Barondale Drive just before 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.There are no reports of injuries.The cause of the fire is unknown. There are road closures in the area.BREAKING: Preserved historical site engulfed in flames #Mississauga ???? Hurontario x Matheson pic.twitter.com/3Ghk9HV3EI— 905HUB (@905hub_) October 4, 2023

Judge tosses challenge to Louisiana’s age verification law aimed at porn websites

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An adult entertainment group’s lawsuit against a Louisiana law requiring sexually explicit websites to verify the ages of their viewers was dismissed Wednesday by a federal judge. But opponents of the law say they will likely appeal. U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan in New Orleans ruled that the state officials named in the lawsuit — state public safety secretary James LeBlanc, Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne and Attorney General Jeff Landry — cannot be sued because they don’t have a duty to enforce the act, which allows violators to be sued and face civil penalties.Morgan said granting an injunction against the three state officials wouldn’t prevent people from suing content providers who fail to verify their viewers’ age. Opponents of the law plan an appeal. Similar laws have been passed and are being challenged in other states. In Texas, a federal judge recently struck down such a law. A challenge to a similar law in Utah has so far failed.“As...

Sportsbook: Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus favorite to be first NFL coach fired this season

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

With the Chicago Bears off to an 0-4 start to the 2023 NFL season after a 3-14 finish last year, head coach Matt Eberflus finds himself squarely on the hot seat, and one U.S. sportsbook has tapped him as the odds-on favorite to be the first NFL head coach fired this season.According to BetUS, Eberflus's odds stand at -260 to be the first NFL head coach canned this year, ahead of Oakland Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels, who stands at +400 in the sportsbook's 'first coach to be fired' betting market as of Wednesday evening."The odds are stacked against Eberflus and the Bears as they enter the game as +6-point underdogs against the Commanders," said Tim Williams, Director of Public Relations at BetUS. "With Eberflus at the helm, the Bears are facing a challenging road ahead, with the Commanders as clear favorites (-265) on the moneyline, or outright winner for Thursday’s game.” Bears rule out corner, safety for TNF matchup at Commanders Chicago is currently on a 14-game losing stre...

Bears rule out corner, safety for TNF matchup at Commanders

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

WASHINGTON D.C. — Two important pieces of the Chicago Bears secondary have been ruled out for their Thursday night matchup against the Washington Commanders, according to team officials.Cornerback Jaylon Johnson and safety Eddie Jackson will not be taking the field after not being able to participate in practice this week. Johnson will miss his second straight contest nursing a hamstring injury, while Eddie Jackson will sit out his third straight game as he continues to deal with a foot injury.Safety Jaquan Brisker was also limited in practice Wednesday after what head coach Matt Eberflus described as a tweak to his hamstring. Brisker is listed as questionable for Thursday night, and will be re-evaluated before the game.Rookies Tyrique Stevenson and Terrell Smith are expected to start at corner, with Brisker and Elijah Hicks slotted to start at the safety spots. If Brisker can't go, undrafted rookie Quindell Johnson — listed as second on the depth chart at safety — will likely sub i...

'Saturday Night Live' sets return date after strike, with Pete Davidson slated to host

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:56:24 GMT

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) -- "Saturday Night Live" is finally coming back months after its last season was cut short because of the writers strike. Former cast member Pete Davidson will host the show's 49th season premiere, which airs at 10:30 p.m. CST on Saturday, Oct. 14, on NBC and Peacock. Ice Spice will also perform as an SNL musical guest for the first time. Her music has reached more than 4 billion global streams in the past year, and she was named Best New Artist at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. This is why Vanna White isn’t on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ this week The entire cast from season 48 is returning, along with new addition Chloe Troast, who is joining as a featured player.The following week, on Oct. 21, Bad Bunny will act as host and musical guest. The Grammy Award-winning artist’s fourth studio album, “Un Verano Sin Ti,” broke the record earlier this year as the most streamed album ever on Spotify.Davidson had been set to host May 6, alongside musical guest Lil Uzi Vert, b...