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Montana woman sentenced to life in prison for torturing and killing her 12-year-old grandson

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A Montana woman who pleaded guilty to torturing and killing her 12-year-old grandson more than three years ago has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison.Patricia Batts, 51, pleaded guilty in May to deliberate homicide in the death of James “Alex” Hurley on Feb. 3, 2020, in West Yellowstone in an agreement reached after prosecutors dropped efforts to seek the death penalty. She was sentenced Tuesday in District Court in Bozeman.“This is a horrific case of child abuse. It was totally unnecessary, and it was done with malevolence,” District Judge John C. Brown said, according to NBC-Montana.Batts also pleaded guilty to felony criminal child endangerment for failing to get medical help for Alex after he was fatally injured, and to witness tampering by trying to get family members to provide false statements to investigators, the Department of Justice has said. Batts received 10-year sentences for each of those charges.Alex had been living with Batt...

Woman, 28, pleads guilty to fatally shoving Broadway singing coach, 87, avoiding long prison stay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A woman who killed an 87-year-old Broadway singing coach by shoving her onto a Manhattan sidewalk has avoided a lengthy prison sentence by pleading guilty to manslaughter on Wednesday, and will instead serve eight years behind bars.Lauren Pazienza, 28, teared up in court as she admitted randomly attacking Barbara Maier Gustern on March 10, 2022. Gustern, whose students included “Blondie” singer Debbie Harry, lay bleeding on a sidewalk as Pazienza walked away, prosecutors said. She died five days later.“Today’s plea holds Pazienza accountable for her deadly actions,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.Gustern’s relatives, some of whom were in court, said they were disappointed with Pazienza’s plea deal and agreed-upon prison sentence — a fraction of the maximum 25 years she would’ve faced if convicted at trial.Pazienza’s lawyer Arthur Aidala declined to comment.Pazienza, a former event planner originally from Long Islan...

Theodore Roosevelt presidential library taking shape in North Dakota Badlands

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Construction is underway for the Theodore Roosevelt presidential library planned in the Badlands of western North Dakota, where the 26th president hunted and ranched as a young man in the 1880s.The work began June 15 with removing topsoil for the project’s cut-fill plan. Builders are beginning construction on the library’s east retaining wall, with an initial concrete pour completed Monday, library CEO Ed O’Keefe told The Associated Press on Tuesday.“If you were to come out on site, you’re seeing a sequence that began with the topsoil, started with the east wing, moves to the west wing and then will move back to the east wing,” he said.The project is on a 93-acre site near the venue of the popular Medora Musical and the scenic national park that bears Roosevelt’s name. The sale of 90 acres of U.S. Forest Service land for the project was completed last year, costing $81,000 and covered by the Roosevelt family. Congress approved the land s...

Stock market today: Wall Street rallies as pressure eases from the bond market

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is rallying toward its best day since June on Wednesday as pressure that’s built up on stocks from the bond market relaxed a bit. The S&P 500 was 1.1% higher in late trading, trimming its loss for what’s been a dismal August so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 173 points, or 0.5%, at 34,462 with a little less than an hour remaining in trading. The Nasdaq composite jumped 1.7%. Big Tech stocks and others that benefit from easier interest rates led the way. They got some relief as the 10-year Treasury yield eased back further from its highest level since 2007 after a report suggested the U.S. economy may be cooling.A 2.2% gain for Apple’s stock and 1.7% climb for Microsoft shares were two of the strongest forces pushing the S&P 500 upward.Nvidia, another one of the market’s most influential stocks, rose 2.8% ahead of its latest profit report, scheduled to come out after the market closes for the day. It’s a ...

Ontario teachers settle labour complaint, early reading screening tool not mandated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

Two Ontario teachers’ unions say they have settled unfair labour practice complaints against the government, with the province agreeing not to mandate an early reading screening tool for the upcoming school year.The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) accused the government two weeks ago of failing to bargain in good faith by issuing the new requirement since it is a topic of discussion in negotiations.The four major teachers’ unions have been bargaining for a new contract with the government for more than a year, and three say they are planning strike votes this fall.A new policy announced by Education Minister Stephen Lecce earlier this year would have required teachers to use an early reading screening tool in senior kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2.A joint statement Wednesday from ETFO and OECTA says while they firmly believe that every child has the right to learn to read, thei...

Canada sanctions Russian nuclear sector, assesses reports of Prigozhin death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

Canada is sanctioning more Russians accused of supporting the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, with a focus on banks, defence companies and the nuclear sector.Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is announcing a dealings ban for four Russians and 29 entities, including a rifle company, a shipbuilder and atomic research institutions.The ban targets subsidiaries of Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, known as Rosatom, as well as an export agency that helps sell Russian nuclear technology abroad.Ottawa says the intent is to nudge Russia toward upholding international nuclear-safety standards, given the unclear situation at a major nuclear plant in the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, which is occupied by Russian forces.Canada has sanctioned thousands of people and firms it accuses of supporting Russia’s war, although experts say it’s unclear how well Ottawa enforces these sanctions or monitors their effectiveness.Meanwhile, Joly says she’s looking into uncon...

North Korea conducts rocket launch in likely 2nd attempt to put spy satellite into orbit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said Thursday that North Korea has launched a long-range rocket.South Korea’s military said in a statement that the launch involved what the North called “a space launch vehicle.”It gave no further details. But it is likely be the North’s second attempt to put a spy satellite into space.Earlier this week, Japanese officials said North Korea told it that the North plans to launch a satellite in the coming days.The Associated Press

AUC says it will still process applications during renewables moratorium

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

CALGARY — The Alberta Utilities Commission has clarified how it intends to implement the UCP government’s moratorium on wind and solar energy development.The regulator says it will continue to accept and process applications for renewable energy developments while the seven-month pause period is in effect.However, no approvals will be issued until the moratorium is lifted.The Alberta government announced the moratorium on Aug. 3, saying the pause is necessary to give the regulator time to hold an inquiry on how the rapid pace of renewable energy development in the province is affecting agricultural land and system reliability, as well as what plans are in place for reclamation of wind and solar projects.Premier Danielle Smith has faced criticism for announcing the moratorium with no advance notice and without consulting stakeholders, jeopardizing billions of dollars in potential investment in renewables.The Business Renewables Centre-Canada says by choosing to continue accepti...

3 charged with murder after man killed in Aurora home invasion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

AURORA, Ill. — Three men have been charged with murder following a deadly shooting and home invasion back in May.On Tuesday, Kevan Spatz, 36, of Chicago, Joshua Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, and William Rodriguez, 18, of Melrose Park, were arrested by U.S. Marshals and charged with first-degree murder and home invasion. Spatz and Joshua Rodriguez were additionally charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.William Rodriquez was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a person under 21.On May 8, Aurora officers responded to a residence in the 2300 block of Candleberry Lane on the report of shots fired. 36-year-old man shot, killed in Aurora Isaiah Ayala, 36, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.All three men charged are being held on a $2,000,000 bond.Police said they are still investigating the shooting.

Giuliani surrenders at Fulton County jail over Georgia charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:16:20 GMT

Rudy Giuliani surrendered at the Fulton County, Ga., jail Wednesday over charges tied to his efforts to help former President Trump remain in office after losing the 2020 election after agreeing to a $150,000 bond agreement.The former New York City mayor and longtime Trump ally faces 13 charges for allegedly joining a criminal enterprise bent on keeping the former president in the White House.  He joins 18 other defendants, including Trump, in a sweeping case brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D).Upon leaving the jail, Giuliani told reporters he believed the indictment was a "travesty." He also said posting bond should not mistaken for admitting guilt in the case, insisting that he did so to not serve jail time. He maintained that Willis was infringing on First Amendment rights of people who were advocating for the former president."If they could do this to me, they could do this to you," Giuliani said. Television footage showed Giuliani entering a bail bon...