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Letter claims cartel handed over men who killed Americans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — A letter claiming to be from the Mexican drug cartel blamed for abducting four Americans and killing two of them condemned the violence and said the gang turned over to authorities its own members who were responsible.In a letter obtained by The Associated Press through a Tamaulipas state law enforcement source, the Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel apologized to the residents of Matamoros where the Americans were kidnapped, the Mexican woman who died in the cartel shootout, and the four Americans and their families.“We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline,” the letter reads, adding that those individuals had gone against the cartel’s rules, which include “respecting the life and well-being of the innocent.”Drug cartels have been known to issue communiques to intimidate rivals and authorities, but also at times like thes...

Canada Soccer releases details of proposed labour deal with national teams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

Canada Soccer released part of its proposed collecting bargaining agreement with the men’s and women’s national teams on Thursday, saying it’s time to get a deal done.The move was essentially a pre-emptive strike, coming hours before captain Christine Sinclair and three other members of the Canadian women’s team aired their grievances before a parliamentary committee.Canada Soccer says its proposed labour deal would pay both teams the same match fee, with the squads sharing equally in competition prize money. And it says the Olympic champion women’s team would become the second-highest-paid women’s national squad among FIFA’s 211 member associations, presumably behind the top-ranked U.S.The governing body says the deal in front of the players “demonstrates Canada Soccer’s commitment to its core principle that if you are a Canada Soccer national team player — regardless of your gender — you will be paid the same for the work you do competing and re...

Shooting at Jehoavah’s Witness hall in Hamburg causes deaths

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Shots were fired inside a building used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in the northern German city of Hamburg on Thursday evening, and an unspecified number of people were killed or wounded, police said.The shooting took place in the Gross Borstel district, a few kilometers (miles) north of the downtown area of Germany’s second-biggest city.Police said on Twitter that “several people were seriously wounded, some of them fatally,” but didn’t give a precise figure.German news agency dpa reported seeing rescue services taking people out of a building used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Police said they were alerted to the shooting about 9:15 p.m. and were on the scene quickly. They said that after officers arrived, they heard a shot from an upper floor.The police statement said there was no immediate indication that a shooter was on the run and tehat it appeared likely that the perpetrator or perpetrators were either in the building or among the dead.Police...

Biden rolls out budget plan, challenges GOP to follow suit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As political gridlock puts the government at risk of defaulting, President Joe Biden on Thursday made an opening bid with a budget plan that would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade — a proposal that Republicans already intend to reject.It’s part of a broader attempt by the president to call out House Republicans who are demanding severe cuts to spending in return for lifting the government’s legal borrowing limit. But the GOP has no counteroffer so far, other than a flat “no” to a Biden blueprint with tax increases on the wealthy that could form the policy backbone of Biden’s yet-to-be-declared campaign for reelection in 2024.Striding around a stage at a union training center in Philadelphia, Biden seemed to be in full campaign mode as he spoke about his plan for the government’s finances and how his values contrasted with Republican priorities.“I just laid out the bulk of my budget,” Biden said. “Republicans in Congress s...

‘The best is yet to come’: 93-year-old writes song about life lessons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

Herb Williams is a naturally gifted musician who has played the piano for most of his life with no formal training. Last year, he finally wrote and recorded his very first song at the age of 93.“When I was four years old, my mom popped me on the bench and said ‘keep hitting the keys. I’ll know where you are,'” says Herb of his musical beginnings.While his sister received lessons, Williams explains that he was able to play by ear without needing sheet music or any other instruction.Given his natural talent, Williams was an obvious choice for a program called ‘Lyrics and Legacies’ at Amica Senior Lifestyles, where he is a resident.“It was developed in partnership with Roy Thompson Hall and Massey Hall as a way to help connect our seniors with premium musical experiences that provided deep connections while we were in COVID restrictions,” explains Ashley Sumler, director of quality of life at Amica.The program pairs residents with profess...

Security guard hospitalized after Wacker Drive bank robbery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

CHICAGO — A security guard has been hospitalized after being shot during an attempted bank robbery in downtown Chicago Thursday.According to police, law enforcement responded to an armed robbery at the Fifth Third Bank on South Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago just before 3 p.m. Thursday evening.WGN-TV crews were able to confirm that a suspect shot out a window during the armed robbery before fleeing the scene. Pedestrians told WGN-TV crews that cash could be seen flying around outside the bank.A 59-year-old bank security guard confronted the suspect when they pulled out a gun and began shooting.The security guard produced his service weapon and fired back at the suspect. The 59-year-old was shot in the shoulder before the suspect fled the scene eastbound on Madison Ave.The security guard was transported to Northwestern Hospital in good condition.No further information has been made available at this time.Stay with WGN-TV as this story develops.

Biden's budget proposal earmarks $350 million for CTA Red Line extension

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

CHICAGO — President Joe Biden’s budget proposal, aimed to cut deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade, includes big plans for Chicago transit. Biden's budget earmarks $350 million for the CTA Red Line expansion. The proposal is part of a recommendation by the Biden-Harris administration to advance 18 major transit projects across 11 states, including Illinois. SEE ALSO | Biden to seek more than $2.8B from Congress for cancer fightThe proposal will see the CTA Red Line Extension project add 5.6 miles of rail to Chicago’s Far South Side, reducing commute times, improving mobility and accessibility for transit-dependent residents, and promoting economic development, the United States Department of Transportation announced in a release on Thursday. The project would extend the Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street and include four additional stops: a new terminal at 130th Street and three other stops at 103rd, 111th, and Michigan Avenue. Parking facilities and mult...

You should change your password now on these 5 platforms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

(KDVR) — Have you ever received an email saying one of your accounts has been compromised and you need to update your security information? You're not alone. Scam alert: Can you stop those fake texts? "With hacking becoming increasingly sophisticated, regular users are bearing the brunt of it. Certain social media accounts are especially vulnerable to cyberattacks," Deyan Georgiev of VPN Central said.What accounts are being targeted most by hackers?VPN Central analyzed ten platforms and their average monthly searches in relation to cybercrime, using terms like account hacked, hacking, and hack.The research showed the following came out on top for hacking-related searches:Facebook: 67,940 searchesInstagram: 36,220 searchesSpotify: 25,920 searchesTwitch: 10,800 searchesAmazon: 6,170 searchesVPN Central also took a look at Snapchat, Twitter, Gmail and Microsoft, though those platforms ranked much lower in hacking-related searches.If you have accounts on any of the top 5 platforms, m...

Shooting at Jehovah's Witness hall in Hamburg causes deaths

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Shots were fired inside a church in the northern German city of Hamburg on Thursday night, and an unspecified number of people were killed or wounded, police said.Police said on Twitter that the shooting took place in the Gross Borstel district, a few kilometers (miles) north of the downtown area of Germany's second-biggest city.They said that “several people were seriously wounded, some of them fatally," but didn't give a precise figure.German news agency dpa reported seeing rescue services taking people out of a building used by Jehovah's Witnesses. The shooting happened around 9 p.m.Further details on what happened and on any possible motive weren’t immediately available.

TX iWatch needs 'significant improvements,' Sandy Hook nonprofit says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Almost a year after the Uvalde mass shooting, education leaders from around the country met in Austin Thursday to talk about how to prevent the next one. "I am thinking about Dylan every single day," said Nicole Hockley, whose six-year-old son was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary a little over a decade ago. Hockley co-founded the nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise as a way to honor Dylan and protect her other son who survived. At the South By Southwest Education conference, she spoke with education leaders about the importance of age appropriate training for elementary, middle and high schoolers to spot warning signs for someone at risk of harming themselves or others.Anonymous reporting is an "incredibly important tool," she said."We know it saves lives," said Hockley. "It tells you what youth are thinking, what they need, help us deliver the right programs and policies for them. But it saves lives every single day from suicide and school shootings."Karen Fairley with N...