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Mexican cartel may have apologized for killing US citizens

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

By Alfredo Peña | Associated PressCIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico — 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.Drug cartels have been known to issue communiques to intimidate rivals and authorities, but also at times like these to do some public relations work to try to smooth over situations that could affect their business.“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...

East Bay: Chick-Fil-A is coming to Concord

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

Concord will soon join Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Livermore and Pittsburg with that fast food claim to fame: Its very own Chick-Fil-A.The somewhat controversial chain — known for tasty chicken sandwiches but also funding organizations that have been accused of being anti-LGBTQ — is making its next East Bay footprint in the former Claim Jumper at the Willows Shopping Center, 1981 Diamond Blvd., Concord. This will be the Bay Area’s 24th Chick-Fil-A. The highly-anticipated Livermore restaurant opened this past December and had police on traffic alert.The classic Chick-fil-A sandwich is a breaded, boneless chicken breast served with dill pickle chips on a toasted, buttered bun. (Chick-fil-A) Related ArticlesRestaurants, Food and Drink | Perfect Picnic Spots: The summit of Mount Diablo Restaurants, Food and Drink | 7 awesome Bay Area things to do this weekend Restaurants, Food and Drink | Taco Bell ‘rat poison’ ...

VIDEO: Police protect paramedics in San Francisco UN Plaza

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- The state of San Francisco's United Nations Plaza was captured on video this week as an angry crowd squared off with police officers who were protecting paramedics. The paramedics had called in police as backup and a person who needed emergency medical care became combative, the San Francisco Police Department told KRON4. JJ Smith, an anti-drug advocate who frequently interviews the city's unsheltered residents in drug-plagued neighborhoods, was in the plaza when tensions boiled over on March 6. Smith's cellphone recorded a dozen police officers forming a circle around paramedics as they gave medical aid to a patient on a stretcher. The patient was handcuffed. Smith said the scene looked like a "standoff" between the crowd and police.San Francisco police officers protect paramedics in UN Plaza. City Hall can be seen in the background. (Image by JJ Smith) Smith said, "There was an altercation going on. They kept screaming at everyone to get back."The video sho...

Oregon man pleads guilty to killing racial justice protester

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man who shot five people, killing one, during a small racial justice protest in Portland, Oregon, last year pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges on Wednesday, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.Benjamin Smith, 44, faces the potential of life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18. Smith opened fire near Normandale Park on Feb. 19, 2022, killing June Knightly, a 60-year-old racial justice activist. Four people were seriously injured. One was paralyzed from the neck down, according to court documents.Smith pleaded guilty to nine charges: second-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and four assault charges.Smith had come out of his apartment and started yelling at a small group of protesters. According to witnesses, attempts to de-escalate failed, and Smith drew a handgun and began firing.During the shooting, an armed bystander returned fire, critically injuring Smith.Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Christopher...

Ex-Goldman Sachs banker gets 10 year sentence for fraud

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A former Goldman Sachs banker was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for his role in looting a Malaysian development fund of billions of dollars used to finance lavish parties, a superyacht, premium real estate and even the 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street.”Roger Ng was convicted last April by a U.S. District Court jury in Brooklyn, but he continues to deny charges that he conspired to launder money and violated two anti-bribery laws.Prosecutors said Ng and his co-conspirators helped the Malaysian fund, known as 1MDB, raise $6.5 billion through bond sales — only to participate in a scheme that siphoned off more than two-thirds of the money, some of which went to pay bribes and kickbacks.Reading from a prepared statement, Ng pleaded for mercy from U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie.“I’m embarrassed. I’m ashamed,” he told the judge. “I don’t want to live in resentment,” he said. “I want to redeem myself.”The judge admonished Ng: “The only explan...

Patrick McEnroe chosen new Tennis Hall of Fame president

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Former player and current TV analyst Patrick McEnroe will be the new president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and USTA Foundation chief executive Dan Faber was chosen as the Hall’s new CEO.The Hall announced the appointments on Thursday and said McEnroe and Faber will begin their roles on May 1. Todd Martin resigned as CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in October after nearly a decade in the post.McEnroe, younger brother of John McEnroe, won the 1989 French Open men’s doubles title and was a singles semifinalist at the 1991 Australian Open. He was the U.S. Davis Cup captain from 2000-10, winning the title in 2007, and the head of player development for the U.S. Tennis Association from 2008-14. Faber increased the USTA Foundation’s revenues by $14 million in a decade there.Former world No. 1 and 2017 inductee Kim Clijsters was named the Hall’s honorary president, an ambassadorial role, in August. ___AP tennis: https://apnew...

Rutgers pulls away in 2nd half vs. frigid-shooting Michigan

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Cam Spencer and Derek Simpson scored 23 of their combined 31 points in the second half and Rutgers beat Michigan 62-50 on Thursday in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.Spencer scored 18 points and Simpson 13 for the ninth-seeded Scarlet Knights (19-13), who rebounded to shoot 52% in the second half after a 29% first half. They will play top-seed Purdue in Friday’s quarterfinals.Hunter Dickinson scored 24 points for eighth-seeded Michigan (17-15), which had just one second-half field goal until the final minute.Trailing by three at halftime, Rutgers opened the second half on a 12-3 run and midway through scored 12 straight points to lead by 13 with just under six minutes remaining. The lead grew to 16 with two minutes to go. The Wolverines, who shot 48% in the first half, had only four field goals in the second. The first two were 3-pointers by Dickinson — the second with 59 seconds left — that came 14 minutes apart. Michigan finished the second half 4 of 21 f...

No. 25 MTSU women win 8th straight, 84-53 over Charlotte

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Savannah Wheeler scored 28 points, Alexis Whittington added 17 and No. 25 Middle Tennessee won its eighth straight game with an 84-53 victory over ninth-seeded Charlotte on Thursday in the Conference USA Tournament.Middle Tennessee (26-4) advanced to the Friday semifinals for the fourth straight season and eighth time in nine years. Middle Tennessee pulled away midway through the second quarter after a 18-2 run. Wheeler started the run with a three-point play and she added four more points as Charlotte went without a field goal for nearly five minutes. Whittington made 3-pointers on back-to-back MTSU possessions and Kseniya Malashka added a third in less than a minute for a 40-21 lead. The Lady Raiders led 46-25 at the break behind 16 points from Wheeler. Charlotte didn’t make a field goal in the final five minutes of the third quarter as MTSU extended its lead to 28 points.Courtney Blakely had 11 points for Middle Tennessee. Whittington and Wheeler each f...

Premios Oscar 2023: cómo y dónde ver las producciones nominadas mejor película

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

(CNN Español) — Este martes se dieron a conocer a los nominados a la edición 95 de los Premios Oscar. Y si eres como algunos de nosotros, has visto una que otra de las cintas nominadas en la categoría más importante de la noche, mejor película.Si tienes alguna de las producciones en tu lista de pendientes y no sabes si está disponible en alguna plataforma, entonces esta información es para ti.¿Dónde ver las producciones nominadas al Oscar a mejor película?“Everything Everywhere All at Once”Esta es la cinta que más nominaciones ostenta a los Premios de la Academia con 11 menciones. En los premios Globo de Oro obtuvo dos galardones, mejor actriz en un musical/comedia para Michelle Yeoh y mejor actor de reparto para Ke Huy Quan.La cinta narra la historia de “una mujer inmigrante china se ve envuelta en una loca aventura, en la que ella sola puede salvar el mundo explorando otros universos que se conectan con las vidas que podría haber llevado”, según la página IMDb.La...

Rangers slugger Seager thriving in post-shift MLB world

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:38:11 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Analytics say that Corey Seager was one of the hitters most hurt by infield shifts last season.Now that the defensive tactic has been restricted, the Texas Rangers slugger is having a huge spring training.The 28-year-old had eight hits in his first 18 spring training at-bats, including three homers and eight RBIs. Teams shifted Seager in about 93% of his plate appearances last season and he finished with a career-low .243 batting average.Seager signed a $325 million, 10-year in December 2021, but his first year with the Rangers was disappointing. He finished with a career high 33 homers, but Texas lost 94 games despite adding Seager and Marcus Semien.Here are some more players having a good spring training:Gerrit Cole, Yankees, RHP: The five-time All-Star looks like he’s ready to have another great season, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings over his first two starts. He’s struck out 11, walked none and allowed just three hits. The 32-year-old wa 13-8 and 3.5...