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Wagner mercenary leader, Russian mutineer, ‘Putin’s chef’: The many sides of Yevgeny Prigozhin

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

Yevgeny Prigozhin’s fate has been entwined with the Kremlin for decades — as a trusted government contractor, and the head of the Wagner mercenary army that fought in Ukraine and has been blamed for doing Russia’s dirty work in Syria and Africa. But when he turned his men toward Moscow two months ago, many inside Russia and beyond started wondering just how long he could last after drawing the fury of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Prigozhin cut a deal with Putin and the leader of Belarus for a safe haven for himself and the men involved in the rebellion. He was reported to pop up periodically in Russia, and appeared in a recruitment video earlier this week.But then on Wednesday Russia’s civil aviation agency said he was aboard a plane that crashed north of Moscow, killing all 10 people on board.PRIGOZHIN’S BACKGROUNDPrigozhin was convicted of robbery and assault in 1981, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. When he got out, he opened a restaurant business ...

Chinese mother of teenage girl found dead in B.C. tearfully testifies at murder trial

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

VANCOUVER — The Chinese mother of a 13-year-old girl found dead in a Burnaby, B.C., park six years ago has taken the witness stand at the murder trial of her accused killer.The mother, who cannot be named under the terms of a publication ban on the girls’ identity, broke down in tears as she talked about the meaning of her daughter’s Chinese name. The name is a reference to the light rain that was falling on the day the girl was born, she told the British Columbia Supreme Court hearing.The girl’s body was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in the early hours of July 19, 2017, just hours after her mother reported her missing.The woman repeatedly wept at the mention of the girl’s name during the trial of Ibrahim Ali on Wednesday.Ali pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the case earlier this year.The mother, testifying in Mandarin through an interpreter, told the court her daughter had been taking morning summer school classes in July 2017 and spent h...

Oil production boosts government income in New Mexico, as legislators build savings ‘bridge’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Record-breaking oil production in New Mexico is likely to provide state government with a new multibillion-dollar surplus during the upcoming budget year, economists for the state announced Wednesday.Annual state general fund income would increase to $13 billion for the fiscal year that runs from July 2024 to June 2025 — a surplus of $3.5 billion, or 36%, over current annual general fund spending obligations, according to the forecast from lead economists at four state agencies including the Legislature’s budget and accountability office.The estimates were presented to a panel of leading legislators Wednesday and set the stage for budget negotiations when the Legislature meets in January 2024, amid public concerns about crime, health care and the quality of public education in a state with high rates of childhood poverty and low workforce participation.Annual oil production in New Mexico has more than doubled over the past five years, as the state became the No...

Tensions high in San Francisco as city seeks reversal of ban on clearing homeless encampments

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Tensions flared Wednesday as lawyers for San Francisco argued in appellate court that the city can no longer maintain safe, clean streets while trying to get homeless people indoors after a federal judge banned the city from clearing tent encampments until there are more shelter beds than homeless individuals.San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said people are refusing offers of shelter more frequently because of the injunction and that it would cost at least $1.5 billion to house every person who is currently homeless. The order has drawn furious responses from city leaders, including Mayor London Breed, who joined more than 200 people outside the federal courthouse Wednesday to urge the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to vacate the order. “We are compassionate, we are supportive, we continue to help people, but this is not the way,” she said. “‘Anything goes in San Francisco’ is not the way.” But attorneys for homeless residents who sued the city ar...

Mobile debit payments in stores jump 53% over past year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

Interac says mobile debit payments in stores jumped 53 per cent over the past 12 months, while e-commerce purchases rose 17 per cent.The survey shows the trends were driven by Gen Z, who also influenced their Gen X parents in adopting contactless payments via mobile phone.The survey shows eight in 10 (78 per cent) Gen Z adults pay using their smartphones, while only 42 per cent of their parents’ generation relied on contactless payments, citing concerns about security.The national debit network says more than a billion debit mobile contactless and in-app transactions happened between August 2022 and July 2023.William Keliehor, chief commercial officer at Interac, says debit remains central to the way Canadians choose to pay, even as it takes new forms.The survey also shows 63 per cent of Canadians expect it will soon be normal to not carry a physical wallet, knowing you can pay with a smartphone or smartwatch.The survey by Hill+Knowlton Strategies polled 1,502 Canadians in June.

Police detective shot in western Washington, police say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A police detective in western Washington state was shot on Wednesday, according to police. The Tacoma Police Department said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that one of their detectives was shot at about 2:45 p.m. while “on a contact.” Police didn’t release further details about what that meant and didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking more information. The detective was in stable condition, according to the social media post. The detective was taken to a hospital, was alert and talking, KIRO-TV reported.No arrests have been made, and police were searching for a suspect, police said.The Associated Press

Concerns arise as Pilsen migrant shelter set to close

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

CHICAGO — A shelter housing migrant families in the Pilsen neighborhood is set to close under two weeks, but that doesn't necessarily mean the migrants currently living there will end up back at a CPD police station.The community-run shelter near 21st Street and Racine Avenue has helped hundreds of migrant families who have arrived in Chicago from anti-immigration states. It's a place where many volunteers have said their goal is to help place them all into their own homes by the time doors close on Sept. 3."To date, we've already helped over 150 people get into homes who have come through this shelter," said Anna DiStefano, a volunteer with Todo Para Todos. "For context, we've had maybe 250 residents total so, we've already helped more than half of our residents get into homes."DiStefano and Todo Para Todos — which translates to "Everything for Everyone" — is a part of a collective of people who came together to specifically help run the shelter at 21st and Racine, which is closing...

Who takes advantage of Donald Trump's absence and other things to watch in the Republican debate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Eight Republican candidates will meet on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night in what may be the biggest moment in the GOP's young 2024 presidential primary so far. The overwhelming front-runner in the contest, former President Donald Trump, won't participate. He says he's so far ahead that he'd be helping his opponents by showing up. But his absence also offers them opportunity.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a distant second to Trump in many polls, is betting that a strong showing will cement his status as the strongest alternative to the former president despite his many stumbles. DeSantis' team sees rising newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old entrepreneur, as a threat, while South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence have positioned themselves to compete. The debate also features a handful of aggressive Trump critics led by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose anti-Trump me...

RFK Jr. request for restraining order over vaccine videos removed from YouTube rejected

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

(The Hill) — A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a request from Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to temporarily bar Google from removing videos of him from YouTube based on its medical misinformation policies.U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson found that Kennedy’s case against Google and its subsidiary YouTube is unlikely to succeed because the companies are not state actors and, as a result, can’t be held responsible for abridging his speech. Trump, Tucker Carlson to release interview as debate begins on Fox News Kennedy is suing over YouTube’s removal of several videos of him discussing vaccines based on its policies related to COVID-19 medical misinformation and vaccine misinformation. The long-shot challenger to President Biden, who has attracted vocal criticism over his anti-vaccine rhetoric, did not personally post the videos mentioned in the lawsuit.Thompson, a Biden appointee, said in Wednesday’s ruling that there is no evidence that the federal go...

Kelly Blue Book survey shows consumer hesitation towards electric vehicles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:54:48 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – A Kelly Blue Book survey found most consumers would consider an electric vehicle but have some hesitations.More than half of the people who responded to the survey said concerns about the environment make them open to the idea of owning an electric vehicle. They also worry an EV will be inconvenient and expensive.Other concerns include “How long it takes to charge up, as well as the cost of replacing batteries,” said Kelly Blue Book Executive Editor Brian Moody.However, Moody says normal charging shouldn't be a major concern.“Seventy percent or 80% of electric vehicle owners charge their cars up at home. In that case, people are going to have a great experience because they just park it overnight,” Moody explained.But that convenience disappears on road trips.“Parents right now are at home cringing at the idea of sitting in their car for 40 minutes trying to keep their toddler entertained,” Moody said.On the issue of eventually replacing EV batteries, Moody sa...