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Column: Backup quarterbacks are traditionally a Chicago Bears fan’s best friend — until they aren’t

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

Sitting in the north end zone of Soldier Field on Sunday during the third quarter of the Chicago Bears game with the Minnesota Vikings, I noticed quarterback Justin Fields heading toward the exit holding his right hand.I nudged one of my friends and pointed to Fields.“We (bleeped) now,” he said.Neither of us had any idea Fields had been injured on a previous play, and we weren’t really sure who the backup was that day. Would it be the guy called “the Peterman” or the rookie whose first name escaped us?It turned out to be the rookie, Tyson Bagent, who would be making his NFL debut.We were all excited to witness the start of the Bagent era, knowing it couldn’t be much worse than the current era, or any recent era for that matter.Bagent fumbled the ball away on the first series, but eventually righted himself and led a spirited fourth-quarter comeback that had Soldier Field rocking. I flashed back to my favorite unknown quarterback, Kent Nix, coming ...

Czech government survives no-confidence vote in Parliament sought by populist ex-prime minister

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech coalition government survived a parliamentary no-confidence vote on Thursday over opposition claims that it is mishandling the economy and immigration.Only 85 opposition lawmakers in the 200-seat lower house of Parliament voted to dismiss the five-party government led by conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala.The vote was held early Thursday after a debate that started on Tuesday.The main opposition centrist ANO party led by populist billionaire Andrej Babis accused the government of failing to deal with high inflation driven by energy prices and a new wave of immigration, among other issues. Inflation has been declining this year, falling from 17.5% in January to 6.9% in September.The government has rejected the allegations.Babis, the former prime minister, also accused the government of caring more about Ukraine than the Czech Republic. The country has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russian military aggression and has accepted over...

San Francisco police to give update on fatal shooting of driver who crashed into Chinese Consulate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco police are set to provide new details Thursday on their fatal shooting of a man who crashed a car into the Chinese Consulate earlier this month, including releasing new video from the incident.Police scheduled a virtual town hall in the afternoon to update people on the investigation into the Oct. 9 crash that ended with the death of Zhanyuan Yang. San Francisco police typically host such town halls within 10 days of fatal police shootings.Yang, a 31-year-old San Francisco resident, rammed a car into the visa office of the consulate, which is in a residential neighborhood next to a major street. Investigators so far haven’t released a possible motive or provided details of the shooting, including whether Yang had a weapon.Sergii Molchanov was in line waiting for his turn to submit his visa documents when he said the blue Honda sedan barreled in through the main doors at full speed, barely missing him.Molchanov told The Associated Press that the car...

Joran van der Sloot’s confession in Natalee Holloway case provides long-sought answers, mother says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Beth Holloway was after one thing for 18 years: answers about what happened to her missing daughter.She got them Wednesday when Joran van der Sloot, long considered the chief suspect in her daughter’s 2005 disappearance in Aruba, admitted in submitted court filings to bludgeoning Natalee Holloway to death on a beach and dragging her body out to sea.Van der Sloot, 36, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal charges of attempting to extort money from Beth Holloway in 2010 in exchange for information about the location of her daughter’s body. The plea agreement included an unusual provision for van der Sloot to “provide all information and evidence” about what happened to Natalee Holloway and to let her family hear him in “real time” give his account to federal investigators.Beth Holloway said in an interview with The Associated Press that the family made the decision to allow the plea agreement to “finally get the answers we’ve been searching for for...

Marine killed in homicide at Camp Lejeune; second Marine held for suspected involvement

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) — A Marine was killed in a homicide at Camp Lejeune on Wednesday night and a second Marine was held on suspicion of being involved, the base said.Base authorities took the Marine into custody at about 10:15 p.m. after an incident that occurred in a barracks room on the North Carolina base earlier in the evening, a statement from the base said.The statement called the death a homicide and described the other Marine as a suspect but didn’t provide any other details, including how the Marine died.The Associated Press

Mexican court employees call 5-day strike to protest proposed funding cuts

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican court employees said Wednesday they will go on strike from Thursday through Tuesday to protest proposed funding cuts, threatening an already creaky court system.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has proposed cutting funds for the judicial branch, arguing that judges make too much money and often protect criminals.The court employees’ union denied that its members — which include employees like typists and bailiffs — are overpaid, and said the cuts would affect them. Mexican courts have never been known for their speed or efficiency. One court recently handed down sentences against five soldiers in the 2010 killing of two university students, after legal proceedings that lasted almost 13 years.Despite some reforms, such multiyear trials are not uncommon in Mexico. That has contributed to the controversy surrounding López Obrador’s push to require more suspects to stay in jail pending trials that may last years, even if they end in acquittal.Nor is...

Malibu residents speak out after four Pepperdine students killed on PCH

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

Surveillance cameras outside of a Malibu home captured the moment a 22-year-old driver in a dark-colored BMW goes speeding by on Pacific Coast Highway just seconds before it crashed into four Pepperdine University students, killing them all.  The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. in the 21600 block of PCH, near La Costa Beach and east of the Malibu Pier, authorities said. “I feel terrible for them,” Rob Daniels, whose cameras captured the moment, told KTLA’s Omar Lewis.  Daniels got emotional thinking about the four young women, all of whom have been identified and were seniors at Pepperdine’s Seaver College of Liberal Arts, that lost their lives not far from his home. He said that the stretch of PCH just outside his door is dangerous.  “This is not the first time,” he said. “We had a piano teacher come when my kid was taking piano lessons. Luckily, she didn’t get out of her car. She was rear ended.”  Investigators with the Los Angeles Coun...

San Mateo: $130K in jewelry and electronics stolen from rental car

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

SAN MATEO – A 42-year-old San Francisco man and a 28-year-old Oakland woman were arrested on suspicion of stealing more than $130,000 worth of jewelry and electronic devices from a rental car Monday in San Mateo, police said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Bicyclist arrested on suspicion of brandishing weapon at driver in San Mateo Crime and Public Safety | Fire destroys three vehicles, damages home in Daly City Crime and Public Safety | San Mateo: Baseball bat attack sends man to hospital Crime and Public Safety | San Jose man escapes from custody in San Mateo County; later found and arrested Crime and Public Safety | Half Moon Bay man arrested on suspicion of molesting child The burglary happened around 8:10 p.m. in the 100 block of East 4th Avenue, the San Mateo Police Department said in a news release. The victim told police she saw one of the suspects break a window, steal a purse and get ...

Security plan released for APEC summit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is coming to San Francisco next month. It’s expected to bring thousands of people, including world leaders.  The Secret Service has released an increased security plan in collaboration with San Francisco police and dozens of other agencies.Hosting the APEC summit is a big opportunity for San Francisco, as it’s expected to bring an economic boost. But those who are not attending will endure heavy traffic and road closures. Officials are releasing information weeks in advance so you can plan ahead.  Pushback to Oakland Airport expansion More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the APEC, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris – as well as leaders from 21 different APEC economies. "We are very excited to take part in this event. Putting the global spotlight on the city and county of San Francisco," said SFPD Chief Bill Scott.The Moscone Center has held large-scale conferences befor...

Groups push back against Oakland Airport expansion

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:50 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – The City of Alameda and a community organization both published responses this week criticizing the Oakland Airport expansion plan. It would add 25 gates, and critics say it’s an environmental hazard.The Port of Oakland says they are just trying to create the best experience for passengers, but people who oppose the plan are calling it insufficient and a failure.These would be the first major upgrades to the airport in 40 years. The Port of Oakland published an environmental report for its proposed terminal modernization and development project, and some people aren’t happy. Alameda City Manager Jeniffer Ott says they held a community meeting to discuss it. South Bay city to deploy hundreds of Lime scooters across city streets “We had a significant number of community members from the surrounding community that is affected by this come out and express a lot of concern about the noise and the air quality,” she said. The community’s biggest issue is the...