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Report: At least 153 people arrested under special powers have died in Salvadoran prisons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — At least 153 people jailed since El Salvador instituted emergency powers in March 2022 to confront the country’s powerful street gangs have died in state custody, according to a report released Monday by the human rights group Cristosal.None of those who died had been convicted of a crime they were accused of at the time of their arrest. There were four women among the victims and the rest were men.The deaths were the result of torture, and systematic and serious injuries, the report said. Nearly half of the victims suffered violent deaths. Some of the deaths showed signs they resulted from deliberate denial of medical assistance, medicine and food, including some deaths resulting from malnutrition.The deaths revealed punitive policies carried out by guards and prison officials. The report stated that such actions would have required authorization and backing by the highest level security officials.The government has not provided an official count of...

The Latest on the provincial election in Alberta

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

It’s election day in Alberta with Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party fighting to win a second consecutive majority government, while Rachel Notley’s NDP is trying to regain the government it lost in 2019.Here are the latest developments (all times are MT):8:45 p.m.Alberta’s United Conservatives jumped out to a lead over the NDP in early returns tonight in what has been forecast to be a tight race in the provincial election. Advance polls set a record of more than 758,000 votes cast, eclipsing the previous record of more than 700,000 in 2019.__8 p.m.Polls have closed in Alberta in an election expected to be a nail-biter finish between the United Conservative Party and the NDP.Both the UCP’s Danielle Smith and the NDP’s Rachel Notley have been premier and leaders of the official Opposition.Advance polls suggest voter turnout will be heavy.__This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023.The Canadian Press

United Conservatives jump out to early lead in tight Alberta election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

Alberta’s United Conservative Party jumped out to a lead over the NDP in early returns Monday in what was forecast to be a tight race in the provincial election.Danielle Smith’s UCP was holding strong in its traditional rural strongholds while Rachel Notley’s NDP was faring well in Edmonton, where it won all but one seat in 2019.Early results were still mixed in the key battleground of Calgary.The UCP is seeking a second mandate while the NDP is fighting to regain the majority government it lost to the UCP in 2019.Polling have suggested a close contest between the two parties, with support for smaller parties falling off. Advance polls set a record of 758,540 votes cast, eclipsing the previous record of more than 700,000 in 2019. The campaign has taken place alongside a record-breaking spring for wildfires in Alberta. Ten communities were under evacuation orders Monday. Elections Alberta set up alternate voting locations for those displaced. Evacuation was added as an eligible reaso...

Russia hits Kyiv in pre-dawn attack as air defenses work to stop relentless bombardment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched a pre-dawn attack on Ukraine’s capital Tuesday as its air defenses worked to stop drones in what has been a relentless wave of daylight and nighttime bombardments targeting Kyiv.The buzzing of drones and loud explosions were heard as Ukrainian air defense responded to the third Russia aerial attack on the capital in the last 24 hours. According to preliminary data, more than 20 Shahed drones were destroyed by air defense forces in Kyiv’s airspace, the Kyiv Military Administration says.One person died, three were injured when a high-rise building in the Holosiiv district caught fire. The two upper floors are destroyed, and there may be people under the rubble, the Kiyv military administration said. More than 20 people were evacuated.Elsewhere in the capital, falling debris caused a fire in a private house in the Darnytskyi district and three cars were set alight in the Pechersky district, according to the military administration.The se...

UN agencies face funding challenges in feeding Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, official says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh should not bear the burden of more than 1 million Rohingya refugees alone while U.N. agencies are facing challenges to feed them, a United Nations official said Monday.Olivier De Schutter, a U.N. special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, made the statement at the end of a 12-day trip to Bangladesh, where he visited camps sheltering the refugees from Myanmar. He said the international response to meet the funds needed to support the refugees is “grossly insufficient.”About $876 million is needed to support the community for a year, but only 17% of that has been pledged to date, he said, calling it “scandalous” at a news conference in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka.“Bangladesh should not be left to shoulder the burden of the presence of the refugees on its own. These (U.N.) agencies should be much better supported in their work,” De Schutter said.He said the World Food Program was forced in May to reduce the value of the monthly food vouc...

Heavy police presence near Six Flags Great America

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

GURNEE, Ill. -- Police in Gurnee are investigating an incident at Six Flags Great America Monday night.According to reports, several people visiting the theme park Monday told WGN there was some kind of fight and police were searching inside the park for someone who was reportedly hiding from authorities. 9 injured in shooting near beach in Hollywood, Florida; some taken to children’s hospital Witnesses reportedly also said that several people were pepper sprayed, a number of people had been transported to a local hospital, and several others have been taken into custody.Law enforcement from Gurnee, Round Lake, and North Chicago were seen responding to the area.A mother told WGN that she attempted to enter the Six Flags Great America parking lot to pick up her kids, but wasn't able to go by the entrance of the theme park, so her kids had to find her.WGN reached out to the Gurnee Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff's Office, but have yet to hear back.Stay with WGN as this...

Air quality alerts hoisted across in high pressure brought to a standstill by “atmospheric blocking”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

Chicago area humidities to rise in coming days; inland warmth and cooling lake breezes to hold through coming weekendAIR QUALITY ISSUESAir quality issues have arisen as we move into the 5th day of an atmospheric blocking pattern which slows weather movement. Lake breezes further trap pollutants, including daytime and evening ozone and particles—a 30+ degree temp spread continued between the lakeshore and inland areas. There will be 50s on the immediate shoreline and mid to upper 80s inland—temps to flirt with 90 in coming days. Humidities to creep high leading to modest isolated t-storm chances, but little chance of significant drought relief.ATMOSPHERIC BLOCKING PATTERNWe’ve entered the 5th day of an atmospheric blocking pattern which slows weather system movement. The result is the air mass is starting to get a bit “dirty” — with elevated levels of particulates and afternoon ozone creating MODERATE AIR QUALITY. Levels of pollutants are even being tagged as “UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE...

Reparations for climate change? Some think oil companies should pay

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

The idea that polluters should pay reparations for climate change is gaining steam among advocates. Some environmentalists and academics argue the companies or states that are most significantly contributing to the climate crisis should be made to compensate the people bearing the brunt of its impacts. Advocates have been calling for such reparations for years, especially since evidence emerged that fossil fuel companies were aware of the impact of carbon emissions. But the idea is now more practically achievable due to scientific advances, said Adrien Salazar, policy director at the nonprofit Grassroots Global Justice. He pointed to the increased sophistication of diagnostic techniques such as “attribution science, a rapidly developing field that says when this disaster happens, how much of this is attributed to the climate crisis [and] to the fact that humans have had an impact on the atmosphere." Those developments, he said, are going to “help i...

Penkse 'sure' IndyCar will investigate wheel that flew over stands during Indy 500 crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar owner Roger Penske says he is certain series officials will investigate what led to a wheel coming loose during a crash in the Indianapolis 500, which ended up sailing over the catch fence and grandstands before landing on a parked automobile.“We haven't had a wheel come off in a long time,” Penske said. “We were very fortunate we didn't have a bad accident.”The cars are supposed to have a tether that keeps the wheel attached even in the event of a wreck. But when Felix Rosenqvist hit the wall in Turns 1 and 2 in the closing laps Sunday, and Kyle Kirkwood launched off the rear of his car into the catch fencing, the wheel went soaring over the fence and the corner of the grandstand before landing in the parking lot. Tire flies off race car, hits parked car during Indy 500 The wheel traveled about 350 yards before crushing into the front of a fan's parked Chevrolet. With a crowd of more than 300,000 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and a full grandstand in...

Gov. Abbott calls special session to address property taxes, border security; more sessions coming

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:16:04 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas lawmakers were adjourned for almost three hours before Gov. Greg Abbott called them back to the Capitol on Monday.Abbott called for a special session to begin at 9 p.m. Monday following the end of the 88th Texas Legislature's regular session at around 6:15 p.m. He said property taxes and border security are on the agenda for what he called "Special Session No. 1." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Texas lawmakers adjourn without passing property tax legislation "Special Session No. 1 will focus only on cutting property taxes and cracking down on illegal human smuggling," he said in a release. "We must cut property taxes. During the regular session, we added $17.6 billion to cut property taxes. However, the legislature could not agree on how to allocate funds to accomplish this goal."In his release, he said legislation needs to be passed that lowers property taxes by "reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate in order to provide lasting property tax relief for...