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New York punished 2,000 prisoners over false positive drug tests, report finds

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York’s prison system unfairly punished more than 2,000 prisoners after tests of suspected contraband substances falsely tested positive for drugs, according to a report released Thursday. In hundreds of cases, the prisoners had committed no offense, but the flawed results were used to put them in solitary confinement, halt family visits, or cancel parole hearings.The report by Inspector General Lucy Lang found that state prison staff failed to confirm the test results with an outside lab. The manufacturer of the contraband screening drug tests, Sirchie Finger Print Laboratories, says in its instructions that the results from the drug tests should be treated as preliminary and unconfirmed.The report also found that New York state prison staff failed to abide by protocols meant to prevent misidentifying contraband or cross-contaminating samples. The Sirchie NARK II contraband screening tests are used to detect synthetic cannabinoids and other types of drugs by ...

Netflix urges CRTC to recognize its existing contributions to Canadian broadcasting

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

GATINEAU, Que. — Streaming giant Netflix says the CRTC should recognize the role it already plays in helping fund Canada’s broadcasting industry and reject calls to mandate an additional payment from the company.But if the federal regulator does move ahead with requiring foreign streamers to contribute money to the Canadian content system, it says that burden should be no more than two per cent of annual revenues, in line with other jurisdictions.Netflix appeared Thursday at a hearing that is part of the CRTC’s public consultations in response to the Online Streaming Act, which received royal assent in April.The legislation, formerly known as Bill C-11, is meant to update federal law to require digital platforms to contribute to and promote Canadian content.Stéphane Cardin, director of public policy for Netflix in Canada, told the commission the platform already makes direct investments in Canadian content through its funding of local productions, and an additional levy ...

Review: In concert film ‘Renaissance,’ Beyoncé offers glimpse into personal life during world tour

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In Beyoncé’s concert film, she described her recent Renaissance World Tour as being run like a machine: From lighting to set design, the superstar singer had a hand in everything production-related to ensure her stadium tour exceeded expectations after four years of preparation.As a perfectionist, Beyoncé was tirelessly determined — working almost 50 days straight — to create an epic concert experience. This comes clear in her movie “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” which chronicles the massive tour in support of her seventh studio album. The film — written, directed and produced by Beyoncé — perfectly captures her dazzling performances for the big screen and somewhat unveils intimate behind-the-scenes footage from a normally private singer, who has rarely done interviews in the past decade. Beyoncé released her nearly three-hour “Renaissance” movie through AMC Theaters in similar fashion as the “ Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour ” film, which opened with a record-brea...

Biden hosts the Angolan president in an effort to showcase strengthened ties, as Africa visit slips

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is hosting Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço in the Oval Office on Thursday as he seeks to reaffirm his commitment to Africa even as two wars consume much of his administration’s foreign policy focus.The White House meeting follows Angola’s move to position itself as a strategic partner to the United States and as it has shifted away from Russian and Chinese influence under Lourenço’s tenure. The visit comes as Biden appears set to break his commitment to African leaders to visit the continent this year — though senior U.S. officials have made key trips to Africa throughout 2023.”They’re a strategic partner and a growing global voice on issues of peace and security,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Thursday, adding that the two leaders would discuss economic and security cooperation as well as regional and global issues. Lobbyists for Lourenço had petitioned Biden administration official...

Montreal youth facing trial for double murder arrested in jail for two other killings

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

MONTREAL — An 18-year-old Montreal man who is now facing charges in connection with two double homicides committed last year will return to court in January.The man — who was 17 at the time of the alleged offences and cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act — appeared in provincial youth court Wednesday to face two counts of first-degree murder.Montreal police say the charges are linked to the shooting deaths of a 73-year-old woman and her 22-year-old granddaughter in Montreal’s Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood in December 2022.Mahad Farrah, 23, also faces charges of first-degree murder in connection with those killings.Police say they arrested the 18-year-old at Montreal’s Bordeaux jail, where he is detained as he awaits trial for murder in the July 2022 shooting deaths of two young men, aged 17 and 18, in the suburb of Montreal West.Quebec’s prosecution service says it submitted notice during Wednesday’s hearing that prosecutors plan to seek ...

After hearing, judge mulls extending pause on John Oates’ sale of stake in business with Daryl Hall

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A lawsuit by Daryl Hall over John Oates’ plan to sell his share of the Hall & Oates duo’s joint venture without the other’s permission headed Thursday to court, where a judge will decide whether to keep pausing the deal.Chancellor Russell Perkins in Nashville said he would rule Thursday on whether, and how, to extend the pause on the sale of Oates’ share of Whole Oats Enterprises LLP to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC, while the music duo moves through the early stages of arbitration.The joint venture in question includes Hall & Oates trademarks, personal name and likeness rights, record royalty income and website and social media assets, according to a court declaration by Hall, who has called Oates’ planned sale the “ultimate partnership betrayal. ″Christine Lepera, an attorney for Hall, said she hasn’t heard anything from Oates’ legal team indicating that there’s some urgency in closing the deal. “...

Trucking boss gets 7 years for role in 2019 smuggling that led to deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A trucking company boss who claimed he thought he was smuggling booze into Britain was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for his role in a human trafficking ring in which 39 Vietnamese migrants suffocated in a cargo container in 2019.Caolan Gormley was the last of 11 people to be convicted in London in the migrant smuggling scheme. Five of the suspects were convicted of manslaughter.Gormley, 26, from Armagh, Northern Ireland, was convicted on Monday of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration by a jury that deliberated for little more than an hour in the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey.Judge Richard Marks said Gormley “succumbed to temptation and greed” in the lucrative smuggling business.Gormley claimed he was being paid up to 3,500 pounds ($4,420) per truck load, the judge said, but evidence showed people paid up to 22,500 pounds ($28,418) each for what was billed as “VIP service.”“But for those deaths, I have no doubt whatsoever that this ...

Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A Paraguayan government official was replaced after it was revealed that he signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of a fugitive Indian guru’s fictional country, who also appear to have duped several local officials in the South American country.The revelation sparked a scandal — and lots of social media mockery — in Paraguay but it’s hardly the first time self-described representatives of the United States of Kailasa duped international leaders. Earlier this year, they managed to participate in a United Nations committee meeting in Geneva and also signed agreements with local leaders in the United States and Canada.Arnaldo Chamorro was replaced as chief of staff for Paraguay’s Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday shortly after it was revealed that he signed a “proclamation” with representatives of the United States of Kailasa.Among other things, the Oct. 16 “proclamation” expressed a “sincere wish and recommendation for the government ...

Penguin parents sleep for just a few seconds at a time to guard newborns, study shows

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a challenge for all new parents: Getting enough sleep while keeping a close eye on their newborns. For some penguins, it means thousands of mini-catnaps a day, researchers discovered.Chinstrap penguins in Antarctica need to guard their eggs and chicks around-the-clock in crowded, noisy colonies. So they nod off thousands of times each day — but only for about four seconds at a time — to stay vigilant, the researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science.These short “microsleeps,” totaling around 11 hours per day, appear to be enough to keep the parents going for weeks.“These penguins look like drowsy drivers, blinking their eyes open and shut, and they do it 24/7 for several weeks at a time,” said Niels Rattenborg, a sleep researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence in Germany and co-author of the new study.“What’s surprising is that they’re able to function OK and successfully raise their young,” he said.Chinstrap pengui...

CPD officer charged, relieved of police powers after allegedly falsely reporting robbery

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:10:16 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago police officer was charged and relieved of police powers after allegedly falsely reporting a robbery.Zondranika Williams, 37, was charged with disorderly conduct - false report of offense and turned herself into police on Tuesday.Williams allegedly falsely claimed that she was the victim of a robbery in the 8000 block of South Wabash, according to a source. CPD said it happened on Sept. 23. Video: Off-duty CPD officer under investigation after shoving 8th grader Her start date was on June 29, 2015. In a statement, Chicago police said they terminated her police powers as a result.No other details are available at this time.WGN News will update this story once more information becomes available.