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Rahul Gandhi avoids prison as he appeals defamation verdict

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — A court on Monday suspended a two-year prison sentence for Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi as he appeals his criminal conviction for mocking the prime minister’s surname which resulted in his expulsion from Parliament, dealing a huge blow to his Congress party ahead of general elections next year.Gandhi, a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his main challenger in the 2024 polls, was ousted after a court sentenced him to two years in prison for defamation for a comment made in a 2019 election speech. The prosecution of Gandhi, the great-grandson of India’s first prime minister and scion of the dynastic Congress party, was widely condemned by opponents of Modi as the latest assault against democracy and free speech by a government seeking to crush dissent. The speed of his removal from Parliament shocked Indian politics. Gandhi appeared in a court in the western state of Gujarat on Monday to file an appeal and was granted bail for the durati...

Police payouts soaring in city of Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

CHICAGO — The city of Chicago has paid more than $578 million since 2016 in judgments, settlements and legal fees relating to claims of police misconduct.It is a staggering figure but observers say taxpayers aren’t done paying yet. They predict millions of dollars more will be spent as legal cases relating to a notorious former officer wind through the courts.There are now more than 170 pending lawsuits accusing the former officer Ronald Watts of misconduct. Watts and his team have been accused in court filings of framing dozens of people at the former Ida B. Wells public housing complex on the city’s South Side.Ultimately, Watts was criminally charged with shaking down an undercover FBI agent and sentenced to 22 months in prison. The case cost Watts his city pension. Previous Coverage: 19 more wrongful convictions tied to ex-CPD Sgt. Ronald Watts overturned But taxpayers aren’t done paying for his alleged deeds.“This is a problem that could exceed $100 million,” Chicago-based civ...

Who is running for Chicago City Council?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

CHICAGO -- Many Chicago residents will decide who will be their next Alderman on Tuesday.Following the results of the Feb. 28 elections, 14 wards are still looking for their next City Council representative during the April 4 runoff election.A handful of incumbents are fighting to keep their seats, but many newcomers are looking to win one of the positions left open by a number of retirements this year. Your Local Election Headquarters Here are the Chicago City Council runoff candidates for the April 4 Election:Ward 4NEW BOUNDARIES: This ward runs along the Lakefront from the Loop south to Hyde Park and Kenwood. It includes Grant Park, Museum Campus, Soldier Field, Northerly Island and McCormick Place.OPEN SEAT: Incumbent Ald. Sophia King opted to run for mayor instead of another term on City Council, leaving this seat open. 6 candidates ran for the seat in February, leading to a runoff on Tuesday. LAMONT ROBINSONLamont Robinson has been a State Representative since 2019, represe...

Ex-Trump aide jokes he'll have the 'most handsome mugshot of all time'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

An ex-Trump adviser joked that the former president will take "the most handsome mugshot of all time" after he was indicted last week for his alleged involvement in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. "We’ll have a mug shot. For the record, it will be the most manly, most masculine, most handsome mugshot of all time,” Hogan Gidley, who served as a Trump White House and campaign spokesperson, said in remarks to Time magazine. "I can say that definitely, before having even seen it."Former President Trump was indicted last Thursday for his involvement in a hush money payment to Daniels to cover up an alleged affair that he has repeatedly denied. Former President Trump.Trump traveled to Manhattan on Monday ahead of his arraignment on Tuesday, where he will hear the charges brought against him in his first court appearance. It is expected that the former president will take a mugshot, but it is unclear whether the photo will be released to the...

2023 Chicago Runoff and Illinois General Election results

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

CHICAGO (WGN) -- On Tuesday, April 4, Chicagoans once again will have the opportunity to vote in the Chicago runoff and Suburban general elections. On the ballot this time around are candidates for Chicago Mayor and City Council seats, as well as Suburban Mayor and Village Presidents races. Your Local Election Headquarters Polling locations across the Chicagoland will close Tuesday at 7 p.m.When the polls close Tuesday night WGNTV.com will began compiling the results. You can find all the results here or select specific election results from the links below.City of Chicago Election ResultsChicago Suburban Election ResultsAll April 4 Election ResultsResults will be posted throughout the night and WGNTV.com will update this story with new information if needed.

Further postponement pushes proposed Fairview-Sanford merger into summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services have given Minnesota officials assurances that any merger of the two — a possible union that has sparked concern — will not occur until at least late August at the earliest.The extension is in response to a request from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office is reviewing the potential merger, which would combine Sanford’s sprawling Sioux Falls, S.D-based health system with its Minneapolis counterpart.“In the interest of ongoing cooperation with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, we have extended the target closing date for our merger until after May 31st and agreed to their request for 90 days’ notice prior to closing at a future date,” the two health systems said in a joint statement released Monday.Earlier, at Ellison’s request, Sanford and Fairview agreed in February to push back the target date of the merger by two months to May 31.“We respect the thorough review underway by the Attorney General’s Office and ...

Tyler Mahle strong as Twins break out bats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

MIAMI — The Twins had little opportunity to see what Tyler Mahle could do last season.In just his third start after being acquired at the trade deadline from Cincinnati, Mahle’s velocity dipped drastically and he exited with a shoulder issue. After a stint on the injured list, his comeback attempt was cut short and Mahle didn’t pitch again after Sept. 3.The Twins finally got their chance this spring and Mahle, manager Rocco Baldelli said, seemed to get stronger as he neared the end of camp. He took that into the season, giving up just a run in five innings in the Twins’ 11-1 win over the Marlins on Monday night at loanDepot Park in Miami.Leaning heavily on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 93.8 miles per hour and touched 95.4, and his revamped slider, Mahle struck out seven in a relatively low-stress outing.By the time he gave up a run, which came on a single from former teammate Luis Arraez and plated left fielder Bryan De La Cruz, the Twins had already built up an insurmounta...

Leading medical examiners discredit ‘excited delirium’ as cause of death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

A leading group of medical experts says the term “excited delirium” should not be listed as a cause of death. Critics have said the term has been used to justify excessive force by police.The National Association of Medical Examiners had been one of the last to take a stand against the commonly used but controversial term. In a statement posted on its site March 23, the association said “excited delirium” or “excited delirium syndrome” should not be used as a cause of death. The statement has no legal weight, but will be influential among medical examiners.Critics have called the terms unscientific, rooted in racism — and a way to hide police officers’ culpability in deaths. The American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association do not recognize excited delirium as a diagnosis. Yet some police training materials have described it as a potentially fatal collection of symptoms including elevated temperature, unexpected strength, hallucinations and extreme agit...

Glens Falls City School District unveils new school mascot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y.(NEWS10) – After weeks of gathering ideas from students across the Glens Falls City School District, the student cabinet unveiled their new mascot….the Black Bears.Only one word could describe how Superintendent Dr. Krislynn Dengler felt about the decision.“Great! The students have been an awesome partner in all of this, and I’m just relieved,” she said. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The student cabinet received over 400 ideas and 29,000 votes for the new mascot. Alivea Nelson is a senior at the high school and says that the student cabinet wanted to make sure the community was involved.“We sent out multiple surveys asking for their opinion because, at the end of the day, whatever we picked represents all of us,” she said. “And we want to ensure everybody felt like they loved the icon.”The cabinet already agreed to keep the school slogan, “GF Nation,” but still had to choose the elements to go with ...

Where lawmakers stand on the governor's plan to improve Interstate 70 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:29 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The biggest project in Gov. Mike Parson's budget request to lawmakers this year was to widen parts of Interstate 70, but that funding could be at risk. The governor wants to spend nearly $900 million to add an extra lane on I-70 in the suburban areas of Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia, but some representatives have other plans, like diverting that money to improve Interstate 44. Back in January during his annual State of the State Address, Parson revealed his support of a major project, that comes with a hefty price tag. "For years, congestion, traffic accidents and delays have become serious issues for commuters on I-70," Parson said during his address. "We are requesting $859 million, the largest investment in decades, to wide and rebuild the I-70 corridor and take the first steps in adding a third lane across our state." Top story: Timeline of severe weather near St. Louis Tuesday Many lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, followed that sta...