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Pence allies launching super PAC to back former vice president’s expected 2024 candidacy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Allies of former Vice President Mike Pence are launching a new super PAC to support his expected candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.“Committed to America,” the Pence-sanctioned group, will be publicly launching Tuesday, according to people familiar with the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details of the planning and strategy. “The country’s at real crossroads and the Republican Party needs a strong conservative candidate who can win,” said Scott Reed, the longtime GOP consultant, who will co-chair the group. “Pence has the experience, the unparalleled character, communication skills and the conservative credentials to win both the nomination and a general election.”The launch is the latest sign that Pence is moving ahead with his expected bid for the GOP nomination — a move that would put him in direct contention with his former boss, former President Donald Trump. Pence has said he will announce his plans “well before lat...

Argentine tourist killed in Mexico machete attack

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A tourist from Argentina who was seriously wounded in a May 12 machete attack in Mexico died on Monday, officials said. Prosecutors in the Pacific coast state of Oaxaca said the tourist — whose name was not released — died of his injuries at a hospital in Mexico City. However, the Tala Rugby Club based in Cordoba, Argentina wrote in its social media accounts Monday that one of their players, Benjamín Gamond, had died. A group of three Argentines were attacked by a Mexican man with a machete May 12 in the hamlet of La Isla, at the mouth of the Laguna de Chacahua, on the Pacific coast. The other two tourists were also wounded in the attack, but their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. Local residents subdued the attacker and turned him over to police. Prosecutors said the suspect is in custody and now faces homicide charges.There was no immediate information on a possible motive in the attack.The Associated Press

Colombian rebel leader says peace talks are ‘on pause’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian rebel leader Pablo Beltran said on Tuesday that peace talks between his National Liberation Army and the government have been put “on pause” due to remarks made last week by President Gustavo Petro.Petro questioned whether members of the rebel group’s delegation in Cuba could effectively control the actions of their own commanders on the battlefield. He also said the younger leaders of the group, known as the ELN, were motivated not by political goals, but by drug trafficking profits.In an interview published on Youtube by the ELN’s communication team, Beltran said that delegations from both sides would have to meet to “examine” the comments by Colombia’s president before issues like a ceasefire and rural development schemes can continue to be discussed. The negotiations began in November and have failed to produce any major breakthroughs so far.The ELN was recognized as “an armed rebel group” by Colombia’s government during the last rou...

South Korea and Japan use G-7 to push improvement in ties long marked by animosity

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Amid the high-level efforts to deal with a raft of global emergencies, this weekend’s Group of 7 summit of rich democracies will also see an unusual diplomatic reconciliation as the leaders of Japan and South Korea look to continue mending ties that have been marked for years by animosity and bickering.At first glance the two neighbors would seem to be natural partners. They are powerful, advanced democracies and staunch U.S. allies in a region beset with autocratic threats. The continuing fallout, however, from centuries of complicated, acrimonious history, culminating in the brutal 1910-1945 Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula, has resulted in more wariness than friendship. A big part of the sudden recent shift in tone is a shared focus on China’s growing aggressiveness, t he threat of North Korea’s fast-improving arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles — and deep worry about how Russia’s war in Ukraine is influencing both issues. Some di...

APD's AI bot getting non-emergency reports into system faster

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department's new artificial intelligence-powered non-emergency reporting system is getting people's reports ingested into the system more quickly than the old portal, according to Lt. Sheldon Askew."Currently, we're looking at a 3-5 day turnaround from a reporting party dropping a report into the system, and that report getting assigned to a detective," he said, adding that this process is what held things up the most with the old system. PREVIOUS: APD launches new AI non-emergency reporting system, says program will reduce wait times We asked if this is in fact resulting in the desired reduced wait times, but the department could not say that for certain at this point."I can't speak to how quickly they're being contacted back," said Askew. "The reporting parties by the detective, that is. Simply because I don't know what their queues look like."In October 2021, police asked the public to submit nonviolent, not-in-progress crimes through 311 or i...

Royce Lewis takes next step forward in rehab assignment

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Royce Lewis’s stay with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge was brief, but there was plenty for the Twins to like over the weekend.The top prospect finished his two games with a pair of hits, including a double, played a game at both short and third and even stole a couple of bases, a sign that his twice-repaired right knee is feeling good.“When we send him on a rehab assignment, we send him with the understanding that he needs to play baseball and be who he is,” head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said. “I’m not a big fan of sending guys on rehab assignments with restrictions and holding them back. I want them to be able to play baseball the way they want.”And Lewis, who will now move from Double-A Wichita to Triple-A St. Paul, did just that. Lewis will now remain with the Saints for an extended period of time as he continues to get at-bats. The 23-year-old, who is rehabbing from his second anterior cruciate ligament surgery, is not eligible to come off of the inju...

Albany community honors barber after tragic barbershop shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — On Monday, community members gathered to honor and remember a local barber killed Saturday afternoon after a gunman opened fire into Village Barber and Beauty on 221 Second Ave. in Albany. Rev. Reginald Graham is the Owner and Operator of the shop, and he said there were about 10 people in the shop.“We had customers …barbers all on duty. There were four of us working and cutting hair, having a normal day. And all of a sudden, we heard shots,” he said. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! That’s when everyone went on the ground and tried to leave the barbershop.“And we literally had to crawl to the back of the barber shop-we were trying to get out of there. Because the shots just wouldn’t stop coming,” Rev. Graham said.Three people were shot, including a child…but 47-year-old Tyrone Staley did not make it. Rev. Graham said they were waiting for the ambulance, but there was nothing more anyone could do…“So ...

Pittsfield PD searching for missing woman

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- Pittsfield police are seeking the public's help in locating a missing woman. Tara Cremin was last seen around 5:30 p.m. Monday in the area of Sadler Avenue. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Cremin is 25-years old. She is around 5'6" tall and about 200 lbs. She has short brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a long, black SpongeBob shirt, grey shirts, and wearing eyeglasses.Police said Cremin has mental health issues and may become aggressive or flee if approached. If she is seen, police ask that she not be approached but rather call the police department at (413) 448-9700.

Niskayuna firefighters, service dogs take part in training

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Niskayuna Fire Department held a response training Monday so firefighters and service dogs could get used to one another. The training is called Operation at Ease.Fire officials said this allows firefighters to simulate calls that include a service dog in the home and how to properly handle it. Officials said it can be scary for both the firefighter, who is not comfortable with the dog at a home they go to, as well as for the animal who may see the firefighters in all of their gear and cannot see their face. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "Going into a house fire, it is already dark, there is smoke, it is a scary scenario," Niskayuna Second Asst. Fire Chief Gerry Barbiero said. "If we know individuals are in there, our mission is to save lives as best as we can without jeopardizing our own lives at the same time. So if we can get this training done with these dogs, that actually makes our li...

'It means a lot' - Mexican-American Cardinals fan on first Spanish broadcast  

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:15:18 GMT

ST. LOUIS - It was a historic night on Monday when the Cardinals and Brewers took the field, but not for anything either team did.History was being made in the commentating booth of Polo Ascencio and Bengie Molina as the two men broadcast the first Cardinals game on television in Spanish.“For the first time in St. Louis, it means a lot,” said Oscar Medina, a Cardinals fan.Medina is Mexican-American and works at Taqueria Hectorito on Cherokee Street. He said he always watched Cardinals games in English, occasionally translating the calls to his Mexican grandparents. Busch Light brings ‘corn cans’ back to celebrate, support farmers "I'd be watching the game sometime, and they don't know what's going on,” Medina said.Viewers were able to switch to the Spanish broadcast through the second audio program button on their remotes and will continue to have that option through the rest of the season and playoffs during home games."It's going to be very nice now that we have that option to s...