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Fossil fuels influence and other takeaways from Monday’s climate conference events

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

The influence of the fossil fuel industry at the United Nations annual climate conference, commonly called COP28, was a focal point on Monday with the president of the talks pushing back against criticism that his role heading a fossil fuel company conflicted with the need to reduce fossil fuel use. Meanwhile, The Associated Press found that the number of people in Dubai affiliated with fossil fuel interests had substantially grown compared with previous years.Adding to the criticism was former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who noted the conflict in COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber’s dual roles — leading the conference and an oil company — and said it “goes to the heart” of whether the world can prevent even more dangerous warming.Leaders also focused on the problem of financing renewable energy and climate projects. Climate change will require expending tremendous resources and that burden will fall especially hard on developing countries. Takeaways from Monday’s events i...

Detroit on track to record fewest homicides since 1966, officials say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

The city of Detroit is on-track to see its fewest yearly homicides in nearly six decades, officials said Monday.Through Nov. 30, Detroit had recorded 228 homicides — an 18% decrease over the same period last year. In 2018, Detroit had 261 homicides, the fewest number since 1966, when there were 214 homicides.Officials credit a partnership between the city, Wayne County and the state that improves coordination among agencies and courts. It also has resulted in a 36% drop in carjackings and 13% decrease in non-fatal shootings, they said.The coalition was formed in late 2021 by County Executive Warren Evans and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to improve the local criminal justice system following disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic. Officials said the COVID-19 outbreak caused court dockets to back up, forced jails to release prisoners due to lack of space and made it difficult for police and the prosecutor’s office to fill vacant positions.“We are seeing record drops in gun viole...

Man who posed as agent and offered gifts to Secret Service sentenced to nearly 3 years

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man accused of pretending to be a federal agent and offering gifts and free apartments to Secret Service officers has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison.Arian Taherzadeh, 41, was sentenced to 33 months in prison Friday. He and a second man, Haider Ali, were indicted in April 2022, accused of tricking actual Secret Service officers, offering expensive apartments and gifts to curry favor with law enforcement agents, including one agent assigned to protect the first lady, prosecutors said.Ali, 36, was sentenced in August to over five years. Attorneys for the two did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Monday.Prosecutors alleged Taherzadeh falsely claimed, at various times, to be an agent with the Department of Homeland Security, a former U.S. Air Marshal, and a former U.S. Army Ranger. He used his supposed law-enforcement work to trick owners of three apartment complexes into letting him use multiple apartments and parking spaces for fake...

Toronto cycling advocates ask mayor to focus resources on motor vehicle incidents that cause injuries

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

Toronto cyclist advocates are questioning the use of resources on bringing riders to trial as a motorist has their charges dropped in an incident that injured a cyclist. David Shellnutt, known as the Biking Lawyer, said they are currently representing three different cyclists who are awaiting trials for allegedly speeding in High Park.Shellnutt explained it comes at the same time, another client of his, who was injured by a motorist on the Lake Shore West bike path that same year, learned the City’s Prosecutor’s Office had dropped charges against the driver who allegedly hit him. The reason given was a lack of resources for prosecutions after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Shellnutt.He said it demonstrates a misuse of resources.“It strikes us and ours, especially the one with the broken ankle that people who are allegedly speeding in a park on bicycles are made to go to trial, [where] no one was injured, but a driver who runs down a cyclist on Lakeshore West b...

Bypassing public hearings, debate on Ontario Place bill is undemocratic: opposition

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government is planning to bypass key debate and public hearings on a bill to push Ontario Place redevelopment plans forward, a move the opposition parties say is undemocratic.The legislation enacts the province’s promise to take control of two Toronto highways, largely exempts Ontario Place land from further environmental assessments and heritage protections, and allows the minister of infrastructure to issue minister’s zoning orders, which override local laws.Government House Leader Paul Calandra has now proposed skipping committee hearings, which provide an opportunity for public input and normally come after a bill passes second reading, and skipping debate on the bill’s third and final reading.NDP Leader Marit Stiles said it is particularly troubling that the bill seeks to indemnify the government against claims of “misfeasance” and “bad faith.”“It’s deeply concerning,” she said....

Texas prosecutor drops charges against 17 Austin police over tactics used during 2020 protests

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas prosecutor whose office oversaw indictments of more than 20 Austin police officers over tactics used during the 2020 protests that followed George Floyd’s killing said Monday he was dropping most of the cases and would ask the Justice Department to investigate instead. The announcement is a reversal for Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, a progressive who ran on promises to hold police accountable in the Texas capital. Garza, a Democrat, said his office would dismiss indictments against 17 officers but still move forward with prosecuting four others. The slate of felony charges were by far the most indictments of officers from a single U.S. police department over actions by law enforcement during nationwide protests in 2020 over racial injustice and police brutality. Some Austin police officers fired beanbag rounds in the crowd, critically injuring one teenager. “This has been a difficult chapter for Austin. I look forward to turning...

76ers’ Kelly Oubre Jr. scoffs at questions about legitimacy of his injury, calls hit-and-run serious

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. wanted to set the record straight — yes, a vehicle struck him as he walked near his home and the driver fled. Yes, he suffered a traumatic injury and no — he doesn’t care for anyone who questioned his account of what happened on that Philadelphia street last month.“This was and is a very traumatic situation for me and my family,” Oubre told reporters Monday at the 76ers’ complex in New Jersey. “So, I just wish that my life wasn’t like ‘The Truman Show’ where everybody kind of watched it and have their own opinion about my life.”Oubre was off to a strong start in his first season with the 76ers (16.3 points in eight games) when he said he was struck by a vehicle while walking near his home in Philadelphia’s Center City on Nov. 11. The 27-year-old was taken to a hospital in stable condition and was released a few hours later with a broken rib and injuries to his hip and right leg, police said at the time, adding that an investigation was...

Putin plans to visit UAE and Saudi Arabia this week, according to Russian media reports

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

President Vladimir Putin plans to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia this week, Russian media outlets reported Monday.Putin will travel to the two countries for a working visit, during which he will meet the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, Russian state news agencies Tass and Ria Novosti said, citing the Shot Telegram channel and Russian news website Life.Putin will visit Saudi Arabia where his “negotiations will primarily be with the crown prince,” shortly after making a trip to the UAE, the Shot Telegram channel quoted presidential aide Yuri Ushakov as saying.The UAE is currently hosting the U.N. Climate Change Conference, but it is not clear if Putin will attend.“I hope that these will be very useful negotiations, which we consider extremely important,” Ushakov was quoted as saying by Life news. Neither state news agency appeared to be able to independently confirm the reports.Putin will be making the visit at a time when Russia wants to advance its ro...

Employee shot inside store in Gary

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

GARY, Ind. — A man was hospitalized after a shooting inside a store in Gary, Indiana, on Monday afternoon, police say.According to police, the shooting happened inside a Family Dollar in the 1400 block of West 25th Avenue.WGN SkyCam9 was over the scene around 3:30 p.m. when several police vehicles could be seen in the store's parking lot. 2 SIU students from Park Ridge, Des Plaines killed in head-on crash After arriving on the scene, officers say they found a 21-year-old man, who was an employee at the store, who had suffered a gunshot wound. The victim was then taken to the hospital.According to police, the person responsible had already fled the scene by the time they arrived, but police say the shooting stemmed from a personal altercation between the victim and the individual responsible.Police say no arrests have been made and an investigation is underway.Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Gary police Violent Crimes Division at 219-881-1210.

'Everyone loved him': Father of 3, limo company owner fatally shot in Austin

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:10:40 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago man who emigrated from Jordan, started his own limo company, and a father of three was shot and killed by passengers while driving on the city's West Side Sunday evening.Funeral arrangements are underway after 39-year-old Muhammad Al Hajoj of Jefferson Park, a father to an infant, was fatally shot in Austin around 5:30 p.m. Dec. 3 inside his black Cadillac.Al Hajoj was driving his black Cadillac near the 1700 block of North Lotus St. when shots were fired. Police said witnesses heard the gunfire and then saw individuals leave the Cadillac and flee the scene. Employee shot inside store in Gary Al Hajoj sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the body and was transported to Loyola Hospital in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead.A handgun was recovered a few feet away from the vehicle where he was shot. No one is in custody. Police say an investigation is ongoing."He was everything to me. He was like a brother to me. His soul will be here in my heart," s...