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B.C. Crown Prosecutor says Ibrahim Ali killed girl, 13, during sexual assault

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

VANCOUVER — A B.C. Supreme Court trial can expect to hear evidence that shows a 13-year-old girl from Burnaby, B.C., was passing through a neighbourhood park when she was dragged off a pathway into the forest by Ibrahim Ali, sexually assaulted and strangled, the Crown prosecutor told the jury Friday.In an opening statement, Crown attorney Isobel Keeley said the court will hear evidence showing the murder was random, but DNA results will prove Ali sexually assaulted her. Ali is charged with first-degree murder and entered a not guilty plea before the jury earlier this month.The body of the girl, whose name is protected under a publication ban, was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017, just hours after her mother had reported her missing.“There are no eyewitnesses to the murder,” Keeley said, but told jury members that cellphone and bank records prove Ali was in Burnaby that day.They “were strangers to one another,” she said, adding that phone rec...

Sanders praises shop workers, Ben & Jerry’s on union effort

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Workers seeking to unionize at a Ben & Jerry’s retail shop in Burlington, Vermont, the city where the ice cream brand was founded announced Friday that the company has signed the fair election principles.U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent who has been a vocal supporter of Starbucks labor organizers, congratulated the Ben & Jerry’s workers at a press conference in his home city. “I’m very proud of the work that these workers have done in coming together to form a union and I’m very proud that we have here in Vermont a company like Ben & Jerry’s that has long stood for progressive principles, today saying they’re willing to sit down and negotiate a good contract with their workers,” Sanders said. Ben & Jerry’s said last week that it supported a plan to unionize by about 40 workers at the retail shop in downtown Burlington.It said in a statement that it shares “the goal of advancing just...

Tennessee Gov. Lee says session on guns likely after July 4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Friday that a special lawmaking session dedicated to possible changes to the state’s gun laws in the wake of a deadly school shooting last month would likely have to take place after July 4.The Republican governor said his office has offered lawmakers multiple dates for the special session, and determined that it will likely take place after July 4. His office has said he offered dates from May through August.“I think the ideal solution is that we find a way to do what most people think is important, which is to make sure that people that are a threat to themselves or others because of a mental crisis, that people that are a threat do not have access to weapons,” Lee told reporters in Covington on Friday.The timeline comes after lawmakers sped up to finish their annual session last week without taking action on a gun control plan offered by Lee after the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, which killed thr...

Amtrak train derails at Chicago Union Station; some Metra lines delayed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

CHICAGO — Some Metra train lines are seeing delays at Chicago's Union Station after an Amtrak train derailed.The derailment happened at the station, according to Metra. Amtrak said a set of wheels on an inbound train came off the track. Some Metra train lines delayed due to issues at Chicago Union Station No injuries were reported, Amtrak said.Some BNSF and SWS trains are running with delays due to the derailment, according to Metra.

Chicago officials meet to discuss resources for asylum seekers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago officials said they're working against time, money and space with the surging number of asylum seekers far outpacing available resources."Our system is over capacity," Commissioner Brandie Knazze said. "Make no mistake, we are in a surge and things have yet to peak." Migrants in Chicago look to shelters for help Families with nowhere else to go are sleeping inside Chicago police districts. "This is not safe and it's not the right thing to do, the way to treat people," 3rd Ward Ald. Pat Dowell said. In a virtual city council committee meeting, Commissioner Brandie Knazzie said as of Friday morning, the city had zero shelter beds available for families. ‘We feel isolated from society’: Migrants in Chicago seek assistance with housing Chicago is facing a recent increase in the number of people arriving daily by plane and bus from border states, in addition to the population of people who were already unhoused.Outgoing Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot sent council mem...

EXCLUSIVE: Anheuser-Busch faces call to reaffirm support for trans community after Mulvaney pushback

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

(The Hill) — The Human Rights Campaign, one of the U.S.'s biggest LGBTQ+ equality organizations, is calling on Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Bud Light, to publicly reaffirm its support for the transgender community. It comes after weeks of right-wing pushback over the brewing company’s recent partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney.In a letter sent this week to Anheuser-Busch’s head of human resources, Jay Brown, a senior vice president at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, slammed the company’s response to the controversy as insufficient and cowardly. TikTok’s Dylan Mulvaney speaks out on Bud Light backlash “In this moment, it is absolutely critical for Anheuser-Busch to stand in solidarity with Dylan and the trans community,” reads the April 26 letter obtained by The Hill.“However, when faced with anti-LGBTQ+ and transphobic criticism, Anheuser-Busch’s actions demonstrate a profound lack of fortitude in upholding its values of diversity, equity, and...

'Mysterious lights' seen hovering in night sky over Las Vegas valley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — What were the mysterious lights some residents saw over Las Vegas' night sky Thursday night? Every so often, residents of the Las Vegas valley report such sightings and catch the sparkling illuminations on video. UFOs, perhaps? Military training? The speculation spreads. ‘Fast & Furious’ fans: How to earn $1K to watch every movie Often, the bright glow can be traced to parachute flares and perhaps aviation training of some sort. Maybe nearby Nellis Air Force Base or Creech Air Force Base is involved in some way.Strange lights over Las Vegas. Apr. 27, 2023 (Image: KLAS)The Air Force didn't immediately respond to questions early Friday about whether any such activity could explain the video, shared by 8 News Now viewer Bill — he asked not to use his last name — who lives in the southeast valley. Bill said he was in his backyard when he noticed the lights in the sky northwest of his neighborhood and started to record. He thinks the lights were over the Strip an...

'Fast & Furious' fans: How to earn $1K to watch every movie

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Have you ever wondered: How many cars has Vin Diesel totaled? Well, FinanceBuzz, a financial news and data outlet, is offering one applicant $1,000 to become its "Fast & Furious Claim Adjuster" and help determine just how much car-crash damage is actually caused in the iconic franchise. TikTok’s Dylan Mulvaney speaks out on Bud Light backlash "We wondered: What would that kind of driving do to your auto insurance costs?" writes FinanceBuzz's Chris Lewis. "To find out, we need help taking inventory of the accidents in the movies. We’re also curious if the number of wrecks in these moves has increased or decreased over the franchise’s history. That’s where you come in."FinanceBuzz says the job will entail flagging any car crashes that result in damage across the over-20-hours of movies — making sure to note how many crashes there are, the extent of the damage, and which cars were involved.Per the announcement, the "Claim Adjuster" will receive the $1,000 paycheck and...

LIVE BLOG: Severe storms now moving into Austin area, 70 mph wind gusts possible

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe storms are moving across Central Texas. The main concerns tonight are large hail and damaging winds. Isolated tornadoes are also possible.The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of the KXAN viewing area in a 3 out of 5 threat for severe storms, as another potent low-pressure system dives into the state.A Tornado Watch is in effect for Mason, Milam and San Saba counties until 8 p.m. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for all other local counties until 9 p.m. KXAN First Warning Weather forecast Weather ResourcesHow to talk to your kids about severe weatherWatches vs Warnings: Understanding how a storm is madeTraffic mapLive Central Texas radarCentral Texas rainfall totalsDownload KXAN Weather AppSign up for KXAN daily forecast newsletter and severe weather alerts newsletterRead the details in our weather live blog below.4:50 p.m.: The hail core is now moving in Georgetown and Round Rock. KXAN viewer Brien Aho sent in this timelapse of the storms movi...

Bailey Ober set to join Twins’ pitching rotation with injury to Kenta Maeda

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:36 GMT

When the Twins told Bailey Ober of their decision to option him to Triple-A at the end of spring training, they had one main message for him: Stay ready because your opportunities will come.“Those conversations, sometimes they can be tricky because I can’t tell him something that I don’t know,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I won’t embellish. I’m certainly not going to say anything untrue about him being here and when that could occur and how that’s going to happen.”The Twins now have an opening in their starting pitching rotation and Ober, who was with the Twins as a member of the taxi squad on Friday, is ready to slide into it. Ober will start Saturday’s game, Baldelli announced, replacing Kenta Maeda, who is dealing with a triceps strain, in the rotation.Ober made his most recent start for the Twins, as well, on Sunday but was optioned back to Triple-A following that game. Maeda’s injury leaves the door open for him to see some extended time with the major-league team.“He h...