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Record number of people braving Darien Gap this year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

By Karol Suarez and Tara John | CNNThe number of migrants crossing the treacherous Darien Gap, a mountainous rainforest region that connects South and Central America, has broken a new record, according to immigration officials in Panama.The Panama migration authority’s deputy director Maria Isabel Saravia told media that 2022’s already-high number of crossings was surpassed on Monday.Last year was an “unprecedented year” where a total of 248,284 people crossed the Darién National Park, she said. 2023 now looks set to outstrip that number as the year continues.“With today and yesterday’s crossings of 1,869 people, there have been 248,901 crossings,” Saravia said Monday.Around 20% of the people making the dangerous trek are children and adolescents, authorities say.“Within that age group, at least 51% are five-year-old children or under. As the figures anticipated, we exceeded last year’s number (…) The last three years have been much higher than the last 11 years in crossings,” Sara...

SF Giants stand pat at MLB trade deadline as other contenders make moves

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants brass, from president Farhan Zaidi on down, have said they believe the believe the group of players in their clubhouse is a playoff-worthy one, and they made their strongest statement yet Tuesday, opting to stand pat ahead of MLB’s trade deadline.Among a group of five teams in a virtual tie for three National League wild card spots, well within striking distance of the division, the Giants will be counting on their biggest upgrades to come internally as they embark on the stretch run. They will soon get back Thairo Estrada and Mitch Haniger, but veteran outfielder A.J. Pollock will go down as their biggest deadline acquisition.Pollock arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday as the clock ticked down to the 3 p.m. PT deadline.As always, there was a flurry of movement in the hours leading up to the deadline. But none of it involved the Giants.Potential middle infield help was scooped up by the Blue Jays (Paul DeJong) and Braves (Nicky Lopez). Their closest comp...

Silicon Valley mayors will be stomping grapes at Italian Family Festa

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

Being a politician is a mixed bag. Sure, a degree of authority and a certain amount of respect come with the job, but you’ve also got to deal with all the gripes and happily pose at all those ribbon cutting ceremonies.But now and then you get to have some fun. That should be the case this Saturday when San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor and Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montaro take part in the age-old tradition of grape stomping at the Italian Family Festa in San Jose.With Lissa Kreisler, host of KCAT-TV’s “Community Stories,” serving as emcee, the trio of city leaders will do their best Lucy and Ethel impersonations by jumping into tubs of grapes and crushing them with their bare feet. It’s officially a competition, though it’s tough to say who has an advantage unless somebody’s hiding grape-crushing experience that’s not on their LinkedIn pages.Now, I would expect that Montaro and Gillmor wear heels more often than Ma...

National Night Out events being hosted by Bay Area cities Tuesday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

(BCN) -- This Tuesday, cities across the Bay Area will host their annual National Night Out events -- community gatherings held on the first Tuesday of August across the country that aim to build trust between law enforcement and the neighborhoods they serve. These events, which range from residential block parties to gatherings in public spaces, feature food, music, various activities, and the opportunity to connect with local law enforcement. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed will join attendees at various events throughout the area, including at Boeddeker Park, the Ingleside Police Station and Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center. The events will begin at 4 p.m. Nima Momeni to stand trial for murder of Bob Lee, judge rules Three Berkeley libraries will host National Night Out events with refreshments and activities. The North Branch library will provide crafts, lawn games, popsicles, and music from 3-5 p.m. The Claremont branch will offer crafts and beverages from ...

Environmentalists sue to stop Utah potash mine that produces sought-after crop fertilizer

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Environmentalists filed a lawsuit on Monday to prevent the construction of a new potash mine that they say would devastate a lake ecosystem in the drought-stricken western Utah desert.The complaint against the Bureau of Land Management is the latest development in the battle over potash in Utah, which holds some of the United States’ largest deposits of the mineral used by farmers to fertilize crops worldwide.Potash, or potassium sulfate, is currently mined in regions including Carlsbad, New Mexico and at Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, where the Bureau of Land Management also oversees a private company’s potash mining operations.The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance argues in Monday’s complaint that, in approving a potash mining operation at Sevier Lake — a shallow saltwater lake about halfway between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas — the Bureau of Land Management failed to consider alternatives that would cause fewer environmental impacts. ...

Special counsel Smith: Trump lies ‘fueled’ Jan. 6 attack on Capitol; will push for speedy trial against former president

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Smith: Trump lies ‘fueled’ Jan. 6 attack on Capitol; will push for speedy trial against former president.Source

BNSF train engineers offered paid sick time and better schedules in new deal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roughly 7,500 BNSF train engineers may soon get up to eight days of paid sick time and more certainty about their days off if they approve a new deal with the railroad announced Tuesday.BNSF and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union said engineers will get more predictable schedules and the ability to take sick time off without being penalized under the Fort Worth-Texas based railroad’s strict attendance policy.The major freight railroads have made a great deal of progress on the sick time issue since workers’ quality of life concerns pushed the industry to the brink of a strike last year before Congress forced the unions to accept a contract. More than 77% of all those workers have now been promised sick time. The railroads refused to add sick time to last year’s deal that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses.BNSF engineers will get five days of paid sick leave and be permitted to convert three other leave days into sic...

World Cup Glance

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

GROUP AGPWDLGFGAPtsSwitzerland3120205Norway3111614New Zealand3111114Philippines3102183GROUP AThursday, July 20New Zealand 1, Norway 0Friday, July 21Philippines 0, Switzerland 2Tuesday, July 25New Zealand 0, Philippines 1Switzerland 0, Norway 0Sunday, July 30Switzerland 0, New Zealand 0Norway 6, Philippines 0GROUP BGPWDLGFGAPtsAustralia3201736Nigeria3120325Canada3111254Ireland3012131GROUP BThursday, July 20Australia 1, Ireland 0Nigeria 0, Canada 0Wednesday, July 26Canada 2, Ireland 1Thursday, July 27Australia 2, Nigeria 3Monday, July 31Canada 0, Australia 4Ireland 0, Nigeria 0GROUP CGPWDLGFGAPtsJapan33001109Spain3201846Zambia31023113Costa Rica3003180GROUP CFriday, July 21Spain 3, Costa Rica 0Saturday, July 22Zambia 0, Japan 5Wednesday, July 26Japan 2, Costa Rica 0Spain 5, Zambia 0Monday, July 31Japan 4, Spain 0Costa Rica 1, Zambia 3GROUP DGPWDLGFGAPtsEngland3300819Denmark3201316China3102273Haiti3003040GROUP DSaturday, July 22England 1, Haiti 0Denmark 1, China 0Friday, July 28England ...

Brewers acquire Chafin from the Diamondbacks and send Strzelecki to Arizona in swap of relievers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

Milwaukee and Arizona swapped relievers at Tuesday’s trade deadline as they continue their playoff pushes, with the Brewers acquiring left-hander Andrew Chafin from the Diamondbacks in exchange for right-hander Peter Strzelecki.“Andrew adds an experienced leader and another quality left-handed arm to our bullpen,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said in a statement. “He has had a long history of success against both left-handed and right-handed hitters, and we are excited to bring him aboard.”The Brewers and Diamondbacks were tied with the Miami Marlins for the NL’s third and final wild-card position as the trade deadline arrived. Milwaukee trailed the first-place Cincinnati Reds by 1 1/2 games in the NL Central and Arizona was 3 1/2 back of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.The 33-year-old Chafin has been a consistent, durable reliever for 10 years in the big leagues. The left-hander has a 2-3 record, 4.19 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 34 1/3 innings t...

Police officer holds innocent family at gunpoint after making typo while running plates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:12:58 GMT

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — A Texas police department is reviewing errors made by officers who pulled over what they wrongly suspected was a stolen car and then held an innocent Black family at gunpoint.The car’s driver, her husband and one of the two children being driven by the Arkansas couple to a youth basketball tournament can all be heard sobbing on body camera video that police in Frisco, Texas, posted online. Frisco is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.“We made a mistake,” Police Chief David Shilson said in a statement. “Our department will not hide from its mistakes. Instead, we will learn from them.”The video shows an officer pointing his handgun toward the Dodge Charger as he orders the car’s driver to get out and walk backward toward officers with her hands raised. Also in the car were the woman’s husband, their son and a nephew. Police order one of the children to step out and lift his shirt. The driver’s husband and the other child are told to ...