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Members of polygamous group to appear in court on child sex abuse charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Members of a small polygamous group accused of child sex abuse of underage girls who the group’s leader claimed as brides are expected to appear in federal court on Friday.Sam Bateman and the three women followers scheduled to appear for their arraignment were arrested last year and charged with kidnapping and impeding a federal investigation. Prosecutors earlier this month expanded the group’s charges. Now 11 members of Bateman’s group face 51 felony counts for transporting children across state lines to facilitate sexual activity, recording it, destroying evidence and witness tampering.The group’s appearance in court is the latest development in a sprawling federal investigation spanning at least five states that became public last fall after authorities raided Bateman’s compound in Colorado City, Arizona. The site was long home to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, known by its acronym FLDS.Colorado City and Hildale — ...

Rights groups slam severe Taliban restrictions on Afghan women as ‘crime against humanity’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Two top rights groups on Friday slammed the severe restrictions imposed on women and girls by the Taliban in Afghanistan as gender-based persecution, which is a crime against humanity.In a new report, Amnesty International and the International Commission for Jurists, or ICJ, underscored how the Taliban crackdown on Afghan women’s rights, coupled with “imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment,” could constitute gender persecution under the International Criminal Court.The report by Amnesty and ICJ, titled, “The Taliban’s war on women: The crime against humanity of gender persecution in Afghanistan,” cited the ICC statute, which lists gender-based persecution as a crime against humanity.The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their withdrawal from the country after two decades of war.Despite initial promises of a more moderate rule, the Taliban started to enforce restrictio...

US, Chinese trade officials express concern about each other’s restrictions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, expressed concern Thursday about policies of each other’s governments following Chinese raids on consulting firms and U.S. curbs on exports of semiconductor technology, their governments said.The two sides announced no progress in disputes over technology and security but said Raimondo and Wang promised to strengthen exchanges on trade issues.Companies from both sides have been buffeted by tighter official controls on trade in semiconductors and other activity on security grounds. Political relations between the two governments are at their lowest level in decades following disputes over technology, security, China’s territorial claims and Beijing’s treatment of Hong Kong and ethnic minorities.Raimondo “raised concerns” about Chinese actions against U.S. companies in China, her office said in a statement. It said they also discussed the trade and investment environment and “areas...

California’s epic melting snowpack means cold, deadly torrents ahead of Memorial Day weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California rivers fed by this winter’s massive Sierra Nevada snowpack have been turned into deadly torrents, drawing warnings from public safety officials ahead of the Memorial Day weekend’s traditional start of outdoor summer recreation.At least seven people, including two children, have died or gone missing this spring in the grasp of powerful rivers plunging down from California’s towering mountain range, and there have been numerous rescues.“This year we’re seeing higher water, faster water and colder water,” said Capt. Justin Sylvia, a fire spokesperson in Sacramento, which is crossed by the American River.Sacramento has already had 20 water rescues this year, nearly as many as all of 2022, Sylvia said Tuesday as crews practiced swift-water rescues on the lower American River near its confluence with the Sacramento River.Memorial Day weekend is typically one of the busiest, if not the busiest, times of the year, and “floating down the...

Residents cautioned not to swim at these L.A. beaches over the holiday weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

For Southern Californians opting to stay at home this Memorial Day weekend, a trip to the beach might be on the agenda, but health officials in Los Angeles are urging residents headed to select beaches to stay out of the water.  The ocean water use warnings were issued after tests concluded that bacterial levels prevalent in the water exceeded health standards, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced Thursday. Officials are encouraging beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing and playing in the ocean water at the following locations: Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach Topanga Canyon Beach in Malibu Latigo Shore Drive in Malibu Escondido Creek at Escondido State Beach Marie Canyon Storm Drain at Puerco Beach Las Flores Creek at Las Flores State Beach Pena Creek at Las Tunas County Beach Santa Monica Canyon Creek at Will Rogers State Beach Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica Pico-Kenter storm drain at Santa...

CCS softball playoffs: Santa Teresa survives TKA rally, advances to Division III final

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

Division IIINo. 3 Santa Teresa 8, No. 7  The King’s Academy 6The softball team may not have endured a 14-inning marathon like the baseball team did the day before, but its game on Thursday still provided plenty of excitement.When Santa Teresa led 7-0 to start the fifth inning, the Saints appeared to have a trip to the Division III title game vs. Everett Alvarez locked up. But the last three innings were anything but comfortable for the San Jose school, the third-seeded Saints escaping a King’s Academy rally that saw the Knights score six runs and come within one hit of taking the lead. The King’s Academy had the bases loaded with two outs in the top of the seventh, but Santa Teresa induced a popup to end the game. Santa Teresa first baseman Kierstin Wick was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, and pitcher Mariah Avalos was 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Left fielder Keira Leong was 2 for 2 with two RBIs. Shortstop Mia Bennette led TKA’s near-comeback, driving in three runs and scoring one too. Freshma...

San Jose Safeway adds security measures to deter crime

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

SAN JOSE, Calif (KRON) – In the South Bay, one Safeway store is stepping up security measures after dealing with shoplifters almost every day. At the Safeway on Almaden Expressway in San Jose, there is just one way to get in and out of the store. Inside, a security gate is in place, and there is a warning of an alarm if the gate is pushed.Over at the registers, there are gates at every checkout line. A longer barrier is also in place to guide customers toward the exit. Jasper Wu murder case: Only 2 defendants will go on trial Long-time shopper Sandra Benavidez noticed the new changes almost two weeks ago."It's definitely an adjustment seeing the new security precautions, but I shop at this store often and I've seen many times people shoplifting here,” she said. Shoppers say it is not only homeless people stealing from the store, “regular, everyday people” do it too. Shoppers have noticed people stuffing underneath their shirts and jackets to take them without paying. In ...

Ducks rally to top Stanford 8-6 in 10, reach Pac-12 semifinals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Sabin Ceballos homered to center field leading off the top of the 10th inning to spark Oregon’s 8-6 comeback win over top-seeded Stanford on Thursday night, wrapping up pool play in the Pac-12 Tournament.Both teams advance to Friday’s semifinals with Oregon playing Washington and Stanford facing Arizona.The Ducks (35-20) scored the last six runs, including one in the eighth and two in the ninth, to top the Cardinal (38-15). After Ceballos’ 14th home run, three-straight two-out walks and a wild pitch gave Oregon an insurance run.Four different relievers limited Stanford to five hits after the Cardinal took a 6-2 lead after two innings.Rikuu Nishida drove in two runs for the Ducks with a single in the fifth that made it 6-3 and a sacrifice fly in the ninth to make it 6-5. After the Nishida sacrifice fly for the second out, Colby Shade tripled into right field and scored on a throwing error by second baseman Drew Bowser.Logan Mercado, the seco...

Unos retretes antiguos desenterrados en Jerusalén revelan una enfermedad debilitante y a veces mortal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

(CNN) — En la Edad de Hierro, los usuarios de dos antiguos retretes de Jerusalén no eran un grupo saludable, según un análisis de muestras de la materia fecal de las letrinas de 2.500 años de antigüedad.Los investigadores hallaron rastros de parásitos causantes de disentería en el material excavado en los pozos negros situados bajo los dos retretes de piedra que habrían pertenecido a hogares de la élite de la ciudad. Por aquel entonces, Jerusalén era un vibrante centro político y religioso del imperio asirio y en ella vivían entre 8.000 y 25.000 personas.Se trata de la primera prueba conocida de una enfermedad llamada Giardia duodenalis, aunque la infección, que causa diarrea, calambres abdominales y pérdida de peso, ya había sido identificada en la Turquía de la época romana y en el Israel medieval.“La disentería se propaga por las heces que contaminan el agua potable o los alimentos, y sospechábamos que podría haber sido un gran problema en las primeras ciudades del an...

Bazzell delivers walk-off single, capping Texas Tech’s rally past Oklahoma

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:47:08 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kevin Bazzell delivered a two-out walk-off single in the ninth inning, lifting Texas Tech to a 10-9 victory over Oklahoma on Thursday night in the Big 12 Tournament.The Red Raiders (38-20) scored three runs in the ninth to defeat the Sooners (31-25) on a night when the TTU pitching staff issued nine walks, threw three wild pitches and hit one batter.Bazzell’s winning hit was set up by consecutive RBI-singles from Tracer Lopez and Nolen Hester. After Hester’s hit, Gage Harrelson kept the inning alive with a single — marking the second time in the game that Lopez, Hester and Harrelson had consecutive hits. Bazzell followed Harrelson with his only hit in five at-bats.Texas Tech advances to a semifinal on Saturday, facing the winner of the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State loser-out game, which is Friday.Texas Tech trailed 9-5 after Oklahoma’s three-run sixth inning in which the Sooners had only one hit.Dylan Maxcey’s two-run home run in the seventh...