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George Santos ‘presently engaged in plea negotiations,’ US attorney says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) is “presently engaged in plea negotiations,” the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York revealed Monday.The announcement came one day before Santos is scheduled to appear in court on Long Island for a status conference. And it follows days of speculation regarding whether the New York Republican would take a plea deal after he was expelled from Congress in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote.“The parties are presently engaged in plea negotiations with the goal of resolving this matter without the need for a trial. The parties wish to continue those negotiations over the next thirty days and respectfully submit that the ends of justice served by such an excludable delay outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial,” the agenda for Tuesday’s status conference reads.Santos himself hinted at a potential plea deal over the weekend, telling CBS New York’s “The Point” in an interview that a plea deal with federal...

Texas Supreme Court issues ruling in Dallas woman's abortion case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The 31-year-old Dallas woman at the center of a challenge to Texas abortion ban was forced to leave the state for an abortion as she awaited action on her case in the state Supreme Court, the Center for Reproductive Rights said. On Monday evening, the Texas Supreme Court issued an opinion blocking the lower court's ruling the woman could get an abortion in Texas.Last week, a Travis County court ruled Kate Cox could receive an abortion under the medical exceptions in Texas' ban. Cox received a fatal fetal diagnosis at 20 weeks of pregnancy called trisomy 18. The fetus is unable to sustain life, and Cox argued her health and future fertility would be at risk if she gave birth."The exception requires a doctor to decide whether Ms. Cox’s difficulties pose such risks. Dr. [Damla] Karsan asked a court to pre-authorize the abortion yet she could not, or at least did not, attest to the court that Ms. Cox’s condition poses the risks the exception requires," the ruling sta...

Affidavit: 3 arrested in connection with Austin street takeover

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Three people were arrested in connection with a street takeover event that happened in Austin last week, according to an arrest affidavit.Aiden Rojas, 20, Jonas Gonzales, 19, and a 17-year-old were taken into custody and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, which is a class A misdemeanor, court documents said.On Dec. 8, the Austin Police Department was made aware of a group who planned to meet at the Home Depot, located at 3600 North Interstate Highway 35 Service Road southbound, according to the affidavit. Police saw "several hundred cars fill the parking lot, and the participants were asked to leave by management."As the night progressed, court records said the group "relocated to several locations throughout Austin." APD saw videos of those groups blocking off an intersection for "vehicles to do donuts on the public roadway." One person from the group was live on their Instagram and posted multiple confirmed locations before other ve...

No. 5 Texas puts undefeated mark on the line in first true road game vs. Arizona

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The No. 5 Texas Longhorns play their first true road game of the season on Wednesday when they take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson, and head coach Vic Schaefer is excited to see how the team reacts to a less-than-hospitable crowd."I'm excited to take our team on the road, and we'll go into a place with a lot of people and be challenging for us," he said. "This will be good for us. You always find out about your team when you play good teams on the road."MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersArizona is 7-2 with losses to current No. 23 UNLV and Ole Miss, ranked No. 23 at the time the teams played. The Wildcats clobbered UC-San Diego 81-38 on Dec. 7 with five players scoring in double figures. Longhorns guard Shaylee Gonzales is from Gilbert, Arizona, a southeast suburb of Phoenix about a 2-hour drive to the McKale Center, and Schaefer said it'll be nice for...

Dane Mizutani: Josh Metellus is the queen on the chessboard for Vikings’ defense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

Josh Metellus got his flowers on Sunday afternoon with the Vikings locked in a stalemate with the Las Vegas Raiders. It came in the form of a graphic that popped up during the television broadcast detailing all the positions Metellus has played for the Vikings this season amid a breakout campaign.The list was so long it almost didn’t fit on the screen.As the most versatile player on the defense, Metellus has proven he doesn’t have a true position, playing strong safety, free safety, slot cornerback, outside cornerback, inside linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle. Sometimes all in the same game. He joked that he should be listed simply as “athlete” on the gameday roster for the VikingsTo say that Metellus has carved out a niche for himself under defensive coordinator Brian Flores would be putting it lightly. After starting his career as an ace on special teams, Metellus has developed into an irreplaceable player on defense, moving...

Anoka County jail inmate found dead in cell, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

An inmate at the Anoka County jail was found dead in his cell Saturday morning, officials say.A sheriff’s deputy doing rounds at the jail discovered the man unresponsive in his cell about 11:36 a.m., according to a news release issued by the county Monday afternoon.Medical personnel from Allina EMS and private contractor Advanced Correctional Healthcare responded and provided first aid to the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office will lead the investigation into the man’s death, along with the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.“The responsibility to provide care and supervision to all those legally confined to the Anoka County Jail is one I take very seriously,” Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise said in the news release. “In-custody deaths bring profound impacts to many people including the individual’s family, friends, those housed with them, and detention staff. Both the staff of the Anoka County Jail and I continue...

Roseville teen acquitted by reason of mental illness in killing grandmother, beating mother and sister

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

A teen has been acquitted by reason of mental illness in an attack that left his grandmother dead and mother and sister with serious injuries last year in the family’s Roseville home.Ramsey County District Judge JaPaul Harris found 18-year-old Matthew Francis Hill not guilty due to his mental illness, writing in an order last week the “weight of the evidence, closest in time to the offense, suggests (Hill) was suffering from a psychosis or other symptoms that would render him incapable of knowing right from wrong.”In the first phase of the bench trial, Harris found in September that Hill was guilty of beating his 88-year-old grandmother, Patricia Maslow, with a baseball bat and fatally stabbing her, then striking his mother, 56-year-old Mary Hill, and 24-year-old sister, Anna Hill, with the bat.Prosecutors by juvenile petition had charged Hill, who was 17 at the time, with second-degree intentional murder and first- and second-degree assault in the Oct. 25, 2022, attack in the...

Building Bridges Beyond Borders with Ayat Abuznade: Unleashing Compassion on a Global Canvas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

Embarking on the journey of helping those in need unveils a remarkable kaleidoscope of experiences and insights that stretch far beyond the immediate act of assistance. Each encounter with individuals facing adversity serves as a portal to new horizons, broadening one’s understanding of diverse struggles and challenging preconceived notions.It’s a journey that transcends geographical boundaries, offering a firsthand education in resilience, cultural richness, and the unyielding human spirit. As one engages with the foundations of each unique story, a profound realization takes root – that giving is not a unidirectional exchange but a reciprocal process that enriches the giver as much as the receiver. In this exchange of compassion, new horizons emerge, shaping one’s worldview and fostering a more profound, interconnected sense of humanity.One woman found her purpose amid the chaos of the largest refugee settlement in Syria. Ayat Abuznade, an unyielding force of com...

Paula Echeverri: A Neuroscience Expert’s Journey From Silence to Resilience

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

Today’s fast-paced modern lifestyle has come with its own set of challenges. As people are increasingly dependent on technology to make life easier, they are also compromising their health and social lives. This detachment from nature leads to health disorders affecting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Amidst these complexities of life, Paula Echeverri has emerged as a guiding light. She is a best-selling author, hearing loss advocate, and neuroscience expert illuminating the lives of countless individuals.Paula Echeverri‘s journey of triumph over unexpected challenges motivated her to help others struggling in similar situations. Her interest in neuroscience further empowered her mission. Paula’s journey is recorded in the pages of Emerge, a book she authored sharing her experiences through adversities to find resilience.Hailing from the bustling lanes of Silicon Valley, Paula stood at the helm of a new venture when her life took an unexpected turn. The birth of he...

‘Traces’: Dubravka Turić’s Directorial Journey to International Recognition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:33:42 GMT

Dubravka Turić’s evolution from a film editor to an internationally recognized director and screenwriter embodies a journey of talent, dedication, and a distinct narrative style. As an Academy of Dramatic Art graduate from Zagreb University, Croatia, Turić’s early career focused on editing. This skill later formed the bedrock of her unique approach to filmmaking.Turić’s directorial debut, Belladonna, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2015, earning the Golden Lion for Best Short Film. This recognition wasn’t just an award; it marked Turić’s entry into international cinema. Belladonna‘s success at festivals like Sundance and Rotterdam further solidified her position as a filmmaker to watch.Turić’s second short film, Cherries (Trešnje), premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2017. Like Belladonna, it enjoyed a successful festival run, demonstrating Turić’s consistent ability to engage and captivate audiences globa...