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Argentina devalues its currency and cuts subsidies as part of shock economic measures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina on Tuesday announced a sharp devaluation of its currency and cuts to energy and transportation subsidies as part of shock adjustments new President Javier Milei says are needed to deal with an economic “emergency.”Economy Minister Luis Caputo said in a televised message the Argentine peso will be devalued by 50% to 800 to the U.S. dollar from 400 pesos to the dollar. “For a few months, we’re going to be worse than before,” Milei said, two days after the libertarian was sworn in as president of the second largest economy in South America and immediately warned of tough measures.Milei said the country didn’t have time to consider other alternatives. Argentina is suffering 143% annual inflation, its currency has plunged and four in 10 Argentines are impoverished. The nation has also a yawning fiscal deficit, a trade deficit of $43 billion, plus a daunting $45 billion debt to the International Monetary Fund, with $10.6 billion due to ...

An abortion ban enacted in 1864 is under review in the Arizona Supreme Court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

The Arizona Supreme Court grilled lawyers Tuesday over whether a pre-statehood ban on nearly all abortions has been limited or made moot by other statutes enacted over the past 50 years.The state’s high court is reviewing a lower-court decision that said doctors couldn’t be charged for performing the procedure in the first 15 weeks of pregnancy because other Arizona laws over the years have allowed them to provide abortions. The 1864 law, which remains on the books, imposes a near total ban on abortions, providing no exceptions for rape or incest but allowing them if a mother’s life is in danger.Nearly a year ago, the Arizona Court of Appeals concluded that doctors can’t be prosecuted for performing abortions in the first 15 weeks. But it said people who aren’t doctors would still be subject to prosecution under the old law. Attorneys representing Dr. Eric Hazelrigg, the medical director of anti-abortion counseling centers in metro Phoenix who appealed the decision, had ...

US wildlife managers capture wandering Mexican wolf, attempt dating game ahead of breeding season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A match made in the wilds of New Mexico? An endangered Mexican wolf captured last weekend after wandering hundreds of miles from Arizona to New Mexico is now being readied for a dating game of sorts as part of federal reintroduction efforts.But only time will tell whether the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can succeed in finding a suitable mate for the female wolf numbered F2754. The newly captured wolf will be offered a choice among two brothers that are also housed at the federal government’s wolf management facility in central New Mexico.“We wanted to bring her in earlier so that she has a longer chance to bond with a mate and then hopefully successfully breed,” said agency spokeswoman Aislinn Maestas. “We’re going to be observing her and waiting to see. Hopefully, she does show interest in one or the other.”It could be late February or early March before biologists know if their efforts are successful. It has been 25 years since Mexican gray wolves...

Georgia and Alabama propose a deal to settle their water war over the Chattahoochee River

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia and Alabama are proposing a settlement to a long-running dispute over water flows in the Chattahoochee River, although the deal won’t address objections from groups in Florida over how much water ultimately flows into the environmentally sensitive Apalachicola River.Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, both Republicans, said Tuesday that they will ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve a plan that would guarantee minimum water flows at Columbus, Georgia and in southeast Alabama. They also want the Corps of Engineers to affirm the current minimum level on Lake Seminole, which releases water from the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers into Florida’s Apalachicola River.The deal could end Alabama’s lawsuit against the Corps of Engineers for changes it made in 2017 in how it operates dams on the Chattahoochee, including at Lake Lanier northeast of Atlanta. That lake and the portion of the Chattahoochee just downstream is the mai...

Calls for NAACP Illinois conference president to resign after racist remarks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. -- On a recent call, the DuPage County NAACP president says he was absolutely stunned when one of his civil rights colleagues called migrants rapists and savages. A county president for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is demanding the resignation of his state conference president on Tuesday.Patrick Watson of the DuPage County says Teresa Haley of the Springfield branch should step down after stunning anti-migrant comments.Watson says he recorded a Zoom call featuring Illinois NACCP branch presidents back in October."Black people have been on the streets forever and ever and nobody cares because they say that we’re drug addicts, we got mental health issues. But these immigrants have come over here, they’ve been raping people, they’ve been breaking into homes, they are like savages, as well."Teresa Haley"Thinking of the rich history of the NAACP as an organization – it’s the oldest civil rights organization in the country and to have ...

Ed Burke Trial: Solis, 'Undercover Alderman,' takes the stand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

CHICAGO — Thirty-seven witnesses have already testified in the trial of former Chicago alderman Ed Burke, but today, all eyes were on one — Danny Solis, aka "The Undercover Alderman."Solis, who secretly gathered evidence on political power brokers while working for the government, entered the Dirksen Federal Building Tuesday with the same title as Burke — a former Chicago alderman. But once he entered the courtroom, he had a new title: star witness in one of the city's most consequential corruption trials.He was considered a "hostile" witness for the defense — since Solis provided key evidence against Burke. He is charged with bribery, but federal officials could drop the charge if he continues to cooperate with the prosecution in the case.A tense exchange between one of Burke's defense attorneys — Chris Gair — and Solis illustrated the atmosphere of the day:Gair: "Your reason to cooperate with the government was to save yourself is that correct?"Solis: "Yes."Gair: "This was not out...

Man fatally struck by car while allegedly fleeing from police on West Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

CHICAGO — Police say a man is dead after he was hit by a car while allegedly attempting to flee from police on the city’s West Side on Tuesday afternoon.According to police, officers were observing a stolen vehicle that was parked outside of a business in the 800 block of South Cicero Avenue around 2:30 p.m. when a 24-year-old man exited the vehicle.Police attempted to perform an investigatory stop, but the man allegedly fled on foot.  Calls for NAACP Illinois conference president to resign after racist remarks Police say the man only made it a short distance before he was struck by an oncoming vehicle. He later died at the hospital. Police say the vehicle that struck the man did not stop.An investigation into the incident is currently underway by the CPD Major Accidents Investigation Unit.SkyCam9 flew over the scene around 4:20 p.m. and police tape could also be seen strung across Arthington as officers walked around the area. Body believed to be missing Carpentersville te...

Rare '82 NCAA Championship ticket stub signed by Jordan goes to auction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

A rare ticket stub signed by Michael Jordan from the 1982 NCAA basketball championship — MJ's first and only NCAA title — is up for auction.The North Carolina Tar Heels faced the Georgetown Hoyas in the 1982 NCAA basketball final in what is widely considered one of the greatest college games of all time.  The Hoyas, led by first team all-American Eric “Sleepy” Floyd and freshman Patrick Ewing, faced off against the Tar Heels, led by future NBA Hall of Famers James Worthy and Jordan. The game was a back and forth affair for all 40 minutes of the match — Georgetown led by one at halftime, 32-31, with teams trading the lead back and forth before a freshman by the name of Michael Jordan hit the go-ahead basket with 17 seconds left to take North Carolina to the title. Chicago Bulls launch Ring of Honor, announce inaugural class A total of 17.52 million TVs tuned in to watch the game, making it the second-largest NCAA game in history behind the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird final i...

Emergency brakes were activated before CTA Yellow Line collision with snow equipment: NTSB report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

CHICAGO — The CTA operator onboard a southbound Yellow Line train that collided with rail equipment near Howard station, leaving dozens of people injured, was made aware of a potential wreck and tried to brake before the crash, according to a new report.The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday released their findings from a preliminary investigation concerning the Nov. 16 crash. On that day, just after 10:30 a.m., near the 7500 block of N. Paulina Street, a CTA Yellow Line train with a lone operator and 30 passengers collided with the rail-mounted snow-removal equipment in the Howard Rail Yard. Here’s a list of new Illinois laws going into effect in 2024 According to the report, the CTA train operator knew that the snow removal machine was operating on the Yellow Line, in part, because of a training exercise. The train operator did not know of the snow removal machine's exact location, however.NTSB investigators found that the train was traveling just under 55 mph ...

Former President Obama surprises South Shore preschoolers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:08 GMT

CHICAGO -- Former President Barack Obama surprised a group of South Shore preschoolers on Tuesday.The former president visited Parkside Community Academy in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood to spread holiday cheer ahead of winter break by reading Santa’s Gotta Go to a classroom of Pre-K students. When is SantaCon coming to Chicagoland? President Obama also gifted a set of toys to the Pre-K class and winter accessories to every student at the school.Watch the video player above for more.