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Judge says ex-UCLA gynecologist can be retried on charges of sexually abusing female patients

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A former gynecologist at the University of California, Los Angeles who was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing student patients can be retried on charges involving additional women, a judge ruled Friday.A Superior Court judge granted a prosecution request to retry Dr. James Heaps on nine charges after a jury deadlocked on the counts last fall. No date for Heaps’ retrial was set. Heaps, 67, was sentenced in April to an 11-year prison sentence. He was convicted last October of five counts of sexually abusing two female patients. Los Angeles jurors found him not guilty on seven other counts and deadlocked on remaining charges involving four women.Heaps, a longtime UCLA campus gynecologist, was accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of patients during his 35-year career. Amid a wave of sexual misconduct scandals coming to light that implicate campus doctors, he was arrested in 2019. UCLA later agreed to pay nearly $700 million in lawsuit settlements to hun...

UN official says the average Gazan is living on two pieces of bread a day, and people need water

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The average Gazan is living on two pieces of Arabic bread made from flour the U.N. had stockpiled in the region, yet the main refrain now being heard in the street is “Water, water,” the Gaza director for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Friday. Thomas White, who said he traveled “the length and breadth of Gaza in the last few weeks,” described the place as a “scene of death and destruction.” No place is safe now, he said, and people fear for their lives, their future and their ability to feed their families.The Palestinian refugee agency, known as UNRWA, is supporting about 89 bakeries across Gaza, aiming to get bread to 1.7 million people, White told diplomats from the U.N.’s 193 member nations in a video briefing from Gaza. But, he said, “now people are beyond looking for bread. It’s looking for water.”U.N. deputy Mideast coordinator Lynn Hastings, who is also the humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said only one of t...

Michigan says Connor Stalions, football staffer at center of sign-stealing investigation, resigns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan football staffer who is at the center of an NCAA investigation into impermissible scouting of opponents and sign stealing, has resigned, the school said Friday.Michigan athletics spokesman Kurt Svoboda told The Associated Press that Stalions resigned his position, effective Friday afternoon. The school had no further comment.A person with knowledge of the situation initially told AP that Stalions, who was suspended with pay two weeks ago, had been fired, but not long after the school announced he had resigned.The person also said Stalions failed to show up for a scheduled hearing Friday and informed the school through his attorney he would not participate in any internal or external investigations.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Michigan was not discussing its internal personnel moves publicly.The NCAA is investigating Michigan for sending people to opponents’ games to record video that would be used to decode their in-game ...

Toddler critically injured in accidental shooting after suspect discards gun on day care playground

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A toddler in Las Vegas was hospitalized in critical condition after finding a gun on a day care playground that had been discarded by a teenager who was fleeing after opening fire on a city bus, authorities announced Friday.Deputy Police Chief Reggie Rader said the toddler, who is under the age of 5, “found the firearm, picked it up, and the firearm discharged.”Rader said the toddler was in stable but critical condition as of Friday afternoon.Police officers found the suspect in the area of the day care in northeastern Las Vegas and took him into custody. Rader did not identify the suspect, who he said is younger than 18.Emailed requests for comment weren’t immediately returned by the corporate office for the only day care center located on the street where police said the shooting happened. A woman who answered the phone at the day care told The Associated Press that she couldn’t talk about the shooting.Rader said it wasn’t immediately clear what ...

'We want to do this right': CPD opens new training facility to local media, showcase mock training

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

CHICAGO — With the Chicago Police Department still lagging far behind on consent decree reforms, police officials defended the department's pace Friday, calling it a long and hard journey.CPD also brought in local media to tour their new public safety training facility Friday, where they showcased a mock training scenario in action — officers responding to a person in crisis and finding a peaceful solution."What we don't want is for our officers to rush in, feel like they have to make an immediate decision, and act," said CPD Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform Angel Novalez. "What we're doing, right, is avoiding and mitigating the opportunities of escalation."By the end of the year, police officials said CPD's more than 10,000 officers will have completed 40 hours of training, which includes the Integrating Communications Assessment and Tactics (ICAT) training that started back in April and focused on case studies, repetitive training drills and scenarios.Officers are also ...

Cody Bellinger declines player option, becomes free agent

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs center fielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger has declined his player option with the club and opted for free agency, according to the team Friday.The move is one many expected and comes hours after the Cubs congratulated Bellinger for winning National League (NL) Comeback Player of the Year.Bellinger had a bounce back 2023 campaign with the North Siders. In 130 games, Bellinger slashed .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs and 97 RBI's while posting an .881 OPS, his highest single-season OPS since winning the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. White Sox decline team option on Liam Hendriks’ contract Nov. 6 marks the official beginning of MLB free agency, when the five-day exclusive negotiating window with players' 2023 teams ends, and players are free to negotiate with teams as they please.

Chicagoland veterans take part in Habitat for Humanity build

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

CHICAGO — As colder weather sets in across Chicago, the Habitat for Humanity build in West Pullman enters a new phase. "Today, honestly, I'm really excited," Jose Morales, a Retired U.S. Army Sergeant said. "I woke up super early, I was extremely excited."As a habitat employee, Morales is in charge of mustering the volunteers and training them in construction, and even in a November chill, this day warms his heart. "I actually feel so at home today, just being around all of these veterans and talking to everyone," Morales said.  Mayor Johnson vows urgency addressing migrant crisis, dodges questions about chaos at City Hall For years he was known as Sergeant Morales, but after leaving the military, he found a new way to serve, like many others taking part in the build. "There’s this thing that’s inside of veterans, that like, you know, a call to serve, and a call to able to provide and give," Morales said. "So for me, that meant joining Habitat, and being a part of t...

Police investigate string of burglaries on West Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

CHICAGO — An investigation is underway after a string of burglaries unfolded in the early morning hours on the city's West Side.Police say officers are investigating two burglaries and two attempted burglaries in West Town and another burglary in Wicker Park.According to police, all five incidents happened within half an hour of each other at around 3:30 a.m. on Friday morning. Mayor Johnson vows urgency addressing migrant crisis, dodges questions about chaos at City Hall Officers say in each instance, the individuals responsible gained entry to the business by smashing in glass, before escaping in a white sedan. Employees of "La Condesa," in the 1000 block of North Ashland Avenue, say their sense of safety has been shattered after the break-in.A surveillance camera captured the moment three people approached the restaurant in a white sedan before one of them kicked through the glass door. The two others then follow him inside, before taking off with the cash register. Police say ...

Pennsylvania nurse accused of giving patients lethal doses of insulin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

(NewsNation) — A Pennsylvania nurse is facing dozens of new charges for allegedly administering lethal doses of insulin to patients in her care. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the new charges against Heather Pressdee who was previously charged for mistreating three patients. The new charges are regarding the alleged mistreatment of 19 patients at five different facilities between 2020 and 2023. The charges include two counts of first-degree murder, 17 counts of attempted murder and 19 counts of neglect of a care-dependent person. The new charges bring the total number of patients Pressdee is accused of harming to 22. Florida school district to launch fentanyl awareness campaign The 17 counts of attempted murder apply to cases where the patient survived or the exact cause of death could not be determined. “The allegations against Ms. Pressdee are disturbing. It is hard to comprehend how a nurse, trusted to care for her patients, could choose to deliberately ...

'I've just been locked in': Justin Fields answers questions on thumb injury recovery after Bears practice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:13 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Justin Fields took questions from the media today for the first time since dislocating his thumb late in the third quarter of the Chicago Bears' 19-13 loss against the Minnesota Vikings nearly three weeks ago."I've been mentally preparing like I have been — like I'm going to play," Fields told reporters after practice at Halas Hall. "But we'll just see how it feels on Sunday."Justin Fields is wearing a glove to help w/ grip strength & throwing the ball less than three weeks after dislocating his thumb, which he says is "still in a little bit of pain." Can he return Sunday to face the Saints?More on @WGNNews this evening & @GNSportsTV at 10:30 #Bears pic.twitter.com/tSngphKLOl— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) November 3, 2023Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has been particularly mum when asked by media members about the progress of Fields' injury, opting not to elaborate on the recovery process and answering questions by often saying, "we like w...