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Ralph Yarl armed only with ‘Black skin,’ family lawyer says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

By MARGARET STAFFORD and JIM SALTER (Associated Press)KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — As Ralph Yarl struggled to come to grips with being shot after going to the wrong house to pick up his younger brothers, the white Kansas City, Missouri, homeowner who shot the Black teenager turned himself in and was released on bond Tuesday.Andrew Lester, 84, surrendered at the Clay County Detention Center a day after being charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He posted bond Tuesday afternoon. Some civil rights leaders urged a hate crime charge, but Clay County Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said first-degree assault is a higher-level crime with a longer sentence — up to life in prison.Lee Merritt, an attorney for the Yarl family, said the case should qualify as a hate crime.“Ralph Yarl was shot because he was armed with nothing but other than his Black skin,” he said. As Yarl recovered from his wounds, supporters, civil rights leaders and politician...

Cavs even series at 1-1 after embarrassing Knicks, 107-90

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

CLEVELAND — A disastrous quarter for the Knicks ended with an energized crowd chanting together, “New York sucks, New York sucks.”And at that moment, it was impossible to argue. The Knicks stunk.Their first half ended with one cringy possession after another. They were outscored, 15-4, over the final three minutes. They committed nine turnovers just in the second quarter. Josh Hart picked up a technical foul. Darius Garland, a dominant force Tuesday, carved up New York with the precision of a LASIK laser.The deficit hit 20 at the break and the Knicks never recovered in a Game 2 107-90 blowout defeat Tuesday, knotting up a series that shifts to MSG for the next two games.The Cavs vowed to get more physical after getting bullied in Game 1. They followed up. Cleveland punished the Knicks, winning the hustle game while holding Tom Thibodeau’s squad to just 60 points through three quarters. Julius Randle drew blood in the second quarter on his arm. He was thrown h...

Toronto renoviction report says ‘displacement is the primary objective’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

A new report claims to confirm that evictions of tenants for the purpose of renovations — or renoviction — has less to do with refurbishing housing and more to do with hiking rent — something many Toronto tenants have long held as fact.The report by housing advocate Philip Zigman and community legal worker Cole Webber is based on more than 160 buildings in Toronto where tenants have or are currently facing renoviction.Zigman says interviews with tenants and public statements made by landlords make it clear that renovictions are simply a money grab.“The same landlords who are proposing to completely gut and renovate a unit are completely neglecting the property until people move out or doing everything they can to evict tenants with other eviction notices, with other kinds of pressure, harassment, intimidation,” he says.“It’s so obvious that this is not being done out of a sincere interest in improving the living conditions of existing tenant...

Panel: Seattle police should apologize for protest violence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Police Department should “offer a sincere, public apology” for its violent response to people demonstrating after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, a panel of officers, citizens and accountability experts concluded in a report released Tuesday. In its fourth and final review of the Seattle police response to the months of racial justice protests in 2020, the city’s Office of Inspector review panel found officers and commanders repeatedly failed to recognize the difference between the throngs of protesters exercising their First Amendment rights and the few troublemakers, The Seattle Times reported. Police also , according to the report.Panelists — who included community members, police accountability proponents, and police officers and commanders — also acknowledged the “longstanding trauma and fear” many have of law enforcement as a result of racism and discrimination within the department.The police actions that caused the protests, a...

Lightning crush Maple Leafs 7-3 to take Game 1 in Toronto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

Brayden Point had two goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning easily won Game 1 of their best-of-seven series, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-3 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night.Nikita Kucherov had a goal and two assists, while veteran winger Corey Perry netted a goal and two assists of his own, including firing seven shots on net.The Maple Leafs were in a hole early on after Tampa Bay scored three goals in the first period to take a commanding 3-0 lead after 20 minutes. Toronto settled down, scoring back-to-back goals in the second to make things interesting. But the Lightning quickly answered, courtesy of a Point power play marker.Tampa would eventually run away with it, leading to head coach Sheldon Keefe opting to replace starter Ilya Samsonov with backup Joseph Woll to open the third.In his first playoff start with the Leafs, Samsonov gave up six goals on 23 saves. Ryan O’Reilly, William Nylander and Calle Jarnkrok scored for Toronto, while Mitch Marner added three assists...

Trapped by fighting, Sudanese look for ways to survive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — For the last three days, Howeida al-Hassan and her family have been hunkered down in the first floor of her home in the Sudanese capital, sleeping on the floor as sounds of airstrikes and gunfire surround them.This is the life of millions of Sudanese trapped in their homes since violence suddenly erupted over the weekend between forces loyal to the country’s top two generals. Civilian life has come to a standstill as tens of thousands of heavily armed fighters from the military and its rival, the Rapid Support Forces, battle it out in densely populated residential areas.For many, food supplies are already dwindling as going out to restock has become too dangerous. So sharing among neighbors has become essential. On social media, posts are appearing giving information on pharmacies and grocery stores that are still open and able to deliver essential goods to those trapped. Others post phone numbers or addresses for their homes, offering to take in anyone caught out...

Ukrainian woman in Chicago: 'I must go home'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Halyna Didula came to Chicago from Ukraine several months after Russia invaded her country. She is a Fulbright Scholar studying social work. But the war back home is never far from her mind.“I live in two realities,”Didula said.  The differences became even more strikingly – and sadly – clear last month when she went home to attend her sister’s wedding. Dimitriy, Didula's sister's fiancé Dimitriy Pashchuk, was on the frontlines but expected to be able to return to western Ukraine for the ceremony and celebration. Instead, as family and friends arrived in anticipation of the ceremony word came that Pashchuk had been killed in combat.  More Coverage: WGN Investigates It’s a war that a medical condition would’ve allowed him to sit out.  “He said ‘I should go. I cannot live here while my friends or other men are out on the front line defending their families,'” Didula said. “(He said. 'I have my fiancée. I have you and my sister and my mother and my fath...

Chicago hospital training ground for military medics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Where do military medics learn to treat combat injuries? For some, right here in Chicago.Gun shot and stab wounds account for 25% to 30%  of the cases at Cook County Health’s Stroger Hospital making it one of the busiest trauma centers in the country.Dr John Ruggero is a surgeon with Cook County Health surgeon.“There is quite a bit of similarities between gun violence that we see in the city of Chicago and wounds that we see in war,” he said. “What separates us apart from the rest of the country is our high volume of penetrating trauma.”Ruggero, a Navy commander himself, helps lead the group as they navigate what are considered combat-like scenarios nowhere near an actual battlefield.“There’s a lot of pressure a lot of times its life and death and you have to make split-second decisions,” he said. Chicago doctor develops app to help assess possible child abuse Seven Naval medical providers have been embedded at Stroger since October 2022. They’ll deploy as a unit la...

Balloon Release held in memory of girl, 14, shot and killed on West Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Family and friends gathered in Austin to remember 14-year-old Charity Johnson Tuesday, honoring her memory with a balloon release."That was my best friend and I don't know how I'm going to live," said Charity's mother at the event.The event was a gathering filled with pain and tears as the community hopes the person responsible for her death comes forward."You took something from me, you took my seed," said Felisa Johnson, Charity's grandmother. "I thank God for the 14 years that I had with her." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 14-year-old girl shot, 50-year-old woman stabbed following dispute on West Side: police Police said Charity was shot and a 50-year-old woman was stabbed following what they described as an argument in the 0-100 block of North Lorel Avenue last Monday, April 10.After spending a week in the hospital in critical condition, Charity succumbed to her injuries yesterday.Police have no one in custody as Area Four detectives continue to investigate.If you or someone yo...

Phils' Marsh breaks up combined no-hit bid by White Sox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:57 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Lucas Giolito and four relievers combined on a one-hitter, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 on Tuesday night to split a doubleheader.Brandon Marsh had Philadelphia's only hit, an opposite-field double to left on reliever Aaron Bummer's first pitch of the eighth inning.Giolito was pulled after throwing 102 pitches in six innings. He struck out seven, walked one and hit a batter. Kendall Graveman retired the side on eight pitches in the seventh, Bummer got two outs in the eighth and Reynaldo Lopez set down the last four batters, striking out three, to earn his third save.Jake Burger hit his fourth homer in five games, a three-run shot to left field in the first inning off left-hander Bailey Falter (1-2).In the first game, Philadelphia's Josh Harrison homered among his three hits and drove in four runs, and four relievers combined for four perfect innings as the Phillies won 7-4.Relievers Gregory Soto, Craig Kimbrel, Seranthony Dominguez and J...