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Man convicted of setting up smuggling trip that killed 13 in California gets 15 years in prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for coordinating a smuggling trip in which two dozen migrants were stacked into a Ford Expedition that crashed into a tractor-trailer, killing 13 people outside a California desert town.Jose Cruz Noguez pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges stemming from the March 2, 2021, crash near Holtville, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of San Diego. It was one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants smuggled into the United States. Cruz Noguez also admitted to trying to still get payment for the smuggling trip from the survivors, prosecutors said. Neither Cruz Noguez nor his attorney could be reached for comment.“Cruz Noguez organized one of the most callous and inhumane smuggling attempts that law enforcement has responded to in this district,” U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said. “He and his co-conspirators treated these individuals like a worthless commodity.”Cruz Noguez arranged ...

Arizona Democrats file complaint against No Labels over donor secrecy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Democratic Party is looking to force new political party No Labels to disclose its donors or lose its status as a political party, an escalation of Democrats’ efforts to block a group they worry will boost Donald Trump’s chances of returning to the White House.Arizona Democrats filed a complaint Thursday with Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat who angered some in his party earlier this year when he formally recognized No Labels as a political party in the state. The complaint asks Fontes to suspend the nascent party until it discloses its donors.No Labels says it is seeking ballot access in many states and will run a bipartisan “unity ticket” for president “if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees.” The party has also secured ballot access in Alaska, Colorado and Oregon. Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans worry a No Labels candidate couldn’t win but would tip the scales in favor of Trump or a Trump-like ...

One-third of Americans under heat alerts as blistering temps spread from Southwest to California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — More than a third of Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings Thursday as a blistering heat wave that’s been baking the nation spread further into California, forcing residents to seek out air conditioning or find other ways to stay cool in triple-digit temperatures. The sweltering conditions were expected to build Friday and through the weekend in Central and Southern California, where many residents should prepare for the hottest weather of the year, the National Weather Service warned. Highs in the inland desert areas could reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.8 degrees Celsius) during the day, and remain in the 80s (above 26.6 C) overnight, offering little relief.In the desert city of Palm Springs, many homeless people were left to contend with the heat on their own, with just 20 indoor beds at the lone overnight shelter. John Summers, a homeless resident, climbed through a dry riverbed Thursday to seek shade at an encampme...

The FTC reportedly opens an investigation of ChatGPT creator OpenAI over consumer protection issues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into ChatGPT creator OpenAI and whether the artificial intelligence company violated consumer protection laws by scraping public data and publishing false information through its chatbot, according to reports in the Washington Post and the New York Times.The agency sent OpenAI a 20-page letter requesting detailed information on its AI technology, products, customers, privacy safeguards and data security arrangements, according to the reports. The FTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The FTC’s move represents the most significant regulatory threat so far to the nascent but fast-growing AI industry, although it’s not the only challenge facing these companies. Comedian Sarah Silverman and two other authors have sued both OpenAI and Facebook parent Meta for copyright infringement, claiming that the companies’ AI systems were illegally “trained” by exposing them to datasets containing il...

Lisa Marie Presley’s cause of death revealed by coroner

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

Lisa Marie Presley died from complications from bariatric surgery she had several years ago, authorities said Thursday.The January 12 death at age 54 of the singer, songwriter and heir of Elvis Presley was ruled as being from natural causes due to the effects of a small bowel obstruction.Additional details about what caused Presley’s death were included in an autopsy report released Thursday afternoon by the office of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.The report says the complication that Presley experienced is a common complication from bariatric surgery, which is a weight loss procedure. The Mayo Clinic says it is often done when other weight loss methods haven’t worked or if a person has a serious medical condition.Presley died at a Los Angeles hospital, where she had been rushed by paramedics responding to a 911 call of a woman in cardiac arrest at her home. No indication was made public at the time of what may have caused the medical issue.RELATED: Lis...

CPD: Body found in Chicago River near The Salt Shed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

CHICAGO -- A body was recovered from the Chicago River near The Salt Shed concert venue Thursday evening.According to the Chicago Police Department, officers recovered a male's body from the Chicago River near the 1300 block of North Elston Ave just before 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 13. Suburban woman allegedly offering ‘too good to be true’ vacations, scamming customers out of thousands The male recovered from the Chicago River was pronounced dead at the scene.No further information has been made available at this time.On June 19, 26-year-old Noah Enos has been identified as the body recovered from the water near the 1300 block of North Elston Avenue near the Salt Shed.Stay with WGN as this story develops.

Suburban woman allegedly offering 'too good to be true' vacations, scamming customers out of thousands

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

Complaints about a suburban travel agent who charged for trips that, in some cases, were never booked.More than a dozen families have come forward warning others about deals that they say were too good to be true.Not only did some people not get their trips, but some of their credit cards were used to charge thousands of dollars in other things. Their warning, look out for anything that seems like the deal of a lifetime. For more WGN Investigates content, click here Beautiful images are now overshadowed by several investigations into M&M Events and Promotions. A string of police reports allege that people purchased vacation packages, but didn't get what they paid for.In one report, the person claims that "she also discovered an unauthorized charge of $8,990.57 on her credit card." Another found that their trips were never booked and their hotel rooms were never paid for.The Oak Lawn Police Department are following up on every case and say there is the potential for charges in ...

3 finalists for Chicago police superintendent announced

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

CHICAGO — The three finalists to be the next superintendent of the Chicago Police Department have been announced.They are Shon Barens, Angel Novalez and Larry Snelling. Chicago police: Person trapped under car after being hit by hit-and-run driver dies Barens is the chief of the Madison Wisconsin Police Department. Both Novalez and Snelling are already with CPD.Novalez is the department's chief of constitutional policing and reform and Snelling is the department's chief of counterterrorism.The three finalists were selected and announced Thursday by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability.Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will now have 30 days to select his pick. From there, that person will go before the Police and Fire Committee before going in front of the full city council.In a statement, Johnson called the announcement an important milestone in the search for the city's police superintendent."I want to express my gratitude to all those that applied, and comme...

K.C. Chiefs ‘superfan’ accused of string of bank stick-ups in U.S., including two in Twin Cities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

A diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan known on social media and at games as “ChiefsAholic” is accused of robbing six banks across the central U.S. last year, and trying to rob ones in Apple Valley and Savage on the same day.Federal prosecutors say these surveillance photos show Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, of Overland Park, Kansas, trying to rob Royal Credit Union at 14295 Cedar Ave. in Apple Valley on Nov. 29, 2022. (Courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri)Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, of Overland Park, Kan., was charged with one count each of bank theft and transporting stolen property across state lines in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City in late May. He was arrested last week in Lincoln, Calif.Babudar allegedly traveled throughout the Midwest to perpetrate a string of bank robberies. He robbed three banks in Iowa and one each in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee between March 2, 2022, and his first arrest on De...

Victim hospitalized with serious injuries after Troy shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:07 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A person was hospitalized after a shooting in Troy Thursday evening. The shooting took place just after 6 p.m. in the area of 6th Avenue and Swift Street. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police said there was an argument between groups, which led to the shooting. The victim was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The suspect fled the scene.The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to (518) 270-4421 or can report tips online.