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Ecuadorians choosing a new president amid increasing violence that may scare away voters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador is holding a special election Sunday to pick a new president, with police and soldiers on guard against unprecedented violence, including the assassination of a candidate this month. Front-runners include an ally of exiled former President Rafael Correa and a millionaire with a security background promising to be tough on crime.Authorities have deployed more than 100,000 police and soldiers to protect the vote against more violence. Some Ecuadorians still said they would not even leave home for the election, even though skipping the trip to the polls could result in a fine.“I don’t think the election will change anything,” said pharmacist Leidy Aguirre, 28, who has gradually stopped going out with friends over the past three years, out of fear of being robbed. “Not even politicians are safe.”Candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated Aug. 9 as he left a campaign rally in Quito, the capital of the once calm South American country. The killing ...

Georgia made it easier for parents to challenge school library books. Almost no one has done so

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

CUMMING, Ga. (AP) — When Allison Strickland urged a suburban Atlanta school board in June to remove four books from school libraries, she was following a path cleared by Georgia’s Republican lawmakers.But after the bitterly debated Georgia law took effect Jan. 1, The Associated Press found few book challengers are using it.One key element restraining complaints: The law only allows parents of current students to challenge books. Although not new, book challenges have surged since 2020, part of a backlash to what kids read and discuss in public schools. Conservatives want to stop children from reading books with themes on sexuality, gender, race and religion that they find objectionable. PEN America, a group promoting freedom of expression, counted 4,000 instances of books banned nationwide from July 2021 to December 2022. But while fights are ongoing in Forsyth County, where Strickland was protesting, at least 15 other large Georgia districts surveyed by AP said they have received n...

Tribal courts across the country are expanding holistic alternatives to the criminal justice system

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

Inside a jail cell at Laguna Pueblo in New Mexico, Albertyn Pino’s only plan was to finish the six-month sentence for public intoxication, along with other charges, and to return to her abusive boyfriend.That’s when she was offered a lifeline: An invitation to the tribe’s Healing to Wellness Court. She would be released early if she agreed to attend alcohol treatment and counseling sessions, secure a bed at a shelter, get a job, undergo drug testing and regularly check in with a judge. Pino, now 53, ultimately completed the requirements and, after about a year and a half, the charges were dropped. She looks back at that time, 15 years ago, and is grateful that people envisioned a better future for her when she struggled to see one for herself.“It helped me start learning more about myself, about what made me tick, because I didn’t know who I was,” said Pino, who is now a case manager and certified peer support worker. “I didn’t know what to do.”The concept of treating pe...

Chad Brown sweeps Alabama, Lake Placid Stakes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Mechanicville-native trainer Chad Brown put his stamp on the final Saturday at Saratoga Race Course before Travers Day, earning victories in both stakes races on the card: the grade one Alabama, and the grade two Lake Placid.The $600,000 Alabama Stakes - the premier race of the Spa season for fillies - featured a 10-horse field, headlined by trainer Brad Cox's Wet Paint, winner of the grade one Coaching Club American Oaks back on July 22.Wet Paint entered the race favorited at 9-5 odds, but found herself trailing the eight-horse, Brown's Randomized, who closed at 7-1, heading around the final turn.The gap between the two, Wet Paint, and the eight would only widen, though, down the home stretch. Randomized opened up three-length lead by the 1/8th pole, and just pulled away from there.The three-year-old finished sixth in the only other grade one start she's ever had - the Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9. But Saturday she ran arguably the race ...

Patriots-Packers preseason game ended early after injury to Isaiah Bolden

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

By The Associated PressGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — New England’s preseason game with the Green Bay Packers was called off early Saturday night after Patriots rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden was carted off the field in the fourth quarter.Bolden, a seventh-round pick from Jackson State, appeared to collide with teammate Calvin Munson while attempting to make a hit on a pass completion to Green Bay’s Malik Heath. As medical officials treated Bolden, both teams left their respective sidelines and got on the field, with some players getting on one knee.After Bolden was carted off the field, the teams conferred and decided not to continue the game. The game stopped with the Patriots leading 21-17 with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter. Both teams are 1-1.Before Bolden’s injury, New England’s Mac Jones made his first appearance of the preseason before Bailey Zappe took over and rallied the Patriots to the lead.CHIEFS 38, CARDINALS 10GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes saw his first extended a...

Broncos Preseason Stock Report: Who’s up, who’s down after 21-20 loss against San Francisco

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The initial stock report of the preseason after the Broncos’ 21-20 loss to San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night.Stock UpJonathon Cooper: It might be time to buy stock in third-year outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper. In his second straight start of the preseason, Cooper was flying into the backfield. During the 49ers’ first drive of the game, Cooper sacked quarterback Brock Purdy for a loss of eight yards. San Francisco had to settle for a 20-yard field goal after casually marching down the field.Cooper made another big play in the second. He burst off the edge as he, outside linebacker Randy Gregory and inside linebacker Josey Jewell stopped quarterback Sam Darnold for a nine-yard loss. Cooper finished the evening with four tackles (one for loss), a sack and a quarterback hit.Pass Rush: Cooper’s was one of a few highlights from a promising pass rush. They generated pressure on San Francisco’s quarterbacks, especially in the first half when they totaled three ...

Broncos’ early work Saturday vs. 49ers features runnin’ Russell Wilson: “I thought he was sharp”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Runnin’ Russell Wilson and the Broncos’ No. 1 offense got off to a much better start in their second preseason game.The Broncos starting quarterback engineered just one drive — a 13-play, 49-yard march that ended in a field goal after getting beset by a pair of penalties — before backup Jarrett Stidham got some run with the top unit Saturday night against San Francisco.“I thought he looked sharp,” coach Sean Payton said of his quarterback.That’s been the going rate the past two weeks for Wilson.“I thought protection, we were better,” Payton said. “I thought Russ did a good job of tucking it a few times. Our time of possession was good, and I thought we ran the ball better than we did a week ago.”Payton could do without wide receiver Courtland Sutton holding on the edge as Wilson scooted for a big gain on a zone-read keeper, or Garett Bolles jumping early late in the play clock, but the Broncos’ top offense looked ...

DMV demands Cruise cut driverless fleet in half following crashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

Cruise, General Motors’ self-driving car unit, has agreed to reduce the number of vehicles in San Francisco by half following two recent crashes — one involving an emergency vehicle.The California Department of Motor Vehicles requested on Saturday that Cruise “immediately reduce its active fleet of operating vehicles”. The demand comes just a week after regulators decided to allow Cruise and Waymo, another autonomous vehicle company, to operate as robotaxis in San Francisco at all hours of the day and night.In a statement, the DMV said they were requesting the reduction remain in place until the Cruise took “appropriate corrective actions to improve road safety.”Cruise, which has said it will comply with the request, will now have no more than 50 driverless vehicles in operation during the day, and 150 at night.The controversy stems most immediately from two crashes involving Cruise autonomous cars in San Francisco on Thursday.At around 10 p.m. Thursday night a Cruise vehicle ...

Titans trample the Vikings in a 24-16 preseason victory with 281 rushing yards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Malik Willis rushed for 91 yards and threw a touchdown pass while playing the entire game for Tennessee, and the Titans dominated at the line of scrimmage in a 24-16 preseason victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday night.Rookie Tyjae Spears had a 33-yard touchdown run, Julius Chestnut rushed for 98 yards and a score and the Titans (1-1) racked up 281 yards on the ground to give resting star Derrick Henry a good show.“Shoutout to the o-line,” Spears said. “They opened it up.”Willis, the 2022 third-round draft pick, has been vying with rookie Will Levis for the backup role to Ryan Tannehill. Levis was injured Thursday in a joint practice with the Vikings, giving Willis an extended look. “He did some good things. Obviously, he put the ball in harm’s way, but I saw him progress through. I saw him make some plays when there was time,” Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said. “I liked his decisiveness and using his athletic ability and committing when he did decide to ...

Ramirez has career-high 4 hits in Rays’ 18-4 rout of Angels to get doubleheader split

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:05:00 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Harold Ramírez had a career-high four hits, Isaac Paredes added three hits, including a three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays routed the Los Angeles Angels 18-4 Saturday night for a doubleheader split. Brandon Drury had three hits, including a solo homer, to help the Angels win the first game 7-6. The split doubleheader was scheduled Friday due to the threat of Hurricane Hilary making landfall in Southern California on Sunday.Ramírez and Parades also drove in four runs apiece in the night game, and all nine hitters in the Rays’ starting lineup had at least one hit in a 20-hit onslaught. It was the 11th time in franchise history Tampa Bay had at least 20 hits and the first since July 12, 2019, against Baltimore.Randy Arozarena had three hits as Tampa Bay’s Nos. 2-4 batters — Ramírez, Parades and Arozarena — combined to go 10 for 18 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Arozarena and Jose Siri both had two-run homers as the Rays took ...