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Shadowy brokers walk off with billions in Venezuelan oil

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — One startup lists as its address a small home in a working-class district in Venezuela’s capital whose owner has never heard of the firm. Another is a Hong Kong-based shell company created in 2020. Yet another belongs to a Spanish commodities trader indicted in the U.S. for allegedly helping Russian oligarchs launder ill-gotten profits.They are among the dozens of obscure middlemen and go-betweens at the center of a new crackdown in Venezuela on corruption in the state-run oil industry that has government insiders scurrying for cover. At the same time, regular Venezuelans are asking how more than $20 billion in proceeds from oil shipments seemingly vanished.The purge began this month when authorities arrested 21 people, including business executives, senior officials and a lawmaker, as part of an investigation into missing payments for oil shipments. In a sign of the government’s desire to promote its anti-corruption crusade, state media this week wer...

Trump indictment throws 2024 race into uncharted territory

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The historic indictment of former President Donald Trump thrust the 2024 presidential election into uncharted territory, raising the remarkable prospect that the leading contender for the Republican nomination will seek the White House while also facing trial for criminal charges in New York.In an acknowledgment of the sway the former president holds with the voters who will decide the GOP contest next year, those eyeing a primary challenge to Trump were quick to criticize the indictment. Without naming Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the move “un-American.” Former Vice President Mike Pence, whose life was threatened after Trump incited an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, told CNN the charges were “outrageous.”That posture speaks to the short-term incentives for Republicans to avoid anything that might antagonize Trump’s loyal base. But the indictment raises profound questions for the GOP’s future, particularly as Trump faces the possibility of a...

Big weather change loom for Chicago as a powerful spring storm takes aim on the Midwest with the potential for a significant outbreak of severe weather late Friday into Friday night

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

BIG WEATHER CHANGE LOOM FOR CHICAGO AS A POWERFUL SPRING STORM TAKES AIM ON THE MIDWEST WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER LATE FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT----THEN A CLASSIC, NON-STORM HIGH WIND RISK BEGINNING IN SATURDAY'S PRE-DAWN HOURS AND CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY. 50+ MPH WIND GUSTS THREATEN AT THAT TIMEA northbound warm front sweeps across the Chicago area overnight Thursday nightStrengthening south/southwest winds send a flood of milder tropical air into the area and begins a surge in dew points which by late Friday going into Friday night will introduce the most humid air to the city (low 60° dew points) in more than 5 months—since October 11.Low 60-degree dew points bring with them a 'WARMER FEEL" to the air.  Combined with the mid to upper 60° temps predicted Friday, it means Chicagoans are in for the WARMEST FEELING AIR of 2023.But the POWERFUL SPRING STORM responsible for the south winds and warming brings with it growing prospects for clust...

Pelicans snap Nuggets’ four-game win streak, as Nikola Jokic sits due to calf injury

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

Watching the Nuggets without Nikola Jokic is like taking down a bowl of cereal without milk.There’s nothing appetizing about it.Without their franchise cornerstone, the Nuggets sputtered to the visiting Pelicans, snapping their four-game winning streak with a 107-88 loss. Their offense was uncharacteristically ugly, with awful 3-point shooting, mounting turnovers in the fourth quarter and a cold streak from the free throw line.Asked where he felt the game went wrong, Nuggets coach Michael Malone was blunt.“Well, Nikola didn’t play,” he said, before crediting his team for competing without their generational talent.Jokic watched helplessly from the sidelines, as he sat with a calf injury. A win would’ve made sitting Jokic for Friday’s back-to-back at Phoenix more palatable, but Thursday’s loss could change the equation, slightly. The Nuggets fell to 51-25 overall and 32-7 at home. Their lead over the No 2. Grizzlies shrunk to three games with six games left.Jamal Murray motored...

C.J. Cron’s big opening night leads Rockies to 7-2 rout of Padres

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Opening night was a smash hit for the Rockies’ C.J. Cron, who launched two homers, went 4-for-5, racked up 11 total bases and drove in five runs in a historic starring role.Charlie Blackmon, German Marquez and Elehuris Montero co-starred in Colorado’s 7-2 victory over the Padres on a chilly Friday at jam-packed Petco Park. The Rockies banged out 17 hits, more than any road game all of last season.They also struck out 17 times. Go figure.The big-money Padres are considered World Series contenders, and a fired-up crowd of 45,103 cheered on their heroes until the Rockies scored six unanswered runs to put the game away. Those cheers turned to jeers in the seventh when Cron and Montero hit back-to-back homers off Domino Tapia.Cron’s three-run homer off Nabil Crismatt in the fifth turned San Diego’s 2-1 lead into a 4-2 Rockies lead. Cron, who also had an RBI single off lefty Blake Snell in the first inning, tied Blake Street Bomber Vinny Castilla ...

How 'swatting' calls spread as schools face real threats

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

A spate of threats and false reports of shooters have been pouring into schools and colleges across the country for months, raising concerns among law enforcement and elected leaders. Schools in Pennsylvania and Utah were the latest targeted by so-called swatting. Computer-generated calls on Wednesday made claims about active shooters, but it was all a hoax. One day earlier, nearly 30 Massachusetts schools received fake threats. School officials are already on edge amid a backdrop of deadly school shootings, the latest Monday at a Christian school in Nashville.Here is a look at the issues involved:WHAT IS SWATTING?Hundreds of cases of swatting occur annually, with some using caller ID spoofing to disguise their number. The goal is to get authorities, particularly a SWAT team, to respond to an address.An FBI official said in November that they believe the wave of false threats focused on schools may be coming from outside of the country.Officials said at the time that they had identi...

San Jose Sharks’ rookie defenseman enjoys fast start to NHL career

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

SAN JOSE – It didn’t take long for San Jose Sharks rookie defenseman Henry Thrun to make an impact in his first NHL game.Thrun assisted on first-period goals by Mario Ferraro and Oskar Lindblom as the Sharks took a two-goal lead over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday at SAP Center.On Ferraro’s goal at the 4:16 mark of the first, Logan Couture won a draw inside the Golden Knights zone, and Thomas Bordeleau tapped the puck back to Thrun. The defenseman then slid it over to Mario Ferraro inside the blue line, and Ferraro’s shot went off a body in front and got past Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit for a 1-0 Sharks lead.Just over 10 minutes later, Thrun found Lindblom with a crisp diagonal pass in the neutral zone. Lindblom then carried the puck into the Vegas zone, then worked a give-and-go with Ferraro for a tap-in goal and a 2-0 Sharks lead.In a way, Thrun, 22, has had a faster start to his NHL career than last season’s Norris Trophy winner, Cale Makar, who made his NHL d...

Controversy over Alameda County DA's new policies

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) -- A new report was released Thursday -- highlighting the accomplishments made over the first 75 days of Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. A press conference was also held to push back against some of the controversies surrounding the new DA.Price's transition team held a press conference to present a 75-day report of what they say are unprecedented reforms by the county's first Black district attorney. VIDEO: Yelp review of Millbrae boba tea shop proves to be fake after customer caught sabotaging drink Highlights of the first 75-days in office include:The first-ever comprehensive survey of the office’s victim-witness advocates to assess their needs and concerns about the services. Trauma-informed support training and information about restorative justice strategies for the entire victim-witness advocate workforce Creating an automated system to enable law enforcement, child protective services, and the district attorney’s office to share...

North Texas secures 1st NIT championship in C-USA showdown

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kai Huntsberry scored 14 of his 21 points in the first half, Tylor Perry scored 14 of his 20 after halftime and North Texas beat fellow Conference USA foe UAB 68-61 on Thursday night to claim the program’s first NIT championship.It was the fourth NIT championship game to feature conference opponents — and the first in 20 years. Conference USA is now 18-2 in the NCAA postseason — with Charlotte winning the College Basketball Invitational title and FAU advancing to the Final Four.Perry, the conference player of the year and NIT MVP, made a steal and a 3-pointer on a fast break to give North Texas the lead for good at 55-53 with 6:22 remaining. Aaron Scott extended it to 61-55 after making a high-arching layup and a jumper.UAB guard Jordan Walker was fouled on a 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining and he made two free throws to get within 63-59. North Texas had two shots on its next possession after an offensive rebound and Perry sank a jumper.After UAB made two more f...

Blues win 5-3 to hand Blackhawks 7th straight defeat

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:00:05 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Logan Brown and Alexey Toropchenko scored 38 seconds apart in the second period, and the St. Louis Blues beat the skidding Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Thursday night.Jakub Vrana, Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad also scored for St. Louis. Justin Faulk had two assists.The Blues, still clinging to faint playoff hopes, have won two straight and three of four.“We’re scoring goals, and we’ve got a lot of guys playing pretty good offense right now,” coach Craig Berube said. “That’s the bottom line. Our penalty kill hasn’t been great. Our power play hasn’t been great lately. We’re still finding ways to score goals and win games.”It was the seventh consecutive loss for the Blackhawks, who dropped into a tie with Columbus for last place in the overall NHL standings with 54 points each.Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Johnson and Boris Katchouk scored for Chicago.Kyrou took Sammy Blais’ pass from left wing and beat Chicago goaltender Petr Mrazek from the slot for his 34th goal of the seaso...