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Donors pledge $7.5 billion for Turkey, Syria after quake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union and international donors on Monday pledged seven billion euros ($7.5 billion) to help Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated parts of the neighboring countries last month.Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU’s executive arm, said 3.3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) of the total amount will be raised by the 27-nation bloc.The magnitude 7.8 earthquake on Feb. 6 killed more than 52,000 people — the vast majority in Turkey. Nearly 300,000 buildings in Turkey either collapsed or were severely damaged, according to the country’s president.“We have shown to the people in Turkey and Syria that we are supporting those in need,” Von der Leyen said, adding that the global pledge included 1.1 billion euros from the EU’s executive arm, and 500 millions from the European Investment Bank, backed by the EU budget.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the conference via videolink and described some of the re...

Dentist searched 'how to make poison' before wife's poisoning death, affidavit claims

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — An Aurora dentist who is accused of poisoning and killing his wife allegedly researched and ordered multiple "undetectable poisons" and Googled "how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human."James Toliver Craig, 45, was arrested on a first-degree murder charge Sunday for the death of his wife Angela Craig. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX31, the Aurora Police Department believes James went to great lengths to kill his wife by allegedly searching for ways to kill someone undetected, ordering multiple different types of poison, pouring them into her protein shakes, and then attempting to begin a new life with another woman. Just how far does a 6-figure salary go in Denver? According to the affidavit, Angela said she was suffering from dizziness, headaches and the feeling of being drugged beginning on March 6 through March 15. Angela became sick multiple times within that week and was admitted to the hospital three separate times. Co-workers...

US, Denver see first yearly drop in home prices since 2012

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado may be one of the most expensive housing markets in the country, but this year it marked its first annual drop in price in a decade. This comes on the heels of a national trend. According to a Redfin report on the national housing market, the median U.S. home sale price fell 1.2% in February to $386,721. The U.S. hasn't seen a year-over-year decline in home prices since 2012.  Want a spacious Colorado home? Dream on High mortgage rates turned the tables on what was one of the hottest housing markets of recent history. Buyers are less willing to pay the asking prices of last year, and sellers are still holding out for those prices. Prices are down even further along the Front Range, one of the nation's most scalding hot housing markets. The Denver metro median sales price was $560,000 in February, down from $575,000 in February 2022. This is a 2.6% drop - twice the national decline in prices from last year. Homes are facing far less competition than they h...

DeSantis needles Trump as he breaks silence on hush money case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

(CNN) — Breaking his silence on Donald Trump’s legal troubles, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday criticized the Manhattan district attorney who is pursuing charges against the former president and vowed his office would not be involved if the matter trickles into Trump’s adopted home state.But DeSantis, a rising rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, stopped well short of offering support for the former president and instead seemed to poke fun at the situation Trump has found himself in as he attempts a political comeback and a third campaign for the White House. A grand jury is in the final stages of determining whether Trump should face charges over an alleged payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels related to a supposed affair.“I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair,” DeSantis said as laughter broke out at a news conference in Panama City, Florida. R...

Street in SW Miami-Dade named in honor of fallen MDPD officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

A sign of respect now stands in honor of a South Florida officer killed in the line of duty. The street where he grew up will now bear his name.The location, 162nd Avenue, near 56th Street, holds big meaning for Cesar Echaverry‘s family. It is where the Miami-Dade Police officer lived his life. “Today’s dedication will never ease the pain of his passing,” said Stephanie Vargas, his fiance. “We’ll remember him every single day, and we’ll do everything we can to honor his memory.”Echaverry was killed in August while chasing an armed robbery suspect. On Monday, 162nd Avenue, by his high school, Ferguson High, and also near the neighborhood where he grew up, was named after him. “The street itself is extremely meaningful as it was the main way to his daily routines; gym, church, my house,” Vargas said. MDPD Director Alfredo Ramirez was also at the street unveiling.“Southwest 167th Avenue is where Echy’s dreams came ...

Idaho OKs veto-proof bill to allow execution by firing squad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A bill that would allow Idaho to execute condemned inmates by firing squad is headed to the governor’s desk after passing the Legislature on Monday with a veto-proof majority.Firing squads will be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections — but one death row inmate has already had his scheduled execution postponed multiple times because of drug scarcity.Idaho previously had a firing squad option on the books but has never used it. The option was removed it from state law in 2009 after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a method of lethal injection that was commonly used at the time.Only Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina currently have laws allowing firing squads if other execution methods are unavailable, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. A judge has put South Carolina’s law on hold until a lawsuit challenging the method is resolved.

Biden issues his first veto on retirement investment resolution

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

 (CNN) — President Joe Biden issued the first veto of his presidency Monday on a resolution to overturn a retirement investment rule that allows managers of retirement funds to consider the impact of climate change and other environmental, social and governance factors when picking investments.Republican lawmakers led the push to pass the resolution through Congress, arguing the rule is “woke” policy that pushes a liberal agenda on Americans and will hurt retirees’ bottom lines, while Democrats say it’s not about ideology and will help investors.The resolution, which would rescind a Department of Labor rule, passed both chambers of Congress with Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana voting with Republicans in the Senate.“I just signed this veto because legislation passed by the Congress would put at risk the retirement savings of individuals across the country. They couldn’t take int...

Six Oath Keepers convicted in connection with January 6 US Capitol riot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

(CNN) — Six people affiliated with the Oath Keepers, a far-right militia, were convicted Monday of various charges related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol insurrection.Four of the defendants were found guilty on all of the charges they faced. Defendants Sandra Parker, Laura Steele, Connie Meggs and William Isaacs were accused of entering the Capitol during the riot and attempting to make their way to the Senate chamber before being deterred by pepper spray and police officers in the building.Two defendants were convicted of a lesser charge of entering and remaining on restricted grounds but acquitted of the most serious charges alleging the group conspired to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory.The jury remains deadlocked on two counts for those two defendants and will continue to deliberate.Prosecutors said those two defendants — Michael Greene, a military veteran accused of being the Oath Keepers “operation leader” on Januar...

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon talk ‘Air’ and working together in their 50s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

(CNN) — Ben Affleck and Matt Damon truly love working together.The Boston-born buddies, who have known each other for over forty years, have a new movie, “Air,” coming to theatres on April 5. It details the origin story of Michael Jordan’s partnership with Nike.Part of the appeal of the project, they said, was the chance to work together again.“That was one of the things that we kind of wanted to do,” Affleck told CBS News, “The idea of, like, why aren’t we hanging out and spending more time together, since we managed to stay friends this whole time?”“Plus, we hit our 50s,” Damon added. “I mean, you can see the end of the tunnel!”The two rose to fame together in “Good Will Hunting,” winning the Oscar for best original screenplay for the film in 1997.The two friends recently launched a production company together, Artists Equity, and continue to enjoy their collaborating.“It...

Next goal for Heat is to get Tyler Herro playing every quarter like it’s the fourth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:08:32 GMT

The mistake, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, was his.Through three quarters of Sunday night’s victory over the Detroit Pistons, Tyler Herro was playing like it was only the first three quarters.“I’m just going to write fourth quarter on every notepad to Tyler in every other quarter, because he has that clutch gene, he really does,” Spoelstra said of his fourth-year guard. “It doesn’t matter what’s happening during the course of the game. He’s a killer down the stretch. He loves those moments. He lives for those moments. He’ll knock some really tough shots down in those moments "Over Sunday’s first three quarters at Little Caesars Arena, Herro was 3 of 12 from the field, including 1 of 7 on 3-pointers, with the Heat outscored by six when he was on the court, down by seven entering the fourth.And then the clutch gene kicked in, with Herro 4 of 5 from the field, including 2 of 2 on 3-pointers, for 12 points in the f...