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The pope’s absolute power, and the problems it can cause, are on display in 2 Vatican trials

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Two Vatican trials are coming to a head this week and posing uncomfortable questions for the Holy See, given they both underscore Pope Francis’ power as an absolute monarch and the legal, financial and reputational problems that can arise when he wields it.On Wednesday, the Vatican’s former in-house auditor was in court for a hearing in his 9.3 million euro wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the Holy See. Libero Milone says Vatican police forced his resignation in 2017 under the threat of arrest, after he was told Francis had “lost faith” in him over his zealous attempts to audit Vatican monsignors.The Vatican secretariat of state has objected to being named as a defendant in the suit, arguing it had nothing to do with Milone’s hiring or resignation and that the city state’s tribunal had no place getting involved.The rationale: The pope hired Milone and then wanted him out, and the court has no right to judge his decisions.On Thursday, the Vatican’s long-ru...

After rainy season that wasn’t, parched Mexico City starts restricting water

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — On a bank of Villa Victoria reservoir, where in other years boats might have used them to anchor, 10 concrete blocks lie exposed to the sun. They should be under water, but that was before severe drought dropped the reservoir to the lowest level that Gabriel Bejarano has seen since he moved back to his grandfather’s farm a decade ago.“The water is supposed to come up to here,” Bejarano, a veterinarian, said as he pointed toward a fence a hundred yards back from the reservoir’s edge on a recent morning.The dipping level on the north shore of this lake near Toluca is a major problem for Mexico City, about 77 miles (125 kilometers) to the west. Villa Victoria — about one-third its usual level this time of year — and two other drought-depleted reservoirs make up most of the Cutzamala system, which serves more than 20 million people and is at a historical low for this time of year.Even more worrisome: Mexico’s rainy season is just about over, and its ...

Racial gaps in math have grown. A school tried closing theirs by teaching all kids the same classes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

Hope Reed was seeing stark disparities a decade ago at her high school in the suburbs of Columbia, South Carolina.Nearly half the school’s students were white, but the freshman remedial math classes were made up of almost all students of color. Reed, then chair of the math department at Blythewood High School, intervened with an experiment. She taught a ninth-grade remedial class and used the regular Algebra 1 curriculum with nearly 50 students. They were honors students, and they were going to do honors work, she recalled telling them. At the end of the year, about 90% of the students passed. The experiment convinced Reed that detracking — or getting rid of classes that separate students by achievement level — could be a key to narrowing gaps in math performance. The school then tried going a step further, enrolling all ninth-graders in the same level of math class. ___The Education Reporting Collaborative, a coalition of eight newsrooms, is documenting the math crisis facing...

Havana’s once stately homes crumble as their residents live in fear of an imminent collapse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

HAVANA (AP) — The house on Villegas Street, in the heart of Old Havana, looks nothing like the stately two-story home it used to be a century ago, with its high ceilings, wrought iron railings, semicircular arches and stairs covered in white marble. Its former elegance is such that local lore says it used to belong to a marquise.Today, everything inside the six-family unit is chaos.The roots of a tree protrude through the wall of a makeshift toilet where birds have made their nests. The roofs of the first and second floors are propped up. There is rubble and fresh sand scattered everywhere. The walls seem to tilt and the façade has completely disappeared, exposing a patio where one can see freshly washed clothes hanging.The structure is one of many once luxurious houses in the island nation that in recent years have partially collapsed — or suffer visible damage. Barely 100 meters (yards) away, also on Villegas Street, a similar building fell in earlier this month, causing three dea...

Burt Young, Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie in ‘Rocky’ films, dies at 83

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Burt Young, the Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie, the rough-hewn, mumbling-and-grumbling best friend, corner-man and brother-in-law to Sylvester Stallone in the “Rocky” franchise, has died. Young died Oct. 8 in Los Angeles, his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, told the New York Times on Wednesday. No cause was given. He was 83. Young had roles in acclaimed films and television shows including “Chinatown,” “Once Upon a Time in America” and “The Sopranos.” But he was always best known for playing Paulie Pennino in six “Rocky” movies. The short, paunchy, balding Young was the sort of actor who always seemed to play middle-aged no matter his age. When Paulie first appears in 1976’s “Rocky,” he’s an angry, foul-mouthed meat packer who is abusive to his sister Adrian (Talia Shire), with whom he shares a small apartment in Philadelphia. He berates the shy, meek Adrian for refusing at first to go on a Thanksgiving-night date with his buddy and co...

Male pedestrian seriously injured in Scarborough hit-and-run

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

A male pedestrian was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after they were struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run late on Wednesday. Officers arrived at the scene around 11:15 p.m. in the Midland Avenue and Kingston Road area for reports of a multi-vehicle crash.Police confirmed a two-vehicle crash had occurred and that one of the cars struck a pedestrian. That male victim was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. The driver that hit the man fled in their vehicle. Officers then located that vehicle nearby, and the driver reportedly fled on foot. The driver of the second vehicle involved in the crash remained at the scene and is cooperating with the police.Toronto Fire officials are in the area assisting with the investigation. Police noted that westbound Kingston Road at Midland Avenue is blocked, and delays are expected.COLLISION:Midland Ave & Kingston Rd11:16 pm– police o/s– 2 vehicle collision– one of the vehicles struck a pedestrian–...

Riverside County Sheriff's deputy shot in Thousand Palms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

A Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy was wounded Wednesday in a shooting in Thousand Palms.Little is known about the incident, but Sheriff's Department officials confirmed that deputy was shot and was being transported to the hospital and the suspect was in custody.The extent of the deputy's injuries are unknown, but an update by the sheriff's department at 9:30 p.m. said the deputy was currently undergoing surgery. The Sheriff's Department did not provide many details, but urged the public to avoid the area of Ramon Road and Robert Road.More information was expected to be released by the Sheriff's Department's on its social media pages.

Warriors: Steph Curry hits game-winning 3 in preseason win over Kings

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors were down by as many as 18 points in the third quarter. But Steph Curry hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the game winner with game-winner with the Warriors down two with 11 seconds remaining in the game to give Golden State a 116-115 win on Wednesday night at Chase Center.The Warriors move to 4-0 in the preseason.Much has been made of whether Chris Paul will start or sit when the season begins and Draymond Green returns from injury. Paul started off the bench for the first time, but his closing minutes with the starting unit helped fuel the furious fourth-quarter comeback.With Paul feeding him, Curry began his big fourth scoring 13-points to Warriors within one point with 18 seconds remaining in the game. Dario Saric was fouled, but missed both of his free throws. Kevin Huerter made two free throws to give the Kings a two point lead, but Curry recovered a loose ball just inbounds to give the Warriors the ball back and set up his...

Two USPS workers assaulted and robbed in SF's Mission District

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Two United States Postal Services workers were assaulted and robbed within days of each other in San Francisco's Mission District, USPS confirmed to KRON4. The first robbery happened Saturday at about 5:15 p.m. in the area of 17th Street and Guerrero Street. The mail carrier was shoved and postal keys were stolen, but the victim was not seriously injured, USPS said. Human remains found in Sebastopol believed to be missing man, murder suspect arrested The other robbery occurred Tuesday near 26th Street and San Jose Avenue. An assault and attempted robbery were reported, but the victim was again not injured seriously, per USPS. The robberies of postal carriers have become a theme in the Bay Area. USPS said three more employees were robbed in San Francisco last week. “The mail thieves are going to come back to the places that they have been successful before. By keeping that mail out of the mailbox it will keep it out of the hands of mail thieves and it will ...

Major injuries reported after police chase leads to head-on collision on Hwy 24

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:47 GMT

(KRON) -- Injuries were reported after a police chase on Highway 24 in the East Bay Wednesday night, according to California Highway Patrol. The car that authorities were chasing crashed head-on into another vehicle after it was traveling westbound on the eastbound lanes.There are major injuries reported, CHP said. However, it is unknown at this time how many people were hurt.The Contra Costa Sheriff's Office is handling this investigation. No other details were immediately available. One eastbound lane was blocked after the crash, but all lanes have since reopened. This story will be updated. Stick with KRON4 for updates.