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Madrid’s loose-cannon populist is an asset and a worry for Spain’s conservatives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

MADRID — Isabel Díaz Ayuso is the Spanish political right’s most powerful electoral weapon. But, even as the president of the Madrid region heads toward another election victory, her divisive brand of libertarian populism is causing problems for her conservative Popular Party (PP).As elections are held for 12 regional assemblies and in municipalities across Spain on May 28, polls show that Díaz Ayuso will be reelected by a wide margin. The only uncertainty is whether the PP will increase its share of seats enough to give her a full majority in the Madrid regional assembly, a rare feat in Spain’s fragmented politics.Since taking power in 2019, her popularity and profile have given Díaz Ayuso a national presence that transcends regional politics.“Ayuso is a phenomenon,” said Lluís Orriols, a political scientist at Madrid’s Carlos III University. “Not only is she the president of the Madrid region, but she is also the main point of reference when it comes to confrontation with the cent...

Boston police arrest 2 people after armed robbery in Dorchester

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

A Medford man and a teen from Dorchester were arrested Friday, hours after an early-morning robbery in Dorchester, Boston police announced. Police said two men were robbed near the intersection of Talbot Avenue and Norwell Street around 1:30 a.m. The teen, identified as a 16-year-old juvenile male, showed a gun during the incident, according to police.Police said the teen and the Medford man, identified as Davon Sanon, 23, later used a credit card stolen during the robbery. Sanon and the 16-year-old are expected to face charges including armed robbery and assault by means of a dangerous weapon. 

Terrifying moments as plane door opens midair on Asiana Airlines flight landing in South Korea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — The door of an Asiana Airlines jet opened as it was coming in to land in Daegu, South Korea, on Friday afternoon, leaving wind whipping through the plane’s cabin as terrified passengers gripped their armrests, video of the incident shows.An airline official said a man in his 30s who was sitting at the emergency seat seemed to have opened the door when the aircraft was about 700 feet (213 meters) above the ground and about two to three minutes from landing in the city 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of Seoul.However, company officials told CNN the plane had landed safely.Local police said a man had been arrested. They said he confessed to opening the door, but would not say why he did it.South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement Friday that police and the ministry were investigating an individual over violation of aviation law.Any person who contravenes the Aviation Security Act, which includes passengers operati...

Randy Vasquez holds his own in MLB-debut, but Padres’ second-deck shots doom Yankees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

Randy Vasquez and the Yankees knew that the Padres’ lineup would test the 24-year-old pitcher in his major league debut Friday. But Vasquez nearly passed with flying colors — until Juan Soto got ahold of a cutter in the fifth inning.With a runner on first, Soto drove the pitch 432 feet at 114.1 miles per hour. The second-deck deposit started the scoring in a 5-1 series-opening win for the Padres.Still, Vasquez exited to applause a few batters later, as he threw the ball well before Soto went deep.With just nine starts of Triple-A experience, Vasquez appeared comfortable on the mound at Yankee Stadium, totaling four hits, two earned runs, three walks and six strikeouts over 4.2 innings and 84 pitches. He also hit a batter.It looked as if Vasquez was in for a rough debut when he walked two in the first, but he escaped trouble and settled in for a few innings after that.Vasquez only made one big mistake, but the Padres weren’t done with the second deck. After Soto wen...

Mets Notebook: Mark Vientos ‘probably’ will play the next three days

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

DENVER — Fans have been begging the Mets to play the kids. The Mets are carrying three of their four blue-chip prospects on the Major League roster and Ronny Mauricio is tearing up Triple-A.But Daniel Vogelbach was back in the lineup Friday at the DH spot and Mark Vientos was on the bench for the first game of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. However, the Mets plan to play Vientos in the second two games when they face both a right-hander (Chase Anderson) and a left-hander (Austin Gomber) and Tuesday when the Mets return home to face the Philadelphia Phillies.The Mets chose to start Vogelbach citing past success for the slugger at Coors Field.“It’s a juggle,” said manager Buck Showalter. “We’re trying to do what’s best for our team and at the same time, be fair to everybody. But I plan to play Mark the next, probably, three days. We’ll see how it goes tonight. He’s a good weapon off the bench.”Sho...

Baby tests positive for fentanyl; mother arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

EL CAJON, Calif. -- El Cajon police officers arrested a woman after her seven-week-old baby tested positive for fentanyl, authorities said Friday.When the 34-year-old woman's father went to check on her and her child at Relax Inn & Suites on West Main Street, he found his daughter unconscious on the floor from what appeared to be a drug overdose, El Cajon police said in a news release. The baby was on the bed beside her.A motel employee provided the man with Narcan, a medication used to treat narcotic overdose, so that he could give it to his daughter. Woman dead after cement bags fall from overturned truck on I-805 Heartland Fire and Rescue and police were called to the scene. Paramedics took the baby to Rady Children's Hospital, where the child tested positive for fentanyl. The baby was taken into protective custody.Police arrested the mother, Brianna Millar, on suspicion of child endangerment.The woman's room was paid for by Equus, through a County of San Diego-funded emerg...

Newsom, Pelosi and candidates vying to replace Feinstein to appear at state party convention

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

(KTXL) — It's going to be a big weekend for California Democrats. Party leaders, candidates, and elected officials from across the state are set to convene in Southern California for the annual state Democratic Party Convention.More than 2,500 people are expected to attend the three-day event, which started Friday morning.The weekend is all about the party and its overall message, but there is a major topic on a lot of peoples' minds, the race to decide who will be elected in 2024 to replace retiring Senator Dianne Feinstein.The three major Democratic candidates in the running, Congressmembers Katie Porter, Adam Schiff, and Barbara Lee, are expected to make appearances this weekend.And while each candidate has his or her own group of Democratic supporters, attendees say there is agreement on one thing.The race to replace @SenFeinstein is in full swing. How’s this for a moment? Dem candidates @RepAdamSchiff and @BarbaraLeeForCA join together for some unity, pic.twitter.com/Unol6w6p6V...

Suspect sought after stabbing in Oakwood Village

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

Police are searching for a suspect following a stabbing in the city’s west end. Police were called to the area of Dufferin Street and Rowan Drive, just south of Eglinton just before 10:30 p.m. Friday for reports someone had been stabbed inside a building.When they arrived they found a person suffering from stab wounds.The suspect is described as male, approximately 30 years of age, five-foot-nine with a medium-to-heavy build and a short afro. He was last seen wearing a grey shirt and blue jeans.

Guatemala arrests former anti-corruption prosecutor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan police arrested the country’s prosecutor for crimes against migrants Friday, accusing him of alleged abuse of authority.Stuardo Campos was formerly an anti-corruption prosecutor in the country during the administration of former President Jimmy Morales. It was not immediately clear whether the accusations pertain to his current position or the former.The complaint against Campos was made by the far-right Foundation Against Terrorism, a group that started out defending military officers accused of war crimes, but has also targeted members of the justice system who worked corruption cases.“This complaint is spurious,” Campos said. “I know that my work as an anti-corruption prosecutor earned me animosity in a lot of sectors.”Campos was known for an investigation related to a government highway project during the Morales administration. A number of officials from that administration were arrested when repeated landslides and other problems were blamed on...

Navy contractor jet was on fire before deadly California crash, federal report says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:20 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Navy contractor’s aircraft caught fire before it crashed off the California coast earlier this month, killing three people on board, federal investigators said Friday.The twin-engine Gates Learjet 36A plunged into the Pacific Ocean near San Clemente Island on May 10 while trying to make an emergency landing at a Navy airfield there, according to a preliminary investigative report from the National Transportation Safety Board.The wreckage of the plane was found underwater but the two pilots and additional crew member — all civilians — haven’t been found and are presumed dead, the report said.The jet was one of two that took off from Point Mugu Naval Air Station in Oxnard and headed south towards San Clemente Island, which is owned by the Navy and is west of San Diego. They were going to take part in training exercises with the Navy.Shortly after arriving at the exercise site, the crew in the first plane, which was leading, radioed that they smelled an o...