ATHLETES’ HOMES TARGETED AND BURGLARIZED. THE FBI NOW INVESTIGATING IF THE STRING OF INCIDENTS IS CONNECTED TO A SOUTH AMERICN CRIME RING.

TARGETED PRO ATHLETES INCLUDE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS STAR QUARTERBACK, PATRICK MAHOMES, AND HIS TEAMMATE, TIGHT END TRAVIS KELCE WHOSE HOMES WERE BOTH BURGLARIZED JUST HOURS APART, ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES GUARD MIKE CONLEY JUNIOR’S HOME WAS BURGLARIZED WHILE HE ATTENDED A VIKINGS GAME.

“OBVIOUSLY IT’S FRUSTRATING,” MAHOMES SAID DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 13. “IT’S DISAPPOINTING. BUT I CAN’T GET INTO TOO MANY OF THE DETAILS BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ONGOING. BUT OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING YOU DON’T WANT TO HAPPEN TO REALLY ANYBODY BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOURSELF.”

AND MILWAUKEE BUCKS STAR BOBBY PORTIS WAS ALSO THE VICTIM OF A BURGLARY AT HIS RESIDENCE IN WISCONSIN SAYING THE THIEVES TOOK SOME OF HIS MOST PRIZED POSSESSIONS.

“I AM NOW OFFERING A $40,000 CASH REWARD FOR ANY INFORMATION OR TIPS THAT LEADS TO THE RETURN OF MY STOLEN ITEMS,” PORTIS SAID IN A VIDEO POSTED TO HIS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT.

DETECTIVES SAY THE BURGLARIES APPEAR TO FIT A PATTERN CONNECTED TO AN ORGANIZED TRANSNATIONAL CRIME RING FROM SOUTH AMERICA THAT’S BEEN TARGETING AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN SEVERAL STATES.

AUTHORITIES IN CALIFORNIA, COLORADO AND MICHIGAN HAVE ALL REPORTED HOME INVASIONS IN HIGH-END AREAS, AND BELIEVE THEY’RE CONNECTED TO SOUTH AMERICAN GANGS.

CURRENTLY, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPATE OF BURGLARIES OF THE ATHLETES’ HOMES.

[Lauren Taylor]

IMMIGRATION AND DEPORTATION HAS BEEN A SMOLDERING ISSUE IN AMERICAN POLITICS FOR DECADES. WITH PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP PROMISING HISTORY’S LARGEST MASS DEPORTATION EFFORT, HOW WILL THE ACTUAL NUMBERS STACK UP TO HIS PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION? AND HOW DOES HIS RECORD COMPARE TO BIDEN’S AND OBAMA’S?ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH… AROUND 11 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN THE U-S ILLEGALLY. OF THOSE… 8-POINT-3 MILLION ARE EMPLOYED, ACCOUNTING FOR NEARLY 5-PERCENT OF THE U-S WORKFORCE. THESE ARE THE MOST RECENT NUMBERS FROM 2022 AND THE EXACT TOTAL COULD BE MUCH HIGHER.

DEPORTATION IN THE U-S HAPPENS THROUGH TWO MAIN CHANNELS… REMOVALS AND RETURNS.

REMOVALS INVOLVE FORMAL DEPORTATION ORDERS ENFORCED BY ICE OR BORDER PATROL, MAKING REENTRY A CRIME.

RETURNS ARE LESS FORMAL, INCLUDING CASES WHERE INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTARILY LEAVE OR ARE TURNED AWAY AT THE BORDER.

UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA, THE U.S. SAW THE HIGHEST DEPORTATION TOTALS IN HISTORY. TOTAL REMOVALS DURING OBAMA’S PRESIDENCY AMOUNTED TO OVER 3 MILLION PEOPLE. AND WHEN INCLUDING BOTH REMOVALS AND RETURNS, THAT NUMBER JUMPS TO NEARLY 5 AND A QUARTER MILLION.

OBAMA PRIORITIZED TARGETING INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY OR HAD CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS. IN 2015, FOR EXAMPLE, 91-PERCENT OF ALL REMOVALS INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS.

NOW TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. DURING HIS TIME IN OFFICE FROM 2017 TO 2020, THE U-S DEPORTED 1-POINT-2 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH FORMAL REMOVAL ORDERS. MORE THAN 800-THOUSAND ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS SELF-DEPORTED OR WERE TURNED AWAY AT THE BORDER.

THIS BRINGS TRUMP’S TOTAL DEPORTATIONS AND RETURNS TO JUST OVER 2 MILLION… SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER THAN OBAMA’S.

UNLIKE OBAMA, TRUMP EXPLICITLY OVERTURNED THE CRIMINAL PRIORITIZATION POLICY, WHICH RESULTED IN ONLY 41-PERCENT OF REMOVALS IN 2019 INVOLVING INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS.

FINALLY, UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN…. THE U-S HAS REPATRIATED NEARLY 5 MILLION PEOPLE SO FAR… MORE THAN BOTH TRUMP AND OBAMA.

HOWEVER, THERE’S AN IMPORTANT CAVEAT. THE SPIKE IS LARGELY DUE TO TITLE 42… A PANDEMIC-ERA POLICY ENACTED IN 2020 DURING TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY, WHICH ALLOWED EXPULSIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH REASONS. 

OF THE 4-POINT-7 MILLION REPATRIATIONS, NEARLY A MILLION OCCURRED UNDER STANDARD IMMIGRATION LAW, TITLE 8, AFTER TITLE 42 ENDED IN MAY 2023.

WHEN FOCUSING SOLELY ON FORMAL REMOVALS, BIDEN’S NUMBERS ARE FAR LOWER… WITH JUST 649-THOUSAND REMOVALS SINCE 2021. THAT’S ABOUT HALF OF TRUMP’S TOTAL OVER A COMPARABLE PERIOD. ADDITIONALLY, IN 2024, ONLY 20-PERCENT OF REMOVALS INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS.

MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP IS DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS PROMISE TO LAUNCH THE LARGEST DEPORTATION OPERATION IN U.S. HISTORY. HIS ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO FOCUS INITIALLY ON CRIMINAL DEPORTATIONS, BUT TRUMP HAS NOT SET A NUMERICAL GOAL. 

EXPERTS SAY SUCH AN OPERATION COULD BE COSTLY. A SINGLE DEPORTATION COSTS ALMOST 11-THOUSAND PER PERSON, AND DEPORTING 1 MILLION PEOPLE ANNUALLY COULD COST OVER 100 BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT DECADE.

WITH TRUMP’S PROMISES OF SWEEPING REFORMS, THE DEBATE OVER COST, LEGALITY, AND STRATEGY IS ONLY HEATING UP.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES AND STRAIGHT FACTS… DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

COUNTRY MUSIC’S BIGGEST NIGHT RETURNED TO NASHVILLE WITH THE 58-TH CMA AWARDS.

IT WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING PACKED WITH PERFORMANCES… EMOTIONAL TRIBUTES… AND HISTORY MAKING WINS.

THE SHOW KICKED OFF WITH A DUET BY POST MALONE AND CHRIS STAPLETON… WHO SET THE TONE FOR THE NIGHT WITH THEIR SONG “CALIFORNIA SOBER.”

THIS YEAR’S HOSTS –

LUKE BRYAN… FIRST-TIME HOST LAINEY WILSON… AND PEYTON MANNING KEPT THE ENERGY HIGH THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

THE TRIO EVEN PAID TRIBUTE TO THE LATE TOBY KEITH WITH A TOAST… HONORING THE COUNTRY STAR WHO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE HOSTS HONORED HIS HIT “RED SOLO CUP” TOASTING WITH EXACTLY THAT BEFORE INTRODUCING SHABOOZEY TO THE STAGE.

THE SINGER’S DEBUT CMA PERFORMANCE OF “HIGHWAY” AND “A BAR SONG (TIPSY) BROUGHT THE CROWD TO THEIR FEET.

WITH FIVE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS ALREADY LINED UP FOR NEXT YEAR… THIS ARTIST IS ONE TO WATCH.ANOTHER POWERFUL MOMENT OF THE NIGHT CAME WHEN MUSICAL DUO BROOKS AND DUNN TEAMED UP WITH JELLY ROLL FOR AN EMOTIONAL PERFORMANCE OF “BELIEVE.”

THIS HAD BOTH THE AUDIENCE… AND SOCIAL MEDIA USERS WATCHING… IN TEARS.

MORGAN WALLEN LED THE NIGHT WITH SEVEN NOMINATIONS AND TOOK HOME ONE OF THE NIGHT’S TOP HONOR’S – ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR.*

DESPITE HIS ABSENCE, HIS WIN MARKED A HIGH POINT OF THE SHOW. 

CODY JOHNSON CELEBRATED HIS FIRST CMA ALBUM OF THE YEAR WIN WITH HIS PROJECT “LEATHER.”

MEANWHILE… CHRIS STAPLETON DOMINATED THE AWARDS… WINNING SINGLE OF THE YEAR, SONG OF THE YEAR, AND MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR.

COUNTRY LEGEND GEORGE STRAIT WAS HONORED WITH THIS YEAR’S CMA WILLIE NELSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.

A GROUP OF COUNTRY STARS HONORED THE “KING OF COUNTRY MUSIC” WITH A HEATFELT CELEBRATION OF HIS CAREER. 

THE NIGHT ALSO INTRODUCED NEW TALENT.

THE new artist of the year CATEGORY featured six nominees… with 27-YEAR-OLD MEGAN MORONEY (MA-ROW-KNEE) TAKING HOME THE WIN SHORTLY AFTER PERFORMING HER HIT SONG “Am I Okay”.

AND OF COURSE, THE RED CARPET WAS A SHOW OF ITS OWN. 

GYMNASTIC OLYMPIAN SIMONE BILES TRADED IN HER GOLD MEDALS FOR A DAZZLING SILVER GOWN.

SHE LATER PRESENTED THE FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR TO THE SHOW’S CO-HOST, LAINEY WILSON.

LUKE BRYAN KEPT IT CLASSIC IN A PINSTRIPE SUIT…

WHILE SHABOOZEY TOOK TO THE CARPET IN A BOLD MINT-GREEN ENSEMBLE.

WITH 31 FIRST TIME NOMINEES… MOVING PERFORMANCES… AND EMOTIONAL TRIBUTES… THE 58-TH COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS SHOWCASED THE BEST OF COUNTRY MUSIC WHILE EMBRACING NEW VOICES AND STORIES.

WITH SAN, I’M KENNEDY FELTON.

BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD OUR APP TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE LATEST NEWS.

[Craig Nigrelli]

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS HOPING TO BROKER A DEAL INVOLVING SEVEN STATES IN THE WEST, WHEN IT COMES TO THE COLORADO RIVER, BEFORE DONALD TRUMP TAKES OFFICE IN LATE JANUARY.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS NOW PROPOSED NEARLY A HALF-DOZEN PLANS FOR
USAGE, THAT WOULD PROTECT WATER LEVELS.
SEVEN STATES SURROUND THE RIVER AND DEPEND ON IT AS A WATER SOURCE. THEY ARE NEW MEXICO, COLORADO, UTAH, WYOMING, ARIZONA, NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA.
THE RIVER IS THE LARGEST WATER SOURCE IN THE WEST AND PROVIDES WATER, HYDROPOWER AND HABITAT TO ROUGHLY 40 MILLION PEOPLE, AS WELL AS TRIBAL NATIONS AND A WIDE RANGE OF SPECIES.
THE BATTLE OVER WATER RIGHTS HAS GONE ON FOR DECADES AS DROUGHT CONDITIONS AND RISING TEMPERATURES HAVE RESULTED IN LOWER WATER LEVELS. RESEARCHERS AT UCLA HAVE DETERMINED 10 TRILLION GALLONS OF WATER HAVE GONE OUT OF THE RIVER BASIN, BETWEEN 2000 AND 2021.
THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR IS NOW WORKING TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE COLORADO RIVER, TO BE IN PLACE BY LATE 2026, WHEN THE CURRENT PLAN EXPIRES.
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL CLIMATE ADVISOR ALI ZAIDI SAID, “THOSE EFFORTS HELPED STABILIZE THE COLORADO RIVER FOR THE SHORT-TERM BUT NOW WE OWE IT TO FUTURE GENERATIONS TO FIND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT ENSURE THE RIVER’S CONTINUED STABILITY. “
FEDERAL OFFICIALS WILL REVIEW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S PROPOSALS. MEANTIME, A TOP WATER OFFICIAL FROM ARIZONA SAID THE STATES WILL TRY TO MAKE AS MUCH PROGRESS AS THEY CAN IN THE DAYS THAT REMAIN IN THIS ADMINISTRATION.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE UNITED NATIONS IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING ESTABLISHING A PEACEKEEPING OPERATION IN HAITI… AS THE COUNTRY BECOMES MORE UNSTABLE AND GANGS TAKE MORE CONTROL OF THE CAPITAL.

THE U-N IS CONSIDERING NEW EFFORTS TO HELP

OFFICIALS AT THE U-N EXPRESSED WIDESPREAD SUPPORT WEDNESDAY FOR TRANSITIONING A RECENTLY EXTENDED MULTINATIONAL SECURITY SUPPORT MISSION IN HAITI INTO A U-N PEACEKEEPING OPERATION DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM CHINA AND RUSSIA.

[MIROSLAV JENCA]

ONGOING SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN HAITI’S SECURITY AND STABILITY TO SUCCEED THE MSS HIGHLIGHT THE NEED OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HAITI AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO HAVE A LONG-TERM VISION.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

HAITIAN LEADERS HAVE CONTINUALLY ASKED THE UNDERDEPLOYED AND UNDERRESOURCED MULTINATIONAL SECURITY FORCE TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A PEACEKEEPING EFFORT TO ENHANCE FUNDING.

IF APPROVED, A LENGTHY PROCESS WOULD REPORTEDLY ENSUE.

WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES REQUIRED TO FILE A REPORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

A PROPOSAL FOR THE TRANSITION WAS PRESENTED IN SEPTEMBER BY THE U-S AND ECUADOR BUT FAILED AFTER RESISTANCE FROM CHINA AND RUSSIA, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE VETO POWERS.

WHILE MOST DIPLOMATS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE LATEST CALLS FOR THE CONVERSION… MOSCOW AND BEIJING ARE REFUSING TO GET ON BOARD.

RUSSIA AND CHINA ARGUE A PAUSE IN BLOODSHED IS NEEDED TO RATIONALIZE SENDING A PEACEKEEPING MISSION… AND SIGNALED DISTRUST OF HAITI’S GOVERNMENT.

BEIJING AND MOSCOW ARE PROPOSING CONTINUED FOCUS AND FULFILLING PLEDGES FROM THE MULTINATIONAL SECURITY MISSION.

VIOLENCE ON THE ISLAND NATION ROSE DRAMATICALLY THIS MONTH AS GANGS OPENED FIRE ON THREE COMMERCIAL PLANES AND THE U-S PAUSED FLIGHTS INTO THE COUNTRY.

JUST THIS PAST WEEK… AT LEAST 150 PEOPLE WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED IN GANG-RELATED VIOLENCE FORCING THE CHARITY DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS IN HAITI. 

[MIROSLAV JENCA]

WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY, BASIC NEEDS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE RESIDING IN GANG-CONTROLLED AREAS, IN PARTICULAR THOSE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. PREDATORY ARMED GANGS SYSTEMATICALLY ATTACK COMMUNITIES USING EXTREME FORMS OF VIOLENCE INCLUDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE AS A WEAPON TO SUBJUGATE THEM.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A HAITIAN HEALTH OFFICIAL WHOSE SON WAS KIDNAPPED WARNS IF MORE ISN’T DONE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY “THE ALTERNATIVE WILL BE A MASSIVE GENOCIDE THAT HAS STARTED ALREADY,” SAYING ONLY THE U-N HAS THE POWER TO PREVENT IT.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM. 

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

[Craig]

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SPRING TRAINING IS JUST A COUPLE MONTHS AWAY NOW – AND IT’S GETTING A HIGH-TECH UPGRADE.

THIS YEAR, THE M-L-B IS TESTING OUT ROBOTIC UMPIRES.

THE AUTOMATED BALL-STRIKE CHALLENGE SYSTEM – OR A-B-S – MADE ITS DEBUT IN THE 20-22 TRIPLE A SEASON.

NOW, IT’LL BE TESTED OUT AT 13 BALLPARKS HOSTING 19 DIFFERENT MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS WHEN SPRING TRAINING STARTS IN FEBRUARY.

THE M-L-B COMMISSIONER SAYS HE WANTS PLAYERS TO GET SOME EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW TECHNOLOGY AS THE LEAGUE FIGURES OUT **HOW** IT WILL EVENTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED.

AND AS THE UMPIRES ASSOCIATION’S CONTRACT IS SET TO EXPIRE IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS NOW… THE NEW SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BE BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE’S EYING BRINGING THE NEW TECH  IN FOR THE 20-26 REGULAR SEASON – BUT THAT’LL DEPEND ON WHETHER TESTING IS A HOME RUN OR STRIKES OUT.

STAY UP TO DATE ON ALL YOUR LATEST SPORTS HEADLINES BY DOWNLOADING THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.

[craig nigrelli]

NORTH KOREA RECENTLY RECEIVED A HIGHLY UNUSUAL GIFT FROM RUSSIA—MORE THAN 70 ANIMALS FOR THE PYONGYANG CENTRAL ZOO. THE SHIPMENT INCLUDES A LION, TWO BROWN BEARS, TWO YAKS, DOZENS OF PHEASANTS, MANDARIN DUCKS, AND COCKATOOS.

RUSSIA’S ENVIRONMENT MINISTER CALLED THE GIFT A GESTURE OF GOODWILL, SYMBOLIZING THE GROWING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS.

THIS COMES AS MOSCOW AND PYONGYANG STRENGTHEN TIES. U.S. AND SOUTH KOREAN INTELLIGENCE REPORT THAT NORTH KOREA HAS SENT THOUSANDS OF TROOPS TO RUSSIA, POTENTIALLY SUPPORTING ITS WAR IN UKRAINE. IN RETURN, ANALYSTS SUGGEST RUSSIA COULD PROVIDE ADVANCED WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY TO NORTH KOREA.

THIS ISN’T THE FIRST TIME ANIMALS HAVE BEEN PART OF DIPLOMACY. EARLIER THIS YEAR, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN GIFTED NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG-UN 24 PUREBRED HORSES. DURING A JUNE VISIT, THE TWO LEADERS SIGNED A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, THEIR STRONGEST ALLIANCE SINCE THE COLD WAR.

THE ANIMALS ARE CURRENTLY IN QUARANTINE AND WILL BE MOVED TO ENCLOSURES AT THE PYONGYANG ZOO SOON. RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA CALLED THE SHIPMENT “VLADIMIR PUTIN’S GIFT TO THE KOREAN PEOPLE.”

FOR MORE OF OUR UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACT REPORTING – BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY, OR LOG ON TO SAN.COM.