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Israel, Palestinians aim to curb violence as holiday nears

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Israel and the Palestinians pledged Sunday at a meeting in Egypt to take steps to lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday season — including a partial freeze on Israeli settlement activity and an agreement to work together to “curb and counter violence.” But a Palestinian shooting attack that wounded two Israelis in the occupied West Bank underscored the tough work that lies ahead as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches this week. The Israeli and Palestinian delegations met for the second time in less than a month, shepherded by regional allies Egypt and Jordan, as well as the United States, to end a year-long spasm of violence. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and more than 40 Israelis or foreigners have been killed in Palestinian attacks during that time. Following Sunday’s summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the sides had reaffirm...

Nations approve key UN science report on climate change

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Governments gave their blessing on Sunday to a major new U.N. report on climate change, after approval was held up by a battle between rich and developing countries over emissions targets and financial aid to vulnerable nations.The report by hundreds of the world’s top scientists was supposed to be approved by government delegations on Friday at the end of a weeklong meeting in the Swiss town of Interlaken.The closing gavel was repeatedly pushed back as officials from big nations such as China, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the United States and the European Union haggled through the weekend over the wording of key phrases in the text. The report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change caps a series that digests vast amounts of research on global warming compiled since the Paris climate accord was agreed in 2015.A summary of the report was approved early Sunday but agreement on the main text dragged on for several more hours, with some observers fearing it might ...

Search on for Florida boaters missing in lake near Legoland

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Authorities searched Sunday for two boaters who were missing and believed drowned in an accident on a central Florida lake near the Legoland theme park.Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference that the two men had jumped into Lake Eloise to save a third person from their group, a woman, who was struggling in the water. They became separated from the boat and have not been seen since Saturday evening.The third person, 38-year-old Velcky Velazques, was rescued by sheriff’s deputies who had been summoned when a 10-year-old girl on the boat dialed 911 on a cellphone. That child and an 8-year-old girl remained on the boat as it drifted and were rescued safely by the deputies, who had commandeered a fishing boat whose owner cooperated in the effort, Judd said.The lake, adjacent to the Legoland theme park in Winter Haven, was rough on Saturday with 20 mph (32 kph) winds and some whitecaps, Judd said. He added that the weather issues were comp...

California to ask voters to approve new mental health beds

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — California voters would decide whether to fund a major expansion of housing and treatment for residents suffering from mental illness and addiction, under the latest proposal by Gov. Gavin Newsom to address the state’s homelessness crisis. Newsom announced Sunday that he will ask allies in the Democratic-controlled Legislature for a measure on the 2024 ballot to authorize funding to build residential facilities where over 10,000 people a year could live and be treated. The plan is the latest by the governor who took office in 2019 vowing to own the issue of homelessness in a state where an estimated 171,000 were unhoused last year. “This is the next step in our transformation of how California addresses mental illness, substance use disorder and homelessness — creating thousands of new beds, building more housing, expanding services and more,” Newsom said in a statement.California, home to nearly 40 million people, has nearly one-third of the nation’s homeless...

Poilievre calls for testing that would allow doctors, nurses to work across Canada

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for a countrywide standardized testing process that would speed up licence approvals for doctors and nurses.Poilievre says his proposed “blue seal” testing standard would allow qualified health-care professionals to work in any province or territory that volunteers to be part of the program.He described his plan at a press conference today, saying a model that allowed professionals to take a test and get an answer within 60 days would address Canada’s ongoing shortage of health-care professionals, such as family doctors and emergency-room nurses.Under the existing licensing system, each province and territory has its own processes to be licensed as a doctor or nurse.Poilievre says that means professionals from one province can’t necessarily work in another region, while new immigrants also struggle to obtain the necessary approvals.He says the “blue seal” model draws on the “red seal” standard for skilled workers in regulated ...

The Masked Rookie: Raptors’ Koloko adjusting to new game gear

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

The Toronto Raptors are taking on the Bucks in Milwaukee Sunday night following their 122-107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Toronto on Saturday night.On the court, there was a player rocking a new look. Raptors rookie Christian Koloko wore and will continue to wear a face mask as a small fracture heals on his nose.The 22-year-old was listed as questionable going into the game on Saturday after he took an elbow to the face-off of OKC Thunder guard Jalen Williams in the fourth quarter.“I just went to contest the shot and he elbowed me in the face,” Koloko told CityNews after playing with the mask on for the first time Saturday night in the Raptors’ win over Minnesota. “I didn’t even see what happened because I closed my eyes because I saw his elbow. So I kind of closed my eyes, and I checked my nose because after every shot I check my nose,” Koloko said laughing. “I saw some blood and then we went back and did some x-rays and we did a scan of my face a...

Demolition of Old Montreal building to begin as police search for victims of fire

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

Montreal police say seven people remain missing after a fire in Old Montreal on Thursday.Police spokesman Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant says investigators were surveying the scene and taking photos, before the remains of the building are dismantled.Montreal fire operations chief Martin Guilbault said Saturday that the building will be taken apart brick by brick to ensure the scene is safe for investigators.Police have said they haven’t ruled out the possibility that more victims would be found in the ruins.Nine people were injured in the fire.Firefighters originally believed that only one person was missing, but later learned that several apartments in the building were being used illegally as Airbnb rentals.This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2023.The Canadian Press

2 dead after being trapped in building fire: Vernon Hills police

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

VERNON HILLS, Ill. — Two people are dead after an apartment building caught fire while trapped inside Sunday morning, police say. According to Vernon Hills Police, officers responded to a call of a fire and people possibly trapped at a building in the 900 block of South Court Shorewood around 3:15 a.m.Police found heavy fire conditions and after taming the fire, found two individuals. One person was found dead and another adult was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center where they later died. Man charged after officer struck by car on LSD Friday The identities of the victims have not been released yet. The fire was extinguished but the building is inhabitable. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

No bail for man charged after officer struck by car on LSD

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A man has been charged after a police officer was struck by a vehicle on DuSable Lake Shore Drive Friday.Tajze Mullins, 23, faces multiple felonies of aggravated assault of peace officer, escape and a misdemeanor of obstructing identification. He will be held without bail. Police say Mullins was arrested in the 7100 block of South Lafayette Avenue and was identified as the man who minutes earlier struck a police officer with his vehicle near the 1100 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive.According to police, the officer broke his leg but is in good condition. Multiple injured in shooting inside South Side Restaurant Police reports state that an officer discharged his weapon but no one was hurt. Mullins was placed into custody and charged accordingly. There was no other information provided.

Anchor mishap led to possible double drowning on Florida lake, sheriff says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:10:50 GMT

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) — Two boaters were still missing Sunday after an incident at Lake Eloise in Winter Haven, Florida on Saturday, according to officials.Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the incident happened after an anchor mishap involving 38-year-old Velcky Velasquez and 32-year-old Orlando Ortiz, who celebrated their one-year anniversary by renting a boat for the afternoon.The couple, who were said to be inexperienced with boats and had to take a class beforehand, also brought their friend Jeffrey Marrero and his two children, ages 10 and 8 years old. Alex Jones transferring assets to family and friends, evading payments to Sandy Hook families: NYT "It is a rough day on the water," Judd said. "The wind's blowing about 20 miles an hour. There's a two-foot chop with white caps, and it's a breezy afternoon."Despite the rough waters, the group decided to anchor in the middle of the lake. According to the sheriff, Velasquez jumped into the water with the anchor,...