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European Union and Tunisia announce progress in building economic and trade ties, and on migration

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — European leaders and Tunisia’s president announced progress on Sunday in the building of hoped-for closer economic and trade relations and on measures to combat the often lethal smuggling of migrants across the Mediterranean Sea. The leaders of Italy, the Netherlands and the European Commission made their second visit to Tunis in just over a month. They expressed hope that a memorandum newly signed with Tunisia during the trip would pave the way for a comprehensive partnership.On their last visit in June, the leaders held out the promise of more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in financial aid to rescue Tunisia’s teetering economy and better police its borders, in an effort to restore stability to the North African country and to stem migration from its shores to Europe.This time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte didn’t detail the full monetary value of E...

Death toll from Manitoba bus crash rises to 17

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

The death toll from last month’s fatal bus crash in western Manitoba has risen to 17 after a woman who was in critical condition died of her injuries in hospital Sunday.Manitoba RCMP confirmed the 79-year-old woman’s death in a brief update. Seven patients remain in hospital.A minibus was carrying a group of seniors from Dauphin, Man., and the surrounding area to a casino on June 15 when it went into the path of an oncoming semi-trailer truck. Twenty-five people were on the bus.LATEST ON MANITOBA BUS CRASH:Winnipeg charter operator says more regulations needed in wake of Carberry crashForensic mechanical analysis will be ‘very extensive’ for Manitoba crash: ExpertRCMP release names of those killed in Carberry crashThe crash happened on the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry, west of Winnipeg.

Couple checking out barking dog leads to encounter with escapee, his recapture

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

YOUNGSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A couple checking out a barking dog on their northwestern Pennsylvania property led to the capture of a homicide suspect who had used bed sheets to escape from jail, authorities said.Michael Burham, 34, was captured nine days after he fled the Warren County jail in the late evening hours of July 6 by climbing on exercise equipment, going through a window and scaling down a rope fashioned from jail bedding, authorities said. A tip from residents in Conewango Township about a suspicious individual came in just before 4 p.m. Saturday, and Burham was in custody shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, said Lt. Col. George Bivens, the deputy commissioner of Operations for the Pennsylvania State Police.The residents went out to see why their dog was barking, went to the rear of their property and encountered Burham, who said something about camping during a brief conversation, Bivens said.“The owner of the property recognized him, got his wife back into the golf cart (they ...

Poilievre’s office, Calgary MP silent over latest photo with controversial message

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s office is tight-lipped over a photo of one of his Opposition critics posing with two people wearing slogans against measures addressing sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.The image, shared to social media, surfaced not long after Poilievre distanced himself from another photo in which he stood next to a man wearing a T-shirt referring to “straight pride.”The latest photo shows Calgary MP Jasraj Singh Hallan, the Conservative finance critic, standing with three other men during a pancake breakfast that was open to the public last week as part of the Calgary Stampede.Two of the men are wearing white T-shirts with black letters that read “leave our kids alone.” The shirts also show a smaller, stylized image of a family beneath an umbrella sheltering them from the rainbow of colours associated with LGBTQ Pride flags.The offices of Poilievre and Hallan, who represents the riding of Calgary Forest...

Person fires shots at Chicago police officers in Logan Square

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

CHICAGO — A person fired shots at Chicago police officers early Sunday morning in Logan Square, according to police.According to information from the Chicago Police Department, officers were called around 12:45 a.m. to the 3500 block of West Shakespeare Avenue on the report of a person with a gun. 5 people shot, 1 fatally, in Garfield Park drive-by: CPD When they arrived and approached the person, described as a male, he shot at the officers before running away, according to police.Officers took cover and weren't injured, police said. They did not fire any shots.They searched for the person who fired shots but weren't able to locate him.

Man, 71, critical after accidental fall in water on South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 71-year-old man is in critical condition after he was pulled from the water near DuSable Lake Shore Drive Saturday night. According to police, the man was pulled from the water after an accidental fall near the 4900 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Jackson Park around 11:59 p.m. Saturday Night. 5 people shot, 1 fatally, in Garfield Park drive-by: CPD He was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center where he is listed in critical condition. The incident was classified as non-criminal and WGN will update as more information is recovered.

Some Texans are relying on lifesaving cooling centers. Find yours here.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- As Texans brace for another week of record hot temperatures, cities across the state are offering cooling centers for those without reliable access to air conditioning or water.The Texas Division of Emergency Management has compiled the local centers into a statewide map. Texans can find the one closest to them at tdem.texas.gov/cool."We know it's hot, but there are things that you can do to try and minimize your heat exposure, like staying hydrated, like seeking shade and finding a local cooling center near to you," TDEM Communications Office Wes Rapaport said. "All disasters begin and end at the local level. So the Texas Division of Emergency Management works to support requests for assistance from local officials, should they have any needs, and one of the tools that the state is able to utilize is this cooling center map."In Austin, city officials offered free water and misting tents throughout the weekend in downtown's Republic Square Park. It was a lifeline...

Seen one of these cones around Texas? They're a radioactive relic of a bogus health treatment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Lubbock was once a player in the health fad falsely promoting the medical benefits of drinking radioactively-charged water, and the artifacts are still around today.  A coworker recently brought a small concrete cone into the newsroom, calling it a “Lubbock Cone.” She said it was radioactive, and people would put it in water to infuse the water with radon.The newsroom at EverythingLubbock.com wanted to know why anyone would do that, so we asked Dr. Paul Frame from the Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity. He said the actual name of the object was “The Thomas Cone.”“It was a radioactive quack cure,” Frame said. “You could put the cone in a jar of water, typically overnight... You would drink the water.” In the mid-1900s, makers promised “all these health benefits,” but radioactivity is not safe for humans, and such claims led to trouble for the manufacturers. A Thomas Cone in Lubbock, Texas (Nexstar/Staff) A Thomas Cone in Lubbock, Texas (Nexstar/Staff) A Thomas Co...

Barbie collaborations released in anticipation of movie premiere

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Come on Barbie let's go ... shopping? With the anticipation of the new Barbie movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, many brands have announced their marketing collaboration for the movie. The Barbie movie has been trending online since fans got a first look at the pink utopia of Barbie Land in the May trailer. The all-star cast has many fans ready for the premiere and to stores for the latest partnerships. As many as 30 collaborations have been announced for the movie and there is still plenty more to come. Build-a-Bear is one of the 30 collaborations that got on the Barbie train and released its own pink Barbie bear with three Barbie outfits and one pair of Ken swim trunks. Van's teased its new Barbie collection on its website and across social media, which includes the 1990s to 1999 Barbie logo with a 90s color scheme background.(Source: Build-a-Bear Twitter page) Source: AirBnB twitter page(Source:NYX Cosmetics Twitter page) The Barbie...

Texas ranked among cheapest energy states in the nation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:20 GMT

TEXAS (KIAH) – As the U.S. continues to experience record-breaking heat, many want to keep the air conditioning on as much as possible – but that’s more costly in some states.A recent ranking from WalletHub, a personal finance website, aimed to rank “the most and least energy-expensive states.” Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, WalletHub compared the average monthly energy bills in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.To do this, WalletHub used an equation that factored in the average monthly consumption of electricity, natural gas, heating oil, and fuel, as well as the average prices of these types of energy.According to the study, Texas is the third least energy-expensive state in the U.S. and stood out for its low motor fuel price and its home heating-oil consumption per consumer.  Data shows Texans pay $153 on average for their monthly electricity and $68 for their monthly natural gas. They also typically pay about $158 a month to fill ...