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Reports: Islamic State kidnaps dozens in Syria, dead found

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Members of the Islamic State group have kidnapped dozens of people in a central province and the bodies of some have been found with their throats slits, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media reported Friday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the extremists kidnapped about 40 people Thursday and killed at least 15 people whose bodies were discovered Friday in the central province of Hama. The Observatory said the dead included seven civilians and eight armed tribesmen.The pro-government Sham FM radio station said the extremists attacked farmers who were collecting truffles in the eastern countryside of Hama province. It added that some of the kidnapped “were martyred” while contact was lost with others. Despite their defeat in Syria in March 2019, the militant group’s sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks both in Syria and Iraq where they once declared a “caliphate.”Last month, IS sleeper cells attacked workers collecting tr...

Judge slams lawyers for slowing jailed 1/6 defendant’s case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

A federal judge in Washington is threatening to report two attorneys for possible disciplinary action for delaying the trial of a man waiting in jail on charges that he assaulted police officers during the Capitol riot.U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, questioned in court papers filed Thursday whether attorney Joseph McBride was being sincere when he said last summer that he needed to push Christopher Quaglin’s October trial; McBride said he has chronic Lyme disease and treatment and recovery would take two to three months. At the same time, the judge noted that McBride — who represents several Jan. 6 defendants — continued to do media interviews and spoke in October to a Republican county committee about his fight for the “January 6 political prisoners.” In November, McBride tweeted a picture of himself on the beach at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and another photo inside Trump’s 2024 campaign announcement party...

King Charles’ state visit deflated as France leg canceled

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III’s international debut was deflated Friday when his trip to France was postponed indefinitely because of protests that threatened to mar events at high profile venues such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Palace of Versailles.While Charles will still travel to Germany on Wednesday, the decision to bypass France removes some of the sparkle from his first overseas trip as monarch, originally planned as a six-day, celebration of Britain’s links with its biggest European allies.But with protesters promising to target royal events as they demonstrate against French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to raise the retirement age, planners had little choice but to cancel a visit that could have embarrassed the king.“It is a great shame because it was the first state visit of the king’s reign and much thought would have been given as to who should have that honor,” said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine.Macron said Friday that he had asked for the vis...

Darcelle, world’s oldest working drag queen, dies at 92

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Walter C. Cole, better known as the iconic drag queen who performed for decades as Darcelle XV, has died of natural causes in Portland, Oregon. Cole was 92.Darcelle, who died Thursday, was crowned the world’s oldest working drag performer in 2016 by the Guinness Book of World Records and was regaling audiences until the very end.As a performer, Darcelle was known for hosting the longest-running drag show on the U.S. West Coast. Off stage, Cole championed LGBTQ+ rights and charitable work in the Portland community.The nightclub that Darcelle opened more than 50 years ago in downtown Portland, Darcelle XV Showplace, said it was heartbroken in a Facebook post.“We ask for privacy and patience as everyone processes and grieves in their own way and at their own pace,” the club said. They also said that details of a public memorial will be announced and all shows at the Showplace will go on as scheduled, per Darcelle’s wishes.“Please join us and celebrate her le...

Airbnb to pull illegal listings in Quebec days after fatal Montreal fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

MONTREAL — Short-term rental company Airbnb said Friday it would pull listings in Quebec that don’t have a permit from the provincial government, eight days after a fatal fire destroyed a historic Old Montreal building that housed illegal rentals.Four bodies have so far been pulled from the building and three people remain missing in the rubble of Édifice William-Watson-Ogilvie, constructed in 1890. Some of those missing had rented their accommodations on Airbnb. In 2018, Airbnb-style short-term rentals were made illegal in the area where the building is located.In a letter Friday to Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx, Airbnb said that it would remove listings across the province that don’t have a permit from the agency that manages the province’s tourist accommodation act. It also said that in the coming days it will require new listings to include the permit number. The company also promised to give the provincial government access to the Airbnb City Portal ...

ConocoPhillips details gas leak cause, remedies at hearing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — ConocoPhillips, which last week received U.S. government approval for the massive Willow oil drilling project in Alaska, detailed reasons for a natural gas leak at another North Slope field that prompted the evacuation of 300 employees last year.Officials with the company said that pumping 170 barrels (27,028 litres) of diesel fuel, a freeze-prevention fluid, into a disposal well caused a component to fail and led to the subsequent leak, the Anchorage Daily News reported.ConocoPhillips officials spoke Thursday at an Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission hearing in Anchorage about the 2022 leak at the Alpine field in northern Alaska. Delayed recognition allowed the leak to continue for days, and the company had not anticipated the shallow underground zone to contain significant amounts of gas.Erica Livingston, a wells chief engineer for ConocoPhillips Alaska, said the well design has been used many times previously without issues. However, it was not cem...

Suburban mother charged in death of son found severely malnourished in crib: deputies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — A Lyons Township mother is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment after her 19-month-old son was found dead inside his crib last October.Jamie Hannion, 22, is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of felonyendangering the life and health of a child resulting in death.The Cook County Sheriff's Office said the child was severely malnourished and unresponsive when found on Oct. 17 inside a home on the 800 block of Victory Lane in unincorporated Lyons Township. Deputies noted that the toddler was already in the early stages of rigor mortis. Detectives learned that Hannion left her son in the care of a relative, who discovered the boy and alerted the police. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office ruled the boy's death as a homicide due to nutritionalneglect. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAn arrest warrant was issued on Feb. 28, and on March 7, Hannion was arrested inTennessee by the FBI Fugitive Task Force. Hannion ...

New burgers, beer bats, trophy room: See what's new at Wrigley Field in 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

CHICAGO - While there are many parts of the experience that don't change at the "Friendly Confines," there are always a few things that are new for every Cubs' season. That's the case again in 2023 as the club has made additions to Wrigley Field as a new home schedule is set to begin. Also in the Cubs’ opening weekend announcement is a few new additions to Wrigley Field, including a trophy room and LED stadium lights..They also announced a few new food options along with a special “Billy Goat Tavern” for the first homestand. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/we40MtVOVx— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) March 23, 2023A week before their home opener against the Brewers on Thursday, March 30, the club unveiled a few new attractions and concessions items that will make their debut in 2023.(Courtesy: Chicago Cubs)A Trophy Room and TerraceThe Cubs will be adding a trophy room inside the Marquee Gate entrance that will display the hardware from the club's 2016 World Series Championship. It will b...

WATCH LIVE | Biden addresses Canadian Parliament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (AP) — President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are set to announce an agreement aiming to stem the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings from the U.S. to Canada.The agreement on Friday comes as Biden makes his first visit to Canada as president. Wide-ranging Trudeau-Biden talks also were touching on the 13-month old war in Ukraine, military spending, shared concerns about China's aggressiveness, and violence and political instability in Haiti.Biden and Trudeau met for private talks before the U.S. president was to deliver a speech to the Canadian Parliament. The leaders also were to hold a joint press conference, and Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, were to host Biden and first lady Jill Biden for a gala dinner before the visiting Americans were returning to the U.S.Biden in brief comments at the start of the Friday meeting said he often tells other world leaders the United States is lucky to have Canada as a neigh...

Darcelle, world's oldest working drag queen, dies at 92

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:51 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Walter C. Cole, better known as the iconic drag queen who performed for decades as Darcelle XV, has died of natural causes in Portland, Oregon. Cole was 92.Darcelle, who died Thursday, was crowned the world’s oldest working drag performer in 2016 by the Guinness Book of World Records and was regaling audiences until the very end.As a performer, Darcelle was known for hosting the longest-running drag show on the U.S. West Coast. Off stage, Cole championed LGBTQ+ rights and charitable work in the Portland community.The nightclub that Darcelle opened more than 50 years ago in downtown Portland, Darcelle XV Showplace, said it was heartbroken in a Facebook post.“We ask for privacy and patience as everyone processes and grieves in their own way and at their own pace," the club said. They also said that details of a public memorial will be announced and all shows at the Showplace will go on as scheduled, per Darcelle’s wishes.“Please join us and celebrate her legacy a...