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“They burned her:” At the end of an awful wait for news comes word that a feared hostage is dead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Because of the fracture in her right leg, Karin Journo had talked herself out of going to the Tribe of Nova music festival and sold her ticket. But a week before Hamas militants turned the party into a killing ground, she bought another.The 24-year-old French-Israeli airport worker who loved to travel had learned that a bunch of her friends were going to celebrate the departure of one of them to the United States. She didn’t want to miss out.Before heading out to dance the night away, she snapped a photo of herself in her party gear — black shorts and black halter top for a joyous night of electronic music in a dusty field. She’d left her long dark hair untied and painted her nails bright red. She was clearly excited, giving a V-sign in her selfie. And dance she did: Video shot that night showed her waving her arms to the thumping beats, though she was rooted to the spot by the gray protective boot that encased her right foot and calf all the way up to her k...

Florida Democrat Mucarsel-Powell gets clearer path to challenge US Sen. Rick Scott in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell’s path to the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida became clearer Wednesday when her main primary opponent dropped out of the race to seek a U.S. House seat. Phil Ehr, a retired Navy commander who left the Republican Party in 2017, appeared with Mucarsel-Powell in Miami to announce he will drop out of the Senate primary and instead challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a move embraced by the state Democratic Party.Mucarsel-Powell served one term in Congress before losing to Gimenez in 2020.So far, the Senate race has been overshadowed by the attention focused on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign for president, similar to 2022, when Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings failed bid to unseat Republican Sen. Marco Rubio took a backseat to DeSantis’ reelection.Ehr has twice tried to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz in one of the state’s most co...

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario votes in favour of strike action

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

An overwhelming majority of public elementary teachers in Ontario have voted in favor of strike action.The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) members voted 95 cent in favour of a strike if necessary.“This strong strike mandate sends a very clear message to the government,” ETFO President Karen Brown said in a release.“Our members have been working for over a year without a contract, and their patience has run out. We need the government to stop stalling and start negotiating seriously on our members’ key priorities, like providing more supports for students with special needs, acknowledging the staffing crisis in education, putting a fair compensation offer on the table, and addressing violence in schools.” Related: ‘Frustratingly slow:’ teachers’ union without a contract weighs in on negotiations ‘Patience has run out’: Ontario elementary teachers to hold strike votes ...

SEC coaches are more accepting of youthful mistakes amid roster engagement in the portal era

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Billy Napier didn’t want to risk keeping receiver Eugene Wilson on the bench.A four-star recruit from nearby Tampa and the shiftiest player on the Gators’ roster, Napier had seen enough of Wilson during fall camp to realize the true freshman could help right away.So Napier and his staff summoned Wilson to the field for an early punt return in Florida’s opener at then-No. 7 Utah. What happened next was a strange and costly error: Wilson forgot to switch jerseys and was penalized for wearing the same number as defensive teammate Jason Marshall. Utah retained possession and scored a few plays later, a significant swing in a 24-11 victory.It’s the kind of youthful mistake Southeastern Conference coaches are enduring on a regular basis in hopes of keeping newcomers involved and out of the transfer portal.“The more players that you can keep engaged the better,” Napier said.The SEC agreed and increased travel rosters from 70 to 74 players for league g...

As Canada evacuates citizens in Israel, some Israeli-Canadians don’t want to leave

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

MONTREAL — As Shawna Goodman-Sone spoke to a reporter from a suburb of Tel-Aviv Wednesday, she had to end the call abruptly and seek refuge in her home’s safe room as an air raid warning went off.Before fleeing into the reinforced room, she spoke about moving to Israel from Montreal nine years ago — and why she has decided to stay in the country despite the war with Hamas.“We’re taking a leap of faith that this is where we belong,” Goodman-Sone said. “This is where we chose to live, this is where our home is, our community, our friends, and all of our friends’ kids are serving in the army. I’m so grateful we made this decision.”Global Affairs Canada estimates that roughly 35,000 Canadian citizens live in Israel, which allows people with at least one Jewish grandparent, and their spouses, to quickly obtain citizenship. Since Israel declared war on Hamas on Sunday, more than 1,300 Canadians have left the country on military flights organ...

Hundreds mourn as Israeli family of 5 that was slain together is laid to rest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

GAN YAVNE, Israel (AP) — An Israeli family of five whose bodies were discovered in each other’s arms after being killed by Hamas militants were buried together in a funeral attended by hundreds of mourners.Family and friends bid farewell Tuesday to the Kotz family — a couple and their three children who were gunned down in their home at kibbutz Kfar Azza during the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of southern Israel. They were buried side by side in a graveyard 30 miles (50 kilometers) west of Jerusalem.Aviv and Livnat Kotz, their daughter, Rotem, and sons, Yonatan and Yiftach, were found dead on a bed embracing each other, a family member said.The family had moved to Israel from Boston and built the home four years ago at the kibbutz where Aviv had grown up, his wife’s sister, Adi Levy Salma, told the Israeli news outlet Ynet.“We told her it’s dangerous, but she did not want to move away, as it was her home for life,” Levy Salma said.With Israel simultaneously in a state of war and mour...

Coastal county and groups sue to overturn federal approval of New Jersey’s 1st offshore wind farm

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — The government of New Jersey’s southernmost county has joined with environmental and fishing industry groups in suing the federal government in a bid to overturn its approval of the state’s first offshore wind energy farm.Cape May County and the groups filed a lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court against two federal agencies — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management — seeking to reverse their approval of the Ocean Wind I project. Current plans call for construction of the project in waters off southern New Jersey by the Danish wind power company Orsted.The plaintiffs allege that the two agencies did not follow the requirements of nearly a dozen federal laws in approving the project, which would be built off the coast of Atlantic City and Ocean City — two of the state’s top tourism destinations. They also claim the agencies did not adequately consider potential harm to the environment and...

More traffic agents, AI and QR codes to deal with ‘unprecedented’ Toronto road closures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

The agency that oversees transportation services across Toronto says its congestion management plan needs to be updated given what it calls an “unprecedented amount of construction road closures.”In a report to the City’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee, the general manager of transportation services says construction road closures coupled with “significant demand” for special events across the city post-pandemic require comprehensive traffic management strategies to minimize the impacts for motorists, cyclists, pedestrians and transit.The report calls for the use of more police as traffic agents, developing a system of QR codes for each construction project where the user can scan and see the work zone details, and details a plan for third-generation AI traffic signal systems.The report will go before the committee next Wednesday before being considered by City Council at its next meeting on Nov. 8.

2 more arrests announced in shooting that killed a Philadelphia police officer and wounded a second

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Two additional suspects have been arrested in connection with an airport parking garage shooting that killed a Philadelphia police officer and wounded another, authorities announced Wednesday. Alexander Batista-Polanco, 21, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Hendrick Peña-Fernandez, 21, of Pennsauken, New Jersey, were arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, First Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said at a news conference.Police on Monday had said at least two other suspects were being sought as they announced the arrest of Yobranny Martinez Fernandez, 18, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He is from Camden County, New Jersey, and was being held in that state on a fugitive warrant.Authorities said Officers Richard Mendez and Raul Ortiz had just arrived at work about 11 p.m. last Thursday when they heard breaking glass and saw several people breaking into a car in the parking lot at Philadelphia International Airport. A confrontation ensued, and the two officers and...

Carjacking suspect robs man at Oak Lawn gas station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:48:00 GMT

OAK LAWN, Ill. — A carjacking suspect robbed a man of his cell phone and wallet at a gas station in Oak Lawn Wednesday morning.Oak Lawn police responded to a BP station, located in the 11000 block of South Pulaski, at around 8:30 a.m.A man was inside the gas station when he noticed another man enter his vehicle and take his phone and wallet.The man then went to confront the suspect and had a plastic bag pointed at him in a motion that suggested there was a gun, police said.The suspect, described as a Latino mean wearing a neon yellow safety jacket, white hardhat and a mask, then left the gas station in a silver Honda CRV.Authorities believe the silver Honda CRV was carjacked in Chicago. It was later found burnt out in Chicago, Oak Lawn police said.The man wanted in the gas station robbery is also believed to have conducted an armed robbery Wednesday morning in Worth.No one is in custody. Anyone with information can text a tip to 708-613-8477 or by calling police at 708-907-4051.