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Biden takes a tougher stance on Israel’s ‘indiscriminate bombing’ of Gaza’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday warned that Israel was losing international support because of its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza, speaking out in unusually strong language as the United Nations neared a vote on demanding a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. “Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world supporting them,” Biden said to donors during a fundraiser Tuesday. “They’re starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” Biden said. The president said he thought Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu understood, but he wasn’t so sure about the Israeli war cabinet. Israeli forces were carrying out punishing strikes across Gaza, crushing Palestinians in homes as the military presses ahead with an offensive that officials say could go on for weeks or months. The president offered a harder-than-usual ass...

Thousands rally in Slovakia to condemn the new government’s plan to close top prosecutors’ office

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Thousands rallied in the capital and other major cities in Slovakia on Tuesday to denounce a plan by the new government of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico to amend the country’s penal code.The changes proposed by the coalition government include a proposal to abolish the special prosecutors’ office, which handles serious crimes such as graft, organized crime and extremism, by mid-January, and return those prosecutions to regional offices, which haven’t dealt with such crimes for 20 years.The noisy but peaceful crowd in Bratislava gathered in front of the government office in a rally organized by several opposition parties, including Progressive Slovakia, the Christian Democrats and Freedom and Solidarity.”We’ll defend our democracy,” said Michal Simecka, the head of the liberal Progressive Slovakia, the strongest opposition party. Simecka called the proposals “a pro-mafia package.”“We’ve had enough of Fico,” the people chanted.Smaller rall...

Missouri county to pay $1.2 million to settle lawsuit over inmate restraint chair death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

Missouri’s second-largest county will pay a $1.2 million settlement to the parents of a 21-year-old man with mental health concerns who, according to a lawsuit, screamed “I can’t breathe” as he was subdued by jail staff before dying in a restraint chair.The Jackson County Legislature in Kansas City on Monday approved the settlement in the 2021 death of Marquis Wagner. John Picerno, the attorney for Wagner’s parents, said jail surveillance captured the events leading up to Wagner’s death. That video has not been made public.The lawsuit named three jail guards and two companies that the county contracts with for health care. The settlement is only with Jackson County. The case involving the two companies is scheduled for trial in September.Wagner was arrested Dec. 9, 2021, and accused of shooting through the door of his Kansas City apartment because he thought someone was breaking in. Police determined no one was trying to get into the apartment. Wagner told of...

Body believed to be missing Carpentersville teen pulled from retention pond in Vernon Hills

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

VERNON HILLS, Ill. — Police believe the body of missing Carpentersville teen Brissa Romero has been recovered from a retention pond in Vernon Hills.The 17-year-old's body was located Tuesday morning after emergency crews resumed their search for the teen.Romero was on her way to a work holiday party when police say she lost control of her Nissan Rogue at an intersection and drove into a pond.She had been missing for one week.Authorities said a review of Romero’s cellphone data brought investigators to the retention pond Monday and while on the scene, a resident in the area notified officers about a backpack that appeared to have floated to the edge of the pond. Search for missing Carpentersville’s teen to resume Tuesday Investigators started searching for her Monday afternoon and resumed the search Tuesday morning using sonar equipment.Romero was studying to be an ultrasound technician at Harper College. She was a graduate of Barrington High School and was working two jobs.

Emergency brakes were activated before CTA Yellow Line collision with rail equipment: NTSB report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

CHICAGO — The CTA operator onboard a southbound Yellow Line train that collided with rail equipment near Howard station, leaving dozens of people injured, was made aware of a potential wreck and tried to brake before the crash, according to a new report.The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday released their findings from a preliminary investigation concerning the Nov. 16 crash. On that day, just after 10:30 a.m., near the 7500 block of N. Paulina Street, a CTA Yellow Line train with a lone operator and 30 passengers collided with the rail-mounted snow-removal equipment in the Howard Rail Yard. Here’s a list of new Illinois laws going into effect in 2024 According to the report, the CTA train operator knew that the snow removal machine was operating on the Yellow Line, in part, because of a training exercise. The train operator did not know of the snow removal machine's exact location, however.NTSB investigators found that the train was traveling just under 55 mph ...

Federal lawsuit accuses former Chicago Public Schools teacher of sexual abuse, alleges CPS failed to protect victims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

CHICAGO — A federal lawsuit is accusing a former Chicago Public Schools teacher of sexually abusing three boys during a period of nearly four years and also alleges that CPS failed to protect the boys from the alleged abuse.The lawsuit was filed by parents of the three boys on their behalf against the Chicago Board of Education, which includes Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary School, Chicago Public School District 299 and Andrew Castro, in his capacity as an employee of Chicago Public Schools.Castro, a gym teacher at Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood on the city's Northwest Side from September 2017 through July 2021, is currently facing three criminal counts in Cook County Court because of alleged sexual abuse against the three boys.The lawsuit filed by the boys' parents alleges that Castro used gifts and money to not only befriend the three boys but also the parents of the children, the oldest of whom was 10 at the time. Two of the boys are brother...

How to thank your Amazon driver with a $5 gift at no extra cost

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX) -- 'Tis the season for Amazon workers to be working around the clock, delivering holiday gifts and packages to homes nationwide. To show a little gratitude to their drivers, Amazon is gifting $5 to drivers who receive a "thank you" from their customers. Starting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, Amazon customers can thank their delivery driver with Alexa by saying "Alexa, thank my driver" or by searching "thank my driver" on the Amazon shopping app or the Amazon website. Are you owed money from the $3 million Credit Karma settlement? Amazon said the first 2 million "thank yous" will come with a $5 gift to the driver at no cost to the customers. After that, customers can continue to thank their drivers all year round and drivers will be able to see the number of times they are thanked in their app. Amazon drivers reportedly deliver upwards of 300 packages a day during the holiday season. Amazon's "Thank My Driver" initiative has been a year-round program since it was intr...

Petito family withdraws motion to order Laundrie attorney's testimony about killing timeline

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — The family of Gabby Petito late Monday withdrew a motion to compel the testimony of the attorney who began representing the Laundrie family as the search for the travel blogger unfolded in the summer of 2021. It was Sept. 14, 2021, and Petito's family had just reported her missing. On the same day, Brian Laundrie's parents allowed their attorney Steven Bertolino to make a statement. Gabby Petito lawsuit: Brian Laundrie’s parents finally admit what their son told them, attorney says "On behalf of the family it is our hope that the search for Miss Petito is successful and that Miss Petito is re-united with her family," the statement said in part. Pat Reilly, the attorney for the Petito family in their civil lawsuit against Bertolino and the Laundries, claimed that statement was released even though they allegedly knew Petito would not come home alive. "I just think it's another brick in our foundation of showing that they knew that Gabby was deceased at ...

WATCH: Zelenskyy meets with Biden, visits Capitol Hill seeking more US aid for Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

President Zelenskyy and President Biden are scheduled to hold a joint press conference beginning at approximately 4:10 p.m. ET following their meeting. Nexstar Media plans to livestream that press conference within this story once it begins.WASHINGTON (AP) — His country's future at stake, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used inspirational words, resolve and a nod to Christmas in appealing Tuesday to leaders in Congress for U.S. aid for his fighters in the war with Russia.But as he arrived next at the White House, additional American support was in grave doubt.Zelenskyy's visit to Washington came at a grim time, much changed from the hero's welcome he received last year. President Joe Biden's request for an additional $110 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs is at serious risk of collapse in Congress as Republicans are insisting on linking it to strict U.S.-Mexico border security changes that Democrats decry. Zelensky arrives at Wh...

Austin metro is fastest-growing in the country for 12th year in a row

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:57:57 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video shows how Texas' population grew in 2022.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin metro is the fastest-growing area in the nation for the 12th year in a row, according to City Demographer Lila Valencia.Valencia gave a presentation on the city's population growth and demographic trends during a city council work session Tuesday.Austin continues "inching our way closer to that million mark," Valencia said. The city had an estimated 2022 population of 974,447, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a 1.3% increase since the 2020 census.That means Austin is bucking a national trend. Of the more than 800 cities in the U.S. with more than 50,000 residents, 53% have lost population since 2020, according to Valencia.But the rapid growth locally is being seen even more outside of Austin, in suburban cities like Georgetown, Kyle and Leander, all of which ranked in the top four fastest-growing cities in the nation in 2022. RELATED COVERAGE: Several local cities are among the f...