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Armed group kills peacekeeper in Central African Republic, UN says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — An unidentified armed group attacked a U.N. peacekeeping patrol Monday in the Central African Republic, killing a peacekeeper from Rwanda, the United Nations said.U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said initial reports indicated the U.N. patrol returned fire and killed three of the assailants.The attack happened as the peacekeepers were providing a protective presence around the town of Sam-Ouandja, in the Haute Kotto prefecture in the Central African Republic’s east, Dujarric said.Peacekeepers were deployed to Sam-Ouandja last week in response to an attack on the town by an armed group, which fled after the peacekeepers intervened, he said. He said the U.N. mission had expanded the security perimeter around the town over the past five days to protect the community and support aid deliveries.Valentine Rugwabiza, head of the U.N. mission, strongly condemned the attack. She said the peacekeepers will remain in Sam-Ouandja and the mission is engaging with auth...

Girl, 6, dies after she was hit by SUV in Junction last week

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

A six-year-old girl has died in hospital after she was struck by an SUV in The Junction last week, Toronto police say.Emergency crews were called to the area near High Park Avenue and Dundas Street West around 4:30 p.m. on July 5.Police say the child was walking with her mother on a sidewalk on Dundas approaching the intersection at High Park Avenue, when she ran onto the roadway and was struck by a Honda CRV that was travelling west on Dundas.The girl was rushed to hospital in life-threatening condition but has since died of her injuries.Investigators say the driver remained at the scene but is not expected to face charges.“Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragic event, but do not expect any charges to be laid,” Toronto police said in a release.

A Libyan court jails 38 human traffickers over the deaths of 11 Europe-bound migrants at sea

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — A court in eastern Libya sentenced five people to life in prison after they were convicted of human trafficking over the deaths of 11 migrants who were on a rickety boat trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, the office of Libya’s chief prosecutor said Monday.The court in the city of Bayda also sentenced nine other defendants to 15 years in prison each, the office of General Prosecutor al-Sediq al-Sourr said in a statement. Another 24 others were jailed for a year, the statement added.The defendants were part of a network smuggling migrants from Libya to Europe, it said. The statement did not say when the deadly shipwreck took place or provide further details.The court ruling was the latest in the conflict-wracked North African nation to target traffickers. On Friday, the chief prosecutor’s office said another court in the capital, Tripoli, sentenced one defendant to life in prison and two others to 20 years each for human trafficking. In recent years, Libya...

Democrat challenges Rep. Van Orden in Wisconsin battleground as her party seeks to flip House

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democrat Rebecca Cooke, a former small business owner and past member of the state’s economic development board, announced her run for Congress on Monday in a battleground western Wisconsin district Republicans flipped last time.Cooke, 35, is running for a chance to take on first-term Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump. Democrats are targeting the seat in their effort to regain control of the U.S. House in 2024.“Our rural communities face unique challenges,” said Cooke, who was raised on a dairy farm, in a statement announcing her candidacy. “It’s clear that Washington isn’t working for us, and Derrick Van Orden is part of the problem.”Cooke finished second in the 2022 primary to state Sen. Brad Pfaff who was then defeated by Van Orden. Pfaff, among other Democrats, also may try again for the seat, which Democrat Ron Kind held for more than 24 years before retiring in 2022. Pfaff beat Cooke by about 8 points last time.N...

Lawyer for young adult at center of BBC scandal says claims presenter broke law are ‘rubbish’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British detectives met with representatives of the BBC on Monday over allegations that a leading presenter paid a teenager for sexually explicit photos. But police said they had not opened a criminal investigation, and a lawyer for the young person denied anything inappropriate had happened.The U.K.’s publicly funded national broadcaster has suspended the male star, who has not been named, over allegations he gave a youth 35,000 pounds ($45,000) starting in 2020 when the young person was 17.Though the age of sexual consent in Britain is 16, it is a crime to make or possess indecent images of anyone under 18.London’s Metropolitan Police force said detectives were “assessing the information discussed at the meeting and further enquiries are taking place to establish whether there is evidence of a criminal offence being committed.”“There is no investigation at this time,” the force said.The Sun newspaper, which first reported the allegations, said that the you...

Bombardier patrol planes would sport price tag ‘competitive’ with Boeing bid

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

MONTREAL — The patrol planes Bombardier Inc. hopes could replace aging Canadian military aircraft will have a price “competitive” with that of jets from rival Boeing Inc., the Montreal-based company says.The business jet maker joined forces earlier this year with U.S.-based General Dynamics on a surveillance aircraft with submarine-hunting technology. Both partners are calling on the federal government to launch an open procurement process to supplant the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 14 CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol planes, built by Lockheed Martin and set to retire in 2030 after a half-century of service.The price of the 16 P-8A Poseidons and associated gear that Boeing aims to sell to Ottawa amounts to US$5.9 billion, according to a June 27 post from the U.S. Defence Security Cooperation Agency.That total is one Bombardier can compete with, said Bombardier vice-president of public affairs Pierre Pyun. “We are absolutely convinced of that,” he said in Fr...

Deputy minister had no reason to think Mendicino unaware of Bernardo move: department

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal Public Safety Department is defending a decision by its top officials not to contact the minister directly about the transfer of notorious serial killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security prison.Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has for weeks been dealing with the fallout from the Correctional Service of Canada’s decision to move Bernardo in late May from a maximum-security prison in Ontario to an institution in Quebec known for offering treatment programs for sex offenders.The prison service later confirmed it first notified the minister’s office at least three months before Bernardo was moved, and again in the days leading up to his transfer, but Mendicino said he was unaware until after it happened.Emails obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act show Anne Kelly, the federal corrections commissioner, also told the deputy and associate deputy minister of public safety three days ahead of time.Asked why neither of the s...

Senator Tuberville's hold leaves Marines leaderless for first time in 164 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

(The Hill) - The blockade from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on about 250 of the Pentagon's general and flag officers has left the Marine Corps without a confirmed leader for the first time in 164 years.Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger officially retired on Monday, leaving Assistant Commandant Gen. Eric Smith as the acting commandant and leader of the military branch until he is confirmed in the Senate.The last time the Marine Corps was left with an acting commandant was in 1859, when Archibald Henderson, the fifth commandant of the Marines, died at 76 without a successor in place.It's unclear when Smith could be confirmed. Tuberville's hold on the Pentagon nominees, which he began in March to protest the Defense Department's new abortion policy, shows no signs of weakening, even as the block has sparked bipartisan frustration. Tuberville's hold is affecting leadership posts held by key military officers, prompting concern from the White House, Defense Department, former D...

You could get cash from an A&W Root Beer settlement

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

(WXIN) - Fans of A&W Root Beer and Cream Soda are eligible for some cash after a judge granted preliminary approval of a settlement over what plaintiffs called misleading claims regarding the drinks.The settlement involves the “Made with Aged Vanilla” claim printed on some of the company’s products, including 12 oz. cans, 20 oz. plastic bottles and two-liter bottles.Three plaintiffs argued the beverages didn’t contain aged vanilla and were instead flavored with ethyl vanillin, a “cheap and inferior substitute for real vanilla,” according to the lawsuit.The approval of the settlement comes years after plaintiffs initially filed the suit.The lawsuit noted that a survey of 411 consumers in March 2020 found 89% of them believed, based on the “Made with Aged Vanilla” labeling, that the A&W products were vanilla flavored. The survey showed that most respondents took the statement to mean that the vanilla flavoring came “from a vanilla plant, such as a vanilla extract, which is mad...

What's ahead in Chicago sports this week

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:13:02 GMT

CHICAGO — The baseball teams in town have a little break thanks to their midseason All-Star contest while another basketball team has the same. It's a busy week for one soccer team in town while another gets a little rest in the middle of July.WGN News Now has more on what's ahead for Chicago sports this week from July 10 through 16.(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)The Cubs and White Sox are both on the All-Star Break at the beginning of the week as one player for each team will take part in the game. Cubs pitcher Justin Steele will represent the Cubs after Marcus Storman decided not to pitch in order to rest and shortstop Dansby Swanson injured his heel.Outfielder Luis Robert represents the White Sox and will also compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday night. His team will open the second half of the season on Friday against the Braves in Atlanta as part of a three-game series. Meanwhile, the Cubs will open the second half with a three-game interleague series against the Red So...