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Biden speaks with families of Americans unaccounted for in Israel

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

Washington (CNN) — President Joe Biden on Friday spoke with the families of the Americans who remain unaccounted for in Israel after promising to speak with family members of those who are held hostage by Hamas.During a speech in Philadelphia Friday afternoon, Biden recounted the conversation.“They’re going through agony not knowing what the status of their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, children are,” he said. “You know, it’s gut wrenching. I assured them my personal commitment to do everything possible, everything possible” to ensure the Americans’ return.National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby told reporters that Biden “conveyed directly to these families that they have been in his prayers and we affirmed for them that the United States government is doing everything possible to locate and bring home their loved ones.”The call was led by special presidential envoy for hostage affairs Roger Carstens, Kirby said.“Several of the fam...

Man seriously injured after being struck by car in Vaughan

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

A man is in serious condition after being struck by a vehicle in Vaughan.York police were called to Jane Street near Norwood Avenue, south of Major Mackenzie Drive, for reports of a collision just before 7:30 p.m. Friday evening. When they arrived they found a man had been struck by a vehicle. The man was taken to hospital in serious condition. The driver of the vehicle remained on the scene for the investigation.

Jenkins to give up Notre Dame presidency at end of 2023-2024 school year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — The University of Notre Dame announced Friday that the Rev. John Jenkins will give up the school’s presidency at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year to return to teaching and ministry.Jenkins, the university’s 17th president, has led the school since 2005.“Serving as president of Notre Dame for me, as a Holy Cross priest, has been both a privilege and a calling,” Jenkins said in a news release. John Brennan, chair of the university’s board of trustees, praised Jenkins’ “courageous and visionary leadership.” “Together with the remarkable leadership team he has assembled, he has devoted himself to advancing the University and its mission, fulfilling the promise he made when he was inaugurated — to work collaboratively to build a great Catholic university for the 21st century,” Brennan said.The university said Jenkins’ accomplishments include promoting research growth and gaining Notre Dame’s admission in the research- and education-focused ...

Montana man to return home from hospital weeks after grizzly bear bit off lower jaw

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

A Montana man who was mauled by a grizzly bear that bit off the front of his lower jaw is ready to return home after five weeks in a Utah hospital, a physician and his family said Friday during a news conference.Rudy Noorlander, who answered most questions at the University of Utah hospital by writing on a white board, is looking forward to having a root beer float, reuniting with his Yorkshire terrier Sully, returning to the outdoors and maybe even being able to attend the rivalry football game next month between the Montana Grizzlies and his beloved Montana State Bobcats.“And he’s developed a whole new hatred toward the University of Montana,” his daughter Katelynn Noorlander Davis said, referring to the team’s mascot.Noorlander can speak briefly, but it hurts “a little,” he said. He will need speech therapy, his surgeon, Dr. Hilary McCrary said. Noorlander didn’t want to take questions about the attack because he wants to tell the story himself and write a book....

The toll of heat deaths in the Phoenix area soars after the hottest summer on record

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — The toll of heat-associated deaths in Arizona’s most populous county — still being tallied after the area’s hottest summer ever recorded — has soared over 360, alarming public health officials who say the final count will surely set a new record.Maricopa County, the hottest metropolitan area in the U.S. and home to Phoenix, reported this week that 361 heat-associated deaths have been confirmed this year as of Oct. 7. Another 238 deaths remained under investigation. As of the same time last year, 331 heat-associated deaths had been confirmed, with another 126 deaths still being studied. No other major metropolitan area in the U.S. has reported such high figures or spends so much time tracking and studying them.“It definitely looks like we’ll see more deaths than last year and maybe even more than 500,” said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director for Maricopa County Public Health. “But we won’t really know until the end of the season.”Mar...

10 injured in crash between a truck and van carrying team east of Regina

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

Ten people, including eight girls of a First Nations junior volleyball team, have been injured in a collision involving a truck and a multi-passenger van on Highway 1 east of Regina.RCMP say the crash happened near Sintaluta, Sask., at about 4 p.m. on Thursday.Megaen Reader, director of education at Chief Kahkewistahaw Community School, said the girls and their coach are now home after being discharged from hospital. “Lots of bumps and bruises and one broken bone,” Reader said. “But I think other than that, they’re doing pretty good, just shaken up.”Police, fire, EMS and STARS air ambulance responded and transported all nine occupants of the van to hospital with injuries ranging from severe to non-life-threatening.The driver of the truck, a man from Manitoba, was taken to hospital by STARS.Police say they have called in victim services to provide support to the people involved.Reader said the team was on its way to Indian Head, Sask., to play a gam...

Joran van der Sloot expected to plead guilty in Natalee Holloway extortion case

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Court records filed Friday indicate Joran van der Sloot, the chief suspect in Natalee Holloway’s 2005 disappearance, intends to plead guilty in a federal case accusing him of trying to extort money from the missing teen’s mother.A federal judge set an Oct. 18 plea and sentencing hearing for van der Sloot in Birmingham, Alabama. He had previously entered a plea of not guilty in the case. Emails sent to van der Sloot’s attorney and a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors were not immediately returned Friday eveningVan der Sloot was extradited to Alabama from Peru, where he’s serving a 28-year sentence after confessing to killing a Peruvian woman in 2010. Holloway went missing during a high school graduation trip with classmates to Aruba. The Alabama teen was last seen leaving a bar with van der Sloot, a student at an international school on the island. The mysterious disappearance sparked years of news coverage and countless true-crime podcasts. Van der Slo...

'The View' host Sunny Hostin compares Hamas to Proud Boys

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

(The Hill) — Sunny Hostin, co-host of “The View,” compared Hamas to the Proud Boys in Friday’s episode of the show in the wake of the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel.“I think that we all know that Hamas has been designated a terror organization just like many other terror organizations have this designation,” Hostin said, “like the Proud Boys here in the United States.”Hamas was designated as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” by the Secretary of State in October 1997, according to the State Department. While the Southern Poverty Law Center designated the Proud Boys a hate group, it has not been designated as a terror organization in the U.S. It has been labeled as so in Canada and New Zealand. DeSantis, voter have heated exchange over Gaza bombings: ‘You had my vote, but you don’t now’ Since Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel early Saturday, the White House has frequently referred to Hamas as a “terrorist organization.” “The people of Israel lived through one...

WATCH LIVE: Westlake, Dripping Springs tangle in Top 25 matchup for district lead

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — No. 4 Westlake and No. 22 Dripping Springs face off with first place in 6A-District 26 on the line Friday at Chaparral Stadium.The game kicks at 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed on KXAN.com/Westlake along with in the video player above for those inside the KXAN viewing area. For those outside of KXAN's area, the game is available on the NFHS Network, our official high school football streaming partner. A one-time subscription fee applies through the NFHS Network.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteAfter losing their first game of the season 27-7 to Vandegrift, the Tigers have blasted every opponent since, winning by an average of 42.2 points per game. Dripping Springs shut out Akins last week 48-0.Both Westlake and Dripping Springs have tremendous running backs, and coincidentally they are both named Jack. The Tigers' Jack Ty...

Manor voters to decide on $166.8 million bond election

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:26 GMT

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Voters in Manor will decide on three propositions named in a $166.8 million bond package this November.Proposition A is the least costly at $15 million. If approved, those funds would be used to build infrastructure like water and sewer lines that would attract businesses to Manor.Scott Jones, economic development director for the City of Manor, said businesses have already approached the city about planting roots in Manor. Especially support industries to major tech companies in the Austin area."Vendors, suppliers, future contractors that would like to work with both Tesla and with Samsung to our north and to our south. They're actively looking in the area for sites available to build on," Jones said.Prop B's price tag is $61,695,000 and would allow the city to build a recreation center as well as expand and upgrade the city's parks.Scott Moore, city manager for the city, said these amenities are needed for the growing community."As you get bigger, you have a ...