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Pope blames weapons industry for Russia-Ukraine war and ‘martyrdom’ of Ukrainian people

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) — Pope Francis on Saturday labeled the weapons industry as being a key driver of the “martyrdom” of Ukraine’s people in Russia’s war, saying even the withholding of weapons now is going to continue their misery.Francis appeared to refer to Poland’s recent announcement that it is no longer sending arms to Ukraine when he was asked about the war during brief remarks to reporters while returning home from Marseille, France.Francis acknowledged he was frustrated that the Vatican’s diplomatic initiatives hadn’t borne much fruit. But he said behind the Russia-Ukraine conflict was also the weapons industry.He described the paradox that was keeping Ukraine a “martyred people” — that at first many countries gave Ukraine weapons and now are taking them away. Francis has long denounced the weapons industry as “merchants of death,” but he has also asserted the right of countries to defend themselves.“I’ve seen now that some countries are pulling back, and...

Flamingos in Wisconsin? Tropical birds visit Lake Michigan beach in a first for the northern state

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. (AP) — Five flamingos that showed up in Wisconsin to wade along a Lake Michigan beach attracted a big crowd of onlookers eager to see the unusual visitors venturing far from their usual tropical setting.The American flamingos spotted Friday in Port Washington, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Milwaukee, marked the first sighting of the species in Wisconsin state history, said Mark Korducki, a member of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.The birds stood quietly 25 feet (7.6 meters) off Lake Michigan’s western shoreline as waves lapped against their thin legs. Three were adults, identifiable by their pink plumage, and two were juveniles clad in gray.Jim Edelhuber of Waukesha was among a crowd of about 75 bird enthusiasts drawn to the city’s South Beach after word spread on social media about the flamingos’ appearance there.“This is huge. This is unbelievable,” said Edelhuber, an avid bird watche...

15-year-old critical after driver crashes stolen Kia into John Deere tractor in Joliet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — A 15-year-old is in critical condition after a 15-year-old boy crashed a stolen Kia into a John Deere tractor parked on the side of the rode in Joliet Saturday morning.According to the Joliet Police Department, officers were called to the area of Ingalls Avenue and Krings Lane around 4:23 a.m. for a report of a single vehicle crash with injuries. When officers arrived on scene, they found two 15-year-olds, one the driver of the crashed vehicle, and the other a passenger.The driver and the passenger were both taken to Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center, where the passenger was transferred to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago in critical condition.The driver was taken into police custody without incident before being taken to Ascension St. Joseph, and after being released from the hospital, was taken by police to the River Valley Justice Center. Police: 2 teens killed in Palatine shooting were victims of targeted, gang-related incident Preliminary investigation s...

Brookfield Zoo receives $40M donation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

BROOKFIELD, Ill. — The Brookfield Zoo announced this week that it received the largest single private contribution in the organization's history.According to the Chicago Zoological Society, the zoo received a $40 million private contribution from a family who wishes to remain anonymous. The zoological society says the generous donation is the largest the zoo has received in its 89-year history. The Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the Brookfield Zoo, made the announcement in a news release on Tuesday. Incoming CPD superintendent meets with Police and Fire Committee According to officials, the contribution will support the construction of new animal habitats that will be revealed in early 2024, as well as the ongoing construction of the zoo's Tropical Forests habitat, which is an expansion on the current Tropical World habitat that will feature four new outdoor areas for apes and monkeys."This gift bolsters our ability to create an exceptional future for Brookfield Zo...

Honolulu resident claims strangers emerged from storm manhole on his property

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

HONOLULU (KHON) – City officials in Honolulu are sharing a safety message with the public: Stay out of the city’s storm drain system. This comes after a homeowner claims two strangers suddenly popped up out of a manhole on his property this week.It is not a typical complaint to the city: A homeowner in Kaimuki said he was in his garage around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when he started to hear noises coming from his backyard. The residents of the home wished to remain anonymous, but they told Nexstar's KHON a man and a woman emerged from the storm manhole located on their private property. 19-year-old dangling from tallest bridge in California rescued Ian Scheuring, the deputy communications director for the Honolulu Mayor's Office, said this is the first incident of its kind the department has received. They are taking the matter seriously, he said."Storm drains are not places where people should be hanging out or traversing from one location to the next,” Scheuring said. "We do have an ea...

Some providers are dropping gender-affirming care for kids even in cases where it's legal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — As Republican-led states have rushed to ban gender-affirming for minors, some families with transgender children found a bit of solace: At least they lived in states that would allow those already receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy to continue.But in some places, including Missouri and North Dakota, the care has abruptly been halted because medical providers are wary of harsh liability possibilities from those same laws — one of multiple reasons that advocates say care has become harder to access even where it remains legal.“It was a completely crushing blow,” said Becky Hormuth, whose 16-year-old son was receiving treatment from the Washington University Gender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital until it stopped the care for minors this month. Hormuth cried. Her son cried, too.“There was some anger there, not towards the doctors, not toward Wash U. Our anger is towards the politicians,” she said. “They don’t see our children. They say the health car...

Report: AMPTP, WGA negotiations in “home stretch” 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

The Writers Guild of America is in the final phase of negotiations with Hollywood’s major studios and streaming services, according to reports.  An industry insider told Variety that the talks are “mainly down to language now” and that negotiations are in the "home stretch." Negotiation meetings between the sides have made considerable progress in recent weeks, which may be contributed to the presence of four top executives: Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos.  ‘Are you going to miss your mom?’ boy from viral video reunites with reporter The proposed three-year project would bring an end to one of the longest strikes in Hollywood history; the WGA has been on strike since May 2 – 144 days ago. Representatives from SAG-AFTRA are still hammering out a deal with AMPTP and are looking to end their picketing that started in mid-July. 

Woman who has never used a cell phone stuck with $2,221 bill for iPhones she never ordered

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

Debby Setzer-Ortelt called Better Call Behnken for help after her mother, Donna Ortelt, ended up with a gigantic cell phone bill—even though she's never even used a cell phone. "My mother has never had a cell phone, nor does she want one," Setzer-Ortelt told KTLA sister station WFLA. Setzer-Ortelt says this mess started in July when with the delivery of a cell phone with no paperwork. Weeks later, two more iPhones arrived.Then a mysterious letter came, explaining it was a mistake and asking her to send the phones to an address in Texas. What the women say happened mirrors a known phone scheme, previously reported by Better Call Behnken, to steal phones and stick victims with the bill. Californians in these counties may still have to pay taxes Spectrum accepted one phone and erased the bill, and Setzer-Ortlet says she dropped off the T-Mobile phones a company store, but her calls to the company to figure out the bill went nowhere."I would try calling them but because I didn't have ...

Willow Glen to make football coaching change for remainder of the season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

Willow Glen football coach Oscar Caballero has lost his job for at least the rest of the season after an incident last week with a crew member holding the sideline yard markers.In an email from the San Jose Unified School District sent to parents during the team’s home game Friday night, the district said it received the final report from the Central Coast Section and “will be making a coaching change for the Willow Glen High varsity football team for the remainder of the season.”The district added that San Jose Unified, the CCS, and the California Interscholastic Federation “expect coaches, players, officials, and fans to exhibit good sportsmanship at all contests. Unsportsmanlike conduct should be reported to game officials. San José Unified recognizes the league (CCS) as the governing body for athletic competitions and fully supports (CCS’s) rulings.”The district’s release also said Willow Glen High is working to identify an interim head football coach for the remaind...

Russell Brand makes first public comments since sexual assault allegations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:53 GMT

(CNN) — Russell Brand has made his first public comments since being accused of rape and sexual assault, thanking followers for “questioning the information they have been presented with” while not addressing the claims.In a YouTube video published by the British comedian on Friday night, Brand – who denies the allegations – spoke of an “extraordinary and distressing week,” accusing the UK government of trying to censor him.Last Saturday, British outlets The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4’s “Dispatches” published a joint investigation in which four women alleged Brand sexually assaulted them in separate instances between 2006 and 2013. One of the women said she was 16 and Brand was 31 at the time of the alleged assault in London.The women chose not to be identified by name in the report, according to the The Times. CNN has not been able to independently verify their claims.At least two of the alleged assaults took place in Los Angeles. One woman was treated at a rape treatmen...