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Taliban share rare audio message from supreme leader

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban have shared a rare audio message from their supreme leader, who says justice is an instrument for the Afghan government’s survival.Hibatullah Akhundzada, an Islamic scholar, almost never appears in public and hardly ever leaves the Taliban heartland in southern Kandahar province.He surrounds himself with other religious scholars and allies who oppose education and work for women. Only one known photo of him, years old, exists. Akhundzada has traveled to Kabul only once since the August 2021 Taliban takeover to give a speech to a gathering of clerics, although he was not shown in media coverage at the closed event and appeared with his back to the audience.In his audio message, shared on Twitter Wednesday by the Taliban’s main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, Akhundzada said justice is an instrument for the government’s survival.“But if there is no justice, and there is oppression, selfishness, murders and revenge, as well as killi...

Official: Russia may discuss swap involving WSJ reporter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia may be willing to discuss a potential prisoner swap involving jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich with the U.S. after a court delivers its verdict, a top Russian diplomat said Thursday.Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state news agency Tass that talks about a possible exchange could take place through a dedicated channel that Russian and U.S. security agencies established for such purposes.“We have a working channel that was used in the past to achieve concrete agreements, and these agreements were fulfilled,” Ryabkov said, adding that there was no need for the involvement of any third country.However, he emphasized that Moscow would only negotiate a possible prisoner exchange after a court delivers its verdict in the espionage case against Gershkovich, 31.In December, American basketball star Brittney Griner was freed after 10 months behind bars in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.Another American, Michigan corporate secu...

1 dead, 3 hurt at Indiana park during memorial for slain man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — One person died and three people were wounded in a shooting at an Indiana park during a memorial, police said.The shooting occurred around 6:45 p.m. Wednesday during a balloon release at McCormick Park in Fort Wayne, Officer Anthony Krock told The Journal Gazette.One woman and three men were taken to a hospital. Krock said one of the men died. He did not have additional information on the conditions of the others.Krissy Williams told the newspaper that the memorial was held to honor Tyreece Vachon, 19, who was fatally shot Tuesday outside an apartment complex. Police did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment.The Associated Press

Corus Entertainment reports $15.5M Q2 loss, revenue down from year ago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

TORONTO — Corus Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Global Television, reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year ago, as its revenue fell five per cent.The television and radio broadcaster says its loss attributable to shareholders was $15.5 million or eight cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Feb. 28 compared with a profit of $16.2 million or eight cents per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue in what was the company’s second quarter totalled $343.9 million, down from $361.7 million in the same quarter last year.Corus chief executive Doug Murphy says the results reflect the impact of current global advertising market conditions on advertising revenue, partially offset by significant growth in its owned content business.The company says its overall television revenue totalled $321.5 million, down from $339.7 million a year ago, as the advertising segment fell to $169.1 million from $184.7 million and subscriber revenue slipped to $124...

Drama plagues bid to restrict changes to Ohio Constitution

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s constitution is caught in a high-stakes tug-of-war. With an effort to enshrine abortion rights looming this fall, an influential mix of Republican politicians, lobbying organizations and business interests is positioning to try to make another change to the state’s founding document first. They’re pushing an amendment that would raise the threshold for passing future constitutional changes, including the abortion question, from the current 50%-plus-one to 60% of Ohio voters.“This issue isn’t just about abortion,” said Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis, who represented a cross-section of conservative causes at recent strategy talks on the subject. “This is about family farming. This is about small businesses. This is around Second Amendment rights, setting the minimum wage.”Despite that powerful line-up of conservative support, getting the 60% question to the ballot this August has been fraught with complications.First, there&#...

Man in critical condition after being struck by vehicle in East York

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being struck by a vehicle in East York.Emergency crews responded to a crash at Barrington and Doncaster Avenues, near Main Street and Danforth, around 6 a.m. Thursday.Police tell CityNews pedestrian was unloading groceries from the back of his car when a black Honda crashed into his vehicle. The impact knocked the man backwards and he smacked his head on the pavement.Paramedics confirm he was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.The investigation is ongoing.

Norway expels 15 Russian diplomats suspected of spying

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway’s government said Thursday that it was expelling 15 Russian diplomats from the country, saying they were suspected of spying while working at the Russian Embassy in Oslo. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said the move was “an important measure to counter and reduce the scope of Russian intelligence activities in Norway, and thereby secure our national interests.”The Russians declared persona non grata “must leave Norway within a short time,”.Huitfeldt said, adding: “We will not grant visas to intelligence officers who apply for a visa to Norway.”Norway’s government said the activities of the expelled diplomats were “incompatible with their diplomatic status.” The foreign minister stressed that Oslo wants “normal diplomatic relations with Russia, and that Russian diplomats are welcome in Norway.” The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow would respond in kind to Norway’s action, Russia’s Tass and RIA Novosti news agencies rep...

Biden to expand some migrants’ health care access: officials

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to announce that his administration is expanding eligibility for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, according to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter.The action will allow participants in the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, to access government-funded health insurance programs. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before the formal announcement on Thursday.The 2012 DACA initiative was meant to shield from deportation immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents as young children and to allow them to work legally in the country. However, the immigrants were still ineligible for government-subsidized health insurance programs because they did not meet the definition for having “lawful presence” in the U.S. That’s what Biden’s ...

3 shot, 1 fatally, in off-campus shooting near Northwestern University: police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — Three people were shot, one fatally, Wednesday evening in an off-campus shooting near Northwestern University, according to police.The medical examiner's office identified the victim as 18-year-old Jacquis Irby.According to a tweet, the university said police are investigating shots fired at Clark Street Beach. Evanston police said it happened in the 1800 block of Sheridan Road.Three people, who are not Northwestern University students, were shot, according to the Evanston Police Department.Commander Ryan Glew said an 18-year-old man was killed, one boy, 15, is in critical condition and another boy, also 15, suffered a minor gunshot wound.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesThe suspects involved in the shooting went north towards campus, police said. Evanston police said the shooting isn't affiliated with the university and there is no indication of an active shooter. No one has been taken into custody yet, but Evanston police said there does not appear to be an...

Funeral services Thursday for fallen CFD Lt. Jan Tchoryk

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

CHICAGO — The first of two funerals for Chicago firefighter who died in the line-of-duty last week will happen Thursday.Lieutenant Jan Tchoryk will be laid to rest following services at St. Johns Ukrainian Church on the city's Far Northwest Side. Hundreds are expected to attend the funeral services.Last Wednesday, the 26-year veteran of the department collapsed while responding to a fire in the 1200 block of North Lake Shore Drive at a Gold Coast high-rise. The fire was on the 27th-floor and the elevators were out. Firefighters had to use the stairs to get to the fire.A short time later, a mayday response was called for a firefighter down. Fallen Chicago Fire Department lieutenant remembered during visitation services The Chicago Fire Department said Lt. Jan Tchoryk was making his way up the stairs when he went down at the 11th floor. He was rushed by colleagues to the lobby where life-saving measures were performed. He died as a result of his injuries, CFD said.Tchoryk was also a...