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Father of Liverpool striker Luis Díaz released after his kidnapping in Colombia by ELN guerrillas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s government announced Thursday that the father of Liverpool striker Luis Díaz was released, 12 days after his kidnapping in northern Colombia by members of the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, or ELN.The release was announced by the government’s delegation that currently is in peace negotiations with the ELN. Luis Manuel Díaz’s kidnapping on Oct. 28 in the small town of Barrancas quickly drew international attention. On Sunday, the younger Diaz appealed for his father ’s release after scoring for Liverpool in a Premier League soccer match, revealing a T-shirt saying “Freedom for Papa” in Spanish.It was initially unclear who carried out the abduction. But Colombia’s government announced last week that it had information that Díaz was kidnapped by an ELN unit. The ELN later acknowledged the kidnapping, saying it was a mistake and that the group’s top leadership had ordered the elder Díaz’s release. An ELN statement Sunday said tha...

Kaiser Permanente workers ratify contract after strike over wages and staffing levels

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Tens of thousands of health care workers have ratified a new four-year contract with industry giant Kaiser Permanente following a strike over wages and staffing levels, the parties announced Thursday.Of the 85,000 members in the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, 98.5% voted in recent weeks to ratify the contract, the coalition said in a press release. It runs retroactively from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2027.The deal includes setting minimum hourly wages at $25 in California, where most of Kaiser’s facilities are located, and $23 in other states. Workers will also see a 21% wage increase over four years.The agreement also includes protective terms around subcontracting and outsourcing, as well as initiatives to invest in the current workforce and address the staffing crisis. The workers’ last contract was negotiated in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.The three-day strike last month involved 75,000 workers in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. ...

Woman, 73, loses $250K of cryptocurrency in online dating scam, Toronto man charged

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

A man from Toronto is facing fraud charges in an alleged online romance scam where he posed as a business owner in the Middle East and convinced a 73-year-old woman to send him $250,000 in cryptocurrency. Peel Regional Police said the 26-year-old man met the victim through an online dating website in September 2022 and began communicating daily via text and phone calls.It’s alleged the male suspect claimed he owned an oil rig in the Middle East and urgently needed money. Police said the man promised to repay the female victim and would eventually meet in person. The pair never did meet in person and only communicated online. Related: Mississauga man arrested after bilking more than $60k in romance scam: Police Investigators noted that the victim had observed a media report about romance scams, which was when she realized that she had been the target of one. At this point, police said the victim had already sent the suspect approximately $250,000 in cryptocurre...

Shania Twain concert going ahead in Saskatoon after crew involved in bus crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

SASKATOON — Shania Twain is set to hit the stage in Saskatoon a day after members of her concert production crew were in a bus crash on an icy highway in southeast Saskatchewan.The Sasktel Centre, where the singer is set to perform, says the concert is going ahead. A bus and truck from the “Queen of Me” tour were in a crash on the Trans-Canada Highway near Wolseley on Wednesday morning. Twain was not on the bus.The people in the vehicles were taken to hospital and all but two were released the same day. Emergency officials have said none of the injuries were life-threatening.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2023.The Canadian Press

United Nations suspends pullout of African Union troops from Somalia as battles with militants rage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

NAIROBI,Kenya (AP) — The United Nations Security Council on Thursday suspended for a period of three months the pullout of African Union troop from Somalia, where fighting rages with al-Qaida’s affiliate in East Africa.The decision follows a request by the Horn of Africa nation for the forces to remain in the country to help in the fight against the al-Shabab extremists. Somalia’s request was supported by the African Union, all countries that contribute soldiers to the force and the council, which agreed to delay the pullout of the 19,000-strong AU force for 90 days.Last year in April, the council unanimously approved a new African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, to support the Somalis until their forces take full responsibility for the country’s security at the end of 2024.ATMIS replaced the African Union Mission in Somalia, known as AMISOM, which has been in the Horn of Africa nation for 15 years helping peacebuilding in Somalia.However, the new force was to b...

Two Montreal Jewish schools hit by gunshots overnight Wednesday, no injuries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

The Montreal police force (SPVM) is reporting two Jewish schools in Montreal were hit with gunshots overnight Wednesday.The SPVM says they received a 911 call at 8:20 a.m. regarding gunshot impacts found on the front door of a Jewish school located on Saint-Kevin Ave. in Côte-des-Neiges. Bullet casings were also located.Authorities believe the gunshots were fired overnight. No one was in the building at the time of the shooting and no one was injured.Shortly after at 8:50 a.m. a 911 call was made about gunshot impacts found on the front door of another Jewish school nearby on Chemin Deacon in Outremont.In this case police also believe the shots were fired overnight. No one was in the building at the time of the shooting and no one was injured.SPVM officers are on the scene at both schools as the investigation is ongoing.The incidents occurred at a time when the Montreal police is reporting a rise in hate crimes and incidents amid the Israel-Hamas war.The SPVM reports 73 hate crimes ...

Man accuses riverboat co-captain of assault during Alabama riverfront brawl

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A Black riverboat co-captain at the center of an Alabama riverfront brawl that drew national attention has been accused of misdemeanor assault in the melee by one of the white boaters charged in the fight.Court records show one of the white men accusing of assaulting the co-captain during the August brawl filed a complaint last month saying the co-captain hit him first during the chaotic melee. The co-captain faces a charge of misdemeanor assault, according to court records.“I was not trying to fight,” the man wrote in a statement. The complaint was filed Oct. 26 ahead of the man’s Nov. 16 trial on a misdemeanor assault charge of hitting and kicking the riverboat co-captain.The August riverfront melee in Montgomery drew national attention after bystanders filmed white boaters hitting a Black riverboat co-captain and others rushing to his defense. Video of the fight was shared widely online, sparking countless memes and parodies.Montgomery police said th...

Cleaning agent found in the bottled drink that sickened a man and triggered alarm in Croatia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Traces of a cleaning agent have been found in the fizzy drink that was served to a man in Croatia who was later hospitalized with a throat injury, triggering a nationwide alarm, police said Thursday.An analysis of the bottle and glass served to the man at a cafe last weekend in the northern port of Rijeka showed that the contents of both included a highly alkaline substance. But it remains unclear how it got there, and other similar drinks that were tested were problem-free, police said in a statement.The incident triggered alarm throughout Croatia, with dozens of people complaining of similar problems in recent days, but authorities have said no serious injuries have been detected. “Based on the established chemical composition, it can be concluded that it was some kind of a washing or degreasing agent,” police said.Police said other drinks, including 20 unopened bottles of the same drink that the man had, have been tested and found to have no problems. Polic...

Massachusetts is running out of shelter beds for families, including migrants from other states

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts shelters are being pushed past their capacity, running out of beds for families, including migrants arriving from other states and residents weathering a housing crunch right before winter, said Democratic Gov. Maura Healey.Healey has said the state will start a waitlist when the number of families in emergency shelters reaches 7,500. Wednesday’s tally showed 7,488, but at least one immigrant aid organization — La Colaborativa in Chelsea, Massachusetts — said late Wednesday that it appeared the cap had taken effect as it tried to place a family in a shelter.“We were informed we hit the cap and due to the cap, families are being put on a waitlist,” said Cherlin Dubon, triage case specialist for the group.Healey has said she doesn’t want to see families out on the street but that the state has essentially reached its shelter capacity. The spike in demand is being driven in part by migrant families entering the state. Many of the migrants are arriving ...

Woman, 24, charged after armed carjacking in Beverly neighborhood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:26:22 GMT

CHICAGO — A 24-year-old woman has been charged in the armed carjacking of a woman outside her home on the city's South Side last week.Kayla Bell, 24, faces one misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing to a vehicle.Police said the incident happened on November 2 in the 9300 Block of South Pleasant Avenue in the Beverly neighborhood. The victim and her 12-year-old daughter were arriving home from a volleyball open gym when she was targeted by two thieves.Police say two offenders held the victim up at gunpoint and pushed her to the ground before demanding car keys then took the victim's belongings and fled the scene in the stolen car.According to police, Bell was placed into custody Wednesday and charged. Investigation underway after woman carjacked outside home on Far South Side No one else is in custody at this time. The investigation is ongoing.