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Zelenskyy meets with Pope Francis at Vatican, says he sought backing for his peace plan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

ROME (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had private talks with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday, later saying he sought support for his peace plan from the pontiff , who in the past has offered to try to help end the war launched by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago.Zelenskyy held his hand over his heart and said it was a “great honor” to meet with the pope. Francis, using a cane for his knee problem, came to greet the Ukrainian president before ushering him into a papal studio near the Vatican’s audience hall. “Thank you for your visit,” Francis said, as their 40-minute-long meeting began.In a tweet after the papal audience, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Francis for “his personal attention to the tragedy of millions of Ukrainians.” He said he spoke with the pontiff “about the tens of thousands of deported (Ukrainian) children. We must make every effort to return them home.” Last month, Ukraine’s prime minister, Denys S...

German rail union cancels planned two-day strike after employers meet minimum wage demand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — A labor union representing more than 200,000 railway workers in Germany said Saturday that it was cancelling plans for a two-day strike after employers met one of its key demands.The EVG union had said earlier this week that its members would walk out for 50 hours from late Sunday until late Tuesday. Rail company Deutsche Bahn said this would have affected all long-distance travel during that period and warned that most regional trains also wouldn’t run.Deutsche Bahn had sought a court injunction against the strike Saturday, insisting that it had agreed to the union’s demand for the minimum wage of 12 euros an hour to be ensured through basic pay rather than with bonuses.Negotiations on a broader deal continue.The company has offered tax-free one-off payments and a raise of 10% for low- and medium-wage groups, as well as 8% for those on higher wages. EVG had demanded an increase of 12%, saying it wanted an agreement valid for 12 months rather than Deutsche ...

DeSantis and Trump competing to sway Iowa GOP activists at dueling events

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — With hamburgers and handshakes, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sought to weaken former President Donald Trump’s grip on the Republican Party on Saturday as the GOP’s leading presidential prospects collided in battleground Iowa.DeSantis, expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign any day, waded into Iowa’s hand-to-hand politicking at a congressman’s fundraiser in Sioux Center where several hundred conservatives ate burgers while surrounded by classic Corvettes. DeSantis later planned to attend a state party fundraiser in Cedar Rapids, while Trump, a candidate since November, hoped to demonstrate his political strength with a large outdoor rally in Des Moines, the capital.Although Trump and DeSantis were scheduled to be hundreds of miles apart, the split-screen moment in the GOP’s leadoff primary state marked a first for the two Republican powerhouses. The day offered an early preview of the match-up between Trump, well ahead...

3 men wanted in armed robbery, sexual assault of woman in North York

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

Toronto police are searching for three men that robbed and sexually assaulted a woman in North York.Authorities said a woman was walking in the Sentinel Road and Murray Ross Parkway area around 11 p.m. on Friday when three men approached her.It’s alleged one of the suspects was holding a knife. The three men then robbed the woman of her items.One of the men sexually assaulted the woman, police said. The suspects fled on foot and were last seen in the Four Winds Drive area west of Keele Street near Finch West Station.The first man is described as white, five-foot-seven and approximately 25 years old, with unkempt blonde hair and a thin build. He was last seen wearing a brown scarf around his face and possibly a green jacket.The second suspect is male, Black, five-foot-seven and approximately 25 years old, with short black hair and a thin build. He was last seen wearing a grey scarf around his face and a white t-shirt.The third suspect is described as white, five-foot-seven and ...

Lebanese and UAE foreign ministers speak after man dies in custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s foreign minister spoke Saturday with his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates following the death of a Lebanese citizen while in custody in the oil-rich Gulf nation, the foreign ministry said in a statement.Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry said in a short statement that Lebanon’s ambassador to the UAE, Fouad Dandan, spoke by telephone with the wife and brother of the late Ghazi Ezzedine, 55. The envoy later received a signed letter from the family saying the man died as a result of heart problems.Ezzedine’s death had earlier raised questions about his possible mistreatment by authorities in the UAE. Earlier this week, a committee of family members of Lebanese citizens detained in the UAE, including the man who died earlier this month, alleged in a statement that Ezzedine had died as a result of being tortured.The foreign ministry statement said UAE’s Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan told his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bouhabib that Ezzedine...

Quebec premier says raising politicians’ salaries by $30K requires ‘courage’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

Quebec Premier François Legault says courage was necessary to propose raising the salaries of provincial politicians by $30,000.Legault made the comments today as the Coalition Avenir Québec’s party convention got underway in Sherbrooke, Que., about 150 kilometres east of Montreal.His government tabled a bill this week that would raise the base pay for elected officials from $101,561 to $131,766, making it the highest among Canadian provincial politicians.The governing party’s caucus is unanimous in supporting this considerable increase, which was recommended by a committee earlier this year so as to attract strong candidates.Legault told reporters today the debate on the salaries of elected members of the national assembly had dragged on for too long and it was necessary to have the courage to increase their base pay.Most of the 125 elected members of the legislature already earn substantially more than base salary because of other duties, but everyone will see an incre...

'It sickens us': Rhode Island officials investigate 'racist and hateful' signs designed to mimic official notices

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

LINCOLN, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is investigating after "racist and hateful" signs were spotted in Lincoln Woods State Park.The metal signs, which were designed to look similar to the signs DEM posts throughout its state parks, were discovered attached to trees throughout Lincoln Woods."These are not DEM signs and the Division of Parks and Recreation did not post them," the DEM wrote in a social media post which included photos of two of the signs. "We strongly condemn racism and discrimination.""It’s particularly sad that vandals have targeted Lincoln Woods, Rhode Island's first state park which, since 1909, has existed to afford 'the greatest good for the greatest number,'" the post continued. Cashier charged in scheme to steal $3M lottery jackpot from unsuspecting customer DEM spokesperson Mike Healey said the signs were taken down immediately."It's discriminatory and it sickens us," Healey said. "We don't want to think for a ...

Your Money: Thinking outside of the bucket list

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

Bruce Helmer and Peg WebbLet’s assume you’ve done a good job saving through your retirement account at work or on your own through a brokerage or bank account.Maybe you’ve been thinking — what’s next? What will you need this money to do? Of course, you want to be sure it will help you maintain your lifestyle during a retirement that could last 20 or 30 years or more. You’ll also need enough to handle the tax bill that will come each year. And you may want to ensure that it can provide a legacy for your loved ones after you’re gone.There are at least four risk factors that you need to consider when generating income that will last over your lifetime:• Longevity — It’s nearly impossible to predict how long you’ll live, and therefore how long your income will need to last.• Inflation — Rising prices erode the purchasing power of each retirement dollar.• Changing public policy — Tax rates in the future may go up or down, as may government-funded entitlements, bot...

Congress Park carousel opening on Mother's Day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Illions Carousel in Congress Park is opening on Sunday for Mother's Day. Department of Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub announced on Friday that the historic carousel will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “I’m looking forward to another season of fun and excitement for families in our beautiful Congress Park,” Golub said.Created by master carver Marcus Illions in 1910, the carousel features 28 uniquely carved horses and two sleds. Originally located at Kaydeross Park on Saratoga Lake, but when the park was sold in 1987, it was put up for auction. It was installed in Congress Park in 2002. ‘Chonkosaurus,’ plump Chicago snapping turtle captured on video, goes viral In 2019, a multi-year restoration project started to preserve the historic horses in the carousel with each of the horses receiving treatment to maintain their original beauty. It was closed...

SUV crashes into 7-Eleven store in Aurora where man is found by vehicle fatally shot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:57 GMT

An SUV crashed into a 7-Eleven store in Aurora and responding officers found a man who had been shot, the victim died at the scene.The incident happened about 1 a.m. Saturday near 15550 East Mississippi Avenue, the Aurora Police Department said in a news release. A 911 caller told police that an SUV had crashed and there was person suffering from a gunshot wound.Officers responded and found a man on the ground outside a black SUV. He died of an apparent gun shot wound, police said.The man’s name will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office after family has been notified. A homicide investigation is ongoing, police do not have initial information on a suspect in the shooting.Anyone with information on the incident, or on a suspect, is asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 (STOP).