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Canadian Armed Forces to phase out old housing benefit over three years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s military has created a new program to gradually phase out its old housing benefit after hearing feedback from members who were set to lose the payments. The Armed Forces announced plans in March to create a new housing allowance that is based on salary, rather than where a soldier is posted. It was estimated the move would make thousands of people eligible for the new allowance while cutting off thousands of others.The military said that would result in a savings of $30 million a year.In an update to members, the director general of compensation and benefits says an interim program will phase out the old benefit with decreasing payments until July 2026. Brig.-Gen. Virginia Tattersall says eligible members will be enrolled automatically and should get a lump-sum payment to cover the summer months sometime in the fall. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2023.The Canadian Press

Stormy weather across northern Europe kills at least 1 person, idles ferries and delays flights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Stormy weather across the Baltic Sea region Monday killed at least one person and caused airport delays, suspended ferry services and a train’s partial derailment.Three people had been taken to hospital in Sweden when two of the train’s passenger cars went off the tracks in Hudiksvall, a town 280 kilometers (174 miles) north of Stockholm, police said. The derailment happened because ”the embankment has been undermined by the heavy rain and landslides,“ they said, adding that the extent of their injuries is unclear. There had been 120 people on the train, Swedish media said.Ferries linking Poland to Sweden, two German islands to mainland Germany and Norway to Denmark remained in harbor. Ferries and water taxis to the German islands of Hiddensee and Ruegen were canceled for Monday and Tuesday morning, and vacationers were asked to change their travels plans to Wednesday. In Lithuania, a 50-year old woman was killed by falling trees near the Latvi...

Rebel attacks in restive northeastern Congo kill at least 21 people over the weekend, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Rebel groups, including one with ties to the Islamic State group, killed at least 21 people in restive northeastern Congo over the weekend, local officials said Monday.Isaac Kibira, deputy delegate of the governor in the Central African nation’s northeastern Bwito township, said the victims in one attack were shot and killed early Sunday by members of M23, a rebel group the United Nations says has links to neighboring Rwanda. Rwanda denies the accusation. In a second attack on Saturday, armed rebels with ties to the Islamic State group killed 10 civilians in a northeastern province, a local human rights activist said.Conflict has simmered in eastern Congo for decades as more than 120 armed groups fight for control of valuable mineral resources and some to protect their communities. Mass killings by rebel groups are frequent, and the violence has triggered an exodus of refugees.M23 rose to prominence 10 years ago when its fighters seized Goma, eastern Congo’s l...

Ex-Minneapolis officer receives nearly 5 years on state charge for role in George Floyd’s killing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Tou Thao, the last former Minneapolis police officer convicted in state court for his role in the killing of George Floyd, was sentenced Monday to 4 years and 9 months — even as he denied wrongdoing.Thao had testified that he merely served as a “human traffic cone” when he held back concerned bystanders who gathered as former Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes while the Black man pleaded for his life on May 25, 2020.A bystander video captured Floyd’s fading cries of “I can’t breathe.”At the sentencing hearing, Thao spoke at length about his growth as a Christian during his 340 days behind bars. He said he was “distressed” by Floyd’s death but denied any role in it.“I did not commit these crimes,” Thao said. “My conscience is clear. I will not be a Judas nor join a mob in self-preservation or betray my God.”Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill responded that he was hoping “for more than preaching” from Thao....

CBS game show ‘Superfan’ celebrates musicians like Shania Twain, Kelsea Ballerini and Pitbull

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — CBS’ latest game show doesn’t ask its contestants to have any skills — no need to sing, dance, cook or pull a rabbit out of a hat. All it asks from its competitors is adoration — lots of it.“Superfan,” which premieres Wednesday, gathers one musical act and their fans each week into a studio and gradually whittles the contestants down to two, giving viewers the final say on who will be crowned the ultimate superfan.“There’s too many talent shows. It’s too competitive. Some of us are not good at anything except loving the artist we love,” says Keltie Knight, creator, executive producer and co-host. “This is not a talent show. This is a talent-less show.”“Superfan” has lured some starry first season guests — Kelsea Ballerini,Gloria Estefan,Little Big Town,LL Cool J,Pitbull and Shania Twain. Contestants come from all over the country and even internationally; a Twain superfan from Brazil said her music helped him learn English.The contestants are winnowed dow...

Moroccan navy recovers bodies of 5 Senegalese migrants whose boat capsized and rescues 189 others

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — The Moroccan navy has recovered the bodies of five Senegalese migrants and rescued 189 others after their boat capsized off the coast of Western Sahara, official media reported.A military official said 11 other migrants were in critical condition and were taken to Hassan II hospital in the city of Dakhla in Western Sahara, Morocco’s official news agency MAP reported.Their boat capsized Saturday off Guerguerat, a village in the south of Western Sahara close to the border with Mauritania, the unidentified official said. It is believed they were trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands. Nearly 1,000 migrants died while trying to reach Spain by sea in the first six months of 2023, according to the Spanish migrant rights group Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders).In recent years, most of the boats heading to Spain have come from Senegal or Morocco. The Associated Press

Analysis: Coco Gauff’s Washington title shows she is ready to contend at the US Open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Coco Gauff grew a bit weary of hearing fans’ various theories about what was wrong with her forehand.“I know a lot of people think I need to cut my nails to help me hit a forehand better,” she said with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘Bruh, I did try the short nails, and it did not make my forehand better.’”Turns out all the 19-year-old from Florida needed to get back to winning — including a trophy at the hard-court DC Open on Sunday that signals her readiness to contend at the U.S. Open, which begins in three weeks — was a bit of advice from people who know what they’re talking about.Gauff said in an interview with The Associated Press that she got that from two sources in Washington: Her new full-time coach, Pere Riba, and a temporary consultant, Brad Gilbert.It was Riba, Gauff explained, who suggested altering her footwork to get into better position for forehands and not feeling the need to be right up on the baseline to take the ball early. And it was Gilbert, she...

Child hospitalized with burn injuries after boat fire in Fox Lake

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

FOX LAKE, Ill. — A family was injured, including a child who is hospitalized with burn injuries, after they jumped off a boat that caught fire in Fox Lake, according to the Lake and McHenry County scanner.Emergency crews responded around 2:15 p.m. Sunday to Arrow Marine, 82 Route 12, for reports of a boat fire.According to a Facebook post, a woman said she was among five family members on the boat at the time of the accident. She said the motor exploded and the boat engulfed in flames within seconds. Man charged with murder after woman found stabbed to death in Oak Forest Four of the people onboard were injured, including a child who remains hospitalized with second-degree burns on the legs and hand, according to the post.The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Chicago community leaders work to get jobs for teens involved in teen takeovers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO — A non-profit is working to provide jobs to teenagers who have previously been arrested for participating in the so-called teen takeovers, as well as other crimes such as carjackings.Monday, an event organized by Early Walker, CEO of I'm Telling, Don't Shoot, highlighted a community effort to employ teenagers in the restaurant industry. Multiple teens and parents spoke about the need for employment for young people. Girl, 8, fatally shot in head in Portage Park; offender in custody Multiple teen takeovers have occurred across Chicago during the summer months including one at a gas station in Bronzeville and another along the streets of Lakeview.

'We understand your plight': Wieners Circle offers touring musicians free food

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The Wieners Circle is trying to help out touring musicians.Touring musicians will now be able to eat there for free."Touring bands: we will feed you for free, we understand your plight and know it’s harder than ever to earn a living. DM us if interested," the iconic Lincoln Park hot dog stand wrote in a social media post Friday.The stand was recently in the news for hosting superstar Ed Sheeran. A chaotic video posted by the restaurant’s social account shows Sheeran handing out Chicago-style hot dogs as employees curse and shout around him. He was in town for a show at Soldier Field.