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Ethiopian airstrike on a town square in the restive Amhara region kills 26, health official says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A senior health official says an airstrike on a crowded town square in Ethiopia’s restive Amhara region has killed at least 26 people and wounded more than 55 others. Sunday’s airstrike came days after federal authorities asserted that calm had been restored in the region. Militia members in Amhara have been clashing with Ethiopia’s military over efforts to disband them, and last week the military retook key regional towns by force. Lawyers and witnesses say authorities are carrying out mass arrests of hundreds, even thousands, of people in the capital because of the deadly unrest.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Authorities in Ethiopia are carrying out mass arrests of hundreds, even thousands, of people in the capital after deadly unrest in the country’s Amhara region, lawyers and witnesses said.Ethiopia’s Cabinet declared a state of emergency earlier this month in Amhara after local militia fighters known ...

Russia targets city of Odesa with missiles and drones but Ukraine says it shot them all down

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched three waves of drones and missiles against the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa, officials said Monday, though the Ukrainian air force said it intercepted all the airborne weapons fired during the nighttime attacks.Falling debris from the interceptions of 15 Shahed drones and eight Kalibr missiles damaged a residential building, a supermarket and a dormitory of an educational facility in the city, Odesa Gov. Oleh Kiper said.Two employees of the supermarket were hospitalized, Kiper said. Video showed a huge blaze at the store during the night and, the next day, the large building’s charred and mangled wreckage.Meanwhile, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, rebuked critics who say Kyiv’s counteroffensive aimed at shoving back the Kremlin’s forces should be advancing more quickly.The Ukrainian army has no intention of engaging in a series of conspicuous “large-scale battles” against the Russians a...

S&P/TSX composite down nearly 100 points, U.S. stock markets mixed

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was down nearly 100 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the energy and base metal sectors, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.The S&P/TSX composite index was down 90.99 points at 20,316.58.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 2.11 points at 35,279.29. The S&P 500 index was up 14.26 points at 4,478.31, while the Nasdaq composite was up 75.09 points at 13,719.94.The Canadian dollar traded for 74.25 cents US compared with 74.39 cents US on Friday.The September crude contract was down 59 cents at US$82.60 per barrel and the September natural gas contract was down a penny at US$2.76 per mmBTU.The December gold contract was down US$5.70 at US$1,940.90 an ounce and the September copper contract was down a penny at US$3.71 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD=X)The Canadian Press

UK government rejects claims it was slow to evacuate asylum-seekers after bacteria detected on barge

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government Monday rejected claims that it was slow to evacuate asylum-seekers from a barge moored off the south coast of England once traces of the bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s disease were found in the ship’s water system.In the latest critique of the government’s ballyhooed efforts to control migration and reduce the cost of housing a rising number of asylum-seekers, local health officials said over the weekend that the barge operator was told about the bacteria last Monday — the day before asylum-seekers were moved onto the Bibby Stockholm.But Health Secretary Steve Barclay said ministers weren’t informed about the bacteria until Thursday and they took “very quick action.” The Home Office, the central government department that oversees migration, moved all 39 men who were being housed on the ship into other accommodation on Friday.Questions about the government’s response to the bacteria issue came after immigration dominated the weekend news, with ...

Neymar set for Saudi move after Al Hilal agree near-$100M transfer fee with PSG

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Neymar is set to complete a move to the Saudi Pro League after Al Hilal agreed a reported 90 million euros ($98 million) transfer fee with Paris Saint-Germain on Monday.The fee would be a record for the league, backed by the oil-rich state, in its spending spree on high-end soccer talent.Al Hilal could finally seal a statement signing to match Al Nassr, its city rival in Riyadh, which lured Cristiano Ronaldo in January. Recent offers to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé, teammates of Neymar last season at French champion PSG, were not accepted.Neymar has reportedly been offered a two-year contract expected to pay the 31-year-old Brazil star an annual salary of about $100 million. That would be around half of the 38-year-old Ronaldo’s reported salary.Neymar and PSG agreed last week he could leave although his widely reported preference, like Messi several weeks ago, was on returning to their former club Barcelona.Barcelona’s troubled finances make such ...

IIHF rules in favor of the Flyers, saying Russian goalie Ivan Fedotov has a valid NHL contract

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

The International Ice Hockey Federation has ruled in favor of the Philadelphia Flyers by agreeing that Russian goaltender Ivan Fedotov had a valid NHL contract for the upcoming season when he signed with CSKA Moscow in the KHL.The decision rendered Monday paves the way for Fedotov to play in North America, like he planned to do a year ago before being conscripted into the Russian military.It was not immediately clear if he’d seek to leave Russia to play in North America. Relations between Russia and the U.S. are strained over the war in Ukraine, the NHL cut ties in Russia last year and no transfer agreement exists between the league and the KHL.Fedotov, drafted by the Flyers in 2015, signed a one-year contract with them in May 2022. He said during the Beijing Olympics earlier that year and he was expecting to go to the NHL.Instead, last summer his NHL agent, J.P. Barry, said Fedotov was taken to a remote military base in northern Russia. The Flyers as a result tolled his contr...

2 former baseball coaches, director of ops file lawsuit against Northwestern

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — Two former assistant baseball coaches and the director of baseball operations at Northwestern University have filed a lawsuit against the school and several additional parties Monday.Just after that occurred, the school came out with a stern rebuttal.The complaint was filed on Monday on behalf of Dusty Napoleon, Jon Strauss and Chris Beacom against Northwestern University, former head baseball coach Jim Foster, and several other members of the athletics administration — alleges retaliatory discharge, harassment, bullying and abuse that led to Napoleon, Strauss and Beacom's contracts being discharged.Attorney Christopher J. Esbrook of Chicago-based law firm Esbrook P.C. along with Beacom spoke at a news conference concerning the lawsuit. (See the news conference in the video above)The complaint also alleges charges of racism, sexism and egregious tortious conduct, including unwarranted retaliation against these coaches after they reported NCAA violations by Foster to...

Vanna White misses 'Wheel of Fortune' for first time in 30 years

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

(WJW) - Vanna White, the beloved co-host of "Wheel of Fortune," will be absent from five upcoming episodes of the famous game show.White reportedly got sick while filming “Teacher’s Week,” FOX News reported.The episodes could not be rescheduled due to the school year starting, so Bridgette Donald-Blue, the 2023 California Teacher of the Year, stepped in as White's replacement while she recovered.This is the first time in 30 years White has missed an episode of "Wheel of Fortune." Throughout her 41 years on the show, she has been absent only three times since starting in 1982.THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON -- Aired 09/04/1986 -- Pictured: (l-r) Wheel of Fortune co host Vanna White during an interview with host Johnny Carson on September 4, 1986 -- Photo by: Alice S. Hall/NBCU Photo BankTHE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor/singer Martin Mull, game show hostess Vanna White on October 27, 1986 -- (Photo by: Wendy Perl/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via...

WATCH: Officers help raccoon with head stuck in jar

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

ERIE COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) - A raccoon ended up in a jam after getting its head stuck inside a jar in Erie County, Ohio.Luckily, Perkins Township Officers McDermott and Waechter found the distressed animal, nicknamed "Bandit the raccoon," while getting gas Tuesday night. As seen in police video, the raccoon walked up to the officers with the jar on its head, so they quickly jumped into action. Caught on Camera: Man defends dog from aggressive raccoon attack Officer McDermott carefully removed the jar and, once free, Bandit took off toward the woods. "It’s often asked what is a typical day in law enforcement, and here’s proof that there is no typical day," Perkins Township police said in a Facebook post. "Great job to Officer McDermott and helping one of our 'residents!'"

Price of elder care soars as demand increases, baby boomers age

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:52 GMT

(The Hill) - Many Americans who serve as caregivers are consumed by the immense cost of tending to ailing or aging family members. And as the baby boomer generation ages, more Americans are in for a rude awakening as to just how expensive caring for older adults has become.  The price of nursing home care increased by an average of 2.4 percent each year between 2012 and 2019, for a cumulative increase of 20.7 percent, according to data from the health research group Altarum Institute.    That stems from multiple sources, including personnel costs and the price of adhering to facility regulations, said Terry Fulmer, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of older adults.  But the cost of care has primarily shot up due to increased demand in adult day cares, assisted living facilities or nursing homes. Jean Spera, 67, has been a full-time ca...