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Israel begins partial drawdown of troops from Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

The Israeli military has started withdrawing units from Gaza, indicating that a new phase of the war has begun, though officials said the conflict is far from over.“Some of the reservists will return to their families and employment this week,” an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said.The decision to move soldiers out of Gaza will “significantly ease the burden on the economy and allow them to gather strength for the upcoming activities in the next year,” as fighting is expected to continue into 2024.Israeli figures say 8,000 militants have been killed since the Gaza offensive, while the total number of deaths, including civilians, is approximately 22,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry.The IDF’s stated goal is to “dismantle the Hamas terrorist organization’s military and administrative capabilities,” no easy feat in a densely-packed urban landscape riddled with an extensive underground tunnel system that protects militants and helps hide hostages.Israel pulled tanks out of some...

L Street Brownies take annual Polar Plunge in South Boston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

Brave members of the L Street Brownies started the new year with the organization’s annual polar plunge.It wasn’t particularly cold for this year’s dip, with temps in the mid-30s. Check back later for full coverage from today’s plunge!

The Chicago Bears have played 4 times on New Year’s Eve and 5 on New Year’s Day. Here’s how they’ve done since 1988.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

Fans at Soldier Field on Dec. 31, 1988, settled in to watch a divisional playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles in unexpected comfort.There was bright sunshine, little wind and temperatures heading for the 40s.Until, a sudden slap in the face.“A fog that rolled in from the lake late in the first half left the spectators to stare into a gray shroud from which the players would emerge with maddening infrequency,” Tribune reporter Phil Hersh wrote at the time.Few of the 65,534 spectators were able to see the final moments of the Bears’ 20-12 victory due to the thick haze.The “Fog Bowl” — which marked the first time the Bears ever played on New Year’s Eve — is now one of the franchise’s most memorable games.The Bears will play on Dec. 31 for the fourth time Sunday. They face the Atlanta Falcons at noon at Soldier Field.Here’s a look back at the results for each of the team’s previous year-ending or year-beginning ga...

Russia launches record number of drones in Ukraine, and Putin says Moscow will intensify its attacks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched a record 90 Shahed-type drones across Ukraine during the early hours of the new year, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would “intensify” its attacks on its neighbor.Speaking during a New Year’s Day visit to a military hospital, Putin said Ukraine could expect more such strikes after shelling of the Russian border city of Belgorod that killed more than two dozen people and wounded more than 100 others. “They want to intimidate us and create uncertainty within our country. We will intensify strikes. Not a single crime against our civilian population will go unpunished,” the Russian leader said, describing the barrage of Belgorod as a “terrorist act.”Russia has blamed Ukraine for Saturday’s attack, which was one of the deadliest to take place on Russian soil since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started more than 22 months ago. Russian officials said the death t...

A driver fleeing New York City police speeds onto a sidewalk and injures 7 pedestrians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A driver fleeing police in Manhattan early Monday morning sped onto a sidewalk and injured seven pedestrians, including a woman who was pinned under a food truck struck by the sedan, according to police. The 39-year-old woman trapped under the food truck in midtown Manhattan and six other pedestrians were taken to hospitals and were in stable condition. The vehicle’s driver and a police officer also were taken to hospitals after the crash, which occurred just after 1:30 a.m., according to the New York Police Department.None of the injuries appeared life-threatening.The crash happened less than two hours after thousands of New Year’s Eve revelers packed into Times Square, about a dozen blocks north in Manhattan.Police said officers were responding to “a possible crime” at the intersection of West 33rd St. and 7th Ave., near Penn Station, and were trying to intervene in a dispute in a vehicle. The unidentified 44-year-old driver struck multiple vehicles bef...

Chad appoints a former opposition leader as prime minister of transitional government

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Chad’s transitional government appointed a former opposition leader who recently returned from exile as its new prime minister. Succes Masra will serve as the country’s prime minister through the transition to civilian rule, Mahamat Ahmad Alhabo, Chad’s new secretary-general of the presidency, said on state television. Masra, president of The Transformers opposition party, fled Chad in October 2022. The country’s military government at the time suspended his party and six others in a clampdown on protests against interim leader Mahamat Idriss Deby’s decision to extend his time in power by two more years. More than 60 people were killed in the protests, which the government condemned as “an attempted coup.”An agreement between the country’s minister of reconciliation and Masra’s political party two months ago allowed the exiled politician and other opposition figures to return to Chad. The passage last month of a referendum on a new...

A Colorado mother suspected of killing 2 of her children makes court appearance in London

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A Colorado mother suspected of killing two of her young children and injuring a third made an initial court appearance Monday in London, where she was arrested over the weekend. Kimberlee Singler, 35, appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court facing extradition to the U.S. on two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of child abuse and one count of assault. Singler disappeared as Colorado police prepared to arrest her in the deaths of her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, who were found slain Dec. 19 during what was reported as a burglary. Singler had minor injuries and a wounded 11-year-old daughter was hospitalized for several day before being released.Singler was initially treated as a crime victim and had cooperated with police. But officers could not locate her when they went to arrest her Dec. 26.Police nabbed her Saturday in the Kensington section of London. She had been in a long-running legal dispute over the childre...

Two people struck and killed by speeding driver in Montreal, 23-year-old man arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

Montreal police say they’ve arrested a man who allegedly struck and killed two people with his car before fleeing the scene early this morning. Police spokeswoman Const. Caroline Chèvrefils alleges the driver was travelling at high speed when he struck the two pedestrians in Montreal’s northern Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough shortly after 1 a.m.Police say the suspect then fled the scene in his vehicle, but travelled only a few blocks before getting out and continuing his flight on foot.Chèvrefils says he was then tracked down by a police dog. She says the 23-year-old driver was arrested and taken to hospital.Chèvrefils says the two pedestrians were declared dead on the scene and their identities have not yet been established. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2024.The Canadian Press

Saskatchewan to stop collecting carbon levy from natural gas and electrical heat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

REGINA — The Saskatchewan government says its natural gas utility is to stop collecting the carbon levy as of Monday from residential customers. The move comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exempted those who use home heating oil from paying the levy, mostly benefiting residents in Atlantic Canada. Saskatchewan asked for the exemption to cover all other forms of heating, but Ottawa denied the request. In response, the province said it would stop collecting the charge at the start of 2024.Dustin Duncan, the minister responsible for SaskEnergy, said the due date to pay the levy to the federal government is the last day of February.Should SaskEnergy not remit those dollars, it would be breaking federal law and executives could face fines or jail time.Saskatchewan passed legislation that aims to shield executives from legal consequences, putting that burden on the province.Duncan said in December that SaskEnergy asked the federal government to remove it as a registered distributor...

Gas tax paused in Manitoba, returns in Alberta at a lower rate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:44 GMT

As one province pauses the gas tax to provide savings at the pumps, another is bringing it back. The Manitoba government says that starting Monday, motorists won’t have to pay 14 cents per litre in fuel tax for the next six months.The province has said it introduced the measure to help motorists with inflation.Meanwhile, the Alberta government is reintroducing the gas tax after pausing it nearly two years ago. Starting Monday, motorists in Alberta can expect to pay a tax of nine cents per litre at the pumps.Alberta said the rate of nine cents is cheaper than the 13 cents motorists had paid before the pause. Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner said the tax rate is based on the average price of oil. Should the price of West Texas Intermediate average US$80 per barrel, Albertans can expect to save some or all of the fuel tax, he said. “Alberta’s fuel tax is a predictable source of provincial revenue, helping to offset the volatility of other revenue sources,” Horner said i...