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Canadians stuck in Israel as flights are cancelled, embassy closed for Thanksgiving

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

Some Canadians say they are stuck in Israel in the midst of deadly fighting as airlines cancel their flights out and reaching the Canadian Embassy on a holiday weekend proves difficult.Hamas militants out of Gaza fired thousands of rockets and sent out dozens of fighters to wage war on Israel on Saturday, with the attack and counteroffensive killing hundreds on both sides.Toronto residents Marie and Kendall Fullerton, who were vacationing in the country when the fighting broke out, say their scheduled flight out was cancelled and they’ve been spending the day trying to book another to no avail.The couple say they’re anxious to leave the region amid fears of escalating violence but have been unable to get information or support from the Embassy in Tel Aviv because it’s closed for the Thanksgiving weekend.Robbie Segall, a 22-year-old in Israel for an internship, says he currently feels safe in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, but is frustrated with the lack of care...

Kiptum sets world marathon record in Chicago in 2:00:35, breaking Kipchoge’s mark

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Kelvin Kiptum set a world record in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 2 hours, 35 seconds to shatter fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s old mark by 34 seconds.Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands also took advantage of cool and cloudy weather that’s considered ideal for a marathon to win the women’s race in 2:13:44 — the second-fastest ever for a woman at the 26.2-mile distance.Kiptum won the London Marathon in the spring in 2:01:25 and shaved almost a minute off the world record set last year in Berlin by Kipchoge, a two-time Olympic champion and the most successful marathoner ever. Kipchoge also broke the 2 hour mark in 2019 in a specially designed Vienna exhibition that does not qualify for the world record.Hassan’s time is second behind the women’s world record of 2:11:53 set last month in Berlin by Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia. Assefa shattered the women’s world record by more than two minutes.More than 47,000 runners took part ...

US to send a carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of Israel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has ordered the Ford carrier strike group to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be ready to assist Israel, two U.S. officials said Sunday.The USS Gerald R. Ford and its approximately 5,000 sailors and deck of warplanes will be accompanied by cruisers and destroyers in a show of force that is meant to be ready to respond to anything, from possibly interdicting additional weapons from reaching Hamas and conducting surveillance.Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza on Saturday. At least 600 people have reportedly been killed in Israel and more than 300 have been killed in Gaza as Israeli airstrikes pound the territory.The Norfolk, Virginia-based carrier was already in the Mediterranean. Last week it was conducting naval exercises with Italy in the Ionian Sea. It's the United States newest and most advanced aircraft carrier and this is its first full deployment.The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter before ...

1 dead, 8 injured in shooting at Pennsylvania community center

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

WHITE TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTAJ) — Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a shooting that killed one person and injured at least eight others early Sunday morning.The shooting happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. at the Chevy Chase Community Center in White Township, about 65 miles east of Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania State Police believe the shooting broke out during a private party at the community center. Troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) along with local police department and EMS personnel responded to a shooting that took place around 12:35 a.m. on Oct. 8. The shooting happened at the Chevy Chase Community Center along 5th Avenue in White Township, according to PSP. Troopers say one person, a 22-year-old man from Pittsburgh, was killed in the shooting and eight others were injured. An 18-year-old from Chicago is in critical condition. Authorities have released limited information regarding the remaining victims:18-year-old man from Florida20-year-old man from Pennsylvan...

Creator of 'Coffeecon' on the best coffee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

Coffeecon returns to Chicago next weekend and the host of the event, Kevin Sinnott joins WGN Weekend Morning News to share more about the event for caffeine lovers and finding his perfect brew.

School vouchers, border security, and COVID mandate bans: Here's what to expect in Texas' 3rd special session

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Fights over so-called school vouchers or school choice, border security measures and expanding COVID-19 mandate bans to the private sector are all on the agenda for the Texas Legislature's third special session slated to start Monday.Gov. Greg Abbott has spent considerable time this year pushing for initiatives regarding "school choice," which would allow Texas parents to use public education funds to help pay for tuition for private or charter schools. The third-term Republican governor has said this is to allow families flexibility in choosing the best education for their children, whereas opponents say it will take away critical funding from public schools and will not be equitable. The governor's push for school choice has faced bipartisan roadblocks in the Texas House, whereas the measure passed swiftly with broad Republican support in the Senate during the regular legislative session.Education savings account program faced roadblocks in HouseFiled during the...

Business People: Summit Brewing founder Mark Stutrud to retire as CEO

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

OF NOTEMark StutrudSummit Brewing Co. St. Paul, announced that founder and CEO Mark Stutrud will retire in March 2024. Chief Strategy Officer Brandon Bland has been named to succeed him, and Stutrud will assume the role of chairman of the board. Bland has been with the brewery since 2017.CONSTRUCTIONKraus-Anderson Construction Co., Minneapolis, announced the promotion of Tony Peleska to chief information officer; Peleska previously served as vice president of information technology and earlier was CIO for Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.DEVELOPMENTThe Opus G​roup, a Minneapolis-based real estate, construction and design firm, announced the promotion of Anne Marie Solberg to vice president and general counsel. Solberg previously was senior associate general counsel. She succeeds Tom Hoben, who recently retired. The firm also announced that Kelly Baker, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Thrivent, has been elected to its board of directors and that Scott La...

Bear that charged two boys in Colorado Springs put down by Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

A bear that charged two boys in a Colorado Springs open space Wednesday was euthanized, and its cubs tranquilized, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials announced Friday.At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4, officers responded to reports of a bear attacking two boys in a heavily wooded open space in Colorado Springs, according to a Friday news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.When officers arrived on the scene, they found that an adult, female bear had charged at the boys, ages 12 and 13, twice and caused one boy to run into a tree branch, the release stated.The Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers, alongside officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department, searched the open space for the 150-pound bear.According to the news release, when the bear was aggressive toward an officer, another officer euthanized the bear.“This was an unfortunate situation where a sow had become dangerously aggressive toward people instead of being scared of humans,” said Tim Kroenin...

Exasperated, shaken travelers arrive at LAX from Tel Aviv 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

The Hamas militant group’s surprise attack against Israel on Saturday has sent shockwaves throughout the international community, and now the conflict is hitting home.U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told CNN on Sunday morning that officials were ‘working overtime’ to confirm if any Americans died because of the attacks, or if any were taken hostage. Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, confirmed that Americans were among those taken captive but gave no details about them nor Americans who may have been killed.  Desperate people dig out dead and injured from quakes that killed over 2,000 in Afghanistan Dermer told CNN's "State of the Union" that he suspects the number of captive and deceased Americans to rise due to the large population of dual Israeli-American citizens.FILE - Israelis inspect the rubble of a building a day after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty, File)FILE - P...

My AP top-25 ballot: It’s Georgia, followed by Florida State and Ohio State

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:58 GMT

The following ballot was submitted to the Associated Press on Saturday night …1. Georgia2. Florida State3. Ohio State4. Michigan5. Penn State6. Washington7. Oregon8. Oklahoma9. Texas10. Alabama11. Mississippi12. Oregon State13. LSU14. Washington State15. USC16. North Carolina17. Utah18. Missouri19. Louisville20. UCLA21. Notre Dame22. Wisconsin23. Kentucky24. Duke25. Tennessee*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to [email protected] or call 408-920-5716*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.