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Israeli-French hostage recounts harrowing experience in captivity

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli woman who recently returned from captivity in the Gaza Strip says she was groped by her Palestinian kidnapper and lived in constant fear throughout the weeks she was held hostage.Mia Schem, a 21-year-old dual citizen of Israel and France, was attending a music festival in southern Israel when Hamas militants burst across the border and raided the event site on Oct. 7. More than 300 people were killed and dozens taken hostage.She was released on Nov. 30 during a weeklong cease-fire.In an interview broadcast Friday on Israel’s Channel 13 TV, Schem said she was captured after she got out her friend’s burning car. She said her captor began touching her upper body inappropriately and only stopped after she screamed and he noticed that she had been shot in the arm and badly wounded.“I started screaming, going crazy,” she said. “There were burnt vehicles, bodies.”While in captivity, she was held in a house with a family and watched around the clock by the ...

Montreal Old Port New Year’s Eve fireworks event permanently cancelled

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

MONTREAL — There will be no midnight fireworks to herald the new year in Montreal’s Old Port.Montréal en Fêtes, the organization that since 2013 has organized a free holiday festival near the city’s waterfront, announced last month that it would no longer stage the event and its New Year’s Eve party.The Old Port of Montreal Corporation, the entity that manages the area, confirms there will be no other New Year’s Eve fireworks to replace the cancelled festival this year, but the local skating rink will stay open until 1 a.m.Montréal en Fêtes cited rising production costs, difficulty finding labour and financing challenges among its reasons for cancelling the festival.The organization claims its New Year’s event was the largest in Canada, drawing as many as 180,000 people to the Old Port festival grounds.The decision to permanently end the event came one year after the organization cancelled its 2022 edition while it reviewed its financial feasibility. Th...

6.5 magnitude earthquake shakes part of Indonesia’s Papua region, no immediate reports of casualties

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A powerful earthquake shook Indonesia’s easternmost region of Papua early Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties.The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.5 quake was centered 162 kilometers (101 miles) northeast of Abepura, a subdistrict in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province. It happened at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami but warned of possible aftershocks as the earthquake was centered in land.With a population of just 62,250, Abepura is one of Indonesia’s least populated towns. In February, another shallow earthquake shook the province, killing four people who were unable to escape when a floating restaurant collapsed into the sea.Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 270 million people, is frequently hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volc...

British actor Tom Wilkinson, known for 'The Full Monty' and 'Michael Clayton,' dies at 75

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Tom Wilkinson, the Oscar-nominated British actor known for his roles in “The Full Monty," “Michael Clayton” and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” has died, his family said. He was 75.A statement shared by his agent on behalf of the family said Wilkinson died suddenly at home on Saturday. It didn't provide further details.Wilkinson was nominated for a best actor Academy Award for his work in 2001's family drama “In The Bedroom” in 2001 and in the best supporting actor category for his role in “Michael Clayton,” a 2007 film that starred George Clooney.He is remembered by many in Britain and beyond for playing former steel mill foreman Gerald Cooper in the 1997 comedy “The Full Monty," about a group of unemployed steel workers who formed an unlikely male stripping act.Wilkinson appeared in dozens of other movies, including “Batman Begins,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and “Valkyrie."The actor was recognized for his services to drama in 2005 when he was appointe...

Former WWE pro wrestling star dies

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

(WKBN) -- A former WWE pro wrestling star has passed away.According to multiple reports, Killer Khan, whose real name was Masashi Ozawa, died Friday in Japan. He was 76 years old.Khan was an active professional wrestler in WWE in the 1970s and 1980s. He was managed by ‘Classy’ Freddie Blassie and Mr. Fugi.Khan had notable rivalries in the 1980s with Andre The Giant and WWE champion Hulk Hogan.According to multiple reports, Khan died because he suffered a ruptured artery.

Leap 4 Health provides healthcare access to marginalized communities on South Side

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

Dr. Tyra L. Dean-Ousley owner of Leap 4 Health and COO & business strategist George Lambo joins WGN Weekend Morning News to share more on the initiative to provide more equitable healthcare resources to those on the South Side.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Credit card skimming scams: What they are, and how to avoid being a victim

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

SUDBURY, Mass. (NEXSTAR/WWLP) – The discovery of credit card skimmers at multiple New England-area retail outlets has prompted local authorities to urge customers to be wary of similar scams.On Christmas Eve, an employee at a Sudbury Farms supermarket in Sudbury, Massachusetts, was attending to the self-checkout area when they discovered a skimming device, which is designed to mimic the appearance of a legitimate credit-card reader, Nexstar's WWLP reported. A second skimmer was later found in another self-checkout lane.The supermarket chain’s parent company soon launched an investigation, finding skimmers at four other locations in Massachusetts. How to avoid the text message scam putting your cash at risk News of the discoveries also followed a November report from police in Concord, New Hampshire, who warned of skimmers that had been found in the city’s Walmart and Market Basket supermarket.“Similar incidents are being investigated by law enforcement agencies throughout New Engl...

2 dead in fiery crash on Research Boulevard

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — First responders said a vehicle caught fire in north Austin following a collision Saturday just before noon.Austin-Travis County EMS said a vehicle hit a fixed object and caught fire with two people inside. The two died at the scene. The Austin Fire Department said the collision occurred in the 8400 block of Research Boulevard, which is between Fairfield Drive and Lazy Lane. Austin-Travis County EMS also responded to the incident.Officials said the car fire is under control, and drivers should expect delays in the area.

How Sarkisian, Texas continue to build a winning culture that transcends football

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Conversations in the Texas locker room run much deeper than football, and that's a big reason why the Longhorns have excelled on the gridiron this season.Head coach Steve Sarkisian said Saturday that part of rebuilding the culture at Texas was becoming vulnerable, both for him and the players. It was about opening up to each other, speaking earnestly and honestly while developing deep, personal connections. With all Sarkisian has been through in his head coaching career in all the highs and lows, he said the first person to open up had to be him. Ewers says he hasn’t decided on staying, going; focused on ‘trying to win a national championship’ "We needed to get honest with one another so that we played more for one another thanplaying for ourselves," he said. "And to do that, it just felt like it was important for me to show them how and what that looked like. And so I became very open, transparent, honest."He tells the team his story every season. How he revitaliz...

How to keep your pets safe on New Year's Eve

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:26 GMT

(WETM) -- Pet parents should plan to take some extra precautions to protect their furry friends as they say goodbye to 2023 and celebrate the new year. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Parties and holiday celebrations pose extra risks for pets. This is especially true when alcohol and loud noises are around. The ASPCA released some tips to help pet owners keep their cats and dogs safe on New Year's Eve.According to the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) specialists, alcohol ingestion can lead to depression, unsteady walking, vomiting, major blood pressure drops, and major body temperature drops. Marijuana ingestion can cause unsteady walking, sleepiness, sensitivity to touch, decreased heart rate, and decreased body temperature. All alcohol and other substances need to be kept out of reach of pets. If you're hosting a gathering, be sure to tell your guests not to leave their drinks or marijuana products (like edibles) unattende...