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Pope Francis undergoes abdominal surgery, will stay in hospital for several days

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

By NICOLE WINFIELD and MARIA CHENG (Associated Press)ROME (AP) — Pope Francis underwent surgery Wednesday to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the latest malady to befall the 86-year-old pontiff who had part of his colon removed two years ago.The Vatican said there were no complications after the three-hour surgery, during which Francis was under general anesthesia. The 86-year-old pontiff was expected to remain at Rome’s Gemelli hospital for several days. As a precaution, all papal audiences were canceled through June 18, the Vatican said.While hernia operations are rarely performed on an emergency basis, the procedure appeared somewhat urgent, scheduled just a day after Francis went to the hospital for tests. The pontiff’s doctors no doubt also wanted to give him ample time for recovery ahead of a busy travel schedule later this summer.The pope was suffering from a “painful and worsening” hernia that formed over a previous scar, presumably from h...

After years of threats, a feud ends with a Black mom dead and her white neighbor arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

By CURT ANDERSON and FREIDA FRISARO (Associated Press)OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud was arrested Tuesday, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is white, was arrested on charges of manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault in the death of Ajike Owens, a Black mother of four, Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement.Authorities came under pressure Tuesday to arrest and charge the woman who fired through her front door and killed Owens in a case that has put Florida’s divisive stand your ground law back into the spotlight. In a video posted on Facebook late Tuesday night, the sheriff said this was not a stand your ground case but “simply a killing.”“Now many of you were struggling to understand why there was not an immediate arrest,” the ...

Naperville mayor defends meeting with Bears about stadium, stressing protocols will be followed if proposal’s made

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

Mayor Scott Wehrli said conversations he’s had with the Chicago Bears about potential business opportunities in Naperville are just that, conversations.At the start of Tuesday’s Naperville City Council meeting, Wehrli said he reached out to the football franchise and met with team officials last week about building a new stadium in Naperville to explore a possibility that could benefit the city economically.“Discussions like this are standard and principled economic development practice, especially in a competitive regional environment like ours. … No development proposal was submitted to the city. No incentives were discussed, requested or offered by either party in these meetings,” Wehrli said.The Bears issued a statement June 2, the days officials met with the mayor, that said plans to build “the largest single development project in Illinois history” in Arlington Heights are “at risk” and they are exploring other options.Many...

An uncertain trade deadline status awaits the Chicago Cubs. Will they be buyers or sellers?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

Any hope the Chicago Cubs would start stacking wins to move closer to .500 during their West Coast trip has not gained traction.The Cubs’ 7-4 loss at Angel Stadium Tuesday night featured a little bit of all the things, big and small, that have plagued the team en route to a 26-34 start in what was supposed to be a more competitive season.At the 60-game mark, the 2023 iteration of the Cubs is only three wins better than their 2022 counterpart, though last year’s group was seven games into a 10-game losing streak at this point. Go back to the team’s last win before the double-digit skid — through Game 53 — and the two squads share a 23-30 record.A challenging stretch of the schedule hasn’t helped, however, this roster is much more talented than last season’s with Frank Schwindel as the 2022 cleanup hitter.The Cubs squandered a 4-0 lead in the second, mashing as usual off a left-handed starter, when a disastrous mistake-filled and poorly-execut...

Wrestling legend The Iron Sheik passes away at 81: WWE

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

Wrestling legend The Iron Sheik has passed away at the age of 81, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has confirmed in a statement.“Today, we gather with hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling,” the WWE wrote in a statement Wednesday.“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of The Iron Sheik, but we also take solace in knowing that he departed this world peacefully, leaving behind a legacy that will endure for generations to come.”The WWE said when he wasn’t punishing opponents in the ring, The Iron Sheik, whose real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, was a “devoted family man” to his children Tanya, Nikki, Marissa and his son in law Eddie.“He cherished the love and support of his wife of 47 years Caryl, who stood by his side through thick and thin, offering unwavering encouragement throughout his life.&...

Nevada revisits Oakland Athletics stadium plan in special legislative session

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — The Nevada Legislature is set to convene Wednesday for a special legislative session to consider whether to provide $380 million in public financing for a $1.5 billion stadium that would host the Oakland Athletics on the Las Vegas Strip.The public funding would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the proposed stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.The A’s would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.The proposed 30,000-seat stadium would be the smallest in Major League Baseball.The Legislature adjourned Monday after its 120-day, biennial session with disputes over one of the five major budget bills that funds capital improvement proje...

Owner of funeral homes accused of spraying insecticide at cops, assaulting media at Jan. 6 riot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

An owner of several funeral homes in Long Island was arrested Wednesday on charges that he sprayed wasp killer at police officers and attacked journalists — including an Associated Press photographer — during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, authorities said. Peter G. Moloney, 58, of Bayport, New York, faces numerous charges, including civil disorder and assaulting police officers, according to court documents. He was expected to make an initial court appearance in New York later Wednesday. There was no lawyer listed for him yet in the court docket. A woman who answered the phone at Moloney Family Funeral Homes, where he is listed as co-owner, said they had no comment. An FBI agent wrote in court papers that Moloney appears to have come to the Capitol “prepared for violence,” with protective eyewear, a helmet and a can of insecticide — wasp, hornet & yellow jacket killer. Monoley was seen at the Capitol with a colleague, who authorities did not identify publicly. Vide...

Harvard women’s hockey coach retires amid allegations she verbally abused, hazed players

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — One of the most decorated coaches in women’s hockey history has stepped down after nearly 30 years leading Harvard’s women’s hockey program in the shadow of allegations by players that she engaged in abuses and other misconduct during her tenure. The school said Tuesday that Katey Stone had made the decision to retire from coaching. The six-paragraph announcement came after The Boston Globe published a report in January detailing the accounts of multiple players who alleged Stone ran a program rife with verbal abuse, hazing and pressure to return prematurely from injuries.Harvard initiated a review after one alleged incident last season, the Globe reported, but ultimately decided to keep her as coach.Stone, 57, has not publicly addressed allegations raised in the Globe report.In her retirement announcement, Stone listed her relationships with players as one of the things she was most proud of during her time at Harvard.“The relationships fostered with my play...

Feds looking at options for a national disaster response agency as wildfires rage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government is studying options for creating a new national disaster response agency.The discussions come as Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season in history and after governments once again had to call on the military to step in and help.With several hundred fires still burning, dozens of them in western and northern Quebec, wildfire smoke is blanketing large swaths of that province and eastern and southern Ontario.Environment Canada has issued special air quality advisories in both provinces.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to update Canadians on the fire situation Wednesday afternoon.Earlier this week, he said the government is heavily focused on getting through this difficult fire season but that “absolutely” discussions need to be had about how to be better prepared as climate change makes fire seasons like this one more likely.“We have since 1982 had CIFFC, the Canadian Interagency Fire Fighting Centre, that has over th...

Bank of Canada raises interest rates as it tries to get ahead of hot economy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:33 GMT

OTTAWA — As the economy continues to outperform expectations, the Bank of Canada has chosen to act sooner rather than later to clamp down on inflation, raising interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday.Its key interest rate now sits at 4.75 per cent, the highest it’s been since 2001.“Based on the accumulation of evidence, governing council decided to increase the policy interest rate, reflecting our view that monetary policy was not sufficiently restrictive to bring supply and demand into balance and return inflation sustainably to the two per cent target,” the Bank of Canada said in a news release.It says excess demand in the economy appears to be more persistent than it had anticipated, citing a tight labour market, better-than-expected economic growth in the first quarter as well as “surprisingly strong” consumption growth.Inflation also came in hotter than expected in April, the central bank said, noting prices for a “broad range” of good and services rose m...