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Syria, Tunisia move to restore their diplomatic relations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisian President Kais Saied met Tuesday with Syria’s chief diplomat and said his country wants to boost bilateral cooperation and preserve “historical ties of brotherhood” with Damascus, the official TAP news agency reported.Diplomatic relations between Syria and Tunisia have been cut since 2012 during the civil war that followed President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on mass protests against his rule. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad’s three-day visit to Tunisia is meant to help restore relations, the Tunisian Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.Mikdad had a meeting Monday evening with his Tunisian counterpart Nabil Ammar shortly after his arrival.President Saied stressed Tunisia’s willingness to intensify cooperation in a range of bilateral issues, and on the common cultural bonds, TAP reported.The bid by the two countries to move toward a new chapter is a glaring example of how things have changed in the region over the past deca...

Inflation hits lowest level since August 2021, but BoC not expected to back off yet

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada is expected to keep interest rates elevated for some time even as the country’s annual inflation rate falls rapidly. Inflation in Canada dropped to 4.3 per cent in March, Statistics Canada said in its latest consumer price index report released Tuesday. The headline rate eased from 5.2 per cent in February as higher mortgage interest costs were offset by lower energy prices.The country’s annual inflation rate is mostly tracking along the Bank of Canada’s forecast of reaching three per cent by mid-year. Its preferred measures of core inflation, which the central bank uses to look through volatility in prices, also trended downward in March.“Today’s report shows that all roads do indeed point to three per cent inflation in the months ahead,” said BMO chief economist Douglas Porter in a client note. The continued slowdown in inflation since last summer has now brought the annual rate down to the lowest it’s been since Augu...

US charges 4 Americans, 3 Russians in election discord case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Four Americans affiliated with a Black empowerment and political organization have been charged along with three Russians with conspiring to covertly sow discord in U.S. society, spread Russian propaganda and interfere illegally in U.S. elections, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday.The U.S. citizens and two Russians were added to an existing case in Tampa, Florida, federal court involving Aleksandr Ionov, described by prosecutors as the founder of a Moscow-based organization funded by the Russian government to carry out a clandestine influence campaign in the U.S.The four Americans are all part of the African People’s Socialist Party and Uhuru Movement, which has locations in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis. Among those charged is Omali Yeshitela, chairman of the U.S.-based organization — which was raided by the FBI last summer when Ionov was originally charged.“Russia’s foreign intelligence service allegedly weaponized our Fir...

Downtown beating witness: 'It was crazy, then police didn't help'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

CHICAGO — Lenora Dennis not only witnessed the attack of a couple on Wabash Avenue Saturday night, she stepped in to help. “They were going to kill that young man,” she said. “They were stomping his head into the concrete.”Dennis ran across Wabash and said she yelled and cursed at the teenagers who were hitting and robbing the couple. She was relieved to see a police car approach but said officers, faced with multiple reports of violent acts downtown, didn’t stop.  “I literally stepped in front of a squad car and motioned them over to see this was an assault on the street in progress; and the police just drove around me,” she said. Related: What we know and don’t know about video of downtown beating She said the group of young people briefly ran down the street but then returned.  “When they came back they were beating the couple again,” she said.Police reports reviewed by WGN Investigates say the couple, who was visiting from out of town, both suffered blows that l...

Suspected burglars charged in high-speed chase that ended in crash near Elmhurst school

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

WHEATON, Ill. — Prosecutors in DuPage County have charged three people suspected of leading police on a high-speed chase after allegedly burglarizing a TJ Maxx in Oak Brook.Russell Miller, 24, of Chicago, Xavier Miller, 28, of Chicago, and Zhane Ball, 28, of Iowa City, Iowa are all charged with one felony count of burglary, one count of retail theft, two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer and five counts of misdemeanor endangering the health or life of a child.  Police: Man helping get goose out of road struck, killed in suburbs Skycam flew above the scene in Elmhurst on Friday, which showed the suspects' beige GMC smashed into another vehicle. It was just before 2:50 p.m. that officers with the Oak Brook Police Department allegedly observed a GMC Acadia, driven by Russell Miller, parked in the aisle of a parking lot at the Shops at Oak Brook. Prosecutors said officers witnessed Xavier Miller and Ball exit the TJ Maxx with items and enter the awaiting GMC Ac...

SWAT on scene at Round Rock home, RRPD says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- SWAT is on the scene at a Round Rock home Tuesday afternoon as officers tried to serve an arrest warrant, Round Rock police said on Twitter.Police said the person is armed and isn't coming out of the residence near 1900 Denfield Dr.RRPD said the suspect is wanted on felony assault-family violence charges. The suspect has a previous conviction.Police are asking people to avoid the area. If you are in the area, police said you should stay indoors.This developing story will be updated.

APD: More than 4,000 traffic stops made since DPS partnership began

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- During the Austin City Council work session Tuesday, council members received an update on the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) collaboration with the Austin Police Department (APD), which included statistics on the number of traffic stops DPS made and how response times have decreased.According to DPS, the AVCTF is a data-driven violent crime suppression task force composed of troopers, special agents and intelligence-level policing. DPS: Nearly 200 arrests made since patrols started in Austin Some council members, like Vanessa Fuentes (District 2) and Ryan Alter (District 5), told KXAN they received questions and concerns from community members about the partnership. The initiative launched as a way to provide law enforcement reinforcement in the city as APD continues to face staffing shortages.APD Chief Joseph Chacon told council Tuesday the department currently has more than 300 vacant officer positions, as well as 102 separations in the year to da...

Austin on track with 2019 lifeguard hiring goal, eyeing 850 total workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Parks and Recreation Department aims to hire 850 lifeguards to work at city-run pools this summer, with nearly 300 already ready for work.PARD Director Kimberly McNeely provided the update during an Austin City Council work session Tuesday. She said this year marks the first time since 2019 the department is on track to hits its hiring goal. City staff: Lifeguard hiring going well, all pools expected to open this summer It comes as the city upped its minimum wage to $20 an hour, applicable to city lifeguards. McNeely added lifeguards also have the opportunity to earn up to $750 in a bonus. In order to attract more candidates, McNeely said Austin PARD has reduced its entry barriers and offers free training for all accepted candidates. Even if trainees don't pass, they will be offered another job within the parks system, she said.Alongside free training, she said the department will offer a $400 stipend to compensate candidates for their time spent traini...

Former San Marcos CISD educator accused of improper relationship with student

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) -- A former staff member of San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District was arrested Monday after he was accused of having an improper relationship with a student, according to a news release from the City of San Marcos.Carl Anthony Thompson, 26, was identified as the former educator, according to the city.Image of Carl Anthony Thompson provided by the City of San MarcosOn Feb. 28, the school district received information regarding a "code of conduct violation with an 18-year-old student," the release said. Thompson was immediately told to leave the campus, and the San Marcos Police Department were notified to begin an investigation, the city said.During the initial course of the investigation, SMPD obtained evidence that Thompson and the victim began exchanging text messages in November 2022, according to the city. Furthermore, the city said inappropriate messages were shared via text and Snapchat.Moreover, investigators also learned Thompson and th...

After 47 years as Vikings’ equipment manager, St. Paul’s Dennis Ryan has seen it all

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:27:56 GMT

Dennis Ryan was 16 years old, still a student at Highland Park High School, when he had his first memorable encounter with the late Bud Grant.Recruited while working for the City of St. Paul on the grounds crew for the old Midway Stadium on Snelling, Ryan helped move the Vikings to and from training camp in Mankato during the summer of 1975.“On the move down, we saw nobody. It was mid-July and they were setting up for camp,” Ryan recalled. “But when we went down to pick up, everybody was around.”Including Grant, the no-nonsense coach who led the Vikings to four Super Bowl appearances and already had become a Minnesota icon. Grant was waiting in his dorm room for someone to come pick up a boxful of playbooks to load up for the trip back to the Twin Cities.Enter Ryan, who picked up the box only to have the bottom fall out and dump playbooks all over the floor.“He stood over me, and I stared up at him,” Ryan said.And the look the coach gave him?“It was that look you saw on TV.”Minnesot...