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Nobel peace laureate transferred to brutal prison in Belarus, his wife says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski has been transferred to a notoriously brutal prison in Belarus and hasn’t been heard from in a month, his wife said Wednesday.Natalia Pinchuk told The Associated Press that Bialiatski, who is serving a 10-year sentence, has been kept in an information blackout since his transfer to the N9 colony for repeat offenders in the city of Gorki, where inmates are beaten and subject to hard labor.“The authorities create unbearable conditions for Ales and keep him in strict informational isolation. There is not a single letter from him for a month, nor does he receive my letters,” Pinchuk said by telephone.In March, a court convicted 60-year-old Bialiatski — Belarus’ top human rights advocate and one of the winners of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize — and three of his colleagues on charges of financing actions violating public order and smuggling. It was the latest move in a years-long crackdown on dissent that has engulfed t...

Canada, Saudi Arabia restore full diplomatic ties after five-year spat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada and Saudi Arabia are normalizing diplomatic relations and appointing ambassadors five years after the Liberal government’s public comments on women’s rights led Riyadh to expel the Canadian ambassador.More coming.The Canadian Press

Cholera kills 17 in South Africa and a further 9 in neighboring Zimbabwe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — At least 17 people have died in a cholera outbreak in the Hammanskraal township outside South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, authorities said Wednesday.The toll has risen from an initial 10 fatalities reported by local health authorities earlier this week. Authorities said there were another 29 laboratory-confirmed cholera cases, while 67 people were admitted to a hospital and clinics for gastrointestinal infections.Health authorities are yet to confirm the exact source of the cholera outbreak, but poor waste water management and local government instability in South Africa’s capital city have been blamed for the situation. The City of Tshwane Municipality, which takes in Pretoria and surrounding areas, has had at least five different mayors since the ruling African National Congress party lost control in local government elections in 2016.A water plant in Pretoria which is responsible for waste water management for large parts of Hammanskraal is in need...

Bill Lee, jazz musician who worked with Bob Dylan and on son Spike Lee’s early movies, dies at 94

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Bill Lee, a well-regarded jazz musician who accompanied such artists as Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and Harry Belafonte as well as scoring four of his son Spike’s early films, including the hit “Do the Right Thing” and two songs for “Jungle Fever,” has died. He was 94. Lee died Wednesday at his home in Brooklyn, said Theo Dumont, a publicist for Spike Lee. The younger Lee posted several photos of his father on his Instagram page announcing the death.Lee was a session bassist who has played on albums by Odetta, Woody Guthrie, Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot, John Lee Hooker and Peter, Paul and Mary, among many others. He can be heard on Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” and Lightfoot’s “Oh, Linda.” He played on Aretha Franklin’s Columbia album debut in 1960, “Aretha.”Lee wrote the soundtracks to Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” “School Daze,” “Do the Right Thing” and “Mo’ Better Blues.” Bill Lee also appeared in “Do the Right Thing.” Te...

Bicyclist critical after being struck by minivan in Batavia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

BATAVIA, Ill. — A bicyclist is in critical condition after being struck by a minivan Tuesday afternoon in Batavia.Just after 4:40 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of South Batavia Avenue and Millview Drive.Police believe a newer model Honda minivan was northbound on South Batavia when it struck a bicyclist in the intersection.The bicyclist sustained critical injuries and was transported via helicopter to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. Buona giving away free sandwiches for National Italian Beef Day Police said none of the occupants of the inside of the minivan were injured.Witnesses to the crash are asked to call police at 630-454-2500.

Rapper Fetty Wap sentenced to 6 years in prison for drug-trafficking scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — Rapper Fetty Wap was sentenced to six years in federal prison on Wednesday for his role in a New York-based drug-trafficking scheme.The “Trap Queen” rapper, whose legal name is Willie Maxwell, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to a conspiracy drug charge that carried a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. The sentence was handed down in federal court on Long Island.Maxwell apologized for his actions and told the judge, “Me being selfish in my pride put me in this position today.” His lawyers had suggested he turned to selling drugs because of financial hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.Maxwell was arrested in October 2021 on charges of participating in a conspiracy to smuggle large amounts of heroin, fentanyl and other drugs into the New York City area.The New Jersey-born rapper and five co-defendants were accused of conspiring to possess and distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine between June 2019...

Video captures woman setting fire at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines; charged with arson

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — A woman has been charged after setting a fire at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines.According to police, Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41, of Arlington Heights, faces one felony count of arson.Virginia Roque-Fermin, 41 (police booking photo)Around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the church, located on the 1100 block of North River Road, on the report of a fire.Officers attempted to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful. The fire department arrived to the scene and put out the fire.After responding to the fire, officers witnessed Roque-Fermin quickly walking away from the shrine with soot on the front of her clothes. Des Plaines church fire believed to be arson; person detained Surveillance video outside the church captures Roque-Fermin carrying multiple objects and tossing them into the shrine. She then is seen starting a fire while continuing to throw surrounding objects into the flames.Police said the total damage at the church is es...

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in mid 60s with mostly sunny conditions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

CHICAGO — Temperatures in upper 60s with mostly sunny conditions, cooler lakeside. Winds: NE 10-15 G30. High: 67/60. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Partly cloudy tonight. Winds: ENE 10-15 G30. Low: 47.Thursday Forecast: Partly cloudy, cooler lakeside. Winds: NE 10-15 G20. High: 62/57.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

'Wake up America': California governor responds to Target removing some LGBTQ merchandise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

(KRON) -- Ahead of Pride month, Target announced it is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide, after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers.“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” Target said in a statement Tuesday. In addition to removing some items, Target confirmed that it has also moved its Pride merchandise from the front of the stores to the back in some Southern stores after confrontations and backlash from shoppers.California Governor Gavin Newsom responded on Twitter, saying people should be alarmed to hear about attacks on the LGBTQ+ community. "This isn’t just a couple stores in the South," he said."CEO of Target Brian Cornell selling out the LGBTQ+ community to extremists is a real profile in courage," Newsom tweeted. "Wake up America. This doesn't stop...

'Sick and tired': States sue over billions of robocalls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:52 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Attorneys general across the U.S. joined in a lawsuit against a telecommunications company accused of making more than 7.5 billion robocalls to people on the national Do Not Call Registry.The 141-page lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Phoenix against Avid Telecom, its owner Michael D. Lansky and company vice president Stacey S. Reeves. It seeks a jury trial to determine damages.The lawsuit arises from the nationwide, bipartisan Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force of 51 attorneys general and the District of Columbia. It was formed last year to investigate and take legal action against telecommunications companies routing volumes of robocall traffic.Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said nearly 197 million of the robocalls were made to Arizona phone numbers between December 2018 and January 2023.“Every day, countless Arizona consumers are harassed and annoyed by a relentless barrage of unwanted robocalls — and in some instances these illeg...