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Hundreds of Bahrain prisoners suspend hunger strike as crown prince to visit United States

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

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Hundreds of prisoners suspended their monthlong hunger strike in Bahrain on Tuesday, an advocacy group said, just ahead of a visit of the island nation’s crown prince to the United States. The strike will pause until Sept. 30 as some prisoners suffered health problems and to see if promised changes by Bahrain’s government at the Jaw Rehabilitation and Reform Center will materialize, according to the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, an advocacy group.The promised changes include limiting isolation, expanding visitor rights, extending the hours of daylight inmates have and improving health care at the prison, the group said. If the changes are not implemented, the strike will resume. The group linked the decision to Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s visit to Washington this week. Bahrain’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night. The monthlong hunger strike had been of ...

MP Michael Chong urges U.S. lawmakers to work with Canada to combat Chinese meddling

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

WASHINGTON — The Conservative MP at the centre of Canada’s foreign interference saga is urging Capitol Hill lawmakers to work with their northern neighbour to battle Beijing.  Michael Chong, whose tale of Chinese meddling has been a political headache for the federal Liberal government, told his tale to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.The commission was established in 2000 to keep tabs on Beijing’s human rights record, and is a bipartisan committee of U.S. senators, House members and administration officials. Chong says one of his main goals was to make clear just how widespread Chinese foreign interference is, both in North America and around the world. Several members of the commission, including New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, both Republicans, pressed Chong on how the U.S. and Canada could work more closely together. One of Chong’s ideas is to expose the conduct with “sunlight and transparency” — publicizing...

Supporters of Native activist Leonard Peltier hold White House rally, urging Biden to grant clemency

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

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hundreds of activists and Indigenous leaders rallied outside the White House on Tuesday in support of Leonard Peltier on the imprisoned activist’s 79th birthday, holding signs and chanting slogans urging President Joe Biden to grant clemency to the Native American leader.Peltier is serving life in prison for the killing of two FBI agents during a 1975 standoff on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He was convicted in 1977. Key figures involved in Peltier’s prosecution have stepped forward over the years to urge his release, rally organizers said, including the judge who presided over Peltier’s 1986 appeal and the former U.S. attorney whose office handled the prosecution and appeal of Peltier’s case. The rally kicked off Tuesday with chanting and drum beats. Organizers delivered impassioned speeches about Peltier’s life and his importance as a Native leader, punctuated by shouts of “Free Peltier! Free Peltier!”“Forty-eight years is long ...

A Connecticut couple rescues a baby shark caught in a work glove

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

GLASTONBURY, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut couple’s scuba diving trip in Rhode Island on Monday turned into a mission to rescue a baby shark.Deb and Steve Dauphinais, of Glastonbury, Connecticut, were diving on the sand flats off Jamestown, Rhode Island, when Deb Dauphinais spotted the 16-inch (41-centimeter) juvenile shark with its head stuck inside a work glove at the bottom of about 35 feet (10 meters) of water. Deb Dauphinais, a dive instructor, said she thought the shark was dead, but when it twitched she motioned for her husband to come over and help.“He came over and did his own little double-take,” she said. She said her husband tugged on the glove, which seemed to be suctioned to the shark’s head, but it eventually popped free.Deb Dauphinais said they were not afraid of being attacked by what appeared to be a juvenile Dogfish shark, but were cautious, in case it snapped at them.“It kind of looked at both of us, didn’t look at all injured, got its equilibrium ...

Family of slain Ontario woman offer $50K reward for info into her murder

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

The family of an Ontario woman and mother of three who was murdered just over a year ago is hoping a $50,000 reward will lead provincial police to track down those responsible for her death.Investigators with Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say 38-year-old Sibel Duzguner was shot while she was getting into her car to leave for work on the morning of August 26, 2022, in Alliston, Ont.Authorities say a vehicle drove up to Duzguner’s residence while she was outside, firing several rounds. The suspect vehicle’s driver then fled the area after fatally wounding the woman.The shooting is believed to have been targeted and not a case of mistaken identity, OPP noted.Police are attempting to locate the vehicle of interest, described as a grey 2011-2012 Volkswagen Jetta, observed in the Kidd Crescent area shortly before the shooting.Mother of three has close ties to local Turkish, Muslim communitiesDuzunger’s family says the 38-year-old woman immigrated to Canada from Turkey ...

It will take 20 years for feds to break even with Volkswagen, Stellantis deals: PBO

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

OTTAWA — The parliamentary budget officer says it will take the federal and Ontario governments until 2043 to break even on their electric-vehicle battery deals with two automotive giants.The governments announced subsidies for Volkswagen and Stellantis-LG Energy Solution this year to entice them to build electric vehicle battery plants in Canada.A report released by the PBO on Tuesday says it will take 20 years for government revenues generated from the production of both plants to equal the production subsidies, which will total $28.2 billion by the end of 2032. In March, Canada reached a deal that will see Volkswagen get up to $13.2 billion in production subsidies for batteries they produce at a plant planned for St. Thomas, Ont.Stellantis later asked for a similar deal for a plant it’s constructing in Windsor, Ont., and ultimately secured a $15-billion agreement.The production subsidies for both plants are supposed to mirror incentives offered by the U.S. through the Infla...

Oregon man walks into FBI office, confesses to murdering woman in Boston in 1979, prosecutors say

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

BOSTON (WWLP) – An Oregon man has been charged with the 1979 murder of a woman in Boston, Massachusetts, after walking into a Portland FBI office last month and confessing to hitting her in the head with a hammer. Prosecutors said he also confessed to another slaying, which is currently being investigated. Not enough evidence to charge BTK serial killer in OK cold case, DA says John Michael Irmer, 68, appeared in a Boston courtroom Monday. He was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated rape in connection with the killing of 24-year-old Susan Marcia Rose in 1979.Irmer is due back in court on Oct. 17, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. He is currently being held without bail. Irmer told FBI agents last month that he had met the victim around Halloween in 1979, at a skating rink in Boston. He said the two walked down the road to a building in the city's Back Bay neighborhood that was being renovated. That's where he allegedly grabbed a hammer, hit her...

Groom and his groomsmen dress up like Mike Ditka. Again.

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

CHICAGO (WGN) — After earning some fame from his Bears-themed bachelor party in 2022, a Chicago-area resident repeated the theme on his wedding day. (Courtesy: Jake Manzake)Jake Mazanke was married on Saturday, and again donned a Mike Ditka outfit for part of the reception. He along, with his groomsmen, took some time to put on the sweaters with "Bears" across the chest while also wearing sunglasses. Both were signatures of Ditka's gameday outfit when he was head coach of the Bears from 1982-1992, including the Super Bowl XX win over the Patriots in January 1986.Their time in the Ditka gear included the groomsmen taking part in a choreographed dance to "Bear Down, Chicago Bears." It came just a day before the team opened up their 2023 season against the Packers at Soldier Field, which didn't go as well as the dance: The team lost to the Packers 38-20. How much does a wedding cost in your state? (Courtesy: Jake Mazanke)This comes after Mazanke wore the Ditka outfit during his bache...

Lyft rolling out feature matching women, nonbinary drivers and riders

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

(The Hill) -- Lyft on Tuesday announced a new feature allowing women and nonbinary drivers to match with more women and nonbinary riders. The ride-hailing service said the new feature, called “Women+ Connect,” offers women and nonbinary drivers the option to prioritize matches with other nearby women and nonbinary riders. When the feature goes live, women and nonbinary riders will be prompted to select “Count me in” in their apps, increasing their chances of being matched with their preferred drivers.  Apple set to unveil the iPhone 15. Here’s what to expect Lyft said that if there are no women or nonbinary riders nearby, drivers with the preference on will still be matched with men, adding that the new feature isn’t a guarantee of matches with preferred choices. “Women+ Connect is all about providing more women and nonbinary people the opportunity to earn money on their terms and giving riders more choice,” Lyft CEO David Risher said in a statement. “We hope this give...

Taco Bell sign falls on car; see how driver 'miraculously' survives

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

CROWLEY, La. (KLFY)-- A severe storm passing through Louisiana last week caused a Taco Bell sign to fall onto a car, crushing it and trapping someone inside, according to Crowley Police Department.The person, the only one in the car at the time of the accident Friday, was freed and taken to a nearby hospital. "EMTs were on sight pretty quick," Scott Richard, superintendent of Acadia Parish, said. "Emergency personnel were here very quickly. The individual was taken out of the car very carefully and miraculously she was not injured more than what her injuries were." The car's driver, who appeared to be going through the Taco Bell drive-thru, was trapped inside after the sign collapsed and fell on the car, flattening the back half of the vehicle and narrowly missing the driver in the front seat. "As you can tell if you do some closeups of where the sign actually fell, no one else was injured because it's a pretty big sign, very high sign," Richard said....