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Colombia government, largest remaining rebel group agree to 6-month cease-fire

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

HAVANA, Cuba (AP) — Colombia’s government and its largest remaining guerrilla group agreed Friday to a six-month cease-fire at talks in Cuba, in the latest attempt to resolve a conflict dating back to the 1960s.The government and the National Liberation Army, or ELN, announced the accord at a ceremony in Havana attended by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, top guerrilla commander Antonio García and Cuban officials. The cease-fire takes effect in phases, goes fully into effect in August and then lasts for six months. “This effort to look for peace is a beacon of hope that conflicts can be resolved politically and diplomatically,” top rebel negotiator Pablo Beltrán said at the ceremony.The talks originally were scheduled to conclude with an official ceremony on Thursday, but were postponed as the parties asked for additional time to work on final details. Petro traveled to the island for the ceremony, saying it could herald an “era of peace” in Colombia.The accord reached Frida...

WestJet to wind down budget airline Swoop, integrate into main operation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

CALGARY — WestJet says it will wind down its Swoop brand by late October as it integrates the budget carrier’s operations into its main banner.The move comes after ratification of a new collective agreement that brings pilots of both carriers onto a level pay scale.In a phone interview from its Calgary headquarters, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said keeping Swoop separate would make little sense financially given the higher labour costs, but said each WestJet flight will offer a portion of ultra-low-cost tickets.Pilots of WestJet and Swoop secured a 24 per cent hour pay bump over four years under a deal agreed on tentatively last month that narrowly averted a strike.Bargaining came down to the wire, with WestJet cancelling more than 230 flights in preparation for job action before a deal was reached hours ahead of the strike deadline on May 19.Competition for budget airfares has grown in recent years, particularly in Western Canada, as upstarts Flair Airlines and Lynx Ai...

Rights body criticizes Quebec for booting religious group from convention centre

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

Quebec’s human rights commission has criticized the provincial government for blocking a religious gathering at a publicly owned convention centre after a cabinet minister said the event would have promoted anti-abortion views.The commission issued a statement saying it was concerned about the government’s decision and reminding the province about the importance of freedom of expression.As guaranteed under the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, “freedom of expression aims to protect both unpopular and controversial ideas …. It is an essential pillar of a democratic society,” the commission said Thursday.Last week, Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx cancelled an event scheduled for June 23 to July 2 at the Quebec City Convention Centre by British Columbia-based Harvest Ministries International. Proulx explained her decision by stating that the event — called “Prepare the Way” — would promote anti-abortion views, which she said are con...

WestJet, Swoop pilots ratify new agreement with pay increases, other improvements

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

WestJet and Swoop pilots have ratified a new collective agreement after a bargaining process that saw the threat of a strike snarl many Canadians’ long weekend plans last month.The Air Line Pilots Association says the four-year contract includes industry-leading pay increases, job security protections, and major scheduling and quality of life improvements.The association says 87 per cent of the pilots who voted backed the agreement.The airline and its pilots reached a last-minute deal earlier this year, narrowly averting a strike ahead of the May long weekend.However, WestJet and Swoop flights had already been grounded in anticipation of the possible work stoppage, which was averted.The pilots’ association had said the contract issues revolved around pay, job security and scheduling, with pilots earning roughly half of what some of their U.S. counterparts make.The new contract goes into effect July 1, with retroactive pay to Jan. 1. It expires at the end of 2026.“H...

WATCH LIVE | U.S. Special Counsel speaks on 37 count indictment against Donald Trump

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents, according to an indictment unsealed Friday that alleges that he described a Pentagon “plan of attack” and shared a classified map related to a military operation.The 49-page charging document paints a damning portrait of Trump's treatment of sensitive information, accusing him of willfully ignoring Justice Department demands to return documents he had taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago and even directing aides to help him hide the records sought by the government.The indictment marks the Justice Department's first official confirmation of a criminal case against Trump arising from the retention of hundreds of documents at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago. Charged alongside with Trump was Walt Nauta, a Trump aide who was seen on surveillance camera removing boxes at Mar-a-Lago.The indictment accuses Trump of having improperly removed scores of boxes from the Wh...

Reading success earns Englewood Elementary School students a special trip

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

CHICAGO — A group of students from Englewood got a reward for their commitment to reading as the summer is about to begin.Dulles Elementary School students took advantage of 24 mini classrooms that were installed earlier in the 2022-2023 school year through the Buddy's Helpers program. In five months, students had read for over 100,000 minutes, or 1,667 hours or 70 full days. For their efforts in contributing to that total, ten students had the opportunity to take a unique trip to see one of Chicago's professional teams. Seven of the students had the chance to attend their first Chicago White Sox game on May 31.Markus Smith-Lathan - 1st GradeJeremiah Baldwin - 1st gradeNa'Loni Westberry - 1st gradeTrequan Sparks - 1st gradeChristopher Jackson - 2nd gradeIsaiah Westberry - 2nd gradeEverett Jarrett - 2nd gradeThree other Dulles Elementary students were honored as well, but chose another activity to participate in that day.Makayla Clay - 3rd grade - Art InstituteDanielle Bell - 4th gra...

After lemur attack, Austin animal rules may change

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Monday Austin's Animal Advisory Commission will discuss recommending new rules related to animals that would impact the Austin Aquarium. According to city documents, if the commission approves the measure, it would request the Austin City Council consider amending city code to specifically target a for-profit zoo or aquarium. It would ban public interaction with wild animals, when a facility isn't accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Woman says lemur attacked her at Austin Aquarium It would also require any animal bite or scratch to be reported and the animal to be quarantined. It would also call for $200 fines.The Austin Aquarium, located off of U.S. Highway 183, is a for-profit aquarium. It is not required to be accredited with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In addition to marine life, the facility, on its website, touts lemur and sloth encounters.It is monitored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Records show the dep...

Clinical trials underway for melanoma vaccine; Dell Medical School professor explains treatment

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

(KXAN) -- There's new hope in the battle against one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer; it's a treatment that uses vaccine technology and the body's immune system to help stop the spread of melanoma. DEPTH: Moderna mRNA vaccine reduced risk of skin cancer relapse: research Moderna and Merck released data on the results of the trials so far. CNBC reported the vaccine "reduced the risk of melanoma spreading to other parts of the body or death by 65% in patients with stage 3 or 4 of the disease compared with patients who received Merck’s immunotherapy treatment alone." According to CNBC's report, the clinical trial has enrolled 157 patients who have had their cancer surgically removed.Dr. Ade Adamson, assistant professor in the department of internal medicine at Dell Medical School provided some insight on the treatment.Adamson explained it's a treatment for late-stage melanoma, which he explained as melanoma that's moved into the lymph nodes or distant organs. "The way the tria...

Charges: Police tie homicide suspect to shell casings found at two crimes scenes on St. Paul block

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

A man arrested Wednesday inside a St. Paul home he broke into first had shot and killed a man on the same block of the city’s Greater East Side, charges allege.Tevon Antowon King (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)Tevon Antowon King, 27, was charged Friday with second-degree murder in the killing of 36-year-old James Harmon, who was found at his home in the 1100 block of White Bear Avenue on Wednesday morning with a gunshot wound to his head.The SWAT team arrested King after he broke into a home five houses away from Harmon’s, according to charges. King, who was found sleeping in the basement with a Springfield 9mm next to him, had fired a shot outside the home, went inside and threatened to shoot a 29-year-old man, who hid in a bathroom and called 911.The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged King on Thursday with two counts of first-degree burglary.Investigators tied King to Harmon’s murder by the handgun and shell casings that were found at both homes, ...

Albany man sentenced in gun possession case

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:44 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On June 9, Alphonso Robinson, 47, of Albany, was sentenced to 10 years in state prison in relation to a gun possession case. He received his sentencing from the Albany County Court. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On March 22, Robinson was convicted of one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon following a jury trial. An indictment alleged that on June 1, 2022, in the area of 122 Morton Avenue in Albany, Robinson possessed a loaded and operable revolver. Judge Roger McDonough said that “The video couldn’t have been any clearer that the defendant was waving that handgun… I’ll note that this defendant, from the Court’s perspective, attempted to perpetrate a fraud on this court and the jury, by making up a completely unbelievable, incredible, and quite frankly absurd story that he was playing Cowboys and Indians with his nephew, as (to) why he had what he first described as a water pis...