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Italian ex-leader Berlusconi hospitalized, reportedly in ICU

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

ROME (AP) — Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalized Wednesday, his spokesman said. Italian media reported he was in intensive care with respiratory problems. The 86-year-old three-time premier was admitted to Milan’s San Raffaele hospital, the clinic where he routinely receives care, said spokesman Paolo Emilio Russo. There was no confirmation of reports from the LaPresse news agency, Sky TG24 and Corriere della Sera that he was in the cardiac ICU.Berlusconi has had a series of health problems in recent years, most significantly recovering from COVID-19 in 2020. He told reporters after being discharged from a 10-day hospital stay then that disease had been “insidious” and was the most dangerous challenge he had ever faced. He has had a pacemaker for years, underwent heart surgery to replace an aortic valve in 2016 and has overcome prostate cancer.Berlusconi had been to San Raffaele, where his personal physician works, for a regular checkup for several days just las...

Poland scraps fencing event because of Russian participation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A fencing World Cup event in Poland has been canceled because the sport’s governing body decided last month to let Russians and Belarusians compete.The Polish Fencing Association said Wednesday it will not host the Olympic qualifying event for women’s foil from April 21-23 in Poznan.Last month, the International Fencing Federation voted to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to resume competing after an exclusion of more than a year.After the decision to allows Russians back, more than 300 fencers signed a letter of protest and the organizers of another World Cup event in Germany withdrew as hosts. French organizers canceled yet another event last week.Russia, with the help of ally Belarus, invaded Ukraine more than a year ago. Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the war started.Poland will also host this year’s European Games, a multi-sport event similar to the Olympics, with no Russian and Belarusian athletes.The announcem...

Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada running for reelection

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada who steered a moderate path during her first term in the chamber, announced Wednesday that she will seek reelection in the perennial battleground state.In a statement, Rosen focused on her efforts to promote bipartisanship and “big problems to solve” for the country, including “lowering costs for the middle class, defending abortion rights, tackling the climate crisis (and) protecting Social Security and Medicare.”Rosen’s announcement is welcome news for Democrats ahead of a challenging 2024 Senate map. They must defend incumbents not only in red states — Montana, Ohio and West Virginia — but also in multiple swing states.No Republican challengers have yet announced plans to take on Rosen. She ended 2022 with $4.4 million cash on hand in her campaign accounts, according to Federal Election Commission reports.The November 2024 will come two years after Rosen’s colleague from Nevada, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez...

What’s open and closed in Toronto on Good Friday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

The Easter Holiday weekend is upon us and that means a short work week for many GTA residents.It’s expected to be a good weekend to get outside, with a rain-free forecast despite daytime high temperatures a little below seasonal.Keep in mind, Good Friday is a public holiday and that means many businesses will not be open. Banks, libraries, post offices, and government services will all be closed on Friday.In Toronto, almost all city attractions will remain open including the CN Tower, Toronto Zoo, Casa Loma and Ripley’s Aquarium.Here is what else is open and closed in the city on Good Friday:TRANSITGO Transit will operate on a Sunday schedule on Friday.The TTC will be operate on a holiday schedule on Monday with most routes and subway service starting at 6 a.m.GROCERY AND ALCOHOLLCBO and Beer stores will be closed on Friday.Most big chain grocery stores will be closed, but some select locations will be open on Good Friday. Check with your local grocer for hours of operation.Ra...

Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize more than doubles to $60K with Scott Griffin contribution

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

TORONTO — Scott Griffin is shaking up the Canadian poetry landscape for the second time in a year, lending his name to the Writers’ Trust poetry prize and more than doubling its purse.The move, which turns the Latner Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize into the Latner Griffin Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize and bumps its value from $25,000 to $60,000, comes months after the philanthropist did away with the Canada-only category of the Griffin Poetry Prize. Griffin said upping the Writers’ Trust’s purse fills a gap in his efforts to boost poetry’s profile. His trust awards a $10,000 prize to an “unknown, up-and-coming” poet, he said, while the newly increased Writers’ Trust prize is dedicated to recognizing mid-career poets. “We have a significant Canadian prize with the Latner Griffin. And then we have the international prize, which is for all countries, including Canada,” Griffin said in a phone interview ahead of Wednesday’...

To counter China, US trade rep seeks closer ties to allies

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is pressing its case for a new approach to global trade, arguing that America’s traditional reliance on promoting free trade pacts failed to anticipate China’s brass-knuckled brand of capitalism and the possibility a major power like Russia would go to war against one of its trading partners.In a speech Wednesday at American University, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is calling for a strategy of what’s known as “friend-shoring’’ — building up supply chains among allied countries and reducing dependence on geopolitical rivals such as China. Rising tension with Beijing and supply-chain bottlenecks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on Chinese suppliers.“Trade should work for the common good and help set responsible standards on labor, the environment, and other priorities that reflect American values,” Tai says in excerpts of her speech provided in advance to reporters. “It shou...

What Biden’s ‘junk fee’ crusade could mean for travelers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

U.S. presidents don’t usually wade into the minutiae of airline seat selection, yet that’s exactly what President Joe Biden did during his State of the Union Address earlier this year, spending nearly two minutes of the speech decrying “junk fees.”“We’ll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round-trip for a family just to be able to sit together,” Biden said during the speech. “Baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of baggage.”The past decade has seen an explosion in the sophistication with which airlines, hotels and vacation rentals earn additional revenue through add-on fees. Yet travelers, and the politicians who represent them, may have had enough.“Consumers have been fed up with this for some time,” says Lauren Wolfe, counsel at traveler advocacy group Travelers United and founder of the website KillResortFees.com. “Americans shouldn’t have to deal with deceptive drip pricing,” Wolfe added, referring to the practice in which fees are added thr...

Foreign veterinarians save sick elephant at Pakistani zoo

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Veterinarians said they performed a critical procedure to save a sick elephant at a zoo in southern Pakistan on Wednesday. Noor Jehan, 17, was brought to Karachi with three other elephants more than a dozen years ago. Videos of her leaning her head against a tree and struggling to stand have caused alarm in Pakistan. The elephant is experiencing a number of health issues, including arthritis.An eight-member team from the Austrian animal welfare organization Four Paws did the complex procedure with the help of a crane and a fire truck.“We nearly lost her when we gave her sedation, but luckily we had all the necessary preparations, and Noor Jehan stood up again,” said Dr Amir Khalil, who led the team. The experts did an ultrasound and found a large hematoma in her abdomen, which is affecting her organs. “The good news is that there is treatment for this, but it requires a lot of work and some luck in the coming days,” Khalil said. “However, Noor Jehan is...

Severe warnings, watches issued across Chicago area Wednesday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

CHICAGO — A number of severe watches and warnings are in effect across the Chicago area Wednesday and expected to last much of the morning.A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the entire Chicago until 11 a.m.a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for areas including Aurora, Elgin and Carpentersville until 7 a.m.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for areas including Crystal Lake, Algonquin IL and Lake in the Hills until 7 a.m.A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for areas including Gary IN, Portage IN and Merrillville IN until 7:30 a.m.A Tornado Warning is in effect for Lee County until 7 a.m.A Tornado Warning in DeKalb County is now cancelled Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here A Wind Advisory is also in effect between7 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the highlighted counties in the map below. Southwest winds 20-30 mph with gusts 45-50 mph are expected. Winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could snap, resulting in a few power ...

Brandon Johnson elected Chicago mayor, defeating Paul Vallas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:05:55 GMT

CHICAGO — Former teacher and union organizer Brandon Johnson has been elected Chicago mayor, according to Associated Press projections.City Council seats, as well as suburban mayor and village presidents races, continue to be decided.The Chicago mayoral race pitted former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas, a moderate Democrat endorsed by Chicago’s police union and several trade unions, against progressive Johnson, the Cook County Board Commissioner, who was backed by the Chicago Teachers Union and several public sector unions. All Chicago and Illinois Election ResultsTuesday's runoff election is due to no candidate receiving over 50% of the vote on the Feb. 28 election. On that day, Vallas, 69, was the majority frontrunner. Johnson, 46, followed and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot finished third in the polls. The soon-to-be-ousted Lightfoot was the first city mayor in 40 years to seek reelection and lose.WGN News’ special coverage began at 7 p.m. and included analysis and updat...