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Biden will nominate longtime aide who worked for the first lady to become US ambassador to UNESCO

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will nominate a longtime aide who once worked for the first lady to represent the United States at the United Nations agency devoted to education, science and culture, a White House official said Monday. The U.S. recently rejoined the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization after a five-year hiatus initiated by Biden’s immediate predecessor in the White House, Donald Trump. The Democratic president’s choice to become the U.S. permanent representative to the Paris-based UNESCO, with the rank of ambassador, is longtime aide Courtney O’Donnell, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the nomination before a formal announcement.O’Donnell currently wears two hats in the administration: She’s a senior adviser in Harris’ office and acting chief of staff for Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and lends her expertise to a range of national and globa...

Burning Man revelers begin exodus after flooding left tens of thousands stranded in Nevada desert

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. (AP) — Muddy roads that left tens of thousands of partygoers stranded for days at a counterculture festival had dried up enough by Monday afternoon to allow them to begin their exodus from the northern Nevada desert.Burning Man organizers said they began to let traffic flow out of the main road around 2 p.m. local time — even as they continued to ask revelers to delay their exit to Tuesday to ease traffic. As of Monday afternoon, they said about 64,000 people remained at the festival site.Organizers also asked attendees not to walk out of the Black Rock Desert about 110 miles (177 kilometers) north of Reno as others had done throughout the weekend, including celebrity DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock. They didn’t specify why.The festival had been closed to vehicles after more than a half-inch (1.3 centimeters) of rain fell on Friday. The road closures came just before “the Man” was to be set ablaze Saturday night. The event traditionally culminates in t...

Fish with a funny float gets a CT scan at the Denver Zoo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A fancy-looking French angelfish that was found one day with a funny float has its buoyancy back after taking some time out of its tropical trappings to get a CT scan at the Denver Zoo.A zoo worker recently noticed the blue and yellow fish was swimming with a tilt, prompting a visit last week to the facility’s on-site hospital for an ultrasound and the CT scan. The CT scan took place in a machine large enough to fit a 700-pound grizzly bear, so some special accommodations were required, zoo spokesperson Jake Kubie said. The seven-inch fish was sedated, balanced upright on a sponge and had water poured over its gills to keep it alive as the scan took place. The diagnosis: Too much gas. Enteritis, or inflamed intestines, had resulted in increased internal gas that was affecting the fish’s buoyancy, Kubie said.“It was treated with antibiotics,” he said. “It’s dong much better and swimming normally.”The Associated Press

Ancient Roman bust seized from Massachusetts museum in looting probe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A bronze bust believed to depict the daughter of an ancient Roman emperor has been seized from an art museum in Massachusetts by New York authorities investigating antiquities stolen from Turkey.The seizure is the latest in an ongoing investigation into a smuggling network involving objects looted from Bubon in southwestern Turkey and trafficked through Manhattan. A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg did not provide further details of the investigation.The bust known as “Portrait of a Lady” was acquired in 1966 by the Worcester Art Museum about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Boston. The seizure comes weeks after the Manhattan district attorney’s office seized a statue thought to portray the Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius from a Cleveland, Ohio, museum.Worcester Art Museum officials said in a statement that the bust taken from their possession dates from A.D. 160 to 180 and is believed to be a life-sized portrayal o...

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un may meet with Putin in Russia this month, US official says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. official said Monday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may travel to Russia soon to meet with President Vladimir Putin as the Kremlin tries to acquire military equipment for use in its war in Ukraine. The official, who was not authorized to address the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. expects Kim will make the trip within the month. The official said the U.S. isn’t sure exactly where or when the meeting would take place, but the Pacific port city of Vladivostok would be a likely possibility given its relative proximity to North Korea.National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson noted Monday that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to Pyongyang last month and tried to persuade North Korea to sell artillery ammunition to Russia. Watson said, “We have information that Kim Jong Un expects these discussions to continue, to include leader-level diplomatic engagement in Russia.”She ad...

Ontario Premier Doug Ford asks Bank of Canada to halt rate hikes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

TORONTO — A second provincial premier is making a direct appeal to the Bank of Canada to stop raising interest rates.Ontario Premier Doug Ford issued a social media post on Monday saying he had written directly to the central bank’s governor Tiff Macklem the day before. He said his plea was necessary because of the toll current rates are taking on the province’s families and businesses.“Over the last 18 months, we’ve suffered ten interest rate hikes which have had a devastating impact on people who are already struggling to get by,” the letter read.Ford is now the second provincial leader to voice objections to further hikes after British Columbia Premier David Eby sent a similar letter to Macklem last week.The Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate to five per cent in July, citing projections suggesting it will take longer for the national inflation rate to reach the bank’s target of two per cent. Ford’s letter urges Macklem to “...

Thousands march in North Macedonia over claims cancer hospital staff stole drugs meant for patients

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — Thousands of people protested Monday outside the government headquarters in North Macedonia ‘s capital, Skopje, over allegations that patients at a state cancer hospital missed life-saving treatment because staff were stealing the expensive drugs to sell on the black market.Chanting “Murderers,” demonstrators demanded the resignation of the country’s health minister and the hospital management. Among the protesters were several people who said their relatives had died after being given placebos instead of proper chemotherapy because the drugs had been stolen.“My mother had breast cancer and her condition worsened a week after she was admitted to the clinic,” one young man told the crowd. “Unfortunately, she didn’t survive.” The man, who didn’t give his name, described the hospital’s alleged behavior “monstrous.”The government and hospital officials have sought to assure the public that cancer patients are not at risk, whil...

'It seemed to be the only choice': Suspect allegedly leaves note inside victim's car after violent attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

HARWOOD HEIGHTS, Ill. — Police say they plan to pursue additional charges against a man accused of beating a woman and zip tying her neck during a carjacking in Harwood Heights, Illinois on Wednesday.Court documents allege that 24-year-old Reese Miller attacked and strangled a 61-year-old woman while she was outside of her house in the 4400 block of North Natchez Avenue early Wednesday morning, leaving the victim on life support. Child, teen among those wounded in weekend shootings The victim, who has been identified as Ma Operio, died from her injuries on Sunday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.24-year-old Reese MillerAccording to a bond proffer from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, a neighbor who witnessed the attack told police that he had seen Operio lying face up in the road in front of her blue Toyota as he was preparing to leave for work around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The witness told officers that he had seen a person in a black hoodie, who...

Chicagoans hit the beaches on a hot and humid Labor Day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

CHICAGO — It's the last day for beaches to be open across Chicago for the season, and locals took full advantage of a beautiful Labor Day to soak in all the toasty sunshine."We've just been hanging out, having fun and spending time together," said McKenzie Dalcerro, who was at the beach with her family.Beach-goers have until 7 p.m. Monday to hit the beach, at which point all 22 beaches run by the Chicago Park District will be officially closed for the season. Starting Tuesday, lifeguards that man the beaches will be moved to indoor pools for the Fall season, as the Chicago Park District shifts to its autumn programming. More from Alyssa: ‘Skip-the-Line’ program kicks off Friday at Illinois DMVs Still, most at beaches around Chicago Monday weren't thinking about the end of summer. As temperatures soared into the low-to-mid 90's, many were thankful the summer heat stuck around late into the season.""You know because you just can't get any better than this," said Liz Kimball, another...

'What happened? What made you do that?': Ex-boyfriend of Carlee Russell talks about kidnapping hoax

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:18 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — "This is my last time talking about this situation."That's what Thomar Latrell Simmons, the former boyfriend of Carlee Russell, made clear during his podcast, "205 Boyz," when he discussed how she faked her kidnapping in July. Russell has since been arrested on suspicion of filing false police report charges.During the podcast, which debuted Friday, Simmons was joined by friend and co-host Marcus Moody, who asked Simmons about what his life had been like since Russell's admitted hoax, as well as the online rumors about him having a part in her going missing for several days before walking home."[I'm] trying to get back to my normal life, but it’s never going to be normal for me," Simmons said. "I can’t even go around Birmingham without people knowing who I am. It’s crazy, bro." Timeline of Carlee Russell’s disappearance, return and the ongoing investigation into what happened to her On July 13, Russell called the police in Hoover, Alabama, claiming that s...