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Independent lawyers begin prosecuting cases of sexual assault and other crimes in the US military

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Thursday opened a new chapter in how it investigates and prosecutes cases of sexual assault and other major crimes, putting independent lawyers in charge of those decisions and sidelining commanders after years of pressure from Congress.The change, long resisted by Pentagon leaders, was finally forced by frustrated members of Congress who believed that too often commanders would fail to take victims’ complaints seriously or would try to protect alleged perpetrators in their units. The new law was fueled by a persistent increase in sexual assaults and harassment across the military. The Air Force, the Marine Corps and the Navy all saw reported sexual assaults go up last year, but a sharp 9% drop in reports from the Army — the largest military service — drove the overall number down. In 2021, reported assaults spiked by 13%.Under the law, new special counsels will have the authority to make prosecution decisions on a number of major crimes,...

George Stroumboulopoulos, NYT journalist, dairy CEO among 78 named to Order of Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

OTTAWA — When George Stroumboulopoulos thinks back on his TV career, it’s his time hosting The NewMusic in the early 2000s that resonates most.Many Canadians remember how the gregarious host introduced them to bands and musicians on the MuchMusic program, and those years are part of the reason he is now being appointed to the Order of Canada.“It was this golden era of television that I don’t think could ever be created again,” he told The Canadian Press in an interview.Stroumboulopoulos went on to host his own show on CBC for a decade, followed by a stint on Hockey Night in Canada from 2014 to 2016. He has interviewed everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Hilary Clinton to Snoop Dogg — but he said he never changed along the way. “With very rare exceptions, I have been 100 per cent myself the whole way,” he said.Stroumboulopoulos is one of 78 Canadians being awarded one of the country’s highest honours. The list of new officers of the Order of Canada prov...

Rivers remain high in parts of northern and central Europe after heavy rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Parts of northern and central Europe continued to grapple with flooding on Thursday after heavy rain, and a barrier near the German city of Magdeburg was opened for the first time in a decade to ease pressure from the Elbe River.This week’s floods have prompted evacuations of dozens or hundreds of people in parts of northern and central Germany, but largely dry weather was forecast on Thursday. Still, water levels on some rivers caused concern, and they have continued to rise in parts of Lower Saxony state in the northwest.The Elbe was nearly 4 meters (13 feet) above its normal level in Dresden, German news agency dpa reported. Downstream, the Pretziener Wehr, a flood barrier built in the 1870s on a branch of the river and renovated in 2010, was opened for the first time since large-scale floods in 2013.The aim was to divert about a third of the river’s water into a 21-kilometer (13-mile) channel that bypasses the town of Schoenebeck and Saxony-Anhalt’...

Park City man, 51, killed in crash after walking in traffic lane in unincorporated Libertyville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. — Lake County Sheriff’s Office Crash Investigators are looking into a fatal crash early Thursday morning in unincorporated Libertyville, which resulted in the death of a 51-year-old Park City man.Just before 3:30 a.m., Lake County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to Route 137 and Clover Drive for a car-versus-pedestrian crash. Deputies arrived and found the pedestrian, the Park City man, critically injured. According to Lake County authorities, a preliminary investigation shows that a 2016 Kia Rio, driven by a 54-year-old Woodstock man, was traveling westbound on Route 137 in the outside traffic lane. The driver of the Kia did not see the pedestrian, who was walking in the traffic lane for an unknown reason, before striking him.The pedestrian was transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities say the driver of the Kia was uninjured and is cooperating with the investigation. The Lake County Coro...

MLB player Wander Franco summoned in Dominican Republic amid investigation: reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (WFLA) — News outlets in the Dominican Republic are reporting that police have searched two homes associated with Tampa Bay Rays baseball player Wander Franco.According to local news outlet Listin Diario, authorities are looking for the shortstop due to an ongoing investigation concerning his alleged relationship with a minor.The report said a division that specializes in minors and gender violence is investigating the alleged relationship and wants to question Franco.Police reportedly searched Franco's home and his mother's home in the Dominican Republic this week. However, the baseball player wasn't located at either residence."This kind of just puts the icing on the cake and makes him look more horrible," said David Hush, a Tampa Bay Rays fan. Wander Franco earns $700,000 bonus from MLB pool despite ongoing investigation Authorities summoned Franco to appear for questioning Thursday morning."There's more to this story, and it's just terrible for not only Maj...

Dean's A-List Interview: Erika Alexander in 'American Fiction'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

Dean sits down with Erika Alexander on her role in the new comedy/drama 'American Fiction.'Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Real-life 'Ratatouille' restaurant reopens; overlooking Paris 2024 Olympics, Notre Dame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The Tour d’Argent already boasts a 320,000-bottle wine cellar, a world-famous duck recipe and a storied 441-year history. Now, the legendary Paris restaurant is about to serve up its "plat de résistance": a front-row view of two of the biggest events of 2024 — the renaissance of Notre Dame Cathedral and the 2024 Summer Olympics.A city landmark unto itself — and an inspiration for the restaurant in the movie “Ratatouille’’ — the Tour d’Argent recently reopened after its own renovation, which preserved revered traditions while adapting to the 21st century.‘’It’s very reassuring for many customers to see that such establishments are still present in our history, and in French gastronomic history,’’ owner and CEO André Terrail told the Associated Press.The restaurant claims to be the oldest in Paris, its 1582 opening date embossed on the doors. It says King Henri IV ate heron pâté here; ‘’Sun King’’ Louis XIV hosted a meal here involving an entire c...

Gypsy Rose Blanchard, convicted in mom's murder, released from prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

(WPHL) – Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who infamously plotted to kill her mother, was released from prison early Thursday morning after serving more than seven years behind bars.The now-32-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 2016 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of her mother Clauddine "'Dee Dee" Blanchard. Gypsy’s ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, is serving a life sentence for fatally stabbing Dee Dee.For those unfamiliar with the case, which inspired the Hulu series "The Act," some experts believe Gypsy was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy -- a condition where a parent, guardian or caretaker fabricates symptoms to make it look their child is sick. Man with machete, knife arrested outside US Capitol: police Throughout her childhood, Gypsy was forced to use a wheelchair and undergo unnecessary medical procedures. Dee Dee began subjecting Gypsy to false medical diagnoses shortly after her birth in 1991, first claiming the infant suf...

Austin's airport #2 in the U.S. when it comes to adding flights

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal/KXAN) – A recent review of data found Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is bucking a trend seen at other airports around the country. Austin's airport is adding flights as other airports drop them, according to our partners at the Austin Business Journal. New non-stop flights coming to AUS in 2024 Flights originating at Austin's airport have climbed by 7,337 — or nearly 42% — from the fourth quarter of 2019 to the fourth quarter of 2023, putting it second nationally. Orlando International Airport was No. 1, gaining 8,685 flights, or close to 21%, according to the analysis of data from Cirium Inc. by the Business Journals.Find out which airports and airlines have added flights since 2019 with this story in the Austin Business Journal.

Troy Fire Department promotes new fire chief

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:15 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Troy Fire Department has promoted Richard Cellucci to be their new fire chief following the retirement of Eric McMahon in early November after working for the fire department since 1989. A ceremony was held for Cellucci's promotion on Wednesday. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Along with Celluci being named Fire Chief, seven other firefighters were promoted.