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Conservationists say Cyprus police are lax in stopping gangs that poach songbirds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A conservation group in Cyprus said Wednesday that police have been lax in cracking down on remaining criminal gangs who illegally trap songbirds to supply restaurants, although the poaching overall has declined.Tassos Shialis, spokesman for conservation group BirdLife Cyprus, said that although the war on songbird poaching generally is being won, criminal gangs continue to make “serious money by trapping on an industrial scale” and are doing so “with impunity.”According to the group’s 2022 report, trapping last year dropped by as much as a half in the survey area, down to about 345,000 birds killed. But Shialis told The Associated Press that there are still up to 15 major trapping sites that use mist nets — fine mesh suspended between two poles — to catch the birds.Restaurant patrons consider the birds a delicacy. A dozen of the birds go for as much as 150 euros ($159), Shialis said.Fines of 2000 euros ( $2120 ) for using mist nets have deterred many tr...

Source: Former NFL player Sergio Brown in custody related to mother's death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

SAN DIEGO — Former NFL player and Maywood native Sergio Brown is in custody in connection to his mother's homicide last month, according to a source.Myrtle Simmons-Brown, 73, was discovered dead in a creek behind her home, in Maywood's 1000 block of Nichols Lane on Sept. 16.Last month, Maywood police have stopped short of naming her son Sergio Brown as a person of interest, but stated they’d like to talk to him.A photo of Myrtle Simmons-Brown (Courtesy: Christian A. Conway)Brown is a former safety for Notre Dame who played seven seasons in the NFL.He has been in U.S. custody since Monday in San Diego and was originally arrested in Mexico, according to a source.A few days after Simmons-Brown’s body was found, videos of Brown surfaced on social media, where he appeared to be outside of the United States.In one of the videos, Brown claimed to have been kidnapped twice, while in another he appeared to be laughing, while surrounded by messages from the movie "Finding Nemo." Previous: F...

LIVE: Mayor Johnson delivers first budget address

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson will deliver his first budget address Wednesday. It is expected to cover everything from filling the more than nearly $540 million budget shortfall to the growing cost of the migrant crisis.The mayor has been warning for weeks this was going to be a challenging budget.Johnson came into office with progressive goals — opening mental health clinics and pouring millions into programs for the homeless, and his treatment not trauma plan.Johnson wants to do this without raising property taxes and with some federal relief dollars ending.While campaigning for mayor, Johnson proposed a number of revenue generating ideas, most included fees and taxes aimed at the wealthy.The Chicago Sun-Times reports Johnson recently hinted the elimination of 1,700 police vacancies. The nearly $540 million gap for next year, according to the Chicago Tribune report, is attributed to revenues dropping and expenditures growing by about 9% over this year's budget.The migrant crisis...

2 hospitalized following fire at North Side senior living facility

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

CHICAGO — Two people have been hospitalized at a North Side senior living facility following a fire and elevated CO levels.The Chicago Fire Department responded just after 8 a.m. to the Swartzberg House, located in the 3100 block of West Touhy, on the report of a fire in one unit on the sixth floor.One resident was transported in good condition and another was transported initially in serious condition. However, CFD later said they are going to be fine and elevated CO levels played a factor.A firefighter suffered a minor nose injury.CFD said residents from floors one to five can return to their apartments

Photos: Best moments from Connor Bedard's Blackhawks debut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

PITTSBURGH — If all goes as many expect, Tuesday was the start of something special for the Blackhawks and Connor Bedard.The top overall pick in this June's draft made his NHL debut in front of a national television audience against the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The spotlight of the league was on Bedard, who is one of the most heralded prospects over the past decade in the NHL.Over the course of Tuesday, there were a few memorable moments for the center as he got his first taste of big-time professional hockey.(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Bedard had the spotlight on him the entire day, from his post-morning skate news conference that was jammed with Chicago, Pittsburgh, and national media in a hallway at PPG Paints Arena. The rookie then arrived with the rest of the team in a full suit later in the day as he got ready for his first NHL game. ‘It gives you goosebumps watching him:’ Young hockey fans excited for Bedard’s debut (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Im...

Sole Gaza power plant out of fuel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

(The Hill) -- The sole power plant in Gaza officially ran out of fuel on Wednesday amid fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas and was shut down.Israel cut off supplies — including food, water, fuel and medicine — to the area after Hamas, who controls the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack over the weekend. The access point into Egypt was also closed on Tuesday as a result of airstrikes.Counterattacks from Israel have destroyed neighborhoods in Gaza — home to more than 2.3 million Palestinians. At least 2,200 have been killed on both sides, officials said.“There is no safe place in Gaza right now,” journalist Hasan Jabar said after three Palestinian reporters were killed in the bombardment of a downtown neighborhood, per the Associated Press. “I am genuinely afraid for my life.” Large-scale ground assault in Gaza ‘expected soon,’ former US ambassador says As of Wednesday morning, the region is being powered by generators — but they also run on fuel,...

Jada Pinkett Smith says she and Will Smith have been separated for 7 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

(KTLA) - For years, rumors have swirled about Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's relationship being on the rocks. Amid the talk, the two have kept up public appearances as a happy married couple, even during the infamous Red Table Talk, on which Pinkett Smith revealed her "entanglement" with singer August Alsina. Now the actress is revealing that she and the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" have been separated since 2016. US actor Will Smith and his wife actress Jada Pinkett Smith arrive for the premiere of Apple Original Films' "Emancipation" at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, California, on November 30, 2022. (Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)She told Hoda Kotb of the Today Show that she and Smith aren't together romantically. Kotb pointed out that the “Set It Off” actress is a “straight talker” except she’s “not sometimes,” referring to her marriage. Pinkett Smith revealed she just wasn't ready to speak the truth about her marriage. “(We were) still trying to fi...

ACT scores show college readiness at 32-year low

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

(The Hill) -- Students are the least prepared for college than they've been in three decades, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the ACT.The organization found more than 4 in 10 high school seniors hit none of the college readiness benchmarks, saying this is “historic highs in 2023.” The decline marks a 32-year low for high school seniors' scores on the test, with results like this last seen in 1991.“This is the sixth consecutive year of declines in average scores, with average scores declining in every academic subject,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “We are also continuing to see a rise in the number of seniors leaving high school without meeting any of the college readiness benchmarks, even as student GPAs continue to rise and students report that they feel prepared to be successful in college.The ACT college readiness benchmark is the minimum score a student can get that will show they could perform well in first-year college classes.  Tensions rise on...

Inside the Investigations: Judge to decide on A-F school rating lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Each week the in-depth reporting from the KXAN Investigates team will get a spotlight on KXAN Live.A conversation happened Wednesday morning with investigative reporter Kelly Wiley and KXAN Live anchor Will DuPree to break down one of this week’s top stories. Inside the Investigations: Family calls for change after nursing home ‘error’ The story they discussed this week is: Several Texas superintendents testified Tuesday in a lawsuit requesting the Texas Education Commissioner not to release A-F school ratings this year. The judge is expected to issue an order on the case before the end of the month. The lawsuit, which more than 100 school districts across the state have joined, alleges the Texas Education Agency has not provided adequate notice of changes to how the 2022-23 A-F rating will be calculated.Join Kelly Wiley and Will DuPree every Wednesday morning for a live recap of the latest headlines and in-depth reporting from the KXAN Investigates team.

CapMetro eyes Dove Springs Pickup zone service

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:39 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A new CapMetro Pickup zone in southeast Austin's Dove Springs neighborhood could launch early next year.CapMetro is considering the launch of a Dove Springs Pickup zone that would help link transit users to other CapMetro service options and key destinations within the area."This new zone was prioritized to allow the agency to bring more service to this area of Southeast Austin while we continue to prepare for the future CapMetro Pleasant Valley Rapid line, which will also help serve this neighborhood," officials said in a Tuesday news release.CapMetro is proposing a new Pickup zone in southeast Austin's Dove Springs neighborhood. If approved, the zone would launch early next year. (Courtesy: CapMetro)At an Oct. 23 meeting, CapMetro's board of directors will consider the proposed Pickup zone as well as reclassify Routes 18, 217 and 335. The board will also decide whether to remove Express Routes 981, 987 and the e-bus routes, the release added.Under consideration is...