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Pro-Palestinian protesters continue calls for ceasefire in Gaza amid march along Michigan Ave.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Protesters marched down the Magnificent Mile on Friday to draw attention to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters rallied on Michigan Avenue as they looked to catch the attention of Black Friday shoppers. Some of those who participated in the march said it is important to keep the focus on the war in the Middle East as many people's attention now turns to the holidays. Israeli media say Hamas has released Israeli hostages Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day-long ceasefire on Wednesday, but protesters on Michigan Avenue said it was not enough and called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the occupationFriday's crowd grew to about 1,000 protesters by noon, and briefly caused a portion of Michigan Avenue to shut down to traffic.1,200 Israelis were killed when Hamas attacked civilians near the border in early October, and more than 13,000 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting began, according to the Gaza Health...

Biden: Conditions on aid to Israel a 'worthwhile thought’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

(The Hill) — President Biden conceded to critics within his party Friday that calls to put specific conditions on aid to Israel are a “worthwhile thought” amid the country’s war against Hamas in Gaza.But at a press conference marking a four-day truce in the war to free 50 hostages taken by Hamas, Biden also implied that those conditions could hamper diplomacy.“I think that’s a worthwhile thought, but I don't think if I started off with that we ever would have gotten to where we are today,” Biden said. “We have to take this a piece at a time.”The president has been under immense pressure from a growing group of Democrats who have criticized the Biden administration for strongly backing Israel in the conflict, despite a growing number of civilian casualties in Gaza.“The blank check approach must end,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote in a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday. “The United States must make clear that while we are friends of Israel, there are conditions to that frie...

Big 12 football for the last time in DKR on Friday when Longhorns, Texas Tech clash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's the end of an era Friday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium as the No. 7 Texas Longhorns take on Texas Tech in the final Big 12 Conference game in Austin.Along with Oklahoma, the Longhorns are moving to the Southeastern Conference next season and can clinch a spot in the Big 12 title game with a win over the upset-minded Red Raiders. A loss, however, complicates things and no one will know who is playing for the championship until Saturday's games are done. Longhorns hold at No. 7 in CFP rankings After allowing nine rushing yards in a 26-16 win over Iowa State last week on the road, the Longhorns are No. 4 nationally in rushing defense, allowing an average of 82.7 yards per game. Texas is now tied for first nationally with North Carolina State in third-down defense, allowing teams to convert 26.6% of the time. The Red Raiders are No. 66 in FBS in third-down conversions, earning a new set of downs almost 40% of the time, and they slide in at No. 50 in rushing offen...

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson speaks up about harassment on social media: ‘I’m just tired of it’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

Vikings star receiver Justin Jefferson reached a breaking point this week.After internalizing the vitriol on social media as long as he could, the 24-year-old finally decided to clap back. He took to the website formerly known as Twitter and made it clear that he doesn’t care how much his hamstring injury is impacting the outcome of people’s fantasy football games, he is solely focused on getting back to 100 percent so he can help the Vikings win actual football games.Asked for clarification, Jefferson emphasized that his direct messages have been a cesspool since he suffered his hamstring injury against the Kansas City Chiefs a month and a half ago. He has gone on to miss games against the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos.His continued absence has subjected him to a massive amount of harassment on social media.“Y’all have no idea,” Jefferson said. “It’s honestly cr...

As Grand Island mourns prominent business owners, police search for answers in Rainbow Bridge crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) — Just days after a fiery crash at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, police identified the driver and passenger who died and provided new details of the ongoing wreck investigation. Kurt and Monica Villani, both 53 years old and from Grand Island, were driving a 2022 Bentley Flying Spur when it went over an embankment, flew through the air, crashed and exploded near the Customs and Border Protection building by the bridge, as seen in surveillance video released by the CBP on Wednesday evening. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! "It's one thing to piece together a scene or an intact vehicle, you can go from here. Obviously, that's not what we have in this situation. That's the major obstacle right now," Niagara Falls Police Superintendent John Faso said in a phone interview Friday afternoon. The Villani FamilyThe Villani family said in a statement obtained by News 4’s Tara Lynch that they wished to “ex...

Suspect arrested in fatal stabbing at Denver migrant encampment on Thanksgiving Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

Denver police have arrested one man accused of killing another in a Thanksgiving Day knife attack at a downtown Denver migrant camp.Officers on Friday arrested Gido Izquierdo-Ortega, 64, after he was medically cleared of injuries sustained after police say he attacked the stabbing victim on Thursday near the intersection of Park Avenue West and Lawrence Street in Lower Downtown.Izquierdo-Ortega was injured when the group of migrants he was harassing with a knife defended themselves by throwing objects at him, according to a news release. While initial reports indicated a second person was stabbed, no such victim has been found, police said.According to a probable cause statement, police responded to the scene at 10:50 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day on a report of a stabbing.Officers who arrived on the scene found the victim unresponsive. He was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 11:26 a.m. The Office of the Medical Examiner has not identified the victim...

Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces third sexual assault lawsuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

A third woman accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual assault on Thursday, according to multiple published reports.In the most recent filing, Jane Doe alleges that Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall took turns raping her and a friend in New York City over three decades ago.Jane Doe alleges that she met the men at an event hosted by Uptown Records distributor MCA Records at the company’s offices, according to People Magazine. Bill Cosby accuser files new lawsuit under expiring New York survivors law “Combs and Hall were very flirtatious and handsy with Jane Doe and her friend, offering them drinks throughout the night,” the lawsuit said. Later, at Hall’s apartment, Jane Doe alleges she "was coerced into having sex with Combs."“After Combs finished doing his business, Jane Doe laid in bed, shocked and traumatized,” the lawsuit said. “As she was in the process of getting dressed, Hall barged into the room, pinned her down and forced Jane Doe to have sex with him.”Jane Doe also alleg...

Palestinian families rejoice over release of prisoners

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

By Isabel Debre | Associated PressBEITUNIA, West Bank — More than three dozen Palestinian prisoners returned home to a hero’s welcome in the occupied West Bank on Friday following their release from Israeli prisons as part of a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.The procession of freed prisoners, some accused of minor offenses and others convicted in attacks, at a checkpoint outside of Jerusalem stoked massive crowds of Palestinians into a chanting, clapping, hand-waving, screaming frenzy.Fifteen dazed young men, all in stained grey prison sweatsuits and looking gaunt with exhaustion, glided through the streets on the shoulders of their teary-eyed fathers as fireworks turned the night sky to blazing color and patriotic Palestinian pop music blared.Some of those released were draped in Palestinian flags, others in the green flags of Hamas. They flashed victory signs as they crowd-surfed.“I have no words, I have no words,” said newly released 17-year-old Jamal ...

Where the Golden State Warriors stand in the in-season tournament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors’ chances to advance in the NBA’s in-season tournament aren’t dead, but they are slim heading into the final two games of group play.Golden State sits 1-1 with a thrilling two-point win in Oklahoma City earlier this month and a three-point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in which Draymond Green was ejected for putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock — leading to a five-game suspension. As of Friday afternoon, that puts the Warriors third in their group behind the Timberwolves (2-0) and the Sacramento Kings (2-0). Behind them are the Thunder (1-2) and San Antonio Spurs (0-3).The Warriors host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday facing a possible elimination and an opportunity to climb back into the driver’s seat.They’ll be eliminated from the tournament’s next round if they lose to San Antonio and the Phoenix Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies. Or they can be eliminated with a loss, a New Orleans Pelicans win and a Den...

Amid higher prices, what will Bay Area holiday shoppers spend this holiday season?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:00 GMT

Shoppers may be feeling squeezed by higher prices, but locally owned stores in the Bay Area are expecting to register big sales this holiday season, providing a welcome boost to the region’s smaller downtowns after a year of economic challenges.Holiday shopping kicked off in earnest on Friday, with retailers large and small offering deals to lure price-conscious customers, while Christmas tree lots welcomed families eager to ring in the season.For some tree shoppers, prices appeared to have actually come down from what they remembered spending last year. Andrew Aguero and his young family drove from Fremont to Speer Family Farms’ Wonderland Trees lot in Alameda on Friday to find one in particular: a 7-foot Silver Tip Fir that cost about $180 last year. This year’s price tag? $120 for a similar tree.“It seemed a lot less this year, which was nice to see,” Aguero said. “I’m not too worried about what it is today. Luckily, a lot of people in th...