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Spain’s leader defends amnesty deal for Catalan separatists ahead of vote on new government

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday defended his controversial amnesty deal for Catalonia’s separatists in parliament a day before the Socialist leader seeks the endorsement of the chamber to form a new government.Sánchez has the support of six smaller parties to ensure that he can reach the absolute majority of 176 deputies needed to reestablish his minority coalition government with the left-wing Sumar (Joining Forces) party.The formation of a new government would end a period of political uncertainty since inconclusive national elections on July 23 left a highly fractured parliament. The center-right Popular Party received the most votes in the elections, but it failed to get enough support to form a government in September because of its alliances with the far-right Vox party.The Socialists finished second in the elections with 121 seats in the 350-seat Parliament but now have the support of 179 lawmakers in all.Controversy has erupted over dea...

Queen’s named in anti-semitism class-action suit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

Queen’s University is one of three Canadian schools being named in a class-action lawsuit alleging recurring anti-semitism and failure to deal with incidents on campus in a meaningful way. The suit addresses anti-semitic events experienced on the campuses of Toronto Metropolitan University, Queen’s University and The University of British Columbia – with each standalone lawsuit seeking damages of $15 million.The suit against Queen’s represents current and former Jewish students at the university, alleging that Queen’s has been negligent and failed in its duty to investigate instances of anti-semitism and to foster an environment where Jewish students feel safe and welcome. The anonymous plaintiffs are being represented by Diamond and Diamond Lawyers, who said in a release that the track record of Queen’s and other named universities offering statements denouncing anti-semitism and hate speech have not gone far enough to satisfy...

Barricaded suspect at Aurora extended-stay hotel

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The Aurora Police Department is asking for people to avoid the 13900 block of East Harvard Avenue due to a barricaded suspect in an extended-stay hotel.Police responded to the area for a report of a man breaking windows at the Extended Stay America hotel. $150K reward for information on men who allegedly robbed mail carrier That man is now barricaded in a hotel room, the agency reported. Officers and negotiators are at the scene, and the department reported there is no danger to the public.To avoid the area, Aurora Police recommend motorists use Iliff Avenue or Yale Avenue for East or West access, or South Dillon Street for North-South access.This is a developing story. FOX31 is sending a reporter to the scene and will update this article as more information becomes available.

Where does Denver rank among the worst cities for traffic?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- You would be hard-pressed to find a person who enjoys waiting in traffic. Thankfully, Denver appears to have only made it into the top 20 worst cities for traffic.By looking at traffic data from analytics company INRIX, financial news outlet 24/Wall St. revealed which metro areas had the worst traffic nationwide. Of the 32 cities on the list, Denver came in at No. 17. What causes those ‘unexplainable’ traffic jams? According to the data, the typical commuter in Denver lost an average of 54 hours to traffic delays last year, with the average commute time in the city being 25.5 minutes.The report also stated around 280,340 commuters drive or carpool to work in Denver, which is 84% of all commuters in the city.Traffic delays also went up 35% from what they were in 2021.Perhaps fortunately, Denver did not make it into the top 10. However, here are the top 10 cities with the worst traffic, as well as the average number of hours each driver lost to traffic in 2022:Chica...

Florida man survives gruesome shark attack, credits quick actions of good Samaritan and paramedics

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

JUNO BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) – A Florida man narrowly escaped a horrifying shark attack off Juno Beach, leaving him with a severely injured arm resembling a Halloween prop.Despite the gruesome encounter on Nov. 5, the victim is now stitched up and on the road to recovery. The man credits his survival to the quick thinking of a woman on shore who made a tourniquet for him before dialing 911. According to the survivor, it was the combined efforts of the Good Samaritan and responding paramedics that ultimately saved his life.

Luxembourg’s Bettel to return as foreign minister in new government

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

Luxembourg’s outgoing Prime Minister Xavier Bettel announced on Wednesday evening that his liberal Democratic Party (DP) had reached an agreement with the center-right Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) to form a government.The 50-year-old Bettel, who was rumored to be gunning for a top job in Brussels after nearly a decade in power, will remain in government as foreign minister and deputy prime minister, according to local media reports.Luc Frieden, the 60-year-old CSV leader, will head the new government as prime minister.A former finance minister and president of the Brussels-based business lobby Eurochambres, Frieden led CSV to a comfortable victory in the latest general elections in October, securing 21 out of 60 parliamentary seats.Meanwhile, the outgoing coalition — led by Bettel’s DP together with the Greens and the Socialists — won only 29 seats, short of a majority.Under the new coalition agreement, Bettel’s liberal DP will hold seven ministerial posit...

Crews reinstall lantern room at historic Scituate Lighthouse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

After more than a year, the historic Scituate Lighthouse is once again whole.Crews used a crane to hoist the lighthouse’s newly-restored lantern room to the top of the structure Wednesday morning. The restoration is part of a larger restoration project at the lighthouse, which Town Administrator Jim Boudreau recently described as “the iconic place in Scituate.”“It’s been a lot of work,” said Bob Chessia of the Scituate Historical Society. “But it’s well worth it.”Boudreau said the tower itself is 200 years old. Its lantern room was installed in the 1930s. “Clad in copper and being on the ocean for 100 years, it took a beating,” Boudreau said. “So, that had to come off.”Crews removed the lantern room in October of last year and spent the past year fixing it at a cost of more than $2 million. “We just wanted to make sure that it was done right and would last well past our lifetimes,” Chessia said. Several people in Scituate gathered on Wednesday to see the start of a ne...

Reading police release photo of men accused of placing credit card skimmer in local Market Basket

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

Police in Reading released a photo Wednesday of two men accused of placing a credit card skimming device in a local Market Basket store.  Reading police shared details about their investigation a matter of weeks after a Market Basket security and loss prevention representative contacted investigators and one day after police in Concord, New Hampshire said they were investigating their own series of skimmer incidents. In Reading, police said the Market Basket loss prevention representative told authorities they had found a skimmer on a register on Oct. 26. “The device was located by Market Basket employees on the same day it was placed, and a review of data by the store’s IT department indicates that the device was located and removed before any sensitive data could be stolen,” police said. Reading police said a subsequent review of surveillance video showed one suspect distracted a clerk while another suspect placed the skimmer on the credit card machine.&n...

Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok must face teen addiction claims, federal judge rules

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

(CNN) — Major social media companies must face allegations that their services addicted teen users and caused other mental health harms after a federal judge on Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss the bellwether lawsuit filed by a wave of consumer plaintiffs.The decision is a blow to tech giants Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok, who claimed the case should be tossed out on First Amendment grounds and the argument that they are immune from liability under a hot-button legal shield known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.In her 52-page ruling, District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers held that while Section 230 and the First Amendment do shield the social media companies from some of the plaintiffs’ claims, including certain product defect allegations, others should be allowed to proceed.For example, Gonzalez Rogers permitted several product liability claims to move ahead that allege the companies failed to implement effective parental contro...

Justin Fields expected to start for the Chicago Bears at QB on Sunday in Detroit after a 4-game absence

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:36:24 GMT

The Chicago Bears plan to start Justin Fields on Sunday against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field — the quarterback’s first start in more than a month.Bears coach Matt Eberflus announced the plan before practice Wednesday at Halas Hall, saying Fields is “progressing well” from the dislocated right thumb that kept him out of four games.Eberflus said the practice would be “a big evaluation” as Fields does full-speed team reps after he was limited in practices and walk-throughs before this week. Fields suffered the injury Oct. 15 in the third quarter of a loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and rookie Tyson Bagent went 2-2 as the starter in his place.Now Fields returns with seven games to play in his third season — and a lot to prove to general manager Ryan Poles, Eberflus and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy as they plot the team’s future at the position.Fields had good and bad performances in the six games he played before he was injured. He c...