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More than a million Afghans will go back after Pakistan begins expelling foreigners without papers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — About 1.3 million Afghans are expected to return to their country of origin from Pakistan, the U.N. health agency warned, weeks after authorities began expelling foreigners living in the country illegally. Thursday’s warning by the World Health Organization came amid such expulsions, despite the onset of cold weather and widespread criticism from international and domestic human rights groups. Since Nov. 1, police in Pakistan have been going door-to-door to check migrants’ documentation after a deadline for migrants without papers to leave or face arrest. Most of those affected are Afghan nationals. Pakistan hosts millions of Afghans who fled their country during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation. The numbers swelled after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Pakistan says the 1.4 million Afghans who are registered as refugees need not worry, as their status has been extended until December. The crackdown has forced about 340,000 Afghans in recent w...

Elton John’s musical about Tammy Faye Bakker to land on Broadway next season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Elton John’s musical about televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker is coming to Broadway from London.“Tammy Faye” will land in New York City during the 2024-25 season, producers said Friday. John wrote the music, while Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears penned the lyrics. The musical was nominated for four 2023 Olivier Awards, including best musical, but lost the musical crown to “Standing at the Sky’s Edge.” The story is by James Graham with direction by Rupert Goold.Bakker, who died of cancer in 2007 at age 65, has captivated popular culture. Her story was told in the RuPaul-narrated documentary “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” and that was turned into a Hollywood movie that snagged Jessica Chastain her first Oscar for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” opposite Andrew Garfield.In England, Olivier Award-winner Katie Brayben played Bakker, with Tony Award-nominee Andrew Rannells as her first husband, Jim Bakker. Casting for the Broadway version was not announced.John, who just...

He was told his 9-year-old daughter was dead. Now she’s believed to be alive and a hostage in Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Emily Tony Korenberg Hand celebrated her eighth birthday last year romping with friends and family among the jugglers, acrobats and stilt walkers for her circus-themed party at Kibbutz Be’eri, not far from the Gaza Strip.On Friday, when she turned 9, there was no party. Emily is believed to be somewhere in Gaza among the hostages taken by Hamas militants who swarmed her kibbutz Oct. 7 during the incursion into Israel that left some 1,200 dead and 240 abducted.“She won’t even know it’s her birthday. She won’t know what day it is,” her tearful father, Thomas Hand, 63, said via Zoom. “Can you imagine the fear?”Soon after the Hamas attacks, Hand had been told by leaders of Be’eri that Emily was among the dead after she had spent the night at a friend’s house on the kibbutz. His shock and grief at the news was tinged with comfort.“I was sort of relieved because I’d rather that than have her taken hostage,” he recalled thinking. “The way...

Chinese court to consider compensation for people on missing Malaysia Airlines flight, relative says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A Chinese court will hold hearings on claims for compensation for the Chinese relatives of people who died on a Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared in 2014 on a flight to Beijing, a representative of the families said Friday.Jiang Hui, whose mother was on flight MH370, wrote on his Weibo social media account that he had received a notice that court hearings would begin Nov. 27. The hearings are expected to continue until mid-December, Jiang said.“I hope China’s laws can bring justice to the families who have not received a penny of compensation or an apology in the past 10 years,” Jiang wrote. “The disappearance of 239 lives, including 154 Chinese people, is a shame.” After almost a decade, the fate of the plane and its passengers remains a mystery. Various theories have emerged, but scant evidence has been found to show why the plane diverted from its original route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane is believed to have plunged into the Souther...

Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic cardinal says he dreams of bishops from greater China praying together

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s newly appointed Roman Catholic cardinal said he dreamed of bishops and faithfuls from different parts of greater China praying together one day during a historic visit by the head of the Chinese Catholic church, a publication affiliated with the city’s diocese reported Friday. Joseph Li, who was installed by China’s state-controlled Catholic church as an archbishop, arrived in Hong Kong on Monday at the invitation of cardinal Stephen Chow, marking the first-ever official visit by a Beijing bishop to the city.His five-day tour was a reciprocal visit following Chow’s landmark trip to Beijing in April — the first visit to the Chinese capital by the city’s bishop in nearly three decades. Experts said Chow’s invitation was a symbolic gesture that could strengthen the fragile relationship between China and the Vatican.Beijing and the Vatican severed diplomatic ties in 1951 following the Communist Party’s rise to power and the expulsion of foreign p...

Japan, China agree on a constructive relationship, but reach only vague promises in seafood dispute

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Friday to build a stable and constructive relationship but achieved only a vague agreement on easing a dispute over a Chinese ban on Japanese seafood, officials said.Kishida told reporters after a 65-minute meeting with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco that they agreed to “find ways to resolve the dispute through meetings and dialogue in a constructive manner” and would convene a meeting of scientific experts. He gave no details.Kishida had demanded that China immediately lift its ban on Japanese seafood, in place since the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant began discharging treated radioactive wastewater into the sea on Aug. 24. The ban has badly hurt Japanese exporters of scallops and other seafood.Japan says the wastewater is much safer than international standards and that the International Atomic Energy Agency has concluded the envi...

2 Chicago men charged after River Oaks security guard fatally shot last year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

CALUMET CITY, Ill. -- Two Chicago men were taken into custody and charged Monday after a security guard at River Oaks Mall was shot and killed last year, police said. According to the Calumet City police department, 38-year-old Maxx Walker and Frank Adkins were taken into custody Monday and charged with first degree murder after the fatal shooting of 57-year-old Norman Thomas. On Nov. 16, 2022, three men entered River Oaks Mall, shot Thomas and stormed into Flawless Diamond Store stealing jewelry and watches. The mall was closed for several days after the shooting to investigate the incident. Thomas was a retired army veteran who served in desert storm. He was also a father and grandfather who loved the Bears. Man dies after being attacked near House of Blues "He was just a loving person; he had such a big heart. He had a heart so big to fit the universe," his sister Angelique Thomas said to WGN.In a statement released by the police department, the mayor said:“While I am pleased...

Man dies after crash involving CTA bus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

CHICAGO — A man has died after a crash involving a CTA bus Thursday morning.The crash happened around 9:30 a.m. at Roosevelt Road and Columbus Drive, near the museum campus. According to police, a Volkswagen driven by the 34-year-old man was struck by a CTA bus. The man was pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been released.Police said it appears his SUV rear-ended the bus.Four other people were injured in the crash. One victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition, three others are listed in fair condition. 4 injured, 1 critically, after crash involving CTA bus in South Loop The Major Accident Investigation Unit (MAIU) is investigating the crash.

Why scammers love gift cards and what to watch out for ahead of Black Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Gifts cards may be the perfect present for that hard-to-shop-for loved one, but they are also a favorite tool for scammers, according to a Better Business Bureau investigation that found a 50% jump in scam reports over last year."Today's scammers want gift cards as payment, leaving those unaware of this tactic vulnerable to schemes designed to commit fraud," the BBB writes.Experts warn that people should think of gift cards like they do cash, because the funds are so difficult to trace once the card falls into the wrong hands.Gift cards as paymentWhether it's a phone call from someone claiming to work for the government or a someone selling an item online, if they ask for gift cards as payment it's likely a scam, according to the FBI. Zelle banks are reimbursing victims of imposter scams "The fraudsters use those funds to purchase goods and services, which may or may not be legitimate and you will likely never get reimbursed for those gift cards," t...

LIVE: Funeral, procession for Austin Police Officer Jorge Pastore

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:07:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police Officer Jorge “George” Pastore, who died in the line of duty Nov. 11, will be honored in Austin Friday morning.Law enforcement is expected to begin setting up for the funeral procession at 7 a.m., and all vehicles equipped with emergency lights and sirens were invited to join. The procession for Pastore’s final patrol will begin at 8 a.m.KXAN will use this story to host the livestream of the procession and funeral. MAP: Funeral procession route for fallen Austin Police officer People were encouraged to line the route to show support.The Austin Police Department said public visitation would be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the Funeral Service was from 11 a.m. to noon at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater, located at 9201 Circuit of the Americas Boulevard.Austin Police officer salutes as Officer Jorge Pastore’s procession moves past Interstate 35 and St. Johns (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)Crowds gather near the Texas Capitol to show support during O...