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Vatican: Pope improving, could leave hospital in coming days

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has shown a “marked improvement” following intravenous antibiotics for a bronchitis infection and could be released from the hospital in the coming days, the Vatican and his doctors say.The 86-year-old pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, ate breakfast, read the newspapers, rested and worked from his hospital room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, according to a statement Thursday from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.An additional update provided by doctors revealed Francis had been diagnosed with bronchitis after he was admitted to Gemelli on Wednesday. The infection “required the administration of antibiotic therapy on an infusion basis which produced the expected effects with a marked improvement in his state of health,” the statement said.“Based on the expected course, the Holy Father could be discharged in the coming days,” it concluded.Francis was hospitalized after having trouble breathing in recent days.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. A...

‘Scott Pilgrim’ set to return as Netflix anime with original cast reprising roles

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

Toronto’s favourite problematic dork will live to fight another seven evil exes.Netflix is bringing Scott Pilgrim back to life, this time as an anime, with characters voiced by the same cast as the 2010 movie.The film “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” which became a cult hit, was based on the series of graphic novels by Canadian writer-illustrator Bryan Lee O’Malley.It follows Scott, a hapless Toronto musician, as he tries to win the love of an Amazon courier by battling her seven former partners. Netflix says Canadian actor Michael Cera will reprise the titular role alongside Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Brie Larson and Kieran Culkin.Edgar Wright, who directed the original film and is creating the new show “Scott Pilgrim,” says the series will expand on the existing universe.This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2023.The Canadian Press

Prince Harry back in court for phone hacking hearing finale

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A London judge said Thursday he would rule as soon as possible on whether to throw out or limit a phone hacking lawsuit brought by Prince Harry, Elton John and other well-known figures against a British tabloid publisher.The Duke of Sussex made a late arrival and early departure for the finale of a four-day High Court hearing on his invasion of privacy case against the company that publishes The Daily Mail. His surprise appearance during three days of the legal wrangling indicates the lawsuit’s importance in the prince’s broader battle against the British press.Harry, John, and actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost are among a group of seven people suing Associated Newspapers Ltd. for allegedly paying private investigators to illegally bug homes and cars and to record phone conversations.The publisher denied the allegations and has argued that lawsuits based on alleged incidents dating as far back as 1993 should be thrown out because the cases were not filed withi...

New FBI docs: Las Vegas mass shooter was angry at casinos

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The high-roller gambler who opened fire on concertgoers on the Las Vegas Strip had lost tens of thousands of dollars while gambling weeks before the mass shooting and was upset about how the casinos had treated him, according to FBI documents made public this week.The documents reveal the strongest indication of a motive for the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. They paint a detailed account of gunman Stephen Paddock’s final days before the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting that killed 60 people and injured hundreds more. A gambler whose name is redacted from the hundreds of pages of documents told the FBI that Paddock “was very upset at the way casinos were treating him and other high rollers.”Neither the FBI nor the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the lead investigating agency, presented an official motive for the shooting. Both agencies have said Paddock acted alone.The 10-minute massacre unfolded on the final night of the three-...

Probe: Delays in district’s schools awards not deliberate

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A third-party investigation into delays by a northern Virginia public school district in recognizing student achievements on a standardized test found no evidence the delays were deliberate, the superintendent said this week. Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid also said in a letter to the community that the probe found “no evidence of any inequity or racial bias” in the way schools handled notification to those designated “commended students” by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.Fairfax County was among a handful of northern Virginia public school districts that acknowledged around the start of the year delayed notification of some commended student awards. The issue drew widespread attention after Gov. Glenn Youngkin and other elected officials highlighted parents’ concerns and asked for an investigation. Students who receive the award finish in the top 3% nationally on a standardized test, but below the top 1% that qualif...

FACT FOCUS: No ‘incredible rise’ in transgender shooters

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

Moments after the assailant who killed six people at a Nashville private school was identified as transgender, a baseless narrative emerged: that there has been an incredible rise in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in recent years.Some pundits and political influencers on social media went further, suggesting that movements for trans rights are radicalizing activists into terrorists.The data tells a different story, according to gender and criminology experts. Mass casualty shootings perpetrated by someone identifying as trans or nonbinary are rare, and in fact, those groups are far more likely to be the victims of violence. Here’s a closer look at the facts.CLAIM: Four recent shootings show there has been an “incredible rise” in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in the past few years, making the group “by far the largest group committing as a percentage of the population.”Donald Trump Jr. spread the narrative widely on Twitter, claiming the supposed “incredible rise” an...

FBI photos show duo suspected of armored car robbery in Calumet City

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

CALUMET CITY, Ill.  —  The FBI Chicago office is seeking help with identifying two male suspects linked to an armored car armed robbery in Calumet City. The incident occurred around 10:15 a.m. Monday, March 27, in the parking lot of Big Lots located at 1699 River Oaks Dr. Police described the male suspects were each wearing gray and black hooded jackets. No injuries were reported. No additional information as made available. Anyone with information may report tips, even anonymously, at (312) 421-6700 and tips.fbi.gov.

Carhartt recalls work pants over fall hazard

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

(WTAJ) - Carhartt has issued a recall on work pants sold at Dick's Sporting Goods for a possible fall hazard. The recall is for the Carhartt men’s force relaxed 5-pocket work pants with an elastic drawstring near the ankle that was sold exclusively at Dick's in-store and online between June and November 2022. Carhartt said that the drawstring could create an extra loop posing a trip and fall hazard for those wearing them. Ground beef recalled in multiple states due to possible E. coli contamination Men’s Force Relaxed 5 Pocket Work Pants Recall (Photo: Carhartt)Product number 105222 is printed on a tag on the inside seam near the waistband.Carhartt said no injuries have been reported.If you have these work pants, you should return them to Dicks Sporting Goods or Carhartt for a full refund. Carhartt said if you want to keep the pants, you can cut the loop out of the hems and send a photo to Carhartt at [email protected] showing proof that the cord was removed to ...

Why 'swatting' calls to US schools are becoming a big concern

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

(NewsNation) — Swatting incidents targeting U.S. schools and colleges have been making headlines for months, with dozens being reported in the days after a deadly shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee.These hoax calls, according to experts, pose real risks for the community by pulling police from actual emergencies, or wasting resources or time. They also disrupt communities, and can be psychologically draining. It doesn't help that hoax school shooting calls, or swatting calls, are seemingly happening at an alarming rate."From my perspective, this is a form of terrorism," former FBI intelligence analyst Jennifer Doebler said. How 'swatting' can — and has — led to accidental death On Tuesday, more than two dozen Massachusetts schools were the targets of swatting calls. On Wednesday, first responders responded to calls regarding schools in Utah, Pittsburg, Southern California and Kansas, the list growing throughout the day.When the calls come in, schools and law ...

Taco Bell to bring back one of 2 discontinued items based on fans’ votes

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:51:00 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Taco Bell certainly knows a good promotion when it sees one.After finding success with a similar promotion last year, Taco Bell has announced plans to bring back a discontinued item — and fans will get to decide which one makes it on the menu.This time around, fans can vote on resurrecting one of two items from the not-too-distant menu: the Beefy Crunch Burrito, made with seasoned beef, sour cream, rice and Fritos Flamin’ Hot corn chips; or the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, which comes in a taco shell seasoned with Doritos Cool Ranch flavoring.The Beefy Crunch Burrito was a fixture of the Taco Bell menu from 2010 to 2018. The Doritos Locos Taco had a slightly shorter run, from 2013 to 2019. Chick-fil-A discontinuing longtime side dish to ‘help simplify’ menu Voting is currently open for Taco Bell Rewards members, who can submit votes for their favorite item daily in the Taco Bell app through April 12.The winning item will be reintroduced to the Taco Bell menu for a li...