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Ontario adds $160M to skills training funding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

Ontario is set to put $160 million toward skills training programs, prioritizing help for people on social assistance and people with criminal records.Labour Minister Monte McNaughton is set to announce the fourth round of funding through the Skills Development Fund on Friday.He says it’s aimed at giving at least 100,000 people free training in health care, auto manufacturing, IT, hospitality and skilled trades.The announcement brings the total for Skills Development Fund training to more than $860 million, with 596 projects in a variety of sectors supported so far.McNaughton says one million people in Ontario have a criminal record, with the majority for non-violent and petty crimes, and half of them are on social assistance even 15 years after being released.He says around 40 per cent of people with a criminal record can’t get a second interview when job hunting, so he is calling on organizations to submit proposals to help them find meaningful work while also addressi...

Firefighters in Greece discover another body, bringing this week’s death toll from wildfires to 21

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities battling a major wildfire in northeastern Greece that has been described as the European Union’s largest single recorded fire recovered another body, the fire department said Friday, bringing the total death toll from wildfires in Greece this week to 21.The fire department said firefighters recovered the body of a man from the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest National Park, which lies near the border with Turkey, on Thursday.Eighteen bodies were discovered Tuesday near a shack in an area near the northeastern city of Alexandroupolis, and the body of another person was found Monday in a forest. In central Greece, a man was found dead Monday in a sheep pen after reportedly trying to save his livestock from an advancing wildfire.With no reports of missing people in northeastern Greece, authorities suspect the people whose bodies were discovered in the area were migrants who may have crossed into the country recently from the nearby border with Turkey. Greec...

Texas prosecutor says he will not seek death penalty for man in slayings of 2 elderly women

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — A Texas prosecutor says he will not seek the death penalty for a man convicted of killing two elderly women and suspected of killing nearly two dozen total.“Billy Chemirmir is an evil person who preyed upon our most vulnerable citizens,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said in a statement Thursday.“Although he is certainly deserving of a death sentence, my decision … is informed by the fact that he has already been tried three times in another county and he will never be a free man again,” Willis said.The first murder trial of Chemirmir, 50, for the slaying of Lu Thi Harris, 81, ended in mistrial in Dallas County. He was later convicted in a second trial for Harris’ death and convicted of a second killing in the death of Mary Sue Brooks, 87.Chemirmir has maintained his innocence of the crimes.Authorities say Chemirmir preyed on older women, killing them and stealing their valuables.He was caught after a 91-year-old woman sur...

21-year-old dies following Fox Lake crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

FOX LAKE, Ill. — A man died following a crash Thursday night in Fox Lake.At around 9:40 p.m., authorities responded to a call of a crash on Route 12 near Route 59.Two vehicles were involved and a 21-year-old man died at the hospital.Both drivers had to be extricated from their vehicles. The other driver suffered non life-threatening injuries.

Dean's Weekender: 'The SpongeBob Musical,' the Jonas Brothers and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

Check out Dean's Weekender for the latest events happening in the Chicagoland area this weekend.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

What is Stockholm syndrome? It started 50 years ago with a bank robbery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — It's a common term these days, deployed to describe the bond that victims of kidnappings or hostage situations sometimes develop with their captors: “Stockholm syndrome.” And it got its name 50 years ago this week, during a failed bank robbery in Sweden's capital.In this photo released by police, three of the four hostages and bank robber Clark Olofsson, standing right, are seen in a bank in Stockholm, Sweden, Aug. 27, 1973, shortly before the gunmen were overwhelmed by police. This week marks 50 years since a failed bank robbery that gave rise to the Stockholm syndrome, a term used in psychology to describe the bond that victims of kidnappings or hostage situations sometimes develop with their captors. (AP Photo, File)The Stockholm syndrome — initially dubbed “Norrmalmstorg syndrome,” after the square where the bank heist took place — has since been used in connection with hostage-takings around the world, including the kidnapping of newspaper heires...

Trump recounts 'terrible experience' of being booked in Georgia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

(The Hill) -- Former President Donald Trump said he had a “terrible experience” while being booked at the Fulton County jail Thursday night, surrendering after being charged on 13 counts related to seeking to overturn the 2020 election.Trump, in separate interviews with Fox News Digital and Newsmax just a short time after his arrest, described the process as “very sad” and uncomfortable as he recounted being processed and having his mugshot taken."They insisted on a mugshot, and I agreed to do that," he told Fox Digital. "This is the only time I’ve ever taken a mugshot.""It is not a comfortable feeling — especially when you’ve done nothing wrong,” he added.Trump recounted his experience at length in an interview with Newsmax’s Greg Kelly after landing back in New Jersey.  Trump mugshot makes history after surrender at Fulton County jail Trump at one point claimed he’d “never heard the words mugshot” only to later find himself taking one. He quipped that they didn’t teach hi...

Hundreds of inmates evacuated as fire erupts at Texas prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (KIAH) -- The prison unit in Huntsville caught fire overnight and still burns this morning as fire crews work diligently to put the fire out. CW39's Kara Willis and Seth Kovar are bringing us updates throughout the morning. We talked with the fire chief there in Huntsville LIVE on air for an update. "The Walls" unit caught fire about 2:30 a.m. Friday morning. Heavy smoke was reported. Crews arrive to find heavy fire coming from one unit. Units have knocked out the main body of fire. All inmates have been evacuated from the area to another facility and are accounted for. No word on where the main fire started. As it is a state facility, the fire marshall is on the scene still investigating. On scene, a fire coming from an old tower can be seen. This is pretty significant so it will take some time.Greg MathisThe roads are closed to the main facility. Traffic passing through in the 6 a.m. hour. No word on the cause of the fire at this time. Smoke can still be seen com...

Curiosity caused the traffic: Why do we love to rubberneck?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - If you've ever been stuck in traffic, only to realize it was all because of a crash on the other side of the highway, that is a common experience thanks to rubbernecking.KXAN Traffic Anchor, Erica Brennes, sat down with the hosts of the podcast Two Guys On Your Head, Dr. Bob Duke and Dr. Art Markman, to find out why we can't help but slow down to take a look.Erica: "Why can we not resist the urge to rubberneck?"Dr. Bob Duke: "You know, when you look at toys that you get when you're five, they include fire trucks and ambulances and things like that, because we love those vehicles and you don't get to see them that often." 3:10 And then here you are on the highway. And you've waited all this time behind all these other people. And so one of the things you do is you just got to get that look at what happened." Dr. Art Markman: "And I think you know, most of the time when you're driving there's a real sameness to the experience, especially if you're traveling along route...

Workers to start Phase 1 of flood risk reduction project in NE Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The City of Austin said a road will be closed starting Saturday on a project to reduce the risk of flooding in a northeast Austin neighborhood. The city said Thursday that workers with the Capital Delivery Services Department will start Phase 1 of construction on the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project. Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the construction of Phase 1 is expected to wrap up in Spring 2024, the city said. According to the city, Mearns Meadow Boulevard will be closed to through traffic from Rutland Drive to Parkfield Drive during construction. Little Walnut Creek homeowners frustrated after project put on hold Detour signage will be posted to guide travelers in the area, the city said.  During construction, equipment operators will excavate a 20-foot deep trench along Mearns Meadow Boulevard to install 13-foot by 10-foot concrete box culverts, the city said. According to the city, when the project is done, floodwater w...