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Mother, 3 children fatally shot in Florida; suspect sought

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

LAKE WALES, Fla. (AP) — Police in central Florida tried early Wednesday to arrest a man suspected of fatally shooting a 40-year-old woman and her three children, ages 21, 17 and 11. “We know exactly where he’s at right now, and we’re working to take him into custody in as safe a way as we can,” Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasquez said during a news conference outside the apartment complex where the victims lived, east of Tampa.Police are working to arrest Al Stenson, 38, on four counts of first-degree murder. A motive was not yet known, but Velasquez said Stenson is known to the family and may have lived at the apartment. There was no immediate threat to the public.Investigators believe the victims, whose names have not been released, were shot around 5 a.m. Tuesday. Police were called to the scene just before 9 p.m., when someone found their bodies in the apartment.“Our hearts are broken” for the family, he said.The Associated Press

Zelenskyy seeks more firepower for Ukraine in Finland visit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Helsinki for talks with the prime ministers of four Nordic countries Wednesday as part of his effort to secure greater firepower for his country’s armed forces as they figure out how to dislodge Russian troops from occupied areas of Ukraine.The Nordic countries — Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark — have been among Kyiv’s strongest backers since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Before the meeting with Zelenskyy in Finland’s capital, Nordic officials appeared ready to provide more aid as the war stretches into its 15th month.“There is still an urgent need for military support to ensure that the Ukrainians stand as strong as possible in the fight against Russia,” Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen said in a statement.Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, another of the summit attendees, said: “Here in the north, we have a more unpredictable and aggressive Russian ne...

Floods amid heavy rainfall kill more than 100 in Rwanda

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

A public broadcaster in Rwanda says 109 people have been killed in flooding amid torrential rain in the western and northern provinces of the country.The death toll “continues to rise,” the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency said Wednesday. “This could be the highest disaster-induced death toll to be recorded in the country in the shortest period according to available records from recent years,” the government-backed New Times newspaper reported Wednesday. Parts of East Africa, including Uganda’s southwest, are seeing heavy rainfall. At least three people drowned in floods last week after a river burst its banks in the remote Ugandan district of Rukungiri. Rodney Muhumuza, The Associated Press

Loblaw Companies reports $418M Q1 profit, raises quarterly dividend 10%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

BRAMPTON, Ont. — Loblaw Companies Ltd. raised its dividend 10 per cent as it reported a profit available to common shareholders of $418 million for its first quarter.The parent company of Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart says it will now pay a quarterly dividend of 44.6 cents per share, up from 40.5 cents per share.The increase for shareholders came as Loblaw reported its profit amounted to $1.29 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 25, down from $437 million or $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year when the company saw a one-time gain from a favourable court ruling.Revenue for the 12-week period totalled nearly $13 billion, up from nearly $12.3 billion a year earlier. Food retail same-stores sales were up 3.1 per cent, while drug retail same-store sales increased by 7.4 per cent.On adjusted basis, Loblaw says it earned $1.55 per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of $1.36 per diluted share a year ago.Analysts on average had expect...

Woman is 2nd accused of throwing drink at US Rep. Matt Gaetz

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Two women have now been accused of throwing drinks at U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. The most recent was Saturday, when Selena Chambers, 41, of Tallahassee, threw a glass of wine at the Republican congressman during an event in Miramar Beach and shouted obscenities at him, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.“We cannot allow an environment where you can throw things at elected officials because you don’t like them,” Sheriff Michael Adkinson said in a statement. “No matter your political affiliation, this is not the way to conduct yourself and will not be tolerated in Walton County.”Miramar Beach is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Pensacola and is part of Gaetz’s Florida Panhandle congressional district.Chambers was charged with battery and released Sunday on $1,000 bail.Defense attorney Matthew A. Karp said in an email that his own investigation has revealed that Gaetz and his group were engaged in a verbal altercation with a gro...

How to have a fun summer when your finances fall short

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

With layoffs, bank closures and inflation, financial tensions remain high for many Americans heading into the summer. In a fall 2022 survey conducted by The Harris Poll for the American Psychological Association, 83% of adults said inflation was a source of stress, and 56% said they and/or their family had to make different choices in the last month because they didn’t have enough money. Making tough money choices is stressful, and sacrificing “wants” to afford the “needs” can be disappointing. But, if you’re questioning the financial impact of your summer plans or they have suddenly become out of reach, there are still ways to have fun, save money and put yourself in a better place for next year.PIVOT TO A POSITIVE MINDSETIn the face of canceled summer plans, Rob Bertman, a family budgeting expert and certified financial planner in Missouri, suggests flipping your mindset from disappointment to opportunity. Use the moment to talk about money decisions with your partner or kids.“I t...

Wednesday Forecast: Temp in upper 50s with partly cloudy conditions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

CHICAGO — Warmer with partly cloudy conditions Wednesday, cooler lakeside. High: 58, Lakeside: 50. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Clearing skies tonight. Low:  40.THURSDAY FORECAST: Mostly sunny conditions. High: 69, Lakeside: 57.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Oklahoma mother says sex offender kept daughter's family 'under lock and key'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

HENRYETTA, Okla. (AP) — As law enforcement officials went silent Tuesday while investigating what led to the killing of seven people in rural Oklahoma, family members of those slain recalled the domineering nature of one of the dead, who was a registered sex offender.Since announcing the bodies were found Monday, authorities have released scant information on who was dead, how they died and who killed them. But grieving relatives working to piece together the horror story that started with two teenagers being reported missing, said law enforcement told them all the victims were shot to death in slayings that have stunned the community of Henryetta.Janette Mayo was the first to say publicly that her daughter and three teenage grandchildren were among the dead. Her daughter was married to Jesse McFadden, a sex offender who Okmulgee County Sheriff Eddy Rice said Monday had also been killed and linked to two other teenagers reported missing this week.McFadden had been controlling, Mayo ...

Daniel Perry's attorneys back in court Wednesday, asking for new trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Attorneys for former Army Sergeant Daniel Perry -- who was convicted last month of murdering Garrett Foster during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Austin in 2020 -- will be back in court Wednesday. Daniel Perry found guilty of murder in protester’s death Perry's attorneys want him to get a new trial and say they believe evidence was left out that would prove Perry was not the initial aggressor in the murder of Foster. Perry's attorneys filed a motion for a new trial not even a week after Perry's conviction last month. READ MORE: Daniel Perry’s attorney files motion for new trial, court documents say They requested the new trial based upon grounds of excluded evidence, court documents said. The defense team stated in the documents it attempted to introduce evidence to show Foster’s motive, states of mind and intent.Perry faced one count of murder and another count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after the deadly shooting of Garrett Foster in...

Low risk of severe storms both Thursday and Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Our Thursday will look and feel similar to what we had Wednesday, but soak in the sunshine as today will likely be our last rain-free day in Central Texas for the week.Morning clouds will partially clear to partly sunny skies this afternoon. Temperatures will return to the mid-80s as humidity continues to build over the area.Beginning Thursday, our first in a series of disturbances will roll into the region. A broken line of storms will fire up along the dry line out west and attempt to push west to east across our area. There is uncertainty as to how long these storms will hold together, but if storms are able to make the trek into Central Texas, some could be strong to severe.Slight risk (2 out of 5) for scattered severe storms in the Hill Country late ThursdayAnother low risk of storms, some of which could be strong to severe, exists on Friday.Low risk of severe storms across Central Texas Friday afternoon/eveningRain chances will continue daily through the weeke...