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Israeli military says 10 Israelis, four Thai nationals, have been released by Hamas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas released 16 hostages late Wednesday in the last swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the current Gaza truce, as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel’s air and ground offensive.The Israeli military said a group of 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals had been freed by Hamas and exited Gaza. Earlier, two Russian-Israeli women were freed by Hamas in a separate release. Israel was set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners in return.Negotiators were working down to the wire to hammer out details for a further extension of the truce beyond its deadline of early Thursday. The talks appear to be growing tougher as most of the women and children held by Hamas are freed, and the militants are expected to seek greater releases in return for freeing men and soldiers. International pressure has mounted for the cease-fire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight...

Couple accused of using kids to steal nearly 1K in merchandise from Oak Brook Macy’s 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

OAK BROOK, Ill. — A Macy's in Oak Brook was once again the target of theft, with Du Page County prosecutors saying Wednesday that the latest incident involved a Chicago-area couple allegedly enlisting their kids to commit the crime.Angelo Almaraz, 26, of Chicago, and his girlfriend Thalia Morales, 32, of Hammond are both charged with one felony count of burglary and one count of felony count of retail theft. SEE ALSO: 2 men accused of stealing over $750 worth of merchandise from Oak Brook Macy’sAccording to prosecutors, around 5:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, Almaraz and Morales entered the suburban department store located at 1 Oakbrook Center with four children.Angelo AlmarazThalia MoralesProsecutors allege that the group went to the children's section with the two eldest children, one of whom officials said was 13. The two allegedly began selecting items and handing them to Almaraz and Morales, who then placed them in Nordstrom Rack bags they brought.Prosecutors say the group ran away ...

Report: Dylan Cease trade talks intensifying, deal could come before MLB winter meetings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox's staff ace, Dylan Cease, could be on the move in the near future, and one Major League Baseball insider said it could be in a deal with his hometown team.According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi, talks surrounding a trade for Cease have intensified over the last 48 hours, and some people who are close to the negotiations believe a deal could be done before the winter meetings start on Dec. 3.Morosi also said the Atlanta Braves are a finalist to make a deal for Cease's services. Cease pitched and played shortstop for Milton High School in Fulton County, Georgia, which is just under a 25 mile drive from the Braves' stadium, Truist Park. Bellinger, Hendriks selected as MLB’s Comeback Players of the Year A year after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting, Cease finished the 2023 MLB regular season with a 4.58 ERA and a 7-9 record for a White Sox squad that struggled to play .500 ball for most of the year.ML...

Search underway for Albany Park shooting suspects

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating three men involved in an Albany Park "gun battle" in September.According to authorities, officers responded to a shooting on the 3600 block of West Belmont Avenue just after 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Police: Woman killed, body dumped on side of road in north suburbs The three men in question were all armed and engaged in a running gun battle.One person was shot when they attempted to flee the scene with family members.Anyone with information regarding the suspects or the incident are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-746-6554.

Body found in neighbor's barrel during search for Indiana teen missing since June

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

ARLINGTON, Ind. (WXIN) — The nearly six-month-long search for a missing Indiana teenager has come to an end, and a suspect has been taken into custody. Valerie Tindall, 17, was reported missing in early June. In an alert issued at the time, the Rush County Sheriff's Department said Tindall had last been seen driving a car. Authorities believed the Arlington, Indiana, teen may have been intentionally hiding and "receiving aid from individual(s) whose goal is to keep her hidden."The search for Tindall came to a tragic end this week. The Rush County Sheriff's Department confirmed on Wednesday that human remains were found hidden inside a barrel on the property of Tindall's neighbor, 59-year-old Patrick Scott. Inheritance money in dispute after death of woman who made millions off sale of T-rex remains More than 40 federal agents and local law enforcement officers descended upon Scott's property for at least the second time on Tuesday. Authorities were not able to confirm that the rem...

Talks of a border deal hit a stalemate in the Senate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Talks of a border deal in the Senate have hit a stalemate. Senate Republicans and Democrats both say they don't like the current deal that is being crafted, delaying the passage of President Joe Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding request for aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.Texas Democrat Veronica Escobar says for decades, immigration reform has stalled in Congress.“It’s been 37 years since there has been comprehensive immigration reform.”Senate Republicans were hopeful the dry spell was over.Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure our border.”Republicans are demanding tougher border security policies in exchange for their support for President Biden’s $106 billion supplemental funding request that includes aid for Ukraine and Israel.Republicans will not allow the supplemental appropriation to proceed unless there are satisfactory policy changes that are designed to stop or stem the flow of people acro...

UT Austin graduate behind new drug that may extend a dog’s lifespan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  A San Francisco-based startup innovating a medication that may increase a dog’s lifespan is one step closer to getting the drug on the market. Loyal announced Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined its drug has a “reasonable expectation of effectiveness,” meaning there is strong evidence suggesting the drug would extend a dog’s life, especially the larger ones. “There's now a pathway for something to be approved for lifespan extension – for healthy lifespan extension,” Loyal CEO Celine Halioua, who grew up in Austin and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, told KXAN. “It's actually, in some ways, crucial for dogs because when dogs get sick with age-related diseases – think cancers, dementia, osteoarthritis – it's really difficult to do much for them. And it's very, very, very expensive,” Halioua said.To get to this point, Loyal’s team conducted several studies, including an observational trial where Loyal researchers examined...

Celebrate the holidays at these Austin pop-up bars

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video at the top of this story shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's the holiday season, and festivities are in full swing at an array of pop-up bars throughout Austin. Whether you're looking to skate the night away or test out a new holiday-themed cocktail, here's a breakdown of some of the most festive places to celebrate in Austin through late December.The Cavalier's Nostalgic NoelBetween Dec. 14 and Dec. 24, east Austin bar The Cavalier will host its Nostalgic Noel cocktail pop-up series. Festivities kick off Dec. 12 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. at 2400 Webberville Rd., Ste. A and pay homage to "our wistful worship of '80s, '90 & '00s toys & cartoons," event organizers said. Austin’s Trail of Lights makes national list of 25 best Christmas light displays Donn's DepotBeginning Dec. 1, dive bar Donn's Depot will transform into a holiday oasis. Located at 1600 W. Fifth St., the bar's festivities will include full ind...

Leander man sentenced to 2 years in prison for threatening Georgia public officials

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Leander man was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday after he threatened several Georgia public officials by posting a message online after the 2020 election, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.On Jan. 5, 2021, Chad Christopher Stark, 55, posted a message on Craigslist which was titled "Georgia Patriots it’s time to kill [Official A] the Chinese agent - $10,000," according to court documents.The full message Stark posted to Craigslist is below:“Georgia Patriots it’s time for us to take back our state from these Lawless treasonous traitors. It’s time to invoke our Second Amendment right it’s time to put a bullet in the treasonous Chinese [Official A]. Then we work our way down to [Official B] the local and federal corrupt judges. It’s our duty as American Patriots to put an end to the lives of these traitors and take back our country by force we can no longer wait on the corrupt law enforcement in the corrupt courts. If we want...

Thomas Friedman: Understanding the true nature of the Hamas-Israel war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:37:13 GMT

The reason the Hamas-Israel war can be hard for outsiders to understand is that three wars are going on at the same time: a war between Israeli Jews and the Palestinians exacerbated by a terrorist group, a war within Israeli and Palestinian societies over the future, and a war between Iran and its proxies and America and its allies.But before we dig into those wars, here’s the most important thing to keep in mind about them: There’s a single formula that can maximize the chances that the forces of decency can prevail in all three.It is the formula that I think President Joe Biden is pushing, even if he can’t spell it all out publicly now — and we should all push it with him. You should want Hamas defeated; as many Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip as possible spared; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his extremist allies booted; all the hostages returned; Iran deterred; and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank reinvigorated in partnership with moderate Arab...