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Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ‘bamboozled’ by science, ex-adviser tells inquiry

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Boris Johnson, the former British prime minister, struggled to come to grips with much of the science during the coronavirus pandemic, his chief scientific advisor said Monday.In keenly awaited testimony to the country’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Vallance said he and others faced repeated problems getting Johnson to understand the science. “I think I’m right in saying that the prime minister gave up science at 15,” he said. “I think he’d be the first to admit it wasn’t his forte and that he struggled with the concepts and we did need to repeat them — often.”In extracts from his diary that were relayed to the inquiry, Vallance said Johnson was “bamboozled” by the graphs and data and that watching him “get his head round stats is awful.”Vallance said Johnson’s struggles were not unique and said many leaders around Europe had problems in understanding the scientific evidence and advice, especially in the first stages of the pande...

Is the Canadian dream still attainable?

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants come to Canada, looking for a better future for themselves and their children. The federal government is aiming to keep that number rising — but it’s a tough time to be a new Canadian, with affordability and housing crises, an uncertain future and rising numbers of hate crimes.Rhea Santos is a journalist with OMNI News Filipino. She says the poll indicates that immigrants are generally happy with their decision to move here, but that many also perceive major barriers to success.“We have eight in 10 feeling safe and proud to live here, but only half agree that Canada has enough jobs to support immigrants,” says Santos. Related: Affordability crisis putting Canadian dream at risk: poll So what did recent Canadian immigrants expect when they moved to Canada, and what did they actually get? Do they feel the dream they came here chasing is still within reach? Or do they regret their deci...

Russia puts Ukrainian winner of Eurovision Song Contest on wanted list

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has placed a Ukrainian singer who won the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest on its wanted list, state news agencies reported Monday.The reports said an Interior Ministry database listed singer Susana Jamaladinova as being sought for violating a criminal law. The independent news site Mediazona, which covers opposition and human rights issues, said Jamaladinova was charged under a law adopted last year that bans spreading so-called fake information about the Russian military and the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. Jamaladinova, who performs under the stage name Jamala, is of Crimean Tatar descent. She won the 2016 Eurovision contest with the song “1944,” a title that refers to the year the Soviet Union deported Crimean Tatars en masse.Her winning performance came almost exactly two years after Russia annexed Crimea as political turmoil gripped Ukraine. Most other countries regard the annexation as illegitimate. Russia protested “1944” being allowed in the competition, sa...

A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe is suspected of killing more than 150 and is leaving many terrified

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — These days, Catherine Mangosho locks her 3-year-old grandson in the house for hours on end in an attempt to shield him from a deadly cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe.The virulent bacterial disease is killing the young and the old in the southern African country, with health authorities reporting more than 150 suspected deaths and over 8,000 suspected cases since February.Cholera has often broken out across Zimbabwe in recent years with deadly consequences and has surged and spread again over the last month, driven by the sometimes terrible sanitation conditions in poor, neglected townships and neighborhoods in the capital, Harare, and elsewhere.Many like Mangosho, 50, fear their family might be next.She points to a group of barefoot children playing street soccer near her house. The ball made from plastic bread wrappers frequently plunges into ponds of sewage. The children pick it out and continue their game.“Those boys are playing with fire,” she said. “We burie...

Women make up more than half of ministers in the new Cabinet of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Women will hold 12 of the 22 posts in the new government named Monday by Spain’s recently reelected Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.“The new government is going to have a marked feminist accent with four women deputy prime ministers and more female ministers than male ministers,” Sánchez said. The Cabinet will include nine new ministers while key posts remain unchanged. Nadia Calviño keeps the economy portfolio, José Manuel Albares remains in charge of foreign affairs and Margarita Robles stays at defense. Sánchez’s Socialist party will hold 17 ministries and its leftist Sumar (Joining Forces) coalition partner will have five portfolios. The outgoing government’s former far-left coalition partner, Unidas Podemos (Unite We Can), will have no ministries. The party’s former star, Equality Minister Irene Montero, will be replaced by Ana Redondo of the Socialist party.Sánchez was reelected prime minister on Thursday with backing from 179 lawmakers in Spai...

Emergency crews on scene of crash involving truck, freight train in Back of the Yards

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

CHICAGO — Emergency crews are responding to a crash involving a semi-truck and a freight train on the city's Southwest Side.The incident happened just before 7 a.m. Monday at a freight yard at 51st Street and Lowe Avenue in the Back of Yards neighborhood.Skycam9 captured a major response on scene from the Chicago Fire Department. The extent of injuries is unknown at this time.No further details have been provided.This is a developing story. Check back for details.

72-year-old man fatally shot in Logan Square is latest victim of Chicago gun violence

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

CHICAGO — A 72-year-old man fatally shot in the city's Logan Square neighborhood was among those killed in gun violence in Chicago over the weekend.The shooting happened around 9:55 p.m. Sunday in the 3900 block of West Fullerton. Police said the man was walking when he was struck by gunfire.He was shot in the chest and transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The man's identity has not yet been released.According to police, further investigation revealed the offender may have been traveling in a white SUV at the time of the shooting.No one is in custody. Area Five Detectives are investigating. Two 14-year-old boys found shot to death in alley on South Side The 72-year-old man is among the latest victims of weekend gun violence in Chicago.On Saturday, two 14-year-old boys were found shot to death in an alley on the South Side. The boys were found in an alley in the 800 block of East 89th Place in Chatham just before 2:30 p.m.Officers say both...

Man found dead in garage fire on South Side ID'd

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

CHICAGO -- The body of a man has been identified after he was found unconscious in a garage during a fire on the South Side overnight. The medical examiner's office identified the man as 43-year-old Gilbert Sims. The Fire department said they responded to a fire in the 8900 block of Essex Avenue in Calumet Heights near midnight and found Sims deceased in the garage as the fire was being extinguished. Two 14-year-old boys found shot to death in alley on South Side The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Deadly shooting on Stan Musial Veteran's Memorial Bridge Sunday

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. - We are just learning new information about a police investigation that had a stretch of Interstate 70 shut down near the Stan Musial Veteran's Memorial Bridge overnight.This is just off the first exit after you come off the bridge eastbound into Illinois. The bridge is completely open both ways, with traffic moving smoothly. However, that was not the case for several hours overnight. Police had I-70 eastbound in the area closed for a while. In fact, we're told St. Louis City Police were blocking the eastbound entrance to the bridge from about 10: 30 p.m. Sunday to around 3:30 a.m. while the investigation unfolded. St. Louis man tried to steal $1,200 of air fresheners from former seafood market It's understood that Illinois State Police are heading up the investigation into whatever happened. Fairmont City Police were also at the scene.At this point, authorities have not told FOX 2 what the scene was all about. In addition to police officers, there were a l...

Keeler: You might get Dalton Risner out of Broncos Country. You’ll never get Broncos Country out of Dalton Risner. “Good for them, bro.”

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 08:54:18 GMT

Dalton Risner may be doing karate kicks in Minneapolis, but the Broncos still have a kung fu grip on his heart.“I wanted to win the game. But I’m not gonna be a sore loser and be like, ‘Man, I hate that they’re gonna win,'” Risner, pride of Wiggins and the former Broncos guard, told me after his boyhood team rallied for a 21-20 win over his new one, the Minnesota Vikings. “No, no.“Good for them, bro.”Revenge game? Nah. Like Von Miller, Risner keeps referring to the Broncos in the present tense, even if that “present” was ages ago. Old habits. First loves.“Dude,” the Vikes blocker and ex-Kansas State star continued, “I told all my teammates after the game, ‘Good for you guys. Keep doing your thing.’“We didn’t win a lot when I was here. And I hope and I wish them the best. We’re not gonna see them the rest of the year unless it’s in the Super Bowl. So best of luck to them,...