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Rio’s iconic Christ statue welcomes Taylor Swift with open arms thanks to Swifties and a priest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Welcome to Brazil, Taylor Swift, it’s been waiting for you.As her sweep of Rio de Janeiro shows got underway this week, the pop superstar and her legions of devoted fans were greeted by the wide-open arms of the world’s most-famous Christ statue, sporting a projected image of a Swift-inspired T-shirt.The 125-foot Christ the Redeemer was illuminated Thursday night with a towering message welcoming the singer to the country for the latest leg of her Eras Tour. The grand show of hospitality was thanks to a charitable act by her fans and orchestrated by the Christ the Redeemer Archdiocesan Sanctuary, which manages the iconic statue.On social media, Swifties asked Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes to project onto the statue a likeness of the “Junior Jewels” shirt from Swift’s “You Belong with Me” music video. Their plea went viral. Paes, who once called the singer the “Madonna of our times,” said he’d take the matter to the Rev. Omar Raposo, the rector ...

WhatsApp enters sports in deal with F1 team Mercedes. Channels feature to offer exclusive content

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — WhatsApp has chosen the Mercedes Formula One team for its first sports sponsorship, a multi-year agreement that will give followers of the eight-time world champion exclusive team content and in-race updates through the Meta-owned private messaging service. The deal announced Friday is the first of its kind for WhatsApp, which connects over two billion people globally and is heavily used outside of the United States. While Americans tend to use iMessage through their Apple phones, WhatsApp is utilized most everywhere else and had become the main tool of communication for the Mercedes team.Team principal Toto Wolff told The Associated Press it is not unheard of for him to receive messages in WhatsApp group chats from Mercedes board members questioning strategy during races. “I’m trying to turn the phone upside down so I’m not seeing the board members texting me, ‘What the hell is the strategy department thinking?’” Wolff told AP. “It’s quite fun. So...

Woman convicted of killing pro cyclist Anna ‘Mo’ Wilson gets 90 years in prison. What happened?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The murder trial of a Texas woman charged in the May 2022 shooting death of rising professional cyclist Anna “Mo” Wilson has ended with a guilty verdict and a 90-year prison sentence.It took jurors only two hours to convict Kaitlin Armstrong on Thursday and just over three hours to decide her sentence on Friday. Investigators said Armstrong fled the U.S. shortly after Wilson was killed and underwent plastic surgery in an attempt to evade authorities.“Find her guilty of shooting Mo Wilson in the heart and the head and taking away this prodigy at the age of 25,” Travis County Assistant District Attorney Rick Jones told the jury in closing arguments. “Justice for Mo Wilson.”Wilson — a Vermont native and former alpine skier at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire — was an emerging star in gravel and mountain bike riding when she was killed in a friend’s apartment in Austin. She had been preparing to participate in a Texas race that she was among the favorites to win.I...

Saskatchewan Party member charged with procuring sex, kicked out of caucus: premier

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

REGINA — Premier Scott Moe says a Saskatchewan Party legislature member has been kicked out of caucus and stripped of his appointments after being charged with obtaining sexual services.Moe said he learned Friday of the charge against Ryan Domotor and took immediate action.“Those in public office should be working to support vulnerable women, not exploit them,” Moe said in a statement. “There is absolutely no place in our government, nor frankly in the assembly, for someone who has been charged with such a crime.”Domotor could not be immediately reached for comment.Domotor was elected in the Cut Knife-Turtleford constituency in the 2020 provincial election. He served as a member of the standing committee on human services. The Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly website also said he had recently been appointed to the cabinet committee on the economy.In June, the backbencher was acclaimed as the party’s candidate in the constituency for the 2024 provincial election.He was p...

Fewer migrants in police stations, more in shelters, data shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

CHICAGO — As Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to criticism over the cost and competence of his policies toward migrants, new numbers show fewer new arrivals are sleeping in police stations and the city’s airports.Nearly 1,300 fewer migrants are sleeping on the floors of police stations and in an old bus depot at O’Hare airport than mid-October. City data also show the number of migrants in shelters has doubled since August and now stands at 12,095. Related: Johnson’s new migrant plan includes 60-day limit in shelters, dedicated entry point for asylum seekers It’s unclear whether cold weather, a lack of shelter space or alternative housing is behind the drop in migrants sleeping in police stations and airports.  There are still more than 2,200 awaiting shelter space.The Johnson administration announced this week that new arrivals will only be allowed to stay in city-run shelters for 60-days. Despite signing a $29M contract with Garda World in September to construct ...

Man killed, another injured in West Town shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

CHICAGO — A man was killed and another was injured early Friday morning following a double shooting in Noble Square.Just before 3:40 a.m., officers responded to the 1000 block of North Milwaukee.A 23-year-old man was found at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at St. Mary Hospital.Another man, 26, was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck. He was transported to Stroger Hospital in fair condition. Man dies after crash involving CTA bus No one is in custody. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.

1 killed, 1 injured in West Town shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 23-year-old man has died after being shot early Friday morning in Chicago's West Town neighborhood.According to the Chicago Police Department, officers responded to the 1000 block of North Milwaukee Avenue in the West Town neighborhood on reports of a shooting just after 3:30 a.m. on Friday.A 23-year-old man was found shot in the head and transported to a local hospital were he later died.A 26-year-old man was discovered with a gunshot wound to the neck and transported to another hospital in fair condition.No one is in custody at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

'Elvis' adopted by former Elvis impersonator after being only dog left at Chicago shelter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

CHICAGO (WGN) — Elvis has officially left the building!Anti-Cruelty Society, a Chicago animal shelter and welfare organization, announced the happy news Friday, saying, in part: "His adopters had been waiting for the right time to welcome a dog into their family and once they saw Elvis on the news, they couldn't deny that it was fate!"Elvis' sweet face was spread all over the internet after he was the only dog who was not adopted at the shelter's “Fall in Love” adoption event over the weekend. Anti-Cruelty Society asking for help to find ‘Elvis’ forever home after he’s only dog not adopted According to the animal shelter's post, Elvis was adopted by a couple who "is head over heels in love with their new family member." Elvis with his new family (The Anti-Cruelty Society)Elvis with his new family (The Anti-Cruelty Society)Elvis with his new family (The Anti-Cruelty Society)"When no one else wanted him, we found him. We're all a bunch of misfits."Ironically, one of his new own...

'No excuse for leaving your pets': Dog left tied to pole at Pittsburgh airport, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

PITTSBURGH (WTRF) — "There is no excuse for leaving your pets behind." That's what police said in a news release Thursday after a dog was found abandoned at Pittsburgh International Airport. Allegheny County police say they were alerted to a dog that was tied to a pole and appeared to be abandoned in the short-term parking garage."Officers responded and were able to untie the dog, which fortunately appears to be in good condition," police said in the release.The dog was not microchipped and police are actively investigating to determine who was responsible for leaving this dog behind.Police believe the man who had the dog at the airport was a ticketed passenger that spent time inside the airport before leaving the dog in the short-term parking garage prior to his flight. It’s the first El Niño winter in 5 years. What will be different? "This is sickening and happening way too often," one Facebook commenter wrote.A Pennsylvania woman was charged earlier this year after police say s...

Cold front brings cooler, gray weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Mainly gray, cooler weather is in the forecast this weekend following a weak Friday evening cool front.A cool front is blowing through the area Friday evening, bringing northerly breezes of 10-15 miles per hour overnight and increasing cloud cover.Behind the front, high temperatures hold in the 60s on Saturday with limited afternoon sunshine. A storm system approaching Sunday will lead to completely gray skies with a 10% chance of an isolated shower. Temperatures will be comfortable both days.Early next week, the upper-level storm clips Texas with a few isolated showers or thunderstorms Monday, then much colder, windy weather behind it. The system fails to produce meaningful rain in our area.Meager rain totals with next storm systemColder, windy weather blows in Tuesday and Wednesday behind the front, but winds settle for a pleasant, cool Thanksgiving Day. BLOG: Peak fall foliage in Central Texas coming soon Winter Weather Outlook: What a strong El Niño could m...