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Biden tapes podcast interview with former late-night host Conan O’Brien

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden sat down on Friday with former late-night television host Conan O’Brien for an interview on the comedian’s podcast.Conan O’Brien, the former host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night,” was spotted by reporters in the White House briefing room ahead of the interview, but was coy when asked about the purpose of his visit to the White House.“They won’t let me take questions,” O’Brien said. “But boy, do I have the answers to everything.”The White House later confirmed that Biden was interviewed by the comedian for his podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.”O’Brien said he’s previously visited the White House and is in thrall of its history.“I’m a huge history buff slash nerd. So believe it or not, I like read a lot of books about the White House,” O’Brien told reporters. “Every time I come here, I mean, just I get the same feeling — just like this is amazing. It’s absolutely incredible.”The episode will be available Wednesday for downlo...

Internet gambling and sports betting set new records in New Jersey

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Internet gambling and sports betting set new records in New Jersey in November as the Atlantic City gambling market continues to evolve and become less dependent on physical casinos, according to figures released Friday.More than $171.5 million was won from online table games and slots by casinos and their technology partners, according to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.At the same time, the casinos and three horse tracks that accept sports bets took in $1.62 billion worth of bets in November — another record.Taken together, these numbers provide fresh evidence that technology and a wider menu of wagering options are remaking the way some people gamble in New Jersey, where in-person gambling at a physical casino had long been the main way to bet.Jane Bokunewicz, director of the Lloyd Levenson Institute at Stockton University, which studies the Atlantic City gambling industry, noted that internet and sports betting accounted for about 45% of ...

Security videos show Israeli forces killing 2 Palestinians at close range. The army opens a probe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Friday said it was opening a military police investigation into the killing of two Palestinians in the West Bank after an Israeli human rights group posted videos that appeared to show Israeli troops killing the men — one who was incapacitated and the second unarmed — during a military raid in a West Bank refugee camp.The B’Tselem human rights group accused the army of carrying out a pair of “illegal executions.”The security camera videos show two Israeli military vehicles pursuing a group of Palestinians in the Faraa refugee camp in the northern West Bank. One man, who appears to be holding a red canister, is gunned down by soldiers. B’Tselem identified the man as 25 year-old Rami Jundob.The military jeep then approaches Jundob as he lies bleeding on the ground and fires multiple shots at him until he is still. Soldiers then approach a man identified by B’Tselem as 36-year-old Thaar Shahin as he cowers underneath the hood of a car. They shoot ...

Body of sergeant killed when US Air Force Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan is returning home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — The remains of a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant from Massachusetts who was one of eight service members lost when a CV-22 Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan are being returned home.The body of Jacob “Jake” Galliher, 24, was expected to arrive at the Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee on Friday afternoon for transport in a procession to a funeral home in his hometown, Pittsfield. Members of the Pittsfield police and fire departments, the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office, Massachusetts State Police and the Dalton American Legion Riders were to escort his body, officials said. The Osprey went down Nov. 29 during a training mission just off Yakushima Island in southwestern Japan while on its way to Okinawa. Galliher’s remains were the first to be found. Divers recovered the remains of the seventh of the eight crew members last Sunday. Galliher’s family issued a statement on Dec. 2 saying it was in mourning and asking for privacy and prayers for his wif...

Police say 4 suspects stole nearly $50K in booze from LCBOs in York Region

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

Four suspects are facing charges after York Regional Police allege they worked together to steal nearly $50,000 worth of booze from LCBO stores across York Region.Investigators said they became aware of the “large-scale” operation after officers on routine patrol spotted suspects sneaking into the back door of an LCBO store at Yonge Street and High Tech Road in Richmond Hill on Dec. 14, at around 8:30 p.m.The suspects allegedly stacked several cases of alcohol and removed them from the store while their accomplices were in the store serving as lookouts.The group then loaded up the cases and drove off in a vehicle that was followed to a parking lot in Mississauga.That’s where police say they watched the suspects load the cases onto a shipping container before arresting them. Investigators say a large quantity of alcohol was recovered, along with around $20,000 in cash and a quantity of suspected meth and heroin.Four Brampton men, Shamsher Singh, 26, Jaswinder Singh,...

A peek inside the Toronto Blue Jays’ latest renovations at Rogers Centre

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

The demolition and renovations continue at Rogers Centre, the home of the Toronto Blue Jays. The team provided a video of the latest changes in what is a $300-million makeover.Last month, the 100-level demolition was completed, nearly four months after the Blue Jays announced details of a re-imagined lower bowl for the ballpark.The project, announced on July 27 and scheduled to be completed in time for the opening of the 2024 season, is part of the next phase of renovations at the ballpark. Phase 1 focused on outfield renovations, which were unveiled at the start of last season.Structural demolition of the lower bowl took place between Oct. 13-26, where an average of 350 workers were on-site daily, as stated by the team in an update on Tuesday. The process included the removal and recycling of 26.5 million pounds of concrete and 3 million pounds of steel.Field-level excavation took place between Oct. 23-Nov. 6, during which 780 truckloads of materials were removed from the Rogers Ce...

Firefighter injured while responding to house fire on Far South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

CHICAGO — Emergency crews were called to the scene of a fire that broke out at a home on the city's Far South Side on Friday afternoon.SkyCam9 was over the scene around 2:20 p.m. when the damaged home, in the 13000 block of South Rhodes Avenue in Riverdale, could be seen from overhead. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Chicago fire officials say a firefighter suffered an injury while he was preparing a hydrant. He was later taken to the hospital in stable condition.Currently, it is unclear what sparked the fire or if anyone was home at the time the blaze broke out. This is a developing story, stay with WGN News for the latest updates.

UK spy agency releases annual Christmas puzzle challenge for students: Can you solve it?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Are you smarter than a British fifth-through-twelfth-grader?The U.K.’s Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) has published the 2023 edition of its annual “GCHQ Christmas Challenge,” which tasks students throughout the country with cracking a series of holiday-themed codes.The GCGQ — the U.K’s leading intelligence agency — had already sent the brainteasers to more than 1,000 schools before revealing the puzzles to the general public on Thursday, The Guardian reported. The idea, according to GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler, is to promote disciplines including problem-solving and teamwork.“Puzzles have been at the heart of GCHQ from the start. These skills represent our historic roots in cryptography and encryption and continue to be important to our modern-day mission to keep the country safe,” Keast-Butler said in a statement included with a Thursday news release. ‘Griswold House’ in Kansas is decked out with over 100,000 Christmas lights This year’s puzzles, pre...

New York jewelry store robbery suspect found in suburbs with guns, $90K necklace

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

OAK BROOK, Ill. — Earlier this week, Oak Brook police officer spotted a car wanted in connection to the armed robbery of a jewelry store in New York and gave chase. When the pursuit ended on Chicago’s Northwest Side, police say they found one man wearing a $90,000 necklace reported stolen in the East Coast robbery along with several weapons.The 18-mile, high-speed pursuit on Wednesday included several suburban police departments as well as the Chicago police helicopter. The car’s three occupants bailed near 6400 West Higgins in Chicago and were arrested soon after.  “Officers found a loaded Glock 29 with a laser, an extended magazine and a switch that converts the weapon into a fully automatic machine gun and a loaded Glock 19 with a fifty-round drum magazine and a defaced serial number,” said a release from DuPage County state’s attorney Bob Berlin’s office.  Jeremiah DawsonIsaiah DukesTravon GarlandThe men are now facing several felony charges including one count of being an ...

WATCH: Wild gun battle caught on camera in Cleveland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:39 GMT

CLEVELAND (WJW) -- Video recently released captured people running from wild gunfire, and now folks living there are demanding action from Cleveland City Hall to protect their neighborhood.A home security camera recorded dozens of gunshots and people running. The gunfire even went into homes. One shot went through a front door. Declared missing as a child, British teenager lives off-grid for 6 years, then pops up in France Happened last weekend at 3:30 in the morning in Cleveland’s North Collinwood neighborhood. Specifically, the East Shore Park Club section.Traditionally, that’s been a pretty quiet area. But residents say it’s changing, and that it’s time to fight back.One woman spoke out, telling us, "We're holding the mayor directly responsible for what's happening as far as safety in our neighborhood is concerned. And we expect him to do something about it. We want cameras installed in critical intersections. And we want more police."The neighbor...