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Charles Michel spokesperson to quit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

BRUSSELS — Barend Leyts, spokesperson for European Council President Charles Michel, is leaving his job, according to an EU official.Leyts is departing to become director of communication for Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo as soon as his replacement is found, said the same official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic.Leyts started working for Michel in October 2014, becoming the politician’s Dutch-language spokesperson just as he became Belgian prime minister. Leyts then followed Michel to the European Council in December 2019, when Michel was chosen to run the institution that gathers all 27 EU leaders to set the bloc’s priorities. Leyts declined to comment. According to the EU same official, Leyts is simply departing his post to pursue a “new opportunity.” The move comes just ahead of the European elections next June and before Belgium takes over the EU’s six-month rotating presidency in January. ...

Lisa Marie Presley died of complications from prior weight-loss surgery, autopsy report shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

(CNN) — A report by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner states Lisa Marie Presley’s death in January was caused by a “sequelae of a small bowel obstruction.”A small bowel obstruction is a blockage in the small intestine, often because of things like scar tissue, a hernia or cancer. Without surgery, it can cause bowel tissue to die or perforate, leading to death.Presley’s autopsy report, obtained by CNN on Thursday, included the official opinion of deputy medical examiner Dr. Juan M. Carrillo, who attributed her small bowel obstruction to “adhesions (or, scar tissue) that developed after bariatric surgery years ago. This is a known long term complication of this type of surgery.”Carrillo also stated that he reviewed the autopsy toxicology results, which showed “therapeutic” levels of oxycodone in Presley’s blood – i.e., levels that are in the range of medically helpful, and not dangerous. He added that quetapine metabolite (used to treat depression, schizophrenia o...

Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks testified before grand jury investigating 2020 election interference, sources say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

(CNN) — Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, testified before the grand jury investigating the aftermath of the 2020 election and the actions of the then-president and others, a source familiar with the testimony confirmed to CNN.Former Trump aide Hope Hicks also went before the grand jury, according to two sources familiar, testifying in early June.Some of the questions being asked in the grand jury were about whether Donald Trump was told he had lost the election, according to one of the sources familiar.Kushner’s and Hicks’ appearances before the grand jury are notable because both were members of the former president’s inner circle. Any indictment from the sprawling probe into the aftermath of the election, efforts to overturn the result or the January 6, 2021, attack at the US Capitol will likely rely, at least in part, on what individuals – from low-level aides to former Vice President Mike Pence – testified to under oath behind closed doors.A spokesma...

2024 MLB schedule: Chicago Cubs open on the road for the 1st time since 2019, while White Sox start with a 6-game homestand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

The Chicago Cubs’ 2024 season will kick off on the road.The Cubs open away from Wrigley Field for the first time since 2019, again in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers. They are scheduled for a three-game series at Globe Life Field (March 28, 30-31) as part of the tentative 2024 schedule released Thursday.The White Sox, meanwhile, play host to the Detroit Tigers as part of a six-game homestand to begin the season.The Cubs and Sox are part of eight games for the traditional opening day March 28. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres play Major League Baseball’s first games of the season March 20-21 in Seoul, South Korea, the first time MLB is playing big-league games in the country.As part of their interleague schedule, the Cubs and White Sox play a pair of two-game series at Wrigley Field (June 4-5) and Guaranteed Rate Field (Aug. 9-10).The Cubs host interleague games versus the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Ti...

Juvenile stabbed in North County; suspect at large

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- A juvenile was critically stabbed in North County Thursday night, authorities confirmed to FOX 5.The incident occurred around 8 p.m. at North Ash Street and Ball Avenue in Escondido, according to the Escondido Police Department. Man critically injured in University City hit and run Authorities say the male victim, whose age and identity have not yet been released, was transported to Palomar Medical Center in critical condition. He is expected to survive. Meanwhile, police say no suspect has been located at this time. An investigation into this incident is ongoing. Anyone with information connected to this stabbing is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at (619) 235-8477.

Report: Cartels fighting for control of brothels and strip clubs in Tijuana's 'tolerance zone'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Cartels that operate in Tijuana have shifted their focus recently, aiming to take control of new enterprises.In recent years, cartels in Mexico have fought over the drug trade, avocado industry, migrant smuggling and even fishing rights. But now they are wresting for control of strip clubs, brothels and bars in Tijuana's Zona Norte, also known as the "tolerance zone," according to sources within the Baja California State Attorney General's Office.Punto Norte, a news publication in Baja California, is reporting that the owner of the renowned Hong Kong Gentleman's Club and hotel, a man with the last name of Brizuela, was the target of an assassination attempt Tuesday night.Brizuela is also said to be affiliated with other businesses involved with prostitution.People congregate in Zona Norte or the Red Light district known for its sex workers on January 20, 2019 in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Qualcomm, semiconductor giant, setting up shop in Ti...

Fire at residential duplex in Oceanside displaces 6

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- Three adults and three children were displaced following a fire at residential duplex in Oceanside Thursday.According to the Oceanside Fire Department, a blaze broke out at a structure on the 300 block of Magdalena Drive around 3:05 p.m.The first arriving fire engine was met with heavy smoke and flames engulfing the rear side of theduplex, fire officials explained. Juvenile stabbed in North County; suspect at large Firefighters quickly established a water supply from a nearby fire hydrant and pulled an attack hose line to conduct a primary search for any potential victims while also working to extinguish the growing fire, said OFD.Additional firefighters were then assigned to the roof for ventilation needs. They were able to cut holes in the roof to let the gases and smoke out of the structure in order to help inside crews combat the fire, fire officials explained."Their diligent and courageous actions allowed them to bring the fire under control within 25 min...

German leader confident that a surging far-right party will shrink again before the next election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed optimism Friday that support for a far-right party which has been surging in the polls lately will shrink to previous levels again by the time of the next national election in 2025.The far-right Alternative for Germany party received 10.3% of the vote in the last national election in 2021 — a slight decline from 2017, when it got 12.6% in the wake of an influx of migrants to Europe. Recent polls have shown support for the party, known by its German acronym AfD, at around 20% and ahead of Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats. “I’m quite confident that AfD won’t perform much differently at the next federal election than it did at the last,” Scholz told reporters at his annual summer news conference in Berlin.The German leader said his strategy to achieve this is to pursue policies “that give citizens enough reasons to believe in a good future” — including by showing that the country is in control of its bor...

6 German tourists arrested for suspected rape of German teen in hotel on Spanish island of Mallorca

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish police have arrested six German tourists for allegedly raping an 18-year-old German woman on Spain’s Mallorca island, authorities said Friday.Police on the Mediterranean island said the alleged gang rape occurred in a hotel room in the popular tourist spot of Playa de Palma early Thursday. Five were arrested within hours and a sixth, who initially fled the scene, was arrested later in the day. The six detainees are tourists ages 20 and 21. They are being held at police facilities and are expected to testify before a judge Saturday. The woman was also on vacation.According to the woman’s statement to police, the gang rape occurred around 3:40 a.m. Thursday.On Wednesday evening, the woman, along with a group of friends, visited the Playa de Palma boulevard, a popular spot for young German tourists in Mallorca. There she met one of the detained and after drinking, went to his hotel room where there were five other men drinking. The victim said she ...

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Sharif launches $3.5 billion Chinese-designed nuclear energy project

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:45:00 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday launched the construction of a 1,200-megawatt Chinese-designed nuclear energy project, which will be built at a cost of $3.5 billion as part of the government efforts to generate more clean energy in the Islamic nation.The ceremony marking the start of the project comes less than a month after Pakistan signed an agreement with China’s National Nuclear Corporation Overseas in the capital, Islamabad, to construct a Hualong One reactor — a third-generation nuclear reactor and is considered safer because of the latest security features.Pakistan and China are longtime allies. Pakistan’s relations with Beijing are so close that its leadership calls China their “Iron Brother.” China is also building roads, bridges, power plants, and railways to link its far west with the Chinese-built port of Gwadar on the Indian Ocean.The nuclear power plant known as Chashma-5 will be constructed at a site along the left embankment ...