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TORONTO (AP) — The first Syrian refugees welcomed by Canada have arrived in Toronto. The 163 Syrians, who arrived on a military flight Thursday night, were greeted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said, "we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations." Trudeau has pledged to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February.
CHICAGO (AP) - Family members of a black teenager fatally shot by a white Chicago police officer are expected to speak publicly Friday. The pastor of Chicago's Grace Memorial Baptist Church has planned a news conference to discuss the Laquan McDonald case. Pastor Marvin Hunter says McDonald's family will thank the public for demanding justice and change. In October of last year, McDonald was shot 16 times by police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who's charged with first-degree murder.
OKLAHOMA CITY ( (AP) — A former Oklahoma City police officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting eight women on his police beat. Daniel Holtzclaw was convicted Thursday of 18 counts including first-degree rape, second-degree rape and sexual battery. All the women testified against Holtzclaw. The jury has recommended that he be sentenced to 263 years in prison.
SEATTLE (AP) — Rain continues to fall in parts of Washington state and Oregon, where on Thursday thousands of motorists were stranded for hours after a rain-soaked hillside collapsed on a main highway connecting the states. Rains all this week have been sending rivers out of their banks, closing roads and killing at least two people in the Pacific Northwest. They're starting to ease a bit, but forecasters still warn that the mudslide danger will remain high through the weekend.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)- New Zealanders have gone to the polls to choose a possible new national flag. They're deciding between five options for an alternative flag. Whichever flag wins will then be pitted head-to-head with the current flag in a second vote to be held in March. The results of the referendum will be announced Friday. Many in New Zealand consider the current flag to be outdated and too similar to Australia's flag. But others are eager to keep it.
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