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On his first foreign trip this year, Putin calls for ex-Soviet states to expand influence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on his first trip abroad since being indicted by the International Criminal Court in March, on Friday called on an alliance of former Soviet states to expand relations with non-Western countries.In an address to the Commonwealth of Independent States summit in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Putin also defended Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an attempt to prevent war and blamed the United States as an integral cause of the current war between Israel and Hamas fighters. His comments did not break ground but the trip was significant as his first venture outside Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine after the ICC indictment for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The indictment would oblige any country that is party to the ICC to arrest him on their soil.The CIS consists of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Armenia. Tajikistan has acceded to the ICC; Armenia, which recently approved joining t...

A teacher dies and 2 people are wounded in a stabbing in a French school. Terrorism is suspected

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A man armed with a knife killed a teacher and wounded two others on Friday at a high school in northern France, an attack being investigated as potential terrorism.Antiterror prosecutors said they were leading the investigation into the attack at the Gambetta high school in the city of Arras, some 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Paris.Sliman Hamzi, a police officer who was one of the first on the scene said the suspected attacker, a former student at the school, shouted “Allahu Akbar” — God is great in Arabic.Hamzi said he was alerted by another officer who was passing in front of the high school and called in. He “was shouting ‘someone is attacking with a knife,’” Hamzi saidHamzi said he rushed to the school and saw the victim who died lying on the ground outside the school and the attacker being taken away. “Colleagues arrived quickly but unfortunately couldn’t save the victim,” Hamzi said.Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that the suspected attacker had been...

The Supreme Court avoided disaster when a chunk of marble fell in a courtyard used by the justices

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court avoided a catastrophic accident last year when a piece of marble at least 2 feet long crashed to the ground in an interior courtyard used by the justices and their aides, according to several court employees.The incident, which the court still fails to acknowledge publicly, took place in the tense spring of 2022, as the court already was dealing with death threats and other security concerns and the justices were putting the final touches on their stunning decision overturning Roe v. Wade.Justice Elena Kagan and her law clerks had been in the courtyard earlier in the day, the employees said. No one was injured when the marble fell, the employees said. The piece was easily big enough to have seriously injured someone, they said. It was much larger than the basketball-sized chunk that fell near the court’s front entrance in 2005.The weight of the marble that fell is unknown, but the Georgia marble used in the court’s four interior courty...

Microsoft clears last hurdle to buying Call of Duty maker Activision in $69 billion deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Microsoft’s purchase of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard won final approval Friday from Britain’s competition watchdog, reversing its earlier decision to block the $69 billion gaming deal and removing the final obstacle for one of the largest tech transactions in history.The Xbox maker’s quest to acquire Activision — maker of other blockbuster games like Candy Crush, World of Warcraft, Diablo and Overwatch — could close imminently ahead of a Wednesday deadline. That would wrap up a merger delayed for close to two years by intense scrutiny from authorities around the world.The blessing from the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority was expected after it gave preliminary approval last month to a revamped Microsoft proposal meant to address concerns that the deal would harm competition and hurt gamers, especially in the emerging cloud gaming market where players can avoid buying pricey consoles and stream games to their tablets or phones. “The new deal will...

Israel orders evacuation of 1 million in Gaza as possible ground offensive looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of an expected ground invasion.The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse — with just a 24-hour deadline — would be calamitous. Hamas, which staged a shocking and brutal attack on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since, dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes.The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked widespread panic among civilians and aid workers already running from Israeli airstrikes and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide blackout.“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesp...

Friday Forecast: Cloudy, rain and thunderstorms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

Friday: Cloudy, rain and thunderstorms, E 15-20 G30. Temps sit around 57Friday Night: Cloudy, rain and storms, E 15-20 G30. Low: 54Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Saturday: Cloudy, scattered rain, windy, NE 15-20 G35. High: 55

Stillwater man defends nationwide "best mullet" title

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A man in Stillwater is defending his title as USA Mullet Champion. NEWS10's Cassie Hudson caught up Scott Salvadore to find out why the competition means so more to him than just hair. Stillwater man looking to repeat as national mullet champion “I mean I love being the best at anything, who doesn’t? And just to have the overall support of everybody that comes together to vote for a mullet, without the votes and support these drapes are nothing!” said Scott.Last year, Scott donated all of his winnings to his church for their parking lot expansion. Voting for the 2023 USA Mullet Championship ends on Friday, Oct. 13. The winner will be revealed live on The Today Show one week later, according to Scott. Meet Mechanicville barbershop behind local man’s winning mullet Scott said if he were to repeat win, he plans on donating the $2,500 cash prize to Her Song, a ministry of the Tim Tebow Foundation in the fight against human trafficking. Click here ...

Schenectady man fled police, hit two cars in chase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Schenectady man was arrested on Thursday after fleeing police and hitting two cars during a chase, according to Schenectady police. Ziyad Mohammed, 21, faces several charges. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! On Thursday, around 5:32 p.m., Schenectady Police say they saw a car driving recklessly at a high speed near Craig Street. When they tried to pull him over, police say the car fled.Law enforcement says the driver began to lose control and struck two other cars on Albany Street near Schenectady Street. One of the cars was occupied by two people, both sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Pittsfield PD responds to fatal construction zone crash The driver, identified as Mohammed, was arrested and taken to Albany Medical Center for injuries sustained in the crash. Charges:Second-degree reckless endangermentThird-degree assaultThird-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officerSecond-degree ob...

Jamestown Mall catches fire weeks after dismantling

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A little more than two weeks after the demolition of the former Jamestown Mall started, the eyesore in north county once again caught fire.The fencing is up with the ongoing demolition and the fire is out for the most part. The chief of the Blackjack Fire Protection District, Roger Ellison, told FOX 2 that crews let the fire burn itself out. County police are at the scene monitoring the situation.Ellison also shared that crews got the call about 10:30 p.m. He said when firefighters got there, the flames were already through the roof. The fire started in the former cinema area. He explained how crews had limited ways to fight the fire because the hydrants there were no longer working with the demolition. Firefighters did put some water on it that they carry in their trucks, but beyond that, crews had to let the fire burn. The mall originally opened in 1973, but it has been closed since 2014 and has been the site of many issues in recent years. This is the thir...

Crafty Chameleon Brewery and Pizzeria hosting 'Colton's Cause Fundraiser' tonight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:19 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - An Ellisville family is hosting their fourth fundraiser in honor of their son, who had a rare genetic disorder.Colton Armengol was born with a neurodevelopmental disorder. Despite only being told he would live five years, Colton lived until he was 21 years old. South county residents shocked after gunfire hits elementary school, driver wanted Now his family wants to help other families struggling to care for their disabled children. The Colton's Cause Fundraiser is Friday night at the Crafty Chameleon Brewery and Pizzeria in west county from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.To learn more and order tickets, click here.