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Putin was meant to be at a summit in South Africa this week. Why was he asked to stay away?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Vladimir Putin will be the odd one out when leaders from the BRICS economic bloc of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa meet in Johannesburg this week.While all the others are set to attend the meetings in person, Putin will dial in on a video call. The reason? An International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for the Russian president put summit host South Africa in a sticky situation and ultimately resulted in Putin staying at home.Here’s what is expected when the group of emerging economies holds three days of meetings starting Tuesday in South Africa’s biggest city and financial hub.PUTIN DIALS INAll the leaders from the BRICS countries traditionally attend its summits, and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping is making a rare trip overseas to be at the bloc’s first in-person summit since before the COVID-19 pandemic.But Putin’s indictment by the International Criminal Court in March charging him with war crimes over the removal of child...

Music Review: Turnpike Troubadours back after extended hiatus with resilience – and gratitude

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Turnpike Troubadours, “A Cat in the Rain” (Bossier City Records/Thirty Tigers)When a band steps aside just as it appears to be peaking, it sets itself up for a unique challenge. That’s what the Turnpike Troubadours did a few years ago, taking a hiatus to deal with personal challenges after their first five albums had turned them from an Oklahoma roadhouse band into a phenomenon. But the Troubadours are back with “A Cat in the Rain,” their first new album since 2017. And they’ve returned with the kind of ferocity that feels destined to put them right back on that long-term upward trajectory.The album combines the Troubadours’ signature blend of country and rock — the tight sound built around the plaintive singing and vulnerable lyrics of front-man Evan Felker — with a new message of resilience and gratitude. The fresh material will only endear them to their extremely devoted fans, and it’s compelling enough to introduce a really good ba...

Cyprus rescues 115 Syrian migrants aboard 3 separate boats over the last three days

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus police on Monday rescued 18 Syrian migrants after their boat started taking on water some 3.5 miles off the Mediterranean island nation’s southeastern coast.Police said the 11 men, three unescorted minors, one woman and her three children had set sail from Tartus, Syria and were brought ashore aboard a police patrol vessel.State-run Cyprus News Agency reported that the woman and her children were taken to the hospital after one of the kids had fainted. The migrants’ boat reportedly sank.The remaining 14 migrants were taken to a reception center on the western fringes of the capital, Nicosia. A 23-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry, police said.The latest rescue comes after police rescued another 97 Syrian migrants aboard two boats over the last 72 hours.Police said they intercepted on Sunday a 40-foot boat with 57 men, six women and 23 children aboard some 14 miles off the island’s southeastern coast. All 86 p...

A right-wing sheriffs group that challenges federal law is gaining acceptance around the country

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Against the background hum of the convention center, Dar Leaf settled into a club chair to explain the sacred mission of America’s sheriffs, his bright blue eyes and warm smile belying the intensity of the cause.“The sheriff is supposed to be protecting the public from evil,” the chief law enforcement officer for Barry County, Michigan, said during a break in the National Sheriffs’ Association 2023 conference in June. “When your government is evil or out of line, that’s what the sheriff is there for, protecting them from that.”Leaf is on the advisory board of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, founded in 2011 by former Arizona sheriff Richard Mack. The group, known as CSPOA, teaches that elected sheriffs must “protect their citizens from the overreach of an out-of-control federal government” by refusing to enforce any law they deem unconstitutional or “unjust.”“The safest way to actually achieve that is to have local law enforcemen...

Wildfire fight switches from defence to offence near Yellowknife

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Firefighters battling a wildfire near the capital of the Northwest Territories are shifting from defence to offence after a weekend of cooler temperatures, favourable winds and some rain.Fire information officer Mike Westwick says teams in Yellowknife had been focused on trying to stop the fire’s spread or reduce its intensity.Starting today, crews are working to extinguish the flames along the fire’s front line. The blaze remains about 15 kilometres from the city of 20,000 people, which was evacuated last week except for emergency workers. Other fires are much closer to the communities of Hay River and Fort Smith in the south of the territory.Flames are about four kilometres away from Fort Smith, and hotter temperatures and unfavourable winds are expected to create a tough day for firefighters. Westwick says almost 600 firefighters are in the field, backed up by dozens of helicopters, air tankers and pieces of heavy equipment. Meanwhile, more soldiers are ...

Female soldiers in Army special operations face rampant sexism and harassment, military report says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Female soldiers face rampant sexism, harassment and other gender-related challenges in male dominated Army special operations units, according to a report Monday, eight years after the Pentagon opened all combat jobs to women.U.S. Army Special Operations Command, in a lengthy study, reported a wide range of “overtly sexist” comments from male soldiers, including a broad aversion to females serving in commando units. The comments, it said, are “not outliers” but represent a common sentiment that women don’t belong on special operations teams.“The idea that women are equally as physically, mentally and emotionally capable to perform majority of jobs is quite frankly ridiculous,” said one male commenter. Others said they’d quit before serving on a team with a female, and that serving in such a situation it would create problems and jealousy among their wives.The blunt and sometimes crass comments ring familiar to many who have watched the difficult t...

Skilling: Excessive heat to peak Wednesday, Thursday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

CHICGAO — An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago which could break records last seen in the 1940s.Temps are to surge to within reach of records for each of those days set 76 years ago in 1947 (The records currently on the books are 97-deg on Wed for Aug 23 and 100-deg on Thursday for Aug 24).We know something about heat here in Chicago. Far from being simply a nuisance, we learned tragically in July 1995 that heat can be deadly. More than 700 of our fellow citizens died in the July 1995 episode of record heat. Temps in that air mass reached 105-deg at Midway--but low 80-deg dew points, as high as they get in this area, indicated levels of moisture which, combined with heat, shut down our our bodies' ability to cool themselves. The heat index which resulted in that hot air mass reached 125-deg at Midway. 106 degrees in Chicago: The July 1995 Heat Wave The heat this week won't be quite as extreme. And while the 1995 heat lasted more than three...

GoFundMe created for brothers killed while shielding three-year-old cousin from gunfire in Glenview

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

GLENVIEW, Ill. -- The sister of two teens who were shot and killed in Glenview Saturday organized a GoFundMe page to help their family pay for funeral expenses. Carlos Guzman, 19 and Jose Guzman, 16, were fatally shot outside their home while shielding their three-year-old nephew from gun shots, their sister, Annette Guzman, said in a GoFundMe post.Officers responded to shots fired at the location and found the brothers with gunshot wounds. One of them was pronounced dead on the scene while the other was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The brothers loved playing soccer and were described as caring and towards their family and friends, the post said. 19-year-old man shot, killed in Aurora Carlos graduated from Glenbrook South High School in 2022 and worked at UPS. Jose was looking forward to starting his junior year in high school and wanted to pay soccer professionally.The post shared that he loved to draw and was a very talented artist. Currently, it is ...

Monday Forecast: Temps in mid 80s with mostly sunny conditions

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Temptures in the low 80s Monday with partly cloudy conditions. Winds: ENE 5-10 G15, wide temp range. High: 82/77. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Partly cloudy tonight. Winds: NE 5-10. Low: 69.Tuesday Forecast: Mainly sunny, cooler lakeside. Winds: ESE 5-10. High: 91.Wednesday and Thursday Forecast: An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for Wednesday and Thursday across Chicago as temperatures near 100 degrees with hot and humid conditions.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

2 children, adult seriously injured in crash involving firetruck on South Side

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Two children and an adult were seriously injured Monday morning in a crash involving a CFD firetruck.At around 9 a.m., authorities responded to a crash near 71st Street and Wentworth involving a vehicle and a firetruck.As a result of the crash, two children and an adult were transported in serious condition. 36-year-old motorcyclist killed in front of Midway No firefighters were injured. At this time, CFD does not known exactly how the crash occurred.