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Greece protests arrest of mayoral candidate in Albania accused of buying votes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The detention of a mayoral candidate belonging to the Greek minority in Albania has raised tensions between the two neighboring countries.Greece’s Foreign Ministry released a statement Saturday demanding the release of Dionysis-Fredi Beleri, a candidate for mayor of the Albanian city of Himare, which has a strong Greek minority presence.Greek media reported that Beleri was arrested by Albanian police early Friday on charges of vote buying, two days ahead of local elections. A court confirmed Saturday that he would remain in custody.The Greek ministry’s announcement implies that the case could negatively impact Albania’s application to join the European Union.“Today’s decision of the Vlora District Court, if there is no irrefutable evidence, constitutes a scandal. The arrest of a mayoral candidate two days before the elections is not within the rule of law. The decision to detain the mayoral candidate in custody induces a full reversal of the rules of equality i...

Chris Roberts, ex-radio voice of UCLA football and basketball, dies at 74

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Roberts, who worked as UCLA’s football and basketball play-by-play radio announcer for 23 years, has died. He was 74.He died at his Glendora home east of Los Angeles on Friday from complications of Parkinson’s disease, the school said Saturday.When he retired in 2015, Roberts equaled Fred Hessler’s record for longest tenured play-by-play broadcaster in school history.Roberts was hired by UCLA in 1992. He called football games for 23 seasons, including 16 bowl games that included the Bruins’ Rose Bowl appearances in 1994 and ’99.He also broadcast basketball, including 19 appearances by the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament. He was on the call when UCLA won its record 11th national championship in 1995.Roberts was a four-time Golden Mike Award winner and was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association’s hall of fame. He authored two books about the Bruins.Born Bob LaPeer in Alhambra, California, he was a three-sport athl...

Biden’s reelection pitch that he can govern well faces daunting challenges with debt, border, more

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A showdown with Congress that has the nation’s creditworthiness at stake; a frenzied scene at the border as pandemic restrictions ease; a pivotal foreign trip meant to sustain support for Ukraine and contain a more assertive China in the Indo-Pacific.Three weeks since launching his reelection campaign, President Joe Biden is confronting a sweeping set of problems in his day job that defy easy solutions and are not entirely within his control. If, as his advisers believe, the single best thing Biden can do for his reelection prospects is to govern well, then the coming weeks can pose a near-existential test of his path to a second term.Economists warn that the country faces a debilitating recession — and worse — if Biden and lawmakers can’t agree on a path to raising the debt limit. Biden wants Congress to raise it without precondition, equating Republicans’ demands for spending cuts with ransom for the country’s full faith and credit.The expiration of the COVID-19 ...

Government of Yukon issues flood watch after Porcupine River rose a metre overnight

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

The Yukon government has issued a flood watch advisory after the Porcupine River rose more than a metre overnight. The advisory says the river’s rapid rise indicates the buildup of an ice jam downstream, and says several ice jams have formed, including a 20 kilometre jam about 30 kilometres upstream of the community of Old Crow. The advisory says the river’s rise will continue “rapidly” until the downstream jam stabilizes, but warns of more river level increases when the other ice jams release. The weather forecast calls for a chance of showers, and the Yukon flood atlas website says people should stay clear of potentially unstable river banks during fast and high-flowing periods. The Porcupine is a tributary of the Yukon River that stretches into Alaska. The Yukon Government has also issued advisories about high river levels on the Nordenskiold and Klondike Rivers due to ice jams and snow melt. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 20...

Can folded dollar bills on the ground be deadly? What to know

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

(WJW) — There was a drug awareness story last month that got a lot of people talking — but for the wrong reasons, said a local doctor. In April, a sheriff's office in western Kansas reported methamphetamine was found inside a folded $1 bill in a resident's yard, and issued what it deemed to be a public safety announcement. The report drew a lot of questions about whether it was common to simply encounter harmful drugs in public or even in your front yard. Video: Horse saved from drowning FOX 8 News in Cleveland, Ohio, put that question to federal, state and local police or drug enforcement agencies — but none offered any evidence or even anecdotal reports that such a thing is happening with any regularity.Moreover, it's not common for drug occurrences like these to even be happening. But could they happen?Can you accidentally overdose by touching opioids?Cases of drug-laden currency are not something the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center has looked into, the organization says. It...

Why air travel may not be much easier this summer

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

(NerdWallet) - There are lingering concerns that air travel this summer could once again be hectic for flyers.Despite cautious optimism that the busy season should run more smoothly than 2022, top travel industry leaders fear the threat of delays, cancellations and long waits may not be over for passengers.“We know the system is going to be stretched,” said Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, which represents airlines, hotels and tourism agencies across the travel sector.Speaking to reporters on April 26, Freeman spoke of an air travel system “struggling to handle the demand,” which is “likely to create substantial frustration.”The pre-summer warning comes as passengers have flooded airports at rates not seen since 2019.Between March 2020 and December 2022, there was only one day on which TSA agents at U.S. checkpoints screened more than 2.5 million passengers: November 27, 2022, also known as the Sunday after Thanksgiving.Single-day checkpoint volume ha...

After a dispute over procedure, House DFLers delay vote on preschool funding

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

Tensions boiled over briefly in the Minnesota House on Saturday as Democrats in control of the chamber tried to push through a preschool funding bill that Republicans argued wasn’t given the required public consideration.Lawmakers shouted from the floor as House Speaker Melissa Hortman held a vote to advance for final adoption the early education funding bill that has $300 million in new spending. Republican leaders were called out of order when they repeatedly questioned whether the vote itself followed the agreed upon rules of the chamber.“We had no idea what we were taking a roll call on,” said Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, the GOP minority leader. Hortman responded that GOP members were using “dilatory” tactics to slow things down.It was a procedural fight that has little impact on the final version of the legislation, but it is emblematic of the frustrations Minnesota Republicans have had with Democrats, who are in complete control of the state ...

Motorist enters not guilty plea to charges he mowed down 3 deer in Ely

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

VIRGINIA, Minn. — The man accused of crashing his truck into three deer in Ely in March pleaded not guilty Friday to three misdemeanor charges of chasing or injuring wildlife with a vehicle.Casey Meadows, 20, and his attorney appeared in front of St. Louis County District Judge Mark Starr in a Zoom hearing. A pretrial hearing was set for July 5.Meadows is accused of intentionally ramming his pickup truck into three deer on an Ely road, paralyzing all three, which had to be euthanized.The Duluth News Tribune first reported the case March 27 when Meadows faced a single misdemeanor charge of chasing or injuring wildlife by use of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor with a $300 penalty, and was also issued state restitution orders of $500 for each deer, for a total penalty of $1,800. The single misdemeanor citation would have allowed Meadows to plead guilty and pay his fines without appearing in court.But due to public outcry that the charges and penalties weren’t strong enough to fit ...

Child among several shot in Albany

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Albany police are on the scene at 221 Second Avenue in Albany, where several people were shot. Among those was a child whose torso was grazed. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police department public information officer Steve Smith confirmed that the shooting took place at a barber shop, Village Barber and Beauty. The preliminary investigation indicates that an unknown shooter fired into the building from outside.Smith said that three people were hit. Besides the child, one victim, hit in the shoulder, is being treated for serious injuries at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Another, hit in the foot, is also being treated at Albany Med for non-life-threatening injuries.The scene is still active. Contact the police at (518) 462-8039 if you have any information about this shooting. Stick with NEWS10 for more s the story develops.

Severe storms roll through St. Louis, leading to some local flood risks

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:09:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Some severe thunderstorms, gusty winds and small hail chances are likely Saturday from the afternoon to early evening hours in the St. Louis region. A storm system is moving east toward the Metro East after rolling through parts of St. Charles County, St. Louis County and St. Louis City. Some viewers tell FOX 2 they saw up to quarter-sized hail through the area. St. Louis radar: See a map of current weather here A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for St. Louis through 7 p.m. Saturday. If it becomes a warning in your area, take shelter immediately. Also, be aware of potential flooding risks in your area. The St. Louis Fire Department is helping with some flooding situations on Kingshighway and Natural Bridge that have left drivers and passenger stranded. Temperatures will be warm and humid into the evening hours as well. Check back for more updates.