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Erdogan signals Turkey isn’t ready to ratify Sweden NATO membership, saying there’s more work to do

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled Monday that his country is not ready to ratify Sweden’s membership in NATO, saying Stockholm had to work harder on the “homework” it needs to complete.Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan also renewed his condemnation of a Quran-burning protest that took place in Sweden last week, describing the action as a hate crime against Muslims. “We have made it clear that the determined fight against terrorist organizations and Islamophobia are our red line,” Erdogan said. “Everyone must accept that Turkey’s friendship cannot be won by supporting terrorism or by making space for terrorists.”Turkey has delayed giving its final approval to Sweden’s membership in the military alliance, accusing the country of being too lenient toward anti-Islamic demonstrations and groups that Ankara regards as security threats. These include militant Kurdish groups that have waged a deadly, decades-long insurgency in Turkey. ...

Gentrification leads to madness, cannibalism and laughs in ‘The Horror of Dolores Roach’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

When Justina Machado returns home to her native Chicago, she barely recognizes it. Machado grew up in Chicago’s inner city, in the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Humboldt Park and Logan Square — all of which she says have been gentrified.“You love the good restaurants, you love all this beauty, but you’re sad that your people get pushed out because who doesn’t want great restaurants and great places and safety? Who doesn’t want that? The problem is, a lot of my people get pushed out… Taxes and property are like three times what you could buy in the ’80’s, ’90s and early 2000s. It’s sad to watch.”Gentrification is also a catalyst for Machado’s new dark comedy series “ The Horror of Dolores Roach,” debuting Friday on Prime Video.Machado plays Roach, a woman who has spent 16 years in prison on marijuana charges. When she gets released, the world around her looks completely different. Told she has “magic hands” as a masseuse in priso...

Emaciated and imprisoned, ex-president Saakashvili tells Georgian court he is spiritually fit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia’s imprisoned former president Mikheil Saakashvili appeared severely emaciated on Monday in videolink testimony to a court considering an abuse-of-power case against him.Saakashvili and his supporters claim he has been poisoned while imprisoned and that he now weighs about 60 kilograms (132 pounds), half of what he weighed when he was arrested in October 2021.From the private clinic where he is being held, he told the court that despite his poor health, he was “spiritually fit and determined to serve the country,” according to local news site Agenda. Saakashvili, who served as Georgia’s president in 2004-13 and led the so-called Rose Revolution protests that drove the previous president out of office, left for Ukraine after the end of his second term. He was later convicted in absentia of abuse of power and sentenced to six years in prison.He was arrested in October 2021 after returning to Georgia to try to bolster opposition forces before ...

2 injured after collision between vehicle and cyclist in Brampton

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

Two people have been injured after a collision between a cyclist and a vehicle in Brampton.Peel police were called to The Gore and Fogal Roads just before 1:30 p.m. to reports of a collision.The driver involved has been taken to hospital in life-threatening condition. Police say they believe the driver suffered a medical episode prior to the crash.The cyclist was taken to hospital after suffering minor injuries.

Greece urges EU border agency not to pull out of the country as questions mount over migrant deaths

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s new minister for migration said Monday he would consider it “unthinkable” for the European Union to pull out its border protection force from the country, and promised to address a growing list of international grievances over dealing with migrants. A dispute between Greece’s government and the EU border agency Frontex worsened after a trawler carrying hundreds of migrants sank off the coast of the Greek mainland on June 14, leaving more than 500 people feared dead.Frontex has also given Greece until July 10 to provide explanations regarding new reports of alleged illegal deportations – known as pushbacks – of migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos.Dimitris Kairidis, the migration minister, said he would meet with Frontex officials in Athens and at the agency’s headquarters in Warsaw, Poland in the coming days.“I think it would be unthinkable for Frontex to leave our country,” Kairidis told state-run ERT television. “They would be sho...

Man fatally shoots wife, teen daughter in Little Village; charges pending

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

CHICAGO — A man is in custody after fatally shooting his wife and teen daughter and injuring his 18-year-old son, according to Chicago police.The shooting happened around 12:15 a.m. Monday in the 2600 block of South Millard. Police said officers responded to shots fired at a residence and found three people struck by gunfire.According to police, a 15-year-old girl was shot in the face and transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The medical examiner has identified the teen as Daniela Alvarez.A 48-year-old woman was shot multiple times in the torso and pronounced on the scene. The medical examiner has identified her as Karina Gonzalez. New law allows police to fly drones over public gatherings The 18-year-old boy was shot in the ankle and transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition.Police said the man was placed into custody at the scene. Charges are pending.The circumstances surrounding the shooting are unclear at this time. A weapon was recove...

A few days of double-digit highs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It was nice to get a break from highs of 100° and higher with most maximum temperatures Sunday in the mid to upper 90s. What's better is that we have a few more days of this. The afternoon started with a few areas of light rain in some of Gillespie and San Saba Counties. This is part of the slight chance of showers and a few thunderstorms during this afternoon and early evening. Otherwise, the sky will be mostly cloudy. Glad for some shade from these clouds.Today's normal high is 95°The short-term forecast shows that the Fourth should be mostly dry with the sun and clouds blend. The evening will also be dry, although it will be humid, for those who will be enjoying the evening outdoors.Happy Fourth of JulyThe seabreeze is forecast to become more active with a few showers Wednesday afternoon followed by a few more showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening. Another ridge of upper-level high pressure will be returning to Texas during the week. Afternoon ...

Twitter changes could disrupt how public agencies distribute information, expert says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After Twitter-owner Elon Musk announced new limits on its users, the CEO of a communications and public relations agency that specializes in police, fire and public schools says the move could hurt how agencies distribute information, especially when it comes to communicating with media outlets. "We've really seen this be one of the primary ways that public safety engages with the press for several years now," said John Guilfoil, CEO of JGPR. KXAN regularly uses Twitter to track Austin police, fire, EMS and traffic information. Elon Musk put new limits on tweets. Users and advertisers might go elsewhere Musk originally said people without Twitter Blue would be limited to viewing 600 posts per day. Those that pay for the verification would get up to 6,000 views. He later upped that to 800 posts a day and 8,000 respectively. That means if public agencies are largely using Twitter to distribute information to its local news, and the public, it may not reach as many ...

How to protect your pets during 4th of July holiday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As Central Texans gear up for 4th of July fireworks and festivities Tuesday, local animal shelters are advocating for pet owners to be extra vigilant in keeping their furry friends safe.Data from national lost pet recovery system Pet Amber Alert reported a 30% increase nationwide in lost pets between July 4-6. Those upticks are largely attributed to animals fleeing in fear of loud explosions caused by fireworks shows.Kelsey Cler, marketing and communication manager for Austin Animal Center, said the organization hasn't historically seen massive upticks in lost pets turning up following the July holiday. She credited local community groups -- such as neighborhood Nextdoor and Facebook groups along with Austin Lost and Found Pets -- in helping locate and reunite missing pets with their owners."Our community is so great at getting dogs back home around the 4th of July," she said. "I think part of that is that owners are being a little bit more proactive, and so these d...

SEC: Three men who died in Bloomington murder-suicide allegedly stole millions from investors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:12:24 GMT

The three men who died in a February murder-suicide in Bloomington stole millions of dollars from investors in and around the Twin Cities, according to a civil action filed last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission.Richard Myre, 44, of Belle Plaine, and Buffalo men Dale Dahmen, 55, and his son, Dominick Dahmen, 25, persuaded numerous people — including Dale Dahmen’s parents — to invest in their day-trading company, Spartan Trading, but either didn’t invest the funds or did so sparingly and then lied about profitability of the investments, the SEC said.The three men were found dead Feb. 1 in a pickup in the parking lot of the France Place office tower at France Avenue South and Interstate 494. Authorities believe Myre shot the other two men before killing himself.The case filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota seeks to freeze any assets in the men’s estates and ultimately return that money to their investors.The SEC says that between 2019 an...