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Russia opens a criminal investigation into a leader of a prominent election watchdog

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into one of the leaders of a prominent independent election monitoring group, his lawyer said Thursday. The case against Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of Russia’s leading election watchdog Golos, is the latest step in the months-long crackdown on Kremlin critics and rights activists that the government ratcheted up after sending troops into Ukraine. Melkonyants’ lawyer Mikhail Biryukov told The Associated Press that his client is facing charges of “organizing activities” of an “undesirable” group, a criminal offense punishable by up to six years in prison. Golos has not been labeled “undesirable” — a label that under a 2015 law makes involvement with such organizations a criminal offense. But it was once a member of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, a group that was declared “undesirable” in Russia in 2021. Police raided the homes of a further 14 Golos members ...

UN says militants are occupying a school complex in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian camp after clashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Two weeks after clashes between armed factions in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp ended, militants are still occupying a United Nations-run school complex, U.N. officials said Thursday.Dorothee Klaus, director of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, in Lebanon, said in a statement that the agency has “received alarming reports that armed actors continue to occupy its installations including a school compound” in the Ein el-Hilweh camp. The compound provides education to 3,200 out of a total of 6,000 students in the camp, which is home to more than 50,000 people. Earlier this month, Klaus said that the start of the school year might be delayed for students in the camp due to damages to the school facilities.Klaus said the continued presence of militants is a “grave violation of the inviolability of UN premises under international law, which compromises the neutrality of UNRWA installations and undermines the safety and security of o...

A remote evacuation scramble as the Northwest Territories burns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

(UPDATE: Late Wednesday night, the government of the Northwest Territories announced a phased evacuation order for Yellowknife as the fires closed in.)In today’s Big Story Podcast, there are hundreds of fires burning in the Northwest Territories right now. Some are threatening Yellowknife, leaving parts of the city under evacuation watch. Others have already forced evacuations by plane in remote communities without road access. The challenge is immense. The area is vast, much of it is on fire, and communication can be unstable.Emily Blake is a reporter and assistant editor of Cabin Radio, based in Yellowknife. She said there already seems to be more property loss this year than the devastating NWT fires of 2014.“We care about our homes, we care about our communities, and this is just really shocking and devastating,” said Blake.How bad is this season compared to seasons past? How much has already been destroyed and how tense is the situation? Is any relief in sight? And why can̵...

North side pharmacy burglarized, unknown medication stolen

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

CHICAGO -- Unknown medication was stolen from a pharmacy during a burglary on the North Side early Thursday morning, police said. Officers responded to a burglary at Tarpey's Pharmacy in the 5900 block of North Cicero Avenue around 2:48 a.m. and found damaged windows. Man dies after being found shot multiple times in alley on West Side Security camera footage showed three unknown individuals breaking into the business using an object and taking unknown medication. The individuals fled the business eastbound on Cicero Avenue.There is currently no one in custody and police are investigating the incident.

Opioids, obesity now ranked as top public health threats in new poll 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

(The Hill) - Americans have ranked opioids and obesity as the top threats to public health while ranking COVID-19 toward the bottom of the list, according to a new poll.The new Axios-Ipsos poll found that 26 percent of Americans said opioids and fentanyl are the top public health threat, closely followed by 23 percent that said obesity is. Twenty percent listed access to firearms as the number one threat and 11 percent listed cancer.Just 2 percent of Americans said COVID-19 was the top threat. This comes as COVID-19 cases have increased this summer, with some areas seeing hospitalizations triple due to the cases.Only about a third of Americans reported social distancing or wearing a mask at least sometimes, the poll noted.The results also show that views on the top public health threats were largely divided along party lines. Republicans were more likely to report opioids and obesity as their number one concern, while Democrats were more concerned about gun deaths.Level of education...

More Americans say moderate drinking is unhealthy: Gallup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

(The Hill) -- A record-high percentage of Americans say drinking in moderation is bad for one’s health, according to a new poll.The Gallup poll, released on Thursday, revealed 39 percent of respondents said consuming one or two drinks a day is bad for one's health — an increase of 11 points since the survey was last conducted in 2018. The sharp rise also marks a departure from the stagnant levels seen since the survey was first conducted. In 2001, 27 percent of respondents said moderate drinking was bad for your health. While that level dipped to 22 percent in 2005, it has hovered at about 25-28 percent in the years since.Fewer Americans say moderate drinking is good for your health, at 10 percent in 2023, compared to 16 percent in 2018. Half of the respondents in the new poll say moderate drinking makes no difference to one’s health, a 5-point drop from 55 percent in 2018.  Opioids, obesity now ranked as top public health threats in new poll The rise is attributed la...

Missouri parents can be jailed if kids miss too many school days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

(NewsNation) — The Missouri Supreme Court upheld a state law requiring school attendance after two Lebanon, Missouri, parents were sentenced to jail following excessive absences by their children. Court documents indicated that during the 2021-2022 academic year, a first-grade student missed nine days of school, while a kindergartner missed seven days without any explanation. The two mothers, Caitlyn Williams and Tamarae Larue, took their case to the Supreme Court, arguing that the state law mandating "regular" attendance lacks clarity. The state's compulsory attendance law requires children to attend school on a "regular basis." The mothers appealed, arguing that this requirement is constitutionally unclear. However, the court disagreed, ruling against them in a 6-0 vote, with one justice not participating. “Given the notice provided to each parent and that each parent was in control of their young child, evidence existed to support the inference that each parent knowingly failed t...

'That was my moment': Christopher Morel has dramatic homer - and celebration - in Cubs' walk-off win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

CHICAGO — One of the most exciting young players on the Cubs' roster added a dramatic first to his Major League Baseball resume on Wednesday night along with a celebration to remember. All were part of his moment that took what looked like a City Series win for the White Sox and flipped it on its head. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)With the Cubs down 3-1 with two runners on in the ninth, Christopher Morel took the fourth pitch he saw from Gregory Santos deep to right center field. The ball would drop just above the basket into the first row of the bleachers to give the Cubs a 4-3 win, setting off a celebration to remember. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)As fans roared their approval around Wrigley Field, Morel took his helmet off and sprinted around the bases looking towards the dugout. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)He eventually threw his helmet away as he rounded second, then around third base Morel completely took his jersey off. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)He'd toss that away before leaping onto ...

Thorndale ISD starts school with armed teachers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

THORNDALE (KXAN) — As parents drop off their kids for the first day of school, they’ll see a sign standing in front of all three Thorndale Independent School District campuses.For the last six years, Thorndale ISD has equipped its teachers with guns and active shooter training to protect its students.It’s a warning for intruders, indicating that some staff members are armed and may use force to protect their students.For the last six years, Thorndale ISD — located about 50 miles northeast of Austin — has trained faculty members to be armed and prepared to defend their schools in case of an active shooter. Texas school district adds more armed teachers to campus Thorndale ISD Board of Trustees president David Hall has played a pivotal part with organizing the “School Guardian” program."It’s something you hope that you never have to implement,” he said. “But it's there if you need it.”The district has over 600 students across three campuses. Hall says arming the district's teachers ...

Ada Deer, Wisconsin Native American leader and former federal official, dies at 88

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:17:56 GMT

Ada Deer, an esteemed Native American leader from Wisconsin and the first woman to lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs, has died at age 88.Deer passed away Tuesday evening from natural causes, members of her family confirmed on Wednesday. She had entered hospice care last month.“She passed last night in peace surrounded by loved ones,” said her nephew Joe Deer, one of her primary caretakers. “We miss her, but what a life she led.”Born August 7, 1935, on the Menominee reservation in Keshena, Wisconsin, Deer is remembered as a trailblazer and fierce advocate for tribal sovereignty. She played a key role in reversing Termination Era policies of the 1950s that took away the Menominee people’s federal tribal recognition.“Ada was one of those extraordinary people who would see something that needed to change in the world and then make it her job and everyone else’s job to see to it that it got changed,” her godson Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said. “She took...