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Wagner forces pull back from Moscow as Prigozhin’s rebellion fizzles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

Rebel fighters loyal to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group will stop their advance towards Moscow to avoid a devastating civil conflict, their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday.In a voice recording posted to his Telegram channel, Prigozhin said his troops would turn back after advancing within 200 kilometers of Moscow on a day when Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned Wagner’s uprising as “treason” and warned that the country risked tipping into civil war.Prigozhin, smarting over the Kremlin’s inept handling of the war in Ukraine, announced early on Saturday that his mercenaries had seized the major southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, a logistics hub for Putin’s war, and threatened to push on to Moscow.  Wagner forces also appeared to be well established in the city of Voronezh, 500 kilometers south of the capital.  After a day of heightened military tensions — with shells fired in Voronezh and Chechen fighters being dispatched to take on Wagner in Rostov — ...

Boston bike lanes plan draws opposition: The proposed routes would be ‘deadly’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

The City of Boston is moving forward with plans to add bike lanes and reconfigure streets in two neighborhoods, despite heavy opposition from residents.Two heated community meetings and a flurry of emails shared with the Herald point to safety concerns among residents living in both Back Bay and West Roxbury, where plans to install bike lanes on Berkeley, Beacon and Boylston streets, and Centre Street, respectively, were presented in the past several weeks.“We understand and support the concept of a system of bike paths connecting all parts of the city,” wrote Elliott Laffer, chair of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay, in one such email. “However, we believe it would be irresponsible to implement such a plan in an area where an unsuspecting bike rider or pedestrian would be placed in peril.“The proposed routes on Berkeley and Beacon streets would be deadly. We ask reconsideration of this deeply flawed plan.”Another resident, Judy Settana, wrote that she and her husband we...

Rebellious Wagner Group leader orders troops back to Ukraine after stunning march toward Moscow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

By The Associated PressA rebellious Russian mercenary commander said Saturday he ordered his troops to halt their march on Moscow and retreat to field camps in Ukraine, appearing to defuse a dramatically escalating crisis that represented the most significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power.Moscow had braced for the arrival of forces from the Wagner Group, a private army led by Yevgeny Prigozhin that has been fighting alongside regular Russian troops in Ukraine, by erecting checkpoints with armored vehicles and troops on the city’s southern edge. Red Square was shut down, and the mayor urged motorists to stay off some roads.But Prigozhin announced that while his men were just 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Moscow, he decided to turn them back to avoid “shedding Russian blood.”He did not say whether the Kremlin had responded to his demand to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. There was no immediate comment from Putin...

Top 10 players available on NBA’s free agent market from James Harden to Bruce Bown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

We’ve written about this before and the trend has remained true: free agency in the NBA ain’t what it used to be.The stars have learned that it’s better to secure the extension through Bird Rights — thereby maximizing their contracts — and pick the destination later by requesting a trade. Kevin Durant did it. Bradley Beal did it. Dame Lillard could do it next.As a result, the upcoming free agency won’t include a franchise player changing teams for a fourth straight year. The 2019 class was a doozy and we may never see it again.But there are some game-changers available, even if most of the top free agents will likely re-sign with their current squads.Below is a ranked list of the top-10 free agents. The negotiation period begins at 6 p.m. on June 30 — although we know tampering is commonplace beforehand — and deals can become official July 6:1. JAMES HARDENAge: 33Incumbent team: SixersLast season’s salary: $33 millionThere have b...

Chain of survival: Man suffering cardiac arrest recovers after 70 minutes of CPR

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- A man's life was saved this week after a “chain of survival” involving his family, first responders and hospital staff.Tri-City Medical Center (TCMC) in North County, San Diego called it "extraordinary."The phrase "chain of survival" refers to "the chain of events that must occur in rapid succession to maximize the chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest."For 67-year-old David Mills, this was life-saving. He recently suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his home, which professionals at Tri-City Medical Center say was caused by ventricular fibrillation (VFib). This is described as a malfunction of theheart’s normal rhythm. This is the most commonly used drug among adults arrested in San Diego If not treated within minutes, VFib can be fatal as the heart stops pumping blood to the body, the hospital explained. The brain and lungs become quickly affected during this type of medical emergency.For David, the "chain of survival" began with his wife, Georgia. T...

Librarians train to defend intellectual freedom and fight book bans at Chicago conference

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — School librarian Jamie Gregory has been called a “pedophile” and “groomer,” bombarded with private messages threatening harm, accused of distributing pornography in schools, and had her personal address posted on social media.She takes it on the chin.“I’m just not going to quit. I’m not going to let them call me that, especially when I’ve worked my whole entire life to get to where I am,” said Gregory, who was named the 2022 South Carolina school librarian of the year.The “shocking” allegations made her think: “My whole entire adult life, and all of my education and all my work — what if this is over? I’m not going to let that happen,” Gregory said Saturday to a room packed full of about 100 fellow librarians at a training session on fighting book bans at the American Library Association’s annual meeting in Chicago.The attendees broke into applause at Gregory’s declaration.Book bans and how to fight them is a major focus of the this year’s ALA’s conf...

Funnel cloud advisory, rainfall warning for Toronto and GTA

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

Environment Canada is warning of possible funnel clouds this afternoon and evening across much of southern Ontario. A special weather advisory was issued just before 3:30 p.m. for Toronto and the GTA, saying conditions are favourable for the development of funnel clouds.“These types of funnel clouds are generated by weak rotation under rapidly growing clouds or weak thunderstorms,” the national weather service said. “This weak rotation is normally not a danger near the ground. However, there is a chance that this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado.”Landspout tornadoes don’t usually cause significant damage but can be strong enough to topple trees, damage roofs or toss debris short distances.“Should a funnel cloud develop nearby, prepare to take shelter. These funnel clouds usually appear with little or no warning.”A funnel cloud advisory is now in effect across portions of southern Ontario????Several funnel cloud re...

His LGBTQ teen book is one of the most banned in the U.S. Here's why he keeps writing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Writer and illustrator Mike Curato didn't set out to write one of the most-banned books in school libraries (or the most banned, depending which list you're reading). Instead, he says he was just being honest about what it's like being a young LGBTQ person.The Massachusetts-based artist has written several children's books — many starring a polka-dotted elephant named Little Elliot — but older readers may be more familiar with his blockbuster young adult graphic novel "Flamer." Released in 2020, the book, aimed at readers ages 14-18, is a based on Curato's own experiences as a gay Filipino Boy Scout. Memes, jokes about Titan submersible draw criticism over insensitivity "Flamer" has earned rave reviews and won awards for its portrayal of suicidal ideation, which LGBTQ youth are at higher risk of due to societal mistreatment. In "Flamer," fourteen-year-old protagonist Aiden discovers a first male crush — but he also faces severe bullying and alienation at summer camp. ...

Shop on social media the smart way

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

(NerdWallet) - When Ziwei Cong bought some sweatpants that caught her eye during a livestream shopping event on social media, she was disappointed when they arrived and didn’t fit well.“It’s very easy for me to become irrational during these kinds of shopping events,” says the assistant professor of marketing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She adds that the hosts can be very persuasive and hook you with limited- time offers to trigger impulse purchases.Social shopping, or purchases made through social media sites that sometimes incorporate livestreaming events with influencers, is booming. Almost half of U.S. consumers (47%) say they’ve made a purchase on social media, and 39% say they have bought that way and would do so again, according to 2022 data in a report released in April by the market intelligence agency Mintel.“Shopping on social media has really taken off more with younger consumers. They’re on their phones more and on social media more often, s...

Person airlifted after falling 15 feet at Pace Bend Park, ATCEMS says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:27 GMT

SPICEWOOD, Texas (KXAN) -- One person was airlifted via STARFlight after falling approximately 15 feet at Pace Bend Park-Levi Cove in Spicewood, Austin-Travis County EMS said on Twitter.At approximately 1:45 p.m., medics and STARFlight responded to the incident and declared the person a trauma alert, according to Twitter.The patient was transported by the Pedernales Fire Department boat to "the flats" where STARFlight landed and transported the person, who was not identified Saturday, to Dell Seton with potentially serious injuries, medics said.No further information was released, and the incident remained under investigation Saturday.