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N. Korea’s Kim calls for readiness to smash US-led invasion plot, as US trains with South and Japan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for his military to be constantly ready for combat to thwart its rivals’ plots to invade his country, state media said Tuesday, as the U.S., South Korea and Japan held a trilateral naval exercise to deal with North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats. The U.S. and South Korean militaries have been separately holding summer bilateral exercises since last week. North Korea views such U.S.-involved training as an invasion rehearsal, though Washington and its partners maintain their drills are defensive. Kim said in a speech marking the country’s Navy Day on Monday that the waters off the Korean Peninsula have been made unstable “with the danger of a nuclear war” because of U.S.-led hostilities, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.He cited the U.S. drills with its allies, the deployment of more powerful U.S. weapons assets in the waters near the Korean Peninsula, and a recent U.S.-South Kore...

The UN is undertaking an unprecedented 6-month withdrawal of nearly 13,000 peacekeepers from Mali

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations is in the throes of what Secretary-General António Guterres calls an “unprecedented” six-month exit from Mali on orders of the West African nation’s military junta, which has brought in mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner Group to help fight an Islamic insurgency.The U.N. special envoy for Mali, El-Ghassim Wane, laid out the scale of the operation to the U.N. Security Council on Monday: All 12,947 U.N. peacekeepers and police must be sent home, their 12 camps and one temporary base handed over to the government, and 1,786 civilian staff terminated by the Dec. 31 deadline.Mali’s U.N. Ambassador Issa Konfourou said the government is cooperating with the U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSMA, but it will not extend the deadline. The United Nations also needs to move out approximately 5,500 sea containers of equipment and 4,000 vehicles that belong to the U.N. and the countries that contributed personnel to MINUSMA, the fourth largest of the U...

US Supreme Court Justice Barrett says she welcomes public scrutiny of court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (AP) — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told attendees at a judicial conference in Wisconsin on Monday that she welcomed public scrutiny of the court. But she stopped short of commenting on whether she thinks the court should change how it operates in the face of recent criticism. Barrett did not offer any opinion, or speak directly about, recent calls for the justices to institute an official code of conduct. Barrett took questions from Diane Sykes, chief judge of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court, at a conference attended by judges, attorneys and court personnel. The event came at a time when public trust in the court is at a 50-year low following a series of polarizing rulings, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade and federal abortion protections last year.Barrett did not mention the ethics issues that have dogged some justices — including conservatives Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito and the liberal Sonia Sotomayor. “Public scrutiny is welcome,”...

10 people charged in kidnapping and death of man from upstate New York homeless encampment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

ITHACA, N.Y. (AP) — Ten people have been charged in the death of a man who was kidnapped from a homeless encampment on the outskirts of Ithaca and found buried in a neighboring county more than two months later, authorities said Monday.The charges were announced 100 days after Thomas Rath, 33, was reported missing from the area known as “The Jungle,” a patch of woods housing tents and makeshift shelters behind a stretch of retail stores less than 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from Cornell University.Two of the suspects are charged with murder and nine are charged with kidnapping. The men and women were arrested over the past two weeks, according to police, who said additional arrests are expected.At a news conference, authorities said the investigation was ongoing and did not say how Rath died or discuss a possible motive.“These individuals were all familiar with each other,” State Police Capt. Lucas Anthony said. “I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was an orchestrated event, ...

California state Senate leader says she will step down from leadership post

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The leader of the California Senate said Monday she will step down from her leadership post, ending an historic run as the first woman and first openly gay person to lead the upper legislative chamber of the nation’s most populous state.Toni Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego, said she will step down next year. Sen. Mike McGuire, a Democrat from the state’s North Coast region, will replace Atkins as the Senate’s president pro tempore.Atkins made the announcement at a news conference with McGuire and most of the Senate Democratic Caucus standing behind her. The display of unity was in stark contrast to the leadership battle that embroiled the state Assembly last year, when new speaker Robert Rivas replaced former speaker Anthony Rendon.Atkins cannot seek re-election because of term limits and must leave the Senate at the end of next year. She said the caucus chose to announce the transition now because “a long, drawn-out successor campaign w...

Thousands take to Colombia’s streets to protest 50% increase in gasoline prices

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Thousands of protesters on cars and motorbikes took to the streets of Colombia’s main cities on Monday to reject recent hikes in gasoline prices that have drastically increased the price of fuel in the South American country. Protesters say that the monthly price hikes set by Colombia’s first leftist government are making it harder for small businesses to operate, and could push up the price of food. But the government of President Gustavo Petro says the gasoline subsidies cost about $11 billion a year. It says it must eliminate the subsidies to pay debts to the national oil company Ecopetrol, which produces most of the country’s fuel, and to free up more funds for social programs.The protest comes as discontent grows with Petro’s administration a year after he took office promising to reduce poverty and make peace with the nation’s remaining rebel groups.Petro’s administration has struggled to stop violence in rural parts of the country, and to boost C...

'I'm really devastated': Several homes damaged after fire in Chicago Lawn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

CHICAGO — A family is picking up the pieces after a fire damaged several homes in the city's Chicago Lawn neighborhood on Monday afternoon."I'm really devastated like my emotions are everywhere right now," said Denise Swift-Jones, a homeowner whose house near 69th and Rockwell was damaged when the fire spread from a nearby vacant home.Swift-Jones said two of her children were inside the house at the time the blaze spread."I was feeling scared because I didn't know I was going to die or not," said Blessing Lee, who escaped the blaze. 30 years later: A look at the last shooting at Sox Park Blessing, who was inside at the time, says she is still shaken up. She said when she saw the flames, she ran from the house and asked a neighbor for help.“For her to act the way that she did and not shut down, she didn't panic, that's a proud moment, Swift-Jones said.Given the extensive damaged to the home, the Swift-Jones family says they believe most of their belongings were destroyed.There was ...

Over 50 CPD officers promoted to detective

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

On Monday morning, Mayor Johnson, and his choice to lead the Chicago police, Larry Snelling, attended a department graduation and promotion ceremony. At the ceremony, the department promoted more than 50 detectives, a step forward in Mayor Johnson’s goal to promote 200 more officers to the position.Department staffing has been under the microscope recently. During the last mayoral campaign, Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara predicted an exodus of officers if Brandon Johnson was elected, but it has not happened, in fact, CPD has seen an increase in officers year over year. Over 250 CPD officers sworn in graduation and promotion ceremony According to the Chicago Inspector General, CPD currently has 11,722 sworn officers. Last August, there were 111 fewer officers. But CPD still has 1,600 fewer officers than it did in January 2019. The department continues to face recruitment challenges and one city official wants police to change their strategy."We need more [p...

Airline launches ‘only adult’ section for international flight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

(The Hill) — A Turkish-Dutch airline is looking to remove the disruption of children's noises by offering an “only adult zone” for flights and people traveling without kids between Amsterdam and Curaçao.  Turkish-Dutch Corendon Airlines said it is introducing “only adult zones” for flights between Amsterdam and Curaçao starting Nov. 3. “This zone on the plane is intended for travelers traveling without children and for business travelers who want to work in a quiet environment,” a translated version of the airline’s press release said. The airline argued these zones will also positively impact parents, who can “worry less about possible reactions from fellow passengers when their child is a bit busier or crying.”  Are you an unruly passenger? How to know The only adult zones will be in the front section of the plane with nine extra-large seats with additional legroom and 93 standard seats, the airline said. The zone will be “physically separated” from the ...

EMS closer to contract agreement with City of Austin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:46:34 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The bargaining team with the Austin-Travis County EMS Association agreed to a deal with the city about a four-year contract, according to union president Selena Xie."It's been a long two-year process getting to this point, and it's a step closer to pay parity that we've been asking for," she said. PREVIOUS: ‘We are worth more than 14 cents’: Austin medics comment on raise offer She said regarding next steps, union members will vote on the contract, and from there - it will go to the city council for a final vote."I am thrilled to announce [the association and the city] agreed to a four-year contract that will give well-deserved raises to medics and position us to recruit the best people to serve our community," Council Member Alison Alter said in a social media post.KXAN has reached out to the City of Austin for comment, and expect to receive a response Tuesday morning. Check back for updates.