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Biden to tout NATO’s unity at Vilnius summit, but it’s getting complicated

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

President Joe Biden’s trip to Europe next week may feel familiar, coming under the shadow of an increasingly stalemated war.But for administration officials and foreign policy experts, the five-day swing across the Atlantic has quickly taken on heightened import: a bit of high-wire act diplomacy that could profoundly impact international alliances and fundamentally alter the very course of the war itself. The opportunity is there, they argue.“This is the weakest Putin has been since taking power,” said Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, a global risk assessment firm based in New York. “Those escalation concerns that existed when the war began have steadily diminished.”Biden leaves Sunday for a trip that will have at its heart the NATO summit in Lithuania, a gathering now timed to an inflection point in Russia’s invasion of its neighbor. Held in Vilnius, just a few hundred miles from the fighting, the alliance’s gathering comes as Ukraine has slowly rolled out its counterof...

Chelsea apartment fire caused by electric skateboard displaces three people

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

An apartment fire in Chelsea displaced three people early Saturday morning, crews said.The fire at 330 Washington Avenue was confined to one room and was caused by an electric skateboard catching on fire. The scene was cleared by 4 a.m. Saturday, and no one was injured.

Scott Keltner, the Mets’ clubhouse operations boss, is the real team MVP

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

Lefty-swinging Giant Brandon Crawford sent a scorcher toward the first base bag at Citi Field. If the ball gets past Mets All-Star Pete Alonso, it has double written all over it.Luckily, the ball hooks foul, but the “Polar Bear” can’t take the chance and dives head first like he’s going after a loose C-Note on a Willets Point sidewalk. He winds up accelerating into foul territory as if on a wild backyard Slip ‘N Slide.Scott Keltner sees the play and can’t wait to get his hands on Alonso’s jersey. He isn’t some memorabilia collector waiting to purchase a game-worn uniform. Keltner is the coordinator of clubhouse operations for the Mets.His job, along with his staff of 13, is to keep both clubhouses up and running before, during and after the game and Keltner has the most important task.He keeps the Mets’ uniforms sparkling clean.“See,” Keltner points to Alonso’s jersey laying on a table in the Mets’ laundry...

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party goes to court to challenge a police decision to ban its rally

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s main opposition party went to court Saturday to challenge a police decision to ban a political rally it wants to hold in the buildup to what will be highly scrutinized elections next month.The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party has been told it cannot hold the gathering in the town of Bindura north of the capital, Harare, on Sunday. The venue is unsuitable as it is a “bushy area” without “serviceable roads,” according to the police order.The CCC says the ban is another example of how President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is suppressing and stifling opposition ahead of elections on Aug. 23.The southern African nation has a history of violent and disputed elections, including five years ago when Mnangagwa won a close vote after replacing Robert Mugabe as president in a coup.The High Court in Harare was hearing the CCC’s challenge to the ban on its rally on Saturday. The opposition party would decide on the “way f...

South Koreans protest Japan’s plans to release treated wastewater from damaged Fukushima plant

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Hundreds of people marched in South Korea’s capital on Saturday demanding Japan scrap its plans to release treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, as the head of the U.N. nuclear agency met with senior officials to discuss public concerns over foods safety.The protests came a day after South Korea’s government formally endorsed the safety of the Japanese plans, saying that the contamination levels of water pumped out from the plant would be within acceptable standards and wouldn’t meaningfully affect South Korean seas as long as the plant’s treatment systems work as designed.The announcement aligned with the views of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which greenlit the Japanese discharge plans this week, saying the treated wastewater would meet international safety standards and pose negligible environmental and health impacts.Braving blistering summer heat and closely watched by police, the protesters walked in long l...

The rain returns to Wimbledon on Day 6 of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — The rain returned to Wimbledon on Day 6 of the grass-court tournament, with only one match completed Saturday before play was suspended on all outside courts.Beatriz Haddad Maia, a 13th-seeded Brazilian who reached the semifinals at this year’s French Open, beat Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-2 in the third round on No. 3 Court.Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova nearly made it in time, leading Natalija Stevanovic 6-3, 4-6 on No. 2 Court when the rain started.Only Centre Court and No. 1 Court have roofs at the All England Club. Play in those two stadiums is expected to get started as scheduled.Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz will be first on Centre Court against Nicolas Jarry in the third round. Sixth-seeded Ons Jabeur, who reached the Wimbledon and U.S. Open finals last year, is then scheduled to meet Bianca Andreescu and defending champion Elena Rybakina will face Katie Boulter.On No. 1 Court, third-seeded Daniil Medvedev will be first against Marton Fucsovi...

Saturday morning showers, good air quality in Chicago

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

Saturday: Some AM rain/thunderstorms. Slow gradual PM clearing. Air quality is Good. N 10-15 mph. Highs mid 70s, cooler lakesideSaturday Night: A few clouds & comfortable. NNW 5-15 mph. Low 60-65Sunday: Warmer & sunnier. NNW/E 5-10 mph. Highs near 80. A bit cooler lakeside. Chicago Area Radar | WGN TVExtended outlook has Mother Nature turning up the heat again for Mon/Tue with highs near 90 and it'll get pretty muggy too. Chance of strong to severe thunderstorms returns Tue afternoon and evening. Rain and thunderstorms look likely for Wednesday with temps in the upper 70s. Chance of sun and afternoon thunderstorms for Thu/Fri with highs in the mid to low 80s. 

Rattlesnakes are more social than we thought

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

(The Hill) -- A new discovery suggests reptiles may be far more social than we thought.Place a rattlesnake in a bucket and shake it, and the result will be predictable: The stressed-out reptile will begin rattling its tail to warn off the enemies outside. But place two rattlesnakes in a bucket and something entirely different happens, according to findings published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Ethology.In the presence of a comrade — even a stranger — the jostled rattlesnakes' heart rates stayed lower than when the snakes were alone.That finding is potentially revolutionary, as it represents the first peer-reviewed discovery of reptiles that draw emotional support from each other's presence.The phenomenon the researchers were studying is called "social buffering," and it has been widely documented across the bird and mammal families — as well as being a nearly universal human experience.Anyone who has felt a stressful situation eased by the presence of a frien...

Heating up

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The area had two days with highs at or below normal. Thursday's high was 92°, 3° below normal. Yesterday's maximum was 95°. That is the normal for July 7. Highs will be warmer than normal for at least the next seven days. In fact, many locations will return to highs reaching 100° and higher starting today and going out to at least Friday.Afternoon highs back to triple digits starting todayThis means, of course, that heat index values will be rising with maximums today likely to average around 102° to 106°.Higher heat index readings this afternoonBoth the high temperatures and the heat indices will be increasing through the week. While there won't be any record highs set (today's is 106° in 2009) there may be some records tied or set for the warmest lows.There is no rain forecast (10% or higher) today, but a spot shower over Fayette County from the sea breeze this afternoon is possible. The center of the upper-level high is southwest of El Paso. It's going to move ve...

Man accused of lewd act near children at Collinsville water park

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:56:19 GMT

MADISON COUNTY, Ill. - A 32-year-old faces criminal charges after being accused of masturbating near children at a Collinsville water park. The Madison County State’s Attorney's Office has charged Chad A. Green, 32, with sexual exploitation of a child and disorderly conduct over alleged actions at the Collinsville Aqua Park.Investigators say Green was engaged in an act of masturbation Thursday while in the presence of children. Suspect found beaten and bloody in field, police involvement investigated Green is jailed in Madison County as of Friday afternoon on a $50,000. A judge also granted a prosecution request that, in the event Green is released on bond, he would be prohibited from having contact with anyone younger than 18The Madison County State’s Attorney's Office asks anyone with additional information relevant to this case contact Collinsville Police at 618-344-2131.