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Russian mercenaries’ revolt undermines Putin and could lead to further challenges to his rule

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

For the first time in his more than 20-year rule, President Vladimir Putin’s power appeared to hang in the balance this weekend.And even though the rebellious Russian mercenary forces who descended on Moscow have turned back, Putin will struggle to project the image of a man in total control that he once did. That could set the stage for further challenges to his rule at home and could weaken Russia’s hand in the war in Ukraine.With spectacular ease and a stated aim of ousting Russia’s defense minister, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner troops swept into Rostov-on-Don, a city of 1.1 million people, and seized the military headquarters there. They then continued hundreds of kilometers (miles) north on a lightning march toward the capital without meeting any serious resistance.Some were even cheered — a sign that Prigozhin’s positioning of himself as an enemy of a corrupt and incompetent elite resonated and a detail that will not be lost on those surrounding Putin in ...

Arctic and global security top agenda as Trudeau meets Nordic leaders in Iceland

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

KEFLAVIK, ICELAND — Arctic security and Russia’s invasion in Ukraine were top of mind as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Iceland Sunday for a two-day summit with Nordic leaders.Trudeau is a guest at the annual meeting of leaders from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, where global security was already high on the agenda before 24 hours of chaos in Russia threw even more uncertainty into the mix.Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the mercenary Wagner Group that has been helping the Russian military invade Ukraine, led a brief armed rebellion through several Russian cities Saturday. He got within 200 kilometres of Moscow before calling the whole thing off.Trudeau spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone Sunday as questions continued to swirl about exactly what Prigozhin intended with his armed march, what effect it will have longer term on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hold on power, and his ongoing invasion of Ukraine.Zelenskyy ackno...

Water being tested where freight train carrying hazardous material plunged into Yellowstone River

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

COLUMBUS, Mont. (AP) — Authorities on Sunday were testing the water quality along a stretch of the Yellowstone River where mangled cars carrying hazardous materials remained after crashing into the waterway following a bridge collapse.Seven train cars carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur fell into the rushing river Saturday morning near the town of Columbus, about 40 miles (about 64 kilometers) west of Billings. The area is in a sparsely populated section of the Yellowstone River Valley, surrounded by ranch and farmland. Water testing began Saturday and will continue as crews work to remove the cars, a spokesperson for train operator Montana Rail Link, Andy Garland, said in a statement Sunday. Montana Rail Link was working with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency on the cleanup, removal and restoration efforts, he said. “Montana Rail Link remains committed to addressing any potential impacts to the area as a result of thi...

Conservative New Democracy party wins landslide victory in Greek elections for second 4-year term

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s conservative New Democracy party won a landslide victory in the country’s second election in five weeks Sunday, with partial official results showing it gaining a comfortable parliamentary majority to form a government for a second four-year term.Official results from nearly 90% of voting centers nationwide showed Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ party with just over 40% of the vote, with his main rival, the left-wing Syriza party, suffering a crushing defeat with just under 18%, even worse than its 20% in the last elections in May. Sunday’s vote came just over a week after a migrant ship capsized and sank off the western coast of Greece, leaving hundreds of people dead and missing and calling into question the actions of Greek authorities and the country’s strict migration policy. But the disaster, one of the worst in the Mediterranean in recent years, did not affect the election, with domestic economic issues at the forefront of vot...

Large crowds pack Toronto streets as Canada’s largest Pride parade begins

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

TORONTO — Massive crowds are filling the streets of downtown Toronto today for Canada’s largest Pride parade.The annual event, which caps off weeks of festivities celebrating the city’s LGBTQ community, has attracted thousands of marchers and 250 participating groups. Some prominent politicians are also on hand, including federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and a handful of candidates hoping to be elected as the city’s mayor on Monday.But the event is unfolding amid heightened security prompted by a rise in threats against Pride festivals across the country and a surge in hateful incidents targeting the LGBTQ community.Parade organizer Pride Toronto says policing costs have more than doubled this year, while insurance costs ballooned from $67,000 in 2022 to more than $300,000.Some attendees say the recent attacks on LGBTQ rights make it more important than ever to celebrate Pride.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2023.The Canadian Press

NYC gets $25M for e-bike charging stations, seeking to prevent deadly battery fires

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — After a series of fires involving faulty e-bike batteries including a recent blaze that claimed four lives, New York City officials announced Sunday that they are receiving a $25 million emergency grant from the federal government to fund scores of charging stations citywide.Mayor Eric Adams hopes the stations will provide a safer way for delivery workers, who rely on e-bikes to efficiently do their jobs, to recharge lithium batteries used to power their bicycles.“This means that residents will no longer need to charge the e-bikes in their apartments — what we find to be extremely dangerous, particularly when you charge them overnight,” Adams said at a news conference Sunday. He was flanked by the state’s two U.S. senators who helped secure the funding from the US. Department of Transportation.The announcement comes after a lithium ion battery caught fire and engulfed an e-bike shop in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The fire and thick smoke spread to apartments a...

Man dead after early morning shooting in Elgin

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

ELGIN — A man is dead after a shooting early Sunday morning in Elgin, according to police.Elgin Police Department officers were called to the shooting around 1 a.m. in the 200 block of South Aldine Street. SWAT situation resolved in Schiller Park, person in custody The man was taken to a local hospital where he later died, according to police.His identity hasn't been released at this time.The incident is still under investigation, but police said it appears to be an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community.Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives, which can be done online.People with information can call detectives at 847-289-2600 or by texting the tip to 847411 and including "ELGINPD" in the message.

Florida man, stepson die during Texas hiking trip amid triple-digit heat

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas (WFLA) — A Florida man and his stepson died Friday while hiking at the Big Bend National Park in Texas, according to officials.A release from the National Park Service said the man and two stepsons were walking along the Marufo Vega Trail when the younger stepson, just 14 years old, became sick and passed out.At the time, the temperature at the park was 119 degrees Fahrenheit, officials said. Freight train carrying hot asphalt, molten sulfur plunges into Yellowstone River as bridge fails According to the NPS release, the boy's stepfather hiked back to their vehicle to get help while the boy's 21-year-old brother tried to carry him back to the trailhead.Big Bend National Park’s Communications Center got a call for help from the family at about 6 p.m., prompting a search by both Park Rangers and U.S. Border Patrol Agents.Officials said the search team found the 14-year-old dead along the trail at about 7:30 p.m.Around 30 minutes later, the team found th...

Ford Explorer recall prompts Transportation Department probe

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a Ford Motor Co. recall of more than a quarter-million Explorer SUVs in the U.S. after receiving complaints about repairs intended to prevent the vehicles from unexpectedly rolling away even while placed in park.The problem, ascribed to fractures of a rear axle mounting bolt that could lead the drive shaft to disconnect, was addressed by a Ford software update designed to apply the electronic parking brake if the drive shaft failed, the agency said. But according to two complaints from vehicle owners, their SUVs behaved erratically following the repair.In one of those cases, the Explorer would reportedly slam to a complete stop at speeds of up to 30 or 40 miles per hour. In the other, it would reportedly lurch into motion while the driver was attempting to disengage the electronic brake. No injuries were reported in these cases, although the first driver reported striking a utility pol...

US national parks are crowded – and so are many national forests, wildlife refuges, battlefields and seashores

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:56:31 GMT

(The Conversation) - Outdoor recreation is on track for another record-setting year. In 2022, U.S. national parks logged more than 300 million visits – and that means a lot more people on roads and trails.While research shows that spending time outside is good for physical and mental health, long lines and gridlocked roads can make the experience a lot less fun. Crowding also makes it harder for park staff to protect wildlife and fragile lands and respond to emergencies. To manage the crowds, some parks are experimenting with timed-entry vehicle reservation systems and permits for popular trails.For all of their popularity, national parks are just one subset of U.S. public lands. Across the nation, the federal government owns more than 640 million acres (2.6 million square kilometers) of land. Depending on each site’s mission, its uses may include logging, livestock grazing, mining, oil and gas production, wildlife habitat ...