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Border checks between Russia and Belarus are back for the first time in 28 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies, has partially restored controls on its border with its neighbor, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik said Wednesday.This is the first time in 28 years that there have been checks at the 1,239-kilometer (770-mile) border.According to Aleinik, the introduction of border controls aimed to avoid the entry of third-country nationals into Belarus, ahead of the implementation of an intergovernmental agreement on the mutual recognition of visas. However, human rights activists think the border checks will target Russian men trying to avoid mobilization into the Russian army. Aleinik said that checks on people crossing the Belarusian-Russian border are carried out by Belarusian border guards in close cooperation with their Russian counterparts. “It’s not really control, it’s more like monitoring the situation on the border,” Aleinik told reporters in Moscow. In 1995, all border controls between Russia and Belarus w...

Native American former student sues Oklahoma school for removing feather at graduation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A Native American former student is suing an Oklahoma school district for the removal of an eagle feather from her graduation cap prior to her high school graduation ceremony.The lawsuit filed Monday in Tulsa County District Court against Broken Arrow Public Schools and two employees by Lena’ Black alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and violations to her state and federal constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of religion.District spokesperson Tara Thompson said Wednesday that the suburban Tulsa school had not been served with the lawsuit and declined comment on the action, but said all students are allowed to add items to their graduation regalia.“Not only do we make exceptions for the Native American tribes, we also allow other religious and ethnic heritages to be celebrated by the wearing of specific items,” Thompson said in a statement.The lawsuit says Black, who is Otoe-Missouria and Osage, was waiting to walk onto the...

‘Destroyed my life’: Families of 8 killed in NYC bike path attack share pain at sentencing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Relatives of eight people killed in a Halloween terror attack on a New York City bike path spoke sometimes through tears at a Wednesday sentencing hearing for an Islamic extremist, describing their lingering pain and sometimes directly addressing the man convicted in the deaths.Frank Decadt, father of victim Ann-Laure Decadt, told Sayfullo Saipov that he hoped that “one day you will understand the extent of horror you have inflicted on so many people.”Marion Van Reeth, who lost her legs in the attack, sat before Saipov in her wheelchair, telling him: “I will never be able to walk like you can.” As Saipov kept his head drooped and eyes lowered, listening to a translation of the proceedings through earphones, she said: “I have a question for you. After all this time in prison, are you still convinced that your criminal acts against innocent people was the right thing?”Like others, she expressed hope that someday Saipov would see that his terrorist act was wrong.Saipov&...

NYPD confirm incident involving photographers and royal couple, say there were no injuries, collisions or arrests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NYPD confirm incident involving photographers and royal couple, say there were no injuries, collisions or arrests.Source

China asks embassies to avoid ‘propaganda’ in apparent reference to pro-Ukrainian displays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Foreign embassies in Beijing have been asked by the Chinese government to avoid displaying “propaganda” in an apparent response to shows of support for Ukraine.Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government says it is neutral in Moscow’s 15-month-old invasion of Ukraine but has repeated Russian justifications for the attack, accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking Moscow. Beijing was due to send an envoy this week to Ukraine and Russia to discuss a possible “political settlement,” but the effort is thought unlikely to make progress given China’s rhetorical, diplomatic and economic support for Moscow.A spokesperson for the European Union said the Protocol Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry circulated a note on May 8 to all diplomatic missions to the effect that they should “respect Chinese laws and regulations” and “not to use the external walls of embassies to carry out politicized propaganda to avoid causing disputes between countries.”The note does...

NYPD confirm incident involving photographers and Prince Harry and Meghan; say no injuries, collision or arrests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

LONDON (AP) — NYPD confirm incident involving photographers and Prince Harry and Meghan; say no injuries, collision or arrests.Source

Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground with hopes US may avoid default

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is gaining ground Wednesday, though it remains stuck in the tight range where it’s been for a month and a half.The S&P 500 was 0.7% higher in afternoon trading, on pace for a seventh straight week where it moves by less than 1%. That would be its longest such streak since 2018. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 274 points, or 0.8%, at 33,293, as of 12:37 p.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.7% higher.Markets got some lift from hopes that the U.S. government may avoid a first-ever default on its debt. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said late Tuesday that Democrats and Republicans could reach a deal by the end of the week, though the two sides remain far apart.They’re staring down a June 1 deadline, which is when the U.S. government could default on its debt unless Congress allows it to borrow more. A default could rock the financial system because Treasurys are seen as the safest possible investment on Earth, and economists say it wo...

Planned Parenthood asks Montana judge to block law that bans 2nd-trimester abortion method

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Planned Parenthood of Montana on Tuesday asked a state judge to temporarily block a law that bans the abortion method most commonly used after 15 weeks of gestation, arguing it is unconstitutional.The organization filed the complaint over the law to ban dilation and evacuation abortions just hours after Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office announced he had signed the bill.The law “is the latest salvo in the Legislature’s ongoing assault on Montanans’ right to seek safe and lawful pre-viability abortions — a right guaranteed by the Montana Constitution,” the complaint states.Montana’s Supreme Court ruled in 1999 that the state constitutional right to privacy includes the right to a pre-viability abortion from a provider of the patient’s choice, the lawsuit states.Under the new ban, which took effect immediately, anyone who performs a dilation and evacuation abortion can be charged with a felony that can be punished by 5 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up t...

Johnny Depp rompe el silencio en su primera aparición pública tras el juicio con Amber Heard

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

CANNES, Francia – “No pienso en Hollywood, no me importa Hollywood, no necesito a Hollywood”. Así de contundente se mostró este miércoles Johnny Depp en Cannes al ser preguntado por el posible boicoteo que está sufriendo por parte de la industria de su país.El actor ha protagonizado un regreso triunfal a Cannes — aunque él rechaza usar la palabra “regreso” –, donde es el protagonista de la película de inauguración del festival, “Jeanne du Barry”, en la que es su primera gran aparición pública tras cerrarse el juicio con su exesposa Amber Heard, que le acusó de maltrato.“Cuando te piden que dejes una película — el actor fue retirado de la saga ‘Piratas del Caribe’ en 2018- – porque hay un puñado de vocales y consonantes en el aire, te lo preguntas”, dijo Depp al ser preguntado sobre si Hollywood le había boicoteado.Pero agregó que no tiene esa impresión, básicamente porque no piensa en Hollywood...

Why some DC roads will be closed Saturday afternoon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:16:18 GMT

Some D.C. roads will be closed on Saturday as the Fiesta Asian Street Fair takes place downtown. The eight-hour fair will feature hundreds of performers, artisans and food vendors representing 20 different cultures.Free tickets are available online.The following streets will be posted as “emergency no parking” from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to 7th Street, NWConstitution Avenue from 3rd Street to 7th Street, NW4th Street from Madison Drive to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW6th Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NWThe following streets will be closed to traffic on from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.: 4th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Madison Drive, NWConstitution Avenue between 7th Street and 3rd Street, NWPennsylvania Avenue between 7th Street and 3rd Street, NWD.C. police say vehicles that are parked in violation of the emergency no parking signs will be ticketed and towed.Source