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Serbia frees Kosovo police officers but tensions persist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

LUXEMBOURG — Three Kosovo police officers who were detained for almost two weeks in Serbia have been released, in a development that could help jump-start stalled talks between the two Western Balkan countries. “We confirm that the three kidnapped police officers have been released,” Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced on Twitter.But in a sign that Pristina is demanding accountability for the actions he added: “This abduction consists of a serious human rights violation & must be reprimanded. The Serbian aggression must be held accountable.”The capture of the three police officers had been condemned by the United States, and marked the latest escalation between Pristina and Belgrade following controversial elections in the north of Kosovo in April. Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed credit for brokering the deal with the Serbian president — a close ally of Budapest. “We highly appreciate the step of President Vučić which he took in a ...

Jury set to hear closing arguments in trial of ex-school resource officer who stayed outside during Parkland shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

(CNN) — Closing arguments are expected Monday in the trial of a former school resource officer who stayed outside during the February 2018 shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school, in which 17 people were killed and 17 others wounded.The state has accused Scot Peterson, 60, of failing to confront the gunman according to his active shooter training, instead taking cover for more than 45 minutes outside the school’s three-story 1200 building during the attack, which remains the deadliest high school shooting in US history.Peterson, the first law enforcement officer on scene, did not take the stand to testify in his defense. But his attorney argued the former deputy for the Broward Sheriff’s Office did nothing wrong. Peterson, who retired as criticism of his alleged failure grew, did not enter the building because he could not tell where the gunshots were coming from due to echoes on campus, the defense argued.Peterson pleaded not guilty to 11 charges, incl...

B.A.A. 10k road race

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

Column: What we know about the Chicago Cubs and White Sox — and what we don’t — as midseason approaches

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

As the 2023 baseball season nears the midpoint, here’s what we know and don’t know about the Chicago Cubs and White Sox.Tim Anderson is too good a hitter to continue at his current pace. That’s what we keep saying anyway. Anderson, the 2019 American League batting champion, was hitting .358 on June 22, 2022, before going on the injured list with a groin injury. He since has suffered finger, knee and shoulder injuries and is hitting .244 with one home run and 11 RBIs in 93 games. Anderson’s last home run was on July 15, 2022, in Minnesota.Despite winning this weekend’s series against the Boston Red Sox, the White Sox have given no reason to believe they can be even a .500 team. Giving Anderson playing time at second base should increase his trade value. The Los Angeles Dodgers could be a good fit.NBC Sports Chicago’s Chuck Garfien and Ozzie Guillén might be the Sox’s toughest critics. Both criticized Anderson during Friday’s postga...

Chicago baseball report: Cubs’ Michael Fulmer on career-saving surgery — and Elvis Andrus’ latest milestone for the White Sox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

The Cubs’ chance to earn a London Series sweep and make up more ground slipped through their hands.The Cubs are trying to become only the third team in franchise history to fall 10 games under .500 and get back to .500 in the same season. They return home to Wrigley Field on Tuesday after a memorable overseas trip with a great opportunity to build off the momentum they’ve found the last two weeks.The White Sox didn’t have much success during a June 13-18 West Coast trip, going 2-4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners. They’ll aim for a better outcome this week as they head west again to face the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics.Every Monday throughout the season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and Sox.Michael Fulmer provides guidance for Brandon HughesThe conversation first came up during spring training.Cubs left-hander Brandon Hughes approached vete...

Russia’s defense minister seen in first video since mercenary revolt as uncertainty swirls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made his first public appearance since a mercenary uprising demanded his ouster, inspecting troops in Ukraine in a video released Monday aimed at projecting a sense of order after the country’s most serious political crisis in decades.But uncertainty still swirled about his fate, that of rebellion leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his private army, the impact on the war in Ukraine and even the political future of President Vladimir Putin.A feud between Wagner Group leader Prigozhin and Russia’s military brass that has festered throughout the war erupted into a mutiny that saw the mercenaries leave Ukraine to seize a military headquarters in a southern Russian city and march seemingly unopposed on Moscow, before turning around after less than 24 hours on Saturday.The Kremlin said it had made a deal that Prigozhin will move to Belarus and receive an amnesty, along with his soldiers. Yet on Monday, Russian media reported a criminal probe against ...

H&M workers strike for higher pay across Spain, shutting down stores

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Hundreds of retail workers on Monday walked off the job across Spain in a new round of strikes against the fashion giant H&M Group, extending a series of store closures in the middle of the summer sales season.More than 4,000 Spanish employees at the Swedish multinational’s brands including H&M, Other Stories and Cos are seeking pay rises in line with the higher cost of living and are protesting increased workloads linked to layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.Monday’s walkout was the third day of strikes by H&M Group employees this month. Flagship stores in Madrid have closed, with hundreds of workers gathering in front of the city’s largest H&M location to demand better conditions as online sales increasingly fracture the retail industry.Union leader Ángeles Rodríguez Bonillo told The Associated Press that workers had lived with “salaries that have been frozen for many, many years” but now have found their situation untenable “with ...

Hollywood mogul acknowledges gifts to Netanyahu may have been ‘excessive’ in 2nd day of testimony

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — A billionaire Hollywood mogul took the stand for a second day on Monday in Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, acknowledging that the long list of champagne, cigars and jewelry he systematically gave to the Israeli prime minister may have been excessive.Arnon Milchan, whose production credits include “Pretty Woman,” “12 Years a Slave,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” is a key witness in one of three cases brought against Netanyahu. Prosecutors are trying to prove that Netanyahu committed fraud and breach of trust. Milchan, 78, has been testifying by videoconference from Brighton, England, which is near where he is based. Prosecutors hope his testimony, which began Sunday and is expected to last some two weeks, will provide details about the abundance of gifts given to Netanyahu and his wife. The gifts, the prosecutors maintain, led to favors from Netanyahu that advanced Milchan’s interests. Netanyahu’s lawyers have said Milchan’s gifts were frien...

Fukushima nuclear plant operator says equipment to release treated wastewater into sea is complete

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — All equipment needed for the release into the sea of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed and will be ready for a safety inspection by Japanese regulators this week, the plant operator said Monday, as opposition to the plan continues in and outside Japan over safety concerns.Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said it installed the last piece of an undersea tunnel dug to release the water offshore, completing the construction of the necessary equipment that began last August.A mandatory safety inspection of the equipment will begin Wednesday, said Nuclear Regulation Authority Chairman Shinichi Yamanaka, who visited the Fukushima Daiichi plant last week.If everything goes well, TEPCO is expected to receive a safety permit for the release about a week after the inspection ends, officials said. Discharge of the treated water is expected to begin this summer, although the exact date has not been set.The plan has faced ...

Chaos in Russia is morale booster for Ukraine as it pushes on with early stages of counteroffensive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:54 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The armed rebellion against the Russian military may have been over in less than 24 hours, but the disarray within the enemy’s ranks was an unexpected gift and timely morale booster for Ukrainian troopsThe spectacle of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny in the critical military command and control hub in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and later Russia’s scramble to fortify Moscow as troops marched to upend the country’s military leadership was greeted “with applause” by commanders of Ukraine’s Eastern Group of Forces, said its spokesperson, Serhii Cherevatiy.“Soldiers at the front lines are positive about it,” he said. “Any chaos and disorder on the enemy’s side benefits us.”A video of well-known Ukrainian drone commander “Magyar” watching the revolt while eating enormous amounts of popcorn went viral. A plethora of gleeful memes mocking Russian leader Vladimir Putin inundated social media, and statement after statement from Ukraine’s top brass described the t...