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Kosovo and Serbia leaders arrive for EU-backed talks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic arrived in North Macedonia on Saturday (18 March) for a fresh round of talks with EU officials on implementing a deal to normalize ties between Belgrade and Pristina.The two leaders will hold separate meetings with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell before a three-way session and a news conference expected later in the day."I am optimistic," Kurti said ahead of the meetings, taking place in the lakeside town of Ohrid in North Macedonia."I came here with a good aim, with a good will and with trust that what was agreed before...will continue here through the talks for the implementation plan, and in this way have a final deal on the normalisation."Kosovo and Serbia agreed in Brussels last month to a Western-backed deal to normalise relations, following nearly 10 years of EU-mediated dialogue during which little progress was made. However, agreement is still needed on an annex on implementing the pl...

Sea otter surrogacy program: A mother’s love can make all the difference

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

Sea otter life isn’t always about splashing in the waves and lounging in the kelp.“These animals are so much like us,” said Teri Nicholson, a research biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. ”They’re just out there trying to find a safe home, make a living, raise their kids.”But storms and rough sea conditions make it hard to forage, groom and rest, especially for otter moms with pups that can’t do much on their own yet. Sometimes moms and pups get separated. And pups under eight weeks old have little chance of surviving on their own.Since 2001, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has rescued stranded otter babies — more than half of them under two weeks old — and rehabilitated them through their otter surrogacy program. Instead of “hand rearing,” or raising the pups themselves, the humans pair a pup with a surrogate mom, then back off and let the otter mom teach the pup the ropes of otter life. Once the pup is weaned from the mom, has medical clearance and can dive, forage, groom and be soci...

Superbloom brightens Monterey County after relentless storms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

Water, water everywhere. Let those flowers drink it up.This winter’s relentless storms damaged homes, wrecked roads and flooded fields, and those hit hardest by the devastation might be struggling to find a bright side.Wildflowers can’t repair storm damage, but they might provide a ray of hope.The county is popping with blooms of all shapes, sizes, colors and funky names.As early as February, shooting stars, footsteps of spring, sun cups and checker blooms, part of the “wildflower parade that happens every year,” were already blooming at Ford Ord, said Bruce Delgado, a botanist with the Bureau of Land Management at Fort Ord National Monument who is also the mayor of Marina.Cows also enjoyed the wildflower blooms along Bitterwater Road between Highway 101 and Highway 25. (Elise Overgaard — Herald Correspondent) Flowers bloom every year in Monterey County, which has some of the most diverse flora in the nation, from early in the rainy season until December of the following year. ...

Are new opioid guidelines too little, too late for chronic pain patients?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

Jessica Layman estimates she has called more than 150 doctors in the past few years in her search for someone to prescribe opioids for her chronic pain.“A lot of them are straight-up insulting,” said the 40-year-old, who lives in Dallas. “They say things like ‘We don’t treat drug addicts.’”Layman has tried a host of non-opioid treatments to help with the intense daily pain caused by double scoliosis, a collapsed spinal disc, and facet joint arthritis. But she said nothing worked as well as methadone, an opioid she has taken since 2013.The latest phone calls came late last year, after her previous doctor shuttered his pain medicine practice, she said. She hopes her current doctor won’t do the same. “If something should happen to him, there’s nowhere for me to go,” she said.Layman is one of the millions in the U.S. living with chronic pain. Many have struggled to get opioid prescriptions written and filled since 2016 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention inspi...

Man found hanging on California freeway overpass

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

All eastbound and westbound lanes of the 10 freeway at New Avenue in San Gabriel were closed for over an hour on Sunday morning after a man apparently hanged himself from an overpass, police said.At around 11 a.m., Caltrans workers spotted the man hanging from the chainlink fence on the north side of the overpass near West Saxon and Jackson avenues, San Gabriel Police Sgt. Nhat Huynh said.The freeway was immediately closed as law enforcement and the coroner investigated. The lanes reopened around noon, Huynh said.If you or someone you know is suicidal, you can call or text 988, the nationwide code that connects to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. There, trained professionals can listen, provide resources, or help anyone struggling with mental health, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Miami Beach sets spring break curfew after 2 fatal shootings Crime and Public Safety | DA leading Trump case says rhetor...

‘Finish me off:’ California police release footage of deadly shooting of armed man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

Police in Seal Beach have released video of officers shooting an armed man to death minutes after he attempted to kick in the front door of an apartment where a woman and her two children were hiding in January.In video and audio of the violent encounter, Michael Emch., Jr. can be seen arguing with Seal Beach police officers who arrived at the apartment building in the 100 block of Old Ranch Road at 9:36 p.m. on Jan. 16.“I’m here to get my money from her,” Emch says from behind a wall to an officer with his body camera recording. “She owes me.”“She doesn’t want you here,” the officer says back.That initial encounter between Emch, 47, of Irvine, and the officers occurred just after the woman he was attempting to reach called 911 reporting a man pacing back and forth outside her apartment and attempting multiple times to break down her door.Police released the audio of the emergency calls, in which the terrified woman whispered to a dispatcher that she was hiding inside with her two k...

4 killed in wrong-way collision on California freeway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

Four people were killed in a wrong-way collision involving four vehicles on the southbound 71 Freeway in Chino Hills on Sunday, March 19.Around 2:30 a.m., the driver of a white Volvo sedan was heading north on the freeway’s southbound lanes when the vehicle collided with a black Volvo sedan, north of Chino Hills Parkway, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Stephen Rawls. Both vehicles spun out after crashing before the black sedan was struck by an oncoming Toyota truck, and then again by another sedan.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | One killed, two injured in Antioch crash Crashes and Disasters | East Bay man charged with vehicular manslaughter in teen’s death Crashes and Disasters | Roadshow: Should roadside memorial for slain Safeway worker remain or be removed? Crashes and Disasters | Bay Bridge commute a mess after deadly crash, crisis situation Crashes and Disasters | Pittsburg couple ...

New storm to bring ‘unusually’ strong winds to Southern California

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

A storm expected to peak on Tuesday will bring with it some unusually strong winds, forecasters said Sunday.“The big change this morning was the big increase in winds with this storm. Not super confident but the signs are there for unusually strong winds, especially near the coast,” the National Weather Service tweeted.The strongest winds are expected to arrive Tuesday afternoon, and officials said wind advisories would likely be in effect over much of Southern California.“We have a high wind watch out right now for basically all of Southern California,” NWS meteorologist Samantha Connolly said. “As we get closer we’ll decide where high wind warnings or wind advisories are necessary.”After some light weekend rain, Monday is predicted to remain mostly dry and cool with temperatures in the low 60s along the coastline and inland temperatures in the high 50s,  Connolly said.Monday could also see some light rain in the afternoon but the stronger system is expected to arrive Tuesday morni...

Germany forward Jamal Musiala out with thigh injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany forward Jamal Musiala has been ruled out of upcoming friendly games against Peru and Belgium because of a muscle-fiber tear in his left thigh.Musiala came on as a substitute in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Sunday and played to the end of the game.“We all hoped Jamal would be fit because he has extraordinary qualities,” Germany coach Hansi Flick said Monday ahead of the matches against Peru on Saturday and Belgium on March 28.Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap had already withdrawn from the Germany squad with a shoulder injury. Flick called up AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw in his place.Thiaw has never played for Germany before and is one of six players, including Mergim Berisha, Kevin Schade, Marius Wolf, Josha Vagnoman and Felix Nmecha, who have been called up for the first time.It’s unclear how long Musiala will be out. Bayern has yet to comment on the injury. The Bavarian club hosts Bundesliga leader Bor...

Foot Locker: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — Foot Locker Inc. (FL) on Monday reported fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $19 million.On a per-share basis, the New York-based company said it had profit of 20 cents. Earnings, adjusted for asset impairment costs and non-recurring costs, were 97 cents per share.The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 52 cents per share.The shoe store posted revenue of $2.34 billion in the period, also exceeding Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $2.15 billion.For the year, the company reported profit of $342 million, or $3.58 per share. Revenue was reported as $8.76 billion.Foot Locker expects full-year earnings in the range of $3.35 to $3.65 per share._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on FL at https://www.zacks.com/ap/F...