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Drones attack Sevastopol, crashed drone found near Moscow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian-appointed authorities in Crimea said the military fended off a Ukrainian strike on the port of Sevastopol on Monday, while a drone was also reportedly found in a forest near Moscow — attacks that come as Ukraine is believed to be preparing for a major counteroffensive.The Moscow-appointed head of the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said the military destroyed a Ukrainian sea drone that attempted to attack the harbor in the early hours. He said another drone blew up without inflicting any damage.The attack was the latest in a series of attempted strikes on Sevastopol, the main naval base in Crimea that Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Ukrainian authorities didn’t immediately comment on Monday’s strikes. After previous attacks on Sevastopol and other areas, Ukrainian officials stopped short of openly claiming responsibility but emphasized the country’s right to strike any target in response to the Russian aggression.Rus...

‘Dancing With the Stars’ judge Len Goodman dies at 78

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Len Goodman, the urbane, long-serving judge on “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing,” has died, his agent said Monday. He was 78.Agent Jackie Gill said Goodman “passed away peacefully,” without giving a cause.A former dancer and British champion, Goodman was a judge on “Strictly Come Dancing” for 12 years from its launch on the BBC in 2004. The ballroom dancing competition, which pairs celebrities with professional dance partners, has become one of the network’s most popular shows.Goodman was head judge on the U.S. version of the show, “Dancing With the Stars,” for 15 years until his retirement in November. BBC director-general Tim Davie said Goodman was “a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions. He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family. Len was at the very heart of ‘Strictly’s success. He will be hugely missed by the public and his many friends and family.”Goodman was also a recipient of the Carl Alan Award in ...

China affirms ex-Soviet nations’ sovereignty after uproar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government said Monday it respects the sovereignty of former Soviet Union republics after Beijing’s ambassador to France caused an uproar in Europe by saying they aren’t sovereign nations.The governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania rejected Ambassador Lu Shaye’s comment to a French broadcaster. While answering a question about the status of Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014, Lu said there was no agreement to “solidify their status as a sovereign country.”Beijing declared it had a “no-limits friendship” with Moscow before its 2022 invasion of Ukraine but has tried to appear neutral, calling for a cease-fire and peace talks. China has repeated Russian justifications for the invasion.“China respects the sovereign status of the former soviet countries after the dissolution of the Soviet Union,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. Mao said Beijing’s position is “consistent and clear” but gave no indication whether LuR...

Foreigners airlifted out; Sudanese seek refuge from fighting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) — As foreign governments airlifted hundreds of their diplomats and other citizens from Sudan, Sudanese on Monday desperately sought ways to escape the chaos amid fears the country’s two rival generals could escalate their all-out battle for power once evacuations were completed. Many Sudanese, along with Egyptians and other foreigners who could not get on flights, risked the long and dangerous drive to the northern border into Egypt. “We traveled 15 hours on land at our own risk,” Suliman al-Kouni, an Egyptian student, said at the Arqin border crossing with Egypt. Buses lined up at the remote desert crossing carrying hundreds of people, he said. Al-Kouni was among dozens of Egyptian students making the trek. “But many of our friends are still trapped in Sudan,” he said.Prominent Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abual-Ala wrote on Facebook that his mother, siblings and nephews “are on the road from Sudan to Cairo through Aswan,” referring to Egypt’s southernmost city.Fig...

Morgan Wallen cancels show at Ole Miss after losing voice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Thousands of country music fans were awaiting singer Morgan Wallen when he suddenly canceled his performance Sunday night at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.WTVA-TV reported video boards inside the Ole Miss football stadium showed a message saying the “Thought You Should Know” singer had lost his voice and was unable to perform, adding that people would be refunded their money where they bought the tickets. VIDEO: Morgan Wallen uninjured after falling during concert Some people expressed anger on social media because the announcement of the cancellation came after the opening acts had performed.While Wallen is one of country music's biggest stars, he's no stranger to controversy. He was caught on camera in 2021 outside a home in Nashville, Tennessee, yelling profanities and a racial slur. He apologized at the time but was suspended indefinitely from his label and his music was pulled by radio stations and streaming services.The year before, Wallen was arres...

'Dancing With the Stars' judge Len Goodman dies at 78

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Len Goodman, the urbane, long-serving judge on “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing,” has died, his agent said Monday. He was 78.Agent Jackie Gill said Goodman “passed away peacefully,” without giving a cause.A former dancer and British champion, Goodman was a judge on “Strictly Come Dancing” for 12 years from its launch on the BBC in 2004. The ballroom dancing competition, which pairs celebrities with professional dance partners, has become one of the network’s most popular shows. Trump: ‘Nixon had no support … I have great Jim Jordan’ Goodman was head judge on the U.S. version of the show, “Dancing With the Stars,” for 15 years until his retirement in November.BBC director-general Tim Davie said Goodman was “a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions. He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family. Len was at the very heart of ‘Strictly’s success. He will be hugely missed by the public and his many friends and famil...

Xcel Energy to buy 20 acres of land at The Heights for east metro operations, job training center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

The Heights — the East Side development area formerly known as the home of the Hillcrest Golf Course in St. Paul — will soon have its first industrial occupant. Xcel Energy announced it has signed a $6 million agreement with the St. Paul Port Authority to purchase 20 acres of land for its new east metro operations and job training center.Plans call for a commercial-industrial building spanning at least 150,000 square feet off McKnight Road and Arlington Avenue, as well as a training facility spanning 30,000 square feet, and storage and service areas. Modern amenities will include electric vehicle charging stations — Xcel Energy plans to convert its entire automotive fleet to electric vehicles by 2030.The new location, which will be primarily office space, will replace Xcel’s outdated Rice Street Service Center, which has served St. Paul for roughly 100 years but isn’t well suited to do so into the future, according to company officials. The Rice Street ...

Angry crowd heckles France's Macron over pensions legislation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

Protesters greeted French president Emmanuel Macron in his first public outing since he passed a law that increased the retirement age, a move unpopular with many.Macron encountered hostile banners outside a factory in eastern Alsace. Workers were also banging pots. The factory's electrical power was briefly shut off by unionized workers.As he passed through a village nearby, many shouted, "Macron, quit!" One man said to him: "We do not want this reform (of pensions), what don't you get?"A second man said he was the leader of a corrupt regime and added: "You will fall soon. Just wait and see."A woman thanked Macron for his work, and some people asked for selfies.Even in a region that is pro Macron and voted slightly higher for him in 2022 than the national average, the reception was mostly negative.Macron has signed into law a change in the retirement age. This means that citizens will have to work for two more years, up to 64, before they can receive their state pension.This was af...

U.S. picks up China-India border dispute again!

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

On March 14th, the bipartisan Senate of the United States unanimously passed a resolution jointly proposed by Senators Bill Hagerty and Jeff Merkley, officially recognising the "McMahon Line" as the border between China and India. The bill claimed that "Arunachal Pradesh" (China called "Southern Tibet") is an "indivisible part" of India.The content of such a resolution, needless to say, targets the Sino-Indian border dispute. The United States is making malicious provocations, hoping that China and India will renew disputes due to border territorial conflicts.Before the British invasion of India, there was a historical borderline formed by the long-term administrative jurisdiction of the two sides in the eastern section of the Sino-Indian border. After the British occupied Assam, a state in northeastern India, they themselves inherited the traditional borders. In the 19Th century, India's northeastern border area was relatively peaceful, and Britain generally administered it along t...

Bridge: April 24, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:09:34 GMT

“To get rid of a bad habit, don’t toss it out the window; coax it down the stairs, one step at a time.”Many declarers have the bad habit of drawing trumps at a wrong time. At four spades, South ruffed the first heart, led a trump to dummy’s queen and cashed the ace hopefully. No king appeared.South next led a club, but West won, took his king of trumps and led another heart, forcing out South’s last trump. South ran the clubs, but the defense won the last three tricks. Down two.FORCINGSouth’s play in trumps left him open to losing control. South can finesse in trumps at Trick Two but should lead a diamond next. West wins and leads another heart, and South ruffs and forces out the ace of clubs. (Even if the defense could get a club ruff, South might be no worse off. If East had 63,AQ652,87532,2, the game would be unmakeable.)South ruffs the next heart, takes the ace of trumps and runs his winners. He loses only to West’s high trump.This week:...