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Global Red Cross suspends Belarus chapter after its chief boasted of bringing in Ukrainian children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The International Red Cross on Friday suspended the Belarusian chapter after its chief stirred international outrage for boasting that it was actively ferrying Ukrainian children from Russian-controlled areas to Belarus. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies halted the membership of the Belarus branch after it refused to oust its leader Dzmitry Shautsou. He is accused of having breached the Red Cross’ much-vaunted and much-defended standards of neutrality and integrity. The board of IFRC had given the Belarus Red Cross until Nov. 30 to dismiss him, and said it would suspend the branch if it didn’t. “The suspension means that the Belarus Red Cross loses its rights as a member of the IFRC,” the Geneva-based international organization said in a statement Friday. “Any new funding to the Belarus Red Cross will also be suspended.”Shautsou, in comments to the state Belta news agency, called the decision to suspend the...

Police say man charged with hate crime demanded that TPS take down transgender flag from city property

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

A man is facing charges in a hate-motivated investigation after he allegedly demanded that the Toronto Police Service (TPS) remove a transgender flag from city property, threatening an officer in the process.TPS said an employee received online threats on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. It’s alleged the accused replied to a social media post issued by a member of the police force. The man allegedly made a demand for the transgender flag to be taken down from city property.A police spokesperson said the accused further threatened harm to the TPS member if they did not comply. On Friday, 28-year-old Robert Ranieri was arrested and charged with two counts of uttering death threats.He was expected to appear in court earlier Friday morning.

5 takeaways from AP’s Black attorneys general interviews about race, justice and politics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — At a moment of record visibility and influence for Black attorneys in the United States, debates over race, criminal justice and democracy are increasingly at the center of the public conversation. Many of these Black litigators and law enforcement officials have made history, from the White House and the Supreme Court to the halls of Congress, but their perspectives and approaches to role aren’t monolithic.In wide-ranging interviews with The Associated Press, six sitting Black attorneys general discussed the challenges and opportunities of serving as the top law enforcement officer in their respective states. The interviews shed light on the interplay between public safety, criminal justice reform, the rule of law and other foundational questions facing a justice system under unprecedented strain and doubt from the American public.Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the conversations: Black attorneys general are at the forefront of criminal justice refor...

New report shows province needs to double current funding to Ontario universities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

A new report is highlighting the consequences of provincial funding cuts to public universities and imploring the Ontario government to double its current funding.The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario office said cuts have put the financial stability of Ontario universities at serious risk and students are paying the price.It found that the province would have to increase funding from just under $8,300 per student to more than $16,000 per student just to reach the average funding level of other provinces.The report found between 2018 and 2022, university operating revenues from the provincial government and domestic student fees was reduced by $3,200 per student.The funding reductions have led to domestic students paying tuition fees that are 24 per cent higher than the average for the rest of Canada.Author of the report, Randy Robinson, said the increases in tuitions could have long-term consequences.“Obviously when you put the price of something up, demand goes...

Blinken sees goals largely unfulfilled in Mideast trip, even as Israel pledges to protect civilians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the Mideast this week pressing for agreements to extend the Gaza cease-fire, step up the release of hostages held by Hamas and limit Palestinian civilian casualties if fighting with Israel resumed. He left Friday with his goals largely unfulfilled. Blinken wrapped up his third Middle East tour since the Israel-Hamas war started in October with decidedly mixed results. He watched as the seven-day cease-fire agreement collapsed under new Hamas attacks and Israeli airstrikes. And, it remained uncertain if Israel would follow through on commitments to protect Palestinian civilians from military operations in the southern Gaza Strip, as he warned they should, or whether Hamas would engage in future hostage negotiations. Blinken arrived in Israel on Thursday with hopes to see a further extension of the cease-fire agreement under which Israel had halted most military operations in exchange for the release...

Trump attorney says trial during campaign would be ‘election interference’ if he is GOP nominee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — An attorney for former President Donald Trump said Friday it would amount to “election interference” if his client is the Republican nominee for president while on trial in Georgia in the months running up to the general election.Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee opened the door for discussion on trial timing while considering requests by two of the former president’s co-defendants to delay certain pretrial deadlines. But he said he didn’t plan to make any immediate decisions on a trial date.District Attorney Fani Willis last month asked that all defendants remaining in the case — currently Trump and 14 others — be tried together beginning Aug. 5. Prosecutors have previously estimated it would take them four months to present their case, not including jury selection. That would mean the trial would be underway during the final months of the election campaign.“Can you imagine the notion of the Republican nominee for president not being able to...

California cities and farms will get 10% of requested state water supplies when 2024 begins

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California water agencies serving 27 million people will get 10% of the water they requested from state supplies to start 2024 due to a relatively dry fall, even though the state’s reservoirs are in good shape, state officials said Friday.The state’s Department of Water Resources said there was not much rain or snow in October and November. Those months are critical to developing the initial water allocation, which can be increased if conditions improve, officials said.“California’s water year is off to a relatively dry start,” Karla Nemeth, director of the Department of Water Resources, said in a statement. “While we are hopeful that this El Niño pattern will generate wet weather, this early in the season we have to plan with drier conditions in mind.” El Niño is a periodic and naturally occurring climate event that shifts weather patterns across the globe. It can cause extreme weather conditions ranging from drought to floodi...

December concert calendar: 10 of the best Chicago area shows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Winter is here but venues around the area offer a reprieve to warm up and rock out. Here's 10 of the best shows this month.12/1 — Mavis Staples, Northwestern's Cahn AuditoriumHometown hero Mavis Staples crosses Howard Street into Evanston Friday night for a concert to benefit the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy. While keeping a busy live schedule, she seems never to neglect the area - with her fourth show in 2023 Friday night at Northwestern.Listen in: You Are Not AloneNEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 13: Mavis Staples performs onstage at the Hudson River Park Friends 2022 Gala at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers on October 13, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Hudson River Park Friends)12/1-12/3 — Angel Olsen, Thalia HallWatching an artist evolve is special, especially one who is not afraid to bounce between genres. That's exactly what Angel Olsen has been doing - shifting from indie to more of a country folk sound. "Big Time" was her f...

Jussie Smollett conviction upheld by appeals court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

(The Hill) — An Illinois appeals court has upheld actor Jussie Smollett’s disorderly conduct conviction in an opinion filed Friday.A three-panel judge affirmed Smollett’s conviction in a 2-1 ruling. His lawyers could appeal the decision and bring it to the state Supreme Court.If the Illinois Supreme Court does take up or reverse the appellate court's decision, the actor must serve the sentence that was handed down in March 2022.The appeals court panel heard arguments from Smollett’s attorneys in September, who said his conviction should be thrown out.In 2019, Smollett claimed he was the victim of a hate crime in Chicago. The actor, known for his role on the TV series “Empire,” is Black and gay.He claimed he was attacked on the street by two men in Chicago who yelled racist, homophobic and pro-Trump remarks and put a noose around his neck. It turned out that Smollett had paid two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, to stage the attack, prosecutors said.He was later charged wit...

What is the 'card draining' scam? Beware ahead of holidays

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:00 GMT

(WTAJ/NEXSTAR) — It's the latest trick scammers are using to steal your money via gift cards and you might not know until it's too late: it's called "card draining." Police in eastern Pennsylvania have put out a warning to all Americans heading into the holiday season after 100 different gift cards, including Visa and Apple cards, were reportedly drained at a local grocery store. But the problem has been seen all across the U.S., including multiple incidents in Colorado this summer. Disney+ unveils new subscriber-only perks for the holiday season What is card draining? Card draining is just that. They drain the gift card. But how do they drain a gift card that isn't activated and has no money on it?Short answer: They don't. This scam involves the culprits taking cards off displays and carefully getting the information from the back of the gift card before putting them back. From there, they wait. These scammers use a little patience and wait for these cards to be activated and mon...