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Rebellious Wagner Group leader orders troops back to Ukraine after stunning march toward Moscow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

By The Associated PressA rebellious Russian mercenary commander said Saturday he ordered his troops to halt their march on Moscow and retreat to field camps in Ukraine, appearing to defuse a dramatically escalating crisis that represented the most significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power.Moscow had braced for the arrival of forces from the Wagner Group, a private army led by Yevgeny Prigozhin that has been fighting alongside regular Russian troops in Ukraine, by erecting checkpoints with armored vehicles and troops on the city’s southern edge. Red Square was shut down, and the mayor urged motorists to stay off some roads.But Prigozhin announced that while his men were just 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Moscow, he decided to turn them back to avoid “shedding Russian blood.”He did not say whether the Kremlin had responded to his demand to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. There was no immediate comment from Putin...

Top 10 players available on NBA’s free agent market from James Harden to Bruce Bown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

We’ve written about this before and the trend has remained true: free agency in the NBA ain’t what it used to be.The stars have learned that it’s better to secure the extension through Bird Rights — thereby maximizing their contracts — and pick the destination later by requesting a trade. Kevin Durant did it. Bradley Beal did it. Dame Lillard could do it next.As a result, the upcoming free agency won’t include a franchise player changing teams for a fourth straight year. The 2019 class was a doozy and we may never see it again.But there are some game-changers available, even if most of the top free agents will likely re-sign with their current squads.Below is a ranked list of the top-10 free agents. The negotiation period begins at 6 p.m. on June 30 — although we know tampering is commonplace beforehand — and deals can become official July 6:1. JAMES HARDENAge: 33Incumbent team: SixersLast season’s salary: $33 millionThere have b...

Chain of survival: Man suffering cardiac arrest recovers after 70 minutes of CPR

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- A man's life was saved this week after a “chain of survival” involving his family, first responders and hospital staff.Tri-City Medical Center (TCMC) in North County, San Diego called it "extraordinary."The phrase "chain of survival" refers to "the chain of events that must occur in rapid succession to maximize the chances of survival from sudden cardiac arrest."For 67-year-old David Mills, this was life-saving. He recently suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his home, which professionals at Tri-City Medical Center say was caused by ventricular fibrillation (VFib). This is described as a malfunction of theheart’s normal rhythm. This is the most commonly used drug among adults arrested in San Diego If not treated within minutes, VFib can be fatal as the heart stops pumping blood to the body, the hospital explained. The brain and lungs become quickly affected during this type of medical emergency.For David, the "chain of survival" began with his wife, Georgia. T...

Librarians train to defend intellectual freedom and fight book bans at Chicago conference

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — School librarian Jamie Gregory has been called a “pedophile” and “groomer,” bombarded with private messages threatening harm, accused of distributing pornography in schools, and had her personal address posted on social media.She takes it on the chin.“I’m just not going to quit. I’m not going to let them call me that, especially when I’ve worked my whole entire life to get to where I am,” said Gregory, who was named the 2022 South Carolina school librarian of the year.The “shocking” allegations made her think: “My whole entire adult life, and all of my education and all my work — what if this is over? I’m not going to let that happen,” Gregory said Saturday to a room packed full of about 100 fellow librarians at a training session on fighting book bans at the American Library Association’s annual meeting in Chicago.The attendees broke into applause at Gregory’s declaration.Book bans and how to fight them is a major focus of the this year’s ALA’s conf...

Funnel cloud advisory, rainfall warning for Toronto and GTA

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

Environment Canada is warning of possible funnel clouds this afternoon and evening across much of southern Ontario. A special weather advisory was issued just before 3:30 p.m. for Toronto and the GTA, saying conditions are favourable for the development of funnel clouds.“These types of funnel clouds are generated by weak rotation under rapidly growing clouds or weak thunderstorms,” the national weather service said. “This weak rotation is normally not a danger near the ground. However, there is a chance that this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado.”Landspout tornadoes don’t usually cause significant damage but can be strong enough to topple trees, damage roofs or toss debris short distances.“Should a funnel cloud develop nearby, prepare to take shelter. These funnel clouds usually appear with little or no warning.”A funnel cloud advisory is now in effect across portions of southern Ontario????Several funnel cloud re...

His LGBTQ teen book is one of the most banned in the U.S. Here's why he keeps writing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Writer and illustrator Mike Curato didn't set out to write one of the most-banned books in school libraries (or the most banned, depending which list you're reading). Instead, he says he was just being honest about what it's like being a young LGBTQ person.The Massachusetts-based artist has written several children's books — many starring a polka-dotted elephant named Little Elliot — but older readers may be more familiar with his blockbuster young adult graphic novel "Flamer." Released in 2020, the book, aimed at readers ages 14-18, is a based on Curato's own experiences as a gay Filipino Boy Scout. Memes, jokes about Titan submersible draw criticism over insensitivity "Flamer" has earned rave reviews and won awards for its portrayal of suicidal ideation, which LGBTQ youth are at higher risk of due to societal mistreatment. In "Flamer," fourteen-year-old protagonist Aiden discovers a first male crush — but he also faces severe bullying and alienation at summer camp. ...

Shop on social media the smart way

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

(NerdWallet) - When Ziwei Cong bought some sweatpants that caught her eye during a livestream shopping event on social media, she was disappointed when they arrived and didn’t fit well.“It’s very easy for me to become irrational during these kinds of shopping events,” says the assistant professor of marketing at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She adds that the hosts can be very persuasive and hook you with limited- time offers to trigger impulse purchases.Social shopping, or purchases made through social media sites that sometimes incorporate livestreaming events with influencers, is booming. Almost half of U.S. consumers (47%) say they’ve made a purchase on social media, and 39% say they have bought that way and would do so again, according to 2022 data in a report released in April by the market intelligence agency Mintel.“Shopping on social media has really taken off more with younger consumers. They’re on their phones more and on social media more often, s...

Person airlifted after falling 15 feet at Pace Bend Park, ATCEMS says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

SPICEWOOD, Texas (KXAN) -- One person was airlifted via STARFlight after falling approximately 15 feet at Pace Bend Park-Levi Cove in Spicewood, Austin-Travis County EMS said on Twitter.At approximately 1:45 p.m., medics and STARFlight responded to the incident and declared the person a trauma alert, according to Twitter.The patient was transported by the Pedernales Fire Department boat to "the flats" where STARFlight landed and transported the person, who was not identified Saturday, to Dell Seton with potentially serious injuries, medics said.No further information was released, and the incident remained under investigation Saturday.

Slow and steady warmup through the middle of next week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The rest of your afternoon is sunny and hot with high temperatures returning to triple digits after a two-day hiatus in the 90s at Austin's Camp Mabry.Today's normal high is 94°A Heat Advisory is in effect today for the entire area. Maximum heat index readings this afternoon will likely rise to between 108° to 115° at many locations. Heat advisory now continues through Sunday eveningThe Heat Advisory has already been extended through at least Sunday evening.High pressure over Mexico continues to be our main weather feature. The high will drift to the northeast, parking over Central Texas Tuesday and Wednesday, which is when we expect this coming week's heat to peak at close to 106º.The heat dome is over Central Texas Tuesday and WednesdayTuesday's record high is 106° set in 2012. Wednesday's record high is 106° set in 2013.Later next week as the high starts to slide to our east we'll notice high temperatures dropping slightly, but still staying in the triple digits ...

Brock Stewart has been a boon to Twins’ bullpen

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:47:44 GMT

DETROIT — This whole Brock Stewart thing is really working out for the Twins.That isn’t often the case for teams that take a flier on a veteran who has been out of the game, and Stewart hadn’t pitched in a major league game since Sept. 24, 2019, with the Toronto Blue Jays.But Stewart, 31, has been just about lights-out since he joined the big league club on April 25 after signing a two-year, minor-league deal with Minnesota last July.“This could not have played out any better for us,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.After defusing a bases-loaded situation in the sixth inning, and then striking out the side in the seventh of Friday’s 4-1 victory at Detroit, Stewart has fanned 33 batters in 24⅔ innings and has an earned-run average of 0.73.In his past nine appearances, the right-hander is 1-0 with a blown save, three holds, 16 strikeouts, six hits, no walks and a 0.00 earned-run average in 9⅔ innings. His WHIP in 24 appearances is an impressive 1.054.Stewart, 31, has appeared in 46 major-...