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Georgia’s crackdown on queer rights contradicts its EU ambitions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

TBILISI — Since Georgia applied for EU membership in 2022, its government has chased the country’s European dream in untraditional ways. The European Commission clearly lays out a dozen points for Georgia to fulfill EU membership candidate status. That apparently seemed too straightforward for the country’s ruling Georgian Dream party, so they have spiced things up.First, the government arrested an outspoken journalist critical of the administration. Then it tried to adopt a Russian-style law on “foreign agents.” National leaders, including Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, criticized MEPs in the European Parliament and accused them of wanting to drag Georgia into Russia’s war on Ukraine. In recent months, it allowed resumption of direct flights to Russia. And in a blatant disregard for human rights, the government keeps Georgia’s emaciated ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili imprisoned, despite warnings that his mistreatment threatens the country’s EU dreams. Add to ...

Police searching for thief who abandoned baby from stolen pickup truck in Dorchester

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

Surveillance video shows the moment a truck was stolen with a baby inside while the family was right on the sidewalk in Dorchester Friday afternoon.Boston police also released an image of the person they say stole a pickup truck in on Geneva Avenue and Westville Street with a baby still inside and then abandoned the child in a car seat on the side of the road.Police said the video shows someone riding a bicycle before stealing the truck around 3 p.m. Friday. The family told police they had to pull over to tend to their 2-year-old.Officers responding to a reported kidnapping learned that a heavy-set, light-skinned Hispanic male with long hair and a beard who was last seen wearing a gray shirt with gray pants had just fled in a truck with an infant child inside, according to Boston police.Shocking surveillance video obtained by 7NEWS shows the person return to the area shortly after and leave the infant, who was still in the car seat, on the sidewalk. Within seconds, another person ca...

Spanish authorities evacuate some 500 people to escape a wildfire on the Canary island of La Palma

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish authorities have preemptively evacuated some 500 people to avoid a wildfire that has broken out on the Canary island of La Palma.The regional president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, said Saturday that, in addition to forcing the removal of the residents, the blaze has destroyed at least 11 homes within the relatively small burned zone of 140 hectares (345 acres). He warned that the number of evacuees could easily increase.“With the resources that we are deploying, we hope we can control the fire today, but the winds are shifting,” Clavijo said. “More gusting winds are expected and, combined with the dryness of the terrain and the lack of rain, this situation is complicated.”Spain’s army has deployed 150 of its firefighters to help local crews battle the blaze. More local firefighters are arriving on boats from the neighboring island of Tenerife, according to Clavijo.The fire is on the western side of the island on wooded, hilly terrain dott...

One man dead, 1 in custody following fight in Oshawa

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

One man is dead and another is in custody following an altercation in Oshawa.Few details are available but Durham police say they were called to a residence near Bloor Street East and Wilson Road South following reports of a fight. Police say once they arrived they found one man dead at the scene. Another man has been taken into custody.There was no word on what the relationship was – if any – between the two men.

Pope recognizes China’s appointment of Shanghai bishop three months after the fact

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis gave in Saturday to China’s unilateral appointment of a new bishop in Shanghai, formally recognizing Beijing’s installation of Bishop Shen Bin three months after the fact.In its daily noon bulletin, the Vatican said Francis had appointed Shen as bishop of Shanghai, transferring him from Haimen. The Vatican spokesman said in early April that the Holy See learned of Shen’s appointment to lead the Catholic Church in Shanghai from media accounts.The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said Francis decided to accept China’s unilateral appointment for the “greater good” of the faithful in Shanghai. But Parolin made clear China’s move had violated the “spirit of collaboration” outlined in a 2018 accord between the Holy See and Beijing on bishop appointments.He said he hoped future appointments would be made according to the letter and spirit of consensus called for in the accord.In comments to Vatican media explaining the popeR...

Capitol rioter who assaulted police with flagpole at Jan. 6 insurrection is sentenced to 6 years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

(The Hill) – A woman who was charged for attacking Capitol Police officers with a flagpole during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the Capitol was sentenced to six years in prison on Friday.Audrey Ann Southard-Rumsey amplified calls for revolution and violence on social media before the insurrection, according to federal investigators, including writing posts demanding to “hang the traitors.” She was also captured on video threatening then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was inside the Capitol Building."Tell Pelosi we are coming for that b----,” she yelled at multiple U.S. Capitol Police officers, according to a Department of Justice news release. “There’s a hundred thousand of us, what’s it going to be?”Prosecutors called Southard-Rumsey a “principal agitator” during the insurrection, claiming that she went on a “violent rampage” with the flagpole against police officers. She was one of the rioters who led the mob towards the House chambers, prosecutors claimed.During the insur...

Delete these two apps that steal your photos, videos, location and more, experts warn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Over a million users may have had their data compromised by spyware in two apps that were available via the Google Play Store, cybersecurity experts warn.Anyone who downloaded File Recovery & Data Recovery or File Manager are urged to wipe the allegedly compromised apps from their devices.According to cybersecurity firm Pradeo, the supposed file management applications are actually "programmed to launch without users' interaction, and to silently exfiltrate sensitive users' data towards various malicious servers based in China." IRS warns taxpayers of new 'unclaimed refund' scam The apps, both created by the same developer, stole data that included contact lists from devices, social media and email; photos, audio and video; real-time user location and more, according to Pradeo.Pradeo believes the two apps, which have a combined download number of roughly 1.5 million – but few reviews – may have inflated download numbers that were boosted by bots.Google confirmed to...

Heat records will be set or tied in the next several days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Clouds increased during the overnight hours but will gradually clear out during the morning. Look for a mostly sunny sky late this morning into the afternoon. South winds will increase to 10 to 15 mph this afternoon.Most highs today will peak at between 103° and 107°. Camp Mabry reached 107° Friday afternoon, 11° above normal and within 1° of tying a record. Today's record high is, again, 108° set in 1925.Heat alerts remain until at least 9:00 tonight. Much of the area is under a Heat Advisory. Llano County is under an Excessive Heat Warning. Gillespie County has no heat alert today and this evening. Heat indices up to 112° are possible.Forecast heat indices this afternoonYesterday's maximum heat index was 108° at six locations including Austin-Bergstrom and Camp Mabry. Dew points fell to the upper 50s to low 60s during the late afternoon and early evening hours resulting in the relative humidity dropping to the 20s. We expect this to happen this afternoon. Saturday...

'Barbie World': All things Barbie happening around Austin ahead of movie release

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin may not have a ginormous Barbie Dreamhouse Airbnb to celebrate the upcoming release of the "Barbie" movie, but it does have plenty of pink-themed parties and plans ahead of the premier. The highly-anticipated film follows Barbie and Ken leaving Barbieland to traverse into the "real world," but the closer the premier draws to theaters, the more the "Barbie World" bleeds into ours. It started with the famous "I love you so much" mural on South Congress Avenue being "dedicated" by Ken to Barbie on Friday. The mural now reads, “Barbie, I love you so much. -Ken.” This sweetly destructive defacement is only temporary because it’s part of a push to promote the film. SEE IT: Ken adds to ‘I love you so much’ mural ahead of ‘Barbie’ movie release Here are a few ways fans can step into their own Barbie Dreamland in Austin: Barbie PartiesSeveral businesses in Austin are hosting themed events to celebrate the movie's release: Taquero Mucho is holding a Barbie Brunch on...

Review | Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour dazzles in Denver

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:23:52 GMT

Taylor Swift called, and they answered.Sparkling from head to toe, clutching their phones at all times, and belting out well-memorized lyrics, more than 70,000 of her fans showed up Friday for Swift’s Eras Tour. The July 14 concert — the first of two dates at Empower Field at Mile High — prompted rapture from the opening moments.See more photos of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour show, night one.With spectacle and emotion tightly braided, Swift megadosed the faithful at the sold-out show with songs from across her catalog while gracefully navigating costume and set changes against a massive LED screen. It was a feat on par with her “Reputation”-era tour stop at Empower Field more than five years ago. Granted, that was a necessarily more focused and (relatively) edgy concert, but both found an ideal balance of ferocity and all-ages, rainbow-hued smiles that spoke directly to the mostly female, mostly young crowd.Taylor Swift performs during night one of Th...