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North Korea offers the first official confirmation that it has detained US soldier Travis King

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Wednesday offered its first official confirmation that it had detained a U.S. soldier who bolted into its country last month, releasing a statement through its propaganda outlet attributing unverified statements to the Army private that criticized the United States. One expert called the announcement “100% North Korean propaganda.”There was no immediate verification that Pvt. Travis King actually made any of the comments about his home country. King, who had served in South Korea and sprinted into the North while on a civilian tour of a border village on July 18, became the first American confirmed to be detained in the North in nearly five years.The official Korean Central News Agency, citing an investigation, reported that King told them he decided to enter North Korea because he “harbored ill feelings against inhuman mistreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. Army.” The report said King also expressed his willingness to seek re...

A $5.4 billion international chip deal with Intel is off after greenlight from China never arrives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — A $5.4 billion acquisition of Israeli chip manufacturer by Intel has been called off after China failed to sign off on the deal amid rising tensions with the United States. It was a mutual decision between Intel and Tower Semiconductor, the companies said Wednesday. Intel said that the deal was terminated “due to the inability to obtain in a timely manner the regulatory approvals required under the merger agreement.”The deal required approval from a number of regulators worldwide, including those in China. Chinese regulators failed to approve the deal by a deadline Wednesday, even after Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger traveled to China last month in a bid to win them over.The scuttled deal between the two companies comes amid increasing U.S.-China tensions, particularly as the U.S. has tightened export controls and imposed restrictions aimed at crippling China’s ability to purchase and manufacture advanced chips.In response, China’s antitrust regulator, the State Admini...

US state secretary says 1943 Bialystok ghetto uprising in Poland was an act of bravery and dignity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken sent a message Wednesday marking the anniversary in Poland of the 1943 Bialystok ghetto uprising, saying it was an act of “bravery” that reaffirmed the dignity of Jews during the Holocaust. Blinken’s mother, Judith Pisar, the widow of one of the ghetto survivors, Samuel Pisar, the state secretary’s late stepfather, took part in the observances in Poland’s eastern city of Bialystok. U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski also attended. “I see it as one of countless acts of resistance by Jews in ghettos and Nazi German concentration camps across Europe to reject their dehumanization, to reaffirm their dignity,” Blinken said in a prerecorded message.It was an act “not of futility but of bravery,” he said, even though “survival was not on the cards” when the uprising began on the night of Aug. 16, 1943. For its leaders, the revolt was to “determine how, not whether they would die,” Blinken said.The participants, wh...

A Bulgarian businessman was shot dead in broad daylight in a suburb of Sofia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — A prominent Bulgarian businessman whose rollercoaster career reflected his country’s transition from communism to democracy was shot dead in broad daylight on Wednesday, police said. Police said that Alexey Petrov died on the spot after being shot by persons unknown around noon in a suburb of the capital, Sofia. A woman who was with him was injured and was taken to an emergency hospital with a gunshot wound. Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated and police are examining the crime scene.Petrov, 61, was the target of at least two other attempts on his life. A karate champion and former state security agent, Petrov left his job in the police after the fall of communism to start a private business. It boomed, and he became an associate in over 50 companies by 2002.In 2010, he was arrested and charged with running a criminal group engaged in extortion, racketeering, drug trafficking, money laundering, and tax evasion.He was released on bail and eventually acqui...

Swiss government lines up behind EU’s 11th round of sanctions against Russia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s government has lined up with the European Union’s 11th round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The Swiss executive branch decided Wednesday that the new measures adopted by the European bloc on June 23 would take effect later in the day in the Alpine country.Switzerland, which is not a member of the 27-country bloc, is a key EU trading partner and has followed every set of its sanctions against Russian companies and individuals since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February last year.The 11th round of EU sanctions aims to close loopholes so that goods vital to Putin’s war effort don’t get through to Russia by way of countries that trade with the EU and have maintained a business-as-usual relationship with Moscow.The multiple rounds of sanctions have affected banks, companies and markets, and even parts of the sensitive energy sector. More than 1,000 officials are subject to asset freezes a...

Longtime Highland fire chief dies suddenly

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

HIGHLAND, Ind. — The Town of Highland is mourning the sudden loss of its fire chief.Longtime Fire Chief William “Bill” Timmer died suddenly at his home Monday morning.His body was accompanied to the Lake County Coroner’s office by Highland Police, Fire and Superior Ambulance.“We have been both blessed and lucky to have had the dedication of Chief Timmer for these past 30 years. Our town is better because of him,” Highland Council President Tom Black said. “We extend our prayers and condolences to the entire Timmer family – wife Bonnie, son Matthew and daughters Melissa and Jessica and the grandchildren he loved so much.”In Chief Timmer’s honor, flags have been lowered to half-staff.

Rear seats riskier than front seats for injury, research shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

(NewsNation) — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes advancement in driver and front seat passenger seat safety over the years, yet rear seat research has been neglected.Now, the institute is scrutinizing the safety of the rear seat passengers directly behind the driver. Seven midsized vehicles were deliberately crashed to assess how a dummy in the rear seat would fare in a car wreck.IIHS's recent research reveals a higher risk of fatal injury for belted rear passengers in newer vehicles compared to those in front. “That’s why we knew it was time to come up with a new test where we look at how well do we protect those individuals who were in the rear seat of the vehicle," said IIHS President David Harkey.The driver dummy represents an average adult man, while the rear dummy emulates a woman or 12-year-old child. Among the seven tested vehicles, only one received a "good" overall rating. Ford patents hint at EV charging while driving The 2023 Honda Accord earned the ra...

New York hospital worker reunites with woman she found abandoned as baby

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (WPIX) - In 2004, a nurse found a days-old baby girl inside a New York hospital bathroom. Nearly two decades later, the now 19-year-old and her family returned to say thank you and find out more about that day. The story even comes with a twist.It was like any other work day nearly 20 years ago for Claudia Beadle as a cardiac technician at Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island. During her lunch break, she went to the bathroom, and what happened next changed her life forever.Victoria Lynn, 19, was just days old when Beadle discovered her wrapped in a blanket in a hospital bathroom. Beadle said she saw a "beautiful" little face tucked behind the toilet tank on the floor.They returned to the exact spot together Tuesday, held hands and hugged each other.Beadle cared for Victoria during her stay at the hospital. She would even visit her during her breaks and days off to feed her.As a cardiac technician at the hospital for nearly 40 years, Beadle said it’...

Dean shares recipes featuring fresh tomatoes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

WGN Entertainment Reporter Dean Richards has recipes for all the tomatoes growing in your garden.Open-Faced Tomato Sandwiches with Creamy Cucumber SpreadIngredients:1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened2 cucumbers, seeds removed, diced (about 2 cups)1/4 cup finely chopped red onion2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon white wine vinegar1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for serving1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving6 Texas Toast slices or other thick white bread slices, toasted1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lb. assorted fresh tomatoes (about 3 large), cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilThinly sliced chivesDirections:Stir together cream cheese, cucumbers, red onion, dill, mint, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined.Spread about 1/4 cup of the cucumber-c...

Full Report: 2023 Grades 3-8 STAAR Results

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Results from the 2023 redesigned STAAR exam have been released.The results show how students performed from 2019 through 2022 and 2023 when the exam was redesigned. View the results in the document below: STAAR-3-8-resultsDownloadMathematics Spring 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 STAAR grade 3-8 results (Courtesy: Texas Education Agency) Reading-Language Arts Spring 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 STAAR grade 3-8 results (Courtesy: Texas Education Agency) Comparison of RLA and Math results on STAAR testing (Courtesy: Texas Education Agency) The exam shows each subject and how students performed. Students were grouped into four categories: Masters, Meets, Approaches and Did Not Meet.