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6 Western nations demand Russia return two regions it took from neighboring Georgia 15 years ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Six Western nations marked the 15th anniversary of Russia’s takeover of 20% of Georgia’s territory by demanding on Thursday that Moscow return the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions.A joint statement by the six members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, United Kingdom, France, Albania, Japan and Malta — said Russia’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 “marked a more aggressive trend” in its policy toward its neighbors, something being witnessed today in Ukraine.The statement, following closed council consultations on Georgia, said the six countries “are resolute” in reaffirming the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity “within its internationally recognized borders.”In August 2008, Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which had made a botched attempt to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. Moscow then recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway Georgian province, Abkhazia, and set...

Rocket with a lunar landing craft has blasted off on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft blasted off Friday on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years.The launch from Russia’s spaceport in the Far East of the Luna-25 craft to the moon is Russia’s first since 1976 when it was part of the Soviet Union.The Russian lunar lander is expected to reach the moon on Aug. 23, about the same day as an Indian craft which was launched on July 14.THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. Previous version of story is below:Russia is scheduled to launch its first mission to the moon in nearly 50 years on Friday, racing to land on the lunar south pole before a spacecraft from India gets there. The launch of the Luna-25 craft to the moon will be Russia’s first since 1976 when it was part of the Soviet Union and will be conducted without assistance from the European Space Agency, which ended cooperation with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.The Russian lunar lander is expected to reach the moon on Aug. 23, about the same day as an Indian craft ...

Cyclones’ Brock and ex-Hawkeye Bruce are among latest players charged in gambling investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

Jirehl Brock and three other Iowa State football players along with three current or former Iowa football players and a student assistant were charged Thursday in connection with the state’s investigation into illegal sports wagering at the two schools.A total of 15 football and basketball players and staffers with ties to the schools have been charged since last week in the ongoing investigation. Current athletes face a loss of eligibility for violating NCAA gambling rules.Brock and ISU teammates Isaiah Lee, DeShawn Hanika and Jacob Remsburg were charged in Story County on suspicion of tampering with records to disguise that they were under the legal betting age of 21 at the time they placed wagers. Former Iowa players Arland Bruce IV and Reggie Bracy, current Iowa player Jack Johnson and student assistant Owen O’Brien face the same charge in Johnson County.According to court documents:— Brock, the Cyclones’ leading rusher last season, placed 1,327 illegal wagers ...

A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft has blasted off on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft has blasted off on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years.Source

Water back on at large Alexandria apartment building; residents advised to boil water

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

The water is back on for residents of an Alexandria, Virginia, community who went nearly three days without after a private water line in the area was damaged.The water outage was in the 5300 block of Duke Street at the London Park Towers apartment complex, which is home to hundreds of residents.A spokesperson for Kay Apartment Communities, which owns the complex, told WTOP that as of Thursday afternoon, residents have been told what they need to do ahead of any water testing in the coming days.“While concluding the annual fire hydrant testing on Tuesday morning by the City of Alexandria Fire Department, a water main at London Park Towers Apartments ruptured in multiple locations. This was an unexpected and unfortunate complication to a test that has been completed annually for many years,” a spokesperson wrote in an email to WTOP.A spokeswoman for Virginia American Water confirmed the restoration, adding that residents will need to boil water used for drinking or prepar...

Samuel Eto’o faces probe for alleged ‘improper conduct’ after complaints by Cameroonian stakeholders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Cameroon soccer federation president and former star player Samuel Eto’o is being investigated by the Confederation of African Football for alleged “improper conduct.”The former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward was elected to a four-year term in December 2021 but the initial euphoria that greeted his reforms is giving way to accusations of clientelism and unfulfilled financial promises to clubs.The sport’s governing body in Africa said “several Cameroonian football stakeholders” have complained and that it will “investigate certain alleged improper conduct” by Eto’o. CAF described the allegations as “serious” but noted that Eto’o ”is presumed to be innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise.”Eto’o’s lawyer, Elame Bonny, said Thursday that his client was surprised at CAF’s move given that he received no prior notification of accusations. Bonny further described CAF’s move as “hasty, pernicious and toxic,” and he t...

Singapore solar company plans major US manufacturing plant in New Mexico, pending federal loan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies plans to build a major solar panel manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, pending approval of a loan application with the U.S. Department of Energy, the company announced Thursday.The factory would employ about 1,800 people to provide photovoltaic solar panels for use in residential, commercial and utility-scale solar arrays. Maxeon said the plant would be larger than any comparable existing facility in the U.S., equipped to produce panels each year that can generate three gigawatts of electricity. A company representative said that’s enough to equip about 460,000 typical U.S. homes with solar power.About six gigawatts of solar panels were installed nationwide in the first three months of 2023, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.The proposed solar plant in the southern reaches of Albuquerque would include solar-cell fabrication, panel assembly and warehouse facilities, along with administrative offi...

Hawaii wildfires: Coloradan struggles to reach family on Maui

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

THORNTON, Colo. (KDVR) — There were some tense and grueling moments for a man from Thornton who, after devastating wildfires on Maui, was trying to make contact with family on the island.Hours went by and he was hearing nothing. He reached out to FOX31 for help. Blake Butterfield was worried."There’s more fires in. It looked like it was in our backyard," Butterfield said.Butterfield moved from Maui to Colorado in February. Hours went by and he was not able to reach his family as fires tore across the island. Maui Fires: How to find missing, how to help, what you need to know He grew more worried."I've emailed them. I’ve called every outlet that I can. I haven’t been able to get through to anybody,” Butterfield said.The hall of historic Waiola Church in Lahaina and nearby Lahaina Hongwanji Mission are engulfed in flames along Wainee Street on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP)How to reach loved ones on Maui after wildfiresThe Red Cross ...

Florida education commissioner skips local forum on criticized Black history standards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Hundreds of lawmakers, teachers, school board members and parents crowded into a South Florida church Thursday evening for a forum on Florida’s new standards for teaching Black history, which have drawn harsh criticism for requiring teachers to instruct middle-school students that enslaved people “developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”But one person who wasn’t in attendance was Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz — the man responsible for overseeing the standards.The former area high school teacher had previously agreed to attend, according to organizers. His participation was advertised on fliers publicizing the event, which was sponsored by Democratic Florida Sen. Shevrin Jones. A chair even was set up on the podium for him with a placard bearing his name.Diaz, a former Florida lawmaker who was appointed commissioner last year by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, said on social med...

Gal Gadot stars as spy engaged in cat-and-mouse chase — with world’s fate at stake — in Netflix’s ‘Heart of Stone’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:25 GMT

I am an international superspy — in my head, and definitely on Facebook and Instagram when I’m stalking people — but Gal Gadot is playing the real kind in a new action movie. She has to save the world, and no, it’s not a new “Wonder Woman” sequel.The flick is called “Heart of Stone.” Like my heart: cold, hard and lifeless.This job probably doesn’t come with pizza parties.Jamie Dornan (as Parker): “You know what you signed up for.”Sophie Okonedo (as Nomad): “No friends, no relationships. What we do is too important.”What could be more important than Jamie Dornan? Well, in “Heart of Stone,” turns out, it’s something like world peace.Jamie Dornan (as Parker): “What’s happening?”Matthias Schweighöfer (as Jack of Hearts): “All our systems are offline. We’ve lost the Heart.”International intelligence agent Rachel Stone, played by Gal Gadot, embarks on a dange...