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Armenia’s parliament votes to join the International Criminal Court, straining ties with ally Russia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The Armenian parliament on Tuesday voted to join the International Criminal Court, which earlier this year indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes connected to the deportation of children from Ukraine. The move is likely to further strain Armenia’s deteriorating relation with its ally Russia, which last month called Yerevan’s push to join the ICC an “unfriendly step.” Countries that have signed and ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC are bound to arrest Putin if he sets foot on their soil. Armenian officials say the effort to join ICC has nothing to do with Russia and was prompted by Azerbaijan’s aggression against the country.The Associated Press

Congolese military court convicts colonel and 3 soldiers in connection with killings of protesters

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

GOMA, Congo (AP) — A military court sentenced a Congolese military colonel to death and convicted three soldiers following the deaths of more than 50 people who were protesting the U.N. peacekeeping mission earlier this year.Col. Mike Mikombe, former commander of the Republican Guard in the eastern city of Goma, was sentenced Monday. Congo has not enforced the death penalty in more than 20 years, effectively making it a life sentence. Three other second-class soldiers from the same unit were sentenced to 10 years in prison. Two other officers were acquitted, including Col. Donat Bawili, who headed the Congolese armed forces regiment in Goma at the time.In August, Goma’s mayor had banned a protest organized by a sect known as Wazalendo. Its supporters planned to demonstrate against the regional East African Community organization and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo.The U.N. mission has faced increased pressure to withdraw from Congo after more than two decades in the...

Powerball jackpot climbs to $1.2 billion after no one wins the big prize

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (NEXSTAR) — The Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion after no players hit it big Monday night.The winning numbers announced were: 12, 26, 27, 43, 47 and the Powerball 5. The Power Play was 2X.$2 million winners were drawn in New York and South Carolina. $1 million winners were drawn in Delaware and Michigan.The jackpot for the next drawing Wednesday night will be among the largest lottery prizes of all time, behind earlier prizes in the Powerball and Mega Millions games.The largest lottery prizes in the U.S. are:$2.04 billion (Powerball): Nov. 7, 2022; California$1.602 billion (Mega Millions): Aug. 15, 2023; Florida$1.586 billion (Powerball): Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida, Tennessee$1.537 billion (Mega Millions): Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina$1.348 billion (Mega Millions): Jan. 13, 2023; Maine$1.337 billion (Mega Millions): July 29, 2022; Illinois$1.20 billion (Est. Powerball): Oct. 4, 2023$1.08 billion (Powerball):...

Play of the Week winner - Shen's Luke McAuliffe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Congratulations to this week's winner of our Play of the Week poll, Shenendehowa's Luke McAuliffe. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! McAuliffe scored on a long touchdown catch and run in the Plainsmen's 59-20 win over Ballston Spa. In addition, McAuliffe had three catches for 133 yards receiving and two touchdowns, on Shen's record-setting night.

43% of EU tourists are international visitors

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

Did you know that the  EU  represents 5.6% of the world's population and 3.0% of the world's land area, but although small, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) it received 45.8% of all international tourism arrivals in the world in 2022? The top 10 destination countries worldwide included six EU members (France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece and Austria).  Eurostat data indicates that foreign tourists from the EU and extra-EU countries represented 43.0% of all nights spent in EU tourist accommodations in 2022. In 11 out of the 27 EU countries, the dominant flow consisted of foreign tourists.In three EU countries, international tourists (from the EU and extra-EU countries) accounted for more than 90% of the tourism nights spent: Malta (92%), Croatia and Cyprus (both 91%). The same was recorded in Luxembourg and Greece, where the foreign market accounted for 86% and 84%, respectively, of the tourism nights. In Austria, Slovenia, Portugal and Spain this was between 6...

Word Game: Oct. 3, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — HOPSACK (HOPSACK: HOP-sak: A rough-surfaced loosely woven clothing fabric.)Average mark 16 wordsTime limit 30 minutesCan you find 21 or more words in HOPSACK? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — OCCLUDED occlude clod cloud clue coddle code coed cold cole could cuddle cued lode loud dole dude duelTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Horoscopes Oct. 3, 2023: Gwen Stefani, don’t let anger fuel your fire

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Seann William Scott, 47; Neve Campbell, 50; Gwen Stefani, 54; Chubby Checker, 82.Happy Birthday: Jump in and do your part this year, and you’ll make worthwhile connections. What you do for others will not be forgotten, and the rewards you receive will help you through dire times. Don’t let anger fuel your fire when positive action offers higher returns and greater stability. Take steps toward better health, friendships and happiness; in return, you’ll receive favors. Nurture relationships, but keep your money and possessions separate. Your numbers are 9, 13, 22, 27, 34, 42, 45.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Focus on money, how to make it stretch and setting up a budget that keeps you out of financial disarray. Challenge yourself to set boundaries, get in shape and nurture meaningful relationships. Love yourself enough to let go of toxic influences. 4 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make changes and stick to them. Responsibility will lead to...

Bridge: Oct. 3, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

“At least it was only for matchpoints, not money.”We were commiserating with Cy the Cynic in the lounge after a duplicate. Cy had lost by one matchpoint — after being handed a zero on the final deal by his nemesis Minnie Bottoms. She wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay.“I played at four spades,” Cy told us. “Minnie was West and had doubled at her first turn. She led a diamond, and I took the ace and cashed the A-K of trumps. When East discarded, I led a club … and Minnie played the king.”“Thinking it was the jack,” Rose smiled.THIRD CLUB“Say I take the A-Q,” the Cynic said, “and Minnie discards. East wins the third club and leads a heart, and I lose two hearts and a trump and go down. To make the contract, I must let the king of clubs win.“I was plus 420,” Cy went on. “Every other South made an overtrick for plus 450, running the c...

Ask Amy: I just found out how his parents really feel about me, and our wedding plan is on hold

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

Dear Amy: I am a 30-year-old woman. I’ve been with my fiancé for almost seven years.When we first met, my hair was platinum blonde. Now that I am a hairstylist, I enjoy playing around with my hair color and have come to love dark blue. I’ve been blue for a few years now and it didn’t seem like a big deal.Yesterday, my fiancé broke the news to me that his parents are refusing to pay for the wedding venue if my hair is anything except my natural color.I was completely taken aback.There’s a laundry list: They don’t approve of my tattoos, my recent weight gain due to some serious health issues (I had discussed my health problems privately with his mother), and that I’m not making as much money as I should be (hairstylists are struggling right now because we’re in a recession)!This family has been loving toward me this entire relationship, and all of a sudden I’ve found out how they really feel.I feel completely crushed.They were too cowardly to talk to me about their o...

Wembanyama’s world taking firm hold in San Antonio as Spurs open new era with No. 1 pick

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:52:34 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs are prepared for what should be one of the most demanding tasks this NBA season: Answering questions about rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama.How many times can the Spurs answer how amazing Wembanyama is before it gets irritating (or before they’ve played a game that matters)? Try two minutes into the Spurs’ media day on Monday.“I already am (annoyed),” veteran coach Gregg Popovich said, laughing afterward. “It’s OK. It’s OK. Part of the deal.”Welcome to Wembanyama’s world, also known as the home of the five-time NBA Champions.The hype surrounding the league’s No. 1 pick is larger than his 7-foot-3 frame and wider than his 8-foot wingspan. It’s understandable considering Wembanyama is unlike any player the league has seen.The 19-year-old from France has already been compared to some of the game’s most skilled long-range shooters, best shot blockers and top passers while also standing as one of the league’s tallest players ever.The Spurs ar...