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Vatican court convicts climate activists for damaging statue, fines them more than 28,000 euros

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A Vatican court convicted two environmental activists of aggravated damage Monday and ordered them to pay more than 28,000 euros (US$30,000) in restitution after they glued their hands to the base of an ancient statue in the Vatican Museums in a protest to draw attention to climate change.The two members of the Last Generation environmental activist group, Guido Viero and Ester Goffi, also received a nine-month suspended sentence and were fined 1,620 euros apiece. A third activist on trial with them, Laura Zorzini, was fined 120 euros.The trial stemmed from an Aug. 18 protest in the Vatican Museums, during which Viero and Goffi glued their hands to the base of the Laocoon statue, one of the most important ancient works in the collection that is believed to date from the 1st century B.C. They hung up a banner reading “Last Generation: No gas and no carbon,” as Zorzini filmed them. Their action was part of a wave of Last Generation and related activist protests aro...

Analysis: Novak Djokovic has 23 Slams, so is he the GOAT? He leaves that debate to others

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The query was swift and direct. Novak Djokovic’s reply was slow, thoughtful and revelatory, delivered in paragraphs.“How does it feel,” a reporter wanted to know, “to be the greatest male player in history?”First, a quick bit of background: Djokovic’s championship at the 2023 French Open, earned via a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Casper Ruud on Sunday that included a so-so start and then a cascade of brilliance, provided his 23rd Grand Slam title.No man has won as many. After spending his entire career trying to accumulate as much hardware as rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Djokovic now stands alone atop the list. He had been tied at 22 with Nadal; Federer, who announced his retirement last year, has 20.So, now, back to that question. For years, as that so-called Big Three dominated men’s tennis, the debate has swirled over which should be considered the “GOAT” — “Greatest of All-Time.”Federer has his backers. So does Nadal. Djokovic, too.There are those who wa...

Stock market today: Wall Street drifts ahead of Fed, inflation data

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are drifting on Wall Street Monday ahead of a big week for central banks and interest rates around the world.The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher in midday trading, coming off its fourth straight winning week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 31 points, or 0.1%, at 33,908, as of 11:15 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.6% higher.Stocks were mixed, with the S&P 500 nearly evenly split between winners and losers. Cruise operator Carnival rode a 12.7% upswell as analysts upgraded its stock on signs demand remains steady for the industry and that pricing is holding up. Nasdaq, the exchange company that’s pushing more into technology, fell 11.7% after saying it would buy Adenza, a risk management and regulatory software provider, for $10.5 billion in cash and stock.The U.S. stock market is near its highest level since April 2022 on hopes the economy may avoid a recession and the Federal Reserve may soon take it easier on its hikes to interest...

Iraq urges countries to repatriate their citizens from camp housing families of extremist IS group

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq urged countries on Monday to repatriate their citizens from a sprawling camp in Syria housing tens of thousands linked to the extremist Islamic State group, saying it has become a “source for terrorism.”The statements were made during a conference in Baghdad discussing al-Hol camp in northeast Syria. Iraqi officials, the U.N. representative in Iraq, some members of the international coalition fighting IS and ambassadors of several countries were present.Al-Hol Camp — named after a town near the Iraqi border — is an open wound left by Syria’s 12-year conflict. Tens of thousands of people were taken to the facility after the extremist group’s defeat in Syria in March 2019.The camp holds about 51,000 people, the vast majority women and children, including the wives, widows and other family members of IS militants, mostly Syrians and Iraqis. There are also around 8,000 women and children from 60 other nationalities who live in a part of the camp known as the An...

Biden to undergo root canal, will miss collegiate athletics event at White House

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is undergoing a root canal after experiencing some dental pain – a procedure that will take him out of commission for at least one public event on Monday. Biden’s personal physician, Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo released by the White House that Biden reported the pain in his lower right premolar on Sunday. The president had an initial root canal that day, and he “tolerated the procedure well” with no complications, O’Connor said. On Monday morning, Biden had “further discomfort” in his mouth, which O’Connor said was expected. An endodontal specialty team from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center will complete Biden’s root canal at the White House. He was scheduled to appear at College Athlete Day on the South Lawn at the White House, which hosts NCAA champions from various men’s and women’s sports from the 2022-2023 season. Vice President Kamala Harris will instead attend in Biden’s place...

Mayor Johnson speaks at Chicago Fire Department graduation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago Fire Department (CFD) graduation took place Monday morning. Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the newest department members during his first CFD graduation as mayor.Watch Johnson's full remarks in the video above. Here’s how billions in COVID relief funds were stolen or wasted

CPD Search: Man in connection to homicide in Greater Grand Crossing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

CHICAGO -- Chicago police are seeking to identify a man in connection to a homicide that left a 41-year-old man dead in Greater Grand Crossing Thursday.The Chicago Police Department released footage of the possible individual in connection to a homicide that took place in the 7600 block of St. Lawrence Avenue around 11:37 p.m.A 41-year-old man was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Police said the man was believed to be tall, last seen wearing light-colored jeans, white gym shoes and a dark colored coat. The incident is under investigation and if any information related to the homicide is recovered, contact detectives at (312)-747-8271.

Affidavit: 23-year-old man shot, killed woman after calling her a gay slur

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for June 12, 2023CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- An affidavit obtained by KXAN revealed details surrounding a shooting at a Circle K gas station in Cedar Park that left one person dead last week. Akira Ross, 24 died in the shooting. Bradley Stanford, 23, was charged with murder in her death. PREVIOUS: Cedar Park Police charge man with murder in Circle K shooting KXAN is working to find attorney information for Stanford. This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.Prior to the shooting, a “verbal exchange” occurred in the gas station parking lot at 12020 North FM 620 between Stanford and Ross, according to Cedar Park Police. Two witnesses who were with Ross told police what happened, which was detailed in the affidavit. According to the affidavit, one of the witnesses was Ross's girlfriend. When they arrived at the gas station, Ross and her girlfriend were in a small argument over a pizza ...

Twins await decision on television fate with Bally Sports North

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

Twins television broadcasts are in a holding pattern. And it’s likely to remain that way for more than a month as the franchise awaits a decision on their TV future for the remainder of this season.After two days of testimony, a federal bankruptcy judge ruled earlier this month that Diamond Sports Group, which operates Bally Sports, must pay the Twins — and the three other teams in the lawsuit — the entire value of their previously-agreed-upon contracts.The media company, which previously had paid the Twins 75 percent of its first payment, which was due in April, has now fulfilled the remainder of that payment. Now it has to decide whether or not to make the second payment, which is due on July 1, to continue broadcasting games through the remainder of this season or to sever ties with the Twins.In total, the Twins are owed $58.4 million from Diamond Sports to telecast games this season, with another fee for the rights to stream those telecasts to their subscribers. The Twins’ telev...

Troy's Summer Square concert lineup announced

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:07:53 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall has announced the lineup for its free Summer Square outdoor concert series. The series kicks off on July 8 and runs every Saturday through August 26. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! LineupJuly 8: Dust Bowl Faeries. A fusion of circus, post-punk, gypsy, and psyche-folk music.July 15: Bronte Roman. A pop vocalist who performs Jazz ballads.July 22: Carol Daggs. Jazz pianist and vocalist.July 29: Julia Alsarraf. Contemporary folk and indie pop/rock singer and instrumentalist.August 5: Ida Mae Specker. Fiddler, folk singer, and songwriter.August 12: Triskele. The Capital Region's all-women Irish band.August 19: Aiva & Hayley. Singer-songwriters from Latham performing covers from different genres and original songs.August 26: Jeanne O'Connor Quartet.  Pop, Latin, and R&B voalist.Each concert starts at 6 p.m. in the Music Hall courtyard at 30 2nd Street. Attendees can...