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Russia charges WSJ reporter with espionage: Report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

Russia’s security services, the FSB, formally charged U.S. citizen Evan Gershkovich, a reporter with the Wall Street Journal’s Moscow bureau, with charges of espionage, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Friday, adding that Gershkovich denies the charges.TASS quoted an unnamed person as saying that “the FSB investigation charged Gershkovich with espionage in the interests of his country. He categorically denied all accusations and stated that he was engaged in journalistic activities in Russia.”The filing of charges and a response from the accused represent the formal start of a criminal probe, the Associated Press reported.Russian authorities arrested Gershkovich in Yekaterinburg on March 29. He could face up to 20 years in jail. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Gershkovich had been caught “red handed.” The Wall Street Journal denies the accusations. U.S. President Joe Biden has called for his immediate release.On Thursday, the U.S am...

More than 191,000 Hydro-Quebec customers still without power in Montreal after storm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

Nearly 300,000 Hydro-Quebec customers are still without power, days after an ice storm hit southern Quebec and eastern Ontario.The utility is scheduled to hold a news conference this morning to provide an update on the restoration process.Most of the outages affect Montreal, where as of 4 a.m. nearly 192,000 customers were still in the dark.Montérégie is the second most affected region, where more than 32,000 customers are without electricity, followed by Laval with more than 30,000.  The storm is being blamed for three deaths, with the most recent a 75-year old man in Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Que. who died from carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator in his garage.  Montreal’s health authority says dozens of people have suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning after using outdoor appliances inside during the blackout.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2023.The Canadian Press

Selfie sticks bloom beneath Vancouver’s cherry blossoms, as petal power goes global

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

It’s springtime in Metro Vancouver, when thickets of selfie sticks and tourists sprout up beneath canopies of the region’s famous cherry blossoms.On Sussex Avenue in Burnaby, east of Vancouver, a group of five fashionably dressed women set up an iPhone on a tripod under the blossoms. One accessorizes with a green scarf then pauses to give instructions to her friends, adjusting their angles, just so, for the perfect shot. They’re too busy to talk, as they strike a series of poses, hands on hips.Such scenes are familiar for Linda Poole, founder and creative director of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from April 1 to 23.She recalls the sight of tourists getting out of a tour bus at Queen Elizabeth Park, one of Vancouver’s most popular locations for blossom viewing.“And they are literally dancing under the blossoms and singing and modelling and posing. It’s really cute. I see that all the time,” said Poole.Vancouver’s cherry blossoms have ...

Daily horoscope for April 8, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Scorpio.Happy Birthday for Saturday, April 8, 2023:You have a strong sense of justice. You focus strongly on improving yourself. You are independent and courageous. This year is the first year of a new nine-year cycle. Stay flexible. Keep your eyes open for new opportunities. You’re prepared to be a leader.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★Check banking details and anything related to shared property, inheritances and insurance matters. Something unexpected could impact these areas for you today. Likewise, if you are responsible for someone or to someone, the game might change. Be in the know. Tonight: Generosity.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★A partner or close friend will throw you a curveball today. They will say or do something you least expect. Or possibly you will meet someone who’s a real character. Someone close to you might want to change the rules or do things differently. (Wha...

Harriette Cole: My truculent husband makes my home life miserable

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I barely speak to my husband anymore. Nine times out of 10 when we talk, it ignites an argument, usually about nothing. He always has to be right, and he doesn’t listen.It wasn’t like that in the early days. We used to enjoy each other’s company, but not anymore.I remember a roommate I had in college. We coexisted in our space, but no more than that. That was better than this. At least with that woman, it wasn’t hostile, it was just two people living in the same space. This is different. My husband and I are supposed to be in a relationship.I thought in marriage you were supposed to communicate and choose to do things together. That died years ago, for the most part.Do I just accept that this is how it will be from now on? How can I make it better?It Feels DeadRelated ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I’d get more pay with this new job, but I worry about the employer Advice | Harriette Cole: My co-worker blatant...

Miss Manners: Is there a rule against flushing the toilet at night?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is there a rule against flushing the toilet at night that I have so far overlooked?My family has started hosting overnight guests again after a hiatus. Each of the last two people who stayed with us asked my permission to flush the toilet at night before they turned in.The bathroom is off the hallway shared by the bedrooms, including our children’s. I guess the concern was that the flush would wake up the kids?This isn’t something I’ve ever worried about, or thought to ask at someone else’s house. Is it rude to flush without permission? I can’t imagine not flushing would be a good option for anyone.GENTLE READER: Unless you are on a train and stopped at a station, Miss Manners can think of no reason why flushing should be suspended. The shock of any late-night noise will surely be far less offensive than that of waking up to refuse that has been lingering overnight.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: How do I tell them m...

Dear Abby: This toxic person put me in his will. What should I do?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My older brother is toxic. I want to cut ties with him because he has always criticized, antagonized, marginalized and dismissed me. He has no filters and also criticizes and ridicules my grown children. I’ve had enough.If I were ghosted, I’d want to know why and not be blindsided. But it’s pointless to engage or explain to him.He’s a lifelong bachelor with no children or significant other, so he has me in his will if he goes first. I would be physically ill to inherit his estate — home, car, funds and personal effects. I want nothing from him.Should I notify his attorney and copy my brother that I wish to be removed from his will?OTHER BROTHER IN WASHINGTONDEAR OTHER BROTHER: It would be even more effective if you include in your letter the reasons for your decision.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: She doesn’t know how cruel her new friend was to us Advice | Dear Abby: I’m still married, but I want m...

Tel Aviv car attack kills Italian tourist, injures 7 others

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

An Italian tourist was killed and seven others were injured in a car-ramming attack that took place on Friday night in Tel Aviv.Police in Tel Aviv said a man drove a white Kia car alongside the beachside walk, hitting several pedestrians before overturning. The driver was killed by a police officer.The victim was identified by the Italian government as Alessandro Parini. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed “deep sorrow” and “solidarity to the victim’s family, to the injured, and solidarity with the State of Israel for the cowardly attack that hit him,” her office said in a note late Friday.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the scene of the attack, and ordered the mobilization of police and army reservists to counter terrorism, his office said in a statement.The attack took place hours after Israel carried out air strikes in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip on targets belonging to militant group Hamas. The strikes were in r...

How a ‘human fountain show’ became the inspiration for the Orioles’ new sprinkler celebration

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

As Ramón Urías rounded first base on his go-ahead double in the Orioles’ home opener Friday, a collection of water bottles went bottoms up in Baltimore’s dugout. But when Urías got to second and didn’t break into dance, that liquid had nowhere to go.In its earliest days, the Orioles’ latest celebration remains a work in progress, but it’s become an immediate source of joy when it works effectively. A season after binoculars acknowledged hits and a chain celebrated home runs, doubles are now met with a classic dance move and a whole lot of water.“It’s, like, a human fountain show,” catcher Adley Rutschman said.If executed properly, the routine is straightforward: After an Oriole reaches second on a double, he turns toward the dugout and performs “the sprinkler,” putting one hand on his head while elevating his other arm in front of him and moving it side to side. In response, his teammates in the dugout provid...

Truck crashes into pedestrians in Kenya, killing 10

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:06:48 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A truck crashed into pedestrians and motorcycle taxis near western Kenya’s border with Tanzania, killing at least 10 people and injuring 10 others Saturday, authorities said. A local police commander said the crash in the town of Migori happened along a major highway when the driver lost control of the brakes.An operation to free people trapped under the truck was underway, and there were fears the deal toll might rise, Migori county commander Mark Wanjala said. Two more people were reported to have been knocked across a bridge and into a river, but an attempt to rescue them had not started, Wanjala said.Witnesses told local media the truck driver honked the vehicle’s horn repeatedly before the crash. The truck was carrying bags of rice toward the Isebania border town into neighboring Tanzania.Videos of people looting the rice while people remained trapped under the track appeared on social media. Many Kenyans travel to their rural homes during the ...