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Belarus has no immediate plans to adopt Russian currency, its strongman leader Lukashenko says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus and Russia have no plans to adopt a joint currency in the near future, Belarus’ strongman leader announced on Monday.Speaking at a meeting with the head of Russia’s central bank, Alexander Lukashenko said that introducing the Russian ruble in Belarus would not be “an easy process,” and that the authorities in Minsk had no intentions so far of doing so. “When it comes to creating a single currency and so on, this is not an easy process and, probably, not (one) for today,” Lukashenko said on Monday during talks with bank governor Elvira Nabiullina.Lukashenko has for decades relied on subsidies from Moscow to keep Belarus’ Soviet-style economy afloat. The two countries signed agreements on the creation of a defense, monetary and customs union as early as in the mid-1990s, though differences have persisted between Moscow and Minsk regarding their implementation.Russian support also helped the autocratic leader survive months of mass protests following the...

Lebanese officials say Saudi Arabian citizen kidnapped in Beirut, motive unclear

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Assailants kidnapped a Saudi Arabian citizen in Beirut but the motive behind the abduction was not immediately clear, Lebanon’s interior minister and security officials said Monday.State-run Saudi TV station Al-Ekhbariya reported that the kidnapped man works for Saudi national airlines Saudia and that the kidnappers demanded a $400,000 ransom. The officials in Beirut said the man was kidnapped around midnight Saturday on the road leading to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport and search operations were underway to find him.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, gave no further details.Lebanon’s caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi tweeted that members of the intelligence department of Lebanon’s police have been searching for the Saudi citizen since Sunday. Mawlawi did not release the name of the Saudi citizen adding that authorities are following the case with the Saudi ambassador to Beirut.“We are working with ...

How a Netflix true crime show helped find missing South Elgin teenager

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

(NewsNation) — For six years, Kayla Unbehaun's family searched for her. Now 15 years old, Kayla is back home with help from an episode of Netflix’s "Unsolved Mysteries" series on parental abductions.Kayla was 9 years old when she went missing on July 5, 2017. She wasliving full-time with her father Ryan Iserka but visiting her non-custodial mother, Heather Unbehaun, in the Chicago suburb of South Elgin."I had gone to her house to pick up my daughter on my way home from work, and they weren't there," Iserka said during an interview in 2020. "Her family was at her house having dinner and they had told me that she didn't come back from a camping trip and they didn't know where she was." Father ‘overjoyed’ after reuniting with child abducted in South Elgin; mom charged Police issued a felony kidnapping warrant for Heather Unbehaun's arrest on July 28, 2017, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).Iserka tried to stay positive, writing letters...

Owner says French bulldog stolen at gunpoint on Northwest Side is now safe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

CHICAGO — A woman injured when her French bulldog was stolen at gunpoint while on a walk last Wednesday says her pup is now safe. "Peppa is safe!!!" said Alicja Pierzchala in an update to her Facebook post announcing the assault and robbery. "Thank you to everyone for their concerns, prayers, and well wishes!" Counties with the warmest summers in Illinois The incident happened around 7:45 p.m. in the 5800 block of West Giddings Street on Chicago's Northwest Side. Alicja Pierzchala was walking her six-year-old French bulldog, Peppa, when she was attacked at gunpoint, injured and Peppa was taken.“I wanted to help her and then he put the gun to my forehead and right away, hit me in my right shoulder,” Pierzchala told WGN last Thursday. Pierzchala, who adopted Peppa two months before the theft, suffered a concussion, cuts and bruises, and a rotator cuff injury.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesChicago police said no one is in custody and detectives are still investigating. Pierz...

VIDEO: Teachers launch water balloons at unsuspecting Austin students on last day of school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Students at Harmony School of Excellence in southeast Austin were unaware of the soggy exit that teachers and staff had planned for the last day of school.The senior class was asked to come outside for a big surprise, and staff members at the school, who were perched on the roof, launched water balloons at the unsuspecting students for a hilarious send-off.A staff member shared a video of the water balloon ambush and said it was in retaliation for the senior prank.“Sure, your school could be cool. But never as cool as the admin team and teachers avenging senior prank with a surprise water balloon attack,” the staffer said.

Asylum Seekers arrive in Colonie from NYC

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey states the town learned the bus was originally intended to head to Albany, citing its designation as a ‘sanctuary city,’ but it was then suggested to head to Colonie and arrive at the Sure Stay Best Western on Wolf Road between 12:30 am and 1:30 am early Sunday morning.Crummey says he learned this information from Albany County Executive Dan McCoy late Friday evening. He takes issue with this following Albany County’s State of Emergency regarding the migrant crisis that was declared by McCoy this week, claiming there was not a coordinated effort between county, state, and local officials and that Mayor Adams violated the county’s emergency order. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! But Mayor Kathy Sheehan says that Albany County has already been working collaboratively with Mayor Adams for some time.“This has been something that the Mayor of New York City has been si...

Milt Larsen, the co-founder of the Magic Castle in Los Angeles,dies at 92

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

Milt Larsen, a magician and TV writer who co-founded Los Angeles' famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, died May 28 in Los Angeles at the age of 92, Variety reported.Larsen died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Sunday; a representative told multiple media outlets.In 1963, Larsen co-founded the Magic Castle, a world-famous private club for magicians in Los Angeles. Larsen served as the president of Magic Castles, Inc. until his passing.Larsen is survived by his wife, Arlene Larsen, his nephew, niece and great-nieces.This is a developing story; please check back for updates.

Biden marks Memorial Day lauding generations of fallen U.S. troops who 'dared all and gave all'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

President Joe Biden lauded the sacrifice of generations of U.S. troops who “dared all and gave all” fighting for their country and called on Americans to ensure that their “sacrifice was not in vain” as he marked Memorial Day with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, for the 155th National Memorial Day Observance. He had a moment of contemplation in front of the wreath, which was adorned with flowers and a red, white and blue bow, and then bowed his head in prayer.“We must never forget the price that was paid to protect our democracy,” Biden said later in an address at the Memorial Amphitheater. "We must never forget the lives these flags, flowers and marble markers represent.””Every year we remember," he said. "And every year it never gets easier.”Monday's federal holiday honoring America's fallen service members came a day after Biden and Re...

Thrashed to Death at the Wiltern

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

Thrashed to Death at the Wiltern: This thrash metal tour  was dubbed the Klash of the Titans, a nod to the old Clash of the Titans tours that featured Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. In this case, the tour featured the magnificent duo of Kreator and Sepultura, plus Bay Area thrash pioneers Death Angel. Spirit World opened but, sorry guys, we didn’t make it to the Wiltern venue Downtown in time to see them.We’ll start with the headliners and work backwards. We have to be honest — we don’t always have a good read on which metal bands are still hugely popular in Los Angeles. A tour with Kreator headlining sold out the Wiltern. Later this year, fellow German metal band Halloween play the YouTube Arena. And yet the likes of Overkill, Testament and Exodus play relatively smaller venues such as the House of Blues. Possessed and Vio-Lence are still playing the Whisky.Kreator do deserve their enthusiastic fanbase though. Since 1982 they’ve been frontrunners in a G...

As summer nears, shortage of lifeguards is a growing concern

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:58:47 GMT

By Lauren Mascarenhas | CNNAs people flock to beaches, lakes and pools this Memorial Day to celebrate the unofficial start of summer, the swimmers are here – but the lifeguards aren’t. At least, that’s what some parks departments and agencies around the country are saying as they scramble to find and keep lifeguards on duty for the season.In New York, it takes around 1,400 lifeguards to keep the city’s beaches and pools fully staffed, and officials are feeling the staffing strain.“This number includes a second shift of lifeguards to cover early morning and late-night swim programming at pools, which we are not able to accommodate this year,” New York City Parks press officer Gregg McQueen told CNN.Like communities across the country, the city’s lifeguard ranks were severely depleted by losses during the Covid-19 pandemic, McQueen said. Many public swimming venues were shut down during the pandemic and some certified and potential lifeguards found work elsewhere.With over 200 new rec...