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Putin needs money to fund the Ukraine war. The US and its European allies are helping him to make it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and its European allies are importing vast amounts of nuclear fuel and compounds from Russia, providing Moscow with hundreds of millions of dollars in badly needed revenue as it wages war on Ukraine.The sales, which are legal and unsanctioned, have raised alarms from nonproliferation experts and elected officials who say the imports are helping to bankroll the development of Moscow’s nuclear arsenal and are complicating efforts to curtail Russia’s war-making abilities. The dependence on Russian nuclear products — used mostly to fuel civilian reactors — leaves the U.S. and its allies open to energy shortages if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to cut off supplies. The challenge is likely to grow more intense as those nations seek to boost production of emissions-free electricity to combat climate change.“We have to give money to the people who make weapons? That’s absurd,” said Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Washington-based Nonproliferation...

Commission approves €350 million Finnish scheme to promote sustainable forest management

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, a €350 million Finnish scheme to support sustainable forest management. The aim of the scheme is to help private forest owners implement economically, ecologically and socially sustainable forest management and use techniques to (i) promote the growth of forests, (ii) adapt forests to climate change, (iii) protect biodiversity, (iv) promote water protection in forestry, and (v) maintain the forestry road network.Under the scheme, which will run until 31 December 2029, the aid will take the form of direct grants to private forest owners. In particular, the direct grants will support: (i) remedial fertilisation, (ii) peatland forest management plans, (iii) forest nature management plans, (iv) water protection measures, including road embankment construction, (v) forest road construction, (vi) prescribed burning, as well as (vii) the compensation for income losses of private forest owners resulting from the implementation ...

TikTok video captures man lurking near women's legs in Burbank bookstore

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

Social media personality Michaela Witter started a series on TikTok called “Solo Dates” — meant to showcase outings and activities that people can do alone, especially women.But what happened to the 28-year-old at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Burbank made her feel stalked and violated.What started as a trip to the bookstore to relax turned into an unnerving experience for Witter. Shortly after she arrived at the store, she says a stranger began following her before finally invading her space.“It felt like anywhere I moved, he kept following me,” she recalled. “So I recorded just in case he was trying to say anything or do anything to me, but I definitely did not expect him to do this.”In the video, the man is seen crouching down low and getting extremely close to Witter’s legs. He is later seen doing the same thing to another woman browsing nearby.“I was so freaked out,” she said. “He was literally under me, so freaking close to me, so I decided to tell the front desk.”A TikTok v...

Family remembers 3 victims of deadly plane crash in San Bernardino County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

Family members who lost loved ones in a deadly plane crash in San Bernardino County late last month are speaking out and remembering those taken too soon.  According to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson, the single-engine Beechcraft P35 crashed during departure at Cable Airport in Upland on the morning of July 30, killing all three people on board. "I’m still in shock,” Kelly Hitchins, who lost three family members in the crash, told KTLA. “I have holes in my heart.” Hitchins lost her husband, Craig, her son Blake Epperson and her brother, Jeff, who was piloting the plane.  “At first, I just didn’t believe it,” said Trever Epperson, Blake’s older brother. He told KTLA that Blake was in town from his home in Maine for a family birthday party and a camping trip. “He was just a very dedicated father, brother, friend,” Trever said.  “He was hilarious. Everybody loved Blake,” Kelly added.  Blake and the others had gotten up early that Sunday morning and p...

Josephine and the Time Machine at Hotel Cafe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

Josephine and the Time Machine at Hotel Cafe: Great Scott! Mother/daughter duo, Josephine & the Time Machine (Helen Hudson) are performing at Hotel Café on Thursday.According to a statement from the band, “Both are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. Josephine, kicked off 2023, by producing two-diverse EPs: ‘Paradise,’ and ‘Lost?’ Her eclectic inspirations include James Blake, Father John Misty, Frank Ocean, and Françoise Hardy. She experiments with pop, electronic, jazz and folk motifs to create a soundscape wrapped with strikingly philosophical lyrics.”“The Time Machine, Helen Hudson, is an award-winning songwriter with TV and film placements” they continue. “She’s worked with artists from Billy Crystal to Don Mclean and was Campus Entertainer of the Year, solo artist, in the 1980’s. She’s also in the Guinness Book of Sports Records for being the first person to sing the national anthem at every major league baseball st...

Investigation underway into possible murder-suicide in Danville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

DANVILLE – Authorities on Wednesday were investigating a possible murder-suicide in Danville.The incident was reported on Larkwood Circle.The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office declined to provide details about the case.“There is no threat to the public,” the sheriff’s office said in a social media post.Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office is investigating a possible murder/suicide on Larkwood Circle in Danville. No details will be provided at this time as it is an active investigation. There is no threat to the public. Further information will be released at a later time.— CoCo Sheriff PIO (@cocosopio) August 10, 2023Check back for updates.

Palo Alto staple faces eviction after being 1 day late on rent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KRON) – A restaurant owner in Palo Alto is facing eviction after being one day late on rent.Mike’s Diner Bar has been in Palo Alto for nearly 30 years. After undergoing a $2 million renovation, it could soon be closing after the owner paid the $22,000 rent payment one day late in July. Racial slurs, swastikas found outside of Fairfield dive bar: sheriff “I paid the rent one day late because my daughter is disabled, was in the emergency room at El Camino Hospital and I had to get her admitted,” explained Mike Wallau, the owner of the restaurant. Ventana Property Services sent him this letter and filed for eviction in Santa Clara.“So my lawyer’s trying to work with them and mediate and also is filing a motion to set aside the eviction,” Wallau said. Wallau says a year ago he signed a stipulation saying he won’t be late on rent. He was late during COVID-19, which hit the business hard. “You sit up at three in the morning staring at the ceiling, going...

Hinata Miyazawa’s 5 goals in Women’s World Cup lead Japan into quarterfinals against Sweden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Led by a surprising new star, Japan has emerged as a Women’s World Cup favorite,Hinata Miyazawa has scored fives times in four games and leads the Golden Boot race headed into Japan’s quarterfinal game against Sweden in Eden Park on Friday. The 23-year-old has already matched the team’s World Cup record set by Japanese legend Homare Sawa, who had five goals when Japan won the event in 2011. Japan has steamrolled its way into the quarterfinals with a perfect 4-0 record and a team-record 14 total goals in the tournament. Japan has conceded only one goal this tournament, in a 3-1 victory over Norway in the knockout stage.Miyazawa, a 5-foot-2 midfielder, plays professionally in Japan for Mynavi Sendai in the WE League. Last season she had just one goal in 20 appearances, so her prolific scoring is a marked improvement at the World Cup. Miyazawa’s previous experience on the world stage came at the 2016 under-17 and 2018 under-20 World ...

Russia blames Ukraine for drone barrage on Moscow and Crimea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

Russia said it downed 13 drones overnight near Moscow and Sevastopol, in Russian-occupied Crimea, accusing Kyiv of being responsible for the attacks.“In the vicinity of the city of Sevastopol, two UAVs were destroyed by air defense equipment on duty, and nine more were suppressed by electronic warfare equipment and crashed in the waters of the Black Sea without reaching their target,” the Russian defense ministry said. There were no casualties or damage, the statement added. Moscow has regularly blamed Ukraine for launching drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, often targeting the capital. Ukrainian officials have largely avoided taking responsibility for these strikes, the frequency of which has increased in recent weeks. “At night, around four o’clock in the morning, the air defense forces shot down two attack UAVs flying toward the city,” Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said in a statement, adding that one drone was shot down near Moscow’s ...

Tropical Storm Khanun pours intense rain on South Korea and heads toward its urban centers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:14 GMT

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Tropical Storm Khanun was pouring intense rain on South Korea on Thursday, turning roads into chocolate-colored rivers as it advanced north toward major urban centers near the capital.More than a foot of rain has already fallen in southern areas from the storm that made landfall on the mainland during the morning. Emergency workers were responding to growing reports of flooding and landslides by afternoon. More than 10,000 people, mostly in southern coastal areas, were forced to evacuate from their homes and the number was expected to grow as the heavy rains continue and rivers and streams rise.No storm-related deaths or injuries have been reported so far, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Officials shut down hundreds of motorways, streets and public parks and sent text alerts warning about the perils posed by Khanun, which is hitting South Korea just weeks after torrential rains caused flash floods and landslides that killed at least 47...