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Pro-government rally held in Serbia amid growing discontent after mass shootings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Tens of thousands of people converged on the Serbian capital on Friday for a major rally in support of President Aleksandar Vucic, who is facing an unprecedented revolt against his autocratic rule amid the crisis triggered by two mass shootings that stunned the nation.The event was somewhat overshadowed by a new crisis in Serbia’s former province of Kosovo, where ethnic Serbs clashed with Kosovo police on Friday and Vucic ordered Serbian troops to be put on a “higher state of alert.” Vucic also said that he ordered an “urgent” movement of Serbian troops to the border with Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.Answering Vucic’s call for what he called “the largest rally in the history of Serbia,” his supporters, many wearing identical T-shirts with his portrait, were bused to Belgrade from all over the Balkan country as well as neighboring Kosovo and Bosnia. The organizers said that “hundreds of thousands” of participants attended the gathering in ...

A look at the 20 articles of impeachment against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

Texas’ Republican-controlled House issued 20 articles of impeachment against GOP Attorney General Ken Paxton, ranging from bribery to abuse of public trust, and a vote that could remove him from office could happen as soon as Friday.The allegations include attempts to interfere in foreclosure lawsuits, improperly issuing legal opinions to benefit real estate developer Nate Paul, and firing, harassing and interfering with whistleblower staffers. Bribery charges stem from Paul allegedly employing a woman with whom Paxton had an affair in exchange for legal help and Paul allegedly paying for renovations to Paxton’s home. Other charges date back to Paxton’s pending 2015 felony securities fraud case, including lying to state investigators.Paxton has said the charges are based on “hearsay and gossip, parroting long-disproven claims.” Here’s look at the 20 articles of impeachment:DISREGARD OF OFFICIAL DUTYARTICLE 1 – Protection of charitable organizationPaxton is accused of fai...

Mississauga teenagers identified in double homicide in Eastern Ontario

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have identified two 16-year-old male teens as the victims of a double homicide, with a third person seriously injured in an eastern part of the province.Just before 3 a.m. on May 22, officers from the Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment responded to a residence on Mackay Street in Pembroke, Ont., where two male teenagers were discovered with critical injuries.OPP said the two victims were taken to the hospital, where one was pronounced deceased. Another victim was found dead in the immediate area.The victims were identified as Noah Nathaniel Annis and Alando Omario Davidson, both 16, of Mississauga. A post-mortem determined they died from gunshot wounds, police noted.A third 16-year-old from Mississauga suffered serious injuries. Investigators believe the victims were targeted.There is no current information on any suspects.OPP said a heavy police presence will be in the area as the investigation continues.

School bus and tanker truck collide in South Carolina; 18 sent to hospital

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

GILBERT, S.C. (AP) — A school bus collided with a tanker truck Thursday in South Carolina, sending at least 18 people, mostly children, to the hospital, authorities said.The bus was carrying 36 passengers when it collided with the tanker at about 4 p.m. at an intersection near Gilbert in Lexington County, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.At least 17 children and one adult were taken to Lexington Medical Center for treatment, the hospital told WIS-TV. All of the patients were evaluated and released, hospital spokesperson Jennifer Wilson told The Associated Press by telephone on Friday.There was no immediate information on their conditions or the cause of the crash.The bus passengers were from Gilbert Middle School and Gilbert High schools.Gilbert is about 30 miles (49 kilometers) southwest of South Carolina’s capital of Columbia.The Associated Press

4th suspect arrested in kidnapping of Elnaz Hajtamiri

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have arrested a fourth suspect in the kidnapping case of Elnaz Hajtamiri, who was forcibly taken from a home in Wasaga Beach in 2022 and remains missing.Police say Adams Suleman Ankamah, 29, of Brampton was arrested on Wednesday, May 24, in connection to Hajtamiri’s abduction.He’s facing a charge of kidnapping, numerous gun charges, and one count of possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5,000.He’s being held in custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Barrie on June 1.Police say an outstanding arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth suspect in the case — Deshawn Davis, 35, of Toronto.Deshawn Davis, 35, of Toronto, is wanted in connection to the kidnapping of Elnaz Hajtamiri. OPPHajtamiri was forcibly removed from a home in Wasaga Beach by three suspects dressed in police gear on Jan. 12, 2022.She was 37 at the time of the abduction.The suspects fled with Hajtamiri in what is believed to be a white Lexus RX SUV.The O...

‘Immense sorrow:’ Major fire at Montreal heritage building that once housed monastery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

MONTREAL — A major fire at a Montreal heritage building was still not under control Friday and authorities were not able to provide a firm timeline of how long it would take to extinguish the blaze.The fire broke out late Thursday afternoon at the Monastère du Bon-Pasteur, a 19th century former monastery, and quickly became a five-alarm blaze requiring the intervention of 150 firefighters.Fire Chief Richard Liebmann told reporters Friday that the fire seems to have started in the attic, but bringing it under control hasn’t been easy. “It’s a fire that’s extremely difficult to extinguish,” Liebmann said. “Because of the nature of the construction, the shape of the building and the construction materials, it’s very difficult to reach the source of the fire, (both) from above and from inside.”Liebmann could not say what the extent of the damage could be or how long operations might continue.The downtown Montreal building was built in 1846...

It's 2023 home opening night for the Chicago Sky

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

Annie Costabile, the Chicago Sky beat writer for the Chicago Sun Times, joins "9 Good Minutes" on WGN News Now to talk about this new-look team ahead of their home opener Friday.CHICAGO — The city's new-look WNBA team will get to play in front of the home fans for the first time during the 2023 regular season on Friday - and it's safe to say they generated a little bit of excitement before that contest. In their first two games of the WNBA season, the Sky defeated the Lynx and the Mercury on the road, doing so in front of a national audience in the latter contest last Sunday. While it's just a small part of a league-record 40-game regular season, it was a statement from the team to the WNBA that the reorganization of their team doesn't mean a lack of success.But those fans who arrive at Wintrust Arena on Friday night for the home opener against the Mystics on Friday at 7 p.m. will certainly see a different group than the one that left the court last September in the WNBA Playoffs. C...

Memorial Day weekend deadliest for Texas drivers, who rank as worst drivers in the U.S.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- According to a study from the car insurance company Jerry, Texas has suffered the most fatal crashes during Memorial Day weekend over the past decade, with Houston and Dallas leading nationally as the top two cities for fatalities. Austin Police Department starts ‘No Refusal’ initiative to curb drunk driving over Memorial Day weekend The study, conducted by former Bloomberg economics editor Henry Hoenig, who now works for Jerry, used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The majority of traffic fatalities occur at night or in the early morning. (Courtesy Jerry)Historically, Saturday is the deadliest day of Memorial Day weekend. (Courtesy Jerry)California has a larger population than Texas, but Texas outpaces in Memorial Day weekend deaths. (Courtesy Jerry)It found that 42% of the people who died were between the ages of 16 and 35. Key causes of those crashes were speed (52%) and intoxication (67%).A 2020 study published in the journal BMC ...

Sources: Lieutenant Governor holding up post-Uvalde transparency bill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A years-long fight to close a controversial legal gap known as the "dead suspect loophole" has hit a last-minute snag. This development comes days after the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers, which put a spotlight on the importance of public records, transparency and the truth."We've agreed to the changes that would make this bill operational and the House conferees have signed off on that," said Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, who authored the bill and has been trying to close the loophole for years. "So, we're simply waiting to see what happens."The hold up: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, according to several sources with inside knowledge. KXAN reached out Friday to his office to ask about the status of the bill but did not immediately hear back.The "dead suspect loophole" refers to an exemption in the Texas Public Information Act that gives police discretion to withhold records from the public in cases where a s...

2 Austin students head to Scripps National Spelling Bee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – On Tuesday, 231 children aged 9 to 14 will face off in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C, perhaps leading to many of us feeling ashamed of our over-reliance on spell-check. Two Austinites – Shrethan Botla,14,  and Tarini Nandakumar, 12 – will compete to be this year’s spelling champion. Bolta, who said this is his first and last entry into the national competition, said he feels both nervous and excited ahead of the trip.“I'm feeling really happy because I've never been to an event, a big international level,” he told KXAN. Other spelling contestants beware if the word “onomatopoeia” is called as it is Bolta’s favorite. “It’s just a very unique and perplexing word overall,” Bolta said on why he finds the word compelling. “And words that kind of stumped me are probably words that just don't follow the language pattern. If they're of an unknown origin, it just makes it harder to spell [because] I can't follow any of the rules,” Bol...