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Serbia’s army proposes bringing back the draft as tensions continue to rise in the Balkans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia should reintroduce compulsory military service, the defense ministry said Thursday, as tensions continue to escalate in the Balkans.The ministry said in a statement that the proposal for service of up to four months is made “in order to increase the defense capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces, through the rejuvenation and improvement in the training of the active and reserve forces.”It said the proposal by the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff comes after “a detailed consideration of the general security situation and current challenges faced by the Republic of Serbia as a militarily neutral country.”It added that the proposal was forwarded to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, for his consideration. It did not specify the age span of the potential draftees.Serbia suspended mandatory military service in 2011 amid the push to professionalize the armed forces. But the country now appears close to bringing back the draft after a long campaign...

Taiwan’s presidential candidate Ko Wen-je seeks a middle ground with China, attracting young voters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

HSINCHU, Taiwan (AP) — With Taiwan’s presidential and parliamentary elections less than two weeks away, the island’s alternative party candidate Ko Wen-je is promoting a policy of patience toward China, which has been upping its threat to annex the island by force. In the middle of a day of campaigning in the city of Hsinchu, home to many of Taiwan’s most prosperous technology firms, Ko took a half-hour lunch break to speak with The Associated Press in Mandarin Chinese and English, often expanding on his answers in his well-known erudite manner. Ko, a surgeon and former mayor of the capital Taipei, likened the relationship between the sides to a tumor that should be left to itself while the sides engage in talks on a future relationship. “Thirty years ago, when I was a surgeon, if we found a tumor, we would try to remove it. But at this moment, we just try to live with it,” he said. China remains an issue that must be managed, without sparking a major confrontation between the sides...

Successful evacuation from burning Japan Airlines jet highlights dogged devotion to safety

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — The swift and safe evacuation of a Japan Airlines jet that caught fire after hitting a Coast Guard aircraft while it was landing Tuesday at Tokyo’s Haneda airport reflects a dogged dedication to safety and training by the airline, and hard experience from past disasters. JAL set up a Safety Promotion Center at the airport in 2006 to reflect lessons learned from the Aug. 12, 1985, crash of Flight 123 into a mountain north of Tokyo. It was the world’s worst single-aircraft disaster, killing 520 people with only four survivors. JAL staff maintain a memorial at the site at Otsuka Ridge and new employees climb to it to pay their respects. “In the face of the pain and grief of the bereaved families and public distrust in airline safety, we pledged we would never again allow such a tragic accident to occur,” the airline says on its website.Only 17 people suffered slight injuries when fleeing the Airbus 350 via evacuation slides and running for their lives Tuesday eveni...

French report says the UK isn’t cooperating enough to curb migrant crossings across the Channel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The United Kingdom is not sufficiently coordinating with France in efforts to reduce the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, according to a French report that points to the “uncertain effectiveness” of illegal migration policies.France is “struggling to develop operational cooperation arrangements” with the U.K., according to the report published Thursday by France’s Court of Accounts, a body in charge of auditing the use of public funds, independent from the government and parliament.The report refers in particular to a joint intelligence unit created in 2020 to fight human smuggling and reduce the number of people risking their lives to cross the Channel illegally. In 2022, it helped dismantle seven illegal migration networks.The Court “found that the British don’t provide usable information on the departures of small boats, and give very general, first-level information that has not been counter-checked.”Information on the circ...

Catholic HS in Southwest suburbs faces $1M lawsuit over sexual harassment allegations, according to report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

NEW LENOX, Ill. — According to a report this week, a Catholic high school in Chicago's Southwest suburbs is facing another million-dollar lawsuit over allegations of sexual harassment.The news outlet Patch reported that the father of a former student and hockey player at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox is suing the school for more than $1 million, claiming his son was bullied and sexually harassed so severely by his former teammates that he attempted suicide.The family says it filed more than 50 complaints with the school, but administrators dismissed the team's behavior. DCFS still failing to find appropriate care for kids, leaving them locked-up, report shows Just a month ago, Providence Catholic agreed to a $2 million settlement with another former student over rape allegations.

Thursday Forecast: Temps in mid 30s with mostly cloudy conditions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

CHICAGO — Temperatures in the mid 30s with mostly cloudy conditions. Winds: N 0-5. High: 34. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Mostly cloudy tonight. Winds: SSW 0-5. Low: 28. Skilling: Flurries possible for Chicagoland Friday Forecast: Mostly cloudy Friday. Winds: SE 5-10. High: 36. Snow shower chance Friday night. Scattered snow showers on Saturday.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Found: Largest male specimen of the most poisonous spider in the world

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — With fangs that could pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world's most poisonous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park where it will help save lives after a member of the public discovered it by chance.The deadly Sydney funnel-web spider dubbed “Hercules” was found on the Central Coast, about 50 miles north of Sydney, and was initially given to a local hospital, the Australian Reptile Park said in a statement Thursday.Spider experts from the nearby park retrieved it and soon realized it was the largest male specimen ever received from the public in Australia.The spider measured 7.9 centimeters (3.1 inches) from foot to foot, surpassing the park’s previous record-holder from 2018, the male funnel-web named “Colossus".Sydney funnel-web spiders usually range in length from one to five centimeters, with females being generally larger than their male counterparts but not as deadly. They are predominantly found in forested areas...

Northeast, Mid-Atlantic facing first chance of significant snow in almost two years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

(The Hill) -- Some meteorologists are predicting the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions could soon see their biggest winter storms in years."After a record-warm month of December for much of the U.S., January will be a different story, with a colder and more active weather pattern set to hit a large swath of the country through the first two weeks of the year," NBC News' weather experts say.Cities along the East Coast are in the midst of their longest streaks of not having an inch or more of snow in a 24-hour period in years.Christmas, itself, was an unseasonably warm holiday across much of the country, with some regions seeing record-high temperatures from Dec. 21 to 27. But now Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia, and New York City are bracing for significant winter storms. The possible storm system is expected to develop and affect eastern areas from Saturday to Monday.The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that 2023 came in as a record low-snow year for the region. "Confirming wh...

Suspect in custody after SWAT called to northeast Austin hotel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A suspect was taken into custody Thursday morning after the Austin Police Department had to call the SWAT team out to a hotel in northeast Austin. An APD public information officer said during a briefing that police received a 911 call around 1:46 a.m. reporting a domestic disturbance in a hotel room at the Homewood Suites on Center Lake Drive. The caller also reported there were guns and knives in the room. That area is between West Parmer Lane and McAllen Pass off Interstate 35 in northeast Austin. APD arrived at the scene around 1:51 a.m. The suspect refused to open the door. APD said a woman could be heard from inside the room saying police were not needed, but officers attempted contact for about 20 minutes before backing away. APD's SWAT team responds to scene on Center Lake Drive, off Parmer Lane in North Austin, early the morning of Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) APD's SWAT team responds to scene on Center Lake Drive, off Parmer Lane in Nort...

Two opportunities for rain in 7-day forecast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Our next round of rain arrives tonight... with another to follow next week.Our next weather-maker will continue trekking west through the Desert Southwest today before moving into the Texas Panhandle tonight. Out ahead of this storm, mainly cloudy skies will stretch over our area with light rain beginning to develop by evening.Rain chances grow overnight with widespread rain expected tonight into the early morning hours Friday. Majority of the rain will fall as drizzle with only light accumulations expected (less than 0.25"). Widespread light rain expected Thursday night into early Friday morningGenerally light rainfall accumulations expected by Friday morningBy late Friday morning, sunshine will begin to take over. Mainly sunny skies, mild afternoons and cold mornings will carry us through the weekend.Another storm system is pegged to approach us from the west on Monday. Parts of our eastern counties are already highlighted in a risk for severe storms Monday aftern...