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North Korea is preparing for a new round of weapons tests, South Korean spy agency says

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is preparing for a new round of provocative weapons displays such as long-range missile tests and a spy satellite launch, as it ramps up illicit activities to support its fragile economy, South Korea’s intelligence service told lawmakers Thursday.North Korea’s chronic economic hardships and food shortages have worsened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and U.N. sanctions. But it still has conducted a record number of missile tests since last year amid suspicions that its weapons programs are funded by illegal cyber activities and covert exports of banned items. The National Intelligence Service told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that North Korea’s economy shrank each year in 2020-2022 and its gross domestic product last year was 12% less than in 2016, according to Yoo Sang-bum, one of the lawmakers who attended the briefing.Outside experts believe North Korea’s current food shortages and economic troubles are the worst since leader Kim ...

Sweden raises its terror threat level to 2nd-highest following recent Quran burnings

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden on Thursday raised its terrorism alert level one notch to the second-highest setting, following recent Quran burnings in the Scandinavian country by a handful of anti-Islam activists, which sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim countries.The Scandinavian country’s domestic security service, SAPO, said the overall security situation has deteriorated and the risk of terrorism in Sweden was now at level four — “high” — on its five-point scale. It was the first time since 2016 that SAPO raised the alert to that level.Sweden has in recent weeks warned citizens abroad and businesses linked to the country to “observe increased vigilance and caution” following a string of public Quran burnings by an Iraqi asylum-seeker. Earlier this year, a far-right activist from Denmark burned the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.Police have allowed the protests, by a handful of demonstrators, citing freedom of speech.Like many Western countries, Sw...

Hawaii is vowing to protect landowners on Maui from being pressured to sell after wildfires

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii’s governor vowed to protect local landowners from being “victimized” by opportunistic buyers when Maui rebuilds from deadly wildfires that incinerated a historic island community and killed more than 100 people.Gov. Josh Green said Wednesday that he instructed the state attorney general to work toward a moratorium on land transactions in Lahaina, even as he acknowledged the move would likely face legal challenges. “My intention from start to finish is to make sure that no one is victimized from a land grab,” Green said at a news conference. “People are right now traumatized. Please do not approach them with an offer to buy their land. Do not approach their families saying they’ll be much better off if they make a deal. Because we’re not going to allow it.”Since flames consumed much of Lahaina just over week ago, locals have feared that a rebuilt town could become even more oriented toward wealthy visitors, according to Lahaina native Richy Palalay...

Thursday Forecast: Thunderstorms likely, high winds

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

Thursday: Showers and some thunderstorms are likely this morning as southwest winds gust up to 30-35 mph under mostly cloudy skies. The clouds will decrease this afternoon, but a slight chance for showers or storms will linger in areas east of I-57.  Breezy northwest winds will help keep temperatures in the upper 70s this afternoon.  Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Thursday Night: Tonight, the skies will become clear.  Some patchy fog is possible as lows fall into the upper 50s.Chicago Area Radar | WGN TV

Kyle Rittenhouse starts Texas nonprofit to fight gun reform

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

(NewsNation) — Conservative activist Kyle Rittenhouse has launched a nonprofit dedicated to fighting gun reform efforts and defending the Second Amendment. Rittenhouse was acquitted of first-degree intentional homicide and four other charges related to the fatal shooting of two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 2020, an act he said was self-defense. After moving to Texas, Rittenhouse has become involved in Texas politics, rallying with right-wing candidates, including a Texas secessionist leader. The Texas Tribune first reported on the nonprofit, which filed papers with the Texas secretary of state's office in July 2023. According to the papers, the goal of The Rittenhouse Foundation is to protect Second Amendment rights through education and legal assistance. Trump: Report on Monday will result in ‘complete exoneration’ in Georgia Rittenhouse supporters donated more than $2 million to aid his legal defense, but conservative politicians and activists complaine...

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis put California beach home on Airbnb

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

(KTLA) – Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis would like to host you at their guest house in Santa Barbara, California, this weekend. The couple made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis poke fun at controversy over their bath-time routine for kids "I have a really dumb idea," Kutcher explained to Kunis in the video. “It’s dumber than my mustache, I promise … I think we should have complete strangers come and stay with us at the beach. It’s so nice here."Kunis appeared to laugh in disbelief, while Kutcher assured her he was being serious. "I think they'll like it," the "That 70's Show" actor said. Kunis agreed."OK, so we're doing it? Great!" Kutcher said, finalizing the plans while his partner appeared to be processing the idea. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis play ping pong at Clayton Kershaw's 6th Annual Ping Pong 4 Purpose on Aug. 23, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Kershaw's Challenge)"It’s not the craziest idea I’ve had … st...

Texas woman charged with threatening to kill judge in Trump case, Texas Democrat 

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

(The Hill) -- A Texas woman has been charged with threatening to kill the judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election case and a House Democrat who is running for Houston mayor.Abigail Jo Shry called Judge Tanya Chutkan’s chambers at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 5, just days after Trump was indicted on charges stemming from his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. After investigators traced her call, she later admitted to making the threatening phone call.Court documents show that she called Chutkan a racial slur before threatening to kill anyone who comes after Trump, all Democrats in Washington, D.C., — including Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a 15-term Democrat who announced in March that she would run for the local election in Houston — and members of the LGBTQ community. She told Chutkan that “you are in our sights, we want to kill you,” according to the documents. Trump refusal to sign loyalty pledge puts RNC in bind Prosecutors a...

CVS closing location on Madison Avenue in Albany

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- CVS is closing its location at 1026 Madison Avenue in Albany. A CVS spokesperson said the store's last day will be September 26. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! "Maintaining access to pharmacy services in the communities we serve is an important factor we consider when making store closure decisions," said CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault. "Other factors include local market dynamics, population shifts, a community’s store density, and ensuring there are other geographic access points to meet the needs of the community."All prescriptions at this location will be transferred to the CVS Pharmacy at 613 New Scotland Avenue in Albany. Patients can also choose to fill their prescriptions at another CVS or another pharmacy of their choice. All employees are being offered other positions in the company, said Thibault. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma cancels SPAC performance This is the second CVS store closure in Albany this ...

Horse rescued from swamp in Dutchess County

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

MILLBROOK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A horse and its handler were rescued after being stuck in a swamp in Dutchess County early Wednesday morning. Multiple crews responded to help the human and horse, with the human stuck waist-deep in mud. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Around 7:28 Wednesday morning, the Millbrook Fire Department was called for a person and horse stuck in a swamp. The human was freed from the mud at 8:02 a.m. as crews began extricating the horse. A tow truck from Matt's Auto Body was called in with the Patterson Fire Department's Equine Rescue Team called in and placed on standby. The equine team was called in around 8:22 a.m. with additional manpower to free the horse. Queensbury eatery to be on ‘America’s Best Restaurants’ Ten minutes later, the horse was successfully extricated from the swamp. According to the Millbrook Fire Department, both the horse and the person were uninjured.

Officer-involved shooting in north St. Louis

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:39:37 GMT

ST. LOUIS - FOX 2's Bommarito Automotive Group SkyFOX helicopter flew over an officer-involved shooting in north St. Louis.That was around 2:00 p.m. Wednesday on Linton Avenue Near Penrose Street in the Fairgrounds neighborhood. The police have not said what led to the shooting. Task force formed to help sidewalk squatters The man who was shot was conscious and breathing when police took him to a nearby hospital. No officers were injured.