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Slovakia election pits a pro-Russia former prime minister against a liberal pro-West newcomer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Voters in Slovakia cast ballots Saturday in an early parliamentary election that pits a populist former prime minister who campaigned on a pro-Russia and anti-American message against a liberal, pro-West newcomer.Depending on which of them prevails, the election could reverse the small eastern European country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in the war with Russia, threatening to break a fragile unity in the European Union and NATO.Former Prime MInister Robert Fico, 59, and his leftist Smer, or Direction, party have vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine in Russia’s war, if his attempt to return to power is successful.Smer’s main challenger is Progressive Slovakia, a liberal party formed in 2017 and led by Michal Simecka, 39, a member of the European Parliament. Fico, who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, opposes EU sanctions on Russia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invad...

UAE’s president-designate for UN COP28 offers full-throated defense of nation hosting climate talks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Emirati president-designate for the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate conference offered a full-throated defense Saturday of his nation hosting the talks, dismissing those “just go on the attack without knowing anything, without knowing who we are.”The comments by Sultan al-Jaber come after climate activists roundly criticized his appointment as the president-designate of the talks as he serves as the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., which seeks to boost its production of carbon-emitting crude oil and natural gas. Back before a quiet, hometown crowd and an amenable moderator after attending the U.N. General Assembly, al-Jaber pointed to his 20 years of work on renewable energy as a sign he and the Emirates represented the best chance to reach a consensus to address climate change worldwide.“The world only, for whatever reason, views us as an oil-and-gas nation,” he said. “We have moved beyond oil and gas 20 years ago. We embraced the ...

Ukraine hosts a defense industry forum seeking to ramp up weapons production for the war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine hosted an international defense industry conference as part of a government effort to ramp up weapons production within the country to repel Russia’s full-scale invasion and reduce foreign dependence on arms deliveries.The event marked a new development in support of Ukraine, with the previous focus being on the delivery of weapons, repair of damaged equipment and military training of Ukrainian soldiers.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at the opening of the International Defense Industries Forum, said that around 250 defense companies from more than 30 countries had gathered Friday in Kyiv. Defense ministers and representatives of several countries also attended the event.“Heroism alone cannot intercept missiles. Ukraine needs capabilities, high quality, high quantity, and quickly. There is no defense without industry,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who spoke by video link during the forum on the day after his visit to Kyiv. ...

Daily horoscope for September 30, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or important decisions from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EDT today (2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PDT). After that, the Moon moves from Aries into Taurus.Happy Birthday for Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023:You’re charming, knowledgeable and confident. You’re quick to see solutions and capable of persuading others. This year is the beginning of a fresh nine-year cycle, which means it’s a time of adventure and major changes. Keep your eyes open for new opportunities. Be ready to take the initiative.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★★Be open to meeting new people and seeing inventive ways of doing things. This might apply to your job or your health. (Possibly even your pet.) Meanwhile, you are friendly and warm to everyone today. Enjoy social outings and fun activities with kids! Tonight: Money plans.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★An unexpected invitation to a social event or something to do with sports or kids might catch you off guard today. Say yes if you can, becaus...

Connecticut Sun to host New York Liberty Sunday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

New York Liberty (32-8, 16-4 Eastern Conference) at Connecticut Sun (27-13, 14-6 Eastern Conference)Uncasville, Connecticut; Sunday, 3 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK WNBA LINE: Liberty -5.5; over/under is 160.5WNBA PLAYOFFS SEMIFINALS:BOTTOM LINE: The Connecticut Sun host the New York Liberty.The Sun have gone 14-6 against Eastern Conference teams. Connecticut is fourth in the WNBA with 82.7 points and is shooting 44.5% from the field.The Liberty are 16-4 against Eastern Conference teams. New York leads the Eastern Conference scoring 89.2 points per game while shooting 46.0%.TOP PERFORMERS: DeWanna Bonner is averaging 17.4 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Sun. Alyssa Thomas is averaging 16.0 points over the last 10 games for Connecticut.Courtney Vandersloot is averaging 10.5 points and 8.1 assists for the Liberty. Breanna Stewart is averaging 20.6 points over the last 10 games for New York.LAST 10 GAMES: Sun: 5-5, averaging 80.6 points, 32.9 rebounds, 21.3 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.1 blo...

Live updates | Day 2 of the Ryder Cup begins and Europe makes another fast start against the US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) — The Americans needed a fast start to Day 2 of the Ryder Cup after resuming with a five-point deficit to Europe.They didn’t get it.All the foursomes matches are out on the course at Marco Simone and the U.S. team is 3 down in the lead match and 4 down in the second match.The U.S. pushed their drives into the deep rough on the first hole in each of the opening three matches. There were ironic cheers from the grandstand when Patrick Cantlay found the fairway in the anchor match.Europe’s lead pairing of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood won the first three holes against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, out for Europe in the second match, won the first four holes against world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.The Europeans led 6 1/2-1 1/2 after Day 1, tying their best start to a Ryder Cup as they look to reclaim the gold trophy.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfSource

Pope Francis creates 21 new cardinals who will help him to reform the church and cement his legacy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis presided over a ceremony Saturday to create 21 new cardinals, including key figures at the Vatican and in the field who will help enact his reforms and cement his legacy as he enters a crucial new phase in running the Catholic Church.On a crisp sunny day filled with cheers from St. Peter’s Square, Francis further expanded his influence on the College of Cardinals who will one day elect his successor: Nearly three-quarters of the voting-age “princes of the church” owe their red hats to the Argentine Jesuit.In his instructions to the new cardinals at the start of the service, Francis said their variety and geographic diversity would serve the church like musicians in an orchestra, where sometimes they play solos, sometimes as an ensemble.“Diversity is necessary; it is indispensable. However, each sound must contribute to the common design,” Francis said. “This is why mutual listening is essential: each musician must listen to the othe...

Putin marks anniversary of annexation of Ukrainian regions as drones attack overnight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday insisted that the residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed a year ago “made their choice — to be with their Fatherland.”In an address released in the early hours to mark the first anniversary of the annexation, Putin insisted that it was carried out “in full accordance with international norms.” He also claimed that residents of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions had again expressed their desire to be part of Russia in local elections earlier this month, in which Russia’s Central Election Commission said that the country’s ruling party won the most votes.The West has denounced both the referendum votes carried out last year and the recent ballots as a sham. The votes were held as Russian authorities attempted to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year ago and still does not fully control.A concert was held in Red Square on Friday to mark the annive...

Israeli soldiers kill a Palestinian man in West Bank, saying he threw explosives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank late Friday, Palestinian health officials said, the latest death in a monthslong surge of violence in the occupied territory. The Israeli military said that soldiers had shot two Palestinians who hurled Molotov cocktails at an army post near the West Bank city of Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian authority.The Palestinian Health Ministry said the soldiers killed Muhammad Rumaneh from the hardscrabble Amari refugee camp in Ramallah. It did not identify his age, saying that Israeli authorities were withholding his body. Israeli officials have suggested in the past that holding onto the bodies of Palestinians slain in security incidents can deter attacks and prevent the exaltation of assailants at funerals that often draw giant crowds of protesters.In lieu of a funeral, residents of Ramallah called for a general strike Saturday to pay tribute to Rumaneh. Student groups at the prominent Birzeit Univ...

Turkey’s premier film festival is canceled following a documentary dispute

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:18:54 GMT

Turkey’s oldest film festival has been canceled amid controversy surrounding a politically sensitive documentary about the aftermath of a 2016 coup attempt.Antalya Mayor Muhittin Bocek announced the cancellation of the city’s Golden Orange Film Festival on Friday night, a day after the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry withdrew its support for the event. The ministry objected to the film “Kanun Hükmü” or “Decree,” a documentary which focuses on the hardships of a teacher and doctor who were dismissed from their jobs following an attempted coup in Turkey on July 15, 2016.“It is extremely sad that in such an important festival, the power of art is used to make propaganda for the FETO terrorist organization through the perception of victimhood,” the Culture Ministry said in a statement.FETO is an acronym the Turkish government uses for a movement led by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom the government blames for the failed coup. Gulen denies any involvement. More than 13...