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Ukraine to replace defense minister amid counteroffensive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Sunday that he will replace the country’s defense minister, even as Kyiv’s counteroffensive appears to be gaining ground with its troops pushing into Russian-held territory.The departure of Oleksiy Reznikov as defense chief marks the highest-level turnover in Zelenskyy’s inner circle since the start of the war in February 2022. It comes as the Ukrainian government is stepping up its efforts to deal aggressively with corruption allegations involving military officials.In a video message Sunday night, the Ukrainian leader announced that Reznikov would be replaced as defense chief by Rustem Umerov, the head of the country’s State Property Fund. “Reznikov has gone through more than 550 days of full-scale war,” Zelenskyy said. “I believe the ministry now needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society as a whole.” There have been rumblings for weeks that Rezniko’s days were n...

Jorge López ‘really pumped’ to rejoin Orioles; Aaron Hicks returns, Austin Voth DFA’d, Colton Cowser optioned | NOTES

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

Jorge López was the Orioles’ closer when they started to emerge as a contender last spring, but he wasn’t able to enjoy the post-rebuild world with Baltimore after his trade to the Minnesota Twins at the deadline.That is, until now.López rejoined the Orioles on Sunday after the club claimed him off waivers from the Miami Marlins on Saturday.López joins a bullpen in need of high-leverage arms, and he could use a change of scenery after struggling with the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins this season. The right-hander saved 19 games with a 1.68 ERA before the Orioles traded him to the Twins last August.López said the 2023 season has been a “roller coaster” but that he’s “really pumped” to be back with the team he pitched better for last season than at any point in his eight-year career.“It’s a new opportunity,” he said. “I’m really glad and grateful to get this job. I’m most excited to g...

Rutgers rolls Northwestern 24-7, as Wildcats play 1st game since hazing scandal shook the program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Northwestern lost to Rutgers 24-7 on Sunday in the football team’s first game since a hazing scandal led to a coaching change, investigations and multiple lawsuits.Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt threw a touchdown and ran for another as the Scarlet Knights dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for almost 38 minutes.The loss in interim coach David Braun’s first game is Northwestern’s 12th straight dating back to last season. Braun replaced longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, who was first suspended and then fired after allegations of hazing surfaced in the summer and spread to other programs at the university.Northwestern, which finished last season 1-11, had one positive moment — scoring with about 20 seconds to play on a 1-yard pass by backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan to Caleb Komolafe. Cincinnati transfer Ben Bryant started and finished 20-of-35 passing for 169 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked five times. The Rutgers defense only ...

Bodies of two adults and two children found in Seattle house after fire and reported shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Detectives in Seattle were investigating the deaths of two adults and two children whose bodies were found following a reported shooting and house fire.Officers responding to a report of a shooting in a residential area of the city Saturday morning found the house engulfed in flames and its doors barricaded closed, the Seattle Police Department said.Nearby residents were evacuated, and firefighters extinguished the blaze before finding the victims’ bodies inside the house. Their names and ages were not immediately released.An 11-year-old girl escaped from the fire with minor injuries and was treated by emergency personnel.The Associated Press

Fire on outskirts of Hay River gets significant rain, officials say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

HAY RIVER, N.W.T. — Wildfire officials in the Northwest Territories say a community that’s been evacuated for weeks due to a wildfire has received significant rain this weekend.Hay River’s 3,500 residents have been out of their homes for two weeks due to the ongoing fire threat and are not being allowed to return this week, like residents of Yellowknife will be on Wednesday.Late last week, N.W.T. wildfire information officer Mike Westwick warned that Hay River could experience a few days with strong winds and high temperatures, making a dangerous situation even worse.But NWT Fire says in a Sunday update that an estimated 17 millimetres of rain has fallen in the area since Saturday evening.The update says that along with winds from the north, the precipitation will mean “significantly reduced fire activity and almost no progression over the next two days.”But it cautions that this “is the only rain in the forecast for a long period of time” and tha...

Ukraine President Zelenskyy to replace defense minister Oleksii Reznikov this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that defense minister Oleksii Reznikov will be replaced this week with Rustem Umierov, a Crimean Tatar lawmaker.Zelenskyy made the announcement on his official Telegram account.“I have decided to replace the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. Oleksii Reznikov has gone through more than 550 days of full-scale war. I believe that the Ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society at large. Now Rustem Umierov should lead the Ministry,” he said.Umierov, 41, a politician with the opposition Holos party, has served as head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine since September 2022. He was involved in the exchange of prisoners of war, political prisoners, children and civilians, as well as the evacuation of civilians from occupied territories. Umierov was also part of the Ukrainian delegation in negotiations with Russia over the U.N.-backed grain deal.The announcement came after two peop...

Death toll of Kirkuk clashes rises to 4 as transfer of police headquarters to Kurdish party halted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — The death toll from clashes that broke out Saturday in the disputed city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq has risen to four, medical officials said Sunday.Meanwhile, the country’s top court issued an order halting the planned handover of the Iraqi federal police headquarters in Kirkuk to the Kurdish Democratic Party, which had sparked tensions in the city which is home to a mixed population of Kurds, Arabs and Turkmen.Federal forces seized Kirkuk and the surrounding oil fields in October 2017 after Kurdish regional authorities organized a referendum for Kurdish independence. The KDP vacated its headquarters in the city at the time.The agreement to form the current government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, included a provision for the return of the KDP to the province, which sparked backlash from some communities in Kirkuk.Last week, a group of local Arab residents closed the Kirkuk-to-Erbil highway in protest over the re-opening of th...

Minnesota prison on lockdown after about 100 inmates ‘refuse’ to return to cells amid a heat wave

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota prison has been placed on emergency lockdown after about 100 inmates in one housing unit facing dangerously high temperatures would not return to their cells Sunday in what one former inmate there called an act of “self-preservation.”The situation is “currently stable” and the reason inmates “are refusing to return to their cells remains unclear,” a Department of Corrections spokesperson said. But advocates positioned outside of the Stillwater prison, some of whom have family members inside, said inmates are fed up from the excessive heat, limited access to showers and ice, and unclean drinking water.Inmates have been on intermittent lockdowns since Friday because of staffing issues, they said, meaning they are kept in their cells, which reportedly don’t have air conditioning. The prison is in Bayport about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Minneapolis, which was under an afternoon heat advisory for temperatures approaching 100 d...

2048 Wine Shop opens in Ukrainian Village

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

CHICAGO — A new wine shop in Ukrainian Village is offering low or non-alcoholic wines, and on Sunday, 2048 Wine Shop owner Quenjana Adams joined Gaynor Hall to talk about the business and the products they offer. Sunday Brunch: Hampton Social 2048 Wine Shop can be found at 2048 West Chicago Avenue in Ukrainian Village, online at their website, 2048wineshop.com, or on social media via Instagram or Facebook.

Will mail be delivered on Labor Day?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:33 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Will mail be delivered on Labor Day?Residents expecting mail or packages on Monday will have to wait an extra day as deliveries will be put on pause for Labor Day.The United States Postal Service recognizes Labor Day on Sept. 4 as one of 11 federal holidays and is closed. There is no mail delivery, caller service, or Post Office Box service. All services resume on Tuesday.UPS locations are also closed, and delivery service is not available, except for Express Critical. FedEx offices and services are closed as well on Monday, except for FedEx Custom Critical. What stores, restaurants are open on Labor Day? Amazon delivery services are also suspended on Labor Day.Customers needing USPS services can use the self-service kiosk available at select offices. The kiosk accepts debit and credit cards and can handle 80% of all transactions conducted at the retail counter, such as buying stamps, mailing a package, or shipping a letter by express or priority mail....