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Russia and Ukraine trade drone attacks as Kyiv claims it took out a key S-400 missile defense system

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia and Ukraine traded drone attacks early Wednesday, officials said, with Kyiv apparently targeting Moscow again and the Kremlin’s forces launching another bombardment of Ukrainian grain storage depots in what have recently become signature tactics in the almost 18-month war.Later Wednesday, the Ukrainian intelligence agency claimed it had destroyed a key Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system in occupied Crimea. If confirmed, it would be another embarrassing blow for Russia, as Ukraine increasingly targets Moscow’s assets far behind the front line in southern and eastern Ukraine.The agency, known by its acronym GUR, claimed on its official Telegram channel that Russia has a “limited number” of the sophisticated systems and that the loss “is a painful blow.” Moscow officials made no immediate comment.The long-range S-400 missiles are capable of striking enemy aircraft and are regarded as one of the best such systems available. They h...

Facebook’s parent company Meta and moderators suing it for $1.6 billion in Kenya agree to mediation

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Meta, Facebook’s parent company, and 184 of its content moderators who were based in Kenya agreed Wednesday on a mediation attempt to settle out of court.Last year, the moderators — from several African countries — filed a lawsuit against the social media giant and its outsourcing firm, Sama, seeking $1.6 billion in compensation, alleging poor working conditions, including insufficient mental health support and low pay.The Employment and Labor Relations court said they have 21 days to reach a settlement and that former Kenyan chief justice, Willy Mutunga, and labor commissioner, Hellen Apiyo would co-mediate the dispute.The moderators were employed via Sama, a San Francisco subcontractor that describes itself as an ethical AI company, to work in its hub in the capital, Nairobi. Their job entailed screening user content in 12 African languages and removing any uploads deemed to breach Facebook’s community standards and terms of service. Some of the moderat...

Minnesota names first Black chief justice of state Supreme Court, Natalie Hudson

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday promoted Natalie Hudson to be chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, making her the first Black person to lead it.Hudson was appointed associate justice in 2015 by then-Gov. Mark Dayton, after serving as a judge on the Minnesota Court of Appeals for 13 years. She’ll lead the high court when current Chief Justice Lorie Gildea retires in October.“Justice Hudson is one of our state’s most experienced jurists. She has a strong reputation as a leader and consensus builder,” Walz said in a statement. “I am confident that she will advance a vision that promotes fairness and upholds the dignity of all Minnesotans.”“This is a tremendous responsibility that I approach with humility and resolve, seeking to continue the work of my predecessors in administering one of the best state court systems in the nation, and always seeking to deliver the most accessible, highest-quality court services for the citizens of Minnesota,” Hudson said in...

Taliban prevents scores of Afghan women from studying abroad, scholarship group says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban have prevented scores of female Afghan students from traveling to the United Arab Emirates for education, according to the chairman of a group that offered them scholarships.“I am unable to express the disappointment I feel now as the Afghan female students, whom I had provided an educational scholarship … were unfortunately unable to reach Dubai airport,” Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, chairman of the Al Habtoor group, said Wednesday on X, formerly known as Twitter. Al Habtoor said he had provided an opportunity for the women to study in collaboration with the University of Dubai. But despite securing “university admissions, accommodations, transportation, health insurance, and an array of comprehensive services aimed at ensuring the utmost comfort and safety for the female students, our aspirations were crushed.”Although the Taliban promised a more moderate rule than during their previous period in power in the 1990s, they have imposed harsh measures s...

Crews battle fire at Chinatown Supermarket amid extreme temperatures

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 2-11 fire has been called at a supermarket in Chicago's Chinatown Wednesday morning.Fire crews are on scene near the 2100 block of Archer Avenue at Park to Shop Supermarket in the city's Chinatown neighborhood.The supermarket has live food and has partially two levels. Fire crews are having issues with the fire due to the building being completely concrete. Extreme heat hits Chicagoland area, warnings in effect The fire is contained to the inside and crews are hoping to shut the fire with gas.There were no reported injuries and crews are actively battling the fire while extreme temperatures hit the area as well. WGN is actively following the incident and the situation is still developing.

WATCH LIVE | India lands its Chandrayaan-3 rover on the moon

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — India was counting down to landing a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole Wednesday — an unchartered territory that scientists believe could hold important reserves of frozen water and precious elements.A lander with a rover inside was orbiting before attempting to touch down on the lunar surface, creating an agonizing wait for India’s space scientists in the southern city of Bengaluru. India is making its second attempt in four years to join the United States, the Soviet Union and China in achieving the landmark. India unexpectedly got into a race with Russia, which had planned to land its Luna-25 spacecraft in the same lunar region on Monday. But Luna-25 crashed into the moon after it spun into an uncontrolled orbit. It would have been the first successful Russian lunar landing after a gap of 47 years. Russia's head of the state-controlled space corporation Roscosmos attributed the failure to the lack of expertise due to the long break in lunar research that foll...

Will I get an extra paycheck in September? How to know

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – What’s sweeter than getting paid twice a month? Getting paid three times, of course.Americans who get paid biweekly on Fridays will see three paychecks hit their bank account during a few months that happen to have five Fridays.“So if you’re getting paid on the first, third and fifth Fridays, that means you have a bonus paycheck, which obviously you still earned, but is potentially outside of your regular budget and kind of like a mini windfall or a mini bonus,” Chanelle Bessette, banking specialist with NerdWallet, told Nexstar.Not every employee who gets biweekly checks will get an “extra” check during the same months, however.Workers who received their first check on Jan. 6 will see three-payment months fall on March and September, according to Alliant Credit Union. If you had to wait until Jan. 13 to get paid, your three-paycheck months will be June and December.So what’s behind the financial phenomenon?Dividing 52 weeks by two — since payments are biweekly — me...

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky welcome baby No. 2: reports

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

(KTLA) – Baby makes four for Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.The power couple quietly welcomed their second child earlier this month, according to TMZ and People magazine.TMZ reported that the "Diamonds" singer welcomed a baby boy on Aug. 3 in Los Angeles and that the child's name starts with an "R." Beyonce fans can win free ‘Renaissance World Tour’ tickets through Vivid Seats contest Fans remember when Rihanna first revealed her second pregnancy during her halftime performance at the Super Bowl this past February. The Fenty Beauty founder caressed her baby bump right at the start of the performance, which set off speculation on the internet from the start. The singer later officially confirmed her pregnancy.Rihanna and A$AP Rocky attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" exhibition on Sept. 13, 2021, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)Rocky and Rihanna welcomed their first child, RZA Ath...

For all the tortillas: Anderson, McCallum clash in 22nd annual Taco Shack Bowl

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — McCallum head coach Tom Gammerdinger said the Taco Shack Bowl is not only a great rivalry, but it helps gives Austin ISD athletics a little bit of the spotlight to kick off the year.The Knights and Anderson Trojans will rumble at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at House Park in the 22nd installment of the rivalry game, and Gammerdinger said it's something his team looks forward to all summer. VOTE: 2023 Taco Shack Bowl spirit competition, Anderson vs. McCallum "Austin ISD schools don't always get the attention during the season, so it's a great way to kick off the year and showcase Austin ISD athletics," he said. "These kids have grown up playing each other in Pop Warner, so it's a good rivalry that has gone back and forth throughout the years."Last year, however, things didn't go the Knights' way. The Trojans, led by senior quarterback Fred Dale, rolled up 42 unanswered points to clobber the rival Knights 49-3. It was Anderson's 11th Taco Shack Bowl victory and the first under...

Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson to make history as state’s next chief justice

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:40:49 GMT

Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Natalie Hudson will be the state’s next chief justice, and the first person of color in the role, Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday.Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Natalie Hudson. (Courtesy of the governor’s office)Hudson was St. Paul City Attorney from 1992 to 1994. She went on to practice criminal appellate law in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office for eight years and she served as a Minnesota Court of Appeals judge for 13 years.In 2015, Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Hudson to the Minnesota Supreme Court.Hudson will take over as chief justice when Lorie Gildea retires in October.Walz announced Wednesday that Karl Procaccini will serve as Supreme Court associate justice, filling the vacancy that will occur when Hudson becomes chief justice.Procaccini teaches law at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and previously served as general counsel in Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan’s offices. Before...