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Army veteran who served in Afghanistan is named foreign minister in Netherlands’ caretaker Cabinet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Hanke Bruins Slot, a military veteran who served with the Dutch army in Afghanistan, was appointed Monday as the Netherlands’ new foreign minister. She replaces Wopke Hoekstra, who is in line to become a European Union commissioner.Bruins Slot had been interior minister in the caretaker administration of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte. His government will remain in power until a new coalition is formed after a Nov. 22 general election. Polls suggest Bruins Slot’s Christian Democrat Appeal party will suffer a heavy defeat in the fall election. The party put her forward early Monday to become the country’s top diplomat. The government confirmed her appointment later in the day. “As an Afghanistan veteran and the secretary of state in charge of (military) intelligence and security, Hanke is more than qualified to make this move to the Foreign Ministry,” Christian Democrat leader Henri Bontenbal said in a statement.As foreign minister,...

Russia’s Putin says there will be no new grain deal until the West meets his demands

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea won’t be restored until the West meets its obligations to facilitate Russian agricultural exports.Putin made the statement after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who helped broker the deal seen as vital for global food supplies, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Ukraine and Russia are major suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other goods that developing nations rely on.But Russia refused to extend the deal in July, complaining that an agreement promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn’t been honored. It said restrictions on shipping and insurance hampered its agricultural trade even though it has shipped record amounts of wheat since last year.Putin said that if those commitments were honored, Russia could return to the deal “within the nearest days.”He also said that Russia is...

Summer’s over for UK politicians as Sunak faces a crisis over crumbling schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British lawmakers headed back to Parliament on Monday after their summer break. But thousands of U.K. children won’t be returning to their classrooms this week, because their schools are at risk of collapse from crumbling concrete.The news is a start-of-term headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he scrambles to shore up flagging support for the governing Conservative Party ahead of a national election next year.Sunak insists it’s not his fault that more than 100 schools were told last week — days before the start of the new school year — to shut some or all of their buildings because they contain a type of lightweight, air-filled concrete widely used in construction between the 1950s and the 1990s.School leaders are scrambling to find classroom space in nearby establishments or resorting to online instruction after the government’s last-minute directive, sparked when three schools thought to be safe suffered collapses over the summer.The government says the ...

The EU wants to limit protections for wolves as farmers fear for their livestock

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Commission announced on Monday that it is weighing whether to adjust rules to limit protections for wolves as a resurgence in the canine numbers has triggered growing tensions with farmers concerned about the safety of their livestock.The announcement came almost exactly a year to the day after a wolf killed a pony belonging to the president of the European Union’s executive branch, Ursula von der Leyen, early last September at her family farm in Hannover, northern Germany.“The concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans,” von der Leyen said in a statement. “I urge local and national authorities to take action where necessary.”Experts and environmental groups estimate that up to 19,000 wolves may be present in the 27 EU member countries, with populations of more than 1,000 of them thought to roam in Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Romania and Spain.Their numbers are estimate...

Back-to-office plans fall flat amid arbitrary rules, lack of communication

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamie Burke was happy with her job. Working in property management, the extroverted Vancouverite went into the office every day, took meetings in different buildings and attended networking events. When the pandemic hit and her job became remote, Burke struggled at first. But she grew to love the flexibility it afforded her. By the time her employer was asking people to come back to the office more frequently, Burke didn’t want to give up her new-found freedom. She left that job in 2021 and tried several other roles before launching her own business. In each new role, she found herself clashing with hybrid work policies that were more rigid than she had anticipated. That’s how she realized she wanted true flexibility, not just a part-time office job.“I really wanted the agency to be able to choose the work style that was going to work best for me.”Burke is one of many workers for whom the pandemic introduced a whole new world of work, and for whom...

Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell gravely ill: reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

(KTLA) – After years of battling health problems, loved ones of longtime Smash Mouth front man, Steve Harwell, are saying their farewells to the singer, who is currently in hospice care at his home, multiple outlets reported Monday.Harwell’s manager told TMZ that the 56-year-old singer has suffered from alcohol abuse for years and that he has reached the final stages of liver failure, which he had recently been receiving treatment for. The representative also said Harwell "likely only has a week or so to live," according to TMZ.Steve Harwell of Smash Mouth during World Premiere of "The Cat In The Hat" at Universal Studios Cinemas in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by J. Merritt/FilmMagic)“Although Steve is here with us still, sadly it will only be for a short time," band manager Robert Hayes told the Washington Post. "We would hope people would respect Steve and his family’s privacy during this difficult time."Smash Mouth formed in the 1990s and had several hi...

Fairgoers reflect on the State Fair through memories of the five senses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

The moment we cross the gates into the State Fair, our senses are overloaded: The smell of deep fryers, the sound of thousands of overlapping conversations, the sight of goats being led on leashes past the Coliseum.Our senses are more than just how we take in the world — they’re central to the way memory functions in the brain, too, writes neurobiologist Gordon M. Shepherd in his book “Neurogastronomy.” He describes how familiar smells, for example, can trigger “‘aha’ moments” that bring back a flood of memories.So now, as another State Fair comes to a close, fairgoers shared their favorite sensory memories of the Fair.Sight“When I was a kid, at night, being at the start of the Midway. Being small, with an older crowd. Cop cars lined up. It felt a little dangerous but safe.”— Tyler, 33, Minnetonka“Gotta be some of the lines.”— James, 34, St. Paul“When the sun goes down, when the Fair goes from day to night. It’s a beautiful ambience. I’d always gravitate toward the toy section and b...

Two charged with Jim's Tastee Freeze grand larceny

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

DELMAR, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Two people were arrested just after midnight on Monday and are charged with stealing from Jim's Tastee Freeze in Delmar. William Kennedy, 51, and John Carroll, 54, each face several charges. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Bethlehem Police say they responded to Jim's Tastee Freeze for reports of a larceny in progress. Upon arrival, police determined two men were stealing from the ATM outside of the shop.One suspect was taken into custody, while the other was found shortly after on Delaware Avenue. 16-year-old arrested after Troy shots-fired investigation Charges:Second-degree criminal mischiefThird-degree grand larcenyFifth-degree conspiracyBoth were arraigned in the Town of Bethlehem Court. Carroll was released on his own recognizance. Kennedy was remanded to Albany County Correctional Facility and is held with no bail. A return date has been set for September 7 at the Town of Bethlehem Court.

16-year-old arrested after Troy shots-fired investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A 16-year-old was arrested on Sunday night following a shots-fired investigation. Police say the incident occurred on August 27. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Troy police say detectives gathered information the suspect was downtown and had a gun in their possession Sunday night. Patrol officers found the suspect near Hoosick Street and 5th Avenue.The 16-year-old was taken into custody without incident. Police say he was found with an illegal, privately made firearm during his arrest. Amsterdam man holds up Malta Stewart’s, arrested for separate robbery The suspect is charged with possession of an illegal handgun. He was processed and brought to a juvenile secure detention facility. He will appear for further court proceedings today.

Woman found dead in Ferguson yard, police investigating

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:44:11 GMT

FERGUSON, Mo. - A woman was found dead in Ferguson early Monday morning. The St. Louis County Police Department Crimes Against Persons detectives are investigating the scene located on the 7400 block of Blanding Drive, where the victim was found unresponsive in the yard of the home after the arrival of police at 2:27 a.m. You Paid For It: How Hazelwood got out of the financial hole The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. If you have further information about the incident, you're urged to call 911 or the St. Louis County Police Department at 636-529-8210. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-371-8477. FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.