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UN experts call on the Taliban to free 2 women rights defenders from custody in Afghanistan

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — U.N. experts on Tuesday demanded the Taliban immediately release two women rights defenders who have been in detention for more than a month with no reason given for their arrest.The Taliban have barred women from most areas of public life and work and stopped girls from going to school beyond the sixth grade as part of harsh measures they imposed after taking power in 2021, as U.S. and NATO forces were pulling out of Afghanistan following two decades of war. U.N. experts, including the special rapporteur on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, described the release of Neda Parwan and Zholia Parsi and their family members as an urgent matter. They have not been granted legal representation, charged with a crime or brought before a court. “We are increasingly concerned about their physical and mental wellbeing,” the experts said in a statement. They urged Taliban authorities to demonstrate respect for rights and freedoms and said there was no justification for the det...

Spain’s Crown Princess Leonor turns 18 and is feted as the future queen at a swearing-in ceremony

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

MADRID (AP) — The heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor, swore allegiance to her country’s Constitution on her 18th birthday at a gala event on Tuesday that laid the groundwork for her eventual succession as queen when the time comes. The nationally televised ceremony in the lower house of Parliament is understood to symbolize the continuity of Spain’s parliamentary monarchy and the institution’s allegiance to the chamber.Leonor de Borbón Ortiz used the same oath as her father did when he — then prince — turned 18 in 1986, pledging “to faithfully carry out my duties, to keep and uphold the Constitution and the laws and respect the rights of citizens and the autonomous communities and loyalty to the king.”Leonor became crown princess when Felipe VI was proclaimed king on June 19, 2014. Her face has been in the media a lot lately and already the term “Leonormania” is being used, underlining her growing popularity as the modern face of the future monarchy.Tuesday̵...

A chilly Halloween ahead of Wednesday morning freeze

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Following a week of wet weather in the area, dry sunshine returns for the rest of the week starting Tuesday. But clear skies will set the table for the first autumn freeze for some communities -- coming two to three weeks ahead of schedule.Freeze Warnings are in effectFollowing a top-5 coldest Halloween Day on record in Austin with highs in the 50s, trick-or-treaters will need a jacket with their costume Tuesday evening. Expect chilly temperatures and north winds blowing at 10-15 miles per hour.Forecast for Halloween eveningOnce winds relax a bit more Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, this appears to be our coldest morning of the week. While temperatures in Central Austin are not expected to dip to freezing, some colder suburbs and many rural communities will record their first freeze of the season. Take steps to protect:PetsPipesPlantsPeopleForecast low temperatures Wednesday morning BLOG: First freeze of fall possible on Wednesday A warming trend resumes late...

Abbott has highest approval rating among state's leaders; Paxton's numbers improve in latest poll

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott is the most popular state leader in Texas according to a new poll, while Attorney General Ken Paxton and Speaker of the House Dade Phelan are both underwater in approval ratings.The new poll, by the University of Texas/Texas Politics Project, surveyed 1,200 registered voters between Oct. 5 and 17.Of the four main state leaders — Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Phelan and Paxton — Abbott has the highest approval rating, at 49%, nine points higher than the 40% who say they disapprove of the job he is doing as governor.The nine-point margin is the best approval rating Abbott has seen since June 2020. Just two months ago, the margin was zero, with 45% of voters approving and 45% disapproving.Abbott previously hit an approval rating high in both October 2019 and April 2020, with a margin of 24 points. His low point came in August 2021, when his approval margin fell to -9 points.Patrick has also seen a marked improvement over the past two months, with 40% of...

NYSIG: Jail employee submitted forged doctor's notes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An employee of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision has admitted to submitting over two dozen forged doctor's notes to falsely obtain sick leave benefits, according to New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. Kathleen Baeder, of Essex County, pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a forged instrument. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! According to the Offices of the Inspector General, an investigation found from October 21, 2021, to February 2, 2022, Baeder submitted 28 forged doctor's notes to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision as an employee at Adirondack Correctional Facility. The forged notes extended Baeder's sick leave over a four-month period, receiving over $4,500 in benefits she wasn't entitled to.Baeder received five years of probation and was ordered to pay $4,593 in restitution.“This case serves as an important reminder of ...

Crews responding to thrift store fire in Fairview Heights, Illinois

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. - Emergency crews are at the scene of a thrift store fire Tuesday morning.Our Bommarito Automotive Group SkyFOX helicopter is flying over the area at 'Savers,' located on the 10000 block of Lincoln Trail, where the building is fully engulfed by the flames. Surveillance cameras capture dramatic images of Central West End attack Firefighters are continuing to respond. The cause of the fire has not yet been reported. So far, no injuries have been revealed. FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.

Family-friendly Halloween events in the metro area

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Trick-or-treaters will be out Tuesday night in full force despite the cold weather.We want everyone to have a great time this Halloween, but a reminder to drivers: make sure you keep an eye out for kids wandering the streets in their costumes. If you're still looking for something to do, here's a look at some of the events you and your family might want to check out:In Francis Park in south St. Louis, there will be a Halloween musical costume parade. People will march from Tamm Avenue to Nottingham. Everyone is welcome, even pets. The parade kicks off at 5:30 p.m.The Maplewood Fire Department is hosting its annual drive-through Halloween event from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will be plenty of music, blow-up decorations, and, of course, candy. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News ...

Care STL calling for emergency fosters amid slew of concerns

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

ST LOUIS – As Care STL reaches record-high intake, doubling its capacity limit, staffing and supply shortages are part of the reason employees and volunteers are urging community members to foster and adopt dogs.Solemn stares between bars fill stretches of a storage room. Many of the dogs are confined to 2x4 cages for about 23 hours of the day."We're at 200 percent capacity, which really tells you the urgency we have to get the community involved," Abbie Atteberry, executive director at Care STL, said.As of right now, the shelter has around 160 dogs at the facility. When the facility first started in 2018, it was built to house around 60 animals, providing a no-kill outlet for homeless animals. Prosecutors wonder about other victims after deathbed scam "We're using overflow housing, even some of our outside kennels, to temporarily house dogs," Atteberry said.The dropping temperatures are raising concerns as to how these dogs will be properly cared for."We're really trying to avoid...

Halloween candy sticker shock for consumers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Trick-or-treaters probably don’t know or care, but the price of Halloween candy is no joke! The U.S. Department of Labor says the price of candy is up 13% from last year.“There’s no doubt that price rises by companies like Hershey, Mondelez, Mars are starting to hit consumers,” Anthony Myers, editor of ConfectionaryNews.com, said.Myers says Mother Nature is to blame for the rise in candy prices.“A lot of the cocoa comes from the Ivory Coast, Ghana, West Africa. They’ve had drought; too much rain; too little rain. It’s caused a huge effect on supply,” he said.“The second-largest sugar supplier in India has banned exports because of monsoon rain,” Keenan, executive vice president and general manager at Advantage Solutions, said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News SIGN UP NOW...

Fort Collins’ newest natural area doubles as a working farm

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:11:07 GMT

On a surprisingly brisk September morning, the just-risen sun cast its warmth over a line of young cottonwood trees and a fallow field. Steps away, greens burst from the ground in perfect alignment, a hint to the rows of carrots, lettuces and onions growing below. Homes bordered the scene on three sides.Attendees enjoyed a nature trail at the opening of Kestrel Fields Nature Area in September 2023. (Provided by the city of Fort Collins)Green spaces like this aren’t unusual in northern Colorado. The Fort Collins area is home to 52 natural areas, equaling about 55,000 conserved acres. People often think of these sites as places to hike or bike or spot wildlife (think: the bison herd at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area). But when Kestrel Fields Natural Area opened to the public last month, it marked a new approach to the city’s efforts: Open space that doubles as farmland. It’s the third piece of a pilot project that’s using agriculture as a way to achieve land conservation goals.Colorad...