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US envoy: Balkans ‘poisoned’ by Russian disinformation

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A U.S. special envoy on countering global disinformation says that countries in the western Balkan region have been “pretty seriously poisoned” by Russia’s influence campaigns. James P. Rubin, who heads the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, traveled to North Macedonia on a tour that also includes stops in Montenegro and Albania. “The main source of the threat in this part of the world is Russian-generated disinformation, often repeated and acting as a hub through Serbian media platforms and then repeated and promulgated here in the Western Balkans,” Rubin told a group of reporters late Tuesday in the capital, Skopje. “I would say that (this region) is pretty seriously poisoned by primarily Russian disinformation.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment of Rubin, a 63-year-old veteran diplomat, last December, worried that disinformation campaigns engineered by Russia had intensified due to the...

Mario, Mariah, Madonna added to National Recording Registry

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mario, Madonna and Mariah have entered the national audio canon. Madonna’s star-making 1984 album “Like a Virgin,” Mariah Carey’s 1994 holiday perennial “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and the original 1985 theme from Super Mario Bros. are now in the U.S. National Recording Registry as part of “the defining sounds of the nation’s history and culture,” the Library of Congress announced Wednesday. In all, 25 albums, singles and other sound artifacts spanning more than a century are being inducted into the registry, from the first known recording of mariachi music in 1908 and 1909 by Cuarteto Coculense, to 2012’s “Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra” by composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. The Super Mario Bros. music, officially known as the “Ground Theme,” written by young Nintendo composer Koji Kondo, becomes the first music from a video game to enter the registry, which called it in a news release “the most recognizable video game theme in history.”...

Protester detained as Macron visits Amsterdam university

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Police tackled and detained a protester Wednesday after he ran, shouting, toward Emmanuel Macron as the French president arrived at a University of Amsterdam science campus on the second day of his state visit to the Netherlands.It was the second straight day that protesters targeted Macron, who is facing angry unrest at home over his pension reforms. On Tuesday, demonstrators shouted and held up banners at the start of a speech in The Hague.The incident Wednesday happened as Macron arrived with Dutch King Willem-Alexander at the university’s science park to visit its Quantum Gases and Quantum Information Lab to discuss quantum technology.The protester was tackled by a military officer and police before being restrained and taken to a nearby police vehicle. Macron’s visit continued after the man and another protester were detained.Earlier, French and Dutch ministers signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in moves to develop digital technology and ...

GasBuddy: Albany gas prices continue to increase

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Average gasoline prices in Albany have risen 8.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.56/g on Wednesday, according to GasBuddy's survey of 546 stations in Albany. Prices in Albany are 8.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 62.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 1.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.15 per gallon. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Albany was priced at $3.27/g on Tuesday while the most expensive was $3.69/g, a difference of 42.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state Tuesday was $2.85/g while the highest was $4.19/g, a difference of $1.34/g.The national average price of gasoline has risen 8.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.57/g on Wednesday. The national average is up 13.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stand...

Burnt Hills' Lescault reaches major milestone in convincing win over Niskayuna

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

BURNT HILLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- They may be just two games into their season, but the Burnt Hills girls lacrosse team once again appears be the team to beat in Class C. The Spartans, coming a section title and a trip to the state semifinals last year, improved to 2-0 on the young season with a convincing, 17-11 win against Niskayuna Tuesday night. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Burnt Hills was fueled by a nine-point performance from MK Lescault, who reached the 400-career-point plateau in the effort. The Johns Hopkins commit tallied six goals and three assists; one of those goals came off a free position with just one second remaining in the first half, giving the Spartans a commanding, 12-4 edge at halftime.The Silver Warriors showed some resolve out of the break. Freshman midfielder Ava Roemer went on a solo, 3-1 run to start the second half, trimming the deficit to six goals at 13-7. She finished the night with a game-hig...

Saratoga Springs baseball knocks off previously undefeated Albany Academy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Saratoga Springs boys baseball team has looked every bit the part of a reigning section champion in the early 2023 season. The Blue Streaks, a season removed from claiming the Sec. II, Class AA crown, improved to 4-1 Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory over previously undefeated Albany Academy. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! After the Cadets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, 'Toga countered with a three-spot in the bottom half of the frame.The score remained 3-2 until the top of the sixth. With runners on the corners, Academy's Will Mizenko recorded a sacrifice fly that scored Gianni DiCerbo to tie the game up.But the Blue Streaks managed to get that run right back in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded, a pass ball from Academy catcher Marion Kohler allowed Christian Mello to score, reclaiming 'Toga a 4-3 edge.Blue Streaks freshman Jack Rigabar c...

UAB guard, Cooperstown native Tyler Bertram transfers to UAlbany

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) -- Just as players are lost to the transfer portal, players are gained. The UAlbany men's basketball team has looked to the portal to help rebuild their roster, getting their first portal commitment Monday. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Former UAB guard Tyler Bertram announced his commitment to the Danes on Twitter. The Cooperstown native played at Charlotte and Binghamton before UAB.Bertram tallied 22 points against UAlbany in February of 2022 with the Bearcats. "One of the biggest things, when I played them it was like a big rivalry matchup for Binghamton versus Albany since it was right down the road," said Bertram. "You could just feel the atmosphere and the coaches, you could tell they were into it and I think I could tell from the other side seeing coach Killings coach that he's a fiery coach and gets his players to play for him, so being able to see that and witness that helped me make my decis...

Ukraine war: The latest news

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

Authorities in Ukraine announced that a Russian force attacked a residence building in the southeastern Ukrainian town of Zaporizhzhia at around 3 am on Sunday (9 April).FIGHTINGAccording to the Russian defense ministry, Russia destroyed a fuel depot near Zaporizhzhia in the southeastern Ukraine.According to the Moscow-installed head for Crimea's administration, a missile from Ukrainian-held territory was fired over Fedosia in the Black Sea. The attack occurred on Saturday. Reuters couldn't immediately confirm the reports, and it wasn't clear how Ukraine could attempt such a strike.* Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield reports.LEFT DOCUMENTSRussia or pro-Russian elements may have been behind several classified U.S. documents being leaked. Three U.S. officials said to Reuters that they had seen military documents on social media showing a partial, one-month-old picture of the conflict in Ukraine. The Justice Department, however, stated it was investigating the leak separatel...

Bridge: April 12, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

Cy the Cynic says that the things that come to those who wait are often what’s left behind by those who arrived early. But Cy knows that there are plenty of good reasons to delay drawing trumps.Cy was today’s South in a penny game at my club. North’s five-spade response to Cy’s “Keycard Blackwood” bid of 4NT showed two aces plus the queen of trumps, so Cy confidently bid a grand slam.West led the queen of diamonds, and Cy took the ace and cashed the A-K of trumps. When both defenders followed, Cy saw no problem — unless the missing clubs broke 4-0. So Cy didn’t draw the last trump; he led a club to dummy’s ace.LAST HEARTWhen West discarded, the Cynic mentally patted himself on the back. He continued with a club to his king and the A-K of hearts, pitching a club from dummy. He ruffed his last heart, came to his queen of clubs and ruffed a club in dummy.Cy then ruffed a diamond, drew the missing trump and won the 13th trick with hi...

California auctioneer agrees to plead guilty in Basquiat artwork fraud scheme

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:53 GMT

LOS ANGELES — A former Los Angeles auctioneer has agreed to plead guilty in a cross-country art fraud scheme where he created fake artwork and falsely attributed the paintings to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.The paintings ultimately wound up at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida before they were seized by federal agents last year in a scandal that roiled the museum and led to its CEO’s departure after he threatened an art expert and told her to “shut up.”Paintings falsely attributed to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat were seized by federal agents at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida in 2022. (Courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California)Paintings falsely attributed to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat were seized by federal agents at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida in 2022. (Courtesy of U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California)Paintings falsely attributed to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat were seized by fe...