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Why Finland is blaming Russia for a sudden influx of migrants on its eastern border

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — When Finland joined NATO earlier this year, Russia threatened retaliation. Now, hundreds of migrants from the Middle East and Africa have appeared at Finland’s border from Russia, seeking entry into the Nordic country.Finnish officials say the sudden surge in asylum-seekers is no coincidence. They accuse Russia of driving the migrants to the border to sow discord as payback for Finland’s membership in NATO.Here is a look at the migration challenge playing out along parts of Finland’s 830-mile (1,340-kilometer) border with Russia.WHAT HAPPENED?There has long been a trickle of asylum-seekers showing up at border checkpoints in Finland, which is the European Union’s easternmost member. But this month saw a sudden surge.According to official statistics, more than 900 migrants have arrived in Finland so far since August, more than 800 in November alone.Finnish authorities say they hail from countries including Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan,...

Pentagon’s AI initiatives accelerate hard decisions on lethal autonomous weapons.

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AP) — Artificial intelligence employed by the U.S. military has piloted pint-sized surveillance drones in special operations forces’ missions and helped Ukraine in its war against Russia. It tracks soldiers’ fitness, predicts when Air Force planes need maintenance and helps keep tabs on rivals in space.Now, the Pentagon is intent on fielding multiple thousands of relatively inexpensive, expendable AI-enabled autonomous vehicles by 2026 to keep pace with China. The ambitious initiative — dubbed Replicator — seeks to “galvanize progress in the too-slow shift of U.S. military innovation to leverage platforms that are small, smart, cheap, and many,” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said in August.While its funding is uncertain and details vague, Replicator is expected to accelerate hard decisions on what AI tech is mature and trustworthy enough to deploy – including on weaponized systems.There is little dispute among scientists, industry experts and...

Palestinian families rejoice over release of teens and women in prisoner swap

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

BEITUNIA, West Bank (AP) — Over three dozen Palestinian hostages were released form Israeli prisons as part of a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.The procession of freed prisoners, some accused of minor offenses like throwing rocks, at a checkpoint outside of Jerusalem stoked massive crowds of Palestinians into a celebration.Fifteen dazed young men, all in stained grey prison sweatsuits and looking gaunt with exhaustion, glided through the streets on the shoulders of their teary-eyed fathers as fireworks turned the night sky to blazing color and patriotic Palestinian pop music blared.“I have no words, I have no words,” said newly released 17-year-old Jamal Brahma, searching for something to say to the hordes of jostling journalists and thousands of chanting Palestinians, many in national dress. “Thank God.”Tears fell down his father Khalil Brahma's cheeks as he brought his son down from his shoulders and looked him in the eye for the first time in seven months. Israeli force...

Items to avoid sending down your drains

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The holiday season leads to some people baking and cooking a little extra. There are some things that people should not thrown down the drains. Elizabeth Simmons, Team Lead with the Take Care of Texas program, spoke with KXAN's Rich Segal about how some fats, oils and greases can hurt your pipes because they, along with meat fats, butter and sauces solidify in drains, creating blockages in pipes. She suggests letting the items cool in sealed containers before throwing them out. Coffee grounds are another source of irritation for the drains. While they may seem harmless, they can create a thick sludge. Coffee drinkers can use the grounds ins gardens as compost or adding them to indoor plants as a natural fertilizer. What's more, if you want to be creative "you can use the coffee grounds as a natural exfoliant for your skin and face. You can rub them on your body during a shower to help remove built up dirt and grime. To make a coffee ground face mask, simply add a few...

'Witch bottles': Why are they washing up on Texas shores?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Have you ever been strolling along a Texas beach — or a beach anywhere — and stumbled upon a bottle? Of course, you've probably encountered empty ones. But have you ever found one with an assortment of plants, hair and other items?That would be what's known as a "witch bottle." These are the 10 fastest-declining Texas cities, analysis shows The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi says it recently recovered one such bottle on the Gulf shores. "Witch bottle!" wrote the institute in a Facebook post last week. "We find these every once in a while."But just what are witch bottles? And why do they wash up on Texas beaches?The concept of a witch bottle goes back centuries — and yes, they have been historically associated with the supernatural and magic, as explained by JSTOR Daily writer Allison C. Meier. But don't let the name fool you, witch bottles weren't used by witches, they were used as a way of stopping a witc...

Investigation underway after a man was shot and killed in South St. Paul Friday night

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

A man was shot and killed in South St. Paul on Friday night, according to police.About 4:50 p.m. Friday authorities said they received a call reporting shots fired on the 400 block of 3rd Avenue South. When police arrived, they said they found a man lying near the shoulder of the road with at least one gunshot wound to his upper torso.Officers and emergency personnel responded to the scene and the man was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.Homicide detectives from the South St. Paul police department are working with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to determine the circumstances around the death.The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s office will release the man’s identity after an autopsy.Police ask anyone with information about the shooting to call 651-554-3300.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | St. Paul police investigating after person found dead in a cave Crime & Public Safety | Man convicted of...

Holiday arts guide: ‘Black Nativity,’ Dickens and the Grinch lead the holiday stage offerings

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

Whether it’s an old classic (“A Christmas Carol,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”) or a new production (“I Am Betty,” “Dinner for One”), Twin Cities theaters have plenty of options for seasonal stage productions (although a few aren’t about the holidays). Here’s a look at what’s on tap this year.A Christmas CarolMatthew Saldivar as Scrooge and Greta Oglesby as the Ghost of Christmas Present in “A Christmas Carol” at the Guthrie Theater. (Dan Norman)Now playing: The Guthrie first produced an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in 1975 and this year marks the 49th production. For the second time, the company is staging a new adaptation by Lavina Jadhwani that includes a new set, costumes and tunes. Through Dec. 30; 818 S. Second St., Mpls.; $134-$34; 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org.I Am BettyNow playing: Created by an ad agency for General Mills in 1921, the fictional character of Betty Crocker became a radio and television personality, a letter-wr...

Gophers’ chances of bowling with a 5-7 record remain in play on Saturday

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

There’s remains a chance the Gophers finish with a 5-7 record and still go to a bowl game.If Minnesota loses to Wisconsin in the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Saturday, the U will be one win shy of reaching bowl eligibility. But there might not be enough eligible teams this season.As of Saturday morning, there were 69 bowl-eligible teams for 82 available spots. That leaves 13 openings for 18 teams sitting on five wins.Of those 18 teams, 12 are betting favorites. The Gophers are among six underdogs; the Badgers are favored by three points.If the Gophers finish in the pack of five-win teams, they would get bowl berths after James Madison and Jacksonville St. Those two programs have won more than six games, but are transitioning for FCS and the NCAA has only made them eligible for postseason play if there aren’t enough six win teams. They would go to the front of the line over any five-win team.The next criteria for five-win teams is a program’s Academic Progress Rate (APR).The...

St. Charles County Police capture suspect in Nevada stolen vehicle case

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

LAKE ST> LOUIS -- In Lake St. Louis, a traffic-monitoring camera captured footage of a stolen vehicle reported missing in Nevada. In response, the police were notified, they approached the vehicle and a car chase started.A FLOCK camera in Lake St. Louis recorded a stolen vehicle from Nevada that had a gun in it that was used in the crime. The St. Charles County Police Department spotted the vehicle near Bent Oak Apartments in Lake St. Louis and attempted a traffic stop.During the encounter, the suspect rammed an O'Fallon Police car, starting a car chase. O'Fallon officers, aided by spike strips, brought the vehicle to a stop.A passenger and a two-year-old child safely exited the vehicle, guided to safety by officers. With support from Lake St. Louis Police, the suspect was apprehended after a foot chase. Law enforcement recovered a stolen firearm from Nevada.Following the incident, the suspect was taken to Progress West Hospital for an evaluation. The suspect then attempted to escap...

How the trio of “Jersey boys” have bonded on and off the ice for the Avalanche

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:12:00 GMT

Miles Wood and Tomas Tatar just could not believe what they were hearing.Here they were, sitting with one New Jersey’s own, Ross Colton, and one of the Garden State’s native sons did not know about the Pulaski Highway. Wood and Tatar peppered Colton with questions and chirps while the three of them removed their equipment after a morning skate in Pittsburgh last month.If it wasn’t all just good-natured needling of one of their teammates, the shock and utter disappointment in their voices would have seemed quite sincere.“We were teasing him,” Tatar said. “We thought as a (New Jersey) homeboy, he should probably know that.”Wood, Tatar and Colton are all first-year members of the  Avalanche. They share a simple connection – Wood and Tatar both played for the New Jersey Devils before arriving in Denver. Colton grew up in Robbinsville, N.J., and was a Devils fans as a kid.They began their first season with the Avalanche on a line together. While Colton and Wood have mostly remained toget...