TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities have detained over 100 relatives of political prisoners in a new wave of arrests ahead of January’s election in which authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is seeking a seventh term. The Viasna human rights center said that the raids began Thursday, targeting relatives and friends of political prisoners in various
Continue ReadingAP Film Writer Juliet Taylor does not give herself credit for Meryl Streep. In her over 40 years as top casting director behind so many classics, “Annie Hall,” “Heartburn” and “Sleepless in Seattle” to name just a few, she did, technically give Streep her first film role. Taylor is modest and loathe to take credit
Continue ReadingMEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president has lashed out at Moody’s ratings service after it downgraded the Mexican government’s debt outlook to “negative.” Moody’s said newly approved laws in Mexico could weaken the judiciary branch and checks and balances. It reaffirmed Mexico’s Baa2 overall credit rating but said increased government debt represented a risk for
Continue ReadingAssociated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A judge has scheduled a trial for April for three former Memphis police officers charged with murder in the beating of Tyre Nichols. A Shelby County judge on Friday scheduled their trial in state court for April 28. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith have pleaded not guilty
Continue ReadingToday is the day! Mt. Bachelor opens early for the season. With plenty of fresh snow this week, it’ll be a great weekend to get on the mountain.
Continue ReadingBy Hanna Park, CNN (CNN) — A former NFL linebacker was arrested on Thursday and charged with assaulting law enforcement during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, according to court records. Antwione Williams, 31, who was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2016 and later played for the XFL’s DC Defenders, now
Continue ReadingAssociated Press ROME (AP) — More than a dozen humanitarian organizations that provide health care to migrants have denounced Italy’s migration deal with Albania as a violation of the code of medical ethics. The deal calls for some male migrants rescued at sea to have their asylum cases processed while they are detained at two
Continue ReadingAssociated Press BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin leader’s first publicly announced conversation with the sitting head of a major Western power in nearly two years. Scholz urged Putin to be open to negotiations with Ukraine, his office said. The Kremlin leader responded that any
Continue ReadingAP Entertainment Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — Country comes naturally to Ringo Starr. It’s been a low-key part of his of his career since his Beatle beginnings, so it was not a serious swerve for him to make a whole country album, the forthcoming “Look Up,” a collaboration with the modern maestro of classic country
Continue ReadingBy Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Plenty of people loved Hugh Grant’s character in the 1999 rom-com “Notting Hill,” but Grant is not one of them. He talked about playing William Thacker, opposite Julia Roberts as Anna Scott, during a conversation for Vanity Fair’s “Scene Selection.” “Whenever I’m flicking the channels at home after
Continue ReadingBy Chris Isidore, CNN New York (CNN) — The $7,500 tax credit for buyers of electric vehicles could be vanishing early in the new Trump administration, but that might actually be good news for Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, one of President-elect Donald Trump’s most prominent backers. While the US tax credit goes to
Continue ReadingBy Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN (CNN) — Iranian activist Kianoosh Sanjari, who died by suicide this week in protest at political imprisonments by the regime, was buried Friday in the capital Tehran. Sanjari took his own life Wednesday at the age of 42, jumping off a building in downtown Tehran, according to other activists and state
Continue ReadingBy Paradise Afshar and Caroll Alvarado, CNN (CNN) — A Miami-bound Scandinavian Airlines flight was forced to return to Europe on Thursday after encountering severe turbulence over Greenland, according to the airline. No severe injuries were reported among passengers or crew on flight SK957, the airline said in a statement to CNN Friday. There were
Continue ReadingCNN By Paradise Afshar and Caroll Alvarado, CNN (CNN) — A Miami-bound Scandinavian Airlines flight was forced to return to Europe on Thursday after encountering severe turbulence over Greenland, according to the airline. No severe injuries were reported among passengers or crew on flight SK957, the airline said in a statement to CNN Friday. There
Continue ReadingOSLO, Norway (AP) — Norwegian police say the driver of a tram that derailed and crashed into a store last month in downtown Oslo, causing minor injuries to four people, told them he lost consciousness and doesn’t remember the accident. Police said Friday that they had questioned the driver, who was not identified. There were
Continue ReadingBy Lisa Respers France, CNN (CNN) — Conan O’Brien will host the next Academy Awards. It will mark the Emmy-winning television host and comedian’s first time at the helm of the Oscars. “We are thrilled and honored to have the incomparable Conan O’Brien host the Oscars this year,” Academy Chief Executive Officer Bill Kramer and
Continue ReadingWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland says it is reactivating its embassy in the capital of North Korea, becoming the second Western nation after Sweden to resume operations that were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The move opens a channel of communication between NATO-member Poland with Pyongyang, a close ally of Russia that has sent
Continue ReadingAP Business Writers WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans stepped up their spending at retailers last month in the latest sign that healthy consumer spending is driving the economy’s steady growth. Retail sales rose 0.4% from September to October, a solid increase though less than the previous month’s robust 0.8% gain. A 1.6% jump in sales at
Continue ReadingBy Pete Muntean, CNN (CNN) — The Federal Aviation Administration says an air traffic controller’s instructions kept an American Airlines flight from hitting mountains near Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii. The agency is investigating the incident on American flight 298 just after takeoff, bound for Los Angeles early Wednesday morning. Open-source flight tracking data from
Continue ReadingAP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A year after turning to comedian Jimmy Kimmel for the second time to host their big show, the Academy Awards will pivot to another familiar TV funnyman — Conan O’Brien. “America demanded it and now it’s happening: Taco Bell’s new Cheesy Chalupa Supreme. In other news, I’m hosting
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