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Greece pledges more high defense spending, seeks F-35 fleet

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s conservative government promised late Thursday to continue a multi-billion euro defense modernization program during its second term in office, setting its sights on acquiring F-35 fighter jets in five years.“Our priority is to safeguard the country,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament at the start of a debate to approve a new government after his conservative New Democracy party won a general election last month.Athens is acquiring 24 advanced French-built Rafale jets, and upgrading 58 F-16 fighters from its aging fleet. It wants to add 20 F-35s with an option to buy as many as 28 more at a later date – requests that still require final approval from the Unites States. Greece has long-standing disputes with neighbor and fellow-NATO member Turkey and is modernizing its military after emerging from a severe financial crisis in 2018. It currently has the largest defense budget in the alliance relative to the size of its economy, at 3.54% ...

Why the US is willing to send Ukraine cluster munitions now

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has decided to send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help its military push back Russian forces entrenched along the front lines.The Biden administration is expected to announce on Friday that it will send thousands of them as part of a new military aid package worth $800 million, according to people familiar with the decision who were not authorized to discuss it publicly before the official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.The move will likely trigger outrage from some allies and humanitarian groups that have long opposed the use of cluster bombs. Proponents argue that Russia has already been using the controversial weapon in Ukraine and that the munitions the U.S. will provide have a reduced dud rate, meaning there will be far fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths. Here is a look at what cluster munitions are, where they have been used and why the U.S. plans to provide them to Ukraine now. WHAT IS ...

Cook County's newly unveiled Narcan mobile unit a lifesaver on wheels

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — The Mobile Overdose Prevention Outreach Unit aims to save more than lives. Cook County commissioner Monica Gordan on Thursday helped celebrate the launch of what she called "a unique program that has the power to save lives and bring hope to our communities."Taxpayer-funded through the Cook County Department of Health, by way of a federal grant, the mobile unit will hand out the opioid-reversing drug Narcan and other FDA-approved supplies in what are called overdose prevention kits."A significant percentage of opioid overdose deaths reported in Cook County are from the south suburbs, so more resources and efforts to focus attention on the south suburbs are needed," said Ron Vlasaty with the Family Guidance Center. FDA approves Narcan as first over-the-counter opioid overdose-reversal drug FGC will handle the day-to-day operation of the mobile unit and will focus on some of the hardest hit and economically challenged areas of southern Cook County. With overdose...

One Bulls player won't be back next season

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

CHICAGO — In an offseason where the team has welcomed back a number of players, there is one that won't be returning for the 2023-2024 season.In fact, he's the second draft pick ever taken by the current front office.The Bulls confirmed on Thursday that they've waived forward Marko Simonovic, ending his run as a member of the franchise. He would have had his $1.8 million salary for the upcoming season guaranteed if he was on the roster on Friday, and since he hasn't played much the past two seasons, it wasn't a surprise that he was let go.He joins Derrick Jones Jr., who didn't sign his player option, and Patrick Beverly, who signed with the Sixers, as departures from last year's team. Simonovic was the second pick made by executive VP Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft. Forward Patrick Williams was the other selection for the duo as he was taken fourth overall by the Bulls. Arriving with the team for the 2021-2022 season, S...

Illinois now allows trans residents to change gender on birth certificates

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Transgender residents of Illinois will now be able to change the gender listed on their birth certificates without documentation from a doctor.The new law effectively allows a person to self-determine their own gender.Previously, a doctor could only give the certification if the individual had undergone gender reassignment surgery or other clinical treatment.Gov. JB Prtizker signed HB0009 in February. Bravo to debut show that takes place in small-town Illinois "Following this year’s Pride Month, I couldn’t be happier that we are making it easier for Illinoisans to change the gender listed on their birth certificate,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our trans, nonbinary, gender non-conforming, and intersex neighbors deserve to have documentation that affirms their identity without having to jump over dozens of bureaucratic hurdles. After all, this is the Land of Lincoln and Obama—and here, we welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community as they are.”For informatio...

Missing Illinois man's bones found in forest over 10 years later

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. (WTVO) — The remains of an Illinois man have been found after he was reported missing over a decade ago.Investigators reported that they had found two bones inside of the Will County Forest Preserve back on March 24, according to the Miami Herald, almost to the day of when Marcus Wright, 24, was reported missing out of Joliet back on March 21, 2013.The county coroner said that the bones “were found to be consistent with originating from a tall male subject." Wright had stood at 6-foot-2. Glen Ellyn woman faces 132 counts of animal cruelty charges A bone and DNA sample from Wright's mother was compared to the bones found. They were found to have a close genetic relationship. The coroner said on Monday that this indicates that the bones found belonged to Wright.“This part is a painful one,” Kimberly Perdue, Wright’s cousin, said. “I feel both like a wound has been reopened (and) I’m grateful that this MAY bring just a little bit of closure to my Auntie. I don’t understa...

Southwest flight diverted to Oakland after AirDropped bomb threat

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

(KRON) — A Southwest Airlines flight (#3316) from Las Vegas to Maui was diverted to Oakland on Monday after photos suggesting a bomb was on board were sent to a flight attendant, the Alameda County Sheriff's Department confirmed. The images were sent to the flight attendant using Apple's "AirDrop," according to ACSO. Woman, 63, dies after being pushed by unknown person in SF Oakland Airport Operations, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Airport Police Services evacuated the plane once it touched down in Oakland. All of the plane's passengers and their luggage was searched, and no explosive materials were found, per ACSO. The plane later continued to its intended destination in Hawaii. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident, ACSO said. The FBI has an investigation ongoing. Southwest Airlines sent the following statement regarding the diversion: "We can confirm flight 3316 on Monday afternoon diverted to Oakland from its intended path, Las Vegas to ...

AUS, Copa Airlines celebrate new nonstop service to Panama City

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Copa Airlines on Thursday celebrated the first flight from Austin to Panama City. In February, AUS announced the Latin American airline would be joining the airport with a new, nonstop service to Panama City starting July 6. 4 new routes announced for Austin airport, including 2 new international destinations This comes after what AUS said was a "years-long effort by city leaders and airport business partners" to connect Austin and Central Texas to Panama, which offers connections to over 55 destinations in Latin America, according to AUS. The airport and airline held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning, where remarks were made by airport, airline, and city leadership as well as government representatives and airport business partners. How many passengers have flown out of AUS so far this year? There was also a gate celebration to welcome passengers arriving and to say farewell to them departing on the firs...

62-year-old dies after being hit while riding in motorized wheelchair on FM 969

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A 62-year-old man died at the hospital after being hit by a pickup truck while he was riding a motorized wheelchair on FM 969. The crash happened on June 26 shortly before 1:30 p.m. in the 6600 block of FM 969. MAP: Where have Austin’s fatal crashes occurred in 2023? Austin Police Department officers responded to the crash, which involved a pickup truck and a man on a motorized wheelchair. The man, later identified as Victor Hunter, 62, was taken to a hospital, where he later died. The driver of the truck stayed on scene and was not impaired, APD said.This incident is being investigated as Austin's 49th fatal crash of 2023, resulting in 49 fatalities for the year.

Bumblebee and the Cookie Monster: Virginia man dons costumes to make people smile

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:15:53 GMT

A woman balanced a toddler on her hip while standing on the porch of the Jump’n Jellybeans daycare on a recent Thursday morning. She stared at what was walking down the sidewalk on the other side of Portsmouth Boulevard.So did the toddler. Then he leaned forward, frantically waving an outstretched arm at the slow-moving creature.It was Bumblebee, the bright yellow, friendly, talking robot from the “Transformers” comic books, TV show and movies.Aaron Jackson, the 24-year-old inside the Bumblebee costume, saw the toddler and knew he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do that morning: Make people smile.Aaron Jackson walks along Portsmouth Boulevard in Portsmouth, dressed as Bumblebee from Transformers on June 23. Jackson began walking around Portsmouth in costume in 2020 as a way to cheer people up during the pandemic. His love for costume was born out of his involvement in Comic-con conventions.  (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)Sometimes two or three times a week, Jackson step...