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France will send military gear to Armenia

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

PARIS — France will send military equipment to Armenia amid escalating tensions with its neighbor Azerbaijan, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Tuesday evening. “France has agreed to forge future contracts with Armenia for the delivery of military equipment to enable Armenia to defend itself,” she said during a press conference in Yerevan. The French minister didn’t provide details about the types of gear France would provide. In late September, Azerbaijan declared victory after a lightning military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing ethnic Armenians living in the breakaway region into exile. Last week, Baku officially dissolved Nagorno-Karabakh. France and Armenia have long had strong diplomatic ties, with France hosting a large Armenian diaspora. In 2001, Paris was among the first Western capitals to recognize the Armenian genocide, two decades before the United States did. In recent months, Paris has been looking to deepen defense co...

The smart route to net zero

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

EU, Russia and US held secret talks days before Nagorno-Karabakh blitz

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

Top officials from the United States and the EU met with their Russian counterparts for undisclosed emergency talks in Turkey designed to resolve the standoff over Nagorno-Karabakh, just days before Azerbaijan launched a military offensive last month to seize the breakaway territory from ethnic Armenian control.The off-diary meeting marks a rare — if ultimately unsuccessful — contact between Moscow and the West on a major security concern, after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 upended regular diplomacy. A senior diplomat with knowledge of the discussions told POLITICO the meeting took place on September 17 in Istanbul as part of efforts to pressure Azerbaijan to end its nine-month blockade of the enclave and allow in humanitarian aid convoys from Armenia. According to the envoy, the meeting focused on “how to get the bloody trucks moving” and ensure supplies of food and fuel could reach its estimated 100,000 residents.The U.S...

5 people were wounded in a shooting after a homecoming event at Morgan State University in Baltimore

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Five people were wounded, none critically, in a shooting that interrupted a homecoming week celebration at Morgan State University in Baltimore on Tuesday and prompted an hourslong lockdown of the historically Black college.Students were told to shelter in place for about four hours, as police went room to room looking for suspects. Classes were canceled for Wednesday.Police Commissioner Richard Worley said the five victims, four males and one female, are between the ages of 18 and 22. Their injuries were not life-threatening, he told reporters at a news conference early Wednesday.Morgan State Police Chief Lance Hatcher said four of the victims are students at the university. No arrests were announced and police did not release information about a suspect or suspects.The shooting happened shortly after an event to crown Mister & Miss Morgan State at the Murphy Fine Arts Center, as students were heading to a coronation ball.Konnor Crowder, a sophomore from Baltim...

Suspect in Bangkok mall shooting that killed 2 used a modified mock gun, police say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — The teenage boy who allegedly shot two people dead and wounded five others inside a major shopping mall in the center of Thailand’s capital used a mock handgun that had been modified to fire real bullets, police said Wednesday.The suspect was taken into custody less than an hour after the first gunshots Tuesday afternoon at the Siam Paragon Mall, one of Bangkok’s biggest and most upscale shopping destinations.Video uploaded to social media and broadcast on television showed a long-haired teenage boy in the custody of police. Major Thai media reported he was 14 years old and a student at a prominent private school. Recently appointed Police Chief Torsak Sukvimol confirmed only that he is a minor and had a record of being treated for mental illness.Assistant National Police Chief Samran Nualma said at a news conference Wednesday that the weapon used was “a plastic gun and adapted to use with real bullets.” It has variously been described as originally intended to ...

Some reaction to Manitoba NDP election win and first First Nations provincial premier

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

WINNIPEG — Manitobans elected the NDP into government on Tuesday, and Leader Wab Kinew is set to become the first First Nations premier of a province in Canada.Here is some of the reaction:“I was given a second chance in life. And I would like to think that I have made good on that opportunity. And you can do the same.” — Manitoba’s incoming premier and NDP Leader Wab Kinew—“The election results are a source of great pride for our Nations, marking the first time a First Nation individual has got the top job in this province and will lead this government. We look forward to working closely with Premier Kinew’s government to responsibly and respectfully fulfil the aspirations of First Nations people in Manitoba.” — Grand Chief Cathy Merrick with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs—“Wab, I hope that your win tonight inspires a future generation of Indigenous youth to get involved in our democratic process, not just here in Manitoba, but right across the ...

5 people, ages 18 to 22, wounded in shooting on campus of Morgan State University in Baltimore

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

By LEA SKENE and DENISE LAVOIE (Associated Press)BALTIMORE (AP) — Five people were wounded, none critically, in a shooting outside a residence hall at Morgan State University in Baltimore on Tuesday, according to authorities, who urged students to take shelter on the campus of the historically Black college. The Baltimore Police Department initially said officers were on the scene for an “active shooter situation” around 9:30 p.m. Police kept the campus on lockdown for hours and provided little information about their investigation. The gunfire shattered windows at a residential building that’s on the same block as a city police station.Police Commissioner Richard Worley said the five victims, four males and one female, are between the ages of 18 and 22. Their injuries are non-life-threatening, he told reporters at a late night news conference.Morgan State Police Chief Lance Hatcher said four of the victims are students at the university. No arrests were an...

Tokayev, Heads of Central Asian States Meet with German Chancellor in Berlin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

Photo credit: Akorda.The synergy of Germany’s political influence and economic opportunities with the enormous potential of the Central Asian states can make a great contribution to the region’s sustainable progress, said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a meeting with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and heads of Central Asian countries in Berlin on Sept. 29, reported Akorda, Staff Report in International.Earlier, the heads of states participated in the C5+Germany summit with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.  It is reported that Central Asian trade with Germany showed a positive trend, totaling $11 billion at the end of last year. Kazakhstan accounts for more than 80% of this trade turnover.Tokayev expressed readiness to “increase exports to Germany by an additional 100 non-resource items totaling $850 million”. The long-term import contracts and special trade preferences to Central Asian states can contribute to the growth of mutual trade turnover. Tokayev als...

Highlight-reel moment by Sharks ‘kid’ line offers glimpse of brighter future

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

For anyone who has followed San Jose Sharks drafts in recent years and the pain they had to endure to collect some of those picks, a forward line coach David Quinn trotted out against the Vegas Golden Knights in his team’s penultimate preseason game was all too noticeable.Thomas Bordeleau was at center, flanked by William Eklund on his left and Quentin Musty on the right.One second-round draft pick from three years ago in the middle with more recent first-round selections on either side of him.It was a tantalizing glimpse of a group of forwards that could possibly form the foundation for whenever the Sharks are once again legitimately able to compete with the Golden Knights, who will lift their first Stanley Cup championship banner to the rafters of T-Mobile Arena later this month.But Bordeleau, and especially Eklund, aren’t thinking long-term. They want to be in the NHL this season, starting with the Sharks’ home opener on Oct. 12 against this same Vegas team.They helped their case...

Cricket World Cup picks up where it left off, with England against New Zealand

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:10 GMT

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — After combining to produce the most dramatic finish ever to a Cricket World Cup, England and New Zealand will meet again this time to open the 2023 edition in India.England was awarded its first title four years ago at Lord’s on a contentious countback against the New Zealanders after the final finished tied and a so-called Super Over also failed to separate the teams.The tiebreaker was a heavily-derided and subsequently dumped countback of boundaries, giving England the narrowest of victories as it hosted the pinnacle competition in cricket’s one-day format for the fifth time.The defending champions and runners-up will get the six-week tournament started Thursday at the 134,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This same venue will host the highly-anticipated India-Pakistan showdown on Oct. 14 and the final on Nov. 19.Top-ranked England arrived in India aiming to be just the third team — following West Indies (1975 and ‘79) and Australia (1999, 2003...