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Russia’s ruble hits its lowest level since early in the war. The central bank plans to step in

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The Russian ruble on Monday reached its lowest value since the early weeks of the war in Ukraine as Moscow increases military spending and Western sanctions weigh on its energy exports.It led Russia’s central bank to announce an emergency meeting for Tuesday to review its key interest rate, raising the likelihood of an increase in borrowing costs that would support the flagging ruble.The Russian currency had passed 101 rubles to the dollar, continuing a more than 25% decline in its value since the beginning of the year and hitting the lowest level in almost 17 months. The ruble recovered slightly after the central bank’s announcement.The meeting was set after President Vladimir Putin’s economic adviser, Maksim Oreshkin, blamed the weak ruble on “loose monetary policy” in an op-ed Monday for state news agency Tass. He said a strong ruble is in the interest of the Russian economy and that a weak currency “complicates economic restructuring and negatively affe...

‘Operation Jagdakommando’: U.S. agency’s airborne northern-border migration sweep

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

WASHINGTON — U.S. border agents used helicopters and a fixed-wing airplane to round up 124 people earlier this year along the Canada-U.S. border. Customs and Border Protection says the sweep, dubbed “Operation Jagdakommando,” was in response to what it calls unprecedented illicit cross-border activity. But the agency has refused to discuss the operation, conducted in April and May, after publicizing it in a news release last month.That release says aircrews have played a key role in what the agency calls a “significant increase” in migrant apprehensions over the last nine months. Sharry Aiken, an immigration expert at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., says it’s not at all clear how many migrants were among the 124 people detained. She says it’s problematic that the agency is conflating irregular migration with clearly illegal activity like drug and weapons trafficking.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2023.Th...

WATCH LIVE | Johnson chooses Larry Snelling to be next CPD Superintendent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Brandon Johnson has selected Larry Snelling to be Chicago's next top cop.“Today, a new chapter begins in our journey to create a better, stronger and safer Chicago as Chief Larry Snelling has been charged to lead the Chicago Police Department,” Johnson said in a press release Sunday. “Chief Snelling is a proven leader who has the experience and the respect of his peers to help ensure the safety and well-being of city residents, and address the complex challenges we all face related to community safety.”  After the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) confirmed its top three candidates to be considered for superintendent of the Chicago Police Department back on July 13, a 30-day clock started ticking for Johnson, who had until Sunday to make the appointment.Here's some background information on the man who is now set to be in charge of helping revitalize one of the country's largest police forces: ...

Clarence Avant, ‘Black Godfather' of entertainment, and benefactor of athletes and politicians, dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Clarence Avant, the judicious manager, entrepreneur, facilitator and adviser who helped launch or guide the careers of Quincy Jones, Bill Withers and many others and came to be known as the "Black Godfather" of music and beyond, has died. He was 92.Avant, inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, died Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a family statement released Monday.Avant’s achievements were both public and behind the scenes, as a name in the credits, or a name behind the names. Born in a segregated hospital in North Carolina, he became a man of lasting and wide-ranging influence, in part by minding two pieces of advice from an early mentor, the music manager Joe Glaser: Never let on how much you know, and ask for as much money as possible, “without stuttering.”Sometimes called “The Godfather of Black Music,” he broke in as a manager in the 1950s, with such clients as singers Sarah Vaughan and Little Willie John and composer Lalo Schifr...

6-foot long boa constrictor found in Target shopping cart

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) - People at an Iowa Target were in for a surprise after a 6-foot long snake was found in a shopping cart Saturday.Animal control was sent to Target on Sunnybrook Drive in Sioux City around 11:30 a.m. after a Columbian red boa was found in a shopping cart, the Sioux City Police Department told Nexstar's KCAU. Snake in a toilet: Slithering visitor to Arizona home camps out where homeowner least expects it The snake was found in a cart in one of the cart corrals and wasn't noticed until brought inside the store. Courtesy Lindsay AlvarezCourtesy Lindsay AlvarezCourtesy Lindsay AlvarezAnimal control believes the snake was placed in the cart intentionally. Police said they were unsure if a customer or employee saw the snake first. According to the Racine Zoo in Wisconsin, male Columbian red tailed boas are typically 6 to 8 feet in size, while females are 7 to 9 feet. Females, which are larger, can weigh up to 30 pounds.

'Question mark' spotted by in deep space by Webb Space Telescope; what is it?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

SPACE (KXAN) -- A new photo from the James Webb Space Telescope is leading to a giant question: What in the cosmos formed a giant "?" in space?The photo was released by the European Space Agency on July 26th. This week, people online noticed what appeared to be "question mark" in the image. A recent image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope shows what appears to be a "question mark" in deep space. (Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, J. DePasquale (STScI), CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)The original image shows two stars, Herbig-Haro 46/47, forming in the center of a disc of gas and dust, according to the ESA. Just beneath the stars, the "question mark" can be spotted.In an interview with Space.com, a representative with Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) said the object is likely one or more galaxies "interacting". The color implies it is quite distant.In the full image released by the ESA, James Webb Space Telescope, a tightly bound pair of actively forming stars, known as Herbig-Haro 46/47, in...

AFD investigating smoke in northwest Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department is investigating reports of smoke Monday morning in three areas of northwest Austin.Crews were called to McNeil Road, Palmbrook Drive and Pearson Ranch, AFD said. In a later update Monday, AFD said the fire may be in Round Rock.AFD said the call came in around 10:30 a.m.This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available.

How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Wildfire season is upon us with several large fires already having burned in Central Texas over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, whether near or far, wildfires can put out a lot of harmful smoke into the air. Particulate within that smoke can be harmful to the general public, and more specifically, those with pre-existing conditions.MAP: Wildfires in Central Texas in 2023Meteorologist Kristen Currie spoke with Dr. Matthew Ashley, chief medical officer at Centre for Neuro Skills and a board member with the American Heart Association, to learn how those in sensitive groups can protect themselves from harmful toxins in wildfire smoke.Below is a transcript of their interview. Edits have been made for clarification. Kristen Currie, KXAN News: Dr. Ashley, let's first start with wildfires. Unfortunately, we're in the thick of it when it comes to fire season. We've already had our fair share of wildfires so far. Are there certain health impacts the general public nee...

Passengers steal ride-share driver's car in north St. Louis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Early on Monday morning in north St. Louis, a ride-share driver had his vehicle stolen.A ride-share driver picked up three men and drove them two miles to their destination in the 3400 block of Klein at around 12:30 a.m. Monday. Two of the passengers then flashed their handguns, pulled the driver out of the vehicle, and took his key fob out of his pocket. They drove off in his silver 2019 Acura MDX.The suspects are not in police custody. The police did not give a detailed description of the suspects. Please call the police if you see the stolen Acura.

Boulder’s modular home factory sparks community debate about location, noise, environmental impact

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:57 GMT

A new modular home factory being built in Boulder has stirred excitement as well as a healthy dose of controversy among members of the community.The city announced Monday that construction on the factory is due to start this month. City officials who have championed the project say the factory — which is expected to eventually produce up to 50 permanently affordable homes every year — will be a game changer in terms of creating more affordable housing in Boulder. They also say it will provide an unparalleled hands-on learning experience for students in a local construction program.However, numerous residents in nearby neighborhoods have vehemently opposed the project for a variety of reasons. Some are concerned about potential extra noise and traffic, while others worry about the environmental impact of the factory, which will sit adjacent to Sombrero Marsh, a protected wetland and habitat conservation area.The factory site at 6500 Arapahoe Road is a large plot of land owned by the ...