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The Taliban use tasers, fire hoses and gunfire to break up Afghan women protesting beauty salon ban

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

Dozens of Afghan women protested a beauty salon ban on Wednesday after the Taliban ordered their closure nationwide. Security forces used fire hoses, tasers and shot their guns into the air to break up the protest.The Taliban said earlier this month they were giving all salons in Afghanistan one month to wind down their businesses and close shop, drawing concern from international officials worried about the impact on female entrepreneurs. The Taliban say they are outlawing salons allegedly because they offer services forbidden by Islam and cause economic hardship for grooms’ families during wedding festivities.The ruling came from the Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada — the latest curb on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls, following edicts barring them from education, public spaces and most forms of employment.In a rare sign of public opposition to Taliban orders, dozens of beauticians and makeup artists gathered in the capital of Kabul to protest the ban.“We are...

Prosecutor says Kevin Spacey used celebrity status for ‘opportunity grab’ described by accusers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

LONDON (AP) — It was more than a coincidence that three of Kevin Spacey ‘s four accusers described similar crotch-grabbing incidents, a prosecutor said Wednesday in her closing argument at his sexual assault trial.Prosecutor Christine Agnew told a London jury that Spacey seized brief moments for an “opportunity grab” and was able to get away with it for years because he was a celebrity. The two-time Oscar winner long had benefited from a “trinity of protection,” knowing that men he attacked would not complain. If they did, he knew they wouldn’t be believed; if they were believed, he knew authorities wouldn’t take action because of his status, Agnew said. That began to change after allegations in the U.S. arose in 2017 during the height of the #MeToo movement when a fellow American actor accused him of sexually inappropriate behavior decades earlier. Other allegations followed and eventually led the four men, who did not know each other, to independently complain to Engli...

Yamuna river reaches the iconic Taj Mahal’s outer walls in India after swelling with monsoon rains

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

AGRA, India (AP) — Rising water from the Yamuna river on Wednesday reached the outer boundary walls of the iconic Taj Mahal and submerged one of its adjacent gardens after record monsoon rains swelled rivers across northern India over the last three weeks.The flooding at the 17th-century white marble monument in Agra city came as heavy floods had killed at least 100 people in parts of north India, swept away houses and bridges and resulted in deadly landslides.On Wednesday, the red sandstone boundary walls of the Taj Mahal were surrounded by brown, muddy water, even as a flock of tourists thronged the historical monument left untouched by the river. Water from the overflowing Yamuna, however, flooded some low-lying houses near the monument, prompting officials to move residents to safer places.Local residents and officials said the river last touched the boundary walls of the monument in 2010. In 1978 the flood water seeped into the monument’s basement, but a recurrence of that even...

3 seriously injured in rollover crash on South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

CHICAGO — Three people were seriously injured after a car struck a pole on the South Side Tuesday night.Just after 10:50 p.m., authorities responded to the intersection of 75th and Exchange on the report of an accident.CFD said a vehicle rolled over on its roof after striking a pole. All three passengers, a 26-year-old man, a 24-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man were transported in serious but stable condition.No other information was provided.

Cubs, White Sox help make MLB history on Tuesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

CHICAGO — Both the Cubs and the White Sox were part of Major League Baseball history on Tuesday night, doing so thanks to their offenses.Both teams scored over double-digits in runs, with the north siders getting 17 in their win over the Nationals at Wrigley Field and the south siders getting ten in a loss to the Mets in New York. They were among the 12 teams in the league that scored ten or more runs on Tuesday, which is the modern-era (Since 1900) record for the MLB, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The only one higher was on July 4, 1894, with 13 teams getting into the double-digits in runs scored. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)The White Sox had their own place in history for the wrong reason.Despite a strong offensive night, the Mets were better in an 11-10 win where they jumped out to an 8-2 lead against starter Lucas Giolito and then held on down the stretch. That contest was one of four on the night to feature both teams scoring ten or more runs, tying the MLB record...

Teeth! Piranha relative caught in neighborhood pond in Oklahoma

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - An 11-year-old Oklahoma boy recently caught a fish related to the piranha in a neighborhood pond, prompting wildlife officials to warn residents not to release exotic fish into local waters.Charlie Clinton recently reeled in a Pacu, a fish native to South American that has human-like teeth. Images courtesy Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation."Dear, whoever released an entire Pacu (a South American fish closely related to Piranha) into a NEIGHBORHOOD pond; how dare you," the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said on Twitter. "DO NOT RELEASE YOUR PETS. THEY ARE AN EXOTIC, INVASIVE SPECIES THAT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO OUR LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS." What are those white mushrooms in your yard after the rain? Piaractus brachypomus, or the Red-Bellied Pacu, are native to the Amazon basin and are mainly herbivores, but they are known to be opportunistic carnivores that feed on zooplankton, insects and small fish or crustaceans."These fish are gene...

Women denied abortions in Texas ask court for clarity over state's exceptions to ban

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Women who sued Texas after saying they were denied abortions despite serious risks to their health are headed to court Wednesday as legal challenges to abortion bans across the U.S. continue a year after the fall of Roe v. Wade.The Texas case is believed to be the first brought by women who were denied abortions since the right to an abortion in the U.S. was overturned, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing them. Previous: Women sue Texas over abortion ban, say it risked their lives The case before a Texas judge in Austin does not seek to reverse the state's abortion ban, which is one of the strictest in the country. It instead asks the court for clarity on when exceptions are allowed in Texas, where the women say they were told they could not end their pregnancies even though their lives and health were in danger. One woman had to carry her baby, who was missing much of her skull, for months, knowing she’d bury her daughter so...

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired holds career fair Wednesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) will hold a career fair Wednesday for residential instructors and support staff.The fair will be at the school at 1100 W 45th St from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. According to TSBVI, the school will offer information, tours of the 45-acre campus, on-site applications and a chance to meet with human resources about pay and benefits. TSBVI said starting pay is equivalent to $20 an hour. TSBVI students create touchable, inclusive art show There are links for applications online as well as current job openings. According to the school's website, The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired was established by the Sixth Texas Legislature on August 16, 1856, as The Blind Institute, with five members of the board of trustees appointed by Governor Elisha M. Pease. 

Sur La Table celebrating grand opening in Stuyvesant Plaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

GUILDERLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Sur La Table, a kitchen and culinary store, is celebrating its grand opening in Stuyvesant Plaza on Saturday, July 22. Instead of a ribbon cutting, representatives will be breaking an oversized baguette baked by Bountiful Bread. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The store has already opened, but is officially celebrating this weekend. Sur La Table is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.On Saturday, the store will be featuring giveaways, sweepstakes and tastings, including coffee sampling Uncommon Grounds. The first 150 customers will get a Sur La Table towel set with the purchase of $100 or more. Guests could also win a free cooking class for two by interacting with Sur La Table on social media. Stuyvesant Plaza renews leases for three tenants “We are thrilled to open our doors to Capital Region guests at this spectacular Stuyvesant Plaza storefront...

Vandals terrorize Illinois family, pouring oil into their pool

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:43 GMT

O'FALLON, Ill. - Vandals turned a crystal-clear swimming pool into a dark, oily mess. Police said the damage is in the tens of thousands of dollars. The victims are terrorized, saying there’s something even scarier than the oily pool.It happened at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The Gibson family was sleeping and then startled by the sound of breaking glass. After quietly dousing the pool with used motor oil, vandals picked up landscaping bricks from Gibson’s yard and chucked at the windows of their house.“It sounded honestly like a gunshot coming through the windows,” said Suzanne Gibson. Car goes airborne, crashing into Lemay home, killing driver She has a 13-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter with her husband.One of the large bricks crashed through a bedroom window. Thankfully, no one was sleeping there at the time. Gibson said they could have killed.Her husband immediately looked around the house to see what happened and eventually noticed something dark on the concrete deck aro...