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Why is Russia’s Wagner threatening to withdraw from Bakhmut?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

A threat by the leader of private Russian military company Wagner on Friday to withdraw his fighters from the battle to seize a city in eastern Ukraine is another episode in his dispute with Russia’s regular military over credit and tactics in the war.Yevgeny Prigozhin, a millionaire with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has led the push to jump-start Russia’s stalemated offensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province. He threatened to pull out his soldiers from the city of Bakhmut next week, citing high casualties and ammunition shortages. Russia’s nine-month campaign to take Bakhmut has made the city the focus of the war’s longest battle. Ferocious house-to house fighting there has produced some of the bloodiest encounters since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Here is a look at Wagner’s history and its role in the fighting.WHO OWNS THE WAGNER GROUP?Yevgeny Prigozhin, who received a 12-year prison term in 1981 on charges of robbery...

New this week: Jonas Brothers, Muppets, Bennifer and ‘Air’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— After successfully doing the rounds in theaters, “Air” is finally making its debut on Prime Video on Friday, May 12. The film, directed by Ben Affleck and written by Alex Convery, tells the origin story of the Air Jordan sneaker and how Nike’s then-struggling basketball department defied the odds and signed rookie Michael Jordan in an unprecedented deal. It’s the first time Affleck has directed his pal Matt Damon, who plays Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, and it’s the first film from their joint company Artists Equity. They brought in a starry cast, including Viola Davis as Michael Jordan’s mother, Deloris, as well as Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina and Marlon Wayans, and it has been widely praised for its well-told story — smart, adult and solidly entertaining.— Or you can watch Afflec...

ONE Championship debuts in Broomfield

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (KDVR) — For the first time in its history, ONE Championship will compete on U.S. soil.On Friday, the stage is set at the First Bank Center in Broomfield. The sold-out event can be seen on Amazon Prime starting at 6 p.m. The Colorado Sports Night crew caught up with ONE Championship's founder and CEO Chatri Sityodtong on why he chose to debut in Denver. Broncos owner Lewis Hamilton protesting Florida’s anti-LGBTQ law “Colorado is known as a state of innovation, bringing fans what they want to see,” said Sityodtong. “The American birthplace of American mixed martial arts was 1993 in Denver, Colorado. We felt it would be great to honor that history as an Asian property coming in to bring authentic martial arts from around the world to America.”You can catch Colorado Sports Night every Monday through Friday at 11 p.m. on KWGN Colorado's Own Channel 2.

Counties with the lowest cost of living in Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

DENVER (Stacker) — With inflation still eating into American household budgets, middle-class Americans are paying keen attention to their finances and finding ways to reduce spending.Nearly three-quarters of Americans surveyed by financial services provider Primerica at the end of 2022 said they are not able to save for their future due to rising costs. Home prices, rent, and food inflation as well as higher prices for gas in the last couple of years are making it so that each dollar earned has even less purchasing power than before. Top 10 cities with the most expensive homes in Colorado Stacker compiled a list of counties with the lowest cost of living in Colorado using 2022 rankings from Niche.#30. Clear Creek County- Overall Grade: B+- Public School Grade: B-- Cost of living grade: C-- Population: 9,427#29. Park County- Overall Grade: C- Public School Grade: C+- Cost of living grade: C-- Population: 17,384#28. Teller County- Overall Grade: C+- Public School Grade: C- Cost of l...

F1 star Lewis Hamilton blasts Florida's anti-LBGTQ measures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton lashed out Thursday at anti-LGBTQ measures enacted by Florida lawmakers and ripped the state's controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law with a reference to oppression seen in Saudi Arabia.“It’s not good at all,” Hamilton said ahead of F1’s highly anticipated race in suburban Miami this weekend. “I stand by those within the community here. I hope they continue to stand firm and push back. I’ll have the rainbow on my helmet. It’s no different to when we were in Saudi.”Hamilton, F1’s only Black driver, regularly uses his platform to speak on issues of social justice and race, human rights and protection of the LBGTQ community. The 38-year-old Briton speaks out while racing in countries with questionable human rights records – including Saudi Arabia -- or when an issue arises in which he feels his voice can lend support.The comments come just three days before the first of F1’s unprecedented three stops in the United Sta...

Broward schools to implement clear bag policy for upcoming school year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

In an effort to better protect students and staff members, the Broward County school district announced that only clear backpacks and bags will soon be allowed on all school campuses. The new policy will go into effect on the first day of the 2023/24 school year starting on August 21. It will not apply to teachers, staff, volunteers or visitors. Only clear bags, such as purses, duffel bags, fanny packs, lunch boxes, etc. will be allowed. The policy will be for all students in grades pre-K through 12. “This added layer of security is a game-changer,” said BCPS Interim Superintendent Earlean Smiley in a statement. “It will allow school security personnel and everyone on campus to quickly spot and report if someone has brought a prohibited item to school, and it will also help serve as a deterrent.”Mesh and colored backpacks will not be permitted, even if they are transparent. According to the district, all the contents inside a bag must be visible. The only exception...

BSO search for missing 81-year-old in Dania Beach

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

The Broward Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit is seeking the public’s help in finding a missing 81-year-old man. Max Wincoff McKenzie was last seen Thursday, at around 3:15 p.m. in the 400 block of Phippen-Waiters Road.He was last seen wearing a green shirt, camouflage shorts and shoes. McKenzie stands at about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighs around 180 pounds, has gray hair and brown eyes.According to investigators, McKenzie suffers from a health condition that requires medication.Anyone with information on McKenzie’s whereabouts is urged to contact BSO Detective Leonard Charla at 954-321-4274 or the BSO non-emergency number 954-764- HELP (4357).

2 Supreme Court justices did not recuse themselves in cases involving their book publisher

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

(CNN) — Two Supreme Court justices did not recuse themselves from cases that came before the court over the past decade involving a publishing company that’s paid them in lucrative book deals.In two separate copyright infringement cases concerning the publishing conglomerate Penguin Random House, the high court declined to take up the appeals, with the court saying in 2013 that it wouldn’t hear the first case, and the second case being turned away from the court in 2019 and again in 2020. In both cases, the publisher won at the lower court level, and those decisions stood.Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who joined the court in 2009 and has been paid millions of dollars from the publisher over the years, declined to recuse herself in all three instances.Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, who joined the court in 2017 and also has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in book deals with the publisher, declined to disqualify himself f...

My worst moment: ‘Ghosts’ star Devan Chandler Long chugged more than needed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

Among the many dead souls who populate the mansion on the CBS comedy “Ghosts” is a Viking named Thorfinn. Or Thor, as he’s simply known. He’s played by Devan Chandler Long as a good-natured lug who is perpetually baffled by modernity.A former football player, Long’s career on screen began as a henchman in an episode of “NCIS: Los Angeles.” His roles since have included appearances on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Bosch,” “The Rookie,” “Doom Patrol” and the movie “Ambulance.”“Ghosts” came into his life because a friend was auditioning for another role on the show, saw there was a Viking character and suggested Long to producers. “I’m part Norwegian, so that’s part of my alter ego,” Long said. “Sometimes when we’re out having drinks, I’ll do this Viking thing. It’s just part of my DNA.” The description for Thor was “something about a cod-obsessed Viking who is gregarious and outgoing and thinks he’s hilarious. And I stopped reading because I was like, I know this guy — I’ve go...

An ancient Japanese tradition points a way to healthier aging

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:07 GMT

Every week, a small group of older women gathers in a little room next to the courtyard of a senior living center in Northern California to practice the centuries-old Japanese craft of arranging flowers.The ikebana stylists, ranging from 75 to 95 years old, have been meeting for years. They come together for an hour on Tuesdays to work with yellow daffodils and flowering purple veronica, creating beautiful, delicate, and impermanent arrangements they will enjoy in their homes until the next week comes.Ikebana follows strict rules that dictate style and form. Flower stems must be a precise length and lean at a precise angle. The second stem should be three-quarters the length of the first stem; the third, half the length of the second. The result is a colorful tapestry of flowers that are mathematically identical to one another, but completely unique in style.“Before I retired, I was a CPA,” said Alice Huang, the group’s instructor. “But every day I wanted to look at flowers.”Huang g...