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Thousands ride for veterans wounded in Afghan withdrawal

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

This year’s “Wounded Vet Run,” the 12th and most well attended since its start, according to organizers, was aimed specifically at raising money to help five U.S. Marines who were seriously injured during the deadly withdrawal from America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan.Tyler Vargas-Andrews was one of them.A sniper who volunteered to serve his country more than a decade and a half after the bloody war following the events of 9/11 began, Vargas-Andrews was one of the last Americans deployed in Afghanistan when, in the midst of the chaotic and much criticized evacuation, a suicide bomber attacked Kabul Airport, killing more than 100 Afghan civilians and 13 of Vargas-Andrews’ fellow servicemembers.Vargas-Andrews was himself “catastrophically wounded,” he told Congress when testifying about that day, his right arm and left leg lost due to the blast.On Sunday, despite those injuries, Vargas-Andrews was standing tall as fellow veterans gathered to ride in his honor and in support of o...

Ticket to ride: Saudi astronauts catch private flight to space

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Saudi Arabia’s first astronauts in decades rocketed toward the International Space Station on a chartered multimillion-dollar flight Sunday.SpaceX launched the ticket-holding crew, led by a retired NASA astronaut now working for the company that arranged the trip. Also on board: a U.S. businessman who now owns a sports car racing team.The four should reach the space station in their capsule Monday morning; they’ll spend just over a week there before returning home with a splashdown off the Florida coast.Sponsored by the Saudi Arabian government, Rayyanah Barnawi, a stem cell researcher, became the first woman from the kingdom to go to space. She was joined by Ali al-Qarni, a fighter pilot with the Royal Saudi Air Force.They’re the first from their country to ride a rocket since a Saudi prince launched aboard shuttle Discovery in 1985. In a quirk of timing, they’ll be greeted at the station by an astronaut from the United Arab Emirates.&...

World summits’ ‘family photos’ show Putin’s isolation

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

They’re known as “family photos,” the images of world leaders posed in faux relaxation during global summits. And like portraits of a family that has isolated a dysfunctional member, recent “family photos” from the G7 and G8 — the world’s most industrialized nations — show how Russian President Vladimir Putin has been outcast. The Russian president has faced unprecedented international isolation since his nation invaded Ukraine in February 2022. An International Criminal Court arrest warrant hangs over his head and clouds his prospects of traveling to many destinations, including those viewed as Moscow’s allies.It was only 10 years ago when Putin stood proudly among his peers at the time -– former U.S. President Barack Obama, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — at a Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland. But Russia has since been kicked out of the group, which consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britai...

US to sign new security pact with Papua New Guinea amid competition with China

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — The United States is scheduled to sign a new security pact with Papua New Guinea on Monday as it continues to compete with China for influence in the Pacific.Papua New Guinea’s location just north of Australia makes it strategically significant. It was the site of fierce battles during World War II, and with a population of nearly 10 million people, it’s the most populous Pacific Island nation. The State Department said the new agreement would provide a framework to help improve security cooperation, enhance the capacity of Papua New Guinea’s defense force and increase regional stability.At a breakfast meeting on Monday, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said his country faced significant security challenges, from skirmishes within the country to illegal fishing boats that lit up the night like skyscrapers. “We have our internal security as well as our sovereignty security issues,” Marape said. “We’re stepping ...

Wrigley Field vendor gives inside look at the job through social media videos

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

CHICAGO — Jonah Fialkow started vending at Wrigley Field in 2015 while he was looking for a summer job, but this season is his first creating videos and a community around it.He had just finished his senior year of high school and was looking for something to do before attending the University of Illinois. Cubs’ Friday moves include saying goodbye to a veteran player "One of my friend's dads used to vend back in the day and a lot of the vendors are still there that my buddy's dad used to vend with," Fialkow said. "So he put us in contact with the people that he knew. I emailed them like, 'Hey, do you guys need help this summer? I'm a huge Cubs fan, would love to work for you.' And they're like, 'Yeah, we actually do.'" @jewishjonah Replying to @userboy1990 I got the job in 2015 and it’s safe to say it’s the best job I’ve ever had. #wrigleyfield #chicagocubs #baseball #chicago #vendors #askontiktok #dayinthelife #jonahthevendor ♬ original sound - jewishjonah So Fialkow and two ...

"We're supposed to step in together:" Fundraiser supports families of 4 high school seniors killed in car crash

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

WHEELING, Ill. — A fundraiser was held in the northwest suburbs Sunday in support of the families of four Buffalo Grove High School seniors who died in a car crash."I wanted to do something for the community," said Josh Kaplan, owner of Josh's Hot Dogs in Northbrook. "It's these times where we're supposed to step in together and really help those families that really need our support."Kaplan and his staff took over the parking lot at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Wheeling to grill up hot dogs and hamburgers, with the plan of donating all proceeds to the families of Richard De Ita, Kevin Hernandez-Teran, Ricky Barcenas and Jesus Rodriguez — the four high school seniors who were killed in a car crash last Tuesday.The turn out was more than Kaplan expected."It's just touched my heart honestly," Kaplan said. "I'm just taken back by this all." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Buffalo Grove High School mourning loss of 4 students killed in Wheeling crash "There were almost a thousand peopl...

Alderman discusses meeting about plans to temporarily house migrants at college

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

CHICAGO — New details are expected to be released this week about plans to temporarily house migrants at a college in Chicago.A meeting for residents of the 38th ward is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Wilbur Wright College to talk about the plans. Meeting planned to discuss temporarily housing migrants at Wilbur Wright College 38th Ward Ald. Nicholas Sposato said the plan is expected to temporarily house about 400 asylum seekers, many of whom are currently sleeping at police stations across the city. "Taking them out of the police stations and planning on putting them here for two months," Sposato said. They would be housed at the college from June 1 until July 31.He said he only found out about officials eyeing up this location as temporary housing through an anonymous phone call. See where you can help migrants arriving in Chicago It prompted him to push for a community gathering for his constituents only."It's a 38th ward issue right now," he said. "It's exclusive to my comm...

Kyle, Texas, falls short of world record attempt

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The City of Kyle didn't take home a world record Sunday evening -- but it did hang out with 1,800 of its same-named friends.City leaders hosted the "Gathering of the Kyles" world record attempt Sunday afternoon at the Kyle Fair A Tex-Travaganza. Anyone with the name "Kyle" -- spelled that exact way -- was asked to attend Sunday afternoon as part of a vie at hosting the largest same-name gathering. The City of Kyle didn't take home a world record Sunday evening -- but it did hang out with 1,800 of its same-named friends. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson)The City of Kyle didn't take home a world record Sunday evening -- but it did hang out with 1,800 of its same-named friends. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson)The City of Kyle didn't take home a world record Sunday evening -- but it did hang out with 1,800 of its same-named friends. (KXAN Photo/Kelsey Thompson)The City of Kyle didn't take home a world record Sunday evening -- but it did hang out with 1,800 of its same-named...

Seventh inning sinks Twins in 4-2 loss to Angels

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The pitching matchup certainly lived up to the billing.Shohei Ohtani was Shohei Ohtani and Pablo López was Pablo López, which is to say that the two starting pitchers spent the majority of the day dealing, settling into a nice little pitcher’s duel.It wasn’t until each pitcher left the game that things broke down for the Twins, yet another bases-loaded opportunity falling to the wayside in the top of the seventh inning and the Angels surging ahead against the bullpen in the bottom of the frame. Both were all-too-familiar happenings for the Twins on their six-game road swing through Southern California, which ended with a 4-2 loss to the Angels on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim.López took the loss in the game, left in to start the seventh inning. He walked the first batter, spelling the end of his day. From there, Jorge López entered, immediately giving up a pair of doubles to Zach Neto and Mickey Moniak, the latter of which brought home a pair of runs.The game swung i...

Chinese Community Center celebrates 50 years serving Capital Region

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:00:56 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Saturday, members of the Chinese and various Asian American communities gathered to celebrate the Chinese Community Center's 50th anniversary at Proctor's Theater.As the nation also honors Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the CCC anniversary event brought together performers from many different disciplines of Chinese culture, including singers, dancers, marital artists, and Peking Opera performers. As NEWS10 previously reported, the Peking Opera performers spent two months coordinating with a world-renowned expert, Linghui Tu.Event organizer and CCC President Wei Qin says she's proud to help elevate Asian American voices and teach the Capital Region more about Eastern cultures."This is amazing to think, you know I'm relatively new leading the Chinese Community Center, and it's been here before I was even born," Qin says. "I'm really happy to carry 50,000 years of culture, the best parts of what China has to offer." The Chinese Communi...