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US names veterinary drug, fentanyl mixture ’emerging threat’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

The U.S. has named a veterinary tranquilizer as an “emerging threat” when it’s mixed with the powerful opioid fentanyl, clearing the way for more efforts to stop the spread of xylazine.The Office of National Drug Control Policy announced the designation Wednesday, the first time the office has used it since the category for fast-growing drug dangers was created in 2019.Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the drug policy office, said xylazine (pronounced ZAI’-luh-zeen) has become increasingly common in all regions of the country.It was detected in about 800 drug deaths in the U.S. in 2020 — most of them in the Northeast. By 2021, it was present in more than 3,000 fatalities —with the most in the South — according to a report last year from the Drug Enforcement Administration.“We cannot ignore what we’re seeing,” Gupta said. “We must act and act now.”Xylazine was approved for veterinary use in 1971. Sometimes known as “tranq,” it’s been showing up in supplies of illic...

Pope evokes cold-war replay, says leaders should avoid arms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis urged world leaders Wednesday to use reason and not arms to resolve differences, evoking memories of the 1960s Cold War between Washington and Moscow, .At his weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square, Francis noted that Tuesday marked the 60th anniversary of the issuance of a Cold War-era encyclical by Pope John XXIII. The “Pacem in Terris” encyclical, intended for both the Catholic Church and the world at large, was issued several months after the Cuban missile crisis, which had fueled fears of nuclear war between the United States and what was then the Soviet Union. Francis recalled the world then as “full of tensions between two opposing blocs in the so-called Cold War” and said his predecessor’s message, which encouraged peace efforts, “is very current today.” The encyclical “opened horizons in which you could speak of peace, construct peace,” Francis told thousands of faithful gathered in the square. He called the document issued April 11, 19...

US envoy: Balkans ‘poisoned’ by Russian disinformation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A U.S. special envoy on countering global disinformation says that countries in the western Balkan region have been “pretty seriously poisoned” by Russia’s influence campaigns. James P. Rubin, who heads the State Department’s Global Engagement Center, traveled to North Macedonia on a tour that also includes stops in Montenegro and Albania. “The main source of the threat in this part of the world is Russian-generated disinformation, often repeated and acting as a hub through Serbian media platforms and then repeated and promulgated here in the Western Balkans,” Rubin told a group of reporters late Tuesday in the capital, Skopje. “I would say that (this region) is pretty seriously poisoned by primarily Russian disinformation.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the appointment of Rubin, a 63-year-old veteran diplomat, last December, worried that disinformation campaigns engineered by Russia had intensified due to the...

Mario, Mariah, Madonna added to National Recording Registry

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mario, Madonna and Mariah have entered the national audio canon. Madonna’s star-making 1984 album “Like a Virgin,” Mariah Carey’s 1994 holiday perennial “All I Want For Christmas Is You” and the original 1985 theme from Super Mario Bros. are now in the U.S. National Recording Registry as part of “the defining sounds of the nation’s history and culture,” the Library of Congress announced Wednesday. In all, 25 albums, singles and other sound artifacts spanning more than a century are being inducted into the registry, from the first known recording of mariachi music in 1908 and 1909 by Cuarteto Coculense, to 2012’s “Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra” by composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. The Super Mario Bros. music, officially known as the “Ground Theme,” written by young Nintendo composer Koji Kondo, becomes the first music from a video game to enter the registry, which called it in a news release “the most recognizable video game theme in history.”...

Protester detained as Macron visits Amsterdam university

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Police tackled and detained a protester Wednesday after he ran, shouting, toward Emmanuel Macron as the French president arrived at a University of Amsterdam science campus on the second day of his state visit to the Netherlands.It was the second straight day that protesters targeted Macron, who is facing angry unrest at home over his pension reforms. On Tuesday, demonstrators shouted and held up banners at the start of a speech in The Hague.The incident Wednesday happened as Macron arrived with Dutch King Willem-Alexander at the university’s science park to visit its Quantum Gases and Quantum Information Lab to discuss quantum technology.The protester was tackled by a military officer and police before being restrained and taken to a nearby police vehicle. Macron’s visit continued after the man and another protester were detained.Earlier, French and Dutch ministers signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in moves to develop digital technology and ...

GasBuddy: Albany gas prices continue to increase

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Average gasoline prices in Albany have risen 8.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.56/g on Wednesday, according to GasBuddy's survey of 546 stations in Albany. Prices in Albany are 8.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 62.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has fallen 1.6 cents in the last week and stands at $4.15 per gallon. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Albany was priced at $3.27/g on Tuesday while the most expensive was $3.69/g, a difference of 42.0 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state Tuesday was $2.85/g while the highest was $4.19/g, a difference of $1.34/g.The national average price of gasoline has risen 8.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.57/g on Wednesday. The national average is up 13.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stand...

Burnt Hills' Lescault reaches major milestone in convincing win over Niskayuna

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

BURNT HILLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- They may be just two games into their season, but the Burnt Hills girls lacrosse team once again appears be the team to beat in Class C. The Spartans, coming a section title and a trip to the state semifinals last year, improved to 2-0 on the young season with a convincing, 17-11 win against Niskayuna Tuesday night. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Burnt Hills was fueled by a nine-point performance from MK Lescault, who reached the 400-career-point plateau in the effort. The Johns Hopkins commit tallied six goals and three assists; one of those goals came off a free position with just one second remaining in the first half, giving the Spartans a commanding, 12-4 edge at halftime.The Silver Warriors showed some resolve out of the break. Freshman midfielder Ava Roemer went on a solo, 3-1 run to start the second half, trimming the deficit to six goals at 13-7. She finished the night with a game-hig...

Saratoga Springs baseball knocks off previously undefeated Albany Academy

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Saratoga Springs boys baseball team has looked every bit the part of a reigning section champion in the early 2023 season. The Blue Streaks, a season removed from claiming the Sec. II, Class AA crown, improved to 4-1 Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory over previously undefeated Albany Academy. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! After the Cadets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, 'Toga countered with a three-spot in the bottom half of the frame.The score remained 3-2 until the top of the sixth. With runners on the corners, Academy's Will Mizenko recorded a sacrifice fly that scored Gianni DiCerbo to tie the game up.But the Blue Streaks managed to get that run right back in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded, a pass ball from Academy catcher Marion Kohler allowed Christian Mello to score, reclaiming 'Toga a 4-3 edge.Blue Streaks freshman Jack Rigabar c...

UAB guard, Cooperstown native Tyler Bertram transfers to UAlbany

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) -- Just as players are lost to the transfer portal, players are gained. The UAlbany men's basketball team has looked to the portal to help rebuild their roster, getting their first portal commitment Monday. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Former UAB guard Tyler Bertram announced his commitment to the Danes on Twitter. The Cooperstown native played at Charlotte and Binghamton before UAB.Bertram tallied 22 points against UAlbany in February of 2022 with the Bearcats. "One of the biggest things, when I played them it was like a big rivalry matchup for Binghamton versus Albany since it was right down the road," said Bertram. "You could just feel the atmosphere and the coaches, you could tell they were into it and I think I could tell from the other side seeing coach Killings coach that he's a fiery coach and gets his players to play for him, so being able to see that and witness that helped me make my decis...

Ukraine war: The latest news

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:51:11 GMT

Authorities in Ukraine announced that a Russian force attacked a residence building in the southeastern Ukrainian town of Zaporizhzhia at around 3 am on Sunday (9 April).FIGHTINGAccording to the Russian defense ministry, Russia destroyed a fuel depot near Zaporizhzhia in the southeastern Ukraine.According to the Moscow-installed head for Crimea's administration, a missile from Ukrainian-held territory was fired over Fedosia in the Black Sea. The attack occurred on Saturday. Reuters couldn't immediately confirm the reports, and it wasn't clear how Ukraine could attempt such a strike.* Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield reports.LEFT DOCUMENTSRussia or pro-Russian elements may have been behind several classified U.S. documents being leaked. Three U.S. officials said to Reuters that they had seen military documents on social media showing a partial, one-month-old picture of the conflict in Ukraine. The Justice Department, however, stated it was investigating the leak separatel...