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Turkish citizens abroad begin voting in national election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Some 3.4 million Turkish citizens living abroad were invited to begin voting Thursday in national elections that will decide whether President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can continue governing Turkey after two decades in power. The overseas balloting began amid concerns over Erdogan’s health after he was forced to cancel election rallies on Wednesday and Thursday. However, the 69-year-old leader was scheduled to attend a Thursday ceremony via video link to mark the inauguration of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant.The biggest contingents of overseas voters include 400,000 Turks in France and 1.5 million in Germany who can cast their ballots in Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections until May 9. Voting in Turkey itself doesn’t take place until May 14.During Turkey’s last presidential election five years ago, a significant majority of Turkish voters in Germany backed Erdogan. It is unclear whether he will receive the same level of backing from the...

NATO allies send 1,500 combat vehicles, 230 tanks to Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO countries have delivered more than 98% of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, the military alliance’s chief said Thursday, giving Kyiv a bigger punch as it appears poised to launch a counteroffensive.Along with more than 1,550 armored vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, member nations have sent Ukraine “vast amounts of ammunition” and also trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian brigades, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.More than 30,000 troops are estimated to make up the new brigades. “This will put Ukraine in a strong position to continue to retake occupied territory,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.His comments came a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had a “long and meaningful” phone call in their first known contact since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than a year ago.Though Zelenskyy wsaid he was encouraged by Wednesda...

Thinking of Starting a Business? Consider Buying One Instead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

Starting a business can be an enticing dream. It’s also notoriously difficult to come up with an original idea, find the right team and fund its growth.If you want to work for yourself, there may be an easier way — buying an existing business. Think of it like renovating a house instead of building one from the ground up, says Mark Zweig, professor and entrepreneur-in-residence at the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business .“I like the constraints of an existing business versus a clean sheet of paper,” Zweig says.Here are four reasons to consider this path to entrepreneurship.YOU DON’T HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCHFounders need to find customers, develop relationships with vendors and hire employees. They may need to rent space and buy equipment. They also need to create processes, set up software tools, hire lawyers and accountants, and complete other relevant tasks.Building that structure takes time and money. When you buy a business, at least some of those things are alre...

China welcomes Ya Ya the panda home after 20 years abroad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Ya Ya the giant panda landed Thursday afternoon in Shanghai after departing from the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee, where she spent the past 20 years on loan.The popular panda’s trip was closely followed online. People shared screenshots tracking Ya Ya’s flight path into Shanghai. “Finally back at home!” cheered one user in response to the news. Others asked for a live broadcast of the arrival, which was reported by Chinese state media and claimed four of the top 10 trending topics on the social media platform Weibo. An image from Chinese broadcaster Phoenix News was particularly popular among Chinese social media users. It showed Ya Ya relieving herself before the trip and leaving the poop as a present for the zoo. The zoo held a farewell party for Ya Ya earlier in April and said it would miss the panda. Her departure marks the end of a 20-year loan agreement with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens.Ya Ya was born Aug. 3, 2000, in Beijing. She...

Chicago hires consulting firm to help with search for next top cop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

CHICAGO — The search for Chicago's next police superintendent has taken another step forward. The city has hired a consulting firm to help with the search for the next top cop, giving an application deadline of next month.The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability is leading the nationwide search to replace former Supt. David Brown.The commission will nominate candidates. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the city has hired "Public Sector Search & Consulting" to help with the search.Two former police chiefs will lead the search for the consulting company. On their website, the company says they are the only firm in the US who searches for police executives. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’: Bar owner’s wife yells at burglar over intercom amid string of West Side bar break-ins Over the last six years, the firm has led searches for more than 30 police departments. The city does plan to continue to include community input.In fact, there was a community forum...

Kids ride free on Metra Thursday for 'Take Your Child to Work Day'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Metra announced that kids will be riding for free on 'Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day' on Thursday. Metra is celebrating by allowing people who are 18-year-old and younger ride the train for free, accompanied by an adult. Every adult who purchases a ticket can bring up to three children for free. Robin’s List: Movies you thought were great as a kid that are actually awful Metra says the theme for 2023's 'Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day' is "Working Better Together," to encourage children to learn about becoming a part of s workplace team. "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day" is Thursday, April 27. For more information on the event, visit: Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work – Just another WordPress site

Thursday is Take Our Kids to Work Day, marking its 30th anniversary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — At Michigan State University, children of employees can spend Thursday seeing what it's like to staff a dairy farm, work in sports or plant a tree at the school's first in-person Take Our Kids to Work Day since the pandemic began.Some 1,500 employees and kids have registered and the university has invited staff to bring any child in their life to explore the campus.“This is a way that people can see each other and meet their families, show off MSU, which is designated a family-friendly university," said Jaimie Hutchison, director of the university’s WorkLife Office. "It also allows people to see what others do across campus and have more pride in the institution that they work for.”MSU's plans recall the roots of Take Our Kids to Work Day, which celebrates its 30th anniversary on Thursday. However, much has changed since then.The idea of Take Our Kids to Work Day seemed like part of a bygone era in recent years because, due to the pandemic, there weren't a lot of wor...

Overnight rain clears, next severe threat arrives Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Heavy rain is exiting the area this morning with a brief drying trend in its wake.24-hour rain totals as of 6AM ThursdayLeftover showers and storms will clear the eastern counties shortly before sunrise. Left behind will be drier skies and more sunshine with seasonable temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s.Yet another threat of severe weather quickly builds Friday evening with a powerful storm again crossing over the state. Rain and storms will be likely Friday evening and night -- some severe -- then cooler, mainly dry weather returns Saturday.Slight risk (2 out of 5) for severe storms on Friday for most of Central TexasOnce again, large hail and damaging winds will be the primary concerns with severe storm development on FridayNext round of severe weather looks to arrive late Friday afternoon through late eveningMake sure you download the KXAN Weather App and enable your location to receive severe weather alerts for your area.Many areas can expect 1-2" of rain ...

Bastrop county residents push for reopening popular community recycling bin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Less than a minute drive from historic downtown Elgin, located inside a dirt lot surrounded by a chain-link fence, sat a very popular recycling bin that was free to use for anyone. Jeff Asmussen, who lives about five miles south of Elgin, said he would use the bin every week to dispose of his recyclables. "Well Monday, Wednesday, and maybe Friday," Asmussen explained his weekly drop-off schedule.Asmussen and his other neighbors are now gathered in the city's Veteran's Memorial park, just a minute away from the recycling bin, to push for the bin to be opened back to the public. "We would like to find a way to continue that service," Rick Nalle, another regular user of the recycling bin, said. History of the recycling bin The recycling bin was first offered to the public by the city of Elgin. After the city started offering curbside recycling services for its residents, it moved the bin to county property. The county then started to pay for the service ...

City creates program to help small businesses recover from pandemic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:59:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After taking a huge hit throughout the pandemic, several small businesses are still trying to bounce back.With rising rent costs and inflation sky high, the City of Austin Economic Development Department hopes a new program will lend a helping hand to local business owners.The Small Business Resiliency Program is designed to support mom-and-pop shops that were operating successfully prior to the pandemic in Austin’s highly impacted industries.This 12-week training program will offer coaching, access to professional experts, peer support, resiliency planning and additional resources.Economic Development Department Director Sylnovia Holt-Rabb says it’ll also create an opportunity for business owners to network with others in similar situations.“Now that we're post-pandemic, we’re trying to strategize how you regain that market share,” she explained. “How do you get back to the revenues that you had pre-pandemic?"According to the Austin Chamber of Commerce, 4,933 establ...