
Cardinals’ Jordan Walker ‘running on enthusiasm’ after late night airport snafu
St. Louis Cardinals top prospect Jordan Walker dealt with airline delays and a lost bat bag at the airport ahead of his first game back with the team.The St. Louis Cardinals were dealt an injury in their outfield, as Lars Nootbaar suffered a lower back contusion that landed him on the 10-day inj...
2023-06-03 11:39

50 Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan 'doesn't worry' about having to shake off his erotic character
Jamie Dornan "doesn't worry" about the sexuality of his characters since his 'Fifty Shades of Grey' success as he "dips [his] toe" into the world of action.
2023-08-12 17:00

Sonic Frontiers won’t be delayed, say Sony.
'Sonic Frontiers', won’t be delayed and say recent 'Sonic The Hedgehog 2' will boost interest in game.
1970-01-01 08:00

For Cuban asylum seekers, options dwindle after Serbia slaps restrictions on visas to curb migration
Fernando Almeyda Rodriguez and Remy Hernandez are two friends from Cuba, bound by a joint struggle for democracy in their country. But that comes at a price. The two men — Rodriguez is 31 and Hernandez 27 — were forced to flee Cuba in the aftermath of mass protests in 2021 to avoid persecution for their activism. An unlikely migration route brought them to Serbia — on the Balkan peninsula, at Europe's southeastern edge — where they sought political asylum. Rodriguez and Hernandez chose Serbia because it was among the few countries in the world that did not require entry visas for Cubans. But Belgrade has since revoked the open travel regime, closing down a passage into Europe used by fleeing Cubans for decades. Serbia made the decision under pressure from the European Union, which it wants to join. Belgrade was also forced to impose visas for the citizens of countries such as Burundi, India or Tunisia which have become a source of migration into the 27-nation bloc. For Rodriguez, however, the decision only meant that Cubans like him will now have fewer options if they wish to flee to avoid pressure from the Communist regime or escape crippling poverty. “Cuba resembles more or less some kind of a concentration camp in which your only option is to die in silence and not complain,” he said. “A lot of these (people) are humanitarian cases or refugee cases and you close the door to them. What about these people?” Friendly relations between Cuba and Serbia date back to the era when Serbia was part of the former Communist-run Yugoslavia, resulting in a small Cuban community here. Last month, Belgrade hosted Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel, at a time when Serbia's populist President Aleksandar Vucic has been facing weeks of street protests against his increasingly autocratic rule. Rodriguez said he had been forced to hide for months in Cuba to avoid arrest before he finally flew to Belgrade via Frankfurt, Germany, in Feb. 2022. It was "jail or leaving,” he told the Associated Press in an interview. “I spent more than six months playing hide and seek with the security ... the police,” said Rodriguez. “I would not stop struggling for human rights in my country.” Rodriguez has since been granted asylum in Serbia while the procedure for Hernandez’s application is still underway. Serbian lawyer Nikola Kovacevic, who represented Rodriguez in the asylum procedure, also said the changes in Serbia’s visa policies would expose many refugees from Cuba, Africa and Asia to much longer, dangerous and more complicated ways to reach Europe. “It was the safest route to protection” said Kovacevic. “And now it does not exist any more, it was cancelled. The options for these people have narrowed down.” Migration activists have repeatedly criticized EU countries over the reported illegal pushbacks of migrants and efforts to keep the borders closed even as hundreds die while traversing dangerous routes over the seas or in the hands of people smugglers. Last month, EU countries agreed on a reform of asylum laws and a shared responsibility for migrants entering Europe without authorization. Hungary and Poland opposed the deal, reflecting disunity in the bloc over migration. Both Rodriguez, who is a well-known human rights lawyer and activist in Cuba, and Hernandez, an artist and art teacher, say they had no other option but to flee the government crackdown. The protests in July 2021 were the biggest in Cuba in decades. Scores of people were jailed after the mass rallies that first erupted because of blackouts and shortages that soared during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rodriguez was a prominent member of the Archipelago group that was active on social networks. Hernandez says he lost his job as an art teacher in a Havana high school because he published cartoons in a satirical magazine critical of the Communist authorities. “They expelled me from the school where I worked, from the profession that I studied all my life,” he said. Hernandez said most his friends and family members had also fled as part of a major exodus in recent years. In Cuba, he said, “there is no food, there is no electricity, there is no medicine.” The majority of fleeing Cubans still head for the United States while Europe, primarily Spain, had been an option via Moscow or Serbia. So far, 56 Cubans expressed their intention to seek asylum in Serbia in the first half of 2023, a number that is expected to fall because of the change in the visa regime. Lawyer Kovacevic says that the numbers of Cubans who have used Serbia as a gateway to Europe represent merely a trickle compared to other nationalities migrating along the so-called Western Balkan land route. Serbia’s relaxed visa policies in the past had saved lives, he said. “Any refugee escape is not dignified,” added Kovacevic. “But at least you come directly to safety and then apply for asylum, (which) is way better than to jump over 15 borders where you are going to be beaten up 20 times, pushed back, extorted, humiliated. “This is the way people should be provided with safe routes,” he said. ”And this is not the case now.” —- Follow AP's coverage of migration at: Migration ' AP News Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Kosovo to partially withdraw special police officers from northern Serb-majority municipalities Presidents of Serbia, Montenegro agree to patch up strained relations between historic allies Jews and Muslims come together at Srebrenica anniversary of Europe's only post-World War II genocide
2023-07-13 14:28

'I love you madly': GMA’s Lara Spencer shares adorable throwback photos of daughter Kate on her 19th birthday
Lara Spencer refused to share 'current pictures' of her 19-year-old daughter Katherine Paige
2023-10-05 14:42

Daughter or camera? 'Sister Wives' fans raise doubts about Kody Brown's intentions at Savannah's graduation
Fans question Kody Brown's presence at Savanah Brown's graduation, suspecting that he chose to attend only because of cameras
2023-05-27 15:06

Three people die in Greece as wildfires rage
Two pilots died when their water-bombing plane crashed while battling a blaze and a third one was found charred on the Greek island of Evia on Tuesday...
2023-07-26 03:20

Russia says downed Ukrainian drones over five regions
Russia said Sunday it had downed Ukrainian drones over five regions, including Moscow, as well as two Ukrainian missiles over the Azov Sea, a day after a large-scale...
2023-11-26 22:06

A Detroit synagogue president was fatally stabbed outside her home. Police don't have a motive
Police say a Detroit synagogue president has been found stabbed to death outside her home
2023-10-22 07:46

Wendy’s announces free chicken nuggets for the rest of 2023
Wendy’s will be offering a free treat to help people get through the middle of the week for the rest of the year. Starting on Wednesday 8 November, the fast food chain will be giving away free packs of six chicken nuggets with any purchase on every Wednesday until 2024, according to a press release. To get your free treat, the chain is asking customers to redeem the offer using their app or website, or they can also scan the digital Wendy’s Rewards offer code in their respective Wendy’s restaurant. This offer is only available through the next eight weeks. The fast food chain is also offering a special deal for Uber Eats customers. If they purchase a 10-piece pack of chicken nuggets between 6 November and 12 November, they will get a second one for free. Another deal is available for DoorDash customers too. If they add a Dr Pepper to their order between 16 November and 22 November, they will be able to earn $5 off an order that is $20 or higher. This isn’t the first time the brand has decided to give away free items. On 27 October, when Taylor Swift released the re-recording of her album titled “1989”, Wendy’s gave away fries in all sizes to celebrate the album when customers purchased a small Frosty or larger using the app. Wendy’s will be bringing back a fan-favourite menu item just in time for the holiday season in addition to all of their deals. Starting on 14 November, the restaurant will bring back the peppermint Frosty that was first added to the menu last year. When initially released, this was the first-ever holiday-flavoured Frosty the chain had added to its menu. With this new seasonal menu item comes the end of their current seasonal menu item, the pumpkin spice Frosty, which has been on the menu since 12 September. Wendy’s won’t be the only fast food restaurant ringing in the holiday season with free food. Dunkin’ Donuts also recently announced that they would be giving out free doughnut on Wednesdays from 1 November to 31 December. Reward members can earn their free sweet treats with the purchase of any drink. Read More Scientists study world’s oldest person to unearth secret to long life My gig invitation turned out to be a Busted flush | Will Gore British parents spend an average 139 hours a year getting their kids ready for school
2023-11-10 06:38

Group seeks to clear names of all accused, convicted or executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is working to fully atone for its witch trial legacy nearly 400 years after the first person was executed there for witchcraft
2023-10-31 12:19

MLB standings if the result of every 1-run game was flipped
You've seen the regular MLB standings. Now, let's look at how the standings would look if the result of every team's one-run games were flipped.The 2023 MLB season has gone on for over two months. As of this writing (June 19, 2023), there are a couple of weeks until the All-Star G...
2023-06-20 06:06
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