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Syria: US strike on al-Qaida leader allegedly kills civilian

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

QORQANYA, Syria (AP) — The U.S. military is investigating reports that it killed a civilian in a recent strike in northwest Syria that meant to target a senior al-Qaida leader, a military official said in a statement Tuesday.Relatives and neighbors of a 60-year-old man killed in the May 3 strike in the village of Qorqanya, a rural area in northern Idlib province, told The Associated Press that he was a farmer who raised sheep, chickens and cattle and had no involvement with armed groups.In an initial statement released the day of the strike, U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, said its forces had “conducted a unilateral strike … targeting a senior Al Qaeda leader.” It did not provide any further details.Maj. John Moore, a CENTCOM spokesperson, said Tuesday that U.S. forces “are in the process of confirming the identity of the individual killed in the strike.”“We are aware of the allegations of a civilian casualty and the outcome of the confirmation process will inform if further...

Nantes fires coach Kombouaré 4 four games from end of season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

NANTES, France (AP) — French club Nantes fired coach Antoine Kombouaré on Tuesday with four league games left to play and the team deep in relegation trouble.The club said it reached a mutual decision with Kombouaré, a former Nantes defender, to end his contract. He will be replaced on a temporary basis by Pierre Aristouy, who is promoted from his position as reserve team coach.Nantes is in 17th place in the league, with four of the 20 clubs getting relegated this season. Auxerre is two points ahead of Nantes in 16th place, with Brest and Strasbourg three points ahead of Nantes.Kombouaré led Nantes to the French Cup title last year, the club’s first trophy since 2001, having saved it from relegation the previous season.Although Nantes reached the French Cup final again this season, his side was routed 5-1 by Toulouse, and Nantes has not won any of its past 11 league games.Kombouaré, who was reportedly at odds with club president Waldemar Kita for some time, has deep links with Nante...

Wisconsin judge revives complaint over 2020 fake electors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s bipartisan elections commission must disregard its earlier ruling unanimously rejecting a complaint against fake presidential electors who attempted to cast the state’s ballots for former President Donald Trump when it rehears the case, a judge ruled Tuesday. A Republican commissioner who considered the original complaint must not take part in the reconsideration because he was one of the 10 fake electors, Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington ruled. That commissioner, Robert Spindell, as well as the state elections commission agreed in court filings before the judge ruled that he should never have participated.Fake electors met in Wisconsin and other battleground states that Trump lost in 2020, attempting to cast ballots for the former president even though he lost. Republicans who participated in Wisconsin said they were trying to preserve Trump’s legal standing in case courts overturned his defeat. The Wisconsin Elections Com...

Bears get QB Justin Fields assistance on draft’s last day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears entered the NFL draft looking to help quarterback Justin Fields while bolstering one of the league’s worst defenses.GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus felt they accomplished both to varying degrees with their 10 total picks. And they started Saturday’s final rounds by giving their third-year quarterback more explosive assets. The initial help for Fields came on Thursday night with first-round tackle Darnell Wright, but continued on the final day Saturday when the Bears picked Texas running back Roschon Johnson and Cincinnati wide receiver Tyler Scott in the fourth round.“You want to support your quarterback,” Poles said. “We all know that’s where it starts. So you want to surround him with talent. “We had to wait a little bit to do it the way I wanted to do it, the way we wanted to do it. And we found some good opportunities to do that, to solidify the O-line, make sure that in the running game we stay balanced and then give ...

Exención de visa para colombianos en EE.UU.: ¿qué debe ocurrir para que sea realidad?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

(CNN Español) — Desde el Gobierno de Colombia se han realizado esfuerzos para que el país pertenezca al Visa Waiver Program (VWP) y así eliminar el requisito de visa para colombianos que viajan a Estados Unidos. ¿Cuán cerca se está de esa posibilidad?El Gobierno del presidente Gustavo Petro en Colombia tiene en su agenda la posible eliminación de la visa estadounidense para los ciudadanos colombianos. A pesar de que esta tarea requiere esfuerzos y estudios exhaustivos por parte del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés), el embajador de Colombia en Estados Unidos, Luis Gilberto Murillo, ya ha iniciado conversaciones para explorar la posibilidad de una exención de visa y que Colombia pueda formar parte del Visa Waiver Program (VWP).¿Qué es el Visa Waiver Program?El programa de exención de visa, conocido como “Visa Waiver Program” (VWP), otorga a los ciudadanos de determinados países la posibilidad de viajar a  Estados Un...

Bear cub electrocuted after getting startled out of trash bin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) -- Colorado Parks and Wildlife says a bear cub was killed after it got startled while in a trash can in Manitou Springs.CPW said the bear cub got into the trash can then, when startled, raced up a nearby power pole where it was electrocuted. Guide: Living with bears in Colorado "Lock your garbage! Be Bear Aware. Keep cubs alive," CPW said after the incident on Twitter.Bear activity in 2022The biggest cause of conflict last year was bears trying to gain access to trash, as well as birdfeeders, livestock, bears accessing open garages, and other human-originated items that are left unsecured. Bears wander into Front Range looking to consume 20K calories a day “These conflicts could all easily be reduced if the public takes some simple steps around their homes and properties to prevent bears from accessing them,” CPW explained.CPW said that last year, 94 bears were euthanized and 59 were relocated in 2022.How to bearproof your homeBear-proofing you...

How can the Rockies compete in the NL West? MLB analyst says it’s time for ‘Plan B’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Rockies have an uphill battle in the National League West.The question for the rest of the 2023 season, just how steep is that climb up the standings?“It’s going to take some time,” said Team USA softball player and current MLB analyst Jessica Mendoza who spoke with Colorado Sports Night. “I don't see it being reversible within this season. I think what's really hard is the fact that we have teams [in the MLB] that now buy into the rebuild mode completely and they are OK with it. No one wants to lose that many games and you still want to have success.”Mendoza did credit the Rockies for signing Kris Bryant last season but stressed the organization needs to develop more talent from within. Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog to miss entire 2023-24 season “So now they need to go into ‘Plan B’ mode, which is OK. They’re gonna hunker down, take what they have, and not spend a whole lot of money, especially knowing where the rest of NL West is,” sa...

Police: Possible meteorite strikes home in New Jersey

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (KYW) — A metallic object believed to be a meteorite struck the roof of a home Monday in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, police said.The incident happened at a home located on Old Washington Crossing Pennington Road just after 1 p.m.Police said the home was occupied at the time, but there were no injuries reported.Authorities said the object is about 4 inches by 6 inches. It’s an oblong shape and appears metallic, according to police.Police said the possible meteorite penetrated the roof, the ceiling and then impacted the hardwood floor before coming to a rest.Officials have contacted several other agencies to help positively identify the object.The possible meteorite might be related to a current meteor shower called the Eta Aquariids, police said.The incident is under investigation.

Qatargate comeback? Kaili & Co. want to resume work in European Parliament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

Eva Kaili wants her job at the European Parliament back. The Greek celebrity politician, one of the main suspects in an alleged cash-for-influence scandal, will soon attempt to have her house arrest conditions lifted so she can resume her duties as a European parliamentarian, Kaili’s lawyers told POLITICO.The two other MEPs involved in the probe — Belgian Marc Tarabella and Italian Andrea Cozzolino — could soon follow suit. As of Tuesday, Tarabella will no longer have to wear an electronic bracelet and will be able to leave house arrest albeit under certain conditions.The three are still charged with corruption, money laundering and participation in a criminal organization in a probe that has come to be known as Qatargate.But as the Parliament’s press office says, they “remain members of the European Parliament with all the rights related to the function.”Which means they all are being paid a salary from the EU budget — and can still vote.The alleged ringleader of the corruptio...

French parliament designates Wagner a ‘terrorist group’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:24 GMT

PARIS — France’s National Assembly voted Tuesday to designate Russia’s paramilitary Wagner group as a terrorist entity.All lawmakers present in parliament — 331 in total — voted in favor of the resolution, which is non-binding. The resolution calls on the European Union to register Wagner on the EU list of terrorist groups.“This resolution and its European scope aims … at reinforcing legal tools against [the Wagner group]. Adding it to the EU list would affect all the stakeholders, the banks, that make its activity possible,” said Benjamin Haddad, an MP belonging to Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party and one of the authors of the text. The resolution is non-binding but sends “a political and symbolic message,” said Haddad.“They aren’t just mercenaries, there’s a will to massacre civilians for political gain … to destabilize institutions,” Haddad told POLITICO ahead of the vote.The Russian mercen...