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By SAMUEL PETREQUIN
Associated Press
BRUSSELS (AP) — The first African countries selected to receive the technology necessary to produce mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 are Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia, a summit meeting of European Union and African Union nations heard on Friday.
The six countries have been chosen to build vaccine production factories as part of a bid the World Health Organization launched last year to replicate what are believed to be the most effective licensed shots against COVID-19.
Africa currently produces just 1% of coronavirus vaccines. According to WHO figures, only 11% of the population in Africa is fully vaccinated, compared with the global average of about 50%.
WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the Brussels summit meeting that although more than 10 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally, billions of people still remain unvaccinated.
“The tragedy, of course, is that billions of people are yet to benefit from these life-saving tools,” he said, calling for an urgent increase of local production of shots in poor countries.
It is the first time WHO has supported efforts to reverse-engineer a commercially-sold vaccine, making an end run around the pharmaceutical industry that has largely prioritized supplying rich countries over poor in both sales and manufacturing.
The U.N.-backed effort known as COVAX to distribute COVID-19 vaccines fairly to lower-income countries has missed numerous targets and only about 10% of people in poorer countries have received at least one dose.
Earlier this year, the Cape Town company attempting to replicate Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 shot said it had successfully made a candidate vaccine that will soon start laboratory testing. Both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, makers of the two authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, have declined to share their vaccine recipe or technological know-how with WHO and its partners.
Doctors Without Borders welcomed the announcement, but cautioned that much more work was needed to recreate the mRNA vaccines and called for Moderna to help. Kate Stegeman, the medical charity’s advocacy coordinator, said it would still take considerable time for African scientists to make Moderna’s highly technical vaccine, including creating a heat-stable version and to perform clinical trials.
“The fastest way to start vaccine production in African countries and other regions with limited vaccine production is still through full and transparent transfer of vaccine know-how of already-approved mRNA technologies to able companies,” Stegeman said.
She pointed to research showing that there are more than 100 manufacturers in Asia, Africa and Latin America that could make the vaccines.
Earlier this week, BioNTech said that it would start sending shipping container-sized factories to African countries to help them start making their COVID-19 vaccine with European staff, in what some activists called a “neo-colonial stunt” to maintain control.
Although Moderna pledged not to go after companies for infringing on its coronavirus vaccine patents, it recently filed claims for several broad patents in South Africa. The move raised fears the company will begin enforcing patents while COVID-19 is still spreading in Africa, undermining efforts to build African vaccine production.
In addition to supporting the transfer of vaccine technology, the EU has been exporting millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses to Africa. The 27-nation bloc said it has supplied Africa with almost 145 million doses, with a goal of reaching at least 450 million shots by the summer.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Friday’s announcement “means mutual respect, mutual recognition” of what African nations can contribute as well as bringing in investment to the continent.
But Ramaphosa repeated his call for lifting patent protections on coronavirus vaccines that he believes would allow more manufacturers to produce the shots. The EU remains opposed to the move, favoring instead individual deals with companies for technology transfers and know-how.
The decision is up to the 164-member World Trade Organization. If just one country votes against a patent protection waiver, the proposal will fail.
Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin said talks on patents should continue because expanding vaccinations globally is key.
“Otherwise we will see more variants and the next variant might be even (more) dangerous than (the ones that) we have seen,” said Marin.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said officials from both continents will keep working at reaching a common position and will meet again later this Spring.
“The goal is clear, we have to deliver,” she said. “Europe wants to remain Africa’s first partner, a loyal partner, and we are moving right now from words to action.”
___
Raf Casert in Brussels contributed to this story
___
Follow more of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/six-african-countries-to-receive-mrna-vaccine-technology-3/ | 2022-02-18T17:51:30 | en | 0.952409 |
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By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer
ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Pure joy on the halfpipe looked like this on a sunny, windswept day at the Beijing Olympics:
—It was multinational freeskiing sensation Eileen Gu learning her gold medal was secure, then falling to her knees at the top of that halfpipe, covering her mouth with her mittens and screaming “Oh my God!”
—It was the 18-year-old superstar doing straight airs all the way down the pipe, gleefully punching her fists and poles downward as she vaulted herself above the lip, enjoying every last second of a victory run that meant nothing — and everything.
—It was Gu wearing a furry panda hat as she climbed the podium, smiling wide and belly laughing while accepting her third Bing Dwen Dwen mascot of the Olympics — one for each medal she’s won.
“I was very emotional at the top and I chose to do a victory lap,” Gu said of her breezy final ride down the pipe Friday. “Because I felt like, for the first time, I really deserved it and I really earned it.”
There were smiles mixed with tears as Gu mingled with her competitors, the coaches and the media at the bottom — a huge sense of pride blended with incredible relief. Her two-week odyssey in China included 16 combined runs down halfpipe, slopestyle and big air courses and countless more practice trips down those same icy expanses.
By winning her gold, in a state-of-the-art contest over defending champion Cassie Sharpe, Gu is the first action-sports athlete to win three medals at the same Olympics. Two were gold and one was silver.
“She has basically set a level that’s pretty unattainable for a lot of us,” said American freeskier Carly Margulies, who finished 11th.
Gu’s trip to China was about more than sports. About 30 months ago, she took a chance and made a statement when she decided to wear the colors of her mother’s homeland — China, the host country — instead of those of her native United States.
She received some love and some hate for that move. She explained it time and again: She did it to inspire girls in China. There was little in the way of winter-sports culture here when she was younger. There certainly is more now.
“We’re not here to break limits for a country, we’re here to break a human limit,” Gu said.
Good intentions aside, her trip to the Olympics was ultimately destined to be gauged, at least on the outside, by how she did on the slopes. Yet again, with the pressure on and the world watching, Gu delivered. With her latest win, she stayed undefeated on the halfpipe this season.
“She’s a machine,” Sharpe said.
With winds gusting left to right on a 3 degree F (minus 16 degree C) day, Gu put this contest to rest on her first run. It included a pair of 900-degree spins in different directions, each frosted with full, second-long reaches downward to grab her skis.
Gu scored a 93.25 for that, then on her second run, she scored two points better.
She increased the difficulty on her final jump, going for back-to-back “alley-oop” flat spins in which she starts her spin twirling up the halfpipe even though she’s traveling downhill. She landed both jumps without even a hint of a bobble.
One of her coaches, Misra Tornianen, was even more impressed with the 13 feet, 9 inches Gu flew above the halfpipe on her first hit.
“It’s amazing, all she has done without resting, dealing with the pressure and just delivering every day,” Tornianen said.
That Gu’s win wasn’t in much doubt hardly diminished the overall quality of the contest.
A year ago at the Winter X Games, Sharpe fell hard and tore up her left knee. On Friday, for only the second time in her career, she landed two 1080-degree spins in the same run.
Her 2-3 finish, along with teammate Rachael Karker, marked another beautiful day on the halfpipe for Canada. It was that country’s best freeskier, the late Sarah Burke, who pushed hard to get women included in halfpipe skiing, and then to bring the sport to the Olympics for the 2014 Sochi Games.
In a twist that feels like something more than just mere happenstance, the sport’s original star, Burke, and its newest one, Gu, share the same birthday: Sept. 3.
In an interview last year, Gu spoke about making a wallet out of duct tape for a sixth-grade art project. Across the front, she wrote “Celebrate Sarah,” a tribute to the pioneer who had died in a training accident in 2012.
“Even if I’m terrible at art,” Gu said that day, “I can still express myself to the best of my ability.”
A magazine cover girl who scored 1580 (out of 1600) on the SAT and is Stanford-bound next, Gu saves her finest artwork for the snow. Her latest performance launched her into the debate about best Olympic performances of all time.
When it comes to action sports, the versatile teenager is in the same conversation with snowboarder Shaun White, whose pressure-packed victory four years ago was an all-timer; it earned him a third gold medal over the span of 12 years.
And with her friend Chloe Kim, who has dominated her sport for a decade and left China with her second snowboarding gold in two tries.
It seemed only fitting that the final event of Gu’s freeski trifecta came in the same halfpipe where Kim won and White bid an emotional farewell to the Olympics the week before.
More than any other place in the action park, the halfpipe is where Olympic stars are born.
As Gu prepared to head down it for the first time of her last event, she placed her hands on her hips and closed her eyes, then repeated one sentence three times.
“I said ‘My name is Eileen Gu,” she told reporters as tears welled up in her eyes, “and I’m the best halfpipe skier in the world.”
After the pep talk, she pulled down her goggles, took off down the hill and proved that one more time.
___
More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/skiing-for-joy-gu-wins-3rd-olympic-medal-a-halfpipe-gold-2/ | 2022-02-18T17:51:37 | en | 0.972349 |
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The College Football Playoff is set to remain a four-team format through the 2025 season.
The administrators who manage the postseason failed to agree on a plan to expand before the current contracts run out.
The CFP management committee met by video conference earlier this week. Executive Director Bill Hancock says the committee decided to abandon efforts to implement a new 12-team format for the 2024 season.
They instead recommended staying with the current model to the presidents who oversee the playoff.
The Board of Managers accepted the recommendation and directed the commissioners to continue discussions on a new format to go into effect for the 2026 season.
College football has crowned an annual champion through a four-team playoff since 2014. The four teams are selected by a committee of experts comprised mainly of college administrators.
While most college football fans initially welcomed the CFP, it's since been criticized as being too limited. Throughout its history, CFP participants have largely been limited to schools in the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big XII, and, occasionally, the Pac 12 conferences. Critics say that even with an undefeated season, roughly half of Division I college football teams would likely not have a chance to compete for a championship.
2021 marked the first time that a team from outside those "Power 5" conferences qualified for the tournament. Cincinnati was selected as the CFP's fourth seed after an undefeated regular season and a win in the American Athletic Conference championship.
Previously, two teams were selected to play in a national championship game in a computer-based system called the Bowl Championship Series. | https://www.fox13now.com/sports/college-football-playoff-puts-hold-on-expansion-will-remain-4-team-tournament-through-2025-season | 2022-02-18T17:51:42 | en | 0.976177 |
LONDON (AP) — Artworks by Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol and other modern masters are going up for auction in a sale ordered by a U.S. court as part of a billionaire couple’s acrimonious divorce.
Sotheby’s auction house announced Friday that it will offer 30 works from the Macklowe Collection on May 16 in New York.
The works belonged to property developer Harry Macklowe and his wife Linda, who spent 40 years assembling a collection by some of the 20th century’s greatest artists, displaying many of them in their grand apartment in New York’s Plaza building.
After they split in 2016, a judge ordered the collection sold as part of the divorce settlement. The pieces getting auctioned off in May together are valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.
Sculptures by Picasso, Alberto Giacometti and Jeff Koons are also among the works on offer in the sale, the second from the Macklowe Collection. The first sale of 35 artworks in November netted $676 million — the highest-ever total for a Sotheby’s auction.
The November sale included a multicolored Rothko canvas, “No. 7,” that sold for $82.4 million, Jackson Pollock’s “Number 17,” which went for $61 million and Warhol’s “Sixteen Jackies,” which fetched almost $34 million.
A public display of works from the May sale is planned at Sotheby’s in London from Tuesday until March 2. The items then are scheduled to go on tour to Palm Beach, Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai and New York ahead of the auction.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/sothebys-selling-art-treasures-from-divorced-couples-trove/ | 2022-02-18T17:51:43 | en | 0.946307 |
I recieved my state refund I tried mobile deposit with my bank but it wont take it because it is to me and my wife. I already wrote "for deposit only on the back". If I were to take it to walmart to cash it and put a line through it with my initaials in front of them can they cash it.
-
Do you have a joint account? Is the check made out to "A or B" or "A and B"? 16 mins ago | https://money.stackexchange.com/questions/149421/check-cashing-issue | 2022-02-18T17:51:44 | en | 0.98491 |
Nokia, Kyndryl create global private network and edge computing alliance
Comms technology provider and IT infrastructure services company form partnership to focus on flexible, reliable and secure LTE and 5G private wireless connectivity services for enterprise customers
Global comms tech provider Nokia and IT infrastructure services firm Kyndryl have formed a global network and edge computing alliance, which is aimed at helping enterprise customers accelerate their digital transformations with an “industrial-grade reliable and secure” LTE and 5G private wireless networking.
Outlining the background to their partnership, the companies said that asset-intensive industries are adopting smart and autonomous systems fuelled by data and machine learning to improve agility, productivity and efficiency.
In particular, private wireless connectivity is a key enabler to adding new data sources and analytics layers, for real-time process management, and to facilitate automation, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality use cases.
Nokia currently claims to support more than 420 large enterprise private wireless customers spanning manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, energy and utilities, transportation and smart cities, enabling them to take advantage of “hyper-fast” data transfer speeds, low latency, data insights and encryption that protects sensitive information.
The partnership builds on a private wireless connectivity project that the companies worked on which combined the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) application platform with Kyndryl’s consulting, design, implementation and managed services.
The solution is designed to support the move to Industry 4.0, which Nokia said is transforming how companies manufacture and distribute their products by interacting with the internet of things (IoT), cloud computing, AI and other advances to their environments and operations.
The companies said that they share a belief that private wireless networking over both LTE and 5G will enable new levels of operational flexibility and adaptability across a wide range of asset-intensive industries, with manufacturing as a primary market segment.
“As enterprises across every industry are seeking new ways to digitally transform their operations, 5G and edge computing are growing so they can harness the promise of these emerging technologies,” said Paul Savill, global practice leader of network and edge computing for Kyndryl.
“By collaborating with Nokia, we’re taking another step forward in helping our customers unlock the power of LTE and 5G through a secure, private environment that helps them deliver tailored enterprise-grade edge solutions that drive new value for their bottom lines and next gen customer experiences.”
Chris Johnson, head of the global enterprise business at Nokia, added: “By combining Kyndryl’s world-class services expertise and global reach with Nokia’s mission-critical, industry-leading private wireless and industrial edge computing solutions, we will enable even more organisations to transform their operations, accelerate their digitisation journey and reap the benefits of Industry 4.0.”
The two firms said that their collaboration has already resulted in private LTE and 5G real world deployments and several proof-of-concept (PoC) applications for Dow Inc to support Industry 4.0-enabled worker safety and collaboration, asset tracking, and other capabilities using a blueprint that it plans to expand and deploy across its sites worldwide.
Going forward, they plan to explore and develop new, integrated solutions and services for edge cloud, IP networking, optics, fixed access, 4G and 5G core and network operations software technologies that can address growing demand for mission-critical, industrial-grade wireless networking to capitalise on what they regard as the transformational benefits of digitisation and automation.
Read more about private 5G networks
- NTT teams with ServiceNow to help enterprises realise benefits of private 5G with the combined capabilities from the global technology services provider and cloud computing platform intended to enable an AI-powered, end-to-end workflow management and service automation platform.
- Research identifies cloud providers as first port of call for enterprises looking to deploy and gain benefits from private mobile networks, with Microsoft named top innovator ahead of AT&T and Deutsche Telekom.
- Comms tech provider Nokia strikes gold in Lapland with 5G private wireless network, implementing private network at gold mine, reaching depths of up to 1km to connect people, equipment, sensors, devices and vehicles.
- Volkswagen begins 5G private wireless network pilot project to support industrial connectivity at the production development centre and pilot hall at car giant’s headquarters plant in Wolfsburg. | https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252513609/Nokia-Kyndryl-create-global-private-network-and-edge-computing-alliance | 2022-02-18T17:51:44 | en | 0.925115 |
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We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media. See details. | https://www.tayyar.org/News/World/461413/ | 2022-02-18T17:51:46 | en | 0.94178 |
After missing out on the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics due to testing positive for COVID-19, American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was elected to carry the American flag at the closing ceremony on Sunday.
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee made the announcement on Friday.
Her fellow Team USA teammates voted the four-time Olympian.
"I was so honored to be named the Opening Ceremony flag bearer, but after not being able to carry the flag, it’s even more humbling to lead the United States at the Closing Ceremony,” said Meyers Taylor. “Congratulations to my fellow Team USA athletes on all their success in Beijing – I'm looking forward to carrying the flag with my teammates by my side and closing out these Games.”
Initially, Taylor was chosen to carry the flag at the opening ceremony but was replaced by speed skater Brittany Bowe after testing positive for COVID-19 shortly after arriving in Beijing and was placed in isolation. | https://www.fox13now.com/sports/olympics/bobsledder-meyers-elected-team-usa-olympic-closing-ceremony-flag-bearer | 2022-02-18T17:51:48 | en | 0.970379 |
By ACACIA CORONADO, PAUL WEBER and JAKE BLEIBERG
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas grand jury indicted 19 Austin police officers on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for their actions during 2020 protests over racial injustice that spread nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, according to people familiar with the matter.
Multiple people spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday confirmed 19 officers are facing charges but did not have details.
It ranks among the most indictments on a single police department in the U.S. over tactics used by officers during the widespread protests — methods that led to the resignation or ouster of several police chiefs across the country.
Word of the indictments came hours after Austin city leaders approved paying $10 million to two people injured by police in the protests, including a college student who suffered brain damage after an officer shot him with a beanbag round.
Combined, the charges and settlements amounted to conservative Texas’ liberal capital of 960,000 people taking some of its biggest actions as criticism still simmers over its handling of the protests, which intensified pressure on then-Police Chief Brian Manley to eventually step down.
Jose Garza, the district attorney for Travis County, which includes Austin, spoke to journalists Thursday afternoon about the grand jury investigation but gave no specifics about it, including how many officers are facing charges, and for what crimes.
“Our community is safer when our community trusts enforcement. When it believes law enforcement follows that law and protects the people who live here,” Garza said. “There cannot be trust if there is no accountability when law enforcement breaks the law.”
A spokesperson for the Travis County District Attorney’s office, Ismael Martinez, declined to comment on the number of officers charged and referred reporters to Garza’s comments.
Prosecutors have not identified any of the officers facing charges. Texas law requires that an indictment remain secret until an officer has been arrested. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, when committed by a public servant, could carry a sentence of up to life prison.
Casaday, the president of the Austin Police Association, called the move “devastating” for law enforcement in the city, but also said he’s confident that no officer will be convicted. He criticized Garza, calling the investigation politically motivated.
“DA Garza ran on a platform to indict police officers and has not missed the opportunity to ruin lives and careers simply to fulfill a campaign promise,” Casaday said.
Garza said his office prosecutes anybody who causes harm “regardless of who causes it.”
Austin Chief of Police Joseph Chacon, who took the job after Manley left, said he respects the grand jury process but was “extremely disappointed” to hear the district attorney announce anticipated indictments of his officers.
Chacon stressed that his command staff had prepared officers to face hundreds of people when thousands actually showed up to protests that he said were at times “righteous and violent.”
“I am not aware of any conduct, that given the circumstances that the officers were working under, would rise to the level of a criminal violation by these officers,” Chacon said.
But beanbag rounds fired by officers did not always perform “in the manner anticipated,” Chacon said, and his agency now prohibits the use of “less lethal munitions in crowd-control situations.”
The settlements approved Thursday are among the largest paid to people who were injured by police across the U.S. during massive protests that followed Floyd’s death.
The largest of the Austin settlements gives $8 million to Justin Howell, who was 20 years old when police shot him with a beanbag round. Family members told the AP following the incident that Howell suffered a cracked skull and brain damage, leaving him in critical condition for multiple days.
The city will also pay $2 million to Anthony Evans, who was 26 when an Austin police officer shot him with a beanbag round in a separate incident, which resulted in extensive medical treatment in his jaw.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said the settlements “remind us of a real difficult and painful moment in our city.” A representative for the Howell family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It is the latest reflection of how, two years after the protests that swept across the country, cities are still addressing the injuries and tactics used by police. Earlier this month, prosecutors announced charges against two Dallas police officers accused of injuring demonstrators after firing less lethal munitions.
After the protests in Austin, then-police Chief Manley later said Howell was not the intended target after an altercation in a crowd, which he said involved people who threw objects at a line of officers. Authorities have said that led to the officers firing at the mass of protestors from above.
David Frost, who captured on video the moments after Howell was shot, told the AP that he saw protesters throwing fist-sized rocks and water bottles at the line of police on an overpass. Then he saw Howell fall. He was bleeding heavily and went into a seizure, Frost said at the time.
The settlements are the second and third payments awarded among a dozen lawsuits filed in Austin that have claimed injuries from the protests. Earlier this month, The Austin American-Statesman reported that a $150,000 settlement was approved for a woman named Ariana Chavez, who was shot in the head with less lethal munition resulting in a concussion.
At least 19 people were hospitalized in Austin following the protests.
Eleven officers were disciplined for their actions in the early summer protests, with seven additional officers placed on administrative duty.
___
This story was first published Feb. 17, 2022. It was updated Feb. 18, 2022, to correct the spelling of the Austin Police Association president’s name. He is Ken Casaday, not Ken Cassidy.
___
AP writer Terry Wallace and Bleiberg contributing to this report from Dallas.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/sources-19-austin-police-officers-indicted-in-protest-probe-3/ | 2022-02-18T17:51:49 | en | 0.976006 |
By ACACIA CORONADO, PAUL J. WEBER and JAKE BLEIBERG
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas grand jury indicted 19 Austin police officers on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for their actions during 2020 protests over racial injustice that spread nationwide following the killing of George Floyd, according to people familiar with the matter.
Multiple people spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday confirmed 19 officers are facing charges but did not have details.
It ranks among the most indictments on a single police department in the U.S. over tactics used by officers during the widespread protests — methods that led to the resignation or ouster of several police chiefs across the country.
Word of the indictments came hours after Austin city leaders approved paying $10 million to two people injured by police in the protests, including a college student who suffered brain damage after an officer shot him with a beanbag round.
Combined, the charges and settlements amounted to conservative Texas’ liberal capital of 960,000 people taking some of its biggest actions as criticism still simmers over its handling of the protests, which intensified pressure on then-Police Chief Brian Manley to eventually step down.
Jose Garza, the district attorney for Travis County, which includes Austin, spoke to journalists Thursday afternoon about the grand jury investigation but gave no specifics about it, including how many officers are facing charges, and for what crimes.
“Our community is safer when our community trusts enforcement. When it believes law enforcement follows that law and protects the people who live here,” Garza said. “There cannot be trust if there is no accountability when law enforcement breaks the law.”
A spokesperson for the Travis County District Attorney’s office, Ismael Martinez, declined to comment on the number of officers charged and referred reporters to Garza’s comments.
Prosecutors have not identified any of the officers facing charges. Texas law requires that an indictment remain secret until an officer has been arrested. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, when committed by a public servant, could carry a sentence of up to life prison.
Casaday, the president of the Austin Police Association, called the move “devastating” for law enforcement in the city, but also said he’s confident that no officer will be convicted. He criticized Garza, calling the investigation politically motivated.
“DA Garza ran on a platform to indict police officers and has not missed the opportunity to ruin lives and careers simply to fulfill a campaign promise,” Casaday said.
Garza said his office prosecutes anybody who causes harm “regardless of who causes it.”
Austin Chief of Police Joseph Chacon, who took the job after Manley left, said he respects the grand jury process but was “extremely disappointed” to hear the district attorney announce anticipated indictments of his officers.
Chacon stressed that his command staff had prepared officers to face hundreds of people when thousands actually showed up to protests that he said were at times “righteous and violent.”
“I am not aware of any conduct, that given the circumstances that the officers were working under, would rise to the level of a criminal violation by these officers,” Chacon said.
But beanbag rounds fired by officers did not always perform “in the manner anticipated,” Chacon said, and his agency now prohibits the use of “less lethal munitions in crowd-control situations.”
The settlements approved Thursday are among the largest paid to people who were injured by police across the U.S. during massive protests that followed Floyd’s death.
The largest of the Austin settlements gives $8 million to Justin Howell, who was 20 years old when police shot him with a beanbag round. Family members told the AP following the incident that Howell suffered a cracked skull and brain damage, leaving him in critical condition for multiple days.
The city will also pay $2 million to Anthony Evans, who was 26 when an Austin police officer shot him with a beanbag round in a separate incident, which resulted in extensive medical treatment in his jaw.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said the settlements “remind us of a real difficult and painful moment in our city.” A representative for the Howell family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It is the latest reflection of how, two years after the protests that swept across the country, cities are still addressing the injuries and tactics used by police. Earlier this month, prosecutors announced charges against two Dallas police officers accused of injuring demonstrators after firing less lethal munitions.
After the protests in Austin, then-police Chief Manley later said Howell was not the intended target after an altercation in a crowd, which he said involved people who threw objects at a line of officers. Authorities have said that led to the officers firing at the mass of protestors from above.
David Frost, who captured on video the moments after Howell was shot, told the AP that he saw protesters throwing fist-sized rocks and water bottles at the line of police on an overpass. Then he saw Howell fall. He was bleeding heavily and went into a seizure, Frost said at the time.
The settlements are the second and third payments awarded among a dozen lawsuits filed in Austin that have claimed injuries from the protests. Earlier this month, The Austin American-Statesman reported that a $150,000 settlement was approved for a woman named Ariana Chavez, who was shot in the head with less lethal munition resulting in a concussion.
At least 19 people were hospitalized in Austin following the protests.
Eleven officers were disciplined for their actions in the early summer protests, with seven additional officers placed on administrative duty.
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This story has been updated to correct the spelling of the Austin Police Association president’s name to Ken Casaday.
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Bleiberg reported from Dallas. Associated Press writer Terry Wallace contributed to this report from Dallas.
___
Coronado is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/sources-19-austin-police-officers-indicted-over-protests-4/ | 2022-02-18T17:51:55 | en | 0.974863 |
By ARITZ PARRA
Associated Press
MADRID (AP) — Months of simmering tensions within Spain’s conservative main opposition party came to a head Friday, amid fresh allegations that Popular Party members tried to launch a smear campaign against a rising star from the party’s ranks.
Party members were accused of trying to hire detectives to investigate a facemask-supplying contract brokered during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic by a relative of Madrid’s regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
Díaz Ayuso, whose meteoric political rise has threatened to overshadow Popular Party leader Pablo Casado, has acknowledged that her brother was paid for brokering the contract. But she denied any wrongdoing and painted the investigation as a political vendetta.
“I find it demeaning to have to clarify my brother’s business relations with a company due to suspicions based on information that no one explains where it came from,” Díaz Ayuso said Friday in a statement. She conceded that her brother had received 55,850 euros ($63,000 dollars) for securing shipments of facemasks from China to the region’s health services.
Casado, who as PP’s national president has vowed a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, said during a radio interview Friday that the party had confirmed that “a commission of 286,000 euros ($324,000 dollars)” was paid for the 1.5-million-euro contract.
“Beyond being illegal or not, the question is whether it is understandable that on April 1, 2020, when 700 people died (of COVID-19) in Spain, you can sign a deal with your sister and receive 300,000 euros for selling masks,” Casado told Cadena COPE radio.
“I would not allow my brother to charge 300,000 euros for a contract decided in a ministers’ Cabinet meeting,” said Casado, who denied allegations by Díaz Ayuso that the party had secretly contacted private detectives to build “a file” against her.
The scandal comes as the Popular Party is struggling to hold back the rise of a far-right party founded by some of its former members. That party, Vox, has become the third political force in the country’s fragmented national parliament.
Vox made significant strides in last week’s snap election in the Castilla y León region of northwestern Spain. Regional PP authorities had hoped to repeat Díaz Ayuso’s success in a Madrid vote last year and allow it to form a regional government on its own.
PP came first in Castilla y León, but failed to gain a majority of regional assembly seats. The party is now weighing its options to hold on to power, including seeking out help from its historical rivals — the center-left Socialists who lead the national ruling coalition. The move could be perceived as a weakness, but the alternative of a partnership with Vox would embolden the far-right and open PP to criticism both domestically and in Europe.
Ayuso and Casado were former friends who rose to top positions at the end of 2018 when PP tried to make a fresh start, following a wave of corruption scandals that cost the conservatives the nation’s leadership.
But their relationship eroded as Casado tried to battle the national left-to-center coalition and Ayuso emerged as an ardent critic of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his administration’s handling of the pandemic.
During a regular briefing on Friday, government spokeswoman Isabel Rodríguez said the opposition party was providing a “show” that harmed the “democratic quality” of the country.
She also said the scandal shouldn’t cast a shadow on the way Spaniards had faced the pandemic.
“A shady issue in the context of an internal party war cannot put in question the exemplary attitude of many in the hard times that we have experienced,” Rodríguez said.
The Socialists and other opposition parties have put in requests for prosecutors to probe the contract.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/spain-conservative-party-rift-grows-into-all-out-battle/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:02 | en | 0.969071 |
The Associated Press
Stocks are off to a weak start on Wall Street Friday and are headed for their second weekly loss in a row after another bout of turbulence shook markets. The S&P 500 gave up an early gain and was down 0.2% as investors keep an eye on the latest developments in Ukraine, where Russia has been amassing troops on the border, as well as more corporate earnings reports. This week investors also received the latest confirmation from the Federal Reserve that it intends to move decisively to fight inflation with higher interest rates. Roku dropped 21% after issuing a weak forecast. Bond yields fell.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
BANGKOK (AP) — World shares were mixed on Friday as investors watched developments in the Ukraine after the U.S. warned of a high risk of a Russian invasion.
Benchmarks rose in London, Paris and Shanghai but fell in Hong Kong and Tokyo. Oil prices fell and U.S. futures were higher.
The U.S. has issued some of its starkest, most detailed warnings yet about how a Russian invasion of Ukraine might unfold, and its Western allies went on high alert for any attempts by the Kremlin to create a false pretext for a new war in Europe.
Russia is thought to have some 150,000 military forces near Ukraine’s borders and NATO allies have questioned Moscow’s assertions it was pulling back troops from exercises that had fueled fears of an attack.
The crisis has hung over markets for weeks, raising volatility. Russia is a major energy producer and if it were to invade Ukraine, other governments could respond with economic sanctions that would disrupt energy supplies.
“We’ll likely enter the weekend with more questions than answers on the Russia-Ukraine tensions, with the diplomatic game set to extend well into next week and likely beyond,” Francesco Pesole of ING said in a commentary.
Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.3% on Friday to 7,559.56. Germany’s DAX was up 0.3%, at 15,308.32 and the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.6% to 6,991.04. On Wall Street, the future for the S&P 500 jumped 0.7% while the Dow future added 0.6%.
Japan reported Friday that its core inflation rate, excluding volatile energy and food costs, rose 0.2% in January, way below the decades-high figures seen in most major economies and far short of the Bank of Japan’s 2% target.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.4% to 27,122.07, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong gave up 1.9% to 24,327.71. The Kospi in Seoul was almost unchanged at 2,744.52. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 1% to 7,221.70.
The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.7% to 3,490.76.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 fell 2.1%, its biggest drop in two weeks, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.8% and the Nasdaq composite slid 2.9%. The losses wiped out the major indexes’ weekly gains.
Bond yields fell and dragged banks lower. By early Friday, the yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 1.98%, down from 2.04% late Wednesday.
The tensions over Ukraine add to investors’ jitters over the Federal Reserve’s plan to raise interest rates to fight doggedly rising inflation, which has spiked to a 40-year high.
Companies have been dealing with supply chain problems and higher costs by raising prices on finished goods for consumers. Many have also warned investors that inflation will sap their profits, sales and overall operations.
In other trading Friday, U.S. benchmark crude lost 65 cents to $91.11 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It fell 2% on Thursday, while the price of natural gas fell 4.9%.
Brent crude, the international pricing standard, lost 57 cents to $92.40 per barrel.
The U.S. dollar rose to 115.19 Japanese yen from 114.93 yen. The euro rose to $1.1378 from $1.1365.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/stocks-open-lower-headed-for-second-straight-weekly-loss/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:09 | en | 0.956495 |
Kangana Ranaut's comments on "real freedom" have stirred up quite the drama and did not sit well with several politicians who questioned the actress on her controversial remarks. BJP MP Varun Gandhi, taking a jibe at Kangana, asked her to clarify if her thinking was "madness or treason".
At the same time, former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Kumar Manjhi requested President Ram Nath Kovind to take back the coveted Padma Shri award conferred on Kangana over her controversial remark.
For the unversed, Kangana, in an interview with a TV channel, had reportedly said, "Freedom got through begging, is not real freedom. We achieved real freedom in 2014." Kangana's remarks were referring to the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah-powered BJP coming to power in 2014.
Reacting sharply to her statement, BJP leader Varun Gandhi said, "Once she insulted the sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi and applauded his murderer. Now, she insulted the sacrifices of Mangal Pandey, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Rani Laxmi Bai, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and lakhs of freedom fighters who had struggled for freedom. What would I say to a person of such a mindset mad or treason?"
Meanwhile, former Bihar CM Manjhi tweeted, "The President should take back Kangana Ranaut's Padma Shri award or the entire world would be given to understand that Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sardar Patel, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, and others had begged for freedom which was given by the British. Shame on Kangana."
Notably, Kangana was presented with the Padma Shri two weeks after she picked up her fourth best actress National Film Award. In a video message, Kangana had also expressed her gratitude for receiving the honour "for being a model citizen" of India. | https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-bjp-mp-varun-gandhi-former-bihar-cm-slam-kangana-ranaut-over-we-achieved-real-freedom-in-2014-remark-2919307 | 2022-02-18T17:52:10 | en | 0.968984 |
By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Millions of people in the U.K. were urged to cancel travel plans and stay indoors Friday as the second major storm this week prompted warnings of high winds and flying debris across northern Europe.
Britain’s weather service said Storm Eunice, known as Storm Zeynep in Germany, was likely to cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions, with gusts that may exceed 90 miles per hour in highly exposed coastal areas. The Met Office later said a 122 mph gust was recorded on the Isle of Wight, provisionally the strongest ever recorded in England.
Authorities in the U.K. took the unusual step of issuing ”red’’ warnings — indicating a danger to life — for parts of southwest England between 7 a.m. and noon and for southeast England and London from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. A lower level amber warning for gusts up to 80 mph covers the whole of England from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Eunice is the second named storm to hit Europe in two days, with the first storm killing at least five people in Germany and Poland. Peter Inness, a meteorologist at the University of Reading in England, attributed the storms to an unusually strong jet stream over the eastern Atlantic Ocean, with winds close to 200 mph at high altitudes.
“A strong jet stream like this can act like a production line for storms, generating a new storm every day or two,” Inness said. “There have been many occasions in the recent past when two or more damaging storms have passed across the U.K. and other parts of Europe in the space of a few days.”
Even as Britain prepared for the brunt of the storm, Eunice was already disrupting travel across southern England and Wales with many train services interrupted and numerous flights cancelled. A number of tourist attractions in England, including the London Eye, Legoland and Warwick Castle, closed ahead of the storm, as did the Royal Parks. Sections of the 02 Arena roof ripped off in the storm.
“I urge all Londoners to stay at home, do not take risks, and do not travel unless it is absolutely essential,″ Mayor Sadiq Khan said.
The U.K. government is set to hold a meeting of its COBRA emergency committee to discuss the storm. The Army is on “high readiness stand-by” to respond if needed, Home Office Minister Damian Hinds told Sky News.
The Environment Agency has issued 10 severe flood warnings, another indicator of life-threatening weather conditions.
“After the impacts from Storm Dudley for many on Wednesday, Storm Eunice will bring damaging gusts in what could be one of the most impactful storms to affect southern and central parts of the U.K. for a few years,” said Paul Gundersen, the Met Office’s chief meteorologist. “The red warning areas indicate a significant danger to life as extremely strong winds provide the potential for damage to structures and flying debris.”
The storm is expected to hit northern Germany on Friday afternoon and sweep eastward overnight. A flood warning was issued for Germany’s North Sea coast on Friday. Meteorologists warned Friday’s storm could cause more damage than the earlier weather system, which triggered accidents that killed at least three people, toppled trees and damaged roofs and railroad tracks.
Germany’s biggest rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, is canceling all train connections in the north of the country Friday due to the storm.
“Safety first,” it said on its website.
The Dutch weather institute issued its highest warning, code red, for coastal regions of the Netherlands and code orange for much of the rest of the country as the storm bore down on the low-lying nation. The country’s rail company said it would halt all trains nationwide from 2 p.m. (1300 GMT) . The airline KLM cancelled dozens of flights at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
At Scheveningen beach in The Hague, authorities built walls sand to protect beachfront bars from the storm, even as dozens of surfers braved the weather in search of storm-driven waves.
The Dutch soccer association postponed all professional and amateur matches scheduled for Friday.
Storm Eunice has produced heightened concern because it has the potential to produce a “sting jet,” a small area of intense winds that may exceed 100 mph.
One example of such a phenomenon occurred during what’s known as the Great Storm of 1987, which killed 18 people and knocked down 15 million trees across the U.K., according to the Met Office.
Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, described the phenomenon as being akin to a scorpion in the sky.
“It’s often referred to as a sting-jet because it’s like it’s the sting in the tail as the storm moves through,” she said. “Other people have almost depicted like a curling scorpions tail in the cloud … And that’s usually the bit where the strong winds are — right on the tip of that curl of cloud.”
Train operators across Britain urged passengers to avoid traveling on Friday and many services shut down.
British Airways warned of delays at London’s Heathrow Airport because the weather has reduced the rate at which aircraft are permitted to land.
The government highway agency said high-sided vehicles and other “vulnerable” vehicles such as caravans and motorbikes could be blown over so should avoid bridges and viaducts.
Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London who is part of World Weather Attribution, which investigates the link between extreme weather and global warming, said there is no evidence climate change is leading to more violent storms in Europe.
But she said the damage caused by such storms has increased because rainfall has become more intense as a result of human-caused climate change.
“And the second thing is that sea levels have risen. This means that storm floods, which also occurs during such storms, is higher and therefore leads to greater damage than there would be without climate change.”
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Associated Press reporters Mike Corder in The Hague, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen contributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/uk-warns-people-to-stay-home-as-it-braces-for-90-mph-winds-3/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:15 | en | 0.963893 |
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, YURAS KARMANAU and DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Separatists in eastern Ukraine announced Friday they are evacuating civilians to Russia, as spiking tensions in the region aggravated Western fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and a new war in Europe.
It was the latest in a cascade of developments this week that have brought East-West relations to their lowest point in decades. U.S. and European officials, focused on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraine’s borders, fear the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine could provide the spark for a broader attack.
Russia announced massive nuclear drills Friday to flex its military muscle, while the West sought ways to keep the peace. U.S. leaders issued their most dire warnings yet that Moscow could order an invasion of Ukraine any day.
Immediate worries focused on the volatile front lines of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east, where a surge of shelling Thursday tore through the walls of a kindergarten and basic communications were disrupted.
The separatist conflict between Ukrainian government forces and Moscow-backed separatists erupted in 2014 and has killed over 14,000 people.
Denish Pushilin, the head of the separatist government in the Donetsk region, said women, children and the elderly will be evacuated first, and that Russia has prepared facilities to accommodate them.
The drumbeat of warnings that a larger conflict could start at any moment continued Friday after U.S. President Joe Biden warned that Washington saw no signs of a promised Russian withdrawal — but instead saw more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the U.S. believes Russia could launch an attack “any time” and also said he still had seen no sign of the promised Russian pullback. He will hold a call Friday with Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Even as Russia claimed to be pulling back troops from extensive military exercises that had sparked fears of invasion, the Kremlin sent a reminder to the world that it has one of the world’s biggest nuclear arsenals, by announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend. The muscle-flexing overshadowed Russian offers this week of continued diplomacy to defuse the Ukraine crisis.
NATO allies are also flexing their might, beefing up military forces around eastern Europe, but insist the actions are purely defensive and to show unity in the face of Russian threats.
The U.S. announced the $6 billion sale of 250 tanks to Poland, a NATO member that has been occupied or attacked by Russia over past centuries. Announcing the deal, Austin said Russia’s military buildup had only reinvigorated NATO instead of cowing it, as Moscow had hoped.
Meanwhile, world leaders meeting at the Munich Security Conference warned that Europe’s security balance is under threat. Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that the situation is “calling into question the basic principles of the European peace order.”
“Even steps, millimeters toward peace are better than a big step toward war,” she said.
Moscow has denied any intention of attacking its neighbor, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov mocked the Western warning of an imminent invasion as “fakes” that “cause a smile” in remarks broadcast Friday.
Despite the Russian denials, Washington and its allies are concerned the longtime separatist conflict simmering in eastern Ukraine could provide an excuse for an invasion, though they have not provided details.
With tensions already at their highest level since the Cold War, the Russian military announced that President Vladimir Putin will monitor a sweeping exercise of the country’s nuclear forces Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches — a stark reminder of the country’s nuclear might amid the showdown with the West.
While the Kremlin insists it has no plans to invade, it has urged the West to keep Ukraine out of NATO and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe — demands roundly rejected by Western allies.
Biden planned to speak by phone Friday with trans-Atlantic leaders about the Russian military buildup and continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed some conclusions of U.S. intelligence in Thursday’s speech at the U.N. Security Council, warning that Russia could create a false pretext for an invasion with a “so-called terrorist bombing” inside Russia, a staged drone strike, “a fake, even a real attack … using chemical weapons.” He charged that invasion would open with cyberattacks, along with missile strikes and bombs across Ukraine, describing the entry of Russian troops and their advance on Kyiv, a city of nearly 3 million, and other key targets.
Despite the stark U.S. warnings, Ukrainian officials sought to project calm, with Oleksii Danilov, head of the National Security and Defense Council, saying late Thursday that there were no signs a massive Russian invasion was imminent.
“We don’t undermine the threat in any case, but the possibility of escalation is considered to be relatively low regarding large-scale invasion of Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov told lawmakers Friday.
Nevertheless, U.S. and European officials were on high alert for any Russian attempts at a so-called false flag operation, according to a Western official familiar with intelligence findings. Ukrainian government officials shared intelligence with allies that suggested the Russians might try to shell the areas in the Luhansk region controlled by separatists as part of an effort to create a false reason to take military action, according to the official who was not authorized to comment publicly.
On Thursday, monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported more than 500 explosions before the tensions eased in the evening. Ukrainian authorities and separatists traded accusations of violations of a shaky truce in the nearly 8-year-old conflict in the eastern industrial heartland known as the Donbas. The conflict erupted shortly after Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula.
The Ukrainian military command said shells hit a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska, wounding three people, and cut power to half the town. The rebels said nearly 19 houses were damaged by Ukrainian fire.
Early Friday, separatist authorities in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions reported more shelling by Ukrainian forces along the tense line of contact. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation is “potentially very dangerous.”
Ukrainian officials charged that the rebels intensified the shelling in the hopes of provoking a retaliatory attack by government forces.
The Ukrainian military chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said that it’s “not planning any offensive operations or shelling of civilians,” adding that “our actions are purely defensive.”
But amid the fears a wider conflict could still come, a flurry of diplomacy is expected this week.
In addition to the call between the Russian and American defense chiefs, Blinken is expected to meet his Russian counterpart next week.
Meanwhile, Putin met Friday with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to discuss the ongoing joint drills in Belarus that borders Ukraine to the north. The massive exercise involving Russian forces moved from the Far East fueled Western fears that they could use it to cut a short way to the Ukrainian capital.
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Isachenkov reported from Moscow and Superville from Washington. Lorne Cook in Brussels, Matthew Lee and Karl Ritter in Munich, Angela Charlton in Paris, Jill Lawless in London, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Aamer Madhani and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington, and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw contributed.
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More AP coverage of the Ukraine crisis: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/ukrainian-rebels-to-evacuate-civilians-to-russia-amid-crisis/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:21 | en | 0.95431 |
By KARL RITTER
Associated Press
MUNICH, Germany (AP) — With East-West tensions at their highest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday the world is probably a more dangerous place now than during the Cold War.
Guterres warned that a small mistake or miscommunication between major powers could have catastrophic consequences.
“I am often asked whether we are in a new Cold War,” Guterres said in his opening speech at an annual security conference in Munich. “My answer is that the threat to global security now is more complex and probably higher than at that time.”
During the decades-long standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 20th century, “there were mechanisms that enabled the protagonists to calculate risks and use back-channels to prevent crises,” Guterres said. “Today, many of those systems no longer exist and most of the people trained to use them are no longer here with us.”
But he said he still believes the buildup of Russian troops around Ukraine won’t result in a military conflict.
“I urge all parties to be extremely careful with their rhetoric. Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them,” Guterres said.
While U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were attending the Munich Security Conference, there was no senior official present from Russia.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the Russians missed an opportunity.
“Particularly in the current, extremely threatening situation it would have been important to also meet Russian representatives in Munich,” she said in a statement ahead of the conference. Even tiny steps toward peace would be “better than a big step toward war.”
In her speech later Friday, she said the security crisis in Europe isn’t a Ukraine crisis.
“It’s a Russia crisis. We urgently call on Russia to immediately withdraw its troops,” she said. “First signals in that direction were a glimmer of hope, but we need to see actions now. Because the Russian threat remains real.”
Baerbock said it was critical that the West should impose crushing sanctions on Moscow in the event of an invasion, even if that came at a heavy cost to Europe. The Biden administration has made clear that an invasion would mean the end of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was built to increase Russian gas exports to Germany.
“We in Germany are ready to pay a high price for this,” Baerbock said. “That is why all options are on the table, also Nord Stream 2.”
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Follow AP’s coverage of the tension between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/un-chief-security-threat-seems-higher-than-during-cold-war-2/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:27 | en | 0.973162 |
By KARL RITTER
Associated Press
MUNICH, Germany (AP) — With East-West tensions at their highest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday the world is probably a more dangerous place now than during the Cold War.
Guterres warned that a small mistake or miscommunication between major powers could have catastrophic consequences.
“I am often asked whether we are in a new Cold War,” Guterres said in his opening speech at an annual security conference in Munich. “My answer is that the threat to global security now is more complex and probably higher than at that time.”
During the decades-long standoff between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 20th century, “there were mechanisms that enabled the protagonists to calculate risks and use back-channels to prevent crises,” Guterres said. “Today, many of those systems no longer exist and most of the people trained to use them are no longer here with us.”
But he said he still believes the buildup of Russian troops around Ukraine won’t result in a military conflict.
“I urge all parties to be extremely careful with their rhetoric. Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them,” Guterres said.
While U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were attending the Munich Security Conference, there was no senior official present from Russia.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the Russians missed an opportunity.
“Particularly in the current, extremely threatening situation it would have been important to also meet Russian representatives in Munich,” she said in a statement ahead of the conference. Even tiny steps toward peace would be “better than a big step toward war.”
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the tension between Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/un-chief-security-threat-seems-higher-than-during-cold-war/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:33 | en | 0.967115 |
NICOLAS VAUX-MONTAGNY
Associated Press
GRENOBLE, France (AP) — After three weeks of testimony that has riveted France, a verdict is expected in the trial of an former soldier accused of killing an 8-year-old girl during a wedding celebration in a French Alpine town.
Prosecutor Jacques Dallest is seeking the maximum of life in prison, for Nordahl Lelandais who is accused of kidnapping and killing Maelys de Araujo in 2017 after luring her into his car as wedding guests partied into the night.
The prosecutor had argued that the suspect represents a “considerable social danger” despite efforts to rehabilitate himself while in prison, including reading books on Buddhism.
Lelandais, a dog trainer, broke down in court and admitted to luring the young girl into his car and striking her violently “three or four times” when she cried. He said he had not meant to kill Maelys, whom he invited at 2:40 a.m. to see his dogs. He himself was a last-minute guest at the wedding, providing cocaine to some guests.
He had earlier led investigators to the site where he buried Maelys, several miles from the wedding fete. Investigators were never able to prove that the young girl was raped.
The suspect is also accused of molesting two cousins, aged 4 and 6 – one of them two weeks before Maelys’ death in August 2017.
Lelandais, who turned 39 on the day of the verdict, has been described by psychiatric experts as psychopathic, narcissistic and a pathological liar. He was convicted last year for the bludgeoning death of a soldier.
In a statement before the court recessed to consider the verdict, Lelandais admitted all charges against him and offered an apology.
“I know the families will never accept my excuses, but I present them with the greatest sincerity,” he said, adding that he understood the “lengthy” period of introspection ahead of him which he said he has already started.
Lelandais’ lawyer Alain Jakubowicz called his client’s confession during the trial “a small ray of hope on the road to redemption,” and asked the court not to hand down a life sentence.
Lelandais was convicted in 2021 in the murder of a hitch-hiking soldier after he left a gay discotheque, and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The French public keenly followed Lelandais’ trial and Maelys’ face taken from a family photo her mother had clutched in court had become a staple on the nightly news. Maelys’ parents wore black t-shirts on Friday bearing a picture of their daughter whose portrait stood outside the courtroom’s entrance.
It was Maely’s disappearance that put investigators probing the soldier’s disappearance on Lelandais trail.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/verdict-due-in-childs-murder-trial-that-gripped-france/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:40 | en | 0.979185 |
By AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press
MUNICH (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday heralded NATO unity during the escalating Ukraine crisis and warned Russia that the U.S. and Western allies stood ready to respond with tough sanctions if President Vladimir Putin moves forward with an invasion of Ukraine.
In a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg as the annual Munich Security Conference got underway, Harris thanked the alliance for “all that you have done” throughout the crisis.
“We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy, as it relates to the dialogue and the discussions we have had with Russia, but we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence in terms of the sanctions we have discussed,” Harris told Stoltenberg. “And we know the alliance is strong in that regard.”
Harris and her top national security aides huddled with Stoltenberg after President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington warned that “every indication” suggests Russia is “prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine.”
The U.S. now estimates that Russia probably has massed between 169,000 and 190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine, up from about about 100,000 on Jan. 30, said Michael Carpenter, the permanent U.S. representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
In addition to troops along the border, in neighboring Belarus and in Crimea, he said the estimate includes Russian-led forces in eastern Ukraine and also internal security units deployed to these areas. It was unclear if these forces were included in the most recent estimate of 150,000 troops.
Harris said it was “intentional” that she was holding her first meeting at the annual security conference with NATO’s secretary general. The administration is trying to drive the message to Putin that the crisis has only bolstered the 30-country military alliance’s resolve to push back against Moscow’s aggression.
Stoltenberg echoed Harris’ sentiment of growing NATO unity during the crisis.
“I also welcome the fact that European allies are stepping up, also increasing their presence in the eastern border of the alliance and also investing more in defense,” Stoltenberg said. “So the reality is that North America and Europe are doing more together now that we’ve done for many years.”
U.S. and European officials are on high alert for any Russian attempts to create a pretext for invasion. Officials are concerned that increased shelling in the Donbas region, the slice of land where Russian-backed separatists have battled for years against the Ukrainian government, could be used by the Kremlin as a pretext to launch an invasion of Ukraine.
Later Friday, Harris is scheduled to meet with Latvian President Egils Levits, Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas to discuss the latest developments related to Russia’s buildup on Ukraine’s border and U.S. readiness to further reinforce NATO allies on the eastern flank of the alliance, according to a senior Biden administration official.
The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said Harris planned to underscore to the Baltic leaders, who are watching the situation on the Ukraine-Russian border warily, that the Biden administration is committed to a central tenet of the NATO alliance: the principle of mutual defense.
Harris is set to deliver a major address at the conference on Saturday that will focus on the Ukraine crisis. Preparations for the address were fluid, but Harris in part is expected to spotlight the unity of NATO and Western allies in the face of the Ukraine crisis, the administration official said.
Meanwhile, Biden planned to speak by phone Friday with trans-Atlantic leaders about the Russian military buildup and continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also in Munich on Friday where he was meeting with his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany. Blinken is also scheduled to meet one-on-one with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and French Foreign Minister Jean-Ives Le Drian.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/vp-harris-heralds-nato-unity-as-ukraine-crisis-grows/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:47 | en | 0.959211 |
Blessing Okagbare has been banned from athletics for ten years after committing multiple anti-doping offences.
The Nigerian, who won silver in the long jump at 2008 and is a two-time Commonwealth champion on the track, was found to have both used prohibited substances and failed to co-operate with an investigation into her case.
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The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) thus levied two consecutive five-year bans.
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The 33-year-old was initially suspended during Tokyo 2020 after failing a drugs test.
"A ban of 10-year is a strong message against intentional and co-ordinated attempts to cheat at the very highest level of our sport," the head of the AIU, Brett Clothier, said in a statement.
Okagbare, who holds the African Record over both 100 and 200 metres, had been tipped as a potential contender in the blue riband sprinting event in Japan, winning her heat in 11.05 seconds.
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However she was withdrawn from the semi-finals after it emerged that she had failed an out-of-competition test on July 19.
Okagbare tested positive for a human growth hormone (HGH) and was charged with three anti-doping offences in October.
Okagabare had denied those charges and now has 30 days to appeal against the decision of the AIU's disciplinary tribunal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The news comes on the same day that Great Britain were stripped of Tokyo 2020 men's sprint relay silver after CJ Ujah lost his doping case on appeal.
Ujah tested positive during the Olympics.
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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The World Health Organization said authorities in Malawi have detected a case of polio in the southern African country’s capital, another setback in continuing efforts to eradicate the highly infectious paralytic disease globally.
In a statement on Friday, the U.N. health agency said officials had identified wild poliovirus disease in a young child in Lilongwe, the first time the wild virus has been detected on the African continent in five years.
Although polio has been spreading in numerous African countries in recent years, those outbreaks were linked to viruses originally contained in vaccines, not to the wild virus. In very rare instances, the live virus in the oral polio vaccine can mutate into a version capable of causing epidemics, particularly in populations that haven’t been immunized.
WHO said lab tests showed the polio virus detected in Malawi is connected to the strain that has been spreading in Pakistan’s Sindh province, where the disease remains entrenched.
“As long as wild polio exists anywhere in the world all countries remain at risk of importation of the virus,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s Africa chief.
Polio spreads mostly from person to person or through contaminated water. It attacks the nervous system and can sometimes paralyze people within hours. The disease mostly affects children under five and has been largely wiped out in rich countries.
Health officials say polio is endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, although numerous countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia have also reported cases in recent years.
WHO and its partners have struggled for decades to eradicate polio — their initial deadline was to wipe out the disease by 2000 but they have since missed multiple targets to eliminate it. Many control efforts were suspended during the pandemic, allowing the disease to spread further in what some officials warned could be a devastating setback for eradication plans.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/national/2022/02/18/who-says-polio-detected-in-malawi-in-setback-to-eradication/ | 2022-02-18T17:52:53 | en | 0.96492 |
Great Britain have been stripped of the Olympic silver medal won by the men's 4x100 metres relay quartet at Tokyo 2020 after team member CJ Ujah lost his doping case.
Sprinter Ujah tested positive for a banned substance at the Olympics, a result that was confirmed when his 'B' sample also returned a positive result.
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Team GB took silver behind surprise champions Italy, powered by individual 100m gold medallist Marcell Jacobs, in Japan.
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Great Britain set to be stripped of Olympic 4x100m relay silver after Ujah's 'B' sample positive
Ujah's sprint colleagues Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake will now lose their medals after Ujah's suspension was confirmed.
"I accept the decision issued by the Court of Arbitration for Sport today with sadness," Ujah said in a statement.
"I would like to make it clear that I unknowingly consumed a contaminated supplement and this was the reason why an anti-doping rule violation occurred at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
"I sincerely regret that this has inadvertently led to the forfeiture of the men’s 4 x 100m relay team’s Olympic silver medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
'A fantastic night for Team GB' - Relay teams and Muir celebrate together after medals
"I would like to apologise to my team mates, their families and support teams for the impact which this has had on them. I’m sorry that this situation has cost my teammates the medals they worked so hard and so long for, and which they richly deserved.
"That is something I will regret for the rest of my life."
With Great Britain disqualified, Canada will be elevated to the silver medal, while China will receive bronze.
Ujah tested positive for prohibited substances S-23 and Enobosarm.
The 27-year-old led of the British quartet that took victory at the 2017 World Championships on the home track of the London Stadium.
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By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
BEIJING (AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach joined the global bandwagon of support for Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva Friday, criticizing her entourage and questioning whether 15-year-old athletes should be put under such pressure at the Olympics.
His tone surprised Olympic observers – accustomed to hearing Bach defend Russian athletes despite the massive 2014 doping scandal – and drew a quick rebuke from Moscow.
Valieva’s emotional breakdown after a mistake-strewn skate and unforgiving questioning by her coach made millions of viewers cringe, especially after a week-long drama over her positive drug test. Bach said he felt the same way, spending much of his news conference taking rare swipes at Russia.
“I was very, very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on TV,” Bach said at an Olympics that began with Vladimir Putin sitting in the VIP section at the opening ceremony despite a Russian troop buildup near the Ukraine border.
Bach had direct criticism of Valieva’s entourage, saying they showed “a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this.”
The IOC leader did not mention Eteri Tutberidze, though he clearly targeted the preeminent coach of Russia’s dominant women’s figure skating program.
Bach’s words got him into a testy exchange with a Russian reporter. Later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Bach “does not like the toughness of our coaches, but everyone knows that in elite sports the coach’s toughness is key to the students’ victories.”
The endless Olympic story of unethical behavior by Russian sports officials is casting a shadow over a fifth straight Games in Bach’s nine years as president. Many critics of the IOC say Valieva’s doping scandal is a direct result of Russia flouting the rules for decades without real punishment from the IOC.
Olympic sports have lived through a decade of Russian doping and cover-ups after the home team was caught cheating at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, a personal project of Putin. Through much of that time, the IOC and Bach made excuses for lighter than expected punishments.
Even in Beijing, Russia is technically banned from its third straight Games, but hundreds of Russian athletes are competing in their traditional colors with “Russian Olympic Committee” uniforms and flags. And they are winning medals – more than any country other than Norway.
The Bach-led IOC has consistently tried to keep Russia in the Games, citing the need to let a new generation of “clean athletes” compete as one reason not to ban Russia outright.
“This lack of leadership perpetuates athletes abuse and exposes the lack of oversight,” Rob Koehler of the Global Athlete activist group said Friday.
Global reaction to the Russian teenage skaters’ tears after the women’s figure skating results seemed to change the IOC’s tone. Anna Shcherbakova won gold, Alexandra Trusova won silver, and Valieva stumbled out of the medals into fourth.
Trusova and Valieva sobbed as the scores were read, Trusova talked about retiring at 17 and viewers around the world questioned how youngsters could be put under such pressure.
Athlete mental health and safeguarding young women in sports are key responsibilities for sports bodies, and Bach had to react.
His attack on the entourage did not address the larger culture that has helped Tutberidze flourish, even as her athletes retire in their teens and suffer serious injuries. She is the International Skating Union’s coach of the year and the most powerful figure in Russian skating.
Bach also lamented the ruling in Beijing that let Valieva skate, pending the full doping investigation. Over the years, Bach has defended decisions and rulings that allowed Russian athletes continue to compete.
“The IOC always points blame at everyone else and never accepts accountability,” Koehler said.
Perhaps the most striking response to Valieva’s plight came from Bach’s home country of Germany. Katarina Witt, the last woman to win figure skating gold at two different Olympics, was tearful as she commentated on the event.
“It is so irresponsible what was done here,” said Witt who grew up as a skating phenom in authoritarian East Germany before winning Olympic gold in 1984 and ’88. “The whole world was watching and then she broke. She is 15. She’s a child.”
“There was a political pressure placed on her. I wish someone like her mother or someone responsible would have taken her out of there,” Witt said.
A regular criticism of the IOC under Bach is that it has been indulgent of Russia and too close to Putin, who is set to join Olympic sports bodies in May for part of a week-long conference in Ekaterinburg.
Minutes after Bach’s comments about Valieva’s team, a journalist wearing a Russian Olympic Committee team jacket questioned the IOC.
Did Bach, he asked, feel partly responsible for “media chaos” around Valieva that included “hate speeches … bullying of a 15-year-old … political propaganda.”
An untypically confrontational Bach replied with “the ones who have administered this drug in her body, these are the ones who are guilty.”
Bach generally withholds comments from ongoing investigations. On Friday, he directly contradicted Valieva’s lawyers’ arguments that the sample was accidentally contaminated by her grandfather’s heart medication.
Russian anti-doping officials are responsible for the doping case, but IOC and World Anti-Doping Agency officials have said they will also investigate. Whatever the findings, expect appeals and counter investigations that stretch out for months.
___
James Ellingworth in Beijing and Dasha Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report
___
More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/after-skating-debacle-bach-takes-rare-shots-at-russians-2/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:00 | en | 0.968216 |
'Britain are through!' - Team GB beat Sweden in thrilling extra end to reach curling final at Winter Olympics
'Britain are through!' - Team GB beat Sweden in a thrilling extra end to reach the women's curling final at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+ | https://www.eurosport.com/curling/beijing-2022/2022/britain-are-through-team-gb-beat-sweden-in-thrilling-extra-end-to-reach-curling-final-at-winter-olym_vid1637499/video.shtml | 2022-02-18T17:53:05 | en | 0.875373 |
By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer
BEIJING (AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach joined the global bandwagon of support for Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva on Friday, criticizing her entourage and questioning whether 15-year-old athletes should be put under such pressure at the Olympics.
His tone surprised Olympic observers — accustomed to hearing Bach defend Russian athletes despite the massive 2014 doping scandal — and drew a quick rebuke from Moscow.
Valieva’s emotional breakdown after a mistake-strewn skate and unforgiving questioning by her coach made millions of viewers cringe, especially after a week-long drama over her positive drug test. Bach said he felt the same way, spending much of his news conference taking rare swipes at Russia.
“I was very, very disturbed yesterday when I watched the competition on TV,” Bach said at an Olympics that began with Vladimir Putin sitting in the VIP section at the opening ceremony despite a Russian troop buildup near the Ukraine border.
Bach had direct criticism of Valieva’s entourage, saying they showed “a tremendous coldness, it was chilling to see this.”
The IOC leader did not mention Eteri Tutberidze, though he clearly targeted the preeminent coach of Russia’s dominant women’s figure skating program.
Bach’s words got him into a testy exchange with a Russian reporter. Later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Bach “does not like the toughness of our coaches, but everyone knows that in elite sports, the coach’s toughness is key to the students’ victories.”
The endless Olympic story of unethical behavior by Russian sports officials is casting a shadow over a fifth straight Games in Bach’s nine years as president. Many critics of the IOC say Valieva’s doping scandal is a direct result of Russia flouting the rules for decades without real punishment from the IOC.
Olympic sports have lived through a decade of Russian doping and cover-ups after the home team was caught cheating at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, a personal project of Putin. Through much of that time, the IOC and Bach made excuses for lighter punishments than expected.
Even in Beijing, Russia is technically banned from its third straight Games, but hundreds of Russian athletes are competing in their traditional colors with “Russian Olympic Committee” uniforms and flags. And they are winning medals — more than any country other than Norway.
The Bach-led IOC has consistently tried to keep Russia in the Games, citing the need to let a new generation of “clean athletes” compete as one reason not to ban Russia outright.
“This lack of leadership perpetuates athletes abuse and exposes the lack of oversight,” Rob Koehler of the Global Athlete activist group said Friday.
Global reaction to the Russian teenage skaters’ tears after the women’s figure skating results seemed to change the IOC’s tone. Anna Shcherbakova won gold, Alexandra Trusova won silver, and Valieva stumbled out of the medals into fourth.
Trusova and Valieva sobbed as the scores were read, Trusova talked about retiring at 17 and viewers around the world questioned how youngsters could be put under such pressure.
Athlete mental health and safeguarding young women in sports are key responsibilities for sports bodies, and Bach had to react.
His attack on the entourage did not address the larger culture that has helped Tutberidze flourish, even as her athletes retire in their teens and suffer serious injuries. She is the International Skating Union’s coach of the year and the most powerful figure in Russian skating.
Bach also lamented the ruling in Beijing that let Valieva skate, pending the full doping investigation. Over the years, Bach has defended decisions and rulings that allowed Russian athletes continue to compete.
“The IOC always points blame at everyone else and never accepts accountability,” Koehler said.
Perhaps the most striking response to Valieva’s plight came from Bach’s home country of Germany. Katarina Witt, the last woman to win figure skating gold at two different Olympics, was tearful as she commentated on the event.
“It is so irresponsible what was done here,” said Witt, who grew up as a skating phenom in authoritarian East Germany before winning Olympic gold in 1984 and ’88. “The whole world was watching and then she broke. She is 15. She’s a child.”
“There was a political pressure placed on her. I wish someone like her mother or someone responsible would have taken her out of there,” Witt said.
A regular criticism of the IOC under Bach is that it has been indulgent of Russia and too close to Putin, who is set to join Olympic sports bodies in May for part of a week-long conference in Ekaterinburg.
Minutes after Bach’s comments about Valieva’s team, a journalist wearing a Russian Olympic Committee team jacket questioned the IOC.
Did Bach, he asked, feel partly responsible for “media chaos” around Valieva that included “hate speeches … bullying of a 15-year-old … political propaganda?”
An untypically confrontational Bach replied with “the ones who have administered this drug in her body, these are the ones who are guilty.”
Bach generally withholds comments from ongoing investigations. On Friday, he directly contradicted Valieva’s lawyers’ arguments that the sample was accidentally contaminated by her grandfather’s heart medication.
Russian anti-doping officials are responsible for the doping case, but IOC and World Anti-Doping Agency officials have said they will also investigate. Whatever the findings, expect appeals and counter investigations that stretch out for months.
___
James Ellingworth in Beijing and Dasha Litvinova in Moscow contributed to this report
___
More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/after-skating-debacle-bach-takes-rare-shots-at-russians-4/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:06 | en | 0.967867 |
'What an amazing shot!' - Eve Muirhead delivers for Team GB with 'brilliant' stone at Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
'What an amazing shot!' - Eve Muirhead delivers for Team GB with a 'brilliant' stone to win the ninth end in style at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+ | https://www.eurosport.com/curling/beijing-2022/2022/what-an-amazing-shot-eve-muirhead-delivers-for-team-gb-with-brilliant-stone-at-beijing-2022-winter-o_vid1637475/video.shtml | 2022-02-18T17:53:11 | en | 0.763437 |
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/ap-top-sports-news-at-1009-a-m-est-3/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:12 | en | 0.82511 |
Magnus Sheffield streaked away in the final 1500 metres to take a fine win on stage three of the Vuelta a Andalusia Ruta Del Sol.
The 19-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider capitalised on a crash behind him to go clear and with no one able to chase him down, the American pushed on to take his first professional win.
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Following Thursday's stage two finish at Alcala La Real - won by Alessandro Covi of UAE Team Emirates - Friday saw the riders take on a hilly 153km route from the start at Lucena to the finish at Otura.
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At one point it had seemed like a four-man breakaway would stay away, particularly as they had a near three-minute lead with just over 75 kilometres to go.
But the pack put their foot down to reel them in and as the riders approached the finish on the outskirts of Granada, a group of nearly 30 riders were left to fight it out for the win.
Sheffield wouldn't have been among the favourites, but he showed nous beyond his years to solo his way to the line.
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Covi kept his lead at the top of the General Classification, leading Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez by eight seconds.
Saturday's penultimate stage takes the peloton on another lumpy parcours from Cullar Vega to Baza, before Sunday's finale in Chiclana de Segura.
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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/ap-top-sports-news-at-805-a-m-est-7/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:19 | en | 0.82511 |
Ellen van Dijk eluded a chasing peloton to secure Trek-Segafredo's second consecutive stage victory at Volta Comunitat Valenciana Femines 2022.
The Dutchwoman escaped the clutches of a strong reduced group in the final 15 kilometres of a thrilling Stage Two alongside Soraya Paladin of Canyon-SRAM.
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That set into motion a desperate chase from the group behind as van Dijk and Paladin's fatiguing legs on a brutal day of racing in Spain dragged them ever closer to the line in Concentaina.
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And it was only by a matter of rapidly closing metres that van Dijk and Paladin held off the chasers, with the European champion gritting her teeth to beat Paladin to the line in a performance that displayed the sort of power that helped her World Championship time trial winning ride in Flanders last year.
However it was not enough to ensure that Trek-Segafredo held on to the race lead - with second place, Paladin took the leader's jersey from Stage One winner Elisa Balsamo.
The riders took on an atypically-constructed 117 kilometre stage that began in Altea.
The first category Alto de Confrides was the sole categorised climb of the day, with a 7.8km section of uphill testing the riders significantly kilometres.
Road World Championships: Highlights as Ellen van Dijk wins women ITT
The larger lump gave way to more minor bumps in the remainder of the race, but a strong field nonetheless threw plenty of attacks at one another in a bid to establish early season form.
A group of weaker climbers were dislodged on the ascent of Confrides, including yesterday's winner Balsamo, with the Trek-Segafredo sprinter clearly suffering from the exertions of taking a first victory in the rainbow jersey.
The peloton rarely settled thereafter. A group including Canyon-SRAM's Kasia Niewiadoma was reasonably swiftly re-engulfed, but Elisa Longo Borghini and Alena Amialiusik managed to establish a gap over the rest of the peloton.
This appeared at one point to be up beyond 30 seconds on the road, but the peloton upped its tempo and reeled them in.
However then it was the turn of van Dijk and Paldain, who pounced in a lull and established a gap.
It proved insurmountable, despite a coordinated chasing effort led by the FDJ Nouvelle-Aqutaine Futuroscope and UAE Team ADQ squads.
Marta Bastianelli, of the latter team, took third place.
The penultimate stage of the race brings the first summit finish in Vistabeella del Maestrat, with back-to-back first category tests closing Stage Three after it weaves inland into the mountains.
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Balsamo takes first victory in rainbow jersey with opening stage win at Volta Comunitat Valenciana
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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/ap-top-sports-news-at-818-a-m-est-9/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:26 | en | 0.82511 |
Mikel Arteta has said that it will be “incredible” to see Christian Eriksen play again, with Arsenal set to meet Brentford this weekend.
Only eight months on from his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, Eriksen is almost ready to make his debut for his new club. Brentford manager Thomas Frank has suggested that Saturday’s game will come just a little too soon for the Denmark international, however, despite him impressing in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Southend United last Monday.
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Eriksen completed an hour against Southend as Brentford won 3-2, setting up the first of three goals for Josh Dasilva. Brentford are understandably cautious about reintroducing their new signing to competitive football and want to give him more friendly minutes behind the scenes.
Premier League
Eriksen makes behind-closed-doors Brentford debut in first action since Euro 2020 collapse
“Christian looked good in the 60 minutes he played [against Southend] and looked good in training,” Frank said, when asked for an update on Eriksen ahead of the weekend. “This Arsenal game is just one step too early.
“We have another good opponent for a friendly game on Monday. We are aiming for the Newcastle game [next weekend].”
Nonetheless, while Eriksen won’t feature this weekend, Arteta urged fans to give him a warm welcome when he makes his much-anticipated return. “It would be incredible [to see him back],” he said. “I remember where I was when [Eriksen’s collapse] happened and straightaway the reaction that you get, it was awful.
“It’s great news, thanks to the doctors first of all and the medical team that saved his life probably on the day, and I cannot imagine what it meant to his family, but I am sure they will be anxious. But for the football industry, I think it’s great news.
“He’s someone that has done incredibly well in this country, he left a big mark when he left and now he has the opportunity to come back and play.
“I hope [there will be a positive reception] understanding what happened and where he was a few months ago. I would like to see that.
“It’s obviously something very personal, but from my side that would be the way that I would react to him. I will be so pleased to see him again on a football pitch.”
- Brentford boss Thomas Frank signs new deal until 2025
- Antonio Conte suggests Christian Eriksen could return to Tottenham when Brentford deal expires
- Christian Eriksen makes behind-closed-doors appearance for Brentford in first game since Euro 2020 collapse
Speaking to the BBC last week, Eriksen suggested that he felt little anxiety at the prospect of making his competitive comeback. “I have been cleared to do everything from the doctors, so in that sense it doesn’t really matter what was the reason [for the cardiac arrest],” he said.
“Continuously I have been given the green light that everything is OK for the future.
“I don’t really have any scared feelings about it, I don’t feel my ICD [implantable cardioverter-defibrillator] so if it gets hit I know it is safe enough.
“I am not scared of the challenges ahead and the bullies in the game, no.”
Arsenal lost their first game of the season away at Brentford so, Eriksen or no Eriksen, they will need to be at their best on Saturday.
Arteta’s side are currently sixth in the Premier League, two points behind West Ham in fifth and four behind Manchester United in fourth with three games in hand on each. Brentford are 14th and looking to end a seven-match winless run in all competitions.
Premier League
Eriksen set for behind-closed-doors friendly before competitive return
Premier League
'It was like they won the league' - Neves hits out at Arsenal celebrations
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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/ap-top-sports-news-at-819-a-m-est-8/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:32 | en | 0.82511 |
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has welcomed the move from world motor sport’s governing body to make changes at the top of Formula One.
The FIA has removed Michael Masi from his position as race director after the Australian was caught up in huge controversy surrounding his handling of the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, which saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen win the title ahead of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
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In a dramatic end to the race, Masi ordered cars positioned between the title rivals to unlap themselves, allowing Verstappen to pass the British driver and claim his maiden Drivers’ Championship.
Season 2022
'I never said I’d stop' - Hamilton commits to Mercedes and F1 return
- 'I never said I’d stop' - Hamilton commits to Mercedes and F1 return
- Ferrari launch the F1-75 car they hope will propel them to success in 2022
- Masi replaced as race director after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy in Formula 1 restructure
World Endurance Championship director Eduardo Freitas and Niel Wittich, who is the former race director of the German Touring Car Masters, will take over the role, sharing it on an alternate basis.
Wolff is pleased by the news, saying, “I think it’s very encouraging to see that action has been taken. There’s a much more robust structure now and support structure for the racing director. The FIA has stated that there will be a virtual race control room - state of the art technology. The new guys are going to be in place for the Barcelona test and I think, the right steps.”
Looking ahead to the new season, Wolff is hoping his team can go on to be constructors’ champions for the ninth time in a row. Last season’s win was marred by Hamilton being beaten in the Driver’s Championship, but the Austrian is hopeful of a Mercedes clean sweep.
“It feels a little bit surreal that as a team we were able to achieve that eight times in a row. Obviously there was this shadow with the driver’s championship, with Lewis’ championship, the Abu Dhabi situation. Let’s look into the future and definitely we want to continue where we started but we have no sense of entitlement”, he said.
There were questions surrounding Hamilton’s future after having his title taken from him, with the British racer not speaking publicly in the months following the Yas Marina controversy.
However, the seven-time world champion has committed to returning to the track as a Mercedes driver, defiantly stating, “I never said I’d stop”, at the launch of his team’s new W13 car.
Wolff cannot wait to continue working with Hamilton, saying, “we were thrown into this project at the same time in 2013. Normally, you would see about the driver, they come and they drive and they go but with Lewis, he’s become an integral part of the team. Ten years is quite an amazing time.”
Hamilton has long been the face of Mercedes, but will have a new team-mate this season, with fellow Brit George Russell lining up alongside him.
Wolff knows the pair will make a great partnership, with Hamilton being the ideal team player.
“One situation that describes it all, it looked like we had lost the drivers championship when Lewis was disqualified for the sprint race in Brazil. Lewis came into the engineering room and said to us, ‘that is now a long shot to win the driver championship, let’s at least win the team championship for us.’ He’s a team player and like I said before, a super important part of us”, he said.
--
The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+
Formula 1
Masi replaced as race director after Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy in Formula 1 restructure
Formula 1
Russell changes helmet colour out of respect for Schumacher
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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
© 2022 Good Karma Brands Milwaukee, LLC. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/ap-top-sports-news-at-921-a-m-est-5/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:38 | en | 0.82511 |
The Bitmap Bureau video game is inspired by classics from the 80s and 90s like the Capcom game or Double Dragon.
Taking as a reference the action and aesthetics of two of the great classics of acción beat ’em upFinal Vendetta seeks to conquer fans of “me against the neighborhood” capturing the essence of all those arcade games that we fell in love with in the 80s and 90s. Inspired by Final Fight or Double Dragon, this game of Bitmap Bureau It has been seen in a trailer that confirms its release date on PS5, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 next May.
Meridiem Games will publish this new beat’em up in SpainThe creators of Final Vendetta already have experience in this kind of retro-style video game as they are also the creators of the shooter Xeno Crisis and the arcade Battle Axe. What can we expect from this new beat ’em up? “Final Vendetta doesn’t beat around the bush, with a unique story, four different game modes and a hard-hitting dance/techno soundtrack from Featurecast that also includes four exclusive tracks from the leading electronic dance duo in the charts of the 90s, Utah”, reads the official statement of this title that will feature a physical release thanks to the Spanish edition of Meridiem Games.
As usual in this type of video game, it includes a local and online cooperative multiplayer that will allow us to share the adventure with friends. “We haven’t seen a game like this in twenty years, combining everything we love about those ’90s classics with a distinctly modern style,” said Final Vendetta producers Numskull Games. “Beat ’em up fans won’t be disappointed.”
In addition to the physical edition, Meridiem confirms that there will be a special limited edition and a collector’s edition with exclusive products as you can see in the images that we attach below.
More about: Final Vendetta, Bitmap Bureau, Numskull Games and Meridiem Games. | https://thenewstrace.com/discover-final-vendetta-with-this-trailer-a-beatem-up-action-game-that-pays-homage-to-final-fight/221124/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:41 | en | 0.91849 |
The Russian Olympic Committee beat Sweden on penalties after the tightest of matches to send the nation through to the men's ice hockey final.
In a cagey first period, both sides failed to capitalise on a two-minute man advantage after the ROC's Vladimir Tkachyov was dismissed for slashing and Sweden's Dennis Everberg for tripping.
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But the ROC eventually took the lead in the second through Anton Slepyshev, with Sweden's Anton Lander equalising in the third.
Beijing 2022
Finland beat Slovakia in cagey ice hockey semi-final
Both sides were well matched with the ROC having 39 shots on goal to Sweden's 34, and were forced into overtime once again these Games.
Ivan Fedotov produced a brilliant save three minutes from time to keep the ROC in the game, and it was penalties to separate the two at the end.
- 'Doesn't even give her a hug' - Valieva coach slammed by ex-champ
- Sui and Han amaze again for new pairs figure skating world record
Sweden missed two chances in the shootout to win the match but the two sides could not be separated after five penalties each as Ivan Fedotov saved from Carl Klingberg.
Two more saves in sudden death kept the match alive with just two goals each after six penalties apiece.
But with Sweden missing five in a row, ROC's Arseni Gritsyuk finally put his side into the final to the sound of thunderous celebrations.
They will face Finland in the gold-medal match on Sunday after they beat Slovakia 2-0 earlier on Friday.
- - -
The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+
Beijing 2022
'That's going to do it' - Canada clinch famous ice hockey gold with victory over USA
Beijing 2022
Canada regain women’s ice hockey crown after beating rivals USA
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By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN. Texas (AP) — Formula 1 announced Friday a new five-year contract with the Circuit of the Americas to keep the United States Grand Prix at the Texas track through 2026.
The 2022 U.S. Grand Prix is scheduled for Oct. 23 and has been on F1’s official calendar without a formal contract. The track’s original 10-year deal expired with the 2021 race, which drew more than 300,000 fans.
“It says our first decade went really well and all sides want to see it keep going,” track President Bobby Epstein said of the new contract. “Everyone seems to be excited about the future … Our commitment in building this place was a long-term commitment to the sport.”
The contract also keeps at least two F1 races in the U.S. through 2026. The Miami Grand Prix starts a 10-year race contract in May. Montreal in June and Mexico City in October round out the series’ four races in North America.
“There’s more than enough demand and interest to support a lot more growth of Formula 1 in the U.S. Being the permanent circuit that is solely dedicated to racing, this will always be the home of the United States Grand Prix,” Epstein said.
F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali hailed Austin as well as the growing popularity of the sport in the U.S.
“Austin is a great city, and the track is a favorite for all the drivers, and we cannot wait to be back in October for more action and entertainment,” he said in the announcement.
The track carved out of rolling scrub land a few miles outside of the Texas capital was the first purpose-built F1 track in the U.S. The original race contract brought the global series back to the U.S. after five years away, and the venue quickly established itself as a favorite among teams and drivers.
Its late-season position on the calendar also had the Austin race playing a major factor in deciding the season championship. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton clinched his 2015 and 2019 championships in Austin.
The Texas race has been supported by more than $200 million in public funds. State law allows race organizers to apply from the Texas Major Events Reimbursement Program to help pay F1’s annual rights fee. That fee was $35 million in 2021, according to state records.
Epstein said he didn’t ask for a 10-year deal like his original one, but said he believes the Austin track could host F1 for another 25 years.
“This will remain and only get stronger,” Epstein said. “We have tradition now.”
The track also recently finished a project to resurface about 70 percent of the 3.4-mile (5.5 kilometers) race course. The MotoGP motorcycle series has raced the Grand Prix of the Americas there since 2013, but riders have complained for years that bumps in the track caused by soft soil underneath made it dangerous.
The April 10 race is the last in the current contract with MotoGP. Epstein said the series likely wouldn’t come back if the improvements weren’t made, and he’s still in negotiations for a new deal to keep MotoGP’s only U.S. race.
“We wouldn’t have done the repaving to the extent that we did if we didn’t think we were going to bring MotoGP back,” he said. “We’re kind of excited for them to come ride it an enjoy it because it’s been several years.”
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/f1-and-cota-agree-to-new-5-year-deal-for-u-s-grand-prix/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:44 | en | 0.972049 |
It sounds as if, EA has admitted that Battlefield 2042 “has now not met the expectancies of our gamers“ in an inside assembly, and has blamed the sport’s failure on exterior components akin to the discharge of Halo Limitless and the continuing COVID pandemic.
Consistent with Xfire, EA held an inside company-wide assembly to speak about Battlefield 2042, during which executives spent greater than 20 mins inspecting what went mistaken with the sport’s release. The top of research Laura Miele would have wired that it is very important acknowledge when the corporate has its faults, together with Battlefield 2042.
One of the crucial components that Miele it sounds as if cited as being liable for Battlefield 2042’s issues it is the frostbite engine, which needed to go through a large improve. This replace supposedly absorbed 18 months of building time. “All of the era is new, it was once mainly a brand new engine“, feedback the alleged knowledge. “They went again. The model of Frostbite they have been on was once so outdated that they needed to replace it once more. So it was once mainly placing the sport in a brand new engine“.
It sounds as if, Miele additionally mentioned the work-from-home setting on account of the pandemic, which affected the advance cycle halfway. It sounds as if he stated: “If we upload all this new innovation, all this ambition for the brand new challenge, after which upload an international pandemic in the course of the challenge, the place recreation groups needed to work at home, we finally end up with extra new variables in building than we we had by no means skilled.”
Following closing summer season’s Battlefield beta, gamers equipped comments on insects and different spaces of the sport. Even supposing first impressions have been sure, next opinions previous to free up published that the sport had extra insects than anticipated.
Then again, the document says that Miele claimed Halo Limitless’s marvel multiplayer release was once a turning level, which got here simply 4 days prior to the discharge of Battlefield 2042 on November 19. In comparison to Halo Limitless, Battlefield 2042 wasn’t as “polished“, so EA believes that gamers had a extra favorable view of the primary.
Knowledge from Xfire additionally states that Miele defined that the expectancies of the gamers have modified and that it was once now not the appropriate option to handle the corporate’s earlier requirements. It sounds as if, Miele admitted that EA did not cross broad sufficient with the other participant segments and did not cross deep sufficient into the sport. The loss of options like dialers and VOIP programs did not lend a hand both.
On the finish of the assembly, it was once discussed that Battlefield building groups shall be restructured and extra streamlineds.
The inside track surrounding Battlefield 2042 hasn’t been excellent. EA has already expressed that the sport didn’t meet its expectancies, and each its leaderboard device and the content material of the primary season were behind schedule. Even hundreds of gamers have signed a petition for refunds. | https://thenewstrace.com/ea-admits-battlefield-2042-falls-wanting-participant-expectancies-blaming-halo-limitless-and-different-exterior-components/221119/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:48 | en | 0.965984 |
BEST MOMENTS OF DAY 14
Curling: the sequel
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Wanted: new heart. Reason: Eve Muirhead.
Beijing 2022
When is the Beijing 2022 closing ceremony? The curtain falls on the Winter Olympics
Thrilling Eve almost became Killing Eve as Muirhead took British fans on the most twisting of rollercoasters in Team GB’s crunch semi-final with Sweden – one where they again flirted with an unfortunate demise.
Scintillating was married with silly as they fell 4-0 behind in the first end, roared back with a sensational four to lead 11-8 heading into the 10th and final end, then leaked a pitiful three to allow the Swedes to force overtime.
At this point we must confess some choice words were flying around Eurosport Towers – “just blast every stone out the way ffs”. But Muirhead’s squad regained their composure and got sheet-smart to finally snuff out the Swedish threat in the 11th end and spark pandemonium amongst those draped in red, white and blue in the Beijing National Aquatics Centre.
It was the crowning moment in a storied career for Muirhead, which has featured a bronze medal in Sochi sandwiched between an angry broom snap at Vancouver 2010 and a capitulation at PyeongChang 2018. Now she has a shot of that elusive gold.
We almost didn’t get here. Even before Muirhead’s bizarre tactics in the 10th end invited Sweden back into the semi-final, GB had needed an unusual tiebreaker – the draw shot challenge – to progress after three results had swung in their favour on the final day in the round-robin phase. Now Japan await in the final.
All the pessimism surrounding Team GB has suddenly lifted. They might be joint last in the medal table with an unavoidably useless 0-0-0 record, but two medals – at least silver – are now guaranteed thanks to the heroics in a sport dubbed chess on ice. Should they win those curling showdowns, this would technically go down as their greatest ever Winter Games.
Bruce Mouat’s men return to the ice to face Sweden on Saturday morning – tune in from 06:30 GMT on Eurosport, the Eurosport app and discovery+ – with Muirhead’s crew facing Japan in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
So as we said yesterday, get the bunting out, polish your floor and perfect those broom bristles. Curling is truly coming home!
WR alert!
When Chinese duo Sui Wenjing and Han Cong soared to a pairs world record in the team event, they probably didn’t expect to return in the solo campaign to almost no hype – but also in the world’s most talked about sport.
The pair were meant to be among the major acts in Beijing, along with the Nathan Chen v Yuzuru Hanyu storyline, but they have all faded into obscurity amid the Kamila Valieva storm.
It is nice, therefore, that headlines were grabbed for events on the ice again as Sui and Han duly smashed their own world record in the short programme and stake their claim for gold.
"It seemed almost like an exhibition skate,” said Eurosport commentator Simon Reed, "for a while I just forgot - this is the Olympics” such was their commanding performance.
'Done it!' - Sui and Han smash their own world record to take figure skating gold
THREE TO WATCH ON SATURDAY
- Curling - men’s final - GB v Sweden (06:05 GMT)
This is it. With two days of competition left, Great Britain will finally get on the medal table when the men’s curlers play Sweden in the final.
It is an enticing match-up between the two most consistent rinks on the circuit. Bruce Mouat’s team have already beaten the Swedes in a tight 7-6 win during the round robin phase, but they also lost to Niklas Edin in the final of the World Championships last year.
GB have won gold at the last three Winter Olympics and Mouat’s men are probably the team’s best chance.
Eve Muirhead’s women’s rink have a day off ahead of Sunday’s decider with Japan, but bronze will be settled in that competition between Sweden and Switzerland.
- Bobsleigh - 2-woman (from 12:00 GMT) and 4-man (from 01:30 GMT)
Brad Hall will surely be desperate to put right what was a disappointing 2-man bobsleigh campaign when he leads the team in the 4-man. Training runs would suggest the GB pilot is getting to grips with the sliding circuit.
Hall needs to get off to a good start to have any chance of challenging the Germans, led by Francesco Friedrich. Out of eight World Cup events this season, Hall, Nick Gleeson, Greg Cackett and Taylor Lawrence have come second three times.
Begin well, and they will be in contention for the podium.
There were high hopes for Mica McNeill and Montell Douglas ahead of the 2-woman event, but they sit second from bottom going into the second day.
The Germans again lead the way, with Laura Nolte 0.50 seconds ahead of Mariama Jamanka.
- Figure skating - pairs free skate (11:00 GMT)
The Chinese figure skating pair of Sui Wenjing and Han Cong continue to amaze in Beijing. After setting a world record in the short programme pairs team event, they annihilated that in the competition proper.
But hot on their heels are Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov of the Russian Olympic Committee, who have had controversial coach Eteri Tutberidze in their corner since last year. They also would have broken Sui and Han’s leading mark had it not been for the Chinese wowing judges again. Just 0.16 points separate the two pairs going into the free skate.
Ready to pounce if anything goes wrong are world champions Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov, who are 1.49 seconds off second spot.
BRIT WATCH
All British attention is on the National Aquatics Centre, where Bruce Mouat’s men’s curlers are certain to get Britain on the medal table, but what colour? They take on Sweden in the final (0605 GMT).
Gus Kenworthy will bow out from Olympic competition when he goes for a halfpipe medal, having only just made the final after finishing 12th in qualifying (from 0130 GMT). The freestyle skier-turned-actor is representing Team GB after switching allegiance from the US, who he won slopestyle silver for at Sochi 2014.
Brad Hall’s 4-man bobsleigh crew will be hoping for two, solid opening runs to put them in contention for a medal (0130), but Mica McNeill and Montell Douglas (1200 GMT) are out of contention in the 2-woman, as they sit second from bottom.
Cross-country skier Andrew Musgrave says he has been “super disappointed” with what he has achieved so far in Beijing and having finished in the top 10 of the 50km mass start at the last three World Championships, he is aiming for the same again (from 0600 GMT).
- - -
The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+
Beijing 2022
Norway break Winter Olympic gold medal record with Boe victory
Beijing 2022
What are Olympic medals made of? Why are athltes given Pandas on the podium in Beijing?
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By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
Lewis Hamilton took nearly two months to emotionally recover from the controversial Formula One finale that cost him a record eighth championship. The Mercedes driver insisted Friday he never considered quitting F1 in protest.
Once he accepted the results, Hamilton put the debacle behind him and began preparation for the upcoming season.
“Moments like this might define careers, I refuse to let this define mine,” Hamilton said from Mercedes’ team headquarters in Brackley, England.
Hamilton dominated the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December and was five laps away from breaking a tie with Michael Schumacher for most titles in F1 history. But a Nicholas Latifi crash brought out a caution and set in motion a frenzied sequence of events that altered the finish.
Race director Michael Masi changed his mind when deciding how to conclude the race and Max Verstappen, who had pitted for fresh tires, was lined up second behind Hamilton with all lapped traffic removed between title contenders on a restart with one lap remaining. Hamilton on old tires had little chance to defend Verstappen, who passed the British driver to win his first world title.
The FIA on Thursday announced sweeping changes to its race control procedures and removed Masi as race director following an extensive review of the season finale.
Mercedes has accepted the results of the review and Hamilton said he’s ready for another run at the record book. Hamilton said he takes no issue with Verstappen and has been in contact to offer “my full support” to Latifi, who received death threats following the finale.
“I don’t hold any grudges with anybody; I never think that’s ever a good thing to carry around with you,” he said. “I moved forward. I don’t dwell on the past. I feel centered and fully focused. I don’t have anything over my shoulders holding me back this year.
“If you think what you saw at the end of the last year was my best, wait to see this year.”
Hamilton won three consecutive races to tie Verstappen in the standings headed into the decider in Abu Dhabi. He dominated the race and led 51 of the 58 laps; Verstappen led only the final lap in winning the title.
Hamilton gave just one brief interview after climbing from his car but appeared shell-shocked on the podium as Verstappen and Red Bull celebrated. He skipped the mandatory post-race news conference, boycotted the season-ending gala, and made just one public appearance — three days after the race when Hamilton received his knighthood at Windsor Castle.
Hamilton’s retreat from the public eye did little to quell speculation he was so disgruntled that he was considering walking away from F1 after 103 victories over 15 seasons. He finally re-emerged earlier this month with a social media post, then participated Friday in Mercedes’ launch of its car for the upcoming season.
Hamilton took questions for about 20 minutes Friday and said he spent the time after Abu Dhabi with his entire family — a rare moment they were all together in the same place — as he “just unplugged. Switched off.” He said he focused on being present with his loved ones and has not watched a replay of the race, feeling no urge to revisit the event.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said he was “never concerned” that Hamilton would retire.
“We knew he needed to take the time to reflect on things and particularly to understand how he would return in the right frame of mind,” Wolff said. “I think what he did was absolutely right to take himself out of the microcosm of Formula One and step aside. He has come back in a great mindset. He’s positive, he’s determined and he, yet again, adversity that was thrown at him will make him stronger. It’s attack mode.”
Hamilton turned 37 last month and will be paired with fellow British driver George Russell this season as Russell moved from Williams to Mercedes. He said he’s as committed as ever to racing for another title.
“I think at the end of seasons, the question is whether you are willing to commit the time, the effort, that it takes to be a world champion,” Hamilton said. “Do you want to sacrifice the time? Do you believe that you can continue to punch higher than the weight you are punching?
“That’s a normal mental process for me, but of course this one was compounded by a significant factor and I think ultimately a sport that I loved my whole life, there was a moment that I lost a little bit of faith within the system. But I’m generally a very determined person. I am focused on being the best I can be and coming back stronger.”
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. | https://wtmj.com/sports/2022/02/18/hamilton-energized-by-time-away-to-race-for-8th-f1-title/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:50 | en | 0.976331 |
Microsoft’s great commitment to gaming is more than evident, with Game Pass and its latest acquisitions and strategy as its central pillar. Windows 11 wants to continue reigning in the field of gaming on PC, and since its launch several new features have been announced in this regard. Now the firm continues to expand the operating system with new improvements focused on the video game that will soon reach users.
These improvements are already available in the build for insiders that we recently told you about, but they were also worth commenting on. everything that is coming to Windows 11 in terms of visual and performance improvements in games.
New features to improve HDR on our screen
Microsoft is bringing Xbox features to Windows. Its HDR calibration app has been available for some time in games, and it will soon arrive for everyone in Windows 11. The app will be very similar to the one seen on Xbox, and through three patterns we will be able to carry out the corresponding tests and improve HDR performance on our screen (if you have this technology). These patterns will help the user determine the darkest visible detail, the brightest, and the maximum brightness of our panel. Calibration will be settings recommended by the HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group).
Although Microsoft assures that the default HDR settings already work well from the beginning, it emphasizes that it is worth using this new app to get the most out of our panel. To find the app, just go to the system settings> Display> HDR.
Optimizations for games in windowed mode
Another novelty that promises to improve performance in games is the so-called ‘Optimizations for games in windowed mode’. It is expected that with a series of adjustments it will be possible to improve latency and add other options such as Auto HDR and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate). To access this option, simply go to System > Display > Graphics Settings > Change Default Graphics Options.
New dynamic refresh rate options outside of games
Finally, Microsoft has also announced that will expand your dynamic refresh rate experiences on laptops with more than 120Hz on your panel. This means that, beyond games, we will also find a more fluid experience when moving the cursor and swiping in documents and browsers. This feature will not only be available in Office, but also in Microsoft Edge Canary, Windows UI, and the Settings app. To add these options in Microsoft Edge Canary, we must enter this URL: “edge://flags/#edge-refresh-rate-boost-on-scroll”, enable the option and restart the browser.
Improvements that will be coming progressively
As the build for insiders was released recently, the options may not be available yet and you will have to wait for them to arrive progressively. It should also be noted that at the moment we can only activate them if we participate in the program for insiders. It is expected that in the coming months they will end up reaching the public. | https://thenewstrace.com/windows-11-will-be-even-better-to-play-these-are-the-gaming-news-that-will-arrive-soon/221122/ | 2022-02-18T17:53:54 | en | 0.946448 |
Welshman Jamie Jones fought back on more than one occasion to make it through to his home competition after beating Zhou Yuelong 4-3 in the Welsh Open qualifiers.
Even after Jones pulled the game level after going two frames down, the Chinese player executed a stunning break of 117 in the fifth to retake the lead, before Jones found some consistency to edge the contest.
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Si Jiahui booked his place in the next round with a 4-3 win over Nigel Bond, while Lukas Kleckers held off a dogged fightback from Michael Georgiou to win by the same scoreline.
Welsh Open
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Cao Yupeng saved his best form for a crucial moment in his tie with Fan Zhengyi at the Aldersley Leisure Village.
The match ebbed and flowed throughout, with the pair taking alternating frames to enter the final frame at 3-3. This is where Yupeng rose to the challenge in devastating fashion with a break of 88, giving Zhengyi no chance to fight back.
Michael White showed no mercy, thrashing Xiao Guodong 4-0.
The main draw for the Welsh Open runs between February 28 and March 5 at Celtic Manor.
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The Olympic Games will return with Paris 2024, live on Eurosport and discovery+
Welsh Open
Brecel knocked out of Welsh Open in qualifiers by McLeod
Welsh Open
Welsh Open Qualifying: Robertson advances after beating Devlin
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Amazon workers in NYC to vote on whether to form union
NEW YORK - The battle to unionize Amazon workers is intensifying after labor officials officially set a date for a union election in a Staten Island facility next month.
The election, which will be held in-person, is slated for between March 25-30, confirmed the National Labor Relations Board Thursday. The ballot count will be conducted on March 31. An independent and fledgling group called the Amazon Labor Union is spearheading the push.
Meanwhile, Amazon workers in a Bessemer, Alabama facility are voting by mail for the second time on whether to form a union. The voting started Feb. 4, and ballots must be returned to the NLRB regional office by March 25. Vote counting starts on March 28.
The push in Bessemer comes more than two months after the NLRB ordered a do-over election upon determining that Amazon unfairly influenced the first election last year. Workers back then overwhelmingly rejected the union in a vote of 1,798 to 738 and a turnout of 53%. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which like last time is spearheading the union drive, has solicited help from other unions, including those representing teachers and postal clerks.
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If either group is successful, it would mark the first unionized Amazon facility in the U.S. The elections will also once again put a spotlight back on Amazon and how it treats its workers. Pro-union warehouse workers have complained of long shifts and little time to take breaks. Amazon is the nation's second largest private employer behind Walmart.
"We look forward to having our employees’ voices heard," said Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. "Our focus remains on working directly with our team to make Amazon a great place to work."
RELATED: Price of Amazon Prime memberships going up
The union drive in New York City is being led by a former Amazon employee, Christian Smalls, who said he was fired in 2020 and just hours after he organized a walkout to protest working conditions last year at the outset of the pandemic.
Amazon responded that Smalls was "misleading" and noted that the company had requested that he stay home for two weeks with pay but instead he came to the warehouse.
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"He was placed in paid quarantine out of an abundance of caution because we notified him that he may have had close contact with someone at the building who was diagnosed," Amazon said in a statement emailed to FOX 5 NY. | https://www.fox29.com/news/amazon-workers-in-nyc-to-vote-on-whether-to-form-union | 2022-02-18T17:56:05 | en | 0.972374 |
Burning cargo ship full of Porsches adrift in Atlantic Ocean
A cargo ship carrying vehicles from Germany to the U.S caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday and remains adrift near the Azores Islands.
The Portuguese navy rescued all the 22 crew members from the ship, named the Felicity Ace, which was scheduled to arrive in the Port of Davisville, Rhode Island, on Feb. 23.
No one was injured, but the Felicity Ace was carrying an unknown number of Volkswagen Group vehicles, including Porsches, in its hold, which has a capacity of 4,000 vehicles.
"Our immediate thoughts are of relief that the 22 crew of the merchant ship 'Felicity Ace' are safe and well," Porsche said in a statement to Fox News Autos.
"A number of our cars are among the cargo. We are in contact with the shipping company and the details of the cars on board are now known. Customers affected by the incident are being contacted by their dealer."
FILE - A Porsche logo is seen on a parked Porsche car on Aug. 24, 2021, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A statement for Volkswagen Group, which owns Porsche, VW, Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley, said, "We are working with local authorities and the shipping company to investigate the cause of the incident."
Many of the Porsches in the shipment were special orders that customers have been waiting months to receive, according to several accounts posted to social media
The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
A screengrab from a video shows the burning cargo ship that was carrying cars to the United States on Feb. 16, 2022. Credit: Portugese Air Force via Storyful
A navy spokesman said the ship's owner, Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, was trying to find an ocean-going tug to tow the ship to shore.
Advertisement | https://www.fox29.com/news/burning-cargo-ship-full-of-porsches-adrift-in-atlantic-ocean | 2022-02-18T17:56:11 | en | 0.971058 |
Center City shooting: Person of interest in custody after parking dispute ends in shooting
PHILADELPHIA - A person of interest is in police custody following in Thursday's shooting a food delivery driver in Center City, according to police.
The incident, which police say started over a parking dispute, occurred near 17th and Chestnut Streets just after 1:50 p.m.
According to investigators, a delivery driver who was picking up a food order double parked his vehicle, blocking in another driver. An argument ensued between the two drivers, and the dispute escalated into a fist-fight.
During the fight, police say the blocked in driver was knocked to the ground. When he got back up, he is accused of pulling out a gun shooting the delivery driver multiple times.
The driver was shot in the face and back. A good Samaritan attempted to rush him to the hospital before he was rushed to Jefferson Hospital by police.
The delivery driver was listed in critical condition.
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Construction wraps on problem-plagued Mariner East pipeline
PHILADELPHIA - Work is finished on a multibillion-dollar pipeline system that connects the vast Marcellus Shale gas field in western Pennsylvania to an export terminal near Philadelphia, according to its corporate owner, which faces criminal charges that it fouled waterways and residential water supplies during pipeline construction.
Energy Transfer said Wednesday that construction work on its Mariner East pipeline network was completed this month. The announcement was included in the company's fourth-quarter earnings report. The Texas-based company said it was preparing to put the newest pipeline into service.
The Mariner East 1, Mariner East 2 and Mariner East 2X pipelines are designed to carry propane, ethane and butane from the Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale gas fields to a refinery processing center and export terminal in Marcus Hook.
In October, Energy Transfer was charged criminally after a grand jury concluded that it broke Pennsylvania environmental laws and fouled waterways and residential water supplies across hundreds of miles as Mariner East was built. Prosecutors said Energy Transfer ruined the drinking water of at least 150 families statewide. A spill of thousands of gallons of drilling fluid contaminated wetlands, a stream and part of a 535-acre lake at Marsh Creek State Park outside Philadelphia.
The company has yet to enter a plea in the case.
Energy Transfer has been assessed more than $24 million in civil fines, including a $12.6 million fine in 2018 that was one of the largest ever imposed by the state. State regulators have periodically shut down pipeline construction.
Even so, the operational portion of the Mariner East network transported a growing volume of natural gas liquids last year, up nearly 10% over 2020, the company said. With work on the final phase of construction now complete, total capacity is projected at 350,000 to 375,000 barrels per day.
"With our expanded network, we will see volumes to continue to grow," said Thomas Long, co-CEO of Energy Transfer, said during an earnings conference call.
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Advertisement | https://www.fox29.com/news/construction-wraps-problem-plagued-mariner-east-pipeline | 2022-02-18T17:56:23 | en | 0.956174 |
Daytona 500: 2022 starting lineup, everything to know about 64th Great American Race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The 2022 Daytona 500 kicks off on Sunday with 40 drivers competing in the 64th running of the Great American Race.
The sold-out NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually in Daytona International Speedway kicks off the season. Defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will start from the pole and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman will join him on the front row. The two Chevrolet drivers locked down the position in Wednesday night time trials.
On Thursday night, Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher won the 150-mile qualifying races to put them side-by-side starting from the second row in NASCAR's sold-out, season-opening spectacular.
"We have good hot rods here," Buescher said. "They are fast and they handle good. I knew we were in good shape that whole race."
He won the race on the 60th and final lap of the second qualifying race for the Daytona 500 when leader Joey Logano wrecked trying to block Buescher's run. Logano, who was visibly angry after wrecking his Team Penske Ford, said he misjudged Buescher's closing rate.
Across the speedway, Logano's former Penske teammate was making his second trip to victory lane of the night.
Keselowski celebrated a huge first night of Daytona racing as both the team owner and its driver. He left Penske in November for an ownership stake of Jack Roush's organization — now called RFK Racing for Roush Fenway Keselowski — and is now the driver of Roush's flagship and original No. 6 Ford.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. will also make his NASCAR debut Sunday when The Money Team Racing starts the Daytona 500. Kaz Grala drove the No. 50 Chevrolet into the race with a pass of J.J. Yeley on the final lap of the first race.
Six teams came to Daytona battling for four "open" spots in Sunday's 40-car field. Two spots were filled in time trials — former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve will make his Daytona 500 debut, as will Noah Gragson for Beard Motorsports — and one spot was available in each of the two qualifying races.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com (http://hendrickcars.com/) Chevrolet, walks on pit lane during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series 64th Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb.
Grala earned one of them with a pass for 18th on the final lap of the first race. NY Racing, a team owned by Black entrepreneur John Cohen, raced its way into the Daytona 500 in the second race. The team pulled Greg Biffle out of semi-retirement and at 52, Biffle will be the oldest driver in the field Sunday when he makes his 15th career Daytona 500 start.
Grala said "the word on the street" was that his boss Mayweather would be at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, but the team face-timed with the retired boxer from the starting grid.
The Daytona 500, essentially NASCAR’s version of the Super Bowl, has been sold out for about a month with an expected crowd Sunday of more than 120,000. The 500 is the official kickoff, though NASCAR opened two weeks prior to "The Great American Race" with a star-studded, experimental exhibition inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
How to watch the 2022 Daytona 500 on Sunday
Coverage of the Daytona 500 begins at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 20 on FOX.
The race starts at 2:30 p.m.
Starting lineup for Daytona 500
Here are the 40 drivers competing in the 2022 Daytona 500, in order of starting position:
No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
DRIVER: Kyle Larson
No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
DRIVER: Alex Bowman
No. 6 Ford, RFK Racing
DRIVER: Brad Keselowski
No. 17 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing
DRIVER: Chris Buescher
No. 2 Ford, Team Penske
DRIVER: Austin Cindric
No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports
DRIVER: Michael McDowell
No. 12 Ford, Team Penske
DRIVER: Ryan Blaney
No. 21 Ford, Wood Brother
DRIVER: Harrison Burton
No. 14 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
DRIVER: Chase Briscoe
No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
DRIVER: Kyle Busch
No. 9 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
DRIVER: Chase Elliott
No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
DRIVER: Christopher Bell
No. 43 Chevrolet, Petty GMS Motorsports
DRIVER: Erik Jones
No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
DRIVER: Martin Truex Jr.
No. 8 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
DRIVER: Tyler Reddick
No. 23 Toyota, 23XI Racing
DRIVER: Bubba Wallace
No. 45 Toyota, 23XI Racing
DRIVER: Kurt Busch
No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG Daugherty Racing
DRIVER: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
No. 1 Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
DRIVER: Ross Chastain
No. 22 Ford, Team Penske
DRIVER: Joey Logano
No. 99 Chevrolet, Trackhouse Racing
DRIVER: Daniel Suarez
No. 4 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
DRIVER: Kevin Harvick
No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports
DRIVER: William Byron
No. 7 Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
DRIVER: Corey LaJoie
No. 31 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
DRIVER: Justin Haley
No. 42 Chevrolet, Petty GMS Racing
DRIVER: Ty Dillon
No. 77 Chevrolet, Spire Sports
DRIVER: Landon Cassill
No. 44 Chevrolet, NY Racing
DRIVER: Greg Biffle
No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports
DRIVER: Todd Gilliland
No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
DRIVER: Denny Hamlin
No. 41 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
DRIVER: Cole Custer
No. 51 Chevrolet, Rick Ware Racing
DRIVER: Cody Ware
No. 16 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing
DRIVER: Daniel Hemric
No. 15 Ford, Rick Ware Racing
DRIVER: David Ragan
No. 50 Chevrolet, The Money Team Racing
DRIVER: Kaz Grala
No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
DRIVER: Austin Dillon
No. 78 Ford, Live Fast Motorsports
DRIVER: B.J. McLeod
No. 10 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
DRIVER: Aric Almirola
No. 62 Chevrolet, Beard Motorsports
DRIVER: Noah Gragson
No. 27 Ford, Team Hezeberg
DRIVER: Jacques Villeneuve
NASCAR’s new Next Gen car
Meanwhile, Larson will lead the field to green Sunday in the debut of NASCAR's new Next Gen car. The new car was a collaborative project between NASCAR and its stakeholders and the car is designed to cut costs, help smaller teams close the gap on the big guys, make it cost capable for new ownership to enter the sport and give the manufacturers greater brand identity.
The pandemic delayed the car a year and the Next Gen didn’t see racing action until the Coliseum, where it ran just fine. The car held up well in car-to-car contact — "we can bump and bang," Clash winner Logano declared — but it's still a wildcard.
NASCAR held an industry crisis meeting in Nashville in December to hash out driver concerns about performance, and many of those same drivers now sit on a seven-person board of directors of a "Driver Advisory Council" announced last week.
The council gives the drivers an organized voice to push for tweaks or change.
"Communication from drivers to other stakeholders in our industry has been a challenge for years. This will most definitely help clarify feedback from drivers," said Logano, a board member. "Safety, fan experience and a great on-track product are just some of the goals."
RELATED: Race events take over Daytona Beach ahead of Daytona 500
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This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed. | https://www.fox29.com/news/daytona-500-2022-starting-lineup-everything-to-know-about-64th-great-american-race | 2022-02-18T17:56:29 | en | 0.904277 |
Florida mom finds 2-year-old daughter locked inside South Florida day care
PLANTATION, Fla. - A mom called 911 after finding her 2-year-old daughter crying and locked inside a dark, empty South Florida day care.
Stephanie Martinez found the KinderCare Child Care Center in Plantation locked up when she arrived Tuesday afternoon to pick up her daughter Anna, WSVN reported.
"They know I get here around 6, 6:15, because I have to pick up my other son by 6," she said. "I get here, everything’s shut off, no cars, which is weird."
Martinez then called her daughter's aunt and emergency contact, Samantha Scaramellino, to see if she had picked up Anna.
"She was like, ‘Do you know where Anna is?’ I’m like, ‘no.’ She’s like, ‘I’m at the school, no one's here.’ My heart dropped," Scaramellino recalled.
RELATED: 'Horse playing' led to 7-year-old falling from Florida State Fair ride, officials say
She told Martinez to start making noise in an attempt to get someone's attention inside.
"Bang on every window," Scaramellino advised. "See if you hear anything. See if you hear crying."
As Martinez began pounding on the glass, she began to hear something inside. Then she saw her daughter peering at her from the window.
"She managed to push a chair next to the door to stand on it and call for my name, and that was the only reason that I was able to see her, is because she’s shorter than the door. She got on the chair to say, ‘Mommy,’" Martinez told WSVN.
Once she could see Anna, who was crying inside the building by herself, Martinez called 911.
RELATED: Florida firefighters rescue dog that had fallen into bay
Plantation police and fire rescue crews arrived and forced the doors open, let the child out and made sure she was OK.
The day care center closes at 6 p.m. but the mother said no one had called her to pick up the girl.
KinderCare said in a statement that it takes seriously any concerns about child safety and will be notifying state licensing and child protective services officials of the incident. They also told WSVN the staff members involved were placed on administrative leave while they look into the incident.
"As these investigations take place, we’ll also take immediate steps to ensure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again," the statement said, adding that teachers will be retrained on proper child supervision. "They’ll also receive additional training on child care best practices as part of the curriculum we already had planned for all teachers and staff at our centers across the country for Professional Development Day on Monday."
"What if she fell off the table? You know, she used a chair to get by the door. Like, she’s traumatized. Last night I couldn’t turn off the light; she started crying," Martinez told WSVN.
RELATED: Mother, boyfriend charged with kidnapping 4-year-old Tampa boy at center of Amber Alert
School officials told Martinez the incident happened due to short staffing.
"Everyone's short-staffed but that is not an excuse – this is a child," Martinez said.
Plantation police are continuing to investigate the incident.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.fox29.com/news/florida-mom-finds-2-year-old-daughter-locked-inside-south-florida-day-care | 2022-02-18T17:56:36 | en | 0.980556 |
Kim Potter sentencing: Ex-officer sentenced to 2 years in Daunte Wright's death
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) -
Former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter was sentenced Friday morning to two years in prison after a jury found her guilty of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the April 2021 shooting death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright.
Presiding Judge Regina Chu said there was no question that Potter is extremely remorseful when she announced a downward departure from state guidelines with a total sentence of 24 months, with 16 months served in prison, and the remaining on supervised release. Potter will receive credit for 58 days served.
Chu said she found the facts and circumstances of the case justified a downward departure from state guidelines. Factors included Potter mistakenly used her firearm, and the killing was unintentional which constitutes a mitigating stance. Potter’s actions were also not driven towards personal animosity towards Wright.
"This is not a cop found guilty of murder for using his knee to pin down a person for nine minutes as he gasped for air. This is not a cop found guilty of manslaughter for intentionally drawing his firearm and shooting across his partner to kill an unarmed woman as she approached his car," Chu said. "This is a cop who made a tragic mistake. She drew her firearm thinking it was a taser, and ended up killing a young man."
She said she received "hundreds and hundreds" of letters in support of Potter from her colleagues, family and community leaders and members - all of which were considered.
Minnesota state sentencing guidelines called for a sentence of 86 months in prison, or just over seven years for someone who has no criminal record. Potter’s legal team asked Chu for probation. Experts have said Judge Chu had a wide latitude when ultimately imposing sentence.
During the April 11 traffic stop, Potter, who is white, mistook her firearm for her taser and shot Wright in the chest, killing the 20-year-old Black man. Brooklyn Center police officers pulled Wright over for having expired tabs and hanging an air freshener on his rearview mirror.
The deadly shooting happened during the middle of the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd. The outrage over another police shooting, fueled in part by the quick release of Potter's body camera video clearly showing her firing a gun, led to nights of unrest outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
What to know about Kim Potter’s sentencing
Kim Potter trial
The state trial of Kim Potter took place from Dec. 8-23, 2021. It spanned nine days of evidence and testimony from more than 30 witnesses. Potter recalled the moments before, during and after the deadly traffic stop in an emotional testimony.
After closing statements, 12 jurors deliberated for around 26 hours before deciding to convict Potter on both counts she was charged with.
Advertisement | https://www.fox29.com/news/kim-potter-sentenced-in-daunte-wrights-death | 2022-02-18T17:56:42 | en | 0.977532 |
LA sheriff rips push to fire 4,000 unvaccinated deputies amid crime wave: 'Immoral position'
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - As Los Angeles County residents endure rising crime and increasing homelessness, Sheriff Alex Villanueva is slamming what he describes as a political push fueled by defund police activists to fire 4,000 sheriff department employees who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Villanueva, who oversees the largest sheriff's department in the nation, said he’s the "only one left standing" when providing counterbalance against the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which has progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón "in their back pocket."
RELATED: LA County Supervisors move to take COVID vaccine enforcement out of Villanueva's hands
"This is nothing but a power grab by the board. And it's shameful, and it's going to be harmful to public safety," Villanueva told Fox News Digital. He noted that the board endorsed Gascon, who is now facing a second recall effort backed by wealthy Democratic donors and Hollywood honchos.
This week, investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department warned residents to remain vigilant after a homeless man followed home and assaulted two women in separate broad daylight incidents in Los Angeles and West Hollywood Tuesday.
RELATED: Man wanted for assaulting two women in Hollywood area in custody
One of the women was nearly raped, but no arrest has been made. The assaults happened in the same neighborhood where UCLA graduate student Brianna Kupfer was stabbed to death while working at a luxury furniture store last month. The suspect charged with her murder is a transient man with a lengthy rap sheet.
RELATED: Shawn Laval Smith: Suspected killer of Brianna Kupfer has a long history of arrests
"The board couldn't care less about the opinion of the residents," Villanueva said, referring to public safety concerns. "They're that power hungry in there, so walled off from normal life. While they were in the comfort and security of their homes during the pandemic, when there was no vaccine, our deputies were on the front lines out there answering calls for service … And now this board of supervisors wants to turn around and fire those very same people who sacrificed everything to keep public safety. It's just, it's really an immoral position these people have adopted, and just shame on every single one of them."
Last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 in favor, with one abstention, of a motion pushing to take away the sheriff’s authority to discipline – and terminate – sheriff department employees who don’t comply with county mandates, handing that power over to the county’s personnel director. The proposed change to the county civil service rules will go to a final vote March 15.
"They're the only government entity in the entire nation that has doubled down on defunding law enforcement," Villanueva said. "They have a hiring freeze on my department as I'm facing a huge deficit of personnel.
"Why on earth would we impose a hiring freeze? They're deliberately trying to defund and eliminate the sheriff's department through attrition, and it's just absolutely shameful because our community depends on us, wants us out there, wants to see a lot more of us, and the board is doing the exact opposite of what the voters of L.A. County want, and they need to pay the price."
Villanueva, who has for months refused to enforce the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for county employees, immediately criticized the board’s move as a "suicide pact" to start the process of firing about 3,000 sworn deputies — or about 30% of the workforce — and 1,000 other professional staff.
"This is strictly a political ideology," Villanueva told Fox News Digital of the push to fire thousands of deputies. "There is nothing that is driving them that's based on science or combating the coronavirus because we're surrounded by five counties who don't have vaccine mandates, and now they're actively recruiting members of my department and with even sign-up bonuses."
The decision comes as Los Angeles County has seen a 94% increase in homicides and a 64% increase in grand theft over the last two years, and there’s a hiring freeze at the department, Villanueva said.
"We're the most understaffed law enforcement agency in the entire nation, and on top of that, they want to erode our presence even further. And that is just shocking. And we're in the middle of a crime wave," Villanueva said. "And our patrol seasons are down to 72% of staffing levels, and they want to go below that. That is insane. There's no other way to describe it, but reprehensible. And these supervisors, they need to just quit right now."
Reached by Fox News Digital, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors said the motion "did not single out LASD, it applies to all county departments."
"Despite the sheriff’s assertions to the contrary, the board did not vote to terminate a single employee. The county’s vaccination policy is intended to protect the health of employees and the public they serve," the spokeswoman said.
"The Board voted 4-0-1, with Supervisor Barger abstaining, to direct a series of actions that would authorize the director of personnel, rather than any individual department head, to take action to terminate employees who are not vaccinated and not granted a religious or medical exemption."
She added that the motion "provides a generous timeline for progressive discipline for employees who chose not to comply, starting with a notice of non-compliance and moving to a 5-day suspension followed by termination only as a last resort after that" and that "employees have ample time to request an accommodation on medical grounds or because they have a sincerely held religious belief."
A recent poll conducted by the University of California at Berkeley and published this week indicated that crime and homelessness are top issues for registered voters across California.
Villanueva spearheaded efforts to clear hundreds of homeless camping in Venice Beach over the summer, but residents who recently spoke to Fox News Digital said law enforcement agencies aren't getting support from local government to finish the job. The statewide primary election is in June, and in Los Angeles County, there are elections for the offices of sheriff, county assessor, supervisor and superior court judge.
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"I think the community is fed up with their ideology, and they're going to pay a price at the polls come June," Villanueva said. "This will be a referendum on that woke-ism."
Gascon, who ran on a platform of radical criminal justice reform and took office in December 2020, is facing a second recall effort after the first backed by Republicans failed last year.
His prosecutorial policies, which have included a controversial juvenile "diversion" program and directives preventing assistant district attorneys from pursuing the death penalty and cash bail for certain offenses, have been widely criticized.
Gascon defended his directives Wednesday, arguing they were based on science and research as across the country "jurisdictions are moving away from a tough-on-crime approach because it destroys budgets, is plagued with inequities and has not made us safe."
"Everything they're doing emboldens the criminal community. Everything they're doing is to support them," Villanueva said. "They talk about harm reduction, not harm that, you know, that befalls on victims of crime. It's a harm that befalls on criminals who get arrested for committing a crime. That is the harm they’re trying to reduce – it’s a de-carceration movement."
In addition to its support for Gascon, Villanueva pointed to how the board of supervisors has been using an initiative called Measure J, approved in November 2020, to divert county funds away from law enforcement to "racial justice" groups advocating for youth development, job training, small business development and "alternatives to incarceration" in communities of color.
"They all are waiting with their hands out because they want to get money from the sheriff's department budget," Villanueva said. "As they're reducing the department's budget, they're trying to transfer it to all of these 501c3 nonprofits.
"All these groups lining up trying to impeach me – they’re the very same people pushing Measure J, and they were standing to gain $100 million the first year alone in this reimagining public safety, which means they want the county money."
Los Angeles hosted the Super Bowl this month, and Villanueva said its "hypocritical" for celebrities and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be allowed to crowd together in a stadium without masks when officials in the same region are using the coronavirus pandemic as a reason for moving to fire thousands of deputies and to mandate masks for teachers and schoolchildren.
RELATED:
- Chino Hills students protest mask mandate after seeing viral photo of Newsom, Garcetti not wearing one
- California will not lift mask mandate in schools, will reassess on Feb. 28
"It's absolutely hypocritical," Villanueva said. "I'd like to stress that I may be the last man standing in the county, but I'm going to continue serving the community. I'm a Democrat of the JFK and FDR vein. And I know we're rare. It's like fighting a unicorn these days, but we still exist.
"And I want to work and represent everybody, both parties — no party — doesn't matter," he added. "We're here to provide public safety. They're all about playing politics, and I'm just fed up with them."
Get updates on this story at FOXNews.com.
Tune in to FOX 11 Los Angeles for the latest Southern California news.
Advertisement | https://www.fox29.com/news/la-sheriff-rips-push-to-fire-4000-unvaccinated-deputies-amid-crime-wave-immoral-position | 2022-02-18T17:56:48 | en | 0.968191 |
‘The Masked Singer’ season 7 costume revealed
LOS ANGELES - Get ready! The seventh season of "The Masked Singer" is set to kick off March 9, and FOX is giving an exclusive look at one of the costumes: Thingamabob.
The photo shows the (um...creature?) rocking a sequined suit, pointy teeth and large ears.
And while the costume is scary good, it’s sure to leave everyone stumped about who could be under the Thingamabob mask.
Could there be any relation to Thingamajig — a masked celebrity contestant from Season 2 of the series?
Thingamabob costume reveal for Season 7 of "The Masked Singer" on FOX. (Credit: Michael Becker/FOX)
If you can remember the series’ second season, Thingamajig turned out to be Miami Heat NBA player Victor Oladipo. So, could this mean Thingamabob is also a celebrity basketball star?
"Of course, he’s cousins with Thingamajig," panelist Jenny McCarthy teased in a video highlighting the costume reveal.
Only time will tell.
What we know about "The Masked Singer" Season 7 so far
In the meantime, Thingamabob’s costume fits the season’s new slogan "The Good. The Bad. And the Cuddly."
"The Masked Singer" is a top-secret singing competition in which celebrities face off against each other and appear in elaborate costumes with full face masks to conceal their identities.
RELATED: ‘The Masked Singer’: Nick Cannon and Ken Jeong discuss working on FOX show together
The singers may attempt to throw off the crowd, but keen observers might pick up on tiny clues buried throughout the show. Each week, a singer is eliminated – and then reveals his or her true identity.
A sneak peek featuring an inside scoop on the upcoming season of "The Masked Singer" will air on Sunday, Feb. 20 after the Daytona 500. Tune in for more secret costume and clue reveals, along with the first look at a new season performance!
"The Masked Singer" panelists Robine Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong and Nicole Scherzinger are pictured during filming of season four. (Photo credit: FOX)
And, let’s not forget about the panelists — McCarthy, Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke and Nicole Scherzinger. They will once again battle it out for the Golden Ear Trophy.
"The Masked Singer" Season 7 premieres Wednesday, March 9 on FOX.
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This station is owned by FOX Corporation. | https://www.fox29.com/news/the-masked-singer-season-7-costume-revealed | 2022-02-18T17:56:54 | en | 0.929992 |
What's happening between Russia and Ukraine? Things to know as tension grinds on
Amid its tensest standoff with the West since the Cold War, Russia plans to give its nuclear weapons apparatus a practice run this weekend.
The multiple practice launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missiles set for Saturday follow a warning from U.S. President Joe Biden that Russia could invade Ukraine within days.
NATO says Russian President Vladimir Putin has failed to keep his promises of withdrawing some of an estimated 150,000 troops assembled around Ukraine’s borders, dashing hopes for an imminent de-escalation of the crisis. The Kremlin insists it has no plans to invade.
The United States and other alliance members are keeping up the diplomatic pressure to deter a possible invasion of Ukraine. Biden is due to discuss Russia and Ukraine with trans-Atlantic leaders in a Friday phone call.
Vice President Kamala Harris is also taking a front seat. She is attending the annual Munich Security Conference this weekend in Germany, where she aims to cement the unity of Washington’s European allies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also be there - but Russian officials won't.
Here’s a look at what is happening where and why:
What's going on at the Kremlin?
The Kremlin says Putin will watch drills involving Russia’s strategic nuclear forces from the situation room at the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Defense Ministry said Putin will personally oversee Saturday's display of his country's nuclear might. Notably, the planned exercise involves the Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet. Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
Meanwhile, NATO is beefing up its eastern regions.
The U.S. has begun deploying 5,000 troops to Poland and Romania. The Biden administration announced Friday it has approved a $6 billion sale of 250 Abrams battle tanks and related equipment to Poland.
Britain is sending hundreds of soldiers to Poland and offering more warships and planes. It also is doubling the number of personnel in Estonia and sending tanks and armored fighting vehicles.
Germany, Norway and the Netherlands are sending additional troops to Lithuania. The Dutch government also is sending to Ukraine 100 sniper rifles, combat helmets and body armor, two mine detection robots and weapon-detection radar systems.
What are the diplomatic efforts to prevent war?
The White House says Biden will have a phone call Friday afternoon with trans-Atlantic leaders. The Canadian prime minister’s office says the call will include the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO.
Biden made some grim warnings Thursday, saying Washington detected more Russian troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.
Vice President Harris indicated the alliance's approach to the crisis would continue.
"We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy, as it relates to the dialogue and the discussions we have had with Russia," Harris said in Munich.
"But we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequences in terms of the sanctions we have discussed," she said at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed regret that Russian leaders declined to attend the Munich security conference, which provides a forum for discussion.
"Particularly in the current, extremely threatening situation, it would have been important to also meet Russian representatives in Munich," Baerbock said. Even tiny steps toward peace would be "better than a big step toward war," she added.
Speaking to French broadcaster LCI on Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said: "Everything is possible, a massive Russian intervention but also a (continuing) diplomatic discussion."
What's happening on the ground?
Biden said at the White House on Thursday that the U.S. has reason to believe Russia is "engaged in a false flag operation" to give it a pretext to invade Ukraine. And there are plenty of hotspots and potential flashpoints around Ukraine that could trigger a full-scale military engagement.
Some observers are concerned the nearly 8-year-old separatist conflict simmering in eastern Ukraine could provide the needed cover for Moscow. Separatist-controlled areas, where some 14,000 people have died in the fighting since 2014, saw intensified shelling and apparent cyberattacks over the past two days.
The Russia-backed separatists said Friday that they planned to evacuate civilians to Russia.
A group of international monitors in eastern Ukraine that is tasked with keeping the peace, reported more than 500 explosions in the 24 hours ending Thursday midday.
Early Friday, separatist authorities in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions reported more shelling by Ukrainian forces along the tense line of contact.
Ukrainian soldiers stand guard outside the building after the reported shelling of a kindergarten in the settlement of Stanytsia Luhanska, Ukraine, on Feb. 17, 2022. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian officials charged that the rebels intensified the shelling in the hopes of provoking a retaliatory attack by government forces.
"There have been many escalations, illegal weapons, artillery and more" in the past 24 hours, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said Friday.
"It is impressive what the Ukrainians have also managed to do, to hold back in relation to the provocations they are exposed to on a daily basis," Denmark's Ekstra Bladet newspaper quoted him as saying.
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AP reporters around the United States and Europe contributed. | https://www.fox29.com/news/whats-happening-between-russia-and-ukraine-things-to-know-as-tension-grinds-on | 2022-02-18T17:57:00 | en | 0.957368 |
Transgender swimmers bring spotlight to Ivy championship
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - There isn’t much to indicate anything other than a typical college swim meet is taking place this week at Harvard University’s Blodgett Pool.
No demonstrations or protests outside the building. But there is evidence of the discussion surrounding the sport during the past year.
An "8 Against Hate" sign is displayed above the pool between flags representing each of the schools competing in the Ivy League women’s swimming championship. Athletes from several schools also wore shirts featuring the statement.
There’s also the public address announcement made before every session that reminds spectators the conference is committed to putting on an event "free of racist, homophobic or transphobic discrimination."
For Lia Thomas and Iszac Henig, it’s an example of the environment that has surrounded both for more than a year as they’ve sought to showcase their talents and compete at the sport’s highest level.
Their personal journeys and participation in the Ivy championships are the latest in an ongoing national conversation about the rules that govern the participation of transgender athletes in college athletics.
Both Thomas, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania, and Henig, a junior at Yale University, are transgender.
Thomas is a transgender woman and former male swimmer for the Quakers, and has followed the NCAA and Ivy League’s rules since she began her transition in 2019 by starting hormone replacement therapy. Henig is swimming for Yale’s women’s team while transitioning to male, and he competes in some of the same events as Thomas.
Thomas has been a star this season, entering this week’s championship as the top qualifier in the 200-, 500- and 1,650-meter freestyle events. Some of her wins this season have been by wide margins, including in Thursday’s 500-meter freestyle final, which she won by half a pool length and set a new pool record in a time of 4:37.32.
It’s prompted some — purportedly on her own team — to question whether she has an advantage since she was born as a biological male.
At Penn’s final home swim meet of the season, protesters who opposed her participation yelled things like, "Stand up for women! Even when they’re swimming! Men cannot be women!"
But Thomas has also been beaten by Henig, who won a meeting last month in the 100-meter freestyle. Thomas finished sixth. They have a chance to go head-to-head again on Friday; Henig and Thomas are the top two qualifiers in the 100 freestyle.
Henig won Friday’s 50-meter freestyle final in a pool-record time of 21.93 and qualified fifth in the 200 freestyle.
Several states either have or are considering laws that would keep transgender girls and college-age women from playing in school sports leagues that match their gender identity. South Dakota’s governor signed a law that’s set to take effect July 1 to do just that, and Utah is considering creating a state commission to make decisions about transgender student-athletes participating in youth sports.
Ever-shifting requirements for transgender athletes at the NCAA and college levels briefly left Thomas’ participation in the Ivy championships and next month’s NCAA championships in doubt.
Last month, the NCAA said it would defer to the rules of each sport’s governing body to determine the eligibility of transgender athletes. On Feb. 1, USA Swimming released an update to its policies, requiring transgender women competing at the elite level to have small levels of testosterone — half the previous level Thomas was allowed to compete under -- for 36 months before being eligible.
But citing "potentially detrimental impacts to schools and student-athletes," the NCAA said in a statement last week that it wouldn’t alter the previously approved testosterone threshold for transgender women to compete at this year’s championships. It cleared the way for Thomas to be in the pool this week and next month.
Thomas and Penn coach Mike Schnur declined an interview request through an Ivy League official. Yale's swim team and coaching staff won't be conducting media interviews during this week's championship, the same official said.
But in an interview prior to the NCAA’s policy change, Henig told The Associated Press that the constant changes in policies were unwarranted.
"At every level, from elementary to collegiate, trans athletes have been competing for years — and the extremely negative predictions about what will happen to sports have already been shown to be false," he said. "In every sport, at every level, there is a wide range of athletic abilities on display. Trans athletes are no different and don’t change this."
Thomas’ only public interview this season was in December on the SwimSwam podcast. She said that she’s starting to find peace after feeling "trapped" in a man’s body for years prior to starting her transition.
"I’m feeling confident and good in my swimming and all my personal relationships," she said, "and transitioning has allowed me to be more confident in all of those aspects of my life where I was struggling a lot before I came out."
___
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AP Sports Writers Pat Eaton-Robb and Dan Gelston contributed to this report. | https://www.fox29.com/sports/transgender-swimmers-bring-spotlight-to-ivy-championship | 2022-02-18T17:57:06 | en | 0.962548 |
As staffers were bargaining with the San Francisco Chronicle late last year, Caroline Grannan, a copy editor and chair of the newsroom’s union, emailed an update on contract talks to dozens of managers. A remodeling of the newsroom had left staffers without public bulletin boards, Grannan said in a note from her personal email account, and she wanted everyone to know where negotiations stood.
A human resources executive responded with an email of her own, telling Grannan not to contact managers about union matters, and to go straight to HR. Undeterred, Grannan sent another bargaining update to managers’ work email accounts a few weeks later. Again, HR told her to knock it off, and warned that she was misusing company email.
“You are in violation of our email use policy by sending non-work emails to company email accounts,” the HR executive, Renee Peterson, told Grannan in a January note. She underlined the next part for emphasis: “This is your last and final reminder to cease these types of communications.”
The series of reprimands Grannan received are now the subject of an unfair labor practice charge that her union, the Pacific Media Workers Guild, filed earlier this month with the National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that referees collective bargaining in the private sector.
“I felt I had a legal right under the [National Labor Relations Act] to do it,” Grannan said of the emails. “I don’t think they have a right to tell me who I can speak to when not in my Chronicle role.”
The union maintains that the paper cannot stop Grannan from discussing union issues with managers. The union also argues the Chronicle has targeted a union activist with a communications policy ― don’t use work email for union (“non-work”) issues ― that it believes to be illegal. Under board procedures, NLRB officials would now look into the union’s charge to determine if there’s merit, then possibly pursue a case against the paper.
“The Chronicle has a long history of promoting free speech. This level of stifling free speech seems inconsistent, to put it mildly.”
A Hearst spokesperson said in an email that the company had not received the charge yet, and that “as a matter of practice we do not comment on pending litigation.”
On a practical level, Grannan says it’s absurd that the paper would tell her not to contact management about union matters, since she sometimes has to explain to managers what staffers’ rights are under the contract. She also argued that a newspaper should not be telling employees who they can talk to, on basic free speech grounds.
“We are in the information business,” she said. “The Chronicle has a long history of promoting free speech. This level of stifling free speech seems inconsistent, to put it mildly.”
Because she was chastised for discussing union matters over work email, Grannan’s case involves a tricky part of labor law that changed during the presidencies of both Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and may change again under Joe Biden.
Before the Obama years, employers had wide latitude to restrict their employees’ use of work email systems. They could legally tell workers not to use the systems for collective bargaining purposes, as long as they enforced such a policy for all non-work issues. But in 2014, a Democratic majority at the labor board ruled that employers could not forbid the use of email for union activity, even if they barred workers from using it for personal matters, too.
The Purple Communications decision was one of the most significant worker-friendly board rulings of its time, and a Republican majority during the Trump years overturned it just a few years later. In a 2019 case involving Caesars Entertainment, the more conservative board restored the previous reading of the law, saying there was “no statutory right to use employer equipment, including IT resources,” for collective bargaining.
But that may soon change again, with a Democratic majority at the board and an aggressive general counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo. Abruzzo has unveiled a list of past board rulings she is likely to go after, on the grounds that they unfairly tilt the playing field toward employers. That list includes the Caesars decision.
Abruzzo directed NLRB officials to send her any cases that may involve that ruling, and she went beyond email to include “Discord, Slack, Groupme, or other employer communication systems.” Grannan says she was also reprimanded for using Slack to tell managers that union members needed clarity on merit raises.
An unfair labor practice charge like the one at the Chronicle could be just the vehicle for a precedent-setting case.
“It’s only union talk that is being subjected to this kind of scrutiny and discipline.”
Grannan’s case is a little complicated because she sent the emails from her personal email account to managers’ work addresses. But the company policy as stated in Peterson’s note reprimanding Grannan — she can’t send “non-work emails to company email accounts” — seems to go straight to the questions surrounding Purple Communications.
Like any modern newsroom, the Chronicle hosts all kinds of non-work banter over its communications systems, Grannan said. She notes that the Chronicle-funded Slack includes channels that have nothing to do with the journalism they produce, like a dogs channel and a moms channel. Grannan said no one seems to get in trouble for sharing a recipe over the company’s IT systems.
Susan Garea, a lawyer for the union, argues that the Chronicle ran afoul of the law even according to the Trump-era ruling, because the company hasn’t chided other workers for non-work communiques the way it has with Grannan and her union emails.
“It’s only union talk that is being subjected to this kind of scrutiny and discipline,” Garea said.
The Chronicle and the union have still not settled on a new contract. Michael Cabanatuan, a general assignment and breaking news reporter at the paper, said the company’s tough stance with Grannan squares with its stance at the bargaining table.
“They just seem to be taking a much more hostile approach this time,” he said.
Cabanatuan said the company has asked to change the contract so that the Chronicle becomes what’s known as an “open shop,” in which staff covered under the contract would not be required to pay fees for union representation. Such clauses can weaken a union and reduce membership over time, as some workers forgo paying dues despite reaping the benefits.
Grannan said it’s useful for middle managers to know the details of what’s happening at the bargaining table, even if they aren’t sympathetic to the union. She suspects many of them don’t have a clear picture of the talks, which is why she sent those emails in the first place. She’s confident she’ll still be able to send updates once the case runs its course.
“I can’t imagine that they think this would hold up,” she said. | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-newspaper-union-clash-could-have-bigger-implications-for-worker-rights-in-the-biden-era_n_620fc8d8e4b0f93b2617fa1f | 2022-02-18T17:58:45 | en | 0.969536 |
A former Louisiana middle school teacher has been sentenced to 40 years behind bars after admitting she fed students cupcakes laced with the sperm of her ex-husband, an ex-sheriff’s lieutenant.
Cynthia Perkins, 36, was sentenced Friday to 40 years of hard labor without the possibility of probation or parole. She accepted a plea bargain on Monday to charges that include second-degree rape, producing child pornography and conspiracy mingling of harmful substances, according to the Louisiana attorney general.
The deal requires her cooperation against ex-husband Dennis Perkins, 44, a former SWAT team commander for the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office scheduled to stand trial later this year.
Cynthia Perkins admitted assisting her husband in sexually assaulting a juvenile, helping her husband film a juvenile bathing, and lacing cupcakes with her then-husband’s sperm before feeding them to schoolchildren.
The couple were arrested in October 2019 and indicted on 150 charges, according to LivingstonParishNews.com.
Cynthia Perkins’ defense attorney told the paper that “a lot of thought and deliberation” went into the plea negotiations, and called the deal his client accepted “the best possible outcome.”
“She feels a lot of remorse over what’s happened,” defense attorney James Stokes told the paper. ”This is not the kind of case where people are going home happy, but this was the best possible outcome.”
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the plea deal “spared the victims from reliving her horrific crimes during this particular trial.”
Prosecutors “look forward to holding Dennis Perkins accountable for his crimes in the very near future,” Landry said in a statement. | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cynthia-perkins_n_620fc5a2e4b060c5c1ebd21d | 2022-02-18T17:58:51 | en | 0.970793 |
Kim Potter ― a former Minnesota police officer who was found guilty of manslaughter for the killing of Daunte Wright, an unarmed 20-year-old Black man ― was sentenced Friday to 24 months.
Potter will serve just 16 months in prison and be released on supervised release for the remainder of her sentence.
Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu issued the sentence following victim impact statements from Wright’s family, including his mother, Katie Wright, who gave emotional testimony to the court asking that Potter receive a long sentence.
“I’m asking you to hold the defendant to the highest accountability,” Katie Wright told Chu during Friday’s sentencing.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s office filed a motion earlier this week asking that Potter be sentenced to just over seven years in prison. Potter’s attorneys had asked the court for a far lesser sentence of probation.
Potter, who is white, fatally shot Wright in April 2021 and was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter in December. Jurors were shown body camera video of the encounter, where Wright was arrested during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, after police found he had an outstanding warrant.
In the video, Potter, who was training another officer that day, can be heard yelling “Taser, Taser, Taser!” at Wright, before pulling out a gun and firing at him at close range.
In her own statement during Friday’s sentencing, Potter spoke directly to Wright’s family about the harm she has caused.
“I am so sorry that I brought the death of your son, father, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew and the rest of your family to your home,” Potter said through sobs. “I am sorry I broke your hearts. … My heart is broken for all of you.”
Before announcing the sentence, Chu said this case was “one of the saddest cases I’ve had in my 20 years on the bench.”
Chu said she handed down a lesser sentence in part because Potter did not mean to shoot Wright with her gun.
“Here everybody agrees, and the evidence is undisputed, that officer Potter never intended to use her firearm,” Chu said.
Potter testified at her trial and maintained that she meant to use her Taser but mistakenly pulled out her gun instead. During a cross-examination, prosecutors argued that Potter was an experienced officer who should have known the difference in weight between a Taser and a gun.
“So you went out on the street with a Taser, not knowing what that Taser did?” prosecutor Erin Eldridge asked Potter during the trial.
“I would assume that on the day I worked, I would know,” Potter responded. “But I don’t know, it’s been months now.”
During Friday’s sentencing, Katie Wright spoke through tears about her son’s killing.
“Your honor, I hope the defendant is listening as I speak loud and clear today,” Wright said before Potter’s sentencing. “And yes, I refer to her as defendant, because I will not give her the respect of calling her by her name. She referred to Daunte over and over again as the driver. As if killing him wasn’t enough to dehumanize him, she never once said his name. And for that, I’ll never be able to forgive you. And I’ll never be able to forgive you for what you’ve stolen from us.”
“She didn’t even try to save him,” Wright added. | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/daunte-wright-kim-potter-sentenced_n_620eaf17e4b08ee35edf7d4d | 2022-02-18T17:58:57 | en | 0.982763 |
The ladies of Twitter never fail to brighten our day with their brilliant and succinct wit. Each week, HuffPost Women rounds up their hilarious musings.
Scroll through this week’s great tweets from women below, then visit our “Funniest Tweets From Women” page for past roundups.
SURELY I've accepted all possible cookies by now.
— Akilah Green (@akilahgreen) February 14, 2022
going Valentine’s Day caroling (walking down the street screaming)
— trash jones (@jzux) February 14, 2022
the cold war is so funny. two countries agreeing to have bad vibes between themselves for a while
— broti gupta (@BrotiGupta) February 15, 2022
Making one of these that says "DISPERSE" pic.twitter.com/A8XbzX8llo
— Anna Drezen (@annadrezen) February 13, 2022
it's really cute when pets sigh. like what ails u lil buddy
— Eve (@eve_kenneally) February 15, 2022
"I'll NEVER forget that one time you wrote a word in all caps"
— Eden Dranger (@Eden_Eats) February 13, 2022
-my phone
When you ask me how I'm doing and I say "I'm functioning" this is what I mean pic.twitter.com/lzflqv8tLq
— Melissa Capriglione @ Basil and Oregano!! (@mcapriglioneart) February 17, 2022
Just found out that up until 3 months ago my boyfriend thought that American Girl dolls were life size.
— Sophia Benoit (@1followernodad) February 13, 2022
The most embarrassing thing about Wordle is that when I don't get it in three I am convinced I am about to learn a brand new word and then it's like...THOSE
— Christina Grace (@C_GraceT) February 14, 2022
me trying to connect my charger without getting outta bed pic.twitter.com/O3RjKaokwU
— - (@defffkapp) February 14, 2022
I accidentally called my friend's 13 year old daughter Amber instead of Autumn. So...she erased the grocery list on my refrigerator.
— Ellen Claycomb (@ellenclaycomb) February 13, 2022
I’m not a whore, I’m a sexual overachiever.
— Camille Corbett (@TheWittyGirl) February 12, 2022
i don’t irish exit, i american withdraw (make a big show about leaving and then linger indefinitely)
— meredith (@dietz_meredith) February 12, 2022
All my friends in Ohio have a six year old and all my friends in L.A. are like “I’m too young to want a boyfriend.”
— Chelsea Davison (@chelsea_davison) February 17, 2022
hi twitter I just learned that the UK edition of dollar tree is this and I may never recover pic.twitter.com/EegXUwFV32
— Margaret McDeadlines Owen (@what_eats_owls) February 16, 2022
Why does opening Instagram dms cause me such unique anxiety like I rly put that off… and it’s from people I know… they’re just saying shit like “hahaha” I’m like ahhh I don’t wanna open
— michaela okland (@MichaelaOkla) February 16, 2022
i grew up watching cartoons in french and i remember trying to make friends in school asking everyone “yall watch bob l’éponge” omg they bullied me so hard
— dina (@deeenss) February 14, 2022
Why was wearing a puffer jacket as a kid so embarrassing😂😂😂😂
— Sarah😘 (@sarahhpooh) February 12, 2022
jesus does what to the babies pic.twitter.com/v7I78XvT0m
— blaire erskine (@blaireerskine) February 17, 2022
ok he may be a scrub in the passenger side but the fact that he has a best friend is kinda sweet
— Christine Nangle (@nanglish) February 17, 2022
Caroline Bologna
Senior Reporter, HuffPost Life | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/funniest-tweets-from-women-february-12-18_n_620f611de4b06fa062aff674 | 2022-02-18T17:59:03 | en | 0.911925 |
Rep. Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.) died Thursday evening following a bout with kidney cancer, his wife confirmed on social media. He was 59.
Hagedorn, a former blogger, was elected to represent Minnesota’s 1st District in 2018 following three unsuccessful bids for Congress.
In the wake of the Capitol Hill attack last year, he joined scores of his fellow Republicans in voting against the impeachment of President Donald Trump, weeks after he’d voted against the formal certification of Joe Biden’s election win. Hagedorn’s voting record in Congress reliably reflected Trump’s positions.
Hagedorn was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and had received treatments at a Mayo Clinic hospital that initially went well, his office said. He underwent a successful surgery to remove his kidney and surrounding cancerous tissue in late 2020.
“Jim loved our country and loved representing the people of southern Minnesota,” Hagedorn’s wife, former Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan, wrote on Facebook.
“There was no stronger conservative in our state than my husband; and it showed in how he voted, led and fought for our country,” she wrote.
Between 2002 and 2008, Hagedorn ran a now-deleted blog, “Mr. Conservative,” where he posted sexist and racist commentary as well as homophobic innuendo and anti-Native American sentiment. Hagedorn told The Associated Press in 2014 that the blog was meant to be humorous and satirical.
In one 2005 post, Hagedorn wrote that President George W. Bush had selected a female Supreme Court nominee to “fill the bra of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.” Another post described Washington state’s two senators, Patty Murray (D) and Maria Cantwell (D), as “undeserving bimbos in tennis shoes.”
In 2008, Hagedorn thanked Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin ― whom he called “the feisty Caribou Barbie” ― as his running mate. “On behalf of all red-blooded American men,” Hagedorn wrote, “THANK YOU SENATOR McCAIN, SARAH’S HOT!”
In 2014, he offered an apology for his blog posts, writing on Facebook: “I do acknowledge that some of my hard-hitting and tongue-in-cheek commentary was less than artfully constructed or included language that could lead to hurt feelings. I offer a sincere and heartfelt apology.”
The Trump era seemed to offer Hagedorn a more agreeable atmosphere. During his 2018 campaign, he told Roll Call: “If someone wants to run a political correctness and identity politics campaign against us, we’ll see what happens.” | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rep-jim-hagedorn-dead-dies_n_620fa517e4b06212585c4ccd | 2022-02-18T17:59:09 | en | 0.977841 |
The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating mental health consequences for millions of people around the world, from children still reeling from the impact of extended school closures to older adults who’ve struggled with bouts of profound isolation.
New research published this week shines a light on another group of people whose mental health and well-being have been hit particularly hard over the past two years: people infected with COVID-19.
The findings, published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The BMJ, suggest that people who had COVID-19 were overall about 60% more likely than those who never caught the disease to be battling serious mental health consequences in the year after their initial recovery.
The researchers analyzed the medical records of more than 150,000 adults in the United States who tested positive for the coronavirus between March 2020 and January 2021. They found that those infected with the virus were 35% more likely to develop anxiety disorders and roughly 40% more likely to experience depression or sleep disorders within the year after their diagnosis.
Those who developed COVID were also 34% more likely to have an opioid use disorder and 20% more likely to develop a substance use disorder involving drugs or alcohol.
“While we’ve all suffered during the pandemic, people who have had COVID-19 fare far worse mentally,” study researcher Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, said in a statement. “We need to acknowledge this reality and address these conditions now before they balloon into a much larger mental health crisis.”
The connection between COVID-19 and mental health
Researchers have been aware of the link between COVID and mental health struggles since the early days of the pandemic.
A study from the fall of 2020, for example, found that people who had COVID were twice as likely to develop depression, anxiety or dementia in the three months after their diagnosis. The connection appears to be bidirectional, meaning that people with certain mood disorders are at greater risk of developing severe COVID, which is why they were cleared for booster shots before the general public, and that people who are infected are at greater risk of developing mental health issues.
The big question is why, and experts believe the answer is multilayered. Certainly the psychological stress of the pandemic may play a significant role, as can the emotional turmoil of coping with an infection and subsequent symptoms that can arise and last for months on end.
But experts also increasingly believe that COVID itself may have a direct impact on the brain.
“Our findings suggest a specific link between SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that causes COVID] and mental health disorders,” Al-Aly said. “We’re not certain why this is, but one of the leading hypotheses is that the virus can enter the brain and disturb cellular and neuron pathways, leading to mental health disorders.”
Notably, the new BMJ study found that people who’d been infected with the coronavirus were 80% more likely than those who weren’t to be experiencing symptoms of brain fog, such as forgetfulness and confusion.
Researchers are still trying to better understand exactly how COVID may cross the central nervous system and affect the brain. There is even some evidence that otherwise healthy people with relatively mild initial infections can experience brain inflammation, though such cases are rare.
A pressing need for more support
Millions of people are grappling with symptoms of long-haul COVID, as estimates suggest up to 1 in 4 patients struggles with the condition regardless of the severity of their initial infection. There is an urgent need for expanded support and treatment for those people, including those who have developed mental health concerns.
Even before the pandemic, people with mental health disorders slipped through the cracks en masse. More than half of those with mental illnesses do not get treated. But interventions such as therapy and medication can be highly effective, so it is critical to reach out to a primary care physician or mental health professional if you have any concerns.
Experts say the need to connect people with mental health support and care is now greater than ever.
“People need to know that if they have had COVID-19 and are struggling mentally, they’re not alone, and they should seek help immediately and without shame,” Al-Aly said.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources. | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/risk-of-mental-health-disorder-increases-after-covid_l_620fae4be4b06212585c69b5 | 2022-02-18T17:59:15 | en | 0.971555 |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Spiking tensions in eastern Ukraine on Friday aggravated Western fears of a Russian invasion and a new war on the edge of Europe, with a humanitarian convoy hit by shelling and pro-Russian rebels ordering the evacuation of civilians from the conflict zone.
The Kremlin declared massive nuclear drills to flex its military muscle, and President Vladimir Putin pledged to protect Russia’s national interests against what it sees as encroaching Western threats. U.S. and European leaders, meanwhile, grasped for ways to keep the peace and Europe’s post-Cold War security order.
While Putin held out the possibility of diplomacy, a cascade of developments this week have have further exacerbated East-West tensions and fueled war worries. This week’s actions have fed those concerns: U.S. and European officials, focused on an estimated 150,000 Russian troops posted around Ukraine’s borders, warn the long-simmering separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine could provide the spark for a broader attack.
Vice President Kamala Harris said the U.S. still hopes Russia will de-escalate but is ready to hit it with tough sanctions in case of an attack. U.S. leaders this week issued their most dire warnings yet that Moscow could order an invasion of Ukraine any day.
“We remain, of course, open to and desirous of diplomacy ... but we are also committed, if Russia takes aggressive action, to ensure there will be severe consequence,” Harris said at the annual Munich Security Conference.
While Russia snubbed this year’s conference, lines of communication remain open: The U.S. and Russian defense chiefs spoke Friday, and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called for de-escalation, the return of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to their home bases, and a diplomatic resolution, according to the Pentagon. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed to meet next week.
Immediate worries focused on eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces have been fighting pro-Russia rebels since 2014 in a conflict that has killed some 14,000 people.
Separatists in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions announced they are evacuating civilians to Russia starting Friday afternoon. The announcement appeared to be part of Moscow’s efforts to counter Western warnings of a Russian invasion, and paint Ukraine as the aggressor instead.
Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk rebel government, said women, children and the elderly will be evacuated first, and that Russia has prepared facilities for them. Pushilin alleged in a video statement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was going to order an imminent offensive in the area, known as the Donbas.
Around the volatile line of contact, a UNCHR convoy came under rebel shelling in the Luhansk region, Ukraine’s military chief said. No casualties were reported. Rebel forces denied involvement.
Separatist authorities reported more shelling by Ukrainian forces along the line. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the situation is “potentially very dangerous.” A surge of shelling Thursday tore through the walls of a kindergarten, injuring two, and basic communications were disrupted. Both sides accused each other of opening fire.
Ukrainian officials charged that the rebels intensified the shelling in the hopes of provoking a retaliatory attack by government forces.
The Ukrainian military chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said it is “not planning any offensive operations or shelling of civilians,” adding that “our actions are purely defensive.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the threat to global security is “more complex and probably higher” than during the Cold War. He told the Munich conference that a small mistake or miscommunication between major powers could have catastrophic consequences.
While Russia announced this week it is pulling back forces from vast military exercises that had sparked fears of an invasion, U.S. officials have said they see no sign of a pullback — and instead saw more troops moving toward the border with Ukraine.
Austin said the U.S. believes Russia could launch an attack “any time.”
The Kremlin sent a reminder to the world of its nuclear might, announcing drills of its nuclear forces for the weekend. Putin will monitor the sweeping exercise Saturday that will involve multiple practice missile launches.
The move overshadowed Russian offers of continued diplomacy to defuse the Ukraine crisis.
While the Kremlin insists it has no plans to invade, it has urged the West to keep Ukraine out of NATO and roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe — demands roundly rejected by Western allies.
Asked about Western warnings of a possible Russian invasion on Wednesday that didn’t materialize, Putin said, “I’m not paying attention to that, there are so many false claims.”
“We are doing what we consider necessary and will keep doing so,” he said. “We have clear and precise goals conforming to national interests.”
Putin reaffirmed that Russia was open for dialogue on confidence-building measures with the West on condition that they will be discussed in conjunction with Moscow’s main security demands.
He also urged Ukrainian authorities to implement a 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine that was brokered by France and Germany, adding that “regrettably, we are now seeing the exacerbation of the situation in Donbas.”
NATO allies are also flexing their might, bolstering military forces around Eastern Europe, but insist the actions are purely defensive and to show unity in the face of Russian threats.
The U.S. announced the $6 billion sale of 250 tanks to Poland, a NATO member that has been occupied or attacked by Russia in the past. Announcing the deal, Austin said Russia’s military buildup had only reinvigorated NATO instead of cowing it, as Moscow had hoped.
World leaders meeting in Munich warned that Europe’s security balance is under threat. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the situation is “calling into question the basic principles of the European peace order.”
“Even steps, millimeters toward peace are better than a big step toward war,” she said.
Biden planned to speak by phone Friday with trans-Atlantic leaders about the crisis and continued efforts at deterrence and diplomacy.
Blinken revealed some conclusions of U.S. intelligence in Thursday’s speech at the U.N. Security Council, warning that Russia could create a false pretext for an invasion with a trumped-up terrorist bombing inside Russia, a staged drone strike, or a fake or real chemical attack.
U.S. and European officials were on high alert for any Russian attempts at a so-called false-flag operation, according to a Western official familiar with intelligence findings. Ukrainian government officials shared intelligence with allies that suggested the Russians might try to shell the areas in the Luhansk region controlled by separatists as part of an effort to create a false reason to take military action, according to the official who was not authorized to comment publicly.
Putin met Friday with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to discuss the ongoing joint drills in Belarus that borders Ukraine to the north. The massive exercise involving Russian forces moved from the Far East fueled Western fears that they could use it to cut a short way to the Ukrainian capital.
___
Isachenkov reported from Moscow and Superville from Washington. Lorne Cook in Brussels, Matthew Lee and Karl Ritter in Munich, Angela Charlton in Paris, Jill Lawless in London, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Aamer Madhani and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington, and Vanessa Gera in Warsaw contributed.
___
More AP coverage of the Ukraine crisis: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ukraine-russia-separatists-shelling-civilians_n_620fc47de4b0f2c343f3d4fa | 2022-02-18T17:59:21 | en | 0.954768 |
When Black Lives Matter or other liberal protest groups block a road for an evening, there is no shortage of calls for violence. Right-wing legislators hastily pass laws that would make it legal to run over protesters, and conservative pundits flood the airwaves and social media to decry the unspeakable horror of holding up traffic for a few hours.
But now that a very loud but ultimately small group of white people in Canada have disrupted the flow of goods and people for weeks, their tone is, predictably, different. Black people and their allies protesting police brutality is an affront to the American project. But fighting for the liberty to contract an infectious disease and give it to your neighbor? That’s called freedom, baby.
It’s no coincidence that the BLM protests — large and diverse in nature — are treated differently than a small minority of white people protesting public health measures. The protests, which have altered significant parts of daily Canadian life, are providing American conservatives a taste of what they’ve been dreaming of for so long: white minority rule.
Conservative news media and other supporters of the Canadian truckers have made it a point to prioritize the feelings and wants of a perpetually aggrieved white minority who believe their so-called freedoms are more important than the health and livelihood of the majority of Canadians.
In late January, hundreds of truckers gathered in Ottawa to rail against COVID-19 health measures such as mask and vaccine mandates. Although many of the restrictions were enacted by provincial governments, the demonstrators parked their trucks in the national capital and demanded an end to restrictions. The protests escalated with demonstrators spilling into residential areas, blocking U.S.-Canada border crossings, and generally being a huge nuisance.
Now, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invoked the Emergencies Act to allow his government to ban travel and public assembly, and cut off the flow of money to the protesters.
The extreme move has provided the truckers’ American supporters with new talking points. Fox News’ Tucker Carlson lamented that Trudeau had turned his country into a dictatorship. In his telling, a government just crushed a working-class revolt. I suppose it’s a lot easier to pretend you’re not clamoring to turn the U.S. into a racist ethnostate if you can gloss over it with the magic words.
Conservative American pundits are dead wrong about what kind of demonstrations these are. Far from a working-class revolt, these truckers have gotten millions of dollars from wealthy outside donors in the U.S. and Canada, according to leaked data from the GiveSendGo crowdfunding platform. And they’re not a representative group: 90% of Canadian truckers are vaccinated, and labor unions and industry groups representing truck drivers have strongly condemned the protests.
The wider Canadian public has high vaccination rates as well, with more than 80% of the population fully vaccinated. But if you watch Fox News, as millions do, you might think that Canada is overrun with unvaccinated people and that the protesters are fighting valiantly instead of throwing a tantrum.
Perhaps the best illustration of the absurdity of fighting for your right to spread a deadly disease was captured on the American side of the border. As part of its breathless coverage of the so-called protest, Fox News called in Jonathan Turley, a legal analyst for the channel and law professor at George Washington University.
“By this rationale, they could have cracked down on the civil rights movement,” said Turley, blissfully unaware of American history. “They could have arrested Martin Luther King.” Could have? Perhaps he thinks King’s famous missive was called “Letter From a Birmingham Vacation”?
But living in an alternative reality where anti-vax Canadian truckers have it worse than civil rights protesters who were assaulted and jailed routinely is a requirement for creating the dystopian nightmare they wish to subjugate us to.
As more proof that conservatives will latch on to anything that advances their cause, let’s check in on their crusade for “law and order.”
If we were to take their proclamations at face value, a dozen truckers blocking border crossings to and from one of our biggest trade partners seems like it would be cause for concern. But anyone who has been watching the conservative movement for the last 50 years knows that law and order is only for Black people.
And remember when everyone was blaming Joe Biden for the supply chain issues that have plagued the globe since the onset of the pandemic? For a week, the truckers blocked important border crossings, impeding the movement of goods and people. Auto plants on both sides of the border had to operate at a reduced capacity because they couldn’t receive the proper parts required for making cars.
Looks like supply chain issues weren’t that big of a concern after all, just a way to score cheap political points.
During 2020’s summer of racial justice protests, right-wing pundits decried the very tactics the Canadian “protesters” are using now. Several months later, when thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in hopes of overturning a legitimate election, the same people had plenty of excuses.
Like the truckers, the insurrections were very clearly in the minority. While most Republicans falsely believe the 2020 election was stolen, they still only make up 30% of voters, according to a 2021 Monmouth poll. And Biden received 81 million votes to Donald Trump’s 74 million. Yet, there they were, trashing the Capitol, demanding freedom from the oppression of the will of the majority.
After the people in power got away with inciting an insurrection, a similar truck blockade on this side of the border doesn’t seem all that far-fetched.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) lent his support to the truckers by calling for an American “freedom convoy” that would take over cities like Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. “Civil disobedience is a time-honored tradition in our country, from slavery to civil rights, you name it,” the senator said. “Peaceful protest, clog things up, make people think about the mandates.”
His wish may come true. But at what cost? While there have been rumblings on social media about a copycat convoy set to arrive in Washington on March 1, there is not anything concrete — yet.
Right-wing pundits and Republican politicians would love nothing more than the ability to grind cities to a halt. They’ve spent the last two years openly fantasizing about how to transform our half-broken democracy into a true authoritarian state. There’s no doubt that in a country like ours, in which there are more guns than adults, a convoy full of racist lunatics would have more support than it does in Canada.
The goal has always been to put white, Christian men in power while the rest of us languish in the margins. Their full-throated support of the Canadian trucker convoy is another reminder that they will do anything and support anyone in the pursuit of their goal of white minority rule. Even burning the whole thing down. | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/white-canadian-truckers-anti-vax_n_620ecb21e4b0f2c343f1aa26 | 2022-02-18T17:59:27 | en | 0.96376 |
Say goodbye to mixing and matching foundation colors for your skin. Culler Beauty has developed a versatile, personal product geared toward you so no matter your skin color, you'll have that perfect match. You can also keep your skin healthy and vibrant looking with the perfect pore primer and finish made with vitamins and even SPF 50. Visit culler10.com for more information.
Foundation that Features the Best of You (Feb. 18, 2022)
Lifestyle contributor, Alexa Lee explains the benefits of this self-adjusting foundation. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/foundation-that-features-the-best-of-you-feb-18-2022/77-480b194d-7c8e-40bd-8af7-2e9a97857cf5 | 2022-02-18T17:59:54 | en | 0.932252 |
Tame the hot market! Make sure to watch Home Connect TV on seven days a week with hundreds of homes for sale and expert advice you will not find anywhere else.
HCTV: Pack Up and Be Prepared if You're Moving to the First Coast (FCL Feb. 18, 2022)
Christine Hall of Slate Real Estate and one of our Home Connect TV experts makes sure their are no surprises if you are moving to our beautiful First Coast! | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/hctv-pack-up-and-be-prepared-if-youre-moving-to-the-first-coast-fcl-feb-18-2022/77-1a4d9463-e1b0-49f9-b837-c069a737e23f | 2022-02-18T18:00:00 | en | 0.919132 |
Go to walnuts.org for more information.
Jump Start Heart-Healthy Eating with Walnuts (FCL Feb. 18, 2022)
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD; Nutrition Expert joins the show with easy ways to make walnuts a yummy part of your diet!
Go to walnuts.org for more information. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/jump-start-heart-healthy-eating-with-walnuts-fcl-feb-18-2022/77-e56c4605-3c49-49dd-92f0-b3a1941a42ac | 2022-02-18T18:00:06 | en | 0.762805 |
Go to adobe.com/express for more information.
Not a Designer? Not a Problem with Creative Cloud Express (FCL Feb. 18, 2022)
Natalie Zfat shows us how Creative Cloud Express makes it easy for small business owners to create good design that speaks to them and their brand identity. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/not-a-designer-not-a-problem-with-creative-cloud-express-fcl-feb-18-2022/77-080fcce4-dea5-4a13-b03d-37d293306cfa | 2022-02-18T18:00:18 | en | 0.898532 |
Go to https://www.dailysplace.com/events/detail/erykah-badu for more information and tickets.
Rickey Smiley is coming to Jacksonville with Eryka Badu & Friends (FCL Feb. 18, 2022)
Rickey Smiley is hosting "Eryka Badu and Friends" at Daily's Place on May 6th. Find out who the "friends" are. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/rickey-smiley-is-coming-to-jacksonville-with-eryka-badu-friends-fcl-feb-18-2022/77-35cece74-4333-4c8f-b3a2-127bd19bd36c | 2022-02-18T18:00:24 | en | 0.83227 |
Go to propane.com for more information.
The Benefits of Propane Power (FCL Feb. 18, 2022)
Learn how nationally renowned expert Jennifer Borget weathered the massive power failure in Texas by using propane.
Go to propane.com for more information. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/the-benefits-of-propane-power-fcl-feb-18-2022/77-d5f0d9a9-0afb-4613-b9a7-308a6991540d | 2022-02-18T18:00:31 | en | 0.819202 |
Devon County Council (DCC) has issued a plea urging locals to look out for 'vulnerable neighbours' as Storm Eunice continues to cause disruption.
Trees have toppled on roads across the county, bridges have been closed and people have been warned to stay indoors - with DCC thanking everyone who helped deal with incidents directly or through informing the public.
As thousands of homes are left without power amid freezing temperatures, DCC is asking everyone to keep an eye on any vulnerable neighbours, family and friends.
Read more: Exeter's Pyramids Leisure Centre shut 'until further notice' to due structural damage
Cllr John Hart, the Council’s Leader, said this afternoon: "Storm Eunice has left in its wake a lot of devastation and brought disruption to many Devon households.
"While the power companies are doing all they can to get households back on grid, there will be many who, this evening, have no heating, no lighting, and no ability to cook a hot meal.
"We are encouraging people in Devon to look out for their neighbours who are vulnerable and might be struggling this weekend."
DCC reports that temperatures are expected to fall below zero tonight after at least 30,000 properties in Devon were without power , leaving many with no heating, as Storm Eunice swept across the south west.
DCC urge road users to only drive tonight if 'absolutely necessary'
More than 150 highways officers worked round the clock to respond to hundreds of separate reports of damage caused by the wind across Devon today, DCC reports.
But with gritters being deployed tonight to counter the expected drop in temperature, and the amount of debris still on the network, people are being advised only drive tonight unless its absolutely necessary.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, DCC's Cabinet Member for Highways Management said: "I want to thank everyone involved including all the highways crews, contractors, tree surgeons and control centre staff for their hard work – either through responding to incidents directly or through informing the public they have helped keep people safe.
"The winds will still be quite high tonight and a Yellow Wind Warning will be in force over Saturday and strong winds are expected in places right up until the beginning of next week.
"A significant number of trees have blown over and there’s lots of other debris on the network. We are prioritising the primary salting network, but some incidents are still too dangerous to clear until the winds subside.
"We have extensive gritting planned for the evening but because the debris still on the road we advise that the public should only drive if it’s absolutely essential.
"Please check @DevonAlert on Twitter for updates."
Friday morning and early afternoon represented the ‘peak’ of Storm Eunice in Devon, with wind speeds recorded of up to 100mph in places.
A red wind warning had been issued by the Met Office for Northern Devon and its coastline, while an amber wind warning is in force across the rest of the county until later tonight.
Since mid-morning the Network Operations Control Centre has received almost 500 calls and incident reports with highways teams and tree surgeons on standby.
Across Devon there has been reports of debris and branches on roads, flooding and damaged trees. In one incident, a damaged tree was tangled up in a power line; in North Devon, a barn roof was ripped off and landed on a road, blocking one of the areas gritting routes.
In Barrack Road in Exeter, a large tree was damaged and was only held up by a nearby street-light. Tree surgeons worked through the afternoon to make it safe.
Gritters will be out in force on the county’s key routes tonight as the temperature is expected to drop.
If you are concerned that someone is unsafe at home without power, please contact Devon County Council on 0345 155 1007 or out-of-hours on 0345 600 0388.
Keep up to date with all of the latest on Storm Eunice here.
Get the best stories about the things you love most curated by us and delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you love here. | https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/storm-eunice-plea-help-vulnerable-6685874 | 2022-02-18T18:00:36 | en | 0.96933 |
Go to AlmondBreeze.com for more information or Bonnie's web-site BetterThanDieting.com for some great recipes to get you started.
The Rise of Plant-Based Diets & How You Can Benefit (FCL Feb. 18, 2022)
Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RDN, CDN is the award-winning author of Read It Before You Eat It – Taking You from Label to Table makes it easy to go green with your diet. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/entertainment/television/first-coast-living/the-rise-of-plant-based-diets-how-you-can-benefit-fcl-feb-18-2022/77-ff5f5e21-8f8b-4ccd-91bf-646d8bb0dd7f | 2022-02-18T18:00:37 | en | 0.858449 |
FLORIDA, USA — A young influencer's family spoke out to NBC following a deadly situation that all started with an alleged stalker.
Ava Majury is a TikTok star with more than 1.2 million followers on TikTok. In her videos, she does lip-sync to many popular songs.
Last summer, her family told NBC that things took a frightening turn when a man her family described as "an obsessive stalker" showed up at their Florida home in Naples with a gun.
Stalking is defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.
"Someone had tried to breach the door with what I assumed was a shotgun," Ava’s dad, Rob Majury, told TODAY's Gabe Gutierrez. “At that point I took action and neutralized the threat."
The family tells NBC that the alleged gunman was 18-year-old Eric Justin, who they said had been sending Ava hundreds of messages on her social media accounts.
What is stalking? Stalking is defined as a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear.
Unlike other crimes that involve a single incident, stalking is a pattern of behavior. It is often made up of individual acts that could, by themselves, seem harmless or noncriminal, but when taken in the context of a stalking situation, could constitute criminal acts.
The family says they have since moved houses after the incident.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office told NBC News that the case is an “ongoing investigation.” | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/florida-tiktok-stars-dad-shoots-kills-alleged-stalker-who-showed-up-at-their-home/77-30f31f67-5d93-4ee6-862a-9eaba72d73fa | 2022-02-18T18:00:43 | en | 0.987022 |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — See something? Say something. See nothing? Say something as well.
It's the message that Jacksonville Beach Police are spreading as they continue to search for the person who shot and killed a father of four in front of a toddler in a Jacksonville Beach neighborhood this week.
Jacksonville Beach police say the 33-year-old man was found shot to death near the exit of The Sanctuary neighborhood, in a wooded area.
During a Friday news conference, police urged the public to give them a call if they were traveling in the area between 7:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. Even if that person believes they did not see anything, police are still asking for a phone call.
Sgt. Tonya Tater says motorists or passerbys who can report "seeing nothing" in the area of Jacksonville Drive and Sanctuary Way North is also important to help establish a timeline of events.
"Even if you don't live here, even if you didn't see anything, please call," she said. You can contact Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-270-1661.
RELATED: Jacksonville police investigate 'improvised device' discovered after shots fired on North Shore
Additionally, police say they are no longer working to locate a black SUV that was involved. Tator says investigators were able to determine the vehicle belonged to the victim and have the car in impound.
United States Customs and Border Protection was on the scene Friday, which Tator was asked about during the news conference.
She said the agency and its dogs were "kind enough to help" them perform an article search, and that the agency was not directly related to the case
On Wednesday night, officers say they responded to a shooting call just after 8 p.m. in the area of Jacksonville Drive and Sanctuary Way North. When they arrived, they found the man with one or more gunshot wounds and the toddler uninjured.
Police say they are limited on what information they are able to release, but are asking the public for information or home video involving a black SUV.
Specifically, police are looking for video that recorded around 7:45 p.m. and 8:15 pm. on 15th Street South, Fairway Lane or America Avenue.
Neighbors tell First Coast News the shooting happened on a one way street out of the neighborhood directly on to the highway.
JBPD says they found shell casings from a handgun at the scene. | https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/crime/police-give-update-in-case-of-33-year-old-father-gunned-jacksonville-beach/77-1ca52462-4ea1-4784-bcc4-e44be51bbef5 | 2022-02-18T18:00:49 | en | 0.980179 |
Team India inflicted yet another defeat on West Indies, to bag a historic 100th win in T20Is. The Men in Blue prevailed by 8 runs, in a game that was balanced on a knife's edge till the very end. Thanks to some brilliant bowling from Harshal Patel, the hosts were able to win on the day and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
That's that from 2nd T20I. A nail biting finish as #TeamIndia win by 8 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.@Paytm #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/blSuQYQvlv
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 18, 2022
More to follow.... | https://www.dnaindia.com/cricket/report-ind-vs-wi-team-india-edge-west-indies-by-8-runs-in-thrilling-game-take-unassailable-2-0-lead-in-series-2935057 | 2022-02-18T18:05:10 | en | 0.964827 |
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma left cricket fans in awe of his skill as he struck a huge one-handed six against West Indies in the second T20I match. His deputy, Rishabh Pant also followed the example set by the skipper by scoring a one-handed six in his quickfire knock of 52 runs.
Indeed, the sport has changed, all thanks to T20 cricket, where the smash and bang approach from batters has shown how brutal force reigns supreme in modern days.
Rohit, renowned as one of the most skilful yet destructive batsmen in the world, came up with a wonderful one-handed six which left the fans shocked.
READ| Ind vs WI 2nd T20I: Rohit Sharma’s one handed six shows how much the game has changed
Pant too, decided to follow in the lead of his skipper and hit a huge one-handed six against Jason Holder. The incident occurred in the 18th over of the Indian innings. Holder bowled a full toss in the first ball of his over, which Pant duly dispatched towards deep cover.
Just as Pant swung his bat, it appeared to slip in his hand, but the momentum of his strike was such that the ball went over the ropes.
Here is a video of Rishabh Pant's one-handed six against West Indies in 2nd T20I:
Hitting six with one hand is art then Rishab pant is Picasso of it !#IndvsWIpic.twitter.com/wJ5CSPIkHb — (@shiv0769) February 18, 2022
Pant meanwhile scored a sublime knock of 52 runs in 28 deliveries to help India score 186/5 in the first innings. In reply, West Indies were 159/3 at the time of writing with the game balance on a knife's edge. | https://www.dnaindia.com/cricket/report-watch-after-rohit-sharma-rishabh-pant-strikes-huge-one-handed-six-vs-west-indies-2935056 | 2022-02-18T18:05:11 | en | 0.976708 |
Netizens favourite Urfi Javed has grabbed their attention, not for her 'strange' fashion statements, but for being 'good friend' to Indo-Canadian singer Kunwarr. It all started when the singer posted an image on his social media, and Urfi commented on it. Kunwarr shared a picture of him hugging Urfi and captioned it, "There’s so much cookin up @urf7i." The Bigg Boss OTT contestant commented on the picture and said, "Look at me," and then commented, "Oh sorry I meant us !! Look at us." The singer-composer further commented, "@urf7i goals aff."
Here's the picture
Well, Urfi shared the same image on her Instagram stories, and captioned it saying, "I know you love me."
Well, this sweet banter got noticed by netizens and a few of them speculated to be dating, "Beautiful couple," says one user. While another follower added, "very very very very very nice." Even during Valentine's Day, Urfi posted a carousel with her wicked outfit. Kunwarr commented on the post saying, "Happy V Day Urfi Jii."
Well, it seems like they are coming together for a song, and if this is the scenario, Urfi fans will get to see her in another chartbuster song. Kunwarr garnered fame for his song 'Bewafa,' and even Urfi's latest single, 'Attitude,' has become popular among her followers.
READ Urrfii Javed recalls meeting Alia Bhatt, reveals 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' star called her 'pretty'
Recently spoke about a time she had met 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' star Alia Bhatt. Recalling a party from five years ago where she met Alia, Urrfii said that when the Bollywood diva saw her at the party, she complimented her and called her 'pretty'.
Urrfii mentioned that Alia's comment impacted her deeply since she was a big star already and yet was so grounded that the first thing she noticed in her was that she was pretty. Urrfii said that she wants to be as grounded as Alia. | https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-is-urfi-javed-dating-indo-canadian-singer-kunwarr-fans-speculate-2935054 | 2022-02-18T18:05:12 | en | 0.981745 |
India on Friday achieved another milestone as over 80 per cent of the eligible population were vaccinated with both doses of Covid vaccines, Union Health Ministry Mansukh Mandaviya announced.
"Sabko Vaccine Muft Vaccine! India has crossed the historic figure of administering both doses of the corona vaccine to 80% of its adult population. With the mantra of Sabka Prayas under the leadership Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is moving at a fast pace towards 100 per cent immunisation against the coronavirus", the Minister said in the tweet.
India`s Covid-19 vaccination coverage crossed 174.99 crore on Friday, with more than 32 lakh vaccine doses administered till 7 p.m.
More than 1.86 crore precaution doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries which includes healthcare workers, frontline workers and those over 60 years have been administered so far. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late tonight, a Health Ministry statement stand.
India has started seeing declining Covid trends over the past few weeks. It on Friday reported nearly 16 per cent decline in fresh Covid infections at 25,920 cases in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 492 new Covid deaths have also been reported during last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 5,10,905. | https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-india-covid-update-over-80-eligible-population-receives-both-doses-of-vaccine-2935059 | 2022-02-18T18:05:12 | en | 0.937405 |
Amid the Covid pandemic, questions were raised as to why the government was not introducing foreign-made vaccines to tackle the pandemic. And now, for the first time, the health ministry has clarified on the issue.
The sole reason was unjustified demands by foreign corporations. Moderna and Pfizer merely saw India as a huge market and were confident that India, with its massive population, would not be able to tide over the crisis without their help.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and NITI Aayog member VK Paul were speaking at the launch of the book "A Nation to Protect – Leading India Through the Covid Crisis" by Priyam Gandhi Mody. Zee News editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary was conducting the event.
Moderna and Pfizer had started negotiating with India in November 2020 when the country was still reeling under the jitters of the first wave and recording over one lakh cases every day. The two companies put forth some rather harsh terms in exchange for their support – terms that were unacceptable to New India.
The country went through a rough phase, with the Opposition questioning the government’s capabilities of vaccinating the entire population. But India not only came up with its own vaccine but also helped several countries during the crisis. The Centre wanted foreign companies to manufacture vaccines for Indians in India but this was not acceptable to the corporations.
"Foreign companies are welcome in India. But they must work according to our conditions. This is New India. Earlier, we were fully dependent on their research. We would wait for 10 years for vaccines after the danger in those countries subsided," Mandaviya said.
"We did not want to bow down before those companies, and then, came up with our own vaccines," the minister added.
American company Moderna had kept the "indemnity against liability" clause, which means it would not take responsibility in case of fatalities or other side-effects during tests. Additionally, Pfizer wanted a "sovereign immunity waiver" meaning Indian laws would not have applied to it.
Two “Made-in-India” vaccines, Covaxin and Covishield, have delivered good results in the country. Two foreign-made vaccines, Sputnik and Johnson & Johnson have also received permission, meaning they are abiding by Indian laws.
Pfizer in South America
India was not the only country to face harsh conditions from global pharma companies. Pfizer had laid out similar conditions in Argentina too, wherein it suggested that insurance companies pay for side-effects during corona tests.
When the Argentine government agreed, Pfizer put up new demands, saying the government must reserve money in the company’s account in an international bank. It further demanded that its medicines be kept in a military base in the capital and an embassy be made where its employees would reside, thereby meaning that the country’s laws won’t be applicable to its employees.
Harsh conditions were imposed on Brazil as well. Apart from asking it to deposit money in the company’s name in an international account, Pfizer also wanted the government to mortgage its properties to them as a guarantee. The company intended to sell these properties if it got into legal wrangles in Brazil. Also, it did not want to be held accountable if tests went wrong. | https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-new-india-will-run-by-its-own-rules-centre-reveals-dilemma-over-foreign-made-covid-vaccines-2935058 | 2022-02-18T18:05:14 | en | 0.982524 |
The Supreme Court on Friday directed that properties of anti-CAA protesters, which were attached by Uttar Pradesh government should be restored to them, and also if they had paid money to the authorities concerned for the alleged damages should be also refunded.
At the outset, the Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, informed the top court that the state government has withdrawn notices sent to the anti-CAA protesters to recover damages to the properties.
A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant said if recoveries have been made following the notices, then those have to be paid back, as the government has withdrawn the notices. Prashad said the state government has come to the court with clean hands and urged the top court to maintain status quo in connection with properties attached in the matter.
Advocate Nilofar Khan, representing the petitioner, said there were many people, including vegetable sellers, rickshaw pullers, etc., from whom recoveries have been made following these notices and the state government should issue refunds, after withdrawal of these notices.
Justice Chandrachud said there shall be a refund of the damages recovered in the meantime, however it will be subject to the claim`s tribunal, under new law. Prashad requested the bench to maintain status quo and added that certain properties have been taken into custody by the state government already.
The bench replied it is against the law and the court cannot go against the law. Prashad submitted that the model code of conduct has been placed in the state. The bench told Prashad this does not stop them from following the law and "when you have to implement a judgment of the Supreme Court how does the model code of conduct stop you".
The bench said if an attachment has been done against the law and if such orders have been recalled, how can attachment go on? Justice Chandrachud said: "Once orders are recalled, then how can attachment continue..."
Prashad said this order of the top court will have an impact on the deterrence and cited there has been no incident in the state in the past two years. However, the top court was not convinced with Prashad`s arguments. She further submitted that the court is looking at small vendors, etc., but that is not the case and the entire law will be frustrated if refund is ordered.
"No, law cannot be frustrated...as you bought a new law. All deference against the evasion of law has to be within four corners of law and it cannot lie outside the four corners of the law," said Justice Chandrachud.
The Uttar Pradesh government has issued two government orders (GOs) on February 14 and 15, withdrawing all show cause notices, which were issued in 274 cases in the destruction of public and private properties during the anti-CAA protest.
The new law - Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020 -- empowers the state government to set up tribunals to decide claims for damage to property.
On February 11, the top court had told the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw these notices, otherwise it would quash them. Citing the top court`s verdicts in 2009 and 2018, the bench said judicial officers should have been appointed in claim tribunals, but the state government appointed Additional District Magistrates. | https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-supreme-court-directs-up-government-to-refund-recoveries-made-from-anti-caa-protestors-2935053 | 2022-02-18T18:05:30 | en | 0.979183 |
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare along with Professor Shamika Ravi (Economist) and Dr VK Paul (member of NITI Aayog) released a book titled 'A Nation to Protect'. The book penned by Priyam Gandhi-Mody highlights the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India’s fight against COVID-19. During the launch, Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya said he believed that 'A Nation to Protect' describes the reality as it unfolded during last two years. "We have seen what happens when there is a true leadership with a vision," said Mandaviya referring to PM Modi. | https://www.dnaindia.com/india/video-mansukh-mandaviya-talks-about-pm-modi-s-leadership-in-india-s-fight-against-covid-19-2935060 | 2022-02-18T18:05:36 | en | 0.961395 |
Covid Updates: 25,920 New Covid Cases in India | WHO warns against sub-variant BA.2 | Omicron | WHO
With 25,920 people testing positive for Coronavirus infection in a day, India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,27,80,235, while the active cases dipped below three lakh after 43 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday. The Omicron variant, which led the third wave of the Coronavirus pandemic, is slowing down across the world. Many countries are removing the strict restrictions put in place to check the spread of the infection. But, a World health Organization (WHO) official has raised a fresh concern related to an Omicron sub-strain. | https://www.dnaindia.com/world/video-covid-updates-25920-new-covid-cases-in-india-who-warns-against-sub-variant-ba2-omicron-who-2935052 | 2022-02-18T18:05:42 | en | 0.911782 |
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (WPIX) – Radiation treatment saved Robert Dorso’s life 20 years ago, but side effects that recently surfaced almost killed him after his heart became encased in a bone-like shell that doctors likened to “concrete.”
After two operations last year, he’s in good health again.
“They were sympathetic,” Dorso said of the medical team that treated him. “They were patient and they saved my life.”
Dorso received radiation two decades ago during his treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is what killed his identical twin brother at 23 years old. Dorso was diagnosed at 39 when radiation was the state-of-the-art treatment. Twenty years later, the lining around his heart began to harden.
Story continues below
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Dr. Mohammed Imam, chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Staten Island University Hospital, said that usually, this sac, or this membrane surrounding the heart, is like skin.
“It was replaced by this very hard plaster shell,” he said. “Literally, it’s concrete. It’s like bone.”
Dorso, an active man, gained 70 pounds of excess fluid in his heart, lungs, and legs.
Doctors had to perform a sequence of two surgeries to decrease any risk and to ultimately save him.
“The transcatheter aortic valve replacement or TAVR, which is a minimally invasive catheter-based therapy where we were able to replace his aortic valve through the legs, that was able to get him out of heart failure and much better optimized for the second phase of the procedure,” said Dr. Gregory Maniatis, director of Structural Heart Disease.
The second surgery came a few months later, in which Imam opened Dorso’s chest to peel back that “concrete” lining.
On Thursday, Dorso reunited with his medical team, which included Maniatis and nurse practitioner Blerta Saipi, at Staten Island University Hospital.
Dorso and his wife Lisa are grateful for the outcome.
“You gave us our golden years back,” Dorso’s wife said to the team. “We have a future to look forward to.”
Dorso feels like himself again and turned to his late brother for motivation.
“He had such grace, he had such dignity, he had such strength,” Dorso said, crying. “I hope I did him justice, but I miss him every day, but he was an inspiration.”
Dorso’s recovery continues on the right path. His follow-ups at the hospital have become much less frequent and he and his wife walk five miles every morning. | https://www.krqe.com/health/ny-mans-heart-turns-to-concrete-after-radiation-treatment/ | 2022-02-18T18:06:51 | en | 0.987104 |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Following the end of the state’s 30-day legislative session, Albuquerque’s mayor and police leadership are expected to discuss their thoughts on lawmakers efforts toward criminal reform.
This is a developing news story. KRQE News 13 will update this article with more information shortly.
A week before the start of the legislative session, Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham publicly threw support behind several “tough on crime” bills. The governor notably announced her support for a law that sought to change the rules related to what judge’s must consider before choosing to detain an accused criminal in jail through their trial.
The governor also pushed several other bills to include new or enhanced penalties for gun crimes and second-degree murder, along with an effort to create a $100-million law enforcement recruitment and retention fund.
Albuquerque has been in the midst of a violent crime wave over recent years. There were more than 100 homicides in Albuquerque in 2021, a triple-digit count the city has never seen recorded.
By the end of the legislative session, several of Democratic lawmakers initial proposals were either scrapped or changed. The rebuttable presumption bill was abandoned.
Many of those proposals were also supported by Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s administration, which spent much of 2021 outlining similar ideas through the “Metro Crime Initiative.” As the session began, Keller gave lawmakers an ultimatum: “This [crime problem] has to be fixed, so if you can’t get it done in 30 days, there should be a special session.” | https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/albuquerque-mayor-to-discuss-results-of-states-crime-reform-effort/ | 2022-02-18T18:06:57 | en | 0.971862 |
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We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media. See details. | https://www.tayyar.org/News/Lebanon/461385/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%88--%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%82-%D9%84%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%81%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%A3%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%88-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AE%D9%81%D8%B6-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%8B | 2022-02-18T18:06:57 | en | 0.94178 |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – What started as a winter apparel company has quickly grown into so much more. “Just Point It” used to make beanies, hats, t-shirts, and stickers – but now, you’ll see their custom snowboards and skis shredding the slopes of New Mexico in true Zia style.
Story continues below
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Ted and Nick Wolff grew up skiing in New Mexico and quickly became passionate about adventure and the outdoors. “We definitely put the New Mexico vibe into all of our products. We like to get artists that are in New Mexico and keep them and try and promote them,” says Nick. “We really do love it here in New Mexico.” | https://www.krqe.com/news/business/just-point-it-makes-zia-inspired-outdoor-gear/ | 2022-02-18T18:07:03 | en | 0.951646 |
CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — Many families are feeling the pressure of pandemic closures and shortages, but with inflation at a 40-year high, families aren’t only feeling the pressure of higher prices at the grocery store and gas; they’re now feeling it even more with day care expenses.
The average annual cost of day care for infants now exceeds public college tuition in most states, and it’s only getting worse.
According to Child Care Aware of America, the average national cost of day care hit just over $12,300 a year in 2020, an increase of $1,000 over the prior year.
In the Midwest, Northeast and South, the annual price of day care for an infant exceeds the cost of housing.
Over the past three decades, child care costs have accelerated farther than other basic family expenses, including housing and groceries, according to a separate report by the First Five Years Fund, which advocates for affordable child care.
“Since 1990, child care costs have risen 214%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index analysis, while the average family income has increased by 143%,” the First Five Years Fund report said.
Inflation hit 7.5% in January, and many parents feel the pressure as they’re spending more on rent, food and home essentials.
So, what can you do to save money and keep your kids safe? Here are a few ways.
The Child Care and Development Fund assists low-income families who need child care due to work, work-related training or if they’re attending school. To be eligible for this program, you must be a parent or primary caregiver responsible for children under 13 years of age, or under 19 if incapable of self-care or under court supervision who needs assistance paying for child care; and must also characterize your financial situation as low income or very low income.
There are also Head Start and Early Head Start, which are free, federally funded programs. If you qualify, any child between the ages of 3 and 5 from a low-income household is eligible.
Also, check with your employers. Many companies are now offering child care reimbursements that employers might not know about.
It’s timely, but when you file your 2021 tax return, you can apply for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. You qualify to claim this credit if you pay someone to care for one or more kids while you work or look for work. Families can receive up to $3,600 per child. | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/child-care-hits-record-highs-outpacing-inflation/ | 2022-02-18T18:07:09 | en | 0.956401 |
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Officials with the Wichita Falls Police Department Friday announced they have made an arrest in connection to the murder of Floyd Kirt.
WFPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Charlie Eipper said police arrested Tajmon Robinson, 21, and he is being charged with capital murder by terror threat or other felony.
Robinson’s bond has been set at $1 million.
Sgt. Eipper said police will hold a media briefing on the arrest at 11:15 a.m. Friday, February 18.
The shooting happened between the hours of 4 and 5 a.m. Saturday, February 12, at the Stripes gas station located at the corner of Taft and Southwest Parkway.
Officers responded to the scene at 4:56 a.m. after witnesses called and told police the clerk had been “murdered”. When officers arrived, they found 51-year-old clerk Floyd Kirt, who had been shot.
This is a breaking news story. For updates and to receive daily breaking news, weather, and more from Texoma’s Homepage, subscribe to our newsletter. | https://www.krqe.com/news/national/suspect-arrested-for-capital-murder-of-stripes-clerk/ | 2022-02-18T18:07:15 | en | 0.974173 |
(NewsNation Now) — A New Hampshire man is sitting in Florida jail after he says Hertz filed a police report wrongfully accusing him of stealing a rental car. He is one of the hundreds of Hertz customers that say the exact same thing happened to them.
Newly unsealed bankruptcy documents suggest Hertz has filed hundreds of these police reports every year. NewsNation previously reported on the nightmare situations that led customers to sue the rental giant last year. Now, a new night nightmare situation is developing.
Charles Doucette, a health care consultant from New Hampshire, was arrested aboard a cruise ship last week when police accused him of stealing his Hertz rental car.
NewsNation’s Rich McHugh spoke with him from behind bars in a Florida jail.
“Here I am getting off a cruise ship and I’m handcuffed and arrested and thrown in jail,” Doucette said. “I have zero criminal records. I’ve never been arrested. It’s just absolutely absurd.”
Doucette told NewsNation he rented a car for business in 2020 and extended the rental several times. But last March, Arizona police stopped him and told him Hertz filed a police report saying the car had been stolen.
Hertz charged his credit card nearly $4,000 for the full rental. But Doucette says Arizona prosecutors still brought it to a grand jury where they indicted him and issued a warrant for his arrest.
“It’s something that is ruining my life in my business every single day that I’m here. There are not words to express how much I miss my home, my dog, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” Doucette said to McHugh, voice cracking with emotion. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m innocent, and I’m being treated as guilty until proven innocent. This is my worst nightmare that I’m living in. I’m going to have nothing when I get out of here. Everything I worked so hard for isn’t just going to be thrown away.”
Doucette can’t even post bail to leave the Florida jail because of the rules between states.
Francis Alexander Malfi is Doucette’s attorney, and McHugh asked him, “Your client was taken off a cruise ship arrested, he’s in jail, Why can he not post bail? Why can’t he get out?”
“If you are picked up in another state on a warrant for your arrest, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. It doesn’t matter if you can afford bail. You have to be extradited,” Doucette’s lawyer Francis Alexander Malofiy said. “This warrant should have never been issued. He would have never been thrown into the criminal justice system if Hertz’s systems were accurate and information that they had was actually true and correct.”
Hertz would not comment on Doucette’s case, but NewsNation found others, like Julius Burnside who has filed lawsuits against Hertz, saying they were falsely arrested, even jailed after Hertz said the cars they rented legitimately were stolen.
“I felt it was a joke..like you you’re telling me I got a warrant for my arrest for something I paid for. That’s not possible,” Burnside told NewsNation last year.
According to the lawsuit, Burnside was released but then missed a court date, which resulted in his re-arrest and detention.
“Several months later, I was forced to sign a plea deal to get out of jail,” Burnside said.
Eventually, a Georgia court ruled that Burnside had in fact paid for his rental and dismissed the case entirely.
“Everything was dismissed, overturned. I cry. I cry now,” Burnside said.
Hertz declined our request for an on-camera interview and would not comment on these cases.
“These cases involve renters who were many weeks or even months overdue returning vehicles and only reports to authorities after exhaustive attempts to reach the customer,” Hertz said in a statement to NewsNation.
Malofiy said the statement was lip service.
“It’s not one case. It’s not two cases. It’s hundreds,” Malofiy said.
“Here I am sitting in jail with my entire life being ruined,” Doucette said. “Anybody who has rented from Hertz or anybody who does rent from Hertz it’s without even knowing could be in the same situation as I am someday and that’s horrifying. That’s completely unacceptable.” | https://www.krqe.com/news/weird/hertz-car-customers-arrested-for-stolen-vehicles/ | 2022-02-18T18:07:21 | en | 0.979869 |
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We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media. See details. | https://www.tayyar.org/News/Lebanon/461397/%D8%A5%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%B9%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B7- | 2022-02-18T18:07:35 | en | 0.94178 |
A visiting judge has been appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court to preside over the felony criminal case against county Auditor Roger Reynolds.
All seven Butler County Common Pleas judges in the general division recused themselves from the case, and an arraignment before Judge Jennifer McElfresh set for Thursday was vacated. A new arraignment date has not yet been set.
Retired Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Daniel T. Hogan was appointed as filed today with the county clerk of office.
On Feb. 9, a Butler County grand jury returned five indictments against 52-year-old Reynolds for bribery, two counts of unlawful interest in a public contract and misdemeanor charges of unlawful use of authority and conflict of interest. The charges stem from allegations Reynolds has used his public office to further his own interests.
Bribery is a third-degree felony with a possible maximum sentence of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. The other two felonies are fourth-degree charges with penalties of six to nine months behind bars.
The charges relate to Reynolds allegedly using his position to facilitate the sale of his father’s property in West Chester Twp.
Reynolds’ attorney Chad Ziepfel, for the criminal case, has denied any wrongdoing on his client’s behalf.
“Mr. Reynolds denies these allegations and will contest the suspension. We again ask the public to keep an open mind about this matter until the real facts come out at trial,” Ziepfel said Tuesday morning.
Reynolds was appointed auditor in 2008 and elected to his first full term in 2010.
The criminal case is being litigated by a special prosecutor from the attorney general’s office and the charges came after a months-long investigation by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
On Monday, Attorney General Dave Yost filed documents with the Ohio Supreme Court asking for suspension proceedings to begin against Reynolds.
Included in the documents is an outline of charges from the sheriff’s office investigation and the specifics of the charges that prosecutors say meet the elements of the alleged crime.
It says developers have written notes and a recording of a phone call where Reynolds allegedly asked for a $200,000 “cash payment” to serve as a “consultant and use his political influence to get a TIF, tax increment financing, assigned to an area of Hamilton Mason Road in Butler County to assist in the development of properties along the road.”
The AG’s office says that meets the elements of the crime of bribery.
Also in the AG request, prosecutors say while serving as auditor, Reynolds made direct contact with public officials from Liberty Twp., West Chester Twp. and Butler County to influence their decision in approving Tax Increment Financing while he was pursuing avenues to develop his father’s land.
“The proposed TIF-financed improvements to Hamilton-Mason Road were needed to pursue lucrative development of Roger Reynold’s property,” the document states. It alleges Reynolds used his influence as auditor in an attempt to secure the authorization of a public contract.
This, according to the AG’s document meets the elements of the crime of unlawful influence in a public contract.
About the Author | https://www.journal-news.com/crime/judge-appointed-to-hear-butler-county-auditors-criminal-case/BQNDCSPEARDW5E33AFP5JMXZHE/ | 2022-02-18T18:08:36 | en | 0.969548 |
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recalled Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powdered baby formulas after at least four reports of infant-related illnesses.
There have been three reports of Cronobacter sakazakii infections, including one case that may have contributed to a death, according to the FDA. There was also one report of a Salmonella Newport infection. All four infections reportedly required hospitalization.
The recalled formulas were produced in Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan, facility. The FDA is recommending people not use Similac, Alimentum or EleCare powdered baby formulas if:
- The first two digits of the code are 22 through 37, and
- The code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2, and
- The expiration date is April 1, 2022 or later.
The code is printed on the formula’s packaging near the expiration date.
Products that do not contain the information above are not impacted by the recall. The recall does not include liquid formula products or any metabolic deficiency nutrition formulas, according to the FDA.
Cronobacter bacteria can cause severe, life-threatening infections or meningitis, according to the FDA. Symptoms include poor feeding, irritability, temperature changes, jaundice, grunting breaths and abnormal movements. A Cronobacter infection can also result in bowel damage and spread through the blood to other parts of the body, according to the FDA. If your child is showing any symptoms, contact their health care provider and seek medical attention immediately.
An investigation is ongoing. Onsite inspections of the Michigan facility included multiple Cronobacter results from environmental samples, the FDA reported. A review of internal records also indicated environmental contamination with Cronobacter and products being destroyed due to the bacteria’s presence.
About the Author | https://www.journal-news.com/local/fda-recalls-powdered-baby-formula-over-bacteria-complaints/J2XGLQ35FRD7RPBE4CR663WINQ/ | 2022-02-18T18:08:42 | en | 0.937851 |
PROVO, Utah — BYU announced Friday that it will no longer require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for people to attend indoor public events on campus.
READ: Cox says Utah will transition to COVID-19 'steady state'
The school originally instituted the policy on Jan. 10 as the omicron surge began to take hold in Utah.
Masks will still be required in BYU classrooms and any indoor space where physical distancing cannot be maintained, regardless of vaccination status.
Despite Friday's announcement, the school said it would honor contractual agreements with guest artists or performing groups that require a proof of vaccination as a condition of their performance. | https://www.fox13now.com/news/coronavirus/local-coronavirus-news/byu-lifts-proof-of-vaccination-negative-testing-requirements | 2022-02-18T18:08:46 | en | 0.951593 |
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The landslides that devastated Petropolis this week demolished houses and ripped families apart, scarred hillsides and hearts, left at least 120 dead and nearly as many missing.
And it was all largely predictable -- and to some degree, preventable.
Rapid urbanization, poor planning, lack of financing for subsidized housing -- all of these things have afflicted this mountain city in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state. Little has been done in response to repeated warnings about the risks of mountainside construction, researchers as well as current and former public servants told The Associated Press.
And with evidence indicating that climate change is causing more intense rainfall, peril has only increased — not just for Petropolis, but elsewhere as well.
More than 1,500 people have died in similar landslides in recent decades in that portion of the Serra do Mar range. There have been more than 400 deaths from heavy storms in Petropolis alone since 1981.
Antônio Guerra, a geography professor in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, has studied weather-related catastrophes in Petropolis for almost 30 years. He has visited dozens of sites where houses and lives were swallowed by torrents of mud, and investigated the root causes.
“Rain is the great villain, but the main cause is poor land use. There’s a total lack of planning,” Guerra said in a phone interview.
Petropolis’s haphazard sprawl is recent. Nestled in the mountains some 40 miles from Rio de Janeiro and named for a former Brazilian emperor, Petropolis was among the nation’s first planned cities.
Earlier settlers built stately homes along its waterways. But in recent decades the city’s prosperity has drawn newcomers from poorer regions and the population grew to about 300,000. Mountainsides are now covered with small homes packed tightly together, constructed by people who aren’t fully aware of the dangers. Many have built without proper permissions because they can’t afford to do so elsewhere.
Many high-risk areas are even more vulnerable due to deforestation or inadequate drainage, Guerra said. As time goes by, people forget disasters and return to devastated areas, building houses on unsafe ground.
For nearly two decades, Yara Valverde led the local office of the federal environmental regulator. In 2001, she started the city’s first hydrogeological risk alert system, installing plastic bottles in communities to collect rainfall. When they reached a certain level, sirens blasted.
There was no public money allotted for the program, so she enlisted volunteers.
Between 2007 and 2010, Guerra and a team of civil engineers and geologists mapped risky areas in Petropolis and sent their findings to the city. The next January, heavy rain set off landslides that claimed nearly 1,000 lives, 71 of them in Petropolis. It was considered Brazil’s worst-ever natural disaster.
The city has recognized the problem. In 2017, authorities noted that 18% of the city -- including about 20,000 households -- was at high or very high risk. Yet another 7,000 would also need to be relocated, according to a plan devised by the city which called for construction of affordable housing units and a halt to new construction in at-risk areas.
Guerra, Valverde, non-governmental organizations and residents say little has been done to execute that vision.
There is little available space in Petropolis for new, safe construction, and removing residents from existing homes is unpopular politically -- there’s often nowhere to relocate residents near their original homes. Even before the pandemic slammed the local economy, Rio state was struggling to recover from a crushing, three-year recession.
But the Brazilian daily Folha de S. Paulo, citing official data, reported that Rio’s state government spent less than half of the money earmarked for its disaster prevention and response program.
Rio state’s construction and infrastructure secretariat said in an email to the AP that inspections of at–risk areas, housing policy and relocations are the city’s responsibility.
The city did not reply to repeated requests for information on how many families had been relocated since 2017 and what other measures had been undertaken to carry out the plan.
President Jair Bolsonaro tried to deflect the blame, saying the budget for preventive measures is limited. "A lot of times, we have no way to guard against everything that might happen,” he said Friday from Petropolis, responding to widespread outrage.
Heavy rains are typical in the region, especially during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, between December and March. But with climate change, the rains appear to be getting heavier, experts say.
Southeastern Brazil has been punished with heavy rains since the start of the year. More than 40 deaths were recorded between mudslides in Minas Gerais state in early January and Sao Paulo state later the same month. That followed months of drought — Brazil’s worst in nine decades — that saw hydroelectric reservoirs in the southeast fall to levels that raised concern about possible power rationing.
“They are all weather extremes, happening very close to one another. Climate change also acts to increase the frequency of events, and we are clearly observing this,” said Marcelo Seluchi, a coordinator at the government’s National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters. “It’s not about looking at a particular event, but the total.”
On the eve of the latest landslide, Seluchi’s center sent out a “very high” risk alert for Petropolis, warning of rains with “a potential to cause a great impact on the population.” The agency recommended authorities consider evacuation of at-risk areas.
The following day, 259 millimeters (10 inches) of rain poured down in just three hours — by far the most since 1932, according to the center.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Rio Gov. Claudio Castro insisted the deluge was “totally unpredictable.” He didn’t comment on whether the destruction and loss of life could have been avoided.
Eighteen of Petropolis’ 20 risk alert sirens sounded before Tuesday’s fatal landslides, warning resident of a looming danger, but the AP could find no evidence that the officials called for evacuations.
Some residents told the AP they had received text messages from authorities, warning them about the coming storm. Others said they had received no notice at all. And with most of the city’s sirens concentrated in the center of town, several districts were excluded.
The city didn’t respond to multiple requests from the AP for comment.
Fernando Araújo, 46, said the government has ignored his neighborhood of Vila Felipe for as long as he can remember.
“As a resident living here for 46 years, I’m sure that as soon the sun comes out and the weather stabilizes they won’t come here anymore and give attention to us. The people, on their own, will clean things up, rebuild, and sometime in the future this will happen again.”
Valverde, the former environmental regulator who set up the risk alert system, said many cities in the region lack the political will to face up to the problem.
“They say they care, but when the time comes to make decisions, to remove houses in risk zones, to prevent new construction ... they end up giving in,” she said.
“They have to be held accountable. If not, this will happen again and again.”
___
AP journalist Diarlei Rodrigues contributed to this report from Petropolis, and Débora Alvares from Brasilia.
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Credit: Silvia Izquierdo | https://www.journal-news.com/nation-world/brazils-deadly-mudslides-reflect-neglect-climate-change/FQM4TTJSLBGFRMQFNWO6AVLJVU/ | 2022-02-18T18:08:48 | en | 0.959925 |
LISBON, Portugal — A burning car transport ship is drifting near the mid-Atlantic Azores Islands after the huge vessel’s 22 crew members were evacuated due to the blaze.
The Portuguese navy says ships in the area have been warned that the 650-foot-long Felicity Ace is adrift. The ship can carry more than 17,000 metric tons of cargo.
The vehicle transporter was on a transatlantic voyage from Germany to the United States. It was scheduled to arrive in Davisville, R.I., on Wednesday, according to NPR.
Typically, car transport ships carry thousands of vehicles on multiple decks in their hold. The Drive estimates that the Felicity Ace is carrying nearly 4,000 cars, including 1,100 Porsches and nearly 200 Bentleys.
A navy statement said the fire was still burning Thursday, with large clouds of white smoke billowing out. | https://www.fox13now.com/news/world/fire-forces-crew-to-abandon-cargo-ship-carrying-hundreds-of-luxury-cars | 2022-02-18T18:08:52 | en | 0.971025 |
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A new bill in California would allow private citizens go after gun makers in the same way Texas lets them target abortion providers.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday backed legislation that would let private citizens enforce the state's ban on assault weapons. It's modeled after a Texas law that lets private citizens enforce that state's ban on abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
“If Texas can use a law to ban a woman’s right to chose and to put her health at risk, we will use that same law to save lives and improve the health and safety of the people in the state of California,” Newsom said at a news conference Friday.
Texas and other conservative-led states have tried for years to ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected, at around six weeks of pregnancy, which is sometimes before the person knows they are pregnant. But the states' attempts have been blocked by the courts.
But Texas’ new abortion law is unique in that it bars the government from enforcing the law. The idea is if the government can’t enforce the law, it can’t be sued to block it in court. That hasn’t stopped abortion providers from trying to block the law. But so far, the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority has allowed the abortion law to stay in place pending a legal challenge.
That decision incensed Newsom and his Democratic allies in the state Legislature. California has banned the manufacture and sale of assault weapons for decades. But last year, a federal judge overturned that ban. The law is still in place while the state appeals the decision.
But the decision inspired Newsom and Democrats in the state Legislature to copy Texas’ abortion law, but make it apply to gun makers instead of abortion providers.
“Our message to the United States Supreme Court is as follows: What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” said Democratic state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, the author of the proposal. “I look forward to rushing a new bill to the governor’s desk to take advantage of that United States Supreme Court guidance.”
The proposal fulfills fears from some gun rights groups, who have opposed the Texas abortion law because they worried liberal states like California would use the same principle to on guns.
“If Texas succeeds in its gambit here, New York, California, New Jersey, and others will not be far behind in adopting equally aggressive gambits to not merely chill but to freeze the right to keep and bear arms,” attorney Erik Jaffe wrote in a legal brief on behalf of the Firearms Policy Coalition, a nonprofit group that advocates for gun rights.
Credit: Chris Carlson
Credit: Chris Carlson | https://www.journal-news.com/nation-world/california-bill-would-allow-citizens-to-enforce-weapons-ban/SZIPGIMFGNC53ICTYTOI27MNOI/ | 2022-02-18T18:08:55 | en | 0.945882 |
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We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media. See details. | https://www.tayyar.org/PhotosAndVideos/461419 | 2022-02-18T18:08:59 | en | 0.94178 |
BEIJING (AP) — Eileen Gu turned the Beijing Olympics into her own personal playground.
In the city. In the mountains. Spinning, flipping and flying above three different venues.
The American-born Gu came into the Games hoping to win three gold medals in freestyle skiing while representing China, where her mother was born. She didn't, but she did come away with two golds and one silver, making her the first action-sports athlete to win three medals at the same Olympics.
The 18-year-old Gu capped her global coming-out party Friday by winning the gold medal in women’s halfpipe. She had such a big lead after two runs that she was able to take a carefree final run down the halfpipe.
“I was very emotional at the top and I chose to do a victory lap,” Gu said. “Because I felt like, for the first time, I like really deserved it and I really earned it.”
She won the gold medal in the Olympic debut of women's freeski big air in front of an old steel mill in the city. She took the silver in slopestyle on the Secret Garden course, where elements were carved out of snow to resemble portions of the Great Wall. Finally, she dominated in the halfpipe.
Well known in China before these Games, she's now a household name back in the United States and around the world. Part of that had to do with the criticism she received for competing for China rather than the United States.
But a lot of it was due to her skill, confidence and personality.
If there’s a face of joy at the Beijing Games, it’s Gu and her ever-present smile. It was a remarkable contrast to the tears of Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva after her shocking litany of mistakes left the heavily favored teenager off the podium in women’s figure skating, and the disappointment and self-doubt of U.S. skiing superstar Mikaela Shiffrin after she failed to medal in any of the five individual races she entered.
Gu is also a model and her face is on advertisements all over Beijing. She’s been photographed for Vogue, Victoria’s Secret, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and more. Born in San Francisco, she will enroll at Stanford in the fall.
On Friday, she remained undefeated in the halfpipe with exceptional performances on her first two runs. She scored 93.25 on her first run and 95.25 on her second run.
“She has basically set a level that’s pretty unattainable for a lot of us,” said American Carly Margulies, who finished 11th.
She also has three stuffed Bing Dwen Dwen mascots that are given to all medalists. The mascots are so popular that people stand in line for hours in the city trying to buy one. Gu got into the spirit of the Beijing Games by wearing a furry panda hat on the podium.
MEN’S SKICROSS
Ryan Regez led a 1-2 finish by Switzerland in the Olympic skicross final at Genting Snow Park, taking the lead early and never giving it up. He raised his arms in triumph after finishing the course filled with jumps, bumps and rolling terrain. Teammate Alex Fiva finished with the silver medal and Russian athlete Sergey Ridzik grabbed the bronze.
SPEEDSKATING
Thomas Krol won gold in the 1,000 meters, giving the Netherlands its third straight Olympic speedskating title in the event. The Netherlands earned its fifth gold medal in 12 events in Beijing with one day of competition remaining. Laurent Dubreuil of Canada took silver and Haavard Lorentzen, the 2018 silver medalist, earned bronze.
BIATHLON
Johannes Thingnes Boe of Norway dominated throughout and stayed composed during the four shooting stages to win the gold medal in the men's mass start race.
Justine Braisaz-Bouchet of France used strong shooting and great skiing to win the women’s mass start race.
CURLING
Brad Gushue is returning to Canada with a bronze medal in men's curling and John Shuster is going home to the United States empty-handed. Gushue won the gold medal 16 years ago in Turin and Shuster won it four years ago, helping to popularize curling in the United States.
The Canadians capitalized on a missed final shot by Shuster in the second-to-last end that turned a one-point edge into an insurmountable 8-5 lead.
Sweden and Britain will play for gold Saturday.
MEN’S HOCKEY
The Russians and Finland will meet in the gold medal game Sunday. The defending champion Russians beat Sweden 2-1 in a shootout, and Finland defeated surprise semifinalist Slovakia 2-0.
Ivan Fedotov made 34 saves in regulation and overtime against Sweden and six more in the eight-round shootout, and Anton Slepyshev scored in regulation. Former NHL forwards Nikita Gusev and Yegor Yakovlev and New Jersey Devils prospect Arseni Grisyuk scored in the shootout.
Tournament MVP candidate Sakari Manninen scored his fourth goal of the Olympics for Finland, and former Florida Panthers goaltender Harri Sateri made 28 saves for the shutout of Slovakia. The Finns are looking for their first Olympic gold medal.
Slovakia will play Sweden for the bronze. It is going for its first hockey medal of any kind since the breakup of Czechoslovakia.
___
More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/winter-olympics and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Credit: Gregory Bull
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Credit: Brynn Anderson | https://www.journal-news.com/nation-world/gus-global-coming-out-party-ends-with-3rd-olympic-medal/PYXQMT7V7JD7HHNRJZRRVFTEAE/ | 2022-02-18T18:09:01 | en | 0.966141 |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A Maryland woman pleaded guilty Friday to her role in a plot with her husband to sell submarine secrets to a foreign country.
Diana Toebbe entered the plea in federal court in Martinsburg to one count of conspiracy to communicate restricted data. Prosecutors said they would seek a prison term of up to three years at sentencing.
Her husband, Jonathan, a Navy nuclear engineer, pleaded guilty Monday to passing information about American nuclear-powered warships to someone he thought was a representative of a foreign government but who was actually an undercover FBI agent.
Diana Toebbe was charged with acting as a lookout at several prearranged “dead-drop” locations at which memory cards containing the secret information were left behind. At the time of her arrest, Diana Toebbe was teaching at a private school in Maryland.
In pleading guilty to the same charge as his wife, Jonathan Toebbe, 43, faces a potential punishment between roughly 12 and 17 years in prison, a sentencing range agreed to be lawyers.
Prosecutors said he abused his access to top-secret government information and repeatedly sold details about the design elements and performance characteristics of Virginia-class submarines.
Jonathan Toebbe acknowledged during his plea hearing that he conspired with his wife to pass classified information to a foreign government in exchange for money with the intent to “injure the United States.”
The memory cards were devices concealed in objects such as a chewing gum wrapper and a peanut butter sandwich. The Annapolis, Maryland, couple was arrested on Oct. 9 after he placed a memory card at a dead drop location in Jefferson County, West Virginia.
The FBI has said the scheme began in April 2020, when Jonathan Toebbe sent a package of Navy documents to a foreign government and wrote that he was interested in selling to that country operations manuals, performance reports and other sensitive information. He included in the package, which had a Pittsburgh return address, instructions to his supposed contact for how to establish a covert relationship with him, prosecutors said.
That package was obtained by the FBI last December through its legal attaché office in the unspecified foreign country. That set off a monthslong undercover operation in which an agent posing as a representative of a foreign country made contact with Toebbe, ultimately paying $100,000 in cryptocurrency in exchange for the information Toebbe was offering.
The country to which Jonathan Toebbe was looking to sell the information has not been identified in court documents and was not disclosed in court during his wife's plea hearing Friday.
Jonathan Toebbe, who held a top-secret security clearance through the Defense Department, agreed as part of the plea deal to help federal officials with locating and retrieving all classified information in his possession, as well as the roughly $100,000 in cryptocurrency paid to him by the FBI.
FBI agents who searched the couple’s home found a trash bag of shredded documents, thousands of dollars in cash, valid children’s passports and a “go-bag” containing a USB flash drive and latex gloves, according to court testimony last year. | https://www.journal-news.com/nation-world/maryland-woman-pleads-guilty-in-submarine-spy-case/DQKDGJYLMNGOZKZ4PV3WQV4Q6M/ | 2022-02-18T18:09:07 | en | 0.982507 |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Put me in, Coach!
Ty Gibbs is stepping into arguably the top ride in NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series. The grandson of Pro Football and NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs – who’s affectionally called Coach – will race full time for his grandfather’s team in the No. 54 Toyota this season.
That car won 10 times in 2021, with Gibbs behind the wheel for four of them. Kyle Busch (five) and Christopher Bell (one) also drove it to victory lane. Gibbs earned rookie of the year honors and was rewarded with a full-time ride with the family business. He also won the ARCA Series title.
The 19-year-old driver’s promotion leaves him one step away from the top-tier Cup Series, and that jump could happen after another successful season. The Xfinity opener is Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.
Gibbs’ Cup team features former series champions Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr., as well as three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Busch, 36, recently lost his primary sponsor, M&Ms, and is entering the final year of his contract with Gibbs. Truex, 41, also is beginning the final year of his deal. And the 41-year-old Hamlin started his own team, 23XI Racing, with NBA great Michael Jordan last year and could eventually land there as a driver/owner.
Gibbs is one of many story lines worth watching this season.
Defending series champion Daniel Hemric left JGR and moved to Kaulig Racing, which also fields cars for AJ Allmendinger. Two other championship drivers from 2021 jumped to the Cup Series, Austin Cindric at Team Penske and Harrison Burton at Wood Brothers Racing.
Jesse Iwuji, a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve, will become the second fulltime Black driver this season with plans to run in the Xfinity Series. Iwuji co-owns his team alongside Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith, who entered NASCAR a year after Jordan and entertainer Pitbull joined the ownership ranks.
Natalie Decker is the only woman entered in the Xfinity opener. Decker is scheduled to drive a partial schedule for Reaume Brothers Racing. The Wisconsin native made five Xfinity starts in 2021, with her best finish being a 24th-place showing at Talladega Superspeedway.
Decker is one of seven women announced in Busch Light’s Accelerate Her Program, a three-year, $10 million commitment that takes aim at the inequity of resources available to female drivers who are 21 or older. The goal is to provide more funding, track time, media exposure and training to female drivers.
“We’ve been lucky to witness some of the greatest women drivers in history, but it can’t be argued that the NASCAR Cups Series field is dominated by male drivers,” said Krystyn Stowe, a brand director at Anheuser-Busch. “Through our sponsorship rights and our platform, we’re seizing the opportunity to make historic progress toward gender inclusivity and while the immediate program goals may start here, we hope the sentiment will carry far beyond that, encouraging the broadest level of inclusivity across all sports.”
The other inaugural sponsorship recipients are Truck Series drivers Toni Breidinger and Jennifer Jo Cobb, Amber Balcaen, Brittney Zamora, Stephanie Moyer and Melissa Fifield.
___
More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Credit: Garry Eller
Credit: Garry Eller | https://www.journal-news.com/nation-world/put-me-in-coach-gibbs-gets-top-ride-on-grandfathers-team/OTRDQ3SSHJC4FA2CCKBWLQOTKY/ | 2022-02-18T18:09:14 | en | 0.956329 |
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