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Palestinian Authority blocks registration of legal aid group

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Palestinian Authority has blocked the registration of a legal advocacy group representing critics and opponents detained in Palestinian prisons, the group said Friday, a move condemned as the authority’s latest effort to stifle civil society in the occupied West Bank. Without proper registration, the group, Lawyers for Justice, could lose access to its funds and be forced to close. The organization was told it had violated the law by engaging in non-profit work and accepting foreign aid despite being registered as a “civil corporation,” said director Mohannad Karaje. Palestinian security forces refused to renew the registration even though Lawyers for Justice has operated as a civil corporation without issue for years, he added.The New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch on Thursday described the authority’s bureaucratic explanation as a thinly veiled attack on a group that has represented torture victims and helped document the self-rule governme...

China vows not to sell arms to any party in Ukraine war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China won’t sell weapons to either side in the war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister said Friday, responding to Western concerns that Beijing could provide military assistance to Russia.China has maintained that it is neutral in the conflict, while backing Russia politically, rhetorically and economically at a time when Western nations have imposed punishing sanctions and sought to isolate Moscow for its invasion of its neighbor.Qin Gang is the highest-level Chinese official to make such an explicit statement about arms sales to Russia. He added that China would also regulate the export of items with dual civilian and military use.“Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude,” Qin said at a news conference alongside visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock. “China will not provide weapons to relevant parties of the conflict, and manage and control the exports of dual-use items in accordance with law...

Russia’s Pacific Fleet put on high alert for snap drills

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — The entire Russian Pacific Fleet was put on high alert on Friday for snap drills that will involve practice missile launches in a massive show of force amid the tensions with the West over the fighting in Ukraine.Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the goal of the war games was to test the capability of Russia’s armed forces to mount a response to aggression.Along with the missile launches, the drills will also involve nuclear-capable strategic bombers and other warplanes besides ones from the Pacific Fleet’s air arm, Shoigu said.The Russian military has concentrated the bulk of its forces on the front lines in Ukraine, but also continued conducting regular drills across Russia to train its forces and demonstrate their readiness.Shoigu said the scenario for Friday’s maneuvers envisages a response to an adversary’s attempt to make a landing on Sakhalin Island and the southern Kuril Islands.Japan asserts territorial rights to the Kuril Islands, wh...

Here’s why downpour in Florida just wouldn’t stop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

In some ways, it was the Florida Man of storms – not quite knowing when to say when.Usually, thunderstorms fizzle out after they run out of rain or get cold air sucked in. They run out of gas. But not Wednesday, when the storm that hit Fort Lauderdale had a gas station nearby — the warm and moisture-rich Gulf Stream.The end result was more than 25 inches of rain drenching and flooding Fort Lauderdale in six to eight hours. That ranked among the top three in major U.S. cities over a 24-hour period, behind Hilo, Hawaii’s, 27 inches in 2000 and Port Arthur, Texas’s 26.5 inches in 2017, according to weather historian Chris Burt.While it could happen in other places in coastal America, Florida has the right topography, plenty of warm water nearby and other favorable conditions, said Greg Carbin, forecast branch chief at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center. Just two days before the downpour, Weather Prediction Center forecaster...

Triplets among Lansingburgh's top 10 of 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Foster triplets are taking three of the top 10 spots at their high school graduation. Two of them—Jonah and Lucas, respectively—were named this year's Valedictorian and Salutatorian of Lansingburgh High School, while their brother, Ryan, came in eighth. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "I was pleasantly surprised to see all three of the boys make the top 10," said Michelle Foster, the boys' mom. "They worked so hard throughout their four years at Lansingburgh High School, and they persevered despite major disruptions from COVID and remote learning. I could not be prouder of them and their achievements." The annual ranking order is based on student academic performance throughout high school. In a press release announcing the rankings, the district congratulated the top 10 and wished them well after graduation. Preserve Kenwood plans for a new future Lansingburgh High School Class of 2023 top 10 ...

Ballston Spa man admits to beating 1-year-old

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Ballston Spa man accused of beating a one-year-old child in August 2022 has pleaded guilty, according to the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office. As part of an apparent plea deal, William R. Burden, 31, admitted to one felony charge of attempted assault in the second degree. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Burden was arrested on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, after prosecutors say he hit the child and strangled them. According to court records, Burden knew the child personally—but it is unclear whether the two were related. The assaults took place at an address in the Town of Ballston. Burden was originally charged with felony counts of assault and strangulation. Amsterdam PD arrest two individuals connected to death of 19-month-old The guilty plea was handed down Thursday. Burden is expected to be sentenced on June 15, at 1:30 p.m.

Protesters shout down Macron on visit to the Netherlands

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

President Emmanuel Macron was accompanied to the Netherlands by anger against an unpopular pension reform. Protesters disrupted a speech he was about to give on Tuesday (11 April), at the beginning of a two-day-long state visit."I believe we have lost something. Where is French democracy?" One man shouted out at the Nexus Institute's start. Others protestors in the crowd targeted climate change and pension law, while another displayed a banner reading: "President Of Violence and Hypocrisy".Macron was scheduled to deliver a speech about European sovereignty. However, he has been subject to weeks of tension protests back home against the pension law. This will delay the retirement age for French workers.Macron fought for several minutes against those shouting to try and make his voice heard.The president replied: "I can answer that question, if I have some time."He said: "You vote and elect people... The counterpart is that you must respect the institutions voted for by the people."Ma...

High cigarette prices are boosting black market purchases by French smokers ill-informed about safer alternatives.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

A survey of 1,000 adults in France and has revealed that French citizens recognise the illicit tobacco trade as a threat to their security, safety and public health, even if they are not aware of its true size and of the real cost to state revenue. The findings were presented earlier this month in Paris by William Stewart, president of the global research firm Povaddo, writes Political Editor Nick Powell.In recent years, the price of a packet of cigarettes in France has risen dramatically, to more than €10, due to tobacco tax increases. At the same time, there has been a worrying increase in smokers turning to illicit cigarettes, now estimated at 29% of total consumption in France.The Povaddo survey covered 1,000 adults in each of 13 EU countries but the presentation focused on the results for France, which has by far the largest illicit cigarette trade in Europe, accounting for more than 15 billion cigarettes every year. The long term decline in the number of French smokers appears...

GroveToken’s John on the Future of Bitcoin, Blockchain, and the Metaverse

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

What do you think about the future of Bitcoin and the whole crypto industry?This is the most difficult question right now. Well, I see Bitcoin as one of the most traded coins, and the whole cryptocurrency space has a promising future. I believe the future of cryptocurrencies is in tokens or coins as utilities and decentralized applications (dApps). I do believe Bitcoin will remain significant, but I’m not very sure about its price perspective because people are getting smarter and want to invest in something that will yield returns.Tell me more about the use case of your company.Well, we have a token, which is now a coin, called Grove Coin or Grove Stocks. A year ago, we were up 2,400% year-to-date. Imagine, in such a volatile market and uncharted waters, we managed to stay up and remain strong. Grove has a unique concept: it combines virtual currency with real business investment, making it one of a kind in the world.What we do is take the net profit from our businesses and reinves...

Word Game: April 14, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:23:25 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — SCATHED (SCATHED: SKATHE-‘d: Scorched; seared.)Average mark 28 wordsTime limit 45 minutesCan you find 39 or more words in SCATHED? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — PRESTO pert peso pest pesto poet pore port pose poser post poster prose prost rest rope rose rote epos sept sore sort spore sport spot step stop store strep strop tope toper tore tropeTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].