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At least 9 people killed by a bomb in northeastern Congo as violence in the region escalates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

GOMA, Congo (AP) — At least nine people were killed and a dozen wounded when a bomb went off in a village in northeastern Congo, a local official said Thursday. The bomb exploded in the eastern territory of Rutshuru on Wednesday evening, according to Isaac Kibira, a deputy to the province’s governor. A local self-defense fighter — part of a militia to protect the community — was tinkering with an unidentified object on the ground when it detonated in the village center, instantly killing him and eight civilians nearby. It was not immediately known who planted the bomb, though officials said it was found in an area where armed rebels recently have made incursions. “Emergency first aid was provided by elements of the regional forces of the East African Community deployed in the area,” said Kibira. Local health officials said they admitted the wounded to a clinic for treatment.Fighting in eastern Congo has been simmering for decades as more than 120 groups fight for power, land a...

Manchester United picks Bruno Fernandes to be its new captain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes is the new captain of Manchester United.The Premier League club announced the appointment on Thursday.Fernandes has scored 64 goals with 54 assists in 185 games since joining United in 2020 from Sporting Lisbon. Harry Maguire tweeted Sunday that he was no longer captain of United following talks with manager Erik ten Hag. The central defender made just eight league starts last season, leading to ongoing speculation over his future at Old Trafford.In Maguire’s absence from the side last season, the 28-year-old Fernandes was most frequently appointed captain and had been widely expected to be given the permanent role. He featured in all but one of the team’s league fixtures as United finished third to return to the Champions League for the first time since 2021.The squad arrived in the United States on Thursday for a 12-day tour, though Ten Hag will be without midfielder Fred who has remained in England because of personal...

Asgreen holds on to win 18th stage of Tour. Vingegaard protects big lead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

BOURG-EN-BRESSE, France (AP) — Another Danish rider took the limelight at the Tour de France on Thursday as Kasper Asgreen joined an early breakaway and then held on to win the 18th stage in a sprint finish.His countryman Jonas Vingegaard took it easy this time, sitting comfortably in the main pack as he protected his huge overall lead. The defending champion leads two-time Tour winner Tadej Pogačar of Slovenia by 7 minutes, 35 seconds and Britain’s Adam Yates by 10:45 with Sunday’s finale in Paris getting closer. But this was Asgreen’s day and he spread his arms after beating Dutchman Pascal Eenkhoorn and Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen in their dash to the line. “Obviously the situation of our breakaway was not ideal. I would have preferred to break with seven or eight riders. It’s also one of the final stages of the Tour after really hard weeks,” Asgreen said. “I didn’t rule out the possibility of winning. My breakaway companions were just excellent out there. We all...

Republican and Democratic senators clash over proposed ethics rules for the Supreme Court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a congressionally imposed ethics code for the Supreme Court, an attempt to respond to recent revelations about justices’ interactions with wealthy donors and others. Republicans are strongly opposed, arguing the ethics bill could “destroy” the high court. The legislation, which the panel is debating on Thursday ahead of an expected vote, would set ethics rules for the court and a process to enforce them, including new standards for transparency around recusals, gifts and potential conflicts of interest. Democrats first pushed the legislation after reports earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in luxury vacations and a real estate deal with a top GOP donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court. Since then, news reports also revealed that Justice Samuel Alito had taken a luxury vacation with a GOP donor. And The Associated Press ...

Denver DA Beth McCann will not run for reelection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver District Attorney Beth McCann will not seek reelection in 2024, she announced on Thursday. Casa Bonita employees demand answers, start petition “It has been the honor and privilege of my life to head up the Denver District Attorney’s Office and the amazing team of committed dedicated employees for the past several years," McCann said in a statement. "This was the most difficult decision I have made about my career and future, and it came with a great deal of thought, weighing of options, and consideration for the future of the Denver District Attorney’s Office."McCann was elected in November 2016 and sworn in the following January. She was elected for a second term in 2020, which is set to end in January 2025.McCann addressed the media about the development in a Thursday morning news conference.Denver District Attorney Beth McCann (Credit: Denver District Attorney's Office)McCann was a four-term state House representative before she became DA. She said she h...

Hot August forecasted for most of US: Will Colorado be impacted?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – This summer of heat waves, "wet bulb" danger, and record temperatures isn't cooling down anytime soon – at least not for most states. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its weather predictions for August on Thursday, showing the vast majority of the U.S. painted in shades of orange and red. The darker the color, the more likely a place is to see above-average temperatures next month. Things look worst in the Pacific Northwest, where western Oregon and Washington have a 60-70% chance of an extra-hot August. El Niño officially arrives early: What it means for 2023 weather But almost no one is spared. The entire west, south and east parts of the country are favoring above-average heat next month, according to the forecast.August forecast: Where will it be hot?Only a handful of states have slight chances to see below-average temperatures this August: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and parts of other nearby states. Sta...

China's ambassador talks US relations at Aspen conference

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

China does not want a trade war with the United States but will retaliate against any further U.S. restrictions on technology and trade, the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. said.Ambassador Xie Feng criticized U.S. curbs on the sale of microchips and chipmaking equipment to China that were imposed last year by the Biden administration. Beijing has described the measure as part of an effort to “contain” China. Denver DA Beth McCann will not run for reelection “China does not shy away from competition, but the definition of competition by the U.S. side I think is not fair,” Xie said Wednesday at the Aspen Security Forum, a security and foreign policy conference in Aspen, Colorado. “The United States is trying to win by keeping China out,” he said, referring to measures to curb U.S. technology sales to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei over security concerns.“This is like restricting the other side to wear outdated swimwear in a swimming contest while you yourself (are) wearing a...

United Airlines says it made $1B in 2nd quarter, despite cancellations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

United Airlines said Wednesday it earned more than $1 billion in the second quarter despite canceling 3,800 flights in the last two weeks of June, when it struggled to recover from storms that crippled its key operation in the New York City area.United indicated that it sees no let-up in strong demand for tickets: It raised its forecast of third-quarter and full-year profit. 'We don't want a trade war': China’s ambassador visits Colorado conference The report underscores how airline revenue and profits are soaring as travel bounces back after the pandemic. Big carriers like United are benefitting especially from the strong recovery in international travel after the lifting of COVID-19-related restrictions. Last week, Delta reported record quarterly revenue and profit. From April through June, more than 2.4 million travelers per day on average went through U.S. airport security checkpoints, virtually identical with numbers from the same period of 2019 and a 10% jump from last year....

Florida Board of Education approves new Black history standards that critics call ‘a big step backward’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

(CNN) — The Florida Board of Education approved a new set of standards for how Black history should be taught in the state’s public schools, sparking criticism from education and civil rights advocates who said students should be allowed to learn the “full truth” of American history.The curriculum was approved at the board’s meeting Wednesday in Orlando.It is the latest development in the state’s ongoing debate over African American history, including the education department’s rejection of a preliminary pilot version of an Advanced Placement African American Studies course for high school students, which it claimed lacked educational value.The new standards come after the state passed new legislation under Gov. Ron DeSantis that bars instruction in schools that suggests anyone is privileged or oppressed based on their race or skin color. DeSantis has used his fight against “wokeness” to boost his national profile amid a national discussion of how racism and history should be taught...

UK handed Boris Johnson and Liz Truss aides nearly £3M in exit pay

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:10:41 GMT

LONDON — Political chaos is expensive.Top advisers to Boris Johnson and Liz Truss — whose governments both imploded in spectacular fashion in 2023 — cost taxpayers almost £3M in severance payments as they left office, transparency figures released Thursday evening by the British government show.An annual report on special advisers — temporary civil servants who add political and policy heft to a minister’s team — shows that £1 million-worth of exit payments were made to departing SpAds in the wake of Truss’ disastrous 49-day premiership.Meanwhile some £1.9 million in severance payments went to ex-SpAds when Johnson left the stage as prime minister.That compares to just £100,000 in severance payments to former special advisers handed out in the comparatively calm year of 2021-22.Separate disclosures from the U.K.’s finance ministry Thursday also put a hefty price-tag on Liz Truss ill-fated battle against the country’s economic “orthodoxy.”Tom Scholar — t...