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Africa to Putin: End the war!

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

African leaders issued a direct appeal on Friday to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war against Ukraine. “This war must end. And it can only end on the basis of justice and reason,” Moussa Faki Mahamat — foreign minister of Chad and current African Union Commission chairman — told Putin on the second day of a Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso said an African peace plan “deserves the closest attention, it mustn’t be underestimated … We once again urgently call for the restoration of peace in Europe.” Senegal’s President Macky Sall also called for “a de-escalation to help create calm,” while South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he hoped that “constructive engagement and negotiation” could end the conflict.In response to the forceful African demands, Putin said: “We respect your initiatives and we are examining them carefully.”In mid-June, Rama...

UK green groups warn Sunak over climate backsliding

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

More than 50 U.K. environmental groups have written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressing “deep alarm” at the government’s “watering down” of climate and nature goals.In their letter, the organizations, who between them claim 20 million supporters, called on Sunak to issue “public reassurances” about the government’s direction on environmental policies. Signatories include the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the National Trust, the Green Alliance and WWF UK.Sunak’s government has come under fire from campaigners in recent weeks who have questioned his commitment to the climate agenda.The campaign groups list the government’s support for continued oil and gas exploration in the North Sea and accusations by a former minister that the U.K. will not meet a key international climate finance commitment. This week, Conservative MPs also questioned the U.K.’s flagship target of banning new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030, while the government watered down energy efficiency...

A gap remains between Bruins and Jeremy Swayman

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

As they inch toward Sunday’s scheduled arbitration hearing, the Bruins and restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman are $2.8 million apart on what they think the 24-year-old goalie is worth.In the pre-hearing filings, the B’s offered $2 million while Swayman’s camp came in at $4.8 million, according to Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman.Unlike baseball arbitration, which calls for the awarding of one number or the other, a middle ground can be found in NHL arbitration.That’s what happened in a comparable arbitration case last week with Toronto goalie Ilya Samsonov. The Maple Leafs had an offer of $2.4 million and Samsonov’s camp filed at $4.8 million. The arbitrator gave Samsonov a $3.55 million salary.In 37 appearances last season, Swayman had a 24-6-4 record with a .920 save percentage and 2.27 goals against average. Swayman’s career marks are 54-23-7, .920 and 2.24. Samsonov’s record last season was 27-10-5 with a .919 save percentage and 2.3...

Tyngsboro daycare case: Ex-NH state rep charged with exploitation of children pleads not guilty, goes into federal detention

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

The former New Hampshire lawmaker accused of working with an ex-romantic partner and daycare worker to trade child pornography has pleaded not guilty to the three charges of sexual exploitation of children and has entered federal custody.Stacie Marie Laughton, who identifies as a transgender woman, appeared in federal court in Boston Friday morning following an indictment the day before charging both Laughton and the former daycare worker, Lindsay Groves, with multiple counts related to child pornography.Like Groves at her arraignment and detention hearing earlier this month, Laughton wore an orange Hillsboro County Department of Corrections jumpsuit, as Laughton was being held in New Hampshire on related state charges. That changed Friday when Laughton entered federal custody.“Your honor, Ms. Laughton would like to consent to voluntary detention at this time,” defense attorney Jessica Hedges said.Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell agreed to the detention and a U.S. Marsh...

Emmys postponed by writer, actor strikes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

(The Hill) -- The Emmy Awards are reportedly getting pushed back and won’t air on Sep. 18 due to a pair of high-profile entertainment industry labor strikes.The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards was poised to air on Fox but has been postponed from its original mid-September airdate, according to multiple reports.The delay is due to strikes by both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America (WGA). SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ guild, began a strike for higher wages and better compensation for streaming productions, among other issues, earlier this month. The WGA has been on strike over similar demands since May. Tiffany and Co.’s new Beyoncé collection set to benefit HBCUs It’s the first time in more than two decades that the Emmys have been postponed, according to Variety, which was the first to report the awards show’s delay on Thursday. The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the United States invasion of Afghanistan two months later delayed the Emmys that year until November.A...

5 San Diego-area spas offering deals during National Wellness Month

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- In need of some rest and relaxation? National Wellness Month, which takes place in August, encourages prioritizing your self-care, managing stress and promoting healthy routines. This is the most affordable housing market among San Diego metro’s largest cities: report Here is a list of five spas offering deals for National Wellness Month where you can enjoy the coastal vibes while getting your mind and body right. SpaTerre at Kona Kai San DiegoSpaTerre (SpaTerre)Receive a $20 credit or join six-month membership program to gain exclusive perks for members and their loved ones at the Shelter Island spa.Spa Brezza at San Diego Mission Bay ResortSpa Brezza (Spa Brezza)Residents will be able to receive access to the pool, spa amenities and parking with the purchase of either a 50-minute Noble Massage, Gentle Prenatal Massage or Pure Results Facial for $135 from Wednesday - Friday and Sunday.Spa Estancia at Estancia La Jolla Hotel & SpaEsta...

Tri-City Medical Center to suspend women and newborn services by October 1

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – The Tri-City Healthcare District Board of Directors voted unanimously to suspend the Oceanside hospital’s women and newborn services.Even though the vote was unanimous, both board members and nurses were seen getting emotional after the decision.“We’ve worked at other NICUs and it’s not like this, so we are grieving this loss. It’s a loss,” said Christina Marks, a NICU nurse at Tri-City Medical Center.Nurses like Marks were saddened by the decision, but they’re also worried.“Just recently, we’ve had a couple of babies that were born in our emergency room or born outside and brought in right away to us. We’re really concerned about what’s going to happen to those babies if we hadn’t been here to interact immediately,” said Julie Anchustigui. She also called the potential delay in care “really scary.” This is the most affordable housing market among San Diego metro’s largest cities: report The next closest hospital, Palomar Medical Center, is more than 10 miles a...

Biden signs an executive order changing the military code of justice for sexual assault victims

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday giving decisions on the prosecution of serious military crimes, including sexual assault, to independent military attorneys, taking that power away from victims’ commanders.The order formally implements legislation passed by Congress in 2022 aimed at strengthening protections for service members, who were often at the mercy of their commanders to decide whether to take their assault claims seriously. Members of Congress, frustrated with the growing number of sexual assaults in the military, fought with defense leaders for several years over the issue. They argued that commanders at times were willing to ignore charges or incidents in their units to protect those accused of offenses and that using independent lawyers would beef up prosecutions. Military leaders balked, saying it could erode commanders’ authority.The change was among more than two dozen recommendations made in 2021 by an independent ...

How living in a mobile home makes you more likely to die in a tornado

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — Many were not just killed at home. They were killed by their homes.Angela Eason had visited Brenda Odoms’ tidy mobile home before. It was a place where Odoms, who had many tragedies in her life, felt safe.In March, a tornado ripped through this small Mississippi town and people in mobile or manufactured homes were hit the hardest. Inside a mobile morgue, Eason, the county coroner, examined Odoms’ gaping fatal head wound. Odoms was found just outside of her collapsed mobile home that was tossed around by a tornado. Blunt force trauma killed her.“The one place she felt safe she was not,” Eason said. Fourteen people died in that Rolling Fork tornado, nine of them, including Odoms, were in uprooted manufactured or mobile homes.Tornadoes in the United States are disproportionately killing more people in mobile or manufactured homes, especially in the South, often victimizing some of the most socially and economically vulnerable residents. Since 1996, tornadoes ...

Federal government posts $1.5B surplus for first two months of fiscal year

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:00 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government posted a budgetary surplus of $1.5 billion in April and May, the first two months of the 2023-24 fiscal year.In its monthly fiscal monitor, the Finance Department says the result compared to a surplus of $5.3 billion during the same period in the previous fiscal year.Revenues rose by $1.3 billion or 1.8 per cent due to higher interest and employment insurance premiums, on top of greater proceeds from personal income tax and a carbon pricing hike.Expenses rose $3.9 billion or 6.6 per cent as the government paid out more returns under the pollution pricing framework as well as higher elderly benefits and transfers to other levels of government — all partly offset by the wind-down of COVID-19 income supports.Higher interest rates have pushed up public debt charges by $1.3 billion or 22.8 per cent since the year before.Meanwhile, net actuarial losses decreased by $100 million or 4.7 per cent.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2...