Today: September 24, 2024
Today: September 24, 2024

World

World

Poland's conservative ruling party leader Kaczynski is joining the government as the deputy premier

Poland’s powerful conservative ruling party leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is reentering the government on Wednesday as the only deputy prime minister in the Cabinet, a move that gives him an enhanced position as the country heads toward a general election this fall. Kaczynski is the head of Law and Justice, the party that has governed Poland since 2015. It is widely believed in Poland that he decides most of the government’s policies and appointments, guiding the country in his position as party leader. He has previously served as deputy prime minister with a focus on security issues.

June 21, 2023
Poland's conservative ruling party leader Kaczynski is joining the government as the deputy premier
World

NCAA panel imposes a 3-game suspension for Memphis' Penny Hardaway for recruiting violations

An NCAA infractions panel handed a three-game suspension to Memphis coach Penny Hardaway on Wednesday for recruiting violations tied to two in-home visits with a prospect two years ago. The penalty follows a negotiated resolution in December that allowed the school to resolve the case and begin probation while one individual challenged the level of charges from the allegations. That turned out to be Hardaway, the former Memphis and NBA star who was charged under rules governing head-coach responsibility for conduct within their programs. An assistant coach first visited the prospect from Dallas in September 2021 at his home, followed

June 21, 2023
NCAA panel imposes a 3-game suspension for Memphis' Penny Hardaway for recruiting violations
World

Windrush scandal rumbles on 5 years after UK government's apology

When Thomas Tobierre’s wife, Caroline, died in 2021, he didn’t know how he was going to pay for her funeral. That’s because he had drained his savings while caught up in a U.K. immigration crackdown that improperly targeted legal residents largely from the Caribbean and other parts of the former British Empire. While a government compensation program eventually covered the cost of his wife’s funeral, Tobierre is still fighting for reimbursement of the 14,000-pound pension ($17,891) he cashed in to make ends meet when no one would hire him because of his disputed right to work. He

June 21, 2023
Windrush scandal rumbles on 5 years after UK government's apology
World

Bruce Brown opts out of his contract with the NBA-champion Nuggets, AP source says

Bruce Brown is set to become a free agent after declining his $6.8 million player option with the NBA-champion Denver Nuggets, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the move hasn’t been announced. The NBA free agency period opens next week. Brown signed with Denver last summer and became an integral piece off the bench for the Nuggets. He can play either guard position or small forward and averaged 12 points and four rebounds in a postseason that culminated with Denver knocking

June 21, 2023
Bruce Brown opts out of his contract with the NBA-champion Nuggets, AP source says
World

While sub disappearance transfixes some, many say their focus is on other calamities

The search for a submersible that disappeared while taking wealthy tourists to see the wreck of the Titanic has gripped many with its grim cinematic elements — a ticking clock, passengers running out of oxygen, and of course, the iconic ocean liner itself, which still captivates the public imagination more than a century after it sank. In Pakistan, where two of the passengers were from, people flocked to social media with prayers and newspapers covered it heavily. But the outpouring fell far short of the shock and grief over a boat carrying hundreds of migrants that

June 21, 2023
While sub disappearance transfixes some, many say their focus is on other calamities
World

Andrew Tate appears in Romanian court to face rape and human trafficking charges

Andrew Tate, a social media personality known for expressing misogynistic views online, appeared Wednesday at a court in Romania, where prosecutors have charged him with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women. Tate and his brother, Tristan, who is also charged with the offenses, arrived Wednesday at a court in the capital Bucharest, flanked by six bodyguards. Prosecutors have also filed charges against two Romanian women in the case. Romania’s anti-organized crime agency alleged that the four defendants formed a criminal group in 2021 “in order to commit the crime of human

June 21, 2023
Andrew Tate appears in Romanian court to face rape and human trafficking charges
World

43-year-old Venus Williams gets wild card to play singles at Wimbledon

Venus Williams is set to make her 24th appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon after the 43-year-old American was given a wild-card entry on Wednesday. Williams is a five-time Wimbledon singles champion and was a finalist at the grass-court major in 2017, two decades after her debut at the All England Club. Ranked 697th, Williams beat 48th-ranked Camila Giorgi 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (6) on Monday at the Birmingham Classic. It was her first victory over a player in the top 50 in nearly four years. The seven-time Grand Slam champion next plays Jelena Ostapenko

June 21, 2023
43-year-old Venus Williams gets wild card to play singles at Wimbledon
World

Josh Berry finally lands his big NASCAR break as Kevin Harvick's replacement in Cup Series

Josh Berry will take the final step in his long journey to the top of racing with Stewart-Haas Racing next season as the replacement for future NASCAR Hall of Famer Kevin Harvick. Harvick is retiring at the end of this season and Berry on Wednesday was named next year’s driver in the No. 4 Ford Mustang for SHR. Berry, a journeyman who earlier this year signed with Harvick’s agency as the first management team he’s had in his career, will be 33 when he begins his first full season at the elite Cup level. His route

June 21, 2023
Josh Berry finally lands his big NASCAR break as Kevin Harvick's replacement in Cup Series
World

Swedish appeals court ups surgeon's sentence for 'harm' during experimental windpipe transplants

A Swedish appeals court on Wednesday increased a prison sentence for an Italian surgeon over experimental stem cell windpipe transplants on three patients who died. Dr. Paolo Macchiarini made headlines in 2011 for carrying out the world’s first stem cell windpipe transplants at Sweden’s leading hospital and had been sentenced to no prison time by a lower court. But the Svea Court of Appeal concluded that there were no emergency situations among two of the three patients who later died, while the procedure on the third could not be justified. The appeals court sentenced the Italian scientist

June 21, 2023
Swedish appeals court ups surgeon's sentence for 'harm' during experimental windpipe transplants
World

North Carolina prosecutor won't charge officers involved in death of man during arrest

A local prosecutor revealed Wednesday that she won’t seek charges against officers in North Carolina’s capital city who repeatedly used stun guns on a man who subsequently died, saying evidence reviewed fails to show the use of force was unreasonable. Several Raleigh police officers were placed on administrative leave following the Jan. 17 death of 32-year-old Darryl Tyree Williams. They were trying to arrest Williams around 2 a.m. for possession of a controlled substance in a parking lot where a sweepstakes parlor and several closed business were located. The State Bureau of Investigation looked into what

June 21, 2023
North Carolina prosecutor won't charge officers involved in death of man during arrest
World

Germany frees driver sought by Italy in death of cyclist Rebellin pending extradition ruling

German prosecutors say a truck driver wanted by Italy in connection with a crash last year that killed professional cyclist Davide Rebellin has been released from jail pending a decision on his extradition. Wolfgang Rieke is accused of road homicide and leaving the scene of a crash. German authorities said he surrendered last Thursday in the western town of Rheine. A spokesperson for the regional prosecutors’ office in Hamm, Daniel Dependahl, said the driver’s release was normal in cases in which there is no flight risk. It didn’t prejudge the extradition decision, which could take several months,

June 21, 2023
Germany frees driver sought by Italy in death of cyclist Rebellin pending extradition ruling
World

Hong Kong pollster plans to limit questions on sensitive topics, including Tiananmen crackdown

One of Hong Kong’s most reputable sources for public opinion data is limiting its survey scope, including on sensitive topics such as the Tiananmen crackdown. The change, on the heels of a risk assessment done by the government, would likely muffle access to information showing changes in public sentiment toward the city. Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute announced Tuesday it tentatively decided to cancel about one-fourth of its regular survey questions, and use about one-third of the remaining ones only for internal reference, academic research, and commissioned services, rather than releasing them for public use.

June 21, 2023
Hong Kong pollster plans to limit questions on sensitive topics, including Tiananmen crackdown
World

Live updates | Search for the missing Titanic submersible

Follow along for live updates on the submersible that vanished while taking five people down to the wreck of the Titanic. ____ ‘DESPERATE SITUATION:’ SCIENTISTS, WHILE REALISTIC ABOUT SURVIVAL CHANCES, OFFER HOPE Scientists, while remaining realistic about the chances of finding the Titan on the vast ocean floor, are still offering a glimmer of hope. Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist with the British Antarctic Survey, said in London on Thursday that it’s incredibly difficult to find an object the size of the Titan in a totally dark environment. He says it’s not going to be found with active sonar from

June 21, 2023
Live updates | Search for the missing Titanic submersible
World

Saudi Arabia's lavish recruitment drive rolls on despite Messi miss

Missing out on Lionel Messi hasn’t slowed Saudi Arabia’s ambitious recruitment drive as the oil-rich kingdom tries to establish itself as a viable destination for the world’s top players. Having already lured two of the sport’s biggest stars in Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, the Saudis amid allegations of sportswashing are targeting a host of other high-profile players from Europe’s best leagues. World Cup and Champions League winner N’Golo Kante became the latest stellar player to head to the lucrative Pro League, signing a three-year contract Wednesday to team up with Benzema at Al-Ittihad. “It is

June 21, 2023
Saudi Arabia's lavish recruitment drive rolls on despite Messi miss
World

Brazil's Lula sees Pope Francis in 'very friendly' encounter on busy day in Rome

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva threw his arms around Pope Francis and gave him a big hug as he arrived Wednesday for what the Vatican said was a “very friendly” reunion of two old friends. The Argentine pope seemed in particularly good spirits as he hosted Lula for around 45 minutes, just days after getting out of the hospital following abdominal surgery. Standing up, Francis presented Lula with a brass plaque of a flower entitled “Peace is a fragile flower.” Francis told the Brazilian leader: “We’re in a time of war; peace is very fragile.”

June 21, 2023
Brazil's Lula sees Pope Francis in 'very friendly' encounter on busy day in Rome
World

Foundations buoy a new movement of renters’ activism

After years of rising rents, a group of Kansas City, Missouri, renters came together in 2019 to form KC Tenants, armed with an annual budget of $30,000 and demands for a bill of rights to protect renters from rising prices, unjust evictions, and landlord abuse. Four years and one pandemic later, KC Tenants is a nonprofit tenants union with a budget that grew almost twentyfold and a track record of advocacy victories. For instance, the group got its bill of rights enacted by the city and is working to make sure all tenants have the right to a lawyer when

June 21, 2023
Foundations buoy a new movement of renters’ activism
World

Homicide detective weeps in trial of deputy who failed to confront Parkland high school shooter

The veteran Florida detective who led the investigation into the 2018 Parkland high school massacre wept on the witness stand Wednesday, saying the school’s assigned deputy could have prevented the deaths of some of the 17 people murdered if he had charged into a building instead of taking cover. Broward County Detective John Curcio, a homicide detective for 25 years and the prosecution’s final witness, had been on the stand for two hours when a prosecutor asked him what Deputy Scot Peterson’s objective should have been during Nikolas Cruz’s six-minute attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas

June 21, 2023
Homicide detective weeps in trial of deputy who failed to confront Parkland high school shooter
World

Biden's 3 Federal Reserve nominees appear likely to win Senate approval

President Joe Biden’s three nominees for the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors pledged to fight inflation during a confirmation hearing Wednesday that drew only modest pushback from Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee. Last month, Biden nominated Adriana Kugler, a Georgetown University economist, to serve as a Fed governor, a position that would make her the first Latina to serve on the board in the Fed’s 110-year history. He also nominated Philip Jefferson, who joined the board last year, for the spot of vice chair, which was vacated by Lael Brainard when she became a top

June 21, 2023
Biden's 3 Federal Reserve nominees appear likely to win Senate approval
World

With Wembanyama a player like few others, there's no debate at the top of this NBA draft

Victor Wembanyama walked into his first NBA news conference Wednesday morning, took his seat and looked out at a maze of cameras and microphones that have been awaiting him for years. And then he smiled. “What’s up, everyone?” the French teen said. Seeming poised and completely ready for what awaits him, Wembanyama’s NBA chapter is now underway. The NBA draft — one that Wembanyama’s towering shadow has hung over for months, blocking much of what is usually part of the process — is Thursday night, and he’ll be selected No. 1 overall by the San Antonio

June 21, 2023
With Wembanyama a player like few others, there's no debate at the top of this NBA draft
World

Outlook bleak for passengers on the Titan, despite massive rescue effort

Time is quickly running out in the search for a missing submersible that lost contact with its mother ship on Sunday as it descended to the wreck of the Titanic with five people aboard. As an international fleet of surveillance vessels and aircraft forges ahead with ongoing search and rescue efforts, each passing second makes it less likely that the passengers on the Titan will be found alive as their oxygen supply is expected to run out by Thursday morning. Even if the Titan is located in the North Atlantic, it could be nearly impossible to reach

June 21, 2023
Outlook bleak for passengers on the Titan, despite massive rescue effort
World

Rules allow transgender woman at Wyoming chapter, and a court can't interfere, sorority says

A national sorority has defended allowing a transgender woman into its University of Wyoming chapter, saying in a new court motion that the chapter followed sorority rules despite a lawsuit from seven women in the organization who argued the opposite. Seven members of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Wyoming’s only four-year state university sued in March, saying the sorority violated its own rules by admitting Artemis Langford last year. Six of the women refiled the lawsuit in May after a judge twice barred them from suing anonymously. The Kappa Kappa Gamma motion to dismiss, filed Tuesday in

June 21, 2023
Rules allow transgender woman at Wyoming chapter, and a court can't interfere, sorority says
World

4-time World Cup champion Germany has forgotten how to win games a year before hosting Euro 2024

Perhaps the only positive Germany can draw from its national soccer team’s deepening crisis is that the 2024 European Championship is still a year away. Even if few believe it anymore, Germany coach Hansi Flick insists that is enough time to turn things around before hosting the tournament. Flick struggled to justify his conviction late Tuesday after the latest disappointing performance — a 2-0 loss to Colombia that saw his team whistled off at halftime and again at the end. “With the results, what can I say?” Flick said. “The arguments are not on our side.” Some

June 21, 2023
4-time World Cup champion Germany has forgotten how to win games a year before hosting Euro 2024
World

Jake Fraley's homer sends the surging Reds to their 11th straight win, 5-3 over the Rockies

Jake Fraley hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds extended their majors-best winning streak to 11 games, rallying past the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday for a three-game sweep. Rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz hit a one-out bloop to left that fell for a double against Daniel Bard (3-1), and Fraley hit the next pitch over the wall in right, sending the Reds to their majors-best 12th comeback win of the season and the Rockies to their season-worst eighth straight loss. Cincinnati trailed 3-0 after four innings. The NL Central-leading

June 21, 2023
Jake Fraley's homer sends the surging Reds to their 11th straight win, 5-3 over the Rockies
World

Japan's Kishida says he will attend NATO leaders' summit, stresses need for dialogue with China

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday announced plans to visit Lithuania next month to attend a NATO leaders’ summit as his country steps up cooperation with the Western organization amid China’s increasingly assertive military activity. Kishida stressed the importance of dialogue with China in order to develop “constructive and stable” relationship with Beijing while his country cooperates with its key ally, the United States. He said the state of U.S.-China relations are crucial to international peace and stability. At a news conference marking the end of a five-month long parliamentary session, Kishida said reinforcing diplomatic and

June 21, 2023
Japan's Kishida says he will attend NATO leaders' summit, stresses need for dialogue with China
World

What was Hungary’s role in freeing Ukrainian POWs from Russia? The European Commission wants to know

Hungary’s government will be asked to provide explanations and details about its role in the transfer to the country of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war freed by Russia, the European Union’s executive arm said Wednesday. The liberation of the POWs has created further tensions between Ukraine and Hungary’s government, which is led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and is one of the most friendly toward Moscow of the EU’s 27 nations. Budapest has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the bloc’s sanctions against Russia. Ukraine has blamed Hungary for barring access to the prisoners, and the country’s foreign

June 21, 2023
What was Hungary’s role in freeing Ukrainian POWs from Russia? The European Commission wants to know

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