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

World

World

Andrew Tate loses appeal against house arrest in Romania as human trafficking case continues

Andrew Tate, the divisive social media personality and former professional kickboxer who is charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, lost an appeal on Thursday against a court’s earlier decision to keep him under house arrest, his spokesperson said. The Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled against Tate’s appeal, which challenged a court’s June 23 decision to extend the house arrest measure for 30 more days as the criminal case continues. That decision was made days after Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, formally indicted the 36-year-old social media

July 06, 2023
Andrew Tate loses appeal against house arrest in Romania as human trafficking case continues
World

The UN chief calls for a robust international police force to help combat Haiti's armed gangs

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Thursday for a robust international force to help combat Haiti’s armed gangs and restore security in the impoverished nation, saying that a U.N. expert’s estimate that Haiti needs up to 2,000 additional anti-gang police officers is no exaggeration. Stressing that the U.N. is not calling for a military force or a political mission, Guterres appealed to U.N. Security Council members and potential contributing countries “to act now” to deploy a multinational force to help the Haitian National Police “defeat and dismantle the gangs.” The Caribbean nation has been asking for such

July 06, 2023
The UN chief calls for a robust international police force to help combat Haiti's armed gangs
World

Berlusconi's final will divvies up 5 billion euros in wealth; eldest children control media empire

Silvio Berlusconi left control of his media empire to his two eldest children, according to details of his will reported Thursday by Italian media, while bequeathing 100 million euros ($109 million) of his estimated 5 billion-euro ($5.4 billion) fortune each to his companion and his brother. The Fininvest holding company that controls the Mediaset television network, Mondadori publishing house and other assets confirmed in a statement that “no shareholder will exercise overall individual direct control of Fininvest SpA,” as Berlusconi himself had. The three-time former Italian premier and media mogul died June 12 at the age of

July 06, 2023
Berlusconi's final will divvies up 5 billion euros in wealth; eldest children control media empire
World

French government paints a rosy picture for tourism despite unrest over the police killing of a teen

The Eiffel Tower, chateaus in the Loire Valley — and cars on fire. Tourists to France faced a new reality during an eruption of nationwide anger following the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk. While hotel owners cite a drop in bookings in some areas, the French government insisted on Thursday that the overall picture for the tourism industry remains rosy, and promised a “great season” for visitors despite the simmering discontent. Officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance held a meeting Thursday with representatives of the tourism industry to discuss the consequences that the nationwide

July 06, 2023
French government paints a rosy picture for tourism despite unrest over the police killing of a teen
World

US senators seek expanded compensation for those exposed to nuclear fallout

U.S. senators from New Mexico and Idaho are making another push to expand the federal government’s compensation program for people exposed to radiation following uranium mining and nuclear testing carried out during the Cold War. Downwinders who live near the New Mexico site where the world’s first atomic bomb was tested in 1945 as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project in World War II also would be among those added to the list. The legislation would amend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include eligible residents in areas affected by fallout in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,

July 06, 2023
US senators seek expanded compensation for those exposed to nuclear fallout
World

John Berylson, owner of English soccer team Millwall, dies in car crash at age 70

John Berylson, an American businessman known for his enthusiastic ownership of the English soccer team Millwall, has died. He was 70. His death, the result of a car crash in Massachusetts on Tuesday, was announced by the second-division London team, which said Berylson presided over some of the greatest moments in Millwall’s history since first becoming involved with the club in 2006. Team captain Shaun Hutchinson described Berylson as “an example on the perfect way to run a football club.” “He really did love the club. He had so much time for every single person whether it

July 06, 2023
John Berylson, owner of English soccer team Millwall, dies in car crash at age 70
World

Twitter threatens legal action against Meta over Threads: report

Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta over its new, text-based app called Threads, according to a letter obtained by Semafor. In a Wednesday letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alex Spiro, an attorney representing Twitter, accused Meta of unlawfully using Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property by hiring former Twitter employees to create a “copycat” app. Since launching Threads Wednesday night, Meta’s new app has collected tens of millions of sign ups. The app, which was created by the company’s Instagram team, arrives at a time when many are looking for Twitter alternatives

July 06, 2023
Twitter threatens legal action against Meta over Threads: report
World

Railroad industry sues to block limit on crew sizes that Ohio imposed after E. Palestine derailment

The railroad industry has sued to block a new minimum crew-size requirement that Ohio imposed after a fiery train derailment in East Palestine in February. The new rule was part of a $13.5 billion state transportation budget that Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed in March. It mandated a two-person crew for freight trains and required that the wayside detectors used to help spot problems be installed in shorter intervals of 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers) apart, with oversight from the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, among

July 06, 2023
Railroad industry sues to block limit on crew sizes that Ohio imposed after E. Palestine derailment
World

Xiyu Janet Lin soaks up Pebble Beach views and takes early lead at US Women's Open

Xiyu Janet Lin soaked up the views of Pebble Beach while letting her putter do the work Thursday for a 4-under 68, giving her the early lead in the first U.S. Women’s Open held at one of America’s most famous courses. With only mild wind and a marine layer over the Monterey Peninsula, this was the gentle version of Pebble Beach. This also is a U.S. Open, and it didn’t take much to take a toll. The biggest surprise was Jin Young Ko, the No. 1 player in the world who made only one birdie

July 06, 2023
Xiyu Janet Lin soaks up Pebble Beach views and takes early lead at US Women's Open
World

US jobs report likely to show a solid gain, potentially complicating Fed's drive to cool inflation

Another solid month of hiring in the United States is expected to be reported Friday, an outcome that would suggest no recession is near but could make it harder for the Federal Reserve to succeed in its drive to cool the economy and curb high inflation. Employers are forecast to have added 205,000 jobs in June, according to economists surveyed by data provider FactSet. Though below recent monthly gains, that would amount to a healthy increase and reflect a historically high number of advertised job openings. A continuation of robust hiring would underscore the economy’s surprising resilience

July 06, 2023
US jobs report likely to show a solid gain, potentially complicating Fed's drive to cool inflation
World

Lillard still waiting, hoping that Summer League gives Blazers and Heat chance to talk trade

Damian Lillard’s position has not and will not change: The seven-time All-Star wants to be traded to the Miami Heat. Lillard’s agent, Aaron Goodwin, confirmed that stance Thursday and said he hopes that the Portland Trail Blazers — the team that Lillard has spent the entirety of his 11-year NBA career with — can engage with the Heat on steps toward a deal in the coming days, especially with virtually everyone from the NBA gathering in Las Vegas for Summer League that starts on Friday. The Trail Blazers publicly revealed this past weekend that Lillard had

July 06, 2023
Lillard still waiting, hoping that Summer League gives Blazers and Heat chance to talk trade
World

Truck makers pledge to comply with new California rules phasing out gas-powered vehicles

Some of the nation’s largest truck makers on Thursday pledged to stop selling new gas-powered vehicles in California by the middle of the next decade, part of an agreement with state regulators aimed at preventing lawsuits that threatened to delay or block the state’s emission standards. California is trying to rid itself of fossil fuels, passing new rules in recent years to phase out gas-powered cars, trucks, trains and lawn equipment in the nation’s most populous state. It will take years before all of those rules fully take effect. But already some industries are pushing back.

July 07, 2023
Truck makers pledge to comply with new California rules phasing out gas-powered vehicles
World

Jonas Blixt gets hot on back 9 at John Deere Classic, takes first-round lead with 62

Jonas Blixt heated up on the back nine at TPC Deere Run on Thursday, playing his last six holes in 6 under for a 9-under 62 and a two-shot lead over Grayson Murray in the first round of the John Deere Classic. Murray was 8 under through 13 holes but stalled from there. He bogeyed his final hole and shot 64. Cameron Young, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 19, also closed with a bogey and was part of a big group three shots back. The 39-year-old Blixt, a three-time winner on tour, has

July 07, 2023
Jonas Blixt gets hot on back 9 at John Deere Classic, takes first-round lead with 62
World

Food delivery services sue NYC over minimum pay rates for app-based workers

Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub sued New York City on Thursday to block its new minimum pay rules for food delivery workers. The recently announced rules, touted as a national first, could nearly triple average earnings for app-based delivery workers in the coming years. An increased pay rate of $17.96 an hour is set to take effect July 12. New York’s more than 60,000 delivery workers currently make an average of $7.09 an hour, according to the city. The food delivery services are seeking a temporary restraining order in state Supreme Court in Manhattan to stop

July 07, 2023
Food delivery services sue NYC over minimum pay rates for app-based workers
World

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter mark 77th wedding anniversary at home in Plains, Georgia

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are marking their 77th wedding anniversary with a quiet Friday at their south Georgia home, extending their record as the longest-married first couple ever as both nonagenarians face significant health challenges. The 39th president is 98 and has been in home hospice care since February. The former first lady is 95 and has dementia. The Carter family has not offered details of either Jimmy or Rosalynn Carter’s condition but has said they both have enjoyed time with each other and a stream of family members, along with occasional visits from close friends, in

July 07, 2023
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter mark 77th wedding anniversary at home in Plains, Georgia
World

US Forest Service and historically Black colleges unite to boost diversity in wildland firefighting

Before starting college, Taylor Mohead had never been outside her hometown of Houston, Texas. Now, the recent Tuskegee University graduate is trekking around trees in Hazel Green, Alabama, in fire gear and sweltering heat. The U.S. Forest Service intern is among 20 students from historically Black colleges or universities who are participating in a prescribed burn demonstration under instructors’ supervision. They clear paths, light fires and make sure the embers are out when they’re done. It’s part of an apprenticeship program that will give them the credentials to hit the ground running toward a fire

July 07, 2023
US Forest Service and historically Black colleges unite to boost diversity in wildland firefighting
World

US set to destroy its last chemical weapons, closing a deadly chapter dating to World War I

At a sprawling military installation in the middle of the rolling green hills of eastern Kentucky, a milestone is about to be reached in the history of warfare dating back to World War I. Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot are close to destroying rockets filled with GB nerve agent that are the last of the United States’ declared chemical weapons and completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons. The weapons’ destruction is a major watershed for Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo,

July 07, 2023
US set to destroy its last chemical weapons, closing a deadly chapter dating to World War I
World

White gunman to be sentenced for killing 23 people in a racist Walmart attack in a Texas border city

The white Texas gunman who killed 23 people in a racist attack at a Walmart in 2019 is expected to learn his punishment Friday, after victims’ relatives berated him for days over the shooting that targeted Hispanic shoppers on the U.S.-Mexico border. Patrick Crusius, 24, will likely be sentenced to multiple life terms in federal prison for committing one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. However, he could still face the death penalty in a separate case in a Texas state court that has yet to go to trial. Crusius, who pleaded guilty

July 07, 2023
White gunman to be sentenced for killing 23 people in a racist Walmart attack in a Texas border city
World

West clashes with Russia and Iran at UN over Tehran's uranium enrichment and drones for Russia

The United States and its Western allies clashed with Russia and Iran at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday over Tehran’s advancing uranium enrichment and its reported supply of combat drones to Moscow being used to attack Ukraine. The sharp exchanges came at the council’s semi-annual meeting on implementation of its resolution endorsing the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major countries known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which the U.S. under then-President Donald Trump left in 2018. At the start of the meeting, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Britain, which hold

July 07, 2023
West clashes with Russia and Iran at UN over Tehran's uranium enrichment and drones for Russia
World

France's small towns are reeling from the spread of rioting. 'Now it's affecting the countryside'

After a pleasant evening of wine-tasting — joyfully billed “Grapes and Friends!” — with a hundred or so people and oysters, charcuteries and cheeses, the mayor of the picturesque French town of Quissac was on his way home. Then his phone rang: Urban unrest that was engulfing France after the deadly police shooting of a teenager on Paris’ outskirts, hundreds of kilometers (miles) and a world away to the north, had careened into Quissac’s tranquility, too. In a quick hit-and-run, a small group of people — seemingly no more than four, the mayor says — bombarded the

July 07, 2023
France's small towns are reeling from the spread of rioting. 'Now it's affecting the countryside'
World

Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal system

Russia’s rebellious mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin walked free from prosecution for his June 24 armed mutiny, and it’s still unclear if anyone will face any charges in the aborted uprising against military leaders or for the deaths of the soldiers killed in it. Instead, a campaign is underway to portray the founder of the Wagner Group military contractor as driven by greed, with only hints of an investigation into whether he mishandled any of the billions of dollars in state funds. Until last week, the Kremlin has never admitted to funding the company, with private mercenary

July 07, 2023
Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal system
World

EU takes a major step in approving plans to boost its anemic ammunition production to help Ukraine

The European Union took a major step early Friday in approving plans to boost its anemic production of ammunition and missiles within the 27-nation bloc, to both defend itself and quickly help Ukraine in trying to push back the invasion by Russia. The EU presidency announced early Friday that the member states and the EU Parliament reached a deal “to urgently mobilize” half a billion euros from its budget for an Act in Support of Ammunition Production. The deal follows up the decision by EU leaders in March to boost urgently needed ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, which

July 07, 2023
EU takes a major step in approving plans to boost its anemic ammunition production to help Ukraine
World

South Korea endorses the safety of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from Fukushima plant

South Korea’s government on Friday formally endorsed the safety of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into sea as it tried to calm people’s fears about food contamination. Seoul’s assessment was based on a 22-month review by government-funded scientists and aligned with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s views. The agency greenlit the Japanese discharge plans this week, saying the treated wastewater would meet international safety standards and that its environmental and health impact would be negligible. South Korea’s review focused on any impact the wastewater release might have on

July 07, 2023
South Korea endorses the safety of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from Fukushima plant
World

Stock market today: Asian shares fall as strong US data dash hopes for an end to rate hikes

Asian shares slipped Friday after another decline on Wall Street, where hopes for an end to interest rate hikes were again shaken by strong jobs data. U.S. futures fell and oil prices were higher. Investors were watching for updates from U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s visit to Beijing, where she was meeting with senior Chinese officials to try to soothe antagonisms over a host of issues and promote global financial stability. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 shed 1.2% to 32,388.42 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong dropped 0.8% to 18,384.17. The Shanghai Composite index lost 0.3% to 3,197.42,

July 07, 2023
Stock market today: Asian shares fall as strong US data dash hopes for an end to rate hikes
World

Yellen's visit to Beijing aims to heal rifts over a daunting array of China-US antagonisms

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is visiting Beijing as part of efforts to revive U.S.-Chinese relations that are at their lowest level in decades due to disputes over technology, security and other irritants. Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met in November and agreed to improve relations between the world’s biggest economies and major trading partners. But neither government has shown willingness to make major policy changes. “We hope the United States takes concrete actions to create a favorable environment for the healthy development of economic and trade relations,” the Chinese finance ministry said in a statement Friday.

July 07, 2023
Yellen's visit to Beijing aims to heal rifts over a daunting array of China-US antagonisms

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