Today: September 25, 2024
Today: September 25, 2024

World

World

South Africa says Putin will skip a summit next month because of his ICC arrest warrant

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the BRICS economic summit in Johannesburg next month, the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement Wednesday. The decision means South Africa will not face the dilemma of whether it should carry out an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against the Russian leader. South Africa is a signatory to the treaty that created the ICC and would have been obliged under that to arrest Putin, although the country had given strong hints that it would have likely not executed the arrest warrant. But

July 19, 2023
South Africa says Putin will skip a summit next month because of his ICC arrest warrant
World

The Taliban use tasers, fire hoses and gunfire to break up Afghan women protesting beauty salon ban

Dozens of Afghan women protested a beauty salon ban on Wednesday after the Taliban ordered their closure nationwide. Security forces used fire hoses, tasers and shot their guns into the air to break up the protest. The Taliban said earlier this month they were giving all salons in Afghanistan one month to wind down their businesses and close shop, drawing concern from international officials worried about the impact on female entrepreneurs. The Taliban say they are outlawing salons allegedly because they offer services forbidden by Islam and cause economic hardship for grooms’ families during wedding festivities. The ruling came from

July 19, 2023
The Taliban use tasers, fire hoses and gunfire to break up Afghan women protesting beauty salon ban
World

Broadcom's $69 billion VMware purchase wins UK competition watchdog's approval

Computer chip and software maker Broadcom’s $69 billion plan to buy cloud technology company VMware cleared another hurdle Wednesday after Britain’s competition regulator gave the deal provisional clearance. The Competition and Markets Authority said its investigation found the deal “would not substantially reduce competition” in the supply of hardware components for computer servers in the U.K. The deal also would be unlikely to harm innovation, the regulator said. Thousands of British businesses and public bodies, including major banks, big retailers, telecom operators and government departments, rely on Broadcom gear and VMware software, the regulator said. Both companies

July 19, 2023
Broadcom's $69 billion VMware purchase wins UK competition watchdog's approval
World

Canadian wildfires hit Indigenous communities hard, threatening their land and culture

Carrol Johnston counted her blessings as she stood on the barren site where her home was destroyed by a fast-moving wildfire that forced her to flee her northern Alberta community two months ago. Her family escaped unharmed, though her beloved cat, Missy, didn’t make it out before a “fireball” dropped on the house in early May. But peony bushes passed down from her late mother survived and the blackened May Day tree planted in memory of her longtime partner is sending up new shoots — hopeful signs as she prepares to start over

July 19, 2023
Canadian wildfires hit Indigenous communities hard, threatening their land and culture
World

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologizes for a previous ban on LGBTQ+ people in the military

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologized Wednesday for the treatment of gay veterans, saying that a previous ban on LGBTQ+ people serving in the U.K. military was “an appalling failure of the British state.” The apology came after an independent review published Wednesday estimated that hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans were dismissed or suffered under an official ban on homosexuality in the U.K. armed forces that was enforced until 2000. “As today’s report makes clear, in that period many endured the most horrific sexual abuse and violence, homophobic bullying and harassment, all while bravely serving this

July 19, 2023
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologizes for a previous ban on LGBTQ+ people in the military
World

Yamuna river reaches the iconic Taj Mahal's outer walls in India after swelling with monsoon rains

Rising water from the Yamuna river on Wednesday reached the outer boundary walls of the iconic Taj Mahal and submerged one of its adjacent gardens after record monsoon rains swelled rivers across northern India over the last three weeks. The flooding at the 17th-century white marble monument in Agra city came as heavy floods had killed at least 100 people in parts of north India, swept away houses and bridges and resulted in deadly landslides. On Wednesday, the red sandstone boundary walls of the Taj Mahal were surrounded by brown, muddy water, even as a flock

July 19, 2023
Yamuna river reaches the iconic Taj Mahal's outer walls in India after swelling with monsoon rains
World

Prosecutor says Kevin Spacey used celebrity status for 'opportunity grab' described by accusers

It was more than a coincidence that three of Kevin Spacey ‘s four accusers described similar crotch-grabbing incidents, a prosecutor said Wednesday in her closing argument at his sexual assault trial. Prosecutor Christine Agnew told a London jury that Spacey seized brief moments for an “opportunity grab” and was able to get away with it for years because he was a celebrity. The two-time Oscar winner long had benefited from a “trinity of protection,” knowing that men he attacked would not complain. If they did, he knew they wouldn’t be believed; if they were believed, he knew

July 19, 2023
Prosecutor says Kevin Spacey used celebrity status for 'opportunity grab' described by accusers
World

Microsoft and Activision extend deadline to close $69 billion deal under close regulatory scrutiny

The deadline for Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of video game company Activision Blizzard has been extended as the companies seek to close a deal that has been challenged by regulators in the U.S., as well as by U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority. Microsoft believes that pushing back the deadline to Oct. 18 will provide enough time to work through the remaining regulatory issues, said Brad Smith, the company’s president. “We are confident about our prospects for getting this deal across the finish line,” Smith said. The extension comes with a bigger termination fee, should the deal be called off, and

July 19, 2023
Microsoft and Activision extend deadline to close $69 billion deal under close regulatory scrutiny
World

Five European countries will extend ban on Ukraine's grain but let it head to other places

Five European Union countries will extend their ban on Ukrainian grain imports to protect their farmers’ interests, their agriculture ministers said Wednesday, but food can still move through their land to parts of the world in need after Russia pulled out of a deal safeguarding Black Sea shipments. The ministers of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria signed a joint declaration ahead of EU discussions on the matter planned next week in Brussels. The declaration said they support continuing to allow Ukraine’s grain to move through their borders by road, rail and river to destinations where

July 19, 2023
Five European countries will extend ban on Ukraine's grain but let it head to other places
World

High-water rescue crews save people flooded in Kentucky as death toll rises in northeast US

High-water rescue crews pulled people from flooded homes and vehicles in Kentucky Wednesday, where waves of thunderstorms prompted flash flood warnings and watches. A search continued for two children swept away after torrential rains in the northeast. The National Weather Service estimated that as much as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain could fall in the area where Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri meet at the convergence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Atmospheric scientists say the global warming responsible for unrelenting heat in the Southwest also is making this kind of extreme rainfall a more frequent

July 19, 2023
High-water rescue crews save people flooded in Kentucky as death toll rises in northeast US
World

German woman voices remorse over enslaved Yazidi girl's death at new court hearing

A German woman convicted on charges that she and her husband allowed the death by thirst of a 5-year-old Yazidi girl she and her husband kept as a slave when they were members of the Islamic State group in Iraq expressed remorse as a new sentencing hearing opened on Wednesday. A federal court in March ordered judges in Munich to reconsider the sentence of the 32-year-old, who has been identified only as Jennifer W. in line with German privacy rules. She risks a more severe sentence than the 10 years she was given at her original trial.

July 19, 2023
German woman voices remorse over enslaved Yazidi girl's death at new court hearing
World

British political candidate uses artificial intelligence to draw up election manifesto

British voters face a crowded field of 13 candidates in an upcoming special election for a Parliament seat. One, independent Andrew Gray, used artificial intelligence to come up with campaign promises that he says reflect what residents want. Gray, who says he has no policies of his own, crowdsourced constituents’ sentiments and used machine learning to come up with his political manifesto. He calls the technology a faster and fairer way for politicians to widely reflect views of the people they represent. “We can interact with our constituents in a whole new way,” Gray said. “It doesn’t

July 19, 2023
British political candidate uses artificial intelligence to draw up election manifesto
World

Masks are out at In-N-Out after burger chain bans employees from wearing them in five states

The In-N-Out burger chain will bar employees in five states from wearing masks unless they have a doctor’s note, according to internal company emails leaked on social media. In the memo announcing new guidelines for Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah workers, the fast food chain pointed to “the importance of customer service and the ability to show our Associates’ smiles and other facial features while considering the health and well-being of all individuals.” The policy, which goes into effect August 14, applies to all In-N-Out employees in those states, except for those who need to

July 19, 2023
Masks are out at In-N-Out after burger chain bans employees from wearing them in five states
World

Cracks are emerging in Israel's military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes

Cracks are emerging in Israel’s military. The Middle East’s best equipped and most powerful force is under one of the worst assaults it has encountered — a battle within its own ranks. A contentious government plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary has cleaved deep rifts within Israeli society. Those rifts have infiltrated the military, where reservists in key units have pledged not to show up for duty if the legislative changes are pushed through. The letters, signed by thousands of reservists over the last seven months, have up to now mostly remained threats. But this week, 161

July 19, 2023
Cracks are emerging in Israel's military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes
World

IndyCar introduces stronger retaining nut to keep wheels attached during wrecks

IndyCar will implement a new, stronger piece of hardware designed to keep rear wheels attached to the car during a wreck after a tire flew off Kyle Kirkwood’s car and narrowly missed a packed grandstand during the Indianapolis 500. The series said Wednesday that chassis manufacturer Dallara had designed a retaining nut that is more than 60% stronger than the previous design. The updated retaining nut will be mandatory beginning with this weekend’s races at Iowa Speedway. “Their thorough review process of the incident between the No. 6 and No. 27 (cars) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway began immediately and included

July 19, 2023
IndyCar introduces stronger retaining nut to keep wheels attached during wrecks
World

British Open goes from brown grass to green. Silver is the color that matters.

Scottie Scheffler’s first look at Royal Liverpool was courtesy of video. He watched replays of the last two British Opens on these links and saw what looked to be two courses — Tiger Woods won when the grass was brown in 2006, Rory McIlroy when it was green in 2014. That describes the last five weeks at Royal Liverpool. Martin Slumbers, the CEO of the R&A, was delighted by a heat wave last month that made these century-old links dry and crusty, the most testing conditions because of how far the golf ball goes once it

July 19, 2023
British Open goes from brown grass to green. Silver is the color that matters.
World

Gunman toting heavy ammo and explosives cased scene before fatal 'ambush' shooting on Fargo police

A man armed with 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a grenade and other explosives in his car ambushed officers who were investigating a crash, killing one and wounding two before a fourth stopped him, thwarting what authorities described as plans for further mayhem, officials said Wednesday. Mohamad Barakat, 37, shot Officers Jake Wallin, Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes from inside his car on Friday before they could even draw their guns, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said at a news conference. Wallin was killed while Dotas and Hawes remain hospitalized in critical condition. Wrigley said Barakat also shot and injured

July 19, 2023
Gunman toting heavy ammo and explosives cased scene before fatal 'ambush' shooting on Fargo police
World

Some LIV Golf players at the British Open in danger of making their last appearance in a major

With the future of LIV Golf still uncertain, Joaquin Niemann was among players who arrived for the British Open facing the prospect of no more majors in his immediate future. LIV Golf still doesn’t get world ranking points, and players have been dropping. With the next major not until April in the Masters, some of them might not have a way back except through qualifying for the U.S. Open or British Open. It remains unclear when — or if — the recent proposal of a partnership with the PGA Tour would change anything. “This might be

July 19, 2023
Some LIV Golf players at the British Open in danger of making their last appearance in a major
World

Dreams spurred by $1B Powerball, $720M Mega Millions jackpots, but expert warns: Take it slow

With lottery jackpots for Powerball and Mega Millions cumulatively approaching $2 billion for this week’s drawings, millions of people across the country will be lining up at convenience store, grocery and gas station counters hoping to hit it big. HOW DOES THIS LATEST POWERBALL JACKPOT STACK UP? The new jackpot for Wednesday’s Powerball drawing would be the seventh highest in U.S. history and the third largest for the game. If a sole player picks all five numbers plus the Powerball number drawn, they have the option of taking the $1 billion prize in yearly increments paid

July 19, 2023
Dreams spurred by $1B Powerball, $720M Mega Millions jackpots, but expert warns: Take it slow
World

Stanford University president announces resignation over concerns about his research

The president of Stanford University said Wednesday he would resign, citing an independent review that cleared him of research misconduct but found flaws in some papers he authored. Marc Tessier-Lavigne said in a statement to students and staff that he would step down Aug. 31. The resignation comes after the board of trustees launched a review in December following allegations he engaged in fraud and other unethical conduct related to his research and papers. Tessier-Lavigne, a neuroscientist, says he “never submitted a scientific paper without firmly believing that the data were correct and accurately presented.” But

July 19, 2023
Stanford University president announces resignation over concerns about his research
World

Video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Prigozhin for first time since short-lived mutiny

A video released Wednesday appears to show Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led a short-lived rebellion last month, and he is seen telling his troops they will spend some time in Belarus training its military before deploying to Africa. Messaging app channels linked to Prigozhin’s Wagner private military company said he spoke at a field camp in Belarus and ran a blurry video purported to show him there, his silhouette seen against the sky at dusk. His gravelly voice was clearly distinguishable. “Welcome guys! I am happy to greet you all.

July 19, 2023
Video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Prigozhin for first time since short-lived mutiny
World

Police cast doubt on Carlee Russell's kidnapping claim after reporting toddler on an Alabama highway

Authorities in Alabama cast doubt Wednesday on the story of a woman who set off a frantic search when she disappeared for two days after calling 911 to report a toddler wandering on the highway. Carlee Russell told investigators she was abducted and forced into a car Thursday, but they have been unable to verify her account, police said. The 25-year-old’s return home Saturday prompted intense speculation about where she had been and what had happened to her. Carlee Russell’s mother, Talitha Russell, told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday that her daughter was abducted and fought for her life when

July 19, 2023
Police cast doubt on Carlee Russell's kidnapping claim after reporting toddler on an Alabama highway
World

How the death penalty phase of the Pittsburgh synagogue gunman's trial might play out

The federal trial of a 50-year-old truck driver convicted of killing 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history is in its third and final phase, in which jurors must decide whether to sentence him to death. The jury convicted Robert Bowers in June after three weeks of testimony about how he stormed the Tree of Life synagogue in October 2018 and shot anyone he saw. He killed members of three congregations that were sharing the building, and wounded two worshippers and five police officers. During the second phase of the

July 19, 2023
How the death penalty phase of the Pittsburgh synagogue gunman's trial might play out
World

Ex-officer Derek Chauvin to ask US Supreme Court to review his conviction in murder of George Floyd

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his conviction for second-degree murder in the killing of George Floyd, now that the Minnesota Supreme Court has declined to hear the case, his attorney said Wednesday. The state’s highest court without comment denied Chauvin’s petition in a one-page order dated Tuesday, letting Chauvin’s conviction and 22 1/2-year sentence stand. Chauvin faces long odds at the U.S. Supreme Court, which hears only about 100 to 150 appeals of the more than 7,000 cases it is asked to review every year. Floyd, who was

July 19, 2023
Ex-officer Derek Chauvin to ask US Supreme Court to review his conviction in murder of George Floyd
World

Little relief in sight from onslaught of searing heat and rising floodwaters in parts of US, 2 dead

The onslaught of searing temperatures and rising floodwaters struck parts of the United States again on Wednesday with Phoenix breaking an all-time temperature record and rescuers pulling people from deluged homes and vehicles in Kentucky. Forecasters said there was little relief in sight from days of extreme weather for some areas of the country. Miami has endured a heat index of at 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or more for weeks, with temperatures expected to rise this weekend. In Kentucky, meteorologists warned of a “life-threatening situation” in two communities, Mayfield and Wingo, where more rain was

July 19, 2023
Little relief in sight from onslaught of searing heat and rising floodwaters in parts of US, 2 dead

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