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Eritrean festivals have been attacked in Europe, North America. The government blames ‘asylum scum’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Flaming cars, violent clashes, dozens of people detained. As one of the world’s most repressive countries marks 30 years of independence, festivals held by Eritrea’s diaspora in Europe and North America have been attacked by exiles that the regime dismisses as “asylum scum.”People who fled the Horn of Africa nation say the violence against festivals in Germany, Sweden and Canada are protests against a repressive government that’s been described as the “North Korea of Africa.” Some allege that proceeds from festivals might support the government.Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Eritrea over the years, many setting off into the deserts of Sudan and then North Africa in attempts to reach Europe. President Isaias Afwerki, 77, has led Eritrea since it won independence from Ethiopia in a long guerrilla war. There have been no elections. There’s no free press. Exit visas are required. Many young people are forced into military service with no end ...

Winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

UPDATE: A lottery player in Jacksonville, Florida has won the $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were: 13 19 20 32 33 and the yellow ball: 14. No one has won the Mega Millions jackpot since April 18, enabling the prize to grow to the third-largest in U.S. history. The chance of winning is one in 302.6 million. The $1.58 billion payout is for a sole winner who opts for an annuity doled out over 30 years but people usually prefer a lump sum option. For Tuesday’s jackpot this is an estimated $783.3 million. The prize money is nearly identical in size to the second largest jackpot of $1.586 billion in 2016.ST. LOUIS – Check your tickets! Nearly $1.6 billion (with a “B”) is at stake in Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing.The winning numbers for the Aug. 8 drawing are 13, 19, 20, 32, and 33, with the yellow Mega Ball number 14.This is the largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, surpassing the previous record of $1.537 billion on the Oct. 23, 2018, d...

NextGenerationEU: Italy submits request to revise its recovery and resilience plan and add a REPowerEU chapter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

Italy has submitted a request to the Commission to modify its recovery and resilience plan, to which it also wants to add a REPowerEU chapter.Italy's proposed REPowerEU chapter includes various reforms, includingin the development of renewable energy, the boosting of green skills in both the public and private sector, the tackling of environmentally harmful subsidies, and the improvement of biomethane production. The chapter also includes three main areas comprising several investments, notably related to the enhancement of energy grids, energy efficiency and strategic supply chains.Italy has proposed to revise 144 investments and reforms related to the six thematic areas of the plan (the so-called ‘missions'). They concern digitalisation and competitiveness, the ecological transition, sustainable mobility, education and research, inclusion and cohesion, and health.Italy's request to modify its plan is primarily based on the need to factor in recent global headwinds such as high inf...

Pursuit suspect in stolen car busted in L.A. County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

Authorities were in pursuit of a driver that a stole a vehicle out of the city of Montebello Tuesday night. While leading deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in chase, the suspect reportedly clipped two vehicles at an intersection in South El Monte, causing visible damage to the white four-door sedan's front end, before getting on the westbound 60 Freeway. The suspect later exited the freeway onto surface streets in the East Los Angeles area. Sky5 was overhead when the man stopped his vehicle, ran behind a home and quickly returned to the front of the residence where he appeared to be having a conversation with someone. The suspect then got back into the vehicle and took off yet again, speeding down Whittier Boulevard where he weaved through traffic and blew through several red lights. A stolen vehicle pursuit suspect seen surrendering after a high-speed chase on Aug. 8, 2023. (KTLA)While winding his way back to the Montebello area, near Victoria and Maples ave...

Security ambassadors filmed flirting, kissing in West Hollywood 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

Two security ambassadors in West Hollywood have come under scrutiny after video posted to social media appears to show them engaging in intimate behavior with two women while they were in their uniforms.  In the video, posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, by the WeHo Times, shows the uniformed security ambassadors kissing and flirting with two women near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and La Jolla Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday.  The city of West Hollywood partners with Block by Block on its Security Ambassador Program. Raquel Vaca, a resident of West Hollywood, told KTLA that the footage is frustrating because it reinforces his belief that the security ambassador program is ineffective.  “Sometimes, just as women walking on the street, we hope to look to authority to protect us from someone cat calling, from strangers, so it’s like who do we rely on, who do we depend on at this point,” she said.  According to the WeHo Times, a local re...

100 firefighters battle 3-alarm fire in San Francisco

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO – Crews on Tuesday night were battling a three-alarm fire at an apartment complex in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset neighborhood, authorities said.The fire was burning in the 1200 block of 8th Avenue and the 700 block of Irving Street, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.One-hundred firefighters were working to contain the fire as of 9:15 p.m., the fire department said in a social media post. There were no immediate reports of any injuries.UPDATE3-ALARM FIRE 1200 BLOCK OF 8TH AVE AND 700 BLOCK OF IRVINGACTIVE FIRE WITH 100 FIREFIGHTERS WORKING TO CONTAIN. NO INJURIES REPORTED AT THIS TIMEMEDIA STAGING IS AT IRVING AND 8TH AVE https://t.co/eNYcm0CApj pic.twitter.com/RSuombTc4D— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) August 9, 2023Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Crews building containment around San Jose hills grass fire; no structures threatened Crashes and Disasters | Oakland: Body found after fire along Interst...

Car struck by gunfire on Oakland freeway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

(KRON) -- A car was damaged by gunfire on an Oakland freeway Tuesday morning, California Highway Patrol reported. The shooting happened on eastbound State Route 24 between 51st Street and Clairemont Avenue. CHP believes it happened at about 5:30 a.m. Person shot dead outside Lake Merritt BART station The victim told police there were no injuries caused by the shooting, but the victim's car was damaged. It was a busy day in Oakland, as two people were shot dead in the city in the afternoon. One shooting happened outside the Lake Merritt BART station, and the other was at the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline boat launch.Anyone with information about the SR-24 shooting is asked to contact CHP's Oakland office at (510) 457-2875 and ask for Officer J. Sicairos.

Wilson has 28 points and 14 rebounds on 27th birthday as Aces rebound from loss with rout of Wings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Kelsey Plum added 20 points and the Las Vegas Aces eased past the Dallas Wings 104-84 on Tuesday night.Las Vegas responded to its lowest-scoring game of the season — a 99-61 loss to New York on Sunday — with a 54-point first half. The Aces scored the opening 16 points of the game and led 54-26 at halftime behind double-digit scoring from Jackie Young (12), Chelsea Gray (13) and Plum (15). Wilson, who celebrated her 27th birthday on Tuesday, also had nine points and 10 rebounds in the half.The Aces (25-3) shot 51% from the field in the first half, including 11 of 17 from 3-point range. Las Vegas finished 16 of 32 behind the arc with four apiece from Plum, Young and Gray.Satou Sabally led Dallas (15-14) with 21 points.MERCURY 91, MYSTICS 72PHOENIX (AP) — Diana Taurasi and Moriah Jefferson each scored 15 points to help the Mercury beat the Mystics.Brittney Griner became Phoenix’s all-time leading rebounder, p...

Freeman stays hot and so do the Dodgers, who beat the Diamondbacks 5-4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Freddie Freeman had three more hits, Julio Urías threw six quality innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on in the ninth inning to beat the fading Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on Tuesday night.The Dodgers have won seven of their past eight games, including three straight, despite nearly blowing a 4-0 lead.The D-backs have lost seven straight and fell to 57-57 for the season. It’s the first time Arizona has been at .500 since April 7, when the team was 4-4.Trailing 5-2 entering the ninth, the D-backs nearly pulled out a comeback. Geraldo Perdomo started the action with a one-out walk and then scored on a triple down the right-field line by Alek Thomas. Ketel Marte followed with an RBI single that cut the margin to 5-4, but rookie Corbin Carroll bounced into a game-ending double play.Evan Phillips earned his 15th save in 17 chances.The Dodgers looked as if they might cruise to the victory early on. They pushed their lead to 4-0 in the fifth after back-to-back RBI d...

Orioles left-hander John Means to begin minor league rehab assignment Thursday with Double-A Bowie | NOTES

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:10 GMT

The Orioles’ best starting pitcher during the rebuild could soon rejoin the club as it sits atop the American League standings.John Means, Baltimore’s opening day starter the previous two seasons, will begin his minor league rehabilitation assignment Thursday with Double-A Bowie, the Orioles said Tuesday evening. When the left-hander toes the rubber for the Baysox in Richmond, Virginia, it will be his first time pitching in a game since he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow in April 2022.Thursday will start the clock on Means’ potential return to Baltimore, as minor league rehab assignments for pitchers cannot extend past 30 days. Thirty days from Thursday is Sept. 8. Means could return sooner than that, but given the severity of his injury and the difficulty of recovering from Tommy John elbow reconstruction, it wouldn’t be a surprise for his assignment to take upward of a month.An early September return would mark an approximately 16-month...