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Secret records: Government says Marine’s adoption of Afghan orphan seen as abduction, must be undone

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

The U.S. government has warned a Virginia judge that allowing an American Marine to keep an Afghan war orphan risks violating international law and could be viewed around the world as “endorsing an act of international child abduction,” according to secret court records reviewed by The Associated Press.It is rare for the federal government to step into a local custody case, but concern about the child’s fate has stretched across the Trump and Biden administrations. The Justice Department argued in the court documents that the dispute has ramifications that extend far beyond the rural courthouse where the girl’s future is being decided.Failing to return the child, now 4, to Afghan relatives in the U.S. could jeopardize American efforts to resettle Afghan refugees, threaten international security pacts and might be used as propaganda by Islamic extremists — potentially endangering U.S soldiers overseas, Justice Department attorneys and other U.S. officials warned in court filings seek...

Climate protesters around the world are calling for an end to fossils fuels as the Earth heats up

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

Tens of thousands of climate activists around the world are set to march, chant and protest Friday to call for an end to the burning of planet-warming fossil fuels as the globe suffers dramatic weather extremes and record-breaking heat. The strike — driven by several mostly youth-led, local and global climate groups and organizations, including Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future movement — will take place in dozens of countries and in hundreds of cities worldwide and continue through the weekend. A week before the planned protest, the United Nations warned that countries are way off track to curb warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, as agreed in Paris in 2015. The world has warmed at least 1.1 degrees (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since then.Over the past few months, Earth broke its daily average heat record several times according to one metric, July was the hottest month ever on record, and the Northern Hemisphere summer was declared ...

Trial begins in Elijah McClain death, which sparked outrage over racial injustice in policing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Elijah McClain’s fatal encounter with police began on a summer night in 2019 when a 911 caller reported that the young Black man looked “sketchy” as he walked down the street wearing a ski mask and raising his hands in the air in the Denver suburb of Aurora.In reality, McClain, who was often cold, was just walking home from a convenience store, listening to music. But moments later, police stopped him and after struggling with him, put the 23-year-old in a neck hold. Then paramedics gave him a sedative that officials eventually determined played a key role in his death days later. McClain, a massage therapist known for his gentle nature, was unarmed and hadn’t committed any crime. Four years after his death — which left a gaping hole in his mother’s heart and sparked outrage over racial injustice in American policing — a trial for two of the officers was set to begin Friday with jury selection. Trials for a third officer and two paramedics are schedul...

He couldn’t see his wedding. But this war-blinded Ukrainian soldier cried with joy at new love

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Blinded by a Russian mortar shell, Ukrainian veteran Ivan Soroka couldn’t see his bride when she walked into his family home in a shoulderless white dress, a bouquet of white flowers in her right hand. But when Vladislava Ryabets, 25, stepped toward him, Soroka wept with joy at the new chapter of life starting months after enemy artillery stole his sight. “The first thing I said after I was wounded was, who will want me now?” said Soroka, 27, sitting inside his family home in a village in the outskirts of Kyiv.“I succeeded in rebuilding myself,” he said. “I am seeing with my feelings, with my emotions.”Dozens sat around a garden table in Bortnychi village under a tent decorated with balloons and garlands for a day of festivity steeped in Ukrainian rural tradition. Folk songs and laughter filled the air as neighbors and friends poured into the humble pastoral home, gulped drinks and toasted the young newlyweds. A round loaf decorated with viburnum ber...

Donald Trump isn’t backing a national abortion ban. That’s not hurting him in the GOP primary

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump is dominating the early stages of the Republican presidential primary even as he’s refused to endorse a federal ban on abortion, allowing some top rivals to get to the right of him on an issue that animates many conservative activists. Aiming to return to the White House, the former president often notes how his presidency advanced the cause of abortion opponents. He appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade, abolishing the federally guaranteed right to the procedure and fulfilling the decades-long aspirations of anti-abortion activists.But Trump has so far declined to go along with some of his rivals, most notably his onetime vice president, Mike Pence, who is pushing for national bans that would take effect relatively early into a pregnancy. He’s also warned Republicans against locking themselves into positions that are unpopular with a majority of the public, and has argued that the Supreme...

Hurricane Lee to strike weather-worn New England after heavy rain, flooding and tornadoes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — After a deluge of rain, flooding, sinkholes and tornadoes this week, New England is about to face Hurricane Lee. As the Category 1 system impacted Bermuda, Maine was under its first hurricane watch in 15 years and a state of emergency declared Thursday by Gov. Janet Mills. The water-logged region prepared for 20-foot (6-meter) waves offshore and wind gusts up to 80 mph (129 kph), along with more rain.The hurricane watch applied to eastern Maine, while the rest of the state and an area extending south through Massachusetts was under a tropical storm warning. Powerful winds and coastal flooding were expected to arrive Friday afternoon in southern New England and spread north.Although Lee did not contribute to the flooding that hit New England earlier in the week, it threatened to exacerbate conditions in a region that is already waterlogged.The Coast Guard and emergency management agencies warned New England residents to be prepared, and utility companies brough...

Kim Jong Un stops to see a fighter jet factory as Russia and North Korea are warned off arms deals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stopped in a far eastern Russian city Friday to see a factory that builds the country’s most advanced fighter jets on his extended trip that hints at his interest in sophisticated weaponry, as the U.S. and others warned Moscow and Pyongyang against making banned weapons transfer deals. Kim’s visits to Russian weapons and technology sites and meetings with President Vladimir Putin have raised speculation he will supply ammunition to Russia for its war efforts in Ukraine in exchange for receiving advanced weapons or technology from Russia as the two nations deepen their ties while both are increasingly isolated and sanctioned in separate confrontations with the West. Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti published video showing Kim’s armored train pulling into a station in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Kim’s convoy sweeping out of the station shortly afterward. TASS news agency said Kim and local Russian offic...

What’s streaming now: ‘Barbie,’ Dan & Shay, ‘The Morning Show’ and ‘Welcome to Wrexham’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

Tunes from Dan & Shay and Vic Mensa plus a genre-blending Hulu series “The Other Black Girl” set inside the world of publishing are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near youAmong the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are a joyous season two of “Welcome to Wrexham,” “Barbie” can be bought for $30 and Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon return for season three of “The Morning Show.”NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— “Barbie” is finally coming to the small screen, giving audiences everywhere the freedom to belt out “I’m Just Ken” along with Ryan Gosling without shame. It’ll come at a cost, though, at least for a little while. Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster is available to buy on video-on-demand for a cool $29.99. The film took on a life of its own after a wild marketing blitz and “Oppenheimer” proximity, inspiring moviegoers to don their pinkest, most sparkly ensembles for group trips to t...

Texas high school football scores for Thursday, Sept. 14

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thunderstorms rolling through Central Texas led to the postponement of two area games and the delay of others Thursday night.Pflugerville and Bastrop, along with Seguin and Lehman, are backing their games up due to Thursday's lightning that came with some nasty thunderstorms. Pflugerville and Bastrop will move their game to Smithville and play at 7 p.m., Friday while Seguin and Lehman will try again at 11 a.m., Saturday at Bob Shelton Stadium.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteThe KBVO Game of the Week started an hour and 30 minutes later than scheduled, but the Class 4A Lampasas Badgers kept their undefeated season intact, holding off Connally 36-28 at The Pfield.Lake Travis blanked Akins 37-0 and LASA also had a shutout 47-0 over Eastside. McCallum topped Crockett 37-22 and Hutto fell to Converse Judson 29-19.Scores from...

Lampasas remains undefeated, holds off Pflugerville Connally 36-28

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:53:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Pflugerville Connally roared back in the second half, but Lampasas made the final key play of the game to win 36-28 on Thursday at The Pfield.On the final drive of the game, Connally quarterback Kaden Nguyen dropped back to pass and the ball squirted out of his hands as he was drawing it back to throw. The ball fell to the turf and the Badgers alertly jumped on it with 18 seconds left in the game to clinch the win.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteLampasas led by a point 29-28 before running back Jett Walker scored his second touchdown of the night, a 4-yard run with 49 seconds left in the game. The extra point gave the Badgers an 8-point lead, and Connally was moving the ball down the field with relative ease until the costly turnover.The Cougars had a shot to tie the game after wide receiver Landon Bradley made one of t...