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Australian wildfire danger causes fire ban in Sydney and closes schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Sydney experienced its first total fire ban in almost three years on Tuesday and several schools along the New South Wales state coast to the south were closed because of a heightened wildfire danger, caused by unusually hot and dry conditions across southeast Australia.Authorities have forecast the most destructive wildfire season during the approaching Southern Hemisphere summer in Australia’s populous southeast since the catastrophic Black Summer fires of 2019-20 that killed 33 people, destroyed more than 3,000 homes and razed 19 million hectares (47 million acres).A total fire ban has been declared for the Greater Sydney area and the coastal communities to the south. It is the first such declaration for Sydney, Australia’s most populous city after Melbourne, since late November 2020.Sydney matched its September maximum temperature record of 34.6 degrees Celsius (94.3 degrees Fahrenheit ) on Tuesday. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology described it as an unusually ...

Germany bans neo-Nazi group with links to US, conducts raids in 10 German states

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The German government on Tuesday banned the neo-Nazi group Hammerskins Germany and raided homes of dozens of its members. The group is an offshoot of an American ring-wing extremist group and plays a prominent role across Europe.The Hammerskins Germany is an offshoot of the Hammerskins Nation founded in the United States in 1988, according to the interior ministry.It plays a prominent role in the right-wing extremist scene in Europe. Worldwide, members of this association refer to themselves as “brothers” and see themselves as an elite “brotherhood” practicing their subcultural way of life. The group also sees itself as the elite of the right-wing extremist skinhead scene, according to the ministry.“The ban of the Hammerskins Germany is a hard blow against organized right-wing extremism,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said, adding that the ban included the association’s regional chapters and its sub-organization Crew 38.“With this ban, we are putting an en...

Border management: EU signs Frontex Status Agreement with Albania

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

On 15 September, the European Union and Albania signed a new agreement on operational cooperation in border management with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). The agreement was signed by representatives of the Council, the Commission, and the Albanian government.The agreement is a deliverable of the EU Action Plan on the Western Balkans. Strengthened operational co-operation between Western Balkan partners and Frontex will contribute to addressing irregular migration and cross border crime and further enhance security at the EU's external borders. The new agreement will update the previous status agreement from 2019 by also allowing the deployment of Frontex Standing Corps officers at the borders between Albania and neighbouring Western Balkan partners. After the signature, the agreement may be applied provisionally, upon agreement of the Albanian Parliament. The final conclusion of the agreement is subject to the consent of the European Parliament and a Council d...

Campaign exhibition for UK to re-join EU to be held in Parliament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

A new exhibition will be held in the European Parliament this week as part of an ongoing campaign for the UK to re-join the EU.The “Our Star” exhibition takes place in the balcony area of the parliament’s Spinelli building from 19 to 21 September.The exhibition consists of two elements: ‘Our Star’ is a 2m tall large-scale symbolic sculpture, or talisman, that is said to symbolize the UK’s desire to find its future place in Europe.It was made by the German sculptor and illustrator, Jacques Tilly and named ‘the UK’s Star of European Unity and Peace’.It is being exhibited in the Parliament at the launch of a UK-based campaign called ‘Choosing our Future’, and the exhibition also includes discussion events to examine relevant topics.The 2nd element is called “Remaining Memories, a photographic exhibition that recalls the protest marches and events held against Brexit in the UK by ‘grassroots’ pro-Union movements during the last seven years.The images were selected from an extensive phot...

Single family residence sells in San Jose for $1.9 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

2295 Gunar Drive – Google Street ViewA 2,306-square-foot house built in 1966 has changed hands. The spacious property located in the 2200 block of Gunar Drive in San Jose was sold on Aug. 17, 2023. The $1,910,000 purchase price works out to $828 per square foot. The layout of this single-story house includes three bedrooms and three baths. Inside, there is a fireplace. The property is equipped with forced air heating and a cooling system. Additionally, the home is equipped with a two-car garage, accommodating vehicles and storage needs efficiently. The property’s backyard is further enhanced by both a spa and a pool.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:In June 2022, a 1,903-square-foot home on Kayla Court in San Jose sold for $1,972,500, a price per square foot of $1,037. The home has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 1,908-square-foot home on the 2300 block of Price Way in San Jose sold in December 2022, for $1,810,000, a price per square foot of $949. The hom...

India expels senior Canadian diplomat in growing row over alleged Indian role in Sikh’s killing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — India dismissed allegations that its government was linked to the killing of a Sikh activist in Canada as “absurd” Tuesday, expelling a senior Canadian diplomat and accusing Canada of interfering in India’s internal affairs.It came a day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described what he called credible allegations that India was connected to the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an advocate of Sikh independence from India who was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia, and Canada expelled a top Indian diplomat.“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” Trudeau told Parliament Monday. “In the strongest possible terms I continue to urge the government of India to cooperate with Canada to get to the bottom of this matter.”The dueling expulsions come as relations between Canada and India are tense. Trade...

Lynx, Sun set for game 3 matchup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

Connecticut Sun (27-13, 14-6 Eastern Conference) at Minnesota Lynx (19-21, 12-8 Western Conference)Minneapolis; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK WNBA LINE: Sun -4.5; over/under is 157.5WNBA PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Series tied 1-1BOTTOM LINE: The Connecticut Sun visit the Minnesota Lynx in game three of the first round of the WNBA playoffs. The Lynx defeated the Sun 82-75 in the last matchup. Kayla McBride led the Lynx with 28 points, and Alyssa Thomas led the Sun with 26 points.The Lynx are 9-11 in home games. Minnesota is 4-14 in games decided by 10 or more points.The Sun are 14-6 in road games. Connecticut ranks third in the Eastern Conference shooting 36.0% from 3-point range.TOP PERFORMERS: Napheesa Collier is scoring 21.5 points per game and averaging 8.5 rebounds for the Lynx. McBride is averaging 18.6 points and 4.3 rebounds over the last 10 games for Minnesota.Tiffany Hayes is averaging 12.1 points for the Sun. DeWanna Bonner is averaging 16.6 points over the last 10 ga...

Infantería de Marina ordena una pausa en las operaciones de vuelo después de tres accidentes recientes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

(CNN) — El Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina ordenó una pausa en las operaciones de vuelo luego de tres accidentes en las últimas seis semanas, incluido el incidente de este domingo en el que un avión de combate F-35B desapareció después de que el piloto fuera expulsado.La pausa, ordenada por el comandante interino de la Infantería de Marina, general Eric Smith, durará dos días, según el portavoz de la Infantería de Marina, mayor Jim Stenger. Durante ese tiempo, todas las unidades de aviación dentro del servicio revisarán las operaciones de vuelo seguras, la seguridad en tierra, el mantenimiento y los procedimientos de vuelo, y el mantenimiento de la preparación para el combate.Más recientemente, un campo de escombros ubicado aproximadamente a dos horas al noreste de la Base Conjunta de Charleston fue identificado como los restos del F-35B del Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina que desapareció después de que su piloto fuera expulsado este domingo por la tarde, según la Infantería de ...

Martinez hits 2 home runs as NL West champion Dodgers roll past Rodriguez and Tigers, 8-3

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — J.D. Martinez homered twice off Eduardo Rodriguez and drove in five runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to an 8-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night.Rodriguez (11-9), who used his no-trade rights to nix a deal to the Dodgers on Aug. 1, lasted just three-plus innings. He exited in the fourth with back spasms during Chris Taylor’s at-bat.Martinez said he wasn’t motivated by Rodriguez’s decision not to come to Los Angeles. The slugger tried to text his former Boston Red Sox teammate when the deal was still in limbo but never got a response.“You know, everybody makes their decisions, everyone’s got their choices why they did it,” Martinez said. “He texted me and apologized why he couldn’t text back. It was a family decision. I get it, man. He’s got to do what he’s got to do for him. It’s understandable. Obviously we wanted him here, but it is what it is.”Lance Lynn (12-11), acquired by the Dodgers from the Chicago White Sox days before the Rodrig...

Saint Louis City SC takes home winning streak into matchup against Los Angeles FC

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:33 GMT

Los Angeles FC (12-9-7, second in the Western Conference) vs. Saint Louis City SC (15-10-4, first in the Western Conference)Old North Saint Louis, St. Louis; Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLS LINE: Saint Louis +152, LAFC +153, Draw +273; over/under is 3.5 goalsBOTTOM LINE: Saint Louis City SC hosts Los Angeles FC looking to extend a four-game home winning streak.Saint Louis is 11-8-4 against Western Conference opponents. Saint Louis is fifth in the league with 140 shots on goal, averaging 4.8 per game. Saint Louis is also second in MLS play with 56 goals.LAFC is 11-7-6 in Western Conference games. LAFC ranks fifth in the Western Conference giving up only 34 goals.The matchup Wednesday is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. LAFC won the last game 3-0.TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Gioacchini has 10 goals and one assist for Saint Louis. Samuel Adeniran has scored five goals over the past 10 games.Denis Bouanga has 14 goals and five assists for LAFC. Ryan Hol...