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Kazakhstan: EU’s helped us hold our own against Moscow, Beijing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

Growing ties with the West are helping Central Asian countries assert their independence in a region historically dominated by Russia and China, Kazakhstan’s deputy foreign minister said.“The fact the EU, the U.S. and the West generally have now recognized the importance of Kazakhstan and other countries in Central Asia [and] have now engaged in much more robust relationship building … help strengthen the agency of Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan in dealing with all other partners in the world,” Roman Vassilenko told POLITICO in an interview.At the same time, he added, “we will continue to be where we are geographically, we will continue to develop relations with Russia, with China, as an independent nation.”Kazakhstan is a member of the Moscow-led CSTO military alliance, but has carved out an independent foreign policy since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, offering to sell oil to the EU to replace lost Russian ...

Germany’s Scholz vows to ‘invest heavily’ in green transition despite budget crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Tuesday that his government would still “invest heavily” in the modernization and green transition of his country’s economy, but provided no specifics on how his coalition would pay for it amid a budget crisis that has sharply curbed the government’s ability to spend.“We must now ensure that we in Germany manage to transform our economy and remain competitive as a strong industrialized country,” the chancellor told lawmakers. This means the government “must now invest heavily” and “do everything we can to finally drive forward the energy transition in Germany and Europe,” he said.The problem for Scholz is that the conservative opposition is unlikely to go along with proposals to loosen the legally-binding fiscal restrains German leaders have imposed on themselves, leaving the tripartite ruling coalition almost no way out of the budget crisis that doesn’t involve deep spending cuts...

TSA’s 2024 canine calendar will melt your travelin’ heart

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

(CNN) — It’s not often that the words “TSA” and “adorable” come together in the same sentence. Long lines, discarded items, a sometimes-grumpy atmosphere – not much to love there.But those two words are a natural pairing when it comes the Transportation Security Administration’s annual canine calendar. The agency announced its 2024 version on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday – and let’s just say these safety-minded, hard-working pooches are positively precious.The calendar honors the more than 1,000 explosives-detection canines working across the United States. Adorning the cover is Dina, winner of the 2023 cutest canine contest.This gal is a 3-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer who works at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. She was “one of several TSA canines who worked at Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix” back in February, according to a TSA news release.But the doggie love doesn’t stop at the cover. Inside are a year’s worth of dogs starting with Gina-Gina, a...

Man charged with fatal shooting in Wareham on Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

A man has been taken into custody after allegedly shooting and killing a person on Monday, the Plymouth DA’s office said Tuesday morning.Robert Gomes III has been charged with the murder and expected to be arraigned Tuesday in Wareham District Court, DA spokesperson Beth Stone said.Wareham Police initially reported the active crime scene at 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, closing Main Street between Pierceville Road and County Road.At the time, the department stated the scene was “contained, and there is no threat to the immediate public.”The DA’s office reported an “active and ongoing” investigation into the fatal shooting in Wareham in a post on X, formerly Twitter, around 6:40 p.m. Tuesday.“This is not believed to be a random act of violence,” the DA’s post stated.The circumstances and motive of the shooting have not yet been stated by police or the DA’s office.— Developing

Orioles unveil 2024 home first pitch times, including 6:35 p.m. games on weeknights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

The Orioles on Tuesday announced the start times of their 81 home games in 2024, including a 3:05 p.m. first pitch for their March 28 season opener against the Los Angeles Angels and almost 30 weeknight games that will begin at 6:35 p.m.The only weeknight game at Camden Yards this season that will begin after 7 p.m. is Aug. 22 against the Houston Astros, with all 29 other such contests beginning at 6:35 p.m., an earlier start meant to benefit families with children. The home schedule also includes 10 midweek day games, typically lining up with holidays or accommodating team travel.The reigning American League East champions will also have 13 Saturday home games with a first pitch of 4:05 p.m., with the lone exception being a June 29 matchup with the World Series champion Texas Rangers that begins at 7:15 p.m.Friday games in Baltimore are scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m., and the club’s Sunday home games have first pitch times of 1:35 p.m.All dates and times are subject to chang...

What’s wrong with the Chicago Bulls defense? A former strength has become yet another weakness amid 5-13 slump.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

Even in the darkest days of last season, the Chicago Bulls always could count on their defense.The offense was shaky at best. Star players such as Zach LaVine struggled to find their footing. But the Bulls could put the clamps on nearly every opponent, finishing fifth in the league in defense in a 40-42 season.That last modicum of consistency has vanished for the Bulls, who have transformed into a bottom-10 defense — a slow-moving, disjointed, skittish shadow of its former self. Losses such as Sunday’s 118-109 defeat against the Brooklyn Nets punctuate the Bulls’ inability to squash opponents when they get on a scoring run.As opponents continue to carve up the defense, coach Billy Donovan has a simple goal for the Bulls: get in the way.“We have got to put our body in plays,” Donovan said. “There’s no getting around it. We’ve got to, as much as we can, take some more charges. We may not have the verticality to go up and contest all the ...

Fake babies, real horror: Deepfakes from the Gaza war increase fears about AI’s power to mislead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

By DAVID KLEPPER (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Among images of the bombed out homes and ravaged streets of Gaza, some stood out for the utter horror: Bloodied, abandoned infants.Viewed millions of times online since the war began, these images are deepfakes created using artificial intelligence. If you look closely you can see clues: fingers that curl oddly, or eyes that shimmer with an unnatural light — all telltale signs of digital deception.The outrage the images were created to provoke, however, is all too real.Pictures from the Israel-Hamas war have vividly and painfully illustrated AI’s potential as a propaganda tool, used to create lifelike images of carnage. Since the war began last month, digitally altered ones spread on social media have been used to make false claims about responsibility for casualties or to deceive people about atrocities that never happened. While most of the false claims circulating online about the war didn’t require AI t...

Nikki Haley wins backing from powerful Koch network as she aims to take on Trump

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

By STEVE PEOPLES (AP National Political Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the powerful Koch network, formally endorsed Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign on Tuesday, promising to commit its nationwide army of activists — and virtually unlimited funds — to helping Haley defeat former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary contest. “AFP Action is proud to throw our full support behind Nikki Haley, who offers America the opportunity to turn the page on the current political era, to win the Republican primary and defeat Joe Biden next November,” AFP president and CEO Emily Seidel wrote in a memo announcing the group’s decision. “She has what it takes to lead a policy agenda to take on our nation’s biggest challenges and help ensure our country’s best days are ahead. With the grassroots and data capability we bring to bear in this race, no other organization is better equipped to help her ...

Indian rescuers pull out all 41 workers who were trapped in a tunnel for 17 days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

UTTARKASHI, India (AP) — All 41 construction workers who were trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel in northern India for more than two weeks were pulled out on Tuesday, bringing a happy end to a drawn-out rescue mission that had gripped the country for days. Locals, relatives and government officials erupted in joy, set off firecrackers and shouted “Bharat Mata ki Jai” — Hindi for “Long live mother India — as smiling workers began emerging from the tunnel entrance. Officials hung floral garlands around the necks of the first rescued workers as the crowd cheered. Nitin Gadkari, the country’s minister of road transport and highways, said in a video posted on the social media platform X that he was “completely relieved and happy” after all of the workers were rescued from the Silkyara Tunnel in the northern Indian town of Uttarkashi following the 17-day ordeal. “This was a well-coordinated effort by multiple agencies, markin...

Tuberculosis warning: County reports exposure at Golden Hall shelter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:37:15 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Residents, employees, contractors and volunteers at the Golden Hall shelter in downtown San Diego have been notified about a tuberculosis exposure, county officials said Monday.The potential exposure dates were between Sept. 5 to Sept. 28 at 1101 First Ave., the County of San Diego said on its website. Tuberculosis is bacteria that spreads through coughing, speaking, singing or breathing, according to the county. Those experiencing homeless are more vulnerable to the airborne disease. Naked guy spotted on iconic Disneyland Ride “Symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., County public health officer. “Most people who become infected after exposure to tuberculosis do not get sick right away. This is called latent TB infection. Some who become infected with tuberculosis will become ill in the future, sometimes even years later, if their latent TB infection is not treated. For people who thi...