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Russia offers support to Somalian army in fight against terrorist groups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia is ready to supply Somalia’s army with military equipment in its war against terrorism, Russia’s foreign minister said Friday.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the offer after talks with his Somali counterpart Abshir Omar Jama in Moscow.Russia’s top diplomat said Moscow reaffirmed its readiness to meet the material needs of the Somalian army in its fight against extremists that remain on Somalian territory including al-Shabaab and al-Qaeda.”The offer further underscores Russia’s growing interest in the African continent upstaging the west in countries facing conflict.Currently, Russian mercenaries Wagner are present in the Central African Republic, Mali, Mozambique and Libya.Somalia has faced numerous attacks from al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate group, al-Shabab and recently the government embarked on what has been described as the most significant offensive against the al-Shabab extremist group in more than a decade.The extremist gr...

Competition Bureau recommends changing THC limits for edibles, easing pot packaging

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s competition watchdog says the federal government should consider easing restrictions on cannabis packaging and limits on how much of pot’s psychoactive component can be edible products.The Competition Bureau says the moves would boost consumer choice, foster innovation and further reduce illicit market activity by bolstering the legal cannabis industry.It says adjusting tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) limits would allow pot producers to better meet consumer demand and compete with the illicit market.It adds easing restrictions on cannabis promotion, packaging and labelling would give producers more room to innovate and help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions.The Competition Bureau’s recommendations are part of an ongoing review of the Cannabis Act, which set cannabis purchase and possession limits and established safety requirements for growing, selling and transporting the substance.When legalization legislation came into effect in 2018, it i...

Pennsylvania baseball player fatally struck in the face while dismantling unapproved dugout

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A college baseball player died after he was struck in the face when a makeshift dugout he was helping to dismantle collapsed on him this week. Angel Mercado, 19, was a middle infielder who had just completed his freshman season at Division II Central Penn College. He had been playing in a summer recreation league that held its games and practices in a park in Harrisburg.The coach of Mercado’s team had built a makeshift dugout there out of wood on Sunday, but city officials told him it wasn’t allowed. Mercado was among a group of players dismantling the structure Monday afternoon when it unexpectedly collapsed and he was struck in the face.Mercado suffered a traumatic head injury and was taken to a hospital, where he died on Tuesday. The Cumberland County coroner’s office ruled the death an accident.“Nothing criminal happened here,” city spokesman Matt Maisel said. “No charges will be filed against the coach. No charges will be filed against a...

Russian court data: US journalist Evan Gershkovich appeals extension of detention on spying charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has appealed a three-month extention of his detention on espionage charges, a Russian court data website indicated Friday. Gershkovich, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested in March while on a reporting trip in Russia. He, his employer and the U.S. government have denied the charges. A Moscow court on Tuesday extended his detention until Aug. 30. According to the court website the appeal was filed at the Lefortovo district court on Thursday. There was no information whether a date has been set for a hearing. Gerhskovich’s case has been wrapped in secrecy. Russian authorities haven’t detailed what — if any — evidence they have gathered to support the espionage charges.Various legal proceedings in the case have been closed to the media. State news agency Tass said Tuesday’s hearing was held behind closed doors because the reporter was accused of possession of “secret materials.” The Wall Street Journal reporte...

Special counsel Durham to testify before Congress next month about his report on Trump-Russia probe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former special counsel John Durham is scheduled to testify before a House committee next month about his recently completed report on the FBI’s investigation of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.Durham is due to appear on June 20 in a closed-door session with the House intelligence committee and will testify publicly the following day before the House Judiciary Committee, according to a person who discussed the dates on the condition of anonymity because they had not been publicly announced. Durham was appointed in 2019 by then-Attorney General William Barr to investigate possible government mistakes and misconduct in the investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.His report concluded that the FBI acted too hastily and without sufficient justification to launch a full investigation in 2016. But many of the errors that it identified were also flagged in an earlier 2019 report by the Justice Department’s inspecto...

Germany orders 18 new Leopard 2 tanks to replace vehicles sent to Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The German military has ordered 18 new Leopard 2 tanks to replace vehicles that were sent to Ukraine earlier this year, a leading defense company said Friday.Kraus-Maffei Wegmann said a contract for the Leopard 2A8 tanks was signed with the federal office for military equipment. It didn’t give financial details, but the German parliament’s budget committee on Wednesday approved funding of some 525 million euros ($563 million).The company said that delivery of the new tanks is scheduled to start in 2025, and that the deal includes options for another 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks. Kraus-Maffei Wegmann also will produce 12 new self-propelled howitzers for the German military as part of an option agreed to in March, the company said.Germany’s defense minister pushed for new tanks to be acquired as quickly as possible after the government agreed in late January to provide 14 Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine. That number was increased a few weeks later to 18 as Berli...

Spanish court opens investigation into racist abuse targeting Vinícius Júnior

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

MADRID (AP) — A Spanish court opened a judicial investigation Friday into an alleged hate crime perpetrated by the three people arrested this week for racially abusing Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior during a game.Vinícius, who is Black, was subjected to racist taunts on Sunday in Valencia at Mestalla Stadium, which will have parts of its stands closed for the next five games. The Brazil forward has repeatedly been targeted by similar abuse this season.The Valencia-based court said in a statement that Vinícius will be asked to give testimony via video-conference at some point.The judge also asked for the Valencia club to identify the security guards at the game so they could possibly give testimony and to conserve any audiovisual material of the match from the 72nd minute for possible study.___More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsThe Associated Press

Pope spikes a fever, misses meetings: Vatican

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis skipped meetings Friday because he was running a fever, the Vatican said.There were no details about how sick Francis was. The last time he spiked a serious fever, in March, the 86-year-old pontiff was rushed to the hospital where he was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. He received intravenous antibiotics and was released three days later.A Vatican official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak about the pope’s health, said Francis didn’t receive anyone in audience Friday “because of a feverish state.” Pope sends Vatican official to Bolivia as abuse allegations escalate There were no formal audiences scheduled Friday, but Francis keeps a separate, private and unofficial agenda of meetings with people he receives at his residence.Francis has had a busy week, presiding over a meeting of the Italian bishops conference, participating in an afternoon encounter Thursday with his school foundation Scholas Occurentes, ...

Céline Dion cancels European concerts 'until I’m really ready to be back on stage'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

Céline Dion has canceled all her scheduled tour dates through April 2024 as she continues treatment for a rare neurological disorder.“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again," the singer said in a statement on social media. "I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again.A total of 42 European dates have been canceled, including stops in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Austria, England, Scotland and Ireland.Earlier this year, Dion said stiff person syndrome was causing spasms that affect her ability to walk and sing."Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me t...

Pennsylvania restaurant faces backlash after racial slur printed on receipt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:18:48 GMT

BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) - A Pennsylvania restaurant is facing backlash after a racial slur was printed on a receipt and handed to a customer. The customer, identified only as Kassie, said she ordered a blackened chicken panini at the Aviation Inn in Duncansville and said the bar went silent when she walked in to pick it up. As a woman of color, Kassie said she was used to the treatment. "People kind of stare at you being the minority and not the majority," Kassie said. What Kassie wasn't expecting though was to look at her receipt to see the N-word. After calling the restaurant, she said one of the owners, Allen Butterbaugh, told her the slur was used deliberately but as a joke and she wasn't supposed to see it."He did tell me that this was a joke amongst the kitchen, and he said it got out of hand," Kassie said."It was embarrassing to me. It was hurtful. I did not find it funny."Kassie She said the owner claimed he told the employee not to put it on the receipt, but the employee t...