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IS claims responsibility for an attack that killed 20 Syrian soldiers, and vows to keep fighting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an ambush in eastern Syria that killed at least 20 government soldiers and wounded others, warning that such attacks will continue.IS sleeper cells still carry deadly attacks despite their defeat in Syria in 2019. The group once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq where they declared a caliphate in 2014.The Friday night statement said IS fighters ambushed two army trucks in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour using different kinds of weapons. IS claimed that 40 members of the Syrian military were killed and 10 were wounded.Syrian opposition activists said the Thursday night attack on a bus carrying soldiers near the town of Mayadeen killed at least 20 soldiers and wounded others. State media said several soldiers were killed and wounded, without giving a breakdown.“Let the whole world know that our allegiance to our leaders is practiced with deeds and not words and our Jihad is going on until Doomsday,” IS sa...

South Koreans rally in Seoul against Japanese plans to release treated nuclear wastewater into sea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Anxious about Japan’s impending release of treated nuclear wastewater from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, hundreds of South Koreans marched in their capital on Saturday. Protesters called for Tokyo to abandon the plans, and expressed anger toward Seoul for endorsing the discharge despite alleged food safety risks.Saturday’s rally was the latest of weekslong protests since the International Atomic Energy Agency approved the Japanese discharge plans in July, saying that the process would meet international safety standards and pose negligible environmental and health impacts.The safety of the wastewater release plans has also been advocated by the government of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who in recent months has actively taken steps to repair long-strained ties with its fellow United States ally in the face of growing North Korean nuclear threats.The Japanese government has said the wastewater release is set to start this summer...

Russia downs 20 drones over Crimea following a spate of attacks on Moscow

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia thwarted an attack by 20 Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow-annexed Crimea overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday.Fourteen drones were shot down by Russian air defenses and a further six were jammed electronically, the ministry said in a Telegram post. No casualties or damage were reported.The overnight attacks followed three consecutive days of drone attacks on the Russian capital, Moscow. Firing drones at Russia, after more than 17 months of war has little apparent military value for Ukraine, but the strategy has served to unsettle Russians and bring home to them the conflict’s consequences.Drone attacks have increased in recent weeks both on Moscow and on Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 — a move that most of the world considered illegal. Kyiv officials neither confirmed nor denied Ukraine’s possible involvement in the attempted attacks. Elsewhere, Russia claimed Saturday it had regained control of the village of Urozhain...

Guatemalan presidential candidate Sandra Torres leans on conservative values, opposing gay marriage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

SAN JUAN SACATEPEQUEZ, Guatemala (AP) — Over the past decade, Guatemalan presidential candidate Sandra Torres has been drifting rightward on the political spectrum as she repeatedly has tried to win the presidency.Now, in her third bid, the former first lady has drafted an evangelical pastor as her running mate and is leaning heavily on her firm commitments to keeping abortion and same-sex marriage illegal in Guatemala.Her opponent in the Aug. 20 runoff, Bernardo Arévalo of the progressive Seed Movement, also has said Guatemala’s abortion ban should remain untouched. But he has declined to make any such declaration on same-sex marriage, saying only that his government would be against any sort of discrimination, without elaborating. Torres made a recent campaign stop in jeans and a national soccer team jersey at a school in San Juan Sacatepequez, an impoverished suburban city of more than 250,000, where she told several hundred supporters that she wanted the government to resp...

BC Hydro bids to raise EV charging fees, but customers say time-based fees are unfair

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

VANCOUVER — Nanaimo resident Rick Butzelaar bought an electric vehicle less than two months ago and the savings so far have been significant, but he doesn’t have a home charger and a recent bid by BC Hydro to increase public charging rates has him concerned.The provincial Crown corporation wants to raise rates at public electric vehicle charging stations by 15 per cent from Sept. 1, which the company says would allow it to recover the costs of providing them over 10 years. Some consumers say the proposed rate hike would reduce the incentive for others to make the switch to an electric vehicle.  When Butzelaar and his partner sold two gas-powered cars and bought an electric Volkswagen, he estimates they saved about $350 in the first month on fuel alone. While researching electric vehicles, he said he discovered that all chargers aren’t the same, some charging much faster than others, some charging fees by the minute, and some by the amount of power consumed. BC Hydro says...

Daily horoscope for August 12, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Cancer.Happy Birthday for Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023:You are intelligent, resourceful, purposeful and tenacious. You are always active. This year is the last year of a nine-year cycle for you, which means it’s time to let go of people, places and things that have been holding you back. Get ready for a clean slate!ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★This is an excellent day to putter and work around home. It’s also a solid day for real-estate negotiations. Discussions with an older family member or conversations about the long-term future will be practical and solid. It’s a lovely evening to entertain! (Stock the fridge.) Tonight: Invite someone over.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★This is an excellent day to study or learn something new. It’s also a good day to make long-range plans for the future. Someone older, perhaps a friend or a member of a group, might have advice for you. ...

Harriette Cole: I’m ashamed to tell people I forgave my childhood friend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: A few years ago, I was deeply hurt by my childhood friend. During that time, I confided in my loved ones about my decision to end my friendship with this person, explaining the details of the situation and vowing to end the friendship once and for all. Everyone close to me was proud that I’d decided to cut this person out of my life.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I’ve worked hard, and my poor siblings resent my success Advice | Harriette Cole: I want to move to a big city but I’m scared of driving Advice | Harriette Cole: My husband won’t help with the baby, and I’m considering divorce Advice | Harriette Cole: My boyfriend’s teenage secret has made me really nervous Advice | Harriette Cole: How do I tell my friend I won’t support her custody request? Over time, I found it in my heart to forgive my friend, understanding that people can ma...

Miss Manners: She wants to turn our music festival into a get-drunk weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Several old friends and I have planned a girls’ weekend at a world-famous music festival in a beautiful city this summer.But one of the four recently insisted, in a group text, that she did not want to spend her valuable dollars on things she doesn’t care for — namely, classical music, opera or chamber music. These are the focus of this festival and the reason we chose that particular weekend.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: My rule is no gift for a second wedding, no attendance for a third Advice | Miss Manners: She became irate when I corrected her statement about the moon Advice | Miss Manners: I complimented this celebrity, and his reply was insulting Advice | Miss Manners: My summer dresses make my boyfriend uncomfortable Advice | Miss Manners: My fiancee says she must have a diamond, despite my objection I mentioned that the festival includes jazz and blue...

2 former Marin County cops arraigned on assault charges in bloody arrest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

Former San Rafael police officer Brandon Nail and his attorney Julia Fox head to Nail’s arraignment on assault charges in Marin Superior Court in San Rafael on Friday. Nail and former officer Daisy Mazariegos were charged with assaulting a man during an arrest last summer in the Canal neighborhood. Nail and Mazariegos entered not guilty pleas before Judge Beth Jordan. (Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal) Two former San Rafael police officers accused of assaulting a detainee and lying about it were arraigned Friday on criminal charges.Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos, who were involved in the bloody arrest that prompted protests last year, pleaded not guilty in Marin County Superior Court.The charges include assault by an officer under color of authority and making false statements in a crime report.“I think the DA is completely out to lunch on this case,” said Chris Shea, the attorney defending Mazariegos. “This is not a case that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”...

Bay Area realty agents frustrated after cyber attack hobbles MLS

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:51 GMT

Marin real estate agents are scrambling after an essential online tool used to connect home buyers to sellers was hacked.The service remained down Friday ahead of a weekend of open houses during a crucial time of year.The ransomware cyber-attack Wednesday left Multiple Listing Service, a property information and cooperative data service, down across the country. The outage left new property listings and open houses unsearchable, and certain data unavailable.Megan Pomponio, a real estate agent with Compass Real Estate based in Kentfield, said the MLS outage limited the information available, postponing listings and delaying communication between agents and brokers.“I have no idea what’s going on or how long it will take,” she said Friday.While she did not have any listings planned over the weekend, she said she was unable to see the status of current listings or any private remarks, such as where keys were located — information that is critical to open houses.In an email sent to subs...