Swiss parliamentary panel seeks easing of export controls on weaponry

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Swiss parliamentary panel seeks easing of export controls on weaponry BERN, Switzerland (AP) — A parliamentary committee in Switzerland on Thursday recommended easing export controls for Swiss-made war materiel to help prop up the domestic defense industry as Western neighbors urge the country to do more to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.The passage of two motions by the Security Policy Commission of the upper house of parliament, the Council of States was largely a procedural step, but it highlighted the economic and political pressures on Swiss lawmakers.The Council commission took into consideration Switzerland’s longtime policy of military neutrality and the effects of export restrictions on Swiss defense contractors. Its sister commission in parliament’s lower house took a similar position in January.The war in Ukraine has prompted Swiss government officials to grapple with their country’s longtime conception of neutrality, which is enshrined in the constitution and prohibits exporting weaponry to active war zones. The policy also bars...

Firm that helped expose Alabama baseball gambling scandal launches integrity hotline

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Firm that helped expose Alabama baseball gambling scandal launches integrity hotline SECAUCUS, N.J. (AP) — A sports integrity monitor launched a tool Thursday to help athletes, coaches and staff to anonymously report suspicions about gambling activity to regulators and law enforcement.The tip hotline “Athlete Alert Powered by RealResponse” was announced by U.S. Integrity, a sports data integrity company that played a role in an ongoing investigation into possible wrongdoing involving the University of Alabama baseball team.Earlier this month, Matthew Holt, the president of U.S. Integrity, said the operators of a sportsbook located in the Cincinnati Reds stadium alerted his company to “abnormal activity.” U.S. Integrity alerted state gambling regulators, and Ohio officials opened an investigation.Alabama fired its baseball coach last week amid an investigation into suspicious bets involving a Crimson Tide game at LSU.The tip hotline unveiled by the two companies allows athletes, coaches and others to anonymously report integrity-related concerns such as the misuse of...

Sen. Tuberville criticized for remarks on white nationalists: ‘I call them Americans’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Sen. Tuberville criticized for remarks on white nationalists: ‘I call them Americans’ COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is facing backlash for remarks he made about white nationalists in the armed forces in an interview about his blocking of military nominees, He said that while Democrats may consider such people to be racists, “I call them Americans.”Tuberville’s office later said he was expressing skepticism at the idea that white nationalists were in the armed services.The first-term senator from Alabama made the remarks in an interview last week with WBHM, an NPR affiliate. He suggested that the Biden administration’s efforts to expand diversity in the military were weakening the force and hampering recruitment, though the Army has said that the real problem is that many young people do not see enlistment as safe or a good career path.“We are losing in the military so fast. Our readiness in terms of recruitment,” Tuberville said, according to the station’s transcript of the interview. “And why? I’ll tell you why. Because the Democrats a...

Soudal Open Par Scores

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Soudal Open Par Scores ThursdayAt Rinkven International GCAntwerp, BelgiumPurse: $2 millionYardage: 6,940; Par: 71First RoundSimon Forsstrom, Sweden32-32—64-7Jens Dantorp, Sweden31-34—65-6James Morrison, England33-32—65-6Marcel Siem, Germany32-33—65-6Andrew Wilson, England34-31—65-6Alexander Bjork, Sweden32-34—66-5Alejandro Del Rey Gonzalez, Spain34-32—66-5Ryo Hisatsune, Japan33-33—66-5Marcus Kinhult, Sweden34-32—66-5Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark33-33—66-5Jeong-Weon Ko, France34-32—66-5Frederic Lacroix, France32-34—66-5Felix Mory, France32-34—66-5Julien Brun, France32-35—67-4Thomas Detry, Belgium35-32—67-4David Horsey, England35-32—67-4Robin Sciot-Siegrist, France32-35—67-4Wu Ashun, China34-34—68-3Nick Bachem, Germany35-33—68-3Daniel Brown, England34-34—68-3Mike Lorenzo-Vera, France34-34—68-3Wilco Nienaber, South Africa36-32—68-3Thorbjorn Olesen, Denmark35-33—68-3Eddie Pepperell, England34-34—68-3Richie Ramsay, Scotland35-33—68-3Shubhankar Sharma, India34-34—68-3Martin Simonsen, Denmark35-33—68-3Brandon Stone, ...

Soudal Open Scores

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Soudal Open Scores ThursdayAt Rinkven International GCAntwerp, BelgiumPurse: $2 millionYardage: 6,940; Par: 71First RoundSimon Forsstrom, Sweden32-32—64Jens Dantorp, Sweden31-34—65James Morrison, England33-32—65Marcel Siem, Germany32-33—65Andrew Wilson, England34-31—65Alexander Bjork, Sweden32-34—66Alejandro Del Rey Gonzalez, Spain34-32—66Ryo Hisatsune, Japan33-33—66Marcus Kinhult, Sweden34-32—66Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark33-33—66Jeong-Weon Ko, France34-32—66Frederic Lacroix, France32-34—66Felix Mory, France32-34—66Julien Brun, France32-35—67Thomas Detry, Belgium35-32—67David Horsey, England35-32—67Robin Sciot-Siegrist, France32-35—67Wu Ashun, China34-34—68Nick Bachem, Germany35-33—68Daniel Brown, England34-34—68Mike Lorenzo-Vera, France34-34—68Wilco Nienaber, South Africa36-32—68Thorbjorn Olesen, Denmark35-33—68Eddie Pepperell, England34-34—68Richie Ramsay, Scotland35-33—68Shubhankar Sharma, India34-34—68Martin Simonsen, Denmark35-33—68Brandon Stone, South Africa35-33—68Santiago Tarrio, Spain36-32—68Gunn...

Review: Peter Lewis and Eilen Jewell, 2 Moby Grape founders, make vital new music

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Review: Peter Lewis and Eilen Jewell, 2 Moby Grape founders, make vital new music “Imagination” by Peter Lewis (OMAD Records) and “Get Behind the Wheel” by Eilen Jewell (Signature Sounds)These albums are far out and groovy, in that they carry strains of Moby Grape, a rock band that had its 15 minutes of fame in 1967 amid San Francisco’s Summer of Love.Bad decisions, bad habits and bad luck made the Grape’s purple reign brief. But the quintet did release one classic album, and decades later, two founding members have created vital new music.Peter Lewis, now 77, had the most elegant voice in a band with four fine singers, and on “Imagination” his gentle tenor turns back the clock. It’s frayed but arresting, and his flair for melody remains intact.Great guitar work filled Moby Grape songs, thanks in large part to Jerry Miller, who remains in top form at 79 as he handles lead parts on singer-songwriter Eilen Jewell’s absorbing album “Get Behind the Wheel.” Jewell and co-producer Will Kimbrough wisely give Miller plenty of room to shine, and he explores the wide...

Lacazette helps Lyon push for European spot as he battles Mbappé for top scorer

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Lacazette helps Lyon push for European spot as he battles Mbappé for top scorer PARIS (AP) — Alexandre Lacazette’s goals have papered over Lyon’s defensive frailties and are helping the club’s late push for a European place next season.That was glaringly evident last Sunday when the striker’s remarkable four-goal performance helped Lyon beat Montpellier 5-4 after trailing 4-1. The whole bench mobbed him after his stoppage-time penalty as he roared to the home crowd.A great way for Lacazette to break in a new pair of boots.“They were a lovely present that I received, and I’m going to keep them meticulously clean for the next game,” said Lacazette, who rejoined Lyon in the offseason after five years in the Premier League with Arsenal.The goals improved Lacazette’s overall tally for Lyon to 157 — second all-time at the club behind Fleury Di Nallo (222) — and further cemented his status as one of the most popular players in club history.With his lucky boots, Lacazette has another ambition: beating Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian ...

Judge denies bid to hold single trial for all 10 charged in psychiatric patient’s death

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Judge denies bid to hold single trial for all 10 charged in psychiatric patient’s death DINWIDDIE, Va. (AP) — Seven sheriff’s deputies and three employees of a psychiatric hospital in Virginia cannot all be tried together in the death of a man who was pinned to the floor while being admitted, a judge ruled, while leaving open the possibility of joint trials for some of the defendants. Dinwiddie Circuit Judge Joseph Teefey Jr. on Wednesday granted requests from two Central State Hospital employees to be tried separately from the other defendants. It remains unclear whether the remaining eight defendants will stand trial together. During a court hearing, the judge did not rule out trying some of them at the same time.Lawyers for the two hospital employees argued it would be unfair to require their clients to stand trial with some of the other defendants, including sheriff’s deputies who had a more active role in restraining Irvo Otieno, 28. All 10 defendants are charged with second-degree murder in Otieno’s death March 6.Rhonda Quagliana, an attorney fo...

Why so many newly-diagnosed lung cancer patients already have advanced cancer

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

Why so many newly-diagnosed lung cancer patients already have advanced cancer By the time a patient is newly-diagnosed with lung cancer, many already have stage three or stage four cancer.During Lung Cancer Action Week, Dr. Albert Rizzo, the medical director of the American Lung Association says that’s one of the confounding attributes of the leading cause of cancer deaths.“Unfortunately, symptoms of lung cancer do not present early,” said Rizzo. “By the time somebody has chest pain, chronic cough, spitting up blood, shortness of breath — if those are the symptoms, at that point it’s usually in a more advanced condition.”It was a lesson I personally learned, in November 2022, after a persistent cough led to my diagnosis of lung cancer.Currently, the only people who qualify for lung cancer screening are people between the ages of 50 and 80, who have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years. And, while 14 million people qualify for screening, Rizzo says recent figures show only approximately 5% to 7% of people who quali...

1 dead, 4 injured in southeast Denver shooting

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:51:14 GMT

1 dead, 4 injured in southeast Denver shooting DENVER (KDVR) -- A man was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire between several parties Wednesday night in southeast Denver, the Denver Police Department said Thursday. Police said the preliminary investigation showed an assault allegedly occurred in an apartment in the 9600 block of E. Girard Avenue. The victim left and returned with other people, which ended up in a shootout outside the apartment involving multiple parties around 8:45 p.m., police said. Video captures gunshots that wounded 5 in southeast Denver Five people were shot. Three were taken to the hospital by ambulance, while two others went on their own. Police said a man later died at the hospital. Initial reports said four men and one woman were involved in the shooting but police have now confirmed one of the surviving victims is 17 years old. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.