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Carnival ruled negligent over cruise where 662 passengers got COVID-19 early in pandemic

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A cruise operator that failed to cancel a voyage from Sydney that led to a major COVID-19 outbreak was ruled negligent in its duty of care to passengers in an Australian class-action case Wednesday.The Ruby Princess ocean liner left Sydney on March 8, 2020, with 2,671 passengers aboard for a 13-day cruise to New Zealand but returned in 11 days as Australia’s borders were closing. COVID-19 spread to 663 passengers and claimed 28 lives.Passenger Susan Karpik was the lead plaintiff in the case against British-American cruise operator Carnival and its subsidiary Princess Cruises, the ship’s owner.Federal Court Justice Angus Stewart ruled that Carnival had been negligent as defined by Australian consumer law by allowing the cruise to depart in the early months of the pandemic. He said Carnival had a duty to take reasonable care of her health and safety in regard to COVID-19.“I have found that before the embarkation of passengers on the Ruby Princess for t...

Live updates | Israel’s bombardment in Gaza surges, reducing buildings to rubble

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

Israel has ramped up airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, reducing residential buildings to rubble and crushing families. Airstrikes have killed dozens at a time in leveled homes, according to witnesses.The surging death toll foretells even greater loss of life ahead in Gaza, where Israeli forces are expected to launch a ground invasion seeking to destroy Hamas. Fuel shortages and the bombardment forced the shutdown of medical facilities, Gaza officials said. U.S. and other officials fear the fighting could spill over into a wider regional conflict.The war, in its 19th day Wednesday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said Tuesday that at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 704 in the past day, and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.The Associated Press could not independently verify the death tolls cited by Hamas,...

Japan’s top court rules law requiring reproductive organ removal for gender change unconstitutional

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a law requiring transgender people to have their reproductive organs removed in order to officially change their gender is unconstitutional.The decision by the top court’s 15-judge Grand Bench was its first on the constitutionality of Japan’s 2003 law requiring the removal of gonads for a state-recognized gender change, a practice long criticized by international rights and medical groups.The case was filed by a plaintiff whose request for a gender change in her family registry — to female from her biologically assigned male — was turned down by lower courts.The decision comes at a time of heightened awareness of issues surrounding LGBTQ+ people in Japan and is a victory for that community.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Japan’s Supreme Court will rule Wednesday whether a law forcing transgender people to have their reproductive organs removed in order to officially change their gender ...

HERA secures more than 100,000 treatment courses against Mpox, smallpox and cowpox

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

The Commission's Health Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), has signed a contract with the company Meridian Medical Technologies, LLC, to supply up to 100,080 oral treatment courses of Tecovirimat SIGA, the therapeutic against mpox, smallpox and cowpox.Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides (pictured) said:“Last year, the EU and its member states worked together to swiftly and successfully bring the mpox outbreak under control. However, as COVID continues to show, we must remain vigilant and prepared for any scenario, and should cases rise again in the future. This is why we will continue to ensure that the necessary therapeutics are always available to treat those in need. In a strong European Health Union, we will continue working to significantly strengthen our preparedness and response capacities.”This joint procurement framework contract intends to meet the middle- and long-term needs of 13 participating countries. It complements the stock available at EU...

Commission services sign administrative arrangements with French and Irish media regulators to support enforcement of Digital Services Act

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

The Commission services have signed administrative arrangements with the media regulators of France (Autorité de regulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique – Arcom) and Ireland (Coimisiún na Meán), to support its supervisory and enforcement powers under the Digital Services Act (DSA).These arrangements aim at developing expertise and capabilities and follow the Commission Recommendation to member states for co-ordinating their response to the spread and amplification of illegal content on ‘Very Large Online Platforms' and ‘Very Large Online Search Engines', ahead of the deadline for member states to play their role in the enforcement of the DSA.These bilateral arrangements will allow the Commission services and relevant national authorities to exchange information, data, good practices, methodologies, technical systems, and tools. Effective cooperation will facilitate the Commission's assessment of systemic risks, the identification of emerging ones, including risks r...

Japan’s top court says a law requiring reproductive organ removal for gender change is unconstitutional, Kyodo reports

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s top court says a law requiring reproductive organ removal for gender change is unconstitutional, Kyodo reports.Source

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones injured, title fight at MSG vs. Stipe Miocic called off

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic will no longer fight for the UFC heavyweight championship next month in New York after Jones tore a pectoral tendon off the bone during training.UFC President Dana White said Jones was injured during a training session on Monday. The heavyweight champion needs surgery and will be out at least eight months, throwing out the anticipated main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden.White said Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall will fight for the interim heavyweight title. The light heavyweight title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira was bumped to the main event.Jones ended a three-year sabbatical from the UFC in March and moved up to its highest weight class to choke out Ciryl Gane and win the vacant championship in the main event of UFC 285.Jones said after that fight he wanted Miocic, who is the second-ranked contender and who Jones called the greatest heavyweight ever. White said that fight would take place and a da...

Theodore’s last-minute goal keeps Golden Knights unbeaten as Vegas beats Flyers 3-2

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Shea Theodore blasted a shot from above the left circle with 32.5 seconds left Tuesday night to give Vegas a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers and extend the Golden Knights’ winning streak to seven games to open the season.Ivan Barbashev and Paul Cotter also scored for the Knights and Jack Eichel had two assists. Logan Thompson made 26 saves.Noah Cates and Cam Atkinson scored for Philadelphia, and Carter Hart stopped 25 shots.The Knights’ 7-0 start ties seven other teams for ninth best in NHL history. Vegas, which has scored at least three goals in every game, also has the best start for a defending Stanley Cup champion.The Knights scored the first goal at 6:54 of the first period when Jonathan Marchessault passed behind the Flyers’ net to Eichel for a point-blank shot. Hart saved the shot, but the rebound went right to Barbashev, who buried the shot.The Flyers scored twice in the final 6:53 of the period to take a 2-1 lead. After Cates scor...

Fiala, Kings keep rolling on offense in 6-3 win over Coyotes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Kings have not lacked for offense to start the season, scoring at least five goals in four of their first six. Now, they finally have a home win to go with all their scoring prowess. Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, Anze Kopitar scored on the power play and had an assist, and the Kings defeated the Arizona Coyotes 6-3 on Tuesday night.Trevor Lewis, Trevor Moore, Blake Lizotte and Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, who had been winless in their first three games on home ice. “Everyone in here knows we’ve got the talent to score goals, so I don’t think that will be an issue for us,” said Los Angeles goalie Pheonix Copley, who made 24 saves. “It’s just a matter of playing a team game, and today I thought we did that.” Clayton Keller had a power-play goal as he scored for the third straight game, Jack McBain and Nick Bjugstad also scored, but the Coyotes couldn’t get their third straight win.Connor Ingram was replaced midway...

Senior Chinese leaders greet California Gov. Newsom with warm words in a rare cordial display

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:22:55 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Senior Chinese officials greeted California Gov. Gavin Newsom with smiles and warm words on Wednesday in a display of friendliness that stands in sharp contrast to the dialogue between the United States and China in recent years.The governor is on a weeklong tour of China where he will push for climate cooperation. Newsom’s trip as governor, once considered routine, is drawing attention as it comes after years of heightening tensions between the U.S. and China.“I’m here in expectation, as you suggest, of turning the page, of renewing our friendship and reengaging (on) foundational and fundamental issues that will determine our collective faith in the future,” Newsom said in brief opening remarks ahead of his meeting with Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat.Though Newsom is here to push a climate cooperation agenda, Chinese officials took the opportunity in welcome speeches ahead of the closed-door meetings to talk about U.S.-China relations, as Wang prepares to ...