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A suicide bomber has attacked a security convoy in NW Pakistan, killing 9 soldiers, says military

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide bomber riding on a motorcycle targeted a security convoy in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least nine soldiers and wounding 20 others, the military and three security officials said, a sign of increasing militant violence.The attack happened in Bannu, a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, the military said in a statement. It said five soldiers were wounded in the attack.However, security officials put the number of wounded persons at 20. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.There was no immediate claim from any group, but the suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, who have stepped up attacks on security forces since 2022. Authorities say the insurgents have found sanctuaries and have even been living openly in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, which also emboldened them,Bannu is located near the former militant stronghol...

Man in mass stabbing at B.C. library gets life sentence with no parole for 15 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — A man who killed a woman and wounded six other people in a mass stabbing at a library in North Vancouver, B.C., has received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 15 years.Yannick Bandaogo, 30, pleaded guilty on May 29 to one count of second-degree murder and six counts of attempted murder over the March 2021 attack in and around the public library in Lynn Valley.Bandaogo, who did not know the victims, has not explained his motives to the court in New Westminster, although defense lawyer Georges Rivard has said his client “accepted his responsibility.”Prosecutor Dan Loucks said outside court on Thursday that he hopes the sentencing brings some closure for victims, families and the community, but it may never be known what motivated Bandaogo.Bandaogo apologized to each of his victims in a July hearing, as he described his “story of self-destruction,” involving a troubled childhood and heavy drug use before the attack Second-degre...

CP NewsAlert: B.C. extending state of emergency amid wildfire battle

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

VANCOUVER — Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says British Columbia is extending a state of emergency over the ongoing wildfires that have devastated parts of the province. More comingThe Canadian Press

Libya’s prime minister rejects normalization with Israel following secret meeting of ministers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — One of Libya’s rival prime ministers rejected Thursday the prospect of normalizing relations with Israel days after news broke of a secret meeting between the countries’ two foreign ministers.Last Sunday, the Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen publicly announced that he and Libya’s foreign minister had held a private meeting in Rome the previous week, the first ever between top diplomats from both countries. The next day, Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush and launched investigation into the meeting. It is illegal to normalize ties with Israel under a 1957 law in Libya, which has long been hostile toward Israel and supportive of the Palestinians. “We affirm our rejection of any form of normalization,” Dbeibah said during a televised ministerial meeting on Thursday evening. “Long live Libya, long live Palestine, and long live the Palestinian cause in all of our hearts,” he remarked.Israel’s Foreign Minis...

Poland and South Korea plan to hold joint military exercises in Poland soon

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland and South Korea plan to hold joint military exercises in Poland soon to show the effectiveness of Korean equipment in the Polish armed forces, defense ministers for the two countries said Thursday.Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and South Korea’s Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup held talks in Warsaw on security and support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression, as well as on further cooperation in the armaments sector.Blaszczak said that a joint exercise called Autumn Fire would soon be held by Poland’s armed forces, using recently purchased South Korean armaments. He also said that steps are being taken to allow for some of the equipment made in Korea to be produced in Poland.Poland is purchasing tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons and military equipment from South Korea as it upgrades its defense potential with concern rising because of the war in neighboring Ukraine. The new equipment is also replacing that...

X, formerly known as Twitter, will collect user biometric data, job and education history

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

(The Hill) -- X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, will begin collecting biometric data and information on users’ employment and education history starting next month, according to the site’s updated privacy policy.“Based on your consent, we may collect and use your biometric information for safety, security, and identification purposes,” X said in the new privacy policy, set to go into effect on Sept. 29.The social media platform told Bloomberg Law that the biometric data collection is for X Premium users, or those who pay for the platform’s subscription service, to allow for an additional layer of verification.X did not specify what biometric data it plans to collect. However, such data can include facial images, fingerprints and iris patterns. The new addition to X’s privacy policy comes as the company faces a proposed class action lawsuit in Illinois over allegations that it collected biometric information on users without providing advance notice or obtaining their c...

New nyala calf debuts at Brookfield Zoo

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

BROOKFIELD, Ill. — The Brookfield Zoo has welcomed a new member to its antelope family. For the second time in less than a year, Brookfield Zoo’s nyalas — Zola and Hamilton — are parents to a calf. The 14-pound male calf was born on Tuesday, Aug. 29. He'll join two other siblings, nearly 3-year-old Leah and 9-month-old Zuri. Critically endangered African antelope born at Brookfield Zoo In the next 14 months, the male calf, which is twice the size of the female, will develop its adult coloring, which will include a shaggy dark brown to slate gray coat with diminished body stripes, long hairs along its underparts, and a mane of thick black long hairs and yellow-tipped spiraled horns. A male nyala calf born at Brookfield Zoo on August 29 can been seen in the antelopes’ habitat with his mom and other members of the herd. (Photo: Lynette Kleisner/CZS-Brookfield Zoo)A male nyala calf born at Brookfield Zoo on August 29 can been seen in the antelopes’ habitat with his mom and ...

Idalia leaves shredded homes, roads blocked in Florida and Georgia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

HORSESHOE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Tropical Storm Idalia headed out to sea Thursday after thrashing parts of Florida and Georgia with punishing rains and destructive winds, leaving residents to begin the arduous process of clearing fallen trees, restoring electricity and picking through the debris of devastated homes.Thus far, authorities have confirmed one death, that of a man hit by a falling tree in Georgia. As many as a half-million customers were without power at one point in Florida and Georgia as the storm ripped down utility poles. Tropical Storm Jose forms in Atlantic, NHC monitoring 2 other disturbances After pounding Florida, Idalia swung east, flooding many of South Carolina’s beaches and leaving some in the state and North Carolina without power before heading back into the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasters said the weakened storm should continue heading away from the U.S. for several days, although officials in Bermuda warned that Idalia could hit the island ...

McConnell 'medically clear,' says Capitol doctor 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

The Capitol attending physician on Thursday said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is “medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned,” after he appeared to freeze up while taking questions from reporters Wednesday.Brian Monahan, the attending physician, said he consulted with McConnell and conferred with the GOP leader’s neurology team. He said occasional lightheadedness, which a McConnell spokesperson said the senator experienced following Wednesday’s episode, "is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.”McConnell was hospitalized in March after falling at a private dinner. He suffered a concussion and a minor rib fracture.“I have consulted with Leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team. After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I have informed Leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned. Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can...

Getting to a UT football game: How much does it cost?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Getting to kickoff for Texas Longhorns football may be a little smoother this season, with construction closures wrapped up on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at the Texas Capitol Complex.However, traffic is still inevitable around the UT campus during home games.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersKXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes breaks down what you can expect and how much it will cost to get to the game.This year, you'll notice something different about MLK Jr. Boulevard, and hopefully better.Capitol Mall construction closed and shifted lanes last year at Congress Avenue, but not this football season. There are still closures east and west of the Capitol Mall, but not on MLK Jr. Boulevard.Let's discuss getting to and from the game, and your options for how much it will cost.Parking for Texas gamesIf you plan to drive yourself, there are multiple state...