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The State Department approves the sale of tank ammunition to Israel in a deal that bypasses Congress

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Going around Congress, the Biden administration said Saturday it has approved the emergency sale to Israel of nearly 14,000 rounds of tank ammunition worth more than $106 million as Israel intensifies its military operations in the southern Gaza Strip.The move comes as President Joe Biden’s request for a nearly $106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security is languishing in Congress, caught up in a debate over U.S. immigration policy and border security. Some Democratic lawmakers have spoken of making the proposed $14.3 billion in American assistance to its Mideast ally contingent on concrete steps by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to reduce civilian casualties in Gaza during the war with Hamas.The State Department said it had notified Congress of the sale late Friday after Secretary of State Antony Blinken determined “an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of the munitions in the U.S. national...

Israel presses on with bombarding Gaza, including areas it has called safe zones for Palestinians

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli warplanes struck parts of the Gaza Strip in relentless bombardment Saturday, hitting some of the dwindling bits of land that Israel had described as safe zones when telling Palestinians in the south to evacuate.Frustration was growing with the United States after it vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, despite wide support, and approved the emergency sale of tank ammunition worth more than $100 million to Israel.Gaza residents “are being told to move like human pinballs — ricocheting between ever-smaller slivers of the south, without any of the basics for survival," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the council before the vote.Gaza’s borders with Israel and Egypt are effectively sealed, leaving 2.3 million Palestinians with no option other than to seek refuge within the territory 25 miles (40 kilometers) long by about 7 miles (11 kilometers) wide.A day after Israel conf...

ACLU to represent NRA in NY free speech challenge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

(The Hill) — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is representing the National Rifle Association in a free speech case against New York’s Department of Financial Services.“We’re representing the NRA at the Supreme Court in their case against New York’s Department of Financial Services for abusing its regulatory power to violate the NRA’s First Amendment rights,” the ACLU said in a post in Saturday thread on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “The government can’t blacklist an advocacy group because of its viewpoint.”Despite their representation of the gun rights group, the ACLU said it does not “support the NRA's mission or its viewpoints on gun rights, and we don’t agree with their goals, strategies, or tactics” in another post in the thread. “But we both know that government officials can't punish organizations because they disapprove of their views,” the ACLU continued.Back in November, the Supreme Court said it would hear the NRA’s case against a former New Yor...

Denver men’s soccer midfielder Sam Bassett named second-team All-American

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

Sam Bassett now has an accolade that his older brother Cole, a Colorado Rapids midfielder, can’t one up him on: Being an All American.The University of Denver junior midfielder was named second-team All American by the United Soccer Coaches on Friday for his performance over the course of the 2023 season. Bassett is only the third Pioneer to earn the distinction and is the first since 2018, when former Rapids player Andre Shinyashiki got the honor.Bassett stepped up in the attacking midfield role this season as he helped lead the Pioneers to the second round of the men’s NCAA Tournament for a third consecutive season. He scored a career-high eight goals and added seven assists, as the program finished with a 12-3-5 record. Internally, the program was expected to be a national title contender, but injuries to three pre-season watchlist players, Trevor Wright, Ben Smith and Ronan Wynne, played a key factor in not making a deep run.Still, Bassett told The Post on Friday he ...

Part of Ventura County community evacuated due to brush fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

An evacuation order has been issued for a part of northern Ventura County following a brush fire breaking out near the community of Somis. Ventura County Fire Department officials are working to contain the brush fire, which broke out around 10:30 a.m. Saturday west of South Mountain.  Strong winds trigger Red Flag Warning for parts of SoCal As of 11:30 a.m. Saturday, the evacuation order was issued for: North of East La Loma Avenue and West La Loma Avenue South of East Los Angeles Avenue East of Aggen Road West of La Vista Avenue  El Niño predicted to flood both coasts: Here’s where risk is highest According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department’s emergency incident dashboard, up to 45,000 people could be affected by Public Safety Power Shutoffs as the wind event continues through the weekend. "Please use alternate routes and avoid traveling on State Route 118 west of Moorpark in the Somis area," Caltrans District 7 said on X, formerly Twitter, jus...

Two people attempting auto theft arrested in Piedmont 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

(KRON) – Two people attempting to commit auto theft were arrested, the Piedmont Police Department announced on Tuesday. Piedmont police dispatch received a report of a black Cadillac with no license plates following an Amazon delivery truck in the 800 block of Kingston Ave around 4:45 p.m. on Dec. 5.  Five suspects wanted for allegedly stealing Upon officers’ arrival, they observed two subjects attempting to steal a black 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe. Officers then attempted to contact the subjects. However, the subjects fled the scene in the Cadillac at a high speed, police said. According to police, the Cadillac hit another vehicle when attempting to flee. The Cadillac then eventually collided with a police vehicle on Piedmont Avenue before stopping. After police detained the suspects, the passenger revealed that she had a loaded handgun in her waistband, police said. Police conducted a vehicle search, where they found burglary tools and drug paraphernalia. The two suspec...

San Jose residents are unhappy homeowners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

(BCN) -- San Jose is one of the worst U.S. cities for someone looking for the most bang for their buck on housing.According to a report from All Star Home, San Jose ranks second worst when it comes to homeowners' happiness with their homes and neighborhoods, compared to the price they pay to live there. San Francisco ranked the worst and Seattle came in third out of 25 cities from the American Housing Survey. On the other end, Detroit ranked No.1 for best housing value, with Rochester, New York in second and Birmingham, Alabama in third. San Jose, San Francisco rank last in ‘housing happiness’ study The report used data from the survey, where residents rated their home and neighborhood, and averaged those responses to assign happiness ratings for each location. That was then divided by the region's median home value. All Star Home also surveyed residents across the nation and found some of the top reasons for disliking a neighborhood included "weird people," noise levels and housi...

Europe reaches deal on the world’s first comprehensive AI rules

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

European Union negotiators clinched a deal on the world’s first comprehensive artificial intelligence rules, paving the way for legal oversight of AI technology that has promised to transform everyday life and spurred warnings of existential dangers to humanity.Negotiators from the European Parliament and the bloc’s 27 member countries on Friday overcame big differences on controversial points including generative AI and police use of face recognition surveillance to sign a tentative political agreement for the Artificial Intelligence Act.“Deal!” tweeted European Commissioner Thierry Breton just before midnight. “The EU becomes the very first continent to set clear rules for the use of AI.”The result came after marathon closed-door talks this week, with the initial session lasting 22 hours before a second round kicked off Friday morning.Officials were under the gun to secure a political victory for the flagship legislation. Civil society groups, however, gave it a cool r...

Bruins survive Coyotes, 5-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

The Bruins are a long way from perfect and, with the absences they’re currently dealing with, they won’t be attaining it any time soon.But their moxie was vastly improved from Thursday’s loss to the Sabres and that helped them survive a good, young Arizona Coyotes team and leave the Garden with a 5-3 win on Saturday. Linus Ullmark made 31 saves to get the B’s back in the win column.The B’s took an early 3-0 lead, but the knuckles were indeed pale for much of the matinee with two regular defensemen already out and Pavel Zacha (upper body) joining them on the sidelines after the first period.The B’s took a 4-2 lead into the third period, but the Coyotes outmuscled the B’s to get within a goal just 3:20 into the third. First Nick Bjugstad shook off a Johnny Beecher check along the boards and got it to Matias Maccelli in the middle of the ice. He got it over to Lawson Crouse, who had Hampus Lindholm on top of him, but still managed to snap off a...

Ticker: White House threatens patents of high-priced drugs developed with taxpayer dollars

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:56:14 GMT

The Biden administration is putting pharmaceutical companies on notice. Washington is warning them that if the price of certain drugs is too high, the government might cancel their patent protection and allow rivals to make their own versions.“Today, we’re taking a very important step toward ending price gouging so you don’t have to pay more for the medicine you need,” President Biden said in a YouTube video.Under a new plan announced, the government would consider overriding the patent for high-priced drugs that have been developed with the help of taxpayer money and letting competitors make them in hopes of driving down the cost.The administration did not immediately release details about how the process will work and how it will deem a drug costly enough to act. If the plan is enacted, drugmakers are almost certain to sue.Wall Street hit 2023 highWall Street climbed back to its best level in 20 months on Friday following a stronger-than-expected report on the U.S. job...