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Agreement to reopen crossing to Syria’s northwest will safeguard independent UN operations, UN says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The agreement the United Nations reached with Syria to reopen the main border crossing from Turkey to its rebel-held northwest for six months “safeguards” the independence of U.N. operations and allows it to provide aid to all parties, the U.N. said Wednesday.The agreement, which was announced Tuesday night, will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which had been used for 85% of deliveries to the northwest Idlib region, home to about 4.1 million people.U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the U.N. is ready to resume operations through Bab al-Hawa as soon as possible but it will take some time to get trucks moving and “I don’t expect anything to happen in the next few days.”The U.N.-Syria “understanding” on Bab al-Hawa, announced by Haq Tuesday evening, followed his announcement earlier in the day that Syria agreed to keep two other crossings to the northwest, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months until Nov. 13.Haq said Wednesday that Secretary-General ...

Officials said Tories’ Paul Bernardo bill unlikely to come before Parliament: emails

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

OTTAWA — Government officials in the Privy Council Office discussed a Conservative private member’s bill launched in response to convicted killer Paul Bernardo’s transfer to a medium-security prison, noting it would likely never hit Parliament, internal emails show. Documents obtained by The Canadian Press through access-to-information law show staff speculated about the chances the bill would ever be debated, unless the Liberal government agreed to move it up the priority list.The bill proposed by Tory MP Tony Baldinelli, who hails from the region in Ontario where Bernardo committed his crimes, seeks to change the law so that people convicted of multiple murders would be required to serve out their entire sentences in maximum-security institutions. “Just wondering if you have any knowledge of this,” one staffer wrote to a colleague in the Privy Council Office, which supports the operations of the Prime Minister’s Office and cabinet.“No knowledge ...

Trump says he won’t sign Republican loyalty pledge, flouting debate requirement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday he won’t sign a pledge to support the Republican nominee if he loses the GOP presidential primary, flouting a requirement for appearing in the first debate later this month.“Why would I sign it?” Trump said in an interview on the conservative cable network Newsmax. “I can name three or four people that I wouldn’t support for president. So right there, there’s a problem.” He declined to name the candidates he wouldn’t support, saying “there’s no reason to insult them.” But he singled out South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy for praise, saying they “have been very nice.” Trump said he will announce next week whether he’ll participate in the debate, scheduled for Aug. 23 in Milwaukee, but his refusal to sign the pledge suggests he plans to make good on his threat to skip it. Trump has repeatedly questioned why he should debate his rivals given his substantial polling lead and has suggest...

Khanun blows strong winds and heavy rains into South Korea, where thousands evacuated the coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — South Korean officials evacuated thousands of coastal residents Thursday as a powerful tropical storm started to pummel the country’s southern regions.The Korean Meteorological Administration said Khanun will make landfall soon and likely pound the country with intense rains and winds while slowly plowing through the Korean Peninsula for hours, with its eyes brushing the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area where half of South Korea’s 51 million people live. The storm’s strength is expected to be diminished when it moves on to North Korea early Friday, but forecasters said the greater Seoul area would still feel its force until Friday afternoon.South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has called for officials to be aggressive with disaster prevention measures and evacuations while stressing the perils posed by the storm, which comes just weeks after central and southern regions were pounded by torrential rain that triggered flashfloods and landslides that ...

Biden sends military to help with brutal Hawaii wildfires. Follow along for live updates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

Follow along for live updates of wildfires that are racing across part of Maui in Hawaii, destroying sections of a historic town on the island and forcing some to flee to the relative safety of the ocean, where the Coast Guard rescued them. The fires forced evacuations in some areas, including the popular tourist spot of Lahaina Town. The National Weather Service says Hurricane Dora, which is passing south of the island chain at a safe distance, was partly to blame for strong winds driving the flames, knocking out power and grounding firefighting helicopters. PRESIDENT PROMISES ‘ALL AVAILABLE FEDERAL ASSETS’ TO MAUI WILDFIRE RESPONSEPresident Joe Biden said in a statement Wednesday evening that he has ordered “all available Federal assets” to help combat wildfires that have devastated parts of the Hawaiian island of Maui, killing at least six people.The president said the Coast Guard and Navy are supporting response and rescue efforts, while the Marines are providing Black Hawk heli...

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez upsets Haddad Maia at National Bank Open

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

Canada’s Leylah Fernandez is heading to the round of 16 at the National Bank Open after upsetting No. 11 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in a thriller on Wednesday in Montreal.Fernandez lost a match point in the second set on Haddad Maia’s serve before going on to lose the set.However, the Canadian regrouped to take the match in the decider. Fernandez notched the first and only break of the third set to take a 5-3 lead before serving it out.Leylah Annie Fernandez comes up clutch in the third set to claim victory! ????????#OBN23 | @OBNmontreal pic.twitter.com/AKPFVmJi4f— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 10, 2023The 20-year-old Fernandez, from nearby Laval, Que., lost to the Brazilian last year in the second round in Toronto. Haddad Maia then advanced to the final, losing to Simona Halep.Fernandez’s ranking has slipped to No. 81 during a rocky 2023 season. She’s trying to find the form of 2021 when she advanced to the U.S. Open final.With the win ...

AFD responding to 2-alarm grass fire in east Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video provides tips on how to prepare for wildfire season.TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department is responding to a large grass fire in east Austin, the agency said on Twitter.Shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, AFD said it responded to the 2-alarm fire at Decker Lake Road and Hog Eye Road.The Austin Fire Department responded to a 2-alarm fire in east Travis County on Wednesday, Aug 9. | Courtesy Austin Fire DepartmentThe Austin Fire Department responded to a 2-alarm fire in east Travis County on Wednesday, Aug 9. | Courtesy Austin Fire DepartmentThe Austin Fire Department responded to a 2-alarm fire in east Travis County on Wednesday, Aug 9. | Courtesy David MarshallThe Austin Fire Department responded to a 2-alarm fire in east Travis County on Wednesday, Aug 9. | Courtesy David MarshallThe fire is estimated at 100 acres and 60% contained shortly before 7:30 p.m., according to AFD. Two vacant structures were caught in the fire, AFD said.Additi...

New Austin Energy GM says there are '80 things' to do better after winter storm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One month into his role as Austin Energy's new general manager, Bob Kahn is already bracing for at least 80 to-do list items after thousands of customers lost power during February's winter storm.He told KXAN in a sit-down interview he expects an after-action report released later this month, outlining changes and recommendations from the ice storm, which left almost a third of Austin Energy customers without power at its peak. TIMELINE: How long did it take Austin Energy to restore power during ice storm? Kahn took over the role in July, following the departure of former General Manager Jackie Sargent in March. At the time, the utility provider was facing criticism from citizens and city leaders about how it communicated restoration times during the storm. While Kahn was not in charge when the ice began to accumulate on tree limbs that fell and took down countless lines in the Austin area, he said he believes the utility needs to be more transparent in the future...

A life of service, full of stories: WWII vet, former St. Paul firefighter turns 103.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

Howard Seitzer looked back on a life of service Wednesday, full of stories, as friends and family gathered to wish him a happy 103rd birthday.Seitzer flew air missions into Germany during World War II and later joined the St. Paul Fire Department.All of his five living children were in attendance offering a slice of cake to anyone who stopped in at Oak Meadows Senior Living center in Oakdale to wish their dad happy birthday.World War II veteran Howard Seitzer, center, is feted at his 103rd birthday by his surviving children, from left, Cathy Baron, Jim Seitzer, Victoria Conrad, Joe Seitzer and Marilyn Freberg, at Oak Meadows Senior Living in Oakdale on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Seitzer, who flew 35 missions as an assistant flight engineer on a B-17 bomber over Europe in WWII and had a 30-year career as a St. Paul firefighter, credits his long life to never having smoked and “eating oysters whenever I get the chance.” “He’s like the Energizer Bunny,” said...

Minnesota man escaped Dakota County deputies by slipping out of airport rental car, sheriff says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:50 GMT

A Minnesota felon who escaped the custody of Dakota County deputies last week in Georgia did so by slipping out of a rental car at the airport, authorities said Wednesday.Joseph Harrison Baynes, 35, of Chaska, was captured near Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia on Friday, about 27 hours after he escaped from two deputies who were trying to transport him to Minnesota on a warrant for felony harassment.Joseph Harrison Baynes (Courtesy of the Bulloch County, Ga., Sheriff’s Office)The Dakota County sheriff’s announced the escape last week, but did not explain how it happened.Sheriff Joe Leko provided some details Wednesday, adding that an internal investigation is underway to “find out exactly how this all happened. Obviously it could have been prevented, I believe.”The deputies took Baynes into their custody from the Bulloch County Jail at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. Once at the airport, and while stopped in traffic and waiting in a line to return a rental car, “the ...