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Russia strike kills at least 6 al-Qaida militants in Syria, medical officials, war monitor say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

IDLIB, Syria (AP) — A Russian airstrike Tuesday targeted a military post of a group linked to al-Qaida in northwest Syria killing at least six militants, medical officials and a war monitor said.The airstrike on the Jabal al-Zawiya area in the northwestern province of Idlib came two days after another airstrike on a busy vegetable market in the same province killed at least nine people.The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the Tuesday morning airstrike killed eight militants and wounded other members of the al-Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS.Medical officials in the area said the strike killed six militants and wounded others.It is not uncommon to have conflicting figures of casualties in the aftermath of airstrikes on Idlib province, the last remaining rebel stronghold in war-torn Syria. Russia joined the war in September 2015, helping tip the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assad in the 12-year conflict that ...

California’s new budget covers $32 billion deficit without touching reserves

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Democrats who control the state Legislature agreed late Monday on how to spend $310.8 billion over the next year, endorsing a plan that covers a nearly $32 billion budget deficit without raiding the state’s savings account.The nation’s most populous state has had combined budget surpluses of well over $100 billion in the past few years, using that money to greatly expand government.But this year, revenues slowed as inflation soared and the stock market struggled. California gets most of its revenue from taxes paid by the wealthy, making it more vulnerable to changes in the economy than other states. Last month, the Newsom administration estimated the state’s spending would exceed revenues by over $30 billion. The budget, which lawmakers are scheduled to vote on this week, covers that deficit by cutting some spending — about $8 billion — while delaying other spending and shifting some expenses to other f...

Italy looks for man seen in viral video carving names into Rome’s almost 2,000-year-old Colosseum

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

ROME (AP) — Italy’s culture and tourism ministers have vowed to find and punish a tourist who was filmed carving his name and that of his apparent girlfriend in the wall of the Colosseum in Rome, a crime that resulted in hefty fines in the past.Video of the incident went viral on social media. The message reading “Ivan+Haley 23” appeared on the Colosseum at a time when residents already were complaining about hordes of tourists flooding the Eternal City in record numbers this season.Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano called the writing carved into the almost 2,000-year-old Flavian Ampitheater “serious, undignified and a sign of great incivility.” He said he hoped the culprits would be found “and punished according to our laws.”Italian news agency ANSA noted that the incident marked the fourth time this year that such graffiti was reported at the Colosseum. It said whoever was responsible for the latest episode risked $15,000 in fines and up to five years in prison. Tourism Ministe...

Kevin Spacey is about to stand trial in London on sex charges. Here’s what to know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Double Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey, whose stellar acting career was derailed by sex assault allegations, goes on trial in London this week, accused of sexual offenses against four men in Britain.WHAT IS HE ACCUSED OF?Spacey, 63, faces a dozen charges, including of sexual assault, indecent assault and causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.The actor, charged under his full name of Kevin Spacey Fowler, has pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts, which relate to alleged incidents between 2001 and 2013.At an earlier hearing, Spacey’s lawyer said the actor “strenuously denies” the charges. The attorney said Spacey would face the U.K. court to establish his innocence and “proceed with his life.”His trial before a jury at Southwark Crown Court opens Wednesday and is scheduled to last for four weeks. WHY IS THE TRIAL IN BRITAIN?Spacey spent more than a decade living in Britain, where he was artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre from 200...

New Zealand Prime Minister Hipkins visits China to boost economic ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins discussed his country’s interest in boosting economic ties with China during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday.Hipkins said the focus of his meeting with Xi was to “reaffirm our close economic relationship by supporting businesses (to) renew their connections with Chinese counterparts and helping grow new ones to support New Zealand’s economic recovery.” Hipkins is on a five-day visit to China, his first since becoming prime minister in January, along with a business delegation representing areas including tourism and education.Before starting his visit, he described New Zealand’s relationship with China as a “critical part of our economic recovery.”New Zealand officially entered a recession this month after its economy contracted for two consecutive quarters. Officials say China is key to three of New Zealand’s engines for post-pandemic economic recovery: exports, tourism and education.Ch...

Gong, Chris Sky, Molly the dog: How fringe candidates fared in Toronto’s byelection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

Olivia Chow was elected as Toronto’s 66th mayor in Monday night’s closer-than-anticipated byelection.Chow edged out former city councillor Ana Bailão — the only two candidates to garner more than 100,000 votes. Several other names saw at least 10,000 ballots cast with their names selected — here’s a look at what’s next for some of the top candidates who came up short.In total, there were 102 names for Torontonians to choose from. Here’s how some of the notable fringe candidates fared.Gong Xiao Hua“Gong for Mayor” signs were a common sight across the city in the weeks leading up to the byelection, but despite winning the sign game, Gong Xiao Hua couldn’t crack the top 10.Gong had a massive advertising campaign that included radio and television spots and a massive billboard at Yonge-Dundas Square. In the end, he received just under 3,000 votes, good for 11th place.He has has been mired in controversy in recent years despite ...

Still hiring: Big Tech layoffs give other sectors an opening

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

For the thousands of workers who’d never experienced upheaval in the tech sector, the recent mass layoffs at companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Meta came as a shock. Now they are being courted by long-established employers whose names aren’t typically synonymous with tech work, including hotel chains, retailers, investment firms, railroad companies and even the Internal Revenue Service.All of those sectors have signaled on recruiting platforms that they are still hiring software engineers, data scientists and cybersecurity specialists despite the layoffs in Big Tech. It’s a chance for them to level the playing field against tech giants that have long had their pick of the top talent with lucrative compensation, alluring perks and sheer name recognition.No employer is making a more aggressive push than the country’s largest: the federal government, which is aiming to hire 22,000 tech workers in fiscal year 2023. Federal agencies have participated in a series of ...

UK was ill-prepared for pandemic because resources were diverted to Brexit, ex-health chief says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Britain was ill-prepared for a pandemic partly because government resources had been diverted away from pandemic planning to brace for a possibly chaotic exit from the European Union without a deal, the U.K.’s former health secretary told an inquiry Tuesday. Matt Hancock also said officials had to scramble to source protective equipment, set up mass testing and contact tracing systems “from scratch” once the coronavirus pandemic broke out because the U.K.’s planning attitude was entirely “geared towards how to clear up after a disaster, not prevent it.”“The doctrine of the U.K. was to plan for the consequences of a disaster — can we buy enough body bags? Where are we going to bury the dead?” Hancock said. “Large-scale testing did not exist and large-scale contact tracing did not exist because it was assumed that as soon as there was community transmission, it wouldn’t be possible to stop the spread, and therefore, what’s the point in contact tracing?” he ad...

Austin Parks and Rec Board votes to recommend 'fair pay' for SXSW artists

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Members of the Austin Parks and Recreation Board voted Monday night to recommend that Austin City Council work to make sure artists who play at the South by Southwest music festival receive "fair pay" for their work.The board voted unanimously to recommend the council do two things in the future: tell the city manager, legal department and Parks and Rec to negotiate guarantees of fair pay with SXSW for domestic artists who perform at city-owned spaces. require changes to artist pay and compensation by SXSW before the city waives fees at city-owned spaces Musicians union launches fair play campaign As KXAN reported in February, the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) launched a campaign on Feb. 7 against the festival, claiming that musicians are underpaid with some artists receiving only $100 for their performances, according to a UMAW page on Action Network.The union said in February performers are offered entry wristbands or $100 for solo and duo pe...

APD looking for man involved in shooting with off-duty TCSO deputy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:51:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police said Monday investigators are looking for a man involved in a June 13 altercation with an off-duty Travis County Sheriff's deputy that lead to a shooting.Police said the man is possibly white or Hispanic. The vehicle he was in is described as a brown or tan-colored sedan. PAST STORY | Austin Police investigating overnight shooting involving off-duty Travis County deputy The Austin Police Department's initial investigation showed an off-duty deputy was "involved in an altercation in his personal vehicle with another driver" while driving on Interstate 35.During the incident, a weapon or weapons were discharged, APD said. No injuries were reported.APD said the other person involved drove away from the scene.The department is asking for the community’s help in locating and identifying anyone with knowledge about this incident. Anyone with information should call APD’s Special Investigation Unit at (512) 974-6840 or Capitol Area Crime Stoppers at (512) 4...