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Senate Democrats Blocked Watchdog for Ukraine Aid — Ignoring Lessons From Afghanistan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

Hours after Senate Democrats blocked an effort to install greater oversight over the billions of dollars the United States is sending to Ukraine, the watchdog who oversaw U.S. spending in Afghanistan issued a warning.Spending too much too fast, with little oversight, would lead to “unanticipated consequences,” John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, said at an event sponsored by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft last week. The U.S. has sent more money to Ukraine in one year than it spent in Afghanistan over 12 years, Sopko pointed out. “I’m not opposed to spending that. I just want to make sure it’s done correctly and there’s oversight,” he said.Sopko especially warned about the risk of fueling corruption, perhaps the most damaging legacy of the billions the U.S. spent in Afghanistan and a major factor in the collapse of its effort in the country. “If that much money is coming in, you know some of it is going to be stolen,” h...

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife announced their separation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, announced Wednesday that they are separating after 18 years of marriage.The two said in statements posted on Instagram that they made the decision after “many meaningful and difficult conversations.” A statement from the prime minister’s office said they both have signed a legal separation agreement. Trudeau, the 51-year-old scion of one of Canada’s most famous politicians, was sworn into office in 2015. Sophie Trudeau is a former model and TV host. The couple were married in 2005. Together, they brought star power to the prime minister’s office and appeared in the pages of Vogue magazine. They have three children, 15-year-old Xavier, 14-year-old Ella-Grace and 9-year-old Hadrien.The first lady has played a less visible role in recent years, rarely traveling with the prime minister on official trips. The two were seen together publicly at Canada Day events in Ottawa last month.“T...

Hawaii man dies after being mauled by 4 large dogs, police investigate owners under negligence law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — A man believed to be in his 70s has died after being mauled by four dogs on Hawaii’s Big Island, police said.The man was treated by medical personnel at the scene and died while being transported Tuesday to Kona Community Hospital, police said in a statement.Police were alerted by a witness, who saw the victim being attacked in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates neighborhood by four large dogs. The witness chased the dogs off and called authorities.“There is currently no evidence that the victim provoked this horrific attack. This incident is a senseless tragedy that could have been avoided,” Hawaii County Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz said.The dogs’ owners were not home when the attack occurred, but police have contacted them.Police are also checking claims the dogs had previously been reported as stray animals. The owners have surrendered all four dogs and a litter of 10 puppies to county animal control.Police are investigating it as a negligent failure to con...

McCowan leads Dallas against Seattle after 25-point showing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

Dallas Wings (14-11, 8-6 Western Conference) at Seattle Storm (6-19, 4-7 Western Conference)Seattle; Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. EDTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK WNBA LINE: Wings -5.5; over/under is 167.5BOTTOM LINE: Dallas visits the Seattle Storm after Teaira McCowan scored 25 points in the Wings’ 104-91 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.The Storm have gone 4-7 against Western Conference teams. Seattle ranks sixth in the WNBA with 26.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Ezi Magbegor averaging 6.5.The Wings are 8-6 in Western Conference play. Dallas is 12th in the WNBA averaging 6.6 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 29.9% from downtown. Arike Ogunbowale leads the team averaging 2.8 makes while shooting 32.2% from 3-point range.The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Storm defeated the Wings 109-103 in their last meeting on June 17. Jewell Loyd led the Storm with 39 points, and Ogunbowale led the Wings with 41 points.TOP PERFORMERS: Loyd is scoring 24.3 points per game with...

Armed men in Central African Republic fatally shoot 13 and wound 2 in northern village

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Armed men killed 13 people and wounded two in a northern village in the mineral-rich but impoverished Central African Republic, local officials said Wednesday.Ousmane Youssef, a tribal chief in the village of Diki near the country’s border with Chad, said a group of armed men entered the community Tuesday and called a meeting with local residents and leaders, before shooting them point-blank.No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but in March, the U.N. condemned an attack on another northern town by a rebel group called the Coalition of Patriots for Change.“We don’t know the real motives of the rebels who perpetrated this act of rare intensity. This is the moment when the government must help us put an end to the rebels who are undermining security in the area,” said Babikir Hallasan, deputy mayor of the nearest major town.The Central African Republic has faced intercommunal fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels sei...

Kateryna Baindl advances to set up quarterfinal against Jaqueline Cristian at the Prague Open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — Eighth-seeded Kateryna Baindl of Ukraine reached the quarterfinals of the Prague Open on Wednesday after Germany’s Jule Niemeier retired when trailing 5-0 in the first set of their second-round match.Baindl will face next Jaqueline Cristian of Romania, who eliminated Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-4, 6-3. Cristian knocked out top-seeded Marie Bouzková in the first round of the hard-court tournament in the Czech capital.In first-round play Wednesday, Ankita Raina of India eliminated Czech veteran Barbora Strýcová 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.The remaining scheduled matches had to be suspended or postponed until Thursday because of rain.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

911 call centers struggle with staffing shortages, mental health, burnout

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

Close up of woman's hand using smartphone in the dark, against illuminated city light bokeh(Getty Images/d3sign) Close up of woman's hand using smartphone in the dark, against illuminated city light bokeh(Getty Images/d3sign) This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.In medical emergencies, house fires, or other dangerous situations, most Americans understand to call 911 for immediate help from a call specialist. The dispatcher will talk someone through a tough situation and may coordinate first responders to head toward the emergency.But according to a new report and a former 911 specialist, employees who...

Former Iowa kicker charged in gambling sting allegedly won a bet on the 2021 Iowa-Iowa St game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

A former walk-on kicker at the University of Iowa was charged Wednesday in connection with wagering on Hawkeyes sports events — one day after Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers was accused of committing the same offense at his school.Aaron Blom, who was on the Iowa roster from 2020-22, used a DraftKings Sportsbook account set up under his mother’s name and made about 170 mobile or online sports wagers before he turned 21, the legal gambling age in the state, according to the criminal complaint filed in Johnson County, Iowa.The wagers totaled over $4,400, with about eight placed on Iowa sporting events. One of the bets included the 2021 Iowa-Iowa State football game, according to the complaint.Blom is also accused in the complaint of tampering with records related to an Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling.The bet Blom placed on the rivalry game was an over-under wager, which requires the bettor to choose whether the teams will combine for more or less t...

Virginia Tech does away with legacy and early decision admissions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

Virginia Tech will no longer consider legacy status in its admissions process or accept early decision applicants, the university announced last week.The changes, which will take effect during the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year, come on the heels of the Supreme Court’s strike-down of affirmative action in June, prohibiting schools from looking at an applicant’s race when considering their admission.“Every year, we examine our admissions and enrollment practices to ensure that we continue to strive for a best practice and innovative approach to providing access to a Virginia Tech education to all qualified applicants,” said Luisa Havens-Gerardo, vice provost for enrollment management, in a news release. “The discontinuation of the early decision plan and the use of legacy as a factor in admissions will allow us to improve the admissions process to benefit all students.”Juan Espinoza, associate vice provost for enrollment management, said in the news release that univers...

Pope arriving in Portugal demands bishops listen to clergy abuse victims, denounces how ‘scandal’ has marred the church

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:14:30 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Pope arriving in Portugal demands bishops listen to clergy abuse victims, denounces how ‘scandal’ has marred the church.Source