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Israel to allow Palestinian Americans entry in bid to qualify for US visa waiver program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel announced Wednesday that it would be allowing all American citizens, including dual-nationality Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, to enter the country through its international airport as part of an agreement to qualify for a visa waiver program with the U.S.Israel has pushed for years to secure visa-free entry for its citizens to the U.S., a privilege enjoyed by 40 countries, mostly in Europe and Asia. But that request has been thwarted over the U.S. government’s demand that the country provide equal treatment at its borders to all American citizens, including Palestinian Americans, who are often barred from entering the country through Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport. Instead, those traveling to the occupied West Bank or the Gaza Strip must enter via neighboring Jordan or Egypt. Other Americans of Arab origin or Muslim faith say they’ve suffered similar restrictions, as well as U.S. citizens with political views Israel finds objectionable.U....

Province directs Surrey, B.C., to stay with local police force despite city’s wishes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

VICTORIA — It was, in British Columbia Solicitor General Mike Farnworth’s own estimation, an “extraordinary” use of his powers.But invoking the Police Act to direct the City of Surrey to move ahead with a transition to a municipal police force — against the wishes of its mayor and council — was necessary to ensure the safety of the Metro Vancouver city, he said.Farnworth hopes his decision is the last word in a dispute that has its origins in 2018, when former Surrey mayor Doug McCallum was elected on a promise to replace the RCMP with a municipal force, the Surrey Police Service. But McCallum would lose his job last year to Mayor Brenda Locke, who promised to reverse course and stick with the RCMP.Farnworth said Wednesday that the safety of Surrey residents and the rest of the province is “non-negotiable” and reverting to the RCMP would be moving “backwards,” despite the wishes of Locke and her majority on council.“I know this is an e...

Gunman had 1,800 rounds of ammo as he launched ‘murderous barrage of fire’ on Fargo police officers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

FARGO, N.D. — A man armed with 1,800 rounds of ammunition, a grenade and other explosives in his car unleashed a “murderous barrage of fire” as he ambushed officers who were investigating a routine crash, killing one and wounding two before a fourth stopped him and thwarted what authorities described as plans for further mayhem, officials said Wednesday.Mohamad Barakat, 37, shot Officers Jake Wallin, Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes from inside his car on Friday, from about 15 to 20 feet away, before they could even reach for their guns, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said at a news conference. Wallin was killed while Dotas and Hawes remain hospitalized in critical condition. Wrigley said Barakat also shot and injured a bystander, who was trying to run away when she was hit twice.But Officer Zach Robinson, who just happened to be nearby, “disabled” Barakat’s .223 -caliber rifle with a difficult shot from his own 9 mm handgun from about 75 feet (22.86 meters) away...

Videos purport to show protesters storming Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest over Quran burning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Protesters angered by the burning of a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, online videos purported to show. The videos showed demonstrators at the diplomatic post. It wasn’t clear if there were any staff inside the complex at the time. Iraqi police and state media did not immediately acknowledge the incident. Swedish officials could not be immediately reached for comment. The demonstration occurred after an Iraqi Christian immigrant last month burned a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, triggering widespread condemnation in the Islamic world. A similar protest by a far-right activist was held outside Turkey’s Embassy earlier this year, complicating Sweden’s efforts to convince Turkey to let it join NATO.The Associated Press

Women’s World Cup security heightened ahead of opening match following deadly shooting in Auckland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Security will be heightened ahead of Thursday night’s opening Women’s World Cup game after a gunman killed two people at a downtown construction site in Auckland, roughly 12 hours ahead of co-host New Zealand’s match against Norway. Norway’s team hotel was located within a short distance of the shooting, which occurred in the tourist area of the city near the harbor ferry terminal. Norway captain Maren Mjelde said teammates were awakened by a helicopter hovering outside the hotel. “We felt safe the whole time,” Mjelde said in a statement. “FIFA has a good security system at the hotel, and we have our own security officer in the squad. Everyone seems calm and we are preparing as normal for the game tonight.”Officials from Eden Park, where the game was scheduled to be played following an opening ceremony for the tournament, encouraged ticket holders to arrive to the stadium early. “There will be an increased security presence within...

Russian gymnasts allowed as ‘individual neutral athletes’ from 2024, no decision on Olympics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Gymnasts from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to take part in sanctioned competitions as “individual neutral athletes” from the start of 2024, the sport’s governing body said Wednesday, but any decision on the Paris Games will be left to the International Olympic Committee.Russian and Belarus gymnasts had been banned since last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ military support.The executive committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Wednesday it had decided “to authorize, under strict conditions, the participation of athletes and support personnel of Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality in FIG sanctioned events listed on the FIG Calendar as ‘individual neutral athletes’ without any involvement or association with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, their respective National Federations or National Olympic Committees.”This may include Olympic qualifying events, the gymn...

72-hour B.C. port strike notice removed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

Port workers in B.C. will not be going on strike again on Saturday, as a 72-hour strike notice has now been removed.In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) announced the decision.“Effective immediately the strike notice dated July 22 for 9:00 a.m. has now been removed,” Rob Ashton wrote in a statement.Although Ashton didn’t provide any further details, but the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) has confirmed that the notice was removed.“The past 24 hours have demonstrated that this continues to be a fluid and unpredictable situation. We will communicate as appropriate with key stakeholders as we receive clarification,” a statement from the employer reads.This comes after Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said the resumption of a strike at B.C.’s ports is “illegal,” following an announcement on Tuesday that a tentative deal had been rejected.O’Regan said in a twe...

Judge orders man charged with killing 2 teenage girls to remain at northern Indiana prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

DELPHI, Ind. (AP) — A man charged with killing two teenage girls will remain held at a northern Indiana prison after a judge concluded Wednesday he’s being treated better there than other inmates. Special Judge Fran Gull denied a request from attorneys for Richard Allen to relocate him from the Indiana Department of Correction’s Westville Correctional Facility because of what they said were his deteriorating health and poor living conditions at the prison where he has been held since last November. His lawyers argued, among other things, that Allen sleeps on a pad on a concrete floor; must wear the same clothes including underwear for days that are soiled, stained, tattered and torn; and has had no chance to visit his wife or other family members in the past five months. His attorneys have described his living conditions as “akin to those of a prisoner of war.” But the judge ruled, without going into specifics, that “the evidence presented demonstrated that the Defendant...

Federal judge appoints expert to oversee Oregon agency that has been housing foster kids in hotels

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge this week appointed an outside expert to help Oregon end its practice of housing kids in foster care in hotels, years after the agency promised it would do so in a legal settlement. U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane on Tuesday took the unusual step of appointing Marty Beyer to oversee the state’s Department of Human Services, noting the agency has not figured out how to stop “temporary lodging” on its own, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Oregon has spent more than $25 million housing 462 kids in foster care in hotels since the state promised to largely end the practice as part of a legal settlement in 2018.In the first six months of this year, 75 kids ranging in age from 6 to 19 years were placed in hotels. Twenty of those kids have lived in a hotel for more than 60 days.“This is incredibly harmful for these kids,” said Maggie Carlson, an attorney for Youth, Rights & Justice, which was one of the groups that filed a 2016 lawsuit...

Black lawmakers say Alabama GOP’s proposed new congressional map insults the Supreme Court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:16 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Republicans advanced new congressional lines Wednesday, a proposed map that Black lawmakers called an insult after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the legislature to redraw districts to give Black voters a greater voice in elections. Republican majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate advanced separate plans that do not establish the second majority-Black district sought by plaintiffs who won the Supreme Court case but do increase the number of Black voters in one district. The GOP plans would increase the percentage of Black voters in the state’s 2nd congressional district from about 30% to 38% under the Senate proposal, or 42% under the House plan. Republicans said that complies with the court’s directive to provide a second district where Black voters can influence the outcome of congressional elections. Democrats said it is short of what the court ordered.“This is really a slap in the face, not only to Black Alabamians, but...