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Biden signs an order designed to strengthen protections for sexual assault victims in the military

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

By TARA COPP (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday giving decisions on the prosecution of serious military crimes, including sexual assault, to independent military attorneys, taking that power away from victims’ commanders.The order formally implements legislation passed by Congress in 2022 aimed at strengthening protections for service members, who were often at the mercy of their commanders to decide whether to take their assault claims seriously.Members of Congress, frustrated with the growing number of sexual assaults in the military, fought with defense leaders for several years over the issue. They argued that commanders at times were willing to ignore charges or incidents in their units to protect those accused of offenses and that using independent lawyers would beef up prosecutions. Military leaders balked, saying it could erode commanders’ authority.The change was among more than two dozen recommendations made in 2021 ...

Pats notebook: Josh Uche would ‘love’ to remain in New England, will the Patriots extend him?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

FOXBORO — Josh Uche understands the game outside the game.Whether he plays in New England past this season, a contract year for the talented 24-year-old pass rusher, is closely tied to his performance on the football field. But not entirely.The Patriots’ ongoing negotiations with his agents will be impacted by several factors: his contract demands, the team’s interest, how pass rushers of his age and caliber are being paid across the league, salary cap projections, the opportunity cost of signing Uche to a large contract for the team, potential replacements for him on the roster, how the front office projects he’ll play in upcoming years, what Uche believes he’ll do and which side can best flexSo, with all of that in mind, Uche is choosing to keep a clear head. The business game? His agents can handle that. Football is the only game he wants to play.“I just let (my agents) handle all the little stuff and just come out here and work each day,” Uche...

1 killed, 1 injured in shooting near border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A shooting near the U.S.-Mexico border Friday morning left one person dead and another injured, officials said.According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, around 1:30 a.m. Cal Fire alerted authorities of a shooting near the border.The exact location of the shooting is not yet known, Lt. Joseph Jarjura said in a news release.According to officials, two men had suffered apparent gunshot wounds. One of the men was pronounced dead and the other was transported to a nearby hospital. ‘Grandma’ the dog left paralyzed by coyote in Solana Beach No suspects have been identified in connection to the shooting and the relationship between the two victims and and possible suspects are unclear, Jarjura said.Officials have not yet been able to identify either of the men who were shot, SDSO said.The circumstances that led to the shooting are still under investigation and anyone with information regarding the incident was asked to contact the SDSO Homicide Unit at 858-285-63...

Motorcyclist dies after Chula Vista crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A motorcyclist died Thursday following a two-vehicle crash in the South Bay, Chula Vista police said.According to CVPD, multiple 911 calls reported a traffic collision around 6:30 p.m. near Palomar Street and 5th Avenue involving a motorcycle and another vehicle.Upon arrival, officers found the motorcyclist suffering from major traumatic injuries and he was transported to UCSD Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead, Sgt. Anthony Molina said in a news release.The driver of the other vehicle was taken to a nearby hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries, CVPD said. Dog trainer assaulted by skateboarders in Balboa Park: police According to CVPD's Traffic Bureau, early investigations, as well as witness statements indicate that the motorcyclist was traveling at high speeds when it hit the other vehicle, which was turning on the 400 block of Palomar Street.No other vehicles were believed to have been involved in the crash and neither dr...

Bangladesh’s ruling and opposition parties hold rallies over who should oversee the next election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of supporters of Bangladesh’s governing and opposition parties held separate rallies in the capital on Friday over who should oversee the next general election, expected to be held early next year. Despite huge crowds, both rallies were peaceful, with a large security presence. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hopes to return to power for a fourth consecutive term, while the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is making its strongest effort to drive Hasina out of office. Zia and Hasina are archrivals and have led the country at different times since 1991.Hasina says the election should be held under her government’s supervision as specified in the constitution, but Zia’s party and its allies say Hasina must step down to allow the installation of a non-party caretaker government to ensure a free and fair vote. Zia’s party has threatened to boycott the balloting if it is held under Hasi...

Canfor Corp. reports $43.9M loss in second quarter amid tough pulp, lumber conditions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

VANCOUVER — Wildfires in Western Canada continue to disrupt Canfor Corp. operations as the company reported a loss of $43.9 million in the second quarter.With new records set in both Alberta and B.C. for total hectares burned, the company said operational constraints are expected to continue well into the third quarter of 2023. The extreme conditions are also disrupting the company’s access to fibre as well as harvest and hauling activities, Canfor said.“While it is too early to determine the long-term fibre supply impacts, we have seen significant short-term disruptions to our operations, including a three-week curtailment of our facility in Fox Creek, Alberta in the second quarter,” said Canfor president and CEO Donald Kayne on a call with analysts. The company said it will assess the full extent of the fires’ impact on its operations, including sustainable timber supplies and future harvesting plans, over the coming months. The loss in the second quarter w...

With affirmative action out, North Carolina’s flagship school bars use of race, sex in admissions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down their school’s race-conscious admissions plan as violating the Constitution, the board of North Carolina’s flagship public university has voted to strictly bar the use of “race, sex, color or ethnicity” in admissions and hiring decisions.The Board of Trustees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill approved the resolution Thursday, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported.In a pair of decisions announced June 29, court majorities struck down affirmative action in college admissions, ruling against UNC-Chapel Hill and Harvard University, the nation’s oldest public and private colleges, respectively. “I’m confident that we’re taking all the necessary steps to fully comply” with the decisions, UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz told the audience at the board’s meetings this week in what was the first in-person board gathering since the rulings.Still, while schools nationwide are now looking f...

Teen girl arrested for allegedly stabbing another teen at TTC station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

A teenage girl has been arrested and is facing several charges after a stabbing at a Scarborough subway station this past weekend.The incident occurred in a bus bay at Warden Station around 4 p.m. on Sunday.Police told CityNews a teenage girl was stabbed in the torso and taken to a local trauma centre. She suffered non-life-threatening injuries.In a release sent out Friday, police said they arrested a 16-year-old girl and charged her with assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and assault.The suspect was due in a Toronto courtroom on Tuesday morning. She cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.Anyone with additional information is being asked to contact Toronto Police Services.

Yorkshire punished for extremely serious misconduct over racism experienced by ex-player Azeem Rafiq

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Yorkshire has been fined and docked points in two formats of cricket over the club’s “extremely serious” misconduct in relation to the racism experienced by former player Azeem Rafiq.The English club was fined 400,000 pounds ($515,00) on Friday — 300,000 pounds of which is suspended for two years — and lost 48 County Championship points and four in the T20 Blast from this season’s competitions by an independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel after admitting four charges.Yorkshire released a statement accepting the sanctions. The punishment means Yorkshire drop from sixth to bottom of division two in the championship, all but ending its promotion chances, while the club goes from fifth to eighth in the North Group of the already-completed 2023 Blast, a competition where it failed to qualify for the knockout stages.Rafiq initially spoke out in 2020 about the racism and bullying he experienced across two spells at the county, between 2008 and 2014 and between 2...

Manitoba energy strategy includes wind power, time-of-day rates for electricity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:56:44 GMT

WINNIPEG — Manitoba is looking at boosting wind power and encouraging conservation as part of a new long-term energy strategy at Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro.The utility says it will need to at least double its current generating capacity in the coming decades as demand grows for clean electricity.Manitoba Hydro board chair Edward Kennedy says new generating stations are not the solution in the medium term, but more wind power and more capacity to store energy are key parts of the answer.Kennedy also says there will be a new push to encourage people to use energy outside peak periods.He says that could include smart meters and charging people different rates at different times of the day.Premier Heather Stefanson says Manitoba Hydro’s debt is already significant, and attracting new businesses and growing the economy will help pay it off.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2023The Canadian Press