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UN affirms concern over forced repatriation of North Koreans following criticism from rights groups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N. human rights office expressed grave concern over the forced repatriation of North Koreans from China and elsewhere after facing criticism from rights groups for its “unacceptable silence” on the issue.Taking aim at U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and his office, a dozen rights groups issued a statement Friday saying it was “not too late” for the rights office “to publicly urge China to end the enforced disappearance and forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees” and allow for individual assessments of whether they qualify as refugees. The groups include families of people who were abducted and sent back to North Korea, North Korean defectors, and the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group which monitors and analyzes North Korea’s human rights record.They warned that Chinese repatriations of North Korean escapees could increase if North Korea eases border restrictions after a prolonged COVID-19 shutdown which can enable “t...

Activist in Niger with ties to junta tells the AP region needs to ‘accept new regime’ or risk war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The only way to avoid conflict between mutinous soldiers that ousted the president in Niger and regional countries threatening an invasion to reinstate him is to recognize the new regime, a rights defender with ties to the junta told The Associated Press.In his first interview with Western media Friday, Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who supports Niger’s new military rulers in its communications and says he is in direct contact with them, said there will be no dialogue with regional countries until they acknowledge the new head of state.Nearly three weeks ago mutinous soldiers led by the head of the presidential guard, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, overthrew the West African country’s democratically elected president, claiming they could do a better job of securing the nation from growing jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Tchiani was declared in charge of the country.The West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, has threatened to ...

Horoscopes Aug. 12, 2023: Cara Delevingne, walk away from temptation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Imani Hakim, 30; Cara Delevingne, 31; Pete Sampras, 52; Peter Krause, 58.Happy Birthday: Take nothing for granted. Oversee every detail, and apply a high-energy approach to everything you pursue this year. Make your presence felt by dominating any group you join. Look at personal situations realistically, and find a cost-efficient way to turn a negative into a positive. Walk away from temptation. Look for ways to save and lifestyle changes that ease stress. Your numbers are 4, 18, 21, 24, 37, 42, 48.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Pay more attention to how you look and feel, and spend your downtime relaxing with people who bring out the best in you. Keep life simple and instill a healthy routine into your life that eases stress. Change what’s necessary and avoid temptation. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Open discussions will resolve unfinished business and give you hope for a brighter future. Pay attention to detail and costs. Express your concerns,...

Ask Amy: The man I love is my grandchild’s uncle, and things have gotten messy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

Dear Amy: I am an older woman who fell in love with a man 17 years younger than me.I love this man with everything I have. We met about five years ago at my home during Thanksgiving.Unfortunately for us, his brother is married to my daughter.I have practically raised their daughter from infancy; she’s going into second grade this year. When my boyfriend and I started seeing each other, my son-in-law decided he would punish me by keeping my granddaughter away from me. (She was 4 at the time.)The pressure and pain I endured was overwhelming, and I broke up with the first man I’ve ever loved, who I was completely comfortable with, in order to spend time with my granddaughter.Then, last year, my guy and I reunited. I love him more every day, but the same thing happened again – my granddaughter wasn’t allowed to come to my home anymore, and my son-in-law treats me like dirt. So we broke up again because the pain is almost unbearable for both of us.I would like your thoughts o...

Barcelona to send forward Ousmane Dembélé to Paris Saint-Germain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona has reached a transfer deal to send France forward Ousmane Dembélé to Paris Saint-Germain, the Spanish club said Saturday.Barcelona said that the two clubs have reached an agreement worth 50.4 million euros ($55.2 million) for the explosive winger.Dembélé, now 26, joined Barcelona in 2017 on a then club-record transfer from Borussia Dortmund that with variables was set to reach 147 million euros (then $173 million) as the club sought a young talent after the unwanted exit of Neymar — to PSG.After suffering serious injuries early in his stay at Barcelona, Dembélé consolidated himself as one of its most irreplaceable players thanks to his speed and playmaking. He renewed his contract last summer and was set to stay at Barcelona until the end of next season.His arrival to PSG comes amid speculation that Neymar could be on his way out.He scored 62 goals in 185 appearances for Barcelona and helped it win three Spanish leagues and two Copa del Rey titles....

The death toll from the wildfires in Maui has risen to 80, county officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The death toll from the wildfires in Maui has risen to 80, county officials say.Source

Brussels insists top competition economist post still wide open

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

Even though Austrian-American economist Florian Ederer said he’s been contacted to check his availability for the post of chief competition economist, the European Commission said that no official approach has been made and that the job ad will go up shortly.“The Commission will, in due course, publish a new vacancy notice for the position of Chief Economist at DG Competition and conduct a new selection procedure,” Commission spokesperson Arianna Podestà told POLITICO on Friday. The Commission “has not reached out to any possible candidate for the position of Chief Economist at DG Competition,” Podestà said. The EU executive “invites all qualified and eligible candidates, who are interested in this position, to put forward their application following the launch of the selection procedure,” she added.Ederer confirmed to POLITICO that he was contacted by a DG Competition official, even if informally. He added that he is interested in the role: ̶...

Orioles rookie Colton Cowser hoping to ‘stop thinking so damn much’ as roster crunch looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

As July turned to August, Orioles rookies Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser spent the night a way they oft have: playing Rocket League. But Henderson entered the gaming session with a purpose.Since arriving in the majors, Cowser had struggled, perhaps no more so than that night’s game, when he struck out three times in four at-bats in the series opener with the Toronto Blue Jays to drop his major league batting average below .100. Afterward, Cowser admitted Friday, “there was no confidence there at all.” Henderson gave him cause to get some back.“He was like, ‘I just went through the same stuff. Just continue to work through it. It’s only gonna help you in the future,’” Cowser said. “And now, you look at him, and it’s pretty encouraging. Just got to capitalize on the opportunities that I get.”But it’s unclear how many more opportunities Cowser, Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect according to Baseball America, wil...

How Patriots rookies Keion White, Malik Cunningham starred in the preseason opener and 39 more film takeaways

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

On to Green Bay.Hours after their 20-9 loss to the Texans, Patriots players and coaches convened for meetings and film review Friday at Gillette Stadium. Their preseason opener offered a bounty of correctable tape to study before they travel to practice and play against the Packers next week. But for the purposes of learning how they can or should play come the regular season, much of that film was useless.Most starters sat Thursday night. The play-calls were a special kind of white-bread bland. And the coaching staff didn’t intend to win, as it called several run plays while training 20-3 in the final minutes.Though select player performances were, of course, notable, and might foreshadow a few regular-season surprises to come.Start with Malik Cunningham. The undrafted rookie out of Louisville took a break from his ongoing transition to wide receiver to resuscitate the Patriots offense and lead a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter. Cunningham proved wily, creative and...

Searching for the missing on Maui, some wait in agony to make contact. And then the phone rings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:17:53 GMT

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Leshia Wright heard the crackle of the fast-moving inferno closing in on her home in Lahaina and decided it was time to evacuate.The 66-year-old grabbed her medication for a pulmonary disease and her passport and fled the subdivision in the historic Hawaii oceanside community just minutes before flames engulfed the neighborhood. Hours later, she called family members and told them she slept in her car. Then her phone went dead.The next 40 hours were agony for her daughter in New York and sister in Arizona. But early Friday morning, Wright called back and told them she was OK.“I’m obviously relieved beyond words that my mother is alive,” said Alexandra Wright, who added that her mother finally was able to charge her phone after reaching a friend’s undamaged house on a quarter-tank of gas.The firestorm that killed dozens of people and leveled this historic town launched hundreds of people on a desperate search for their loved ones — many from thousands of ...