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European cities see vigils to oppose antisemitism and rallies seeking relief for Gaza

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Thousands of people joined vigils in Berlin and London on Sunday to oppose antisemitism and support Israel, while in Paris and other cities, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators demanded a cease-fire and relief for people in the besieged Gaza Strip.Some of those who gathered in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate carried Israeli flags or posters with photos of some of the more than 200 people seized by Hamas as hostages during the militants’ deadly Oct. 7 incursion into Israel.“It is unbearable that Jews are living in fear again today — in our country of all places,” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the crowd, estimated at 20,000 by organizers and 10,000 by police. “Every single attack on Jews, on Jewish institutions is a disgrace for Germany. Every single attack fills me with shame and anger.”Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz inaugurated a new synagogue in the eastern city of Dessau and said he was “outraged” by the upsurge in antisemitism since ...

Md. judge murder suspect still at large as search concludes in Williamsport

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

As the search for the man suspected of shooting and killing a Maryland judge continues, his vehicle was found Saturday morning as he remains at large.The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said that a resident found a silver Mercedes SUV, believed to be driven by 49-year-old Pedro Argote, in a wooded area off Bottom Road in Williamsport, Maryland, around 11 a.m. Saturday and notified authorities.Argote is suspected in the murder of 52-year-old Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson.The Associated Press reported Friday that Wilkinson was shot outside his home Thursday night in Hagerstown after ruling against Argote in a divorce case in which Argote’s wife was given custody of the couple’s four kids.Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said that the ruling was the motivation for the killing.“We’re gonna catch this guy. It’s just a matter of time,” Albert said at a Saturday news conference. “We just ask you to avoid the search ar...

Alexander Bublik beats French teenager Arthur Fils in European Open final for 3rd career title

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Third-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan won his third career title by beating French teenager Arthur Fils 6-4, 6-4 in the European Open final on Sunday. Bublik saved all three break points he faced and hit 28 winners to 18 for Fils. In their first meeting, Bublik capitalized on a couple of unforced errors by the fourth-seeded Fils to break for a 3-2 lead. He saved a break point in the eighth game with a forehand winner before concluding the opening set with an ace. Fils had a poor start to the second set, dropping serve by sending a forehand into the net. Out of frustration, Fils smashed his racket into the ground. Bublik saved two break points at 3-2 with an ace and a service winner. Fils saved two match points, but Bublik converted the third with his 11th ace. Bublik was going through a poor run of form before this tournament, losing five straight matches on hard court. The 19-year-old Fils was the youngest finalist in the tournament’s history. ___ AP t...

Messi y el Inter Miami terminan su primera temporada juntos con una derrota

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

(CNN) — Tras un comienzo de ensueño en su etapa en el Inter Miami, la primera temporada de Lionel Messi en la Major League Soccer (MLS) terminó este sábado con una derrota por 1-0 a domicilio ante el Charlotte FC en el Bank of America Stadium.Miami ya había fracasado en su intento de clasificarse para los playoffs, pero la victoria del Charlotte, gracias a un gol de Kerwin Vargas en el minuto 13, significó que la franquicia de dos años alcanzara los playoffs por primera vez.Tras la llegada de Messi en julio, Miami se embarcó en una racha de 12 partidos invicto, récord del club, y ganó su primer trofeo, la Leagues Cup, pero terminó la campaña sin una victoria en siete encuentros, y Messi se perdió algunos de esos partidos por lesión.Ranking: ¿Quiénes son los jugadores mejor pagados en la MLS? Messi encabeza el top 5“Cuando llegamos, teníamos dos competiciones en las que podíamos competir bien: la Leagues Cup y la U.S. Open Cup. Además, participamos en un torneo en el que ...

The Week … of the ‘Rishi-versary’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Sky News It’s been a year since Rishi Sunak took over from Liz Truss in Number 10. But following two by-election defeats last week, Downing Street doesn’t seem to be in the mood for a party.Could we see another Rishi reset?The prime minister returned from Israel this week, where he met with leaders to discuss the war with Hamas and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Former diplomat Tom Fletcher, who was the British ambassador to Lebanon from 2011 until 2015, joins Jack and Sam to share insights into how to deal with an international crisis.He also talks about the conversations former diplomats are having about the UK’s future role in ...

Exit polls show Swiss anti-immigrant party on track for record election showing

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

The far-right and euroskeptic Swiss People’s Party (SVP) is set to make its strongest-ever showing in national elections, according to exit polls published Sunday night by the SSR public broadcaster.The SVP, which centered its campaign on anti-immigrant rhetoric, is projected to win 29 percent of the vote, up from 25.6 percent four years ago and higher than pre-election polls. It has been the country’s largest party since 2003.In an election dominated by domestic issues, the three other main parties — the Social Democrats, the Free Democrats and the Center Alliance — were seen as recording roughly the same result as in the previous ballot, with SD on 17 percent in exit polls (compared to 16.8 percent in 2019), and the FDP and Center with 15 percent each (the Center was born in 2020 of a fusion of two parties which gained 14 percent combined in 2019). Support for the Greens dipped in the exit polls to roughly 9 percent compared to 13.2 percent in 2019.The Swiss vote for 200 sea...

Unsanctioned coterie of pro-Israel quasi-lobbyists descends on DC

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

This past week, an unlikely pair of men sat down for breakfast at the Capitol Hill Club, a Republican gathering site just a stone’s throw from Congress, to plot ways to help Israel.On one side of the table was Rep. Paul Gosar, a firebrand Republican who has faced criticism for ties to white nationalists. On the other was Bobby Rechnitz, a Los Angeles real estate developer dubbed a “confidant” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Over coffee, the two discussed Israel’s former Prime Minister Golda Meir and the situation in Gaza. Rechnitz said he’d come to Washington to share real-time intelligence from Israel and to ensure lawmakers understood the challenges facing leadership there.“I hope to slightly enlighten the congressman about some of the things that I’m hearing,” he said. Rechnitz said he’s connected lawmakers with members of the Knesset, Israel’s governing body. He also uses a large iPad to show them photos of bullet-riddled bodies of babies and people burnt ...

Amazon launches drug deliveries by drone

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

Amazon will soon make prescription drugs fall from the sky as the e-commerce giant becomes the latest company to test drone deliveries for medications.The company said that customers in College Station, Texas, can now get prescriptions delivered by a drone within an hour of placing their order.The drone, programmed to fly from a delivery center with a secure pharmacy, will travel to the customer’s address, descend to a height of about four meters — or 13 feet — and drop a padded package.Amazon says customers will be able to choose from more than 500 medications, a list that includes common treatments for conditions like the flu or pneumonia, but not controlled substances.The company’s Prime Air division began testing drone deliveries of common household items last December in College Station and Lockeford, California. Amazon spokesperson Jessica Bardoulas said the company has made thousands of deliveries since launching the service, and is expanding it to include prescri...

Woman on motorcycle dies in hit-and-run

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

TIERRASANTA, Calif -- A 68-year-old passenger of a motorcycle succumbed to her injuries Saturday night after being involved in a traffic accident while traveling on the southbound lanes of West Hills Parkway, according to the San Diego Police Department.Authorities say that the crash occurred at around 7:30 p.m. when a 33-year-old male driving a Honda Accord merged into the number two lane on West Hills Parkway and hit the rear of the Harley Tri-glide Motorcycle. The driver of the car fled the scene after the crash but was found a short distance away by responding officers.The Harley Tri-glide Motorcycle was driven by a 65-year-old male who was transported to the hospital, his condition is unknown. The female passenger of the motorcycle was also transported to the hospital for severe injuries suffered at the crash, and later succumbed to her injuries.SDPD says that DUI is a factor. An investigation remains ongoing.

Diana Nyad marks anniversary of epic Cuba-Florida swim, freeing rehabilitated sea turtle in the Keys

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 20:02:29 GMT

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — A decade after swimming the treacherous passage from Cuba to Key West, Diana Nyad returned Sunday to the beach where she completed her epic feat, joining in the release of a sea turtle rehabilitated at the Florida Keys’ Turtle HospitalNyad and her Cuba swim expedition leader Bonnie Stoll helped return “Rocky,” a 120-pound (54 kilogram) female green sea turtle, to the Atlantic Ocean at Key West’s Smathers Beach as they marked the anniversary with her former support team.On Labor Day 2013, nearly 2,000 people had lined the beach to welcome Nyad as she came ashore after her 111-mile (178-kilometer) odyssey, a nonstop swim lasting 52 hours and 54 minutes across the Florida Straits from Havana.Succeeding on her fifth attempt at age 64, Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to the Keys without a shark cage — despite battling stinging jellyfish, nausea and other physical and mental challenges.She joined personnel from the Turtle Hospital to carry Rocky ...