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Day of National Mourning declared in Kazakhstan after forest fire claims 14 lives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has told relatives of 14 forestry workers who perished in a fire in the Semey Ormany Nature Reserve that he shared in their grief at a great tragedy for the entire nation. He declared Monday 12 June a Day of National Mourning. A book of condolence will be open for signing at the Kazakh Embassy in Brussels, between 11:00 and 13:00 and between 15:00 and 18:00 at Avenue Van Bever 30, 1180 Brussels.The Emergency Situations Ministry confirmed the fourteen deaths in the Abai region of northeastern Kazakhstan, where 316 people have been evacuated. The fires consumed an area of 60,000 hectares and more than a thousand people were involved in bringing the burning forest under control. It’s thought the fires were started by lightning and spread quickly, by as much as 10 metres a second, due to strong winds and high temperatures.President Tokayev cancelled a planned visit to Vietnam and instead travelled to the affected region, where he met the families of the 1...

Rotation help on the way for starter-starved SF Giants: Alex Wood makes rehab start, nearing return

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — With two starters sidelined and another in the bullpen, the Giants have been piecing their pitching together for weeks. On Sunday, that meant the same reliever who started Saturday’s bullpen game was back on the mound as Sunday’s starter, too.Some 90 miles away, though, help was on the horizon.Alex Wood was scheduled to make a rehab outing at Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday. Scheduled to throw in the neighborhood of 50 pitches, manager Gabe Kapler said Wood could be an option to take down a start this weekend in Los Angeles, once he is eligible to be activated.“He’s on track to be activated soon after (Sunday’s start),” Kapler said Sunday before the Giants’ series finale against the Cubs. “Obviously nothing’s set in stone, but there’s no reason he can’t pitch in a major league game the next time through if we think that’s what’s best for Alex and our team.”Wood was placed on the IL retr...

Is BART policing racially motivated? A new study intends to find out

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

A new study will analyze how the BART police force responds to incidents of fare evasion – and whether race plays a role in the transit authority’s law enforcement.Past research shows Black BART riders were stopped by the subway’s police eight times more often than their White counterparts from 2012 to 2017, while also being 15 times more likely to experience a use of force from the BART Police Department.This study, which will be conducted by the Center for Policing Equity and BART’s Office of the Independent Police Auditor for 18 months, will build on that research, and ultimately provide the transit authority with recommendations to improve its practices.“All transit riders deserve to feel a sense of belonging, freedom, and safety when traveling on public transportation,” said Hans Menos, Vice President of the Triage Response Team at the Center for Policing Equity, in a press release. “That sense of security should include protection from racial bias, and freedom from harassment ...

Belt tightening, staffing woes at stake in Sonoma County Supervisors consider next budget

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will have to reconcile some recommended belt-tightening with clear interest in shoring up beleaguered departments and public infrastructure as they debate this week the county’s proposed $2.19 billion budget.Hearings on the next budget begin Tuesday morning, as the five elected leaders at the helm of the North Bay’s largest local government seek to patch up the county’s strained 4,000-member workforce while curbing some of its pandemic-era spending.The proposed 2023-24 budget represents about a 2.2% decrease from the $2.24 billion spending plan adopted for the fiscal year that ends June 30.It is made up of the $406 million general fund, which supports criminal justice and administrative departments and most discretionary spending, and $1.79 billion from other sources.“This year is really a year when we’re investing in our core services, investing in our workforce,” said Peter Bruland, deputy county administrator.The county’s budget ...

UVA researchers say new findings offer hope to keep breast cancer from spreading

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

New discoveries made by researchers at the University of Virginia Cancer Center could help prevent breast cancer from spreading.The findings illuminate the various roles of blood vessels in solid tumors, which could enhance existing cancer treatments that have shown promise in recent years, according to a news release from the University of Virginia.“Blood vessels can act both as good guys and bad guys in a growing tumor,” said researcher Andrew Dudley.In one scientific paper, his team reported that the effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs called the “immune check blockade” is enhanced when blood vessels are targeted in a specific way. This gives the immune system a better chance at fighting off cancer and other diseases, according to the news release.A second paper by the team outlined findings that could help prevent breast cancer from spreading to other parts of the body, Dudley said. Researchers found that metastatic breast cancer cells activate remodelin...

Golden Knights try not to think of Stanley Cup returning to Vegas on verge of title

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

Chandler Stephenson knows what this is like.Five years ago, he and his Washington Capitals teammates went into Las Vegas and won the Stanley Cup, beating the Golden Knights in Game 5 of the final. Now he’s on the Golden Knights, who leave Florida on the verge of winning their first championship.“It’s a different game than the other ones: There’s a lot more emotion, a lot more everything,” Stephenson said. “It’s one win away from a lot of dreams for a lot of guys.”A dream they’re trying not to think about — at least not yet.Vegas can hoist the Stanley Cup as soon as Tuesday by beating the Panthers on home ice. But the immediate task for players and coaches is not to dwell on how close they are.Veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who captained the St. Louis Blues to their first title in franchise history four years ago, said it’s possible to overthink things in this situation. His approach now?“Try and get your brain away from it,” Pietrangelo said. “Get some ...

AP: Ted Kaczynski, conocido como “Unabomber”, se suicidó, según fuentes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

CAROLINA DEL NORTE – Ted Kaczynski, conocido como “Unabomber”, quien llevó a cabo una campaña de bombardeos de 17 años que mató a tres personas e hirió a otras 23, se suicidó, dijeron a The Associated Press cuatro personas familiarizadas con el asunto.Kaczynski, que tenía 81 años y padecía cáncer en etapa avanzada, fue encontrado inconsciente en su celda en el Centro Médico Federal en Butner, Carolina del Norte, alrededor de las 12:30 a.m. del sábado. Los socorristas realizaron resucitación cardiopulmonar y lo reanimaron antes de que fuera transportado a un hospital, donde fue declarado muerto más tarde el sábado por la mañana, dijeron las personas a AP.Las personas no estaban autorizadas a discutir públicamente la muerte de Kaczynski y hablaron con AP bajo condición de anonimato. Muere en una cárcel “Unabomber”, uno de los terroristas más despiadados de EEUU Assange pudiera terminar en la misma cárcel que “El Chapo” si es declarado cul...

Guardiola looks to build on Man City success in Champions League after finally conquering Europe

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Almost immediately after leading Manchester City to its first Champions League title on Saturday, Pep Guardiola spoke of the need to build on that success.Real Madrid’s record haul of 14 European Cups is safe for some time yet – but there is every reason to believe City will go on to win the competition again and again.This was, after all, its second final in three seasons.The 1-0 win against Inter Milan in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadium had been coming. And the wealth of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, combined with Guardiola’s apparent insatiable drive for perfection, means City has the potential to become even stronger in the coming years.Guardiola is a huge fan of Michael Jordan. And just as one title wasn’t enough for the Chicago Bulls icon, who went on to win six NBA championships, Guardiola knows City’s legacy in Europe depends on repeated success.Madrid is a serial winner, having lifted four Champions League titles between 2014 and 2018. That is t...

French Open Men’s Champions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

2023_Novak Djokovic2022_Rafael Nadal2021_Novak Djokovic2020_Rafael Nadal2019_Rafael Nadal2018_Rafael Nadal2017_Rafael Nadal2016_Novak Djokovic2015_Stan Wawrinka2014_Rafael Nadal2013_Rafael Nadal2012_Rafael Nadal2011_Rafael Nadal2010_Rafael Nadal2009_Roger Federer2008_Rafael Nadal2007_Rafael Nadal2006_Rafael Nadal2005_Rafael Nadal2004_Gaston Gaudio2003_Juan Carlos Ferrero2002_Albert Costa2001_Gustavo Kuerten2000_Gustavo Kuerten1999_Andre Agassi1998_Carlos Moya1997_Gustavo Kuerten1996_Yevgeny Kafelnikov1995_Thomas Muster1994_Sergi Bruguera1993_Sergi Bruguera1992_Jim Courier1991_Jim Courier1990_Andres Gomez1989_Michael Chang1988_Mats Wilander1987_Ivan Lendl1986_Ivan Lendl1985_Mats Wilander1984_Ivan Lendl1983_Yannick Noah1982_Mats Wilander1981_Bjorn Borg1980_Bjorn Borg1979_Bjorn Borg1978_Bjorn Borg1977_Guillermo Vilas1976_Adriano Panatta1975_Bjorn Borg1974_Bjorn Borg1973_Ilie Nastase1972_Andres Gimeno1971_Jan Kodes1970_Jan Kodes1969_Rod Laver1968_Ken Rosewall1967_Roy Emerson1966_Tony Ro...

US OPEN ’23: Trivia quiz on US Opens in California

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:57:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — How well do you know U.S. Open history? Try this quiz based on the 14 times the U.S. Open was played in California:1. Which California course has hosted the U.S. Open the most times?a.) Pebble Beachb.) Cypress Pointc.) Olympic Club2. Who won the first U.S. Open held in California?a.) Johnny Goodmanb.) Jack Fleckc.) Ben Hogan3. Who was the first player to win a PGA Tour event and the U.S. Open on the same course in the same year?a.) Jack Nicklausb.) Tiger Woodsc.) Denny Shute4. Which player was so frustrated at a putt rolling back to him on the 18th green at Olympic Club that he stopped it from moving with his putter?a.) Kirk Triplettb.) Payne Stewartc.) Phil Mickelson5. What club was Jack Nicklaus using when he hit the pin on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach in the final round of the 1972 U.S. Open?a.) Hybridb.) 1-ironc.) 7-wood6. Who had a three-shot lead at the U.S. Open and shot 82 in the final round?a.) Greg Normanb.) Gil Morganc.) Dustin Johnson7. Which player m...