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UN report: Female Afghan UN employees harassed, detained

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Some Afghan women employed by the United Nations have been detained, harassed and had restrictions placed on their movements since being banned by the Taliban from working for the world body, the U.N. said Tuesday. Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers informed the United Nations early last month that Afghan women employed with the U.N. mission could no longer report for work. “This is the most recent in a series of discriminatory – and unlawful – measures implemented by the de facto authorities with the goal of severely restricting women and girls’ participation in most areas of public and daily life in Afghanistan,” the U.N. said in a report on the human rights situation in the south Asian country.Taliban authorities continued to crack down on dissenting voices this year, in particular those who speak out on issues related to the rights of women and girls, the report said.The U.N. report cited the March arrest of four women who were released the following day during a prot...

1 dead in possible road rage shooting in Marina Del Rey; suspect on the run

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

A man in his 20s was found dead following a possible road-rage shooting that happened at a busy intersection in Marina Del Rey Monday afternoon.It happened around 12:15 p.m., near the intersection of the 90 Freeway and Lincoln Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.Video from Sky5 showed a dark-colored Volkswagen sedan parked in the roadway with a white investigation tent partially covering the vehicle. Those tents are often seen at the site of homicides. Several cars damaged in Woodland Hills road-rage incident (video) "The Los Angeles Fire Department responded and after attempting life-saving measures, the man was determined dead at the scene," LAPD Detective Sean Kinchla said. "The suspect vehicle is described as a dark Kia and was last seen leaving the scene northbound Lincoln." Detectives believe both vehicles were traveling northbound on Lincoln Boulevard when they stopped in traffic just south of the 90 Freeway. They think that both drivers got out of the...

Charles Barkley says Warriors are ‘cooked’ vs. Lakers, but Shaq disagrees

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

If it wasn’t clear what the Hall of Famers on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” thought of the Warriors, their immediate reactions after the Warriors lost Game 4 to the Lakers to fall behind 3-1 in this series made it clear.Charles Barkley declared that the Warriors are “cooked” for this series, while Shaquille O’Neal says the defending champions still have a great chance to win the series.Barkley has been antagonistic towards the Warriors for years, oftentimes to a comical extent. Already in this postseason, he guaranteed a Kings victory in Game 5 before Golden State went on to win in Sacramento in that same game.Now, Barkley is ready to declare the Warriors as dead, saying, “Cooked. They’re cooked. This series is over. Whether in five or six [games], it’s over.”Chuck on the Warriors: "They're cooked. This series is over." pic.twitter.com/ISRUnbXpxW— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2023But at the start of the segment, O’Neal was asked by Ernie Johnson what the chances are of...

Walker’s 459-foot blast helps D-backs beat Marlins 5-2

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Christian Walker has hit nearly 100 homers in his big-league career, so he knows a well-struck baseball when he feels it. The 459-foot moonshot he launched into the second deck at Chase Field ranks right up there with his best.Walker hit his sixth homer in the past eight games, Zac Gallen threw seven quality innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Monday night.Walker needs three more homers to get to 100, which might not be a big milestone to some. But for the 32-year-old first baseman, who didn’t really get established in his big leagues until he was in his late 20s, it’s a sign that his hard work continues to pay off.“To be honest, the numbers are cool, but as long as I’m showing up and contributing to the offense, wherever the totals fall, they fall,” Walker said. “Just to show up, feel competitive and be a part of his lineup is exciting.”The Diamondbacks finished with 13 hits and improved to 20-15 this season. The...

Ohtani, Drury lead Angels to 6-4 victory over Astros

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani had a pair of RBI doubles, Brandon Drury drove in the go-ahead run with a triple in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night.Taylor Ward had three hits and Hunter Renfroe homered for the Angels, who bounced back after being outscored 26-9 in losses to Texas on Saturday and Sunday.“It’s awesome. The fight that we have to show that relentlessness throughout the lineup it’s pretty cool. It feels like we’re never out of it,” Ward said.It is also the third time in the past six games the Angels have come back to win when they either trailed or were tied after seven innings. David Hensley homered for the Astros, who have dropped five of six.Ohtani tied it at 4-all in the fifth inning with a line-drive double off the wall in right-center to drive in Taylor Ward. The Japanese two-way star, who takes the mound for his eighth start of the season on Tuesday, also had a run-scoring double ...

Tres comandantes de la Yihad Islámica entre los numerosos muertos en ataques israelíes contra Gaza

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

Gaza y Jerusalén (CNN) — Tres comandantes de la Yihad Islámica se encontraban entre las al menos 12 personas muertas en los ataques de aviones y helicópteros israelíes contra múltiples objetivos en Gaza a primera hora de este martes.El Ministerio de Sanidad de Gaza informó que al menos 12 personas habían muerto y 20 habían resultado heridas en los ataques aéreos hasta las 5 de la mañana, hora local, y advirtió de que el número de víctimas podría aumentar.“Los equipos de ambulancias siguen evacuando a las víctimas de las zonas atacadas por la ocupación”, declaró el Ministerio de Sanidad, refiriéndose a Israel.Las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel (IDF, por sus siglas en inglés) confirmaron que lanzaron ataques aéreos antes del amanecer en Gaza, diciendo que era una “respuesta a la agresión incesante por parte de la organización terrorista Yihad Islámica”.Tensión en Medio Oriente: ataques cruzados desde Israel y Gaza tras operación israelí en la mezquita de al...

China announces tit-for-tat expulsion of Canadian diplomat amid dispute over alleged threats against Canadian lawmaker

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China announces tit-for-tat expulsion of Canadian diplomat amid dispute over alleged threats against Canadian lawmaker.Source

Lakers beat Warriors for 3-1 lead; Heat push Knicks to brink

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lonnie Walker scored all of his 15 points in a phenomenal fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied late to take a 3-1 series lead with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 on Monday night.LeBron James scored 27 points and Anthony Davis had 23 points and 15 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who moved to the brink of an improbable trip to the Western Conference finals with their eighth consecutive home victory since March.Los Angeles overcame Stephen Curry’s third career postseason triple-double down the stretch largely because of Walker, who has made a seismic impact in returning to the Lakers’ rotation in this series after the former starter was stuck on the bench in recent weeks.Curry had 31 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in his 13th career triple-double for the defending champion Warriors, who will have to overcome a 3-1 series deficit for only the second time in franchise history to continue their NBA title defense. Gol...

EU, Ukraine together on Europe Day, but Kyiv remains outside

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — For the first time, Ukraine and the European Union are marking Europe Day, that celebration of “peace and unity,” together. Don’t let anyone be fooled too much, though.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s executive branch, made a special trip to Kyiv on Tuesday to deliver the warm words of common destiny after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his nation would from now on “celebrate Europe Day together with all of free Europe.”More than a year into the war with invading Russia, Ukraine wants to badly join the bloc as an essential part to anchor its future in the Western world. “Europe Day,” when the 27 current members celebrate their bond as one, also shows how far that moment is still off.Next month, it will be one year already since the EU nations granted Ukraine candidate status, lavished the nation with praise, boosted it with aid and military support and sanctioned Kyiv’s enemy Russia with ever more...

In global rush to regulate AI, Europe set to be trailblazer

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:38:24 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The breathtaking development of artificial intelligence has dazzled users by composing music, creating images and writing essays, while also raising fears about its implications. Even European Union officials working on groundbreaking rules to govern the emerging technology were caught off guard by AI’s rapid rise.The 27-nation bloc proposed the Western world’s first AI rules two years ago, focusing on reining in risky but narrowly focused applications. General purpose AI systems like chatbots were barely mentioned. Lawmakers working on the AI Act considered whether to include them but weren’t sure how, or even if it was necessary. “Then ChatGPT kind of boom, exploded,” said Dragos Tudorache, a Romanian member of the European Parliament co-leading the measure. “If there was still some that doubted as to whether we need something at all, I think the doubt was quickly vanished.” The release of ChatGPT last year captured the world’s attention because of its ab...