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2 Southern California firefighters and a pilot were killed after a mid-air collision, officials say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

CABAZON, Calif. (AP) — Three people were killed after two firefighting helicopters collided in Southern California on Sunday while fighting a blaze in Riverside County, emergency officials said.One of the helicopters landed safely. “Unfortunately, the second helicopter crashed and tragically all three members perished which included one Cal Fire Division chief, one Cal Fire captain and one contract client pilot,” Cal Fire Southern Region Chief David Fulcher said during a news conference early Monday. Fulcher did not identify the victims.Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department resources were dispatched to a reported structure fire near the intersection of Broadway Street and South Ronda Avenue in the community of Cabazon, Fulcher said.Shortly after the arrival of the first engine company, the fire was reported to have extended into the vegetation and a full wildland fire dispatch was initiated, which included fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.While battling the blaze, the two...

Ethiopia’s government says it lost control of some areas in the Amhara region to militia fighters

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s federal government says it lost control of some districts and towns to militia fighters in the country’s Amhara region during the latest conflict emerging in Africa’s second most populous nation. Residents reported heavy gunfire and military aircraft overhead in some areas.Ethiopia’s Cabinet declared a six-month state of emergency last week in the region as clashes and mass protests intensify over a plan to absorb regional forces into the military. The federal government has tried to centralize security powers after the end of a devastating two-year conflict in the country’s Tigray region, where Amhara regional forces and militia were key allies of the federal military.Now, however, Amhara residents who were badly affected in that conflict accuse the federal government of trying to undermine their region. Authorities reject the accusation but see the regional fighters as a threat to constitutional order.Ethiopia’s intelligence chief and the official ...

Trucking giant Yellow Corp. declares bankruptcy after years of financial struggles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Trucking company Yellow Corp. has declared bankruptcy after years of financial struggles and growing debt, marking a significant shift for the U.S. transportation industry and shippers nationwide.The Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which was filed Sunday, comes just three years after Yellow received $700 million in pandemic-era loans from the federal government. But the company was in financial trouble long before that — with industry analysts pointing to poor management and strategic decisions dating back decades.Former Yellow customers and shippers will face higher prices as they take their business to competitors, including FedEx or ABF Freight, experts say — noting Yellow historically offered the cheapest price points in the industry.“It is with profound disappointment that Yellow announces that it is closing after nearly 100 years in business,” CEO Darren Hawkins said in a news release late Sunday. “For generations, Yellow provided hundreds of thousands of Americans with...

Lecturers in the UK refuse to mark exams in labor dispute, leaving thousands unable to graduate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Hafsa Yusuf was supposed to graduate last week. The 21-year-old English literature major had spent 200 pounds ($255) on graduation gown rental, photography and tickets for her family to attend the ceremony. But just two weeks before the big day, Queen Mary University of London sent her an email saying she couldn’t graduate because of industrial action taken by academic staff across the U.K. Lecturers at some 140 universities have refused to mark exam papers and coursework, in an escalation of a simmering dispute over pay and working conditions. “Because of the marking boycott, they didn’t have enough grades to confirm that I was able to graduate,” Yusuf said. “We all paid as normal, just to get an email two weeks beforehand saying you can’t come.”She said that while most of her family live in the U.K., other students are international and have paid for flights for their families to come from abroad. “It’s really devastating,” she said.Yusuf and the cl...

Greece sends two Canadair fire fighting aircraft to help Cyprus fight a forest fire

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Greece on Monday dispatched two Canadair fire-fighting aircraft after a call for assistance from fellow European Union member Cyprus to help fight a blaze that has scorched miles of mountainous terrain.Jordan is already helping with three aircraft of its own, including two Super Puma helicopters and a Russian-made Mi26 helicopter to douse the fire in the mountains about 11 miles (17 kilometers) north of the coastal town of Limassol. The multinational effort is battling a blaze that has scorched as much as 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) of land. Environment Ministry Secretary Andreas Gregoriou, who is coordinating firefighting efforts, told state-run Cyprus News Agency that talks are ongoing with Israel for additional air support if needed.Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry said 20 tons of fire retardant is also on its way to Cyprus while the Canadairs are expected to be operating within a day.Justice Minister Anna Koukkides-Procopiou posted on the...

Tens of thousands of young scouts to leave world jamboree in South Korea as storm Khanun looms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea is preparing to evacuate tens of thousands of scouts from a coastal jamboree site as Tropical Storm Khanun looms, officials said Monday.Starting Tuesday morning, South Korea will deploy about a thousand buses to pull out some 36,000 scouts from 156 countries from the World Scout Jamboree in the southwestern county of Buan, according to Kim Sung-ho, a vice minister at South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety.He said most of the scouts will be accommodated at venues in the country’s capital, Seoul, and the nearby metropolitan area. Officials were trying to secure spaces at government training centers and education facilities. Kim said it would take six hours or more to evacuate the scouts from the campsite, which organizers said will no longer be used for any event after they leave. The announcement came after The World Organization of the Scout Movement said it urgently called on South Korea to quickly move the scouts from the storm’s pa...

Daily horoscope for August 7, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

Moon Alert: After 2:45 a.m. EDT today, there are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The Moon is in Taurus.Happy Birthday for Monday, Aug. 7, 2023:You are a modest person with many hidden talents. People like you because you are witty, charming and friendly. Simplicity is the key to your life this year. It’s time to create solid foundations. You might explore martial arts or yoga. Stay grounded and levelheaded.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★★★Trust your moneymaking ideas today, because you’re in the groove. Lucky Jupiter and the Moon are both in one of your Money Houses. This is an ideal influence that can help you make long-range plans. You’re in a sensible frame of mind. If shopping, you will buy practical items. Tonight: Check your assets.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★★★Today the Moon is in your sign dancing nicely with Saturn and Mercury, which gives you a lot of common sense and an ability to think clearly. It’s a strong day for teaching children,...

Over 72,000 asylum seekers in April 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

In April 2023, 72,630 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries. Compared with April 2022 (54,350), this represents a 34 % increase. There were also 5,310 subsequent applicants, a 5 % decrease compared with April 2022 (5,610). This information comes from the monthly asylum data published by Eurostat. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on monthly asylum statistics. Source dataset: migr_asyappctzmMost first-time asylum applicants were Syrians and AfghansAs in the previous months, in April 2023, Syrians were the largest group of people seeking asylum (9,420 first-time applicants). They were followed by Afghans (7,405), ahead of Venezuelans (5,785), Colombians (4,770) and Turks (4,640).Following Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, there was a significant increase in Ukrainian first-time asylum applicants (from 2,105 in February 2022 to 12 190 in March 2022), bu...

Miss Manners: My fiancee says she must have a diamond, despite my objection

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am very much against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and I don’t want to support it by buying a diamond engagement ring, since the stone is likely to come from Russia.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Should we warn our guests about our house’s acoustic anomaly? Advice | Miss Manners: My co-worker said what I did was insulting, but I’ve never heard of this rule Advice | Miss Manners: We accidentally invited them to the wedding. How do we undo it? Advice | Miss Manners: Should I report my mother-in-law for her workplace crime? Advice | Miss Manners: Can we tell the in-laws what wedding gift would be appropriate? I told my fiancee I would like to buy her a ruby, emerald or sapphire ring — her choice — but she says the only ring appropriate for an engagement is a diamond. What is your advice?GENTLE READER: This is not the jewelry department, so Mis...

Dear Abby: We’re nervous about telling our kids this family secret

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:13:59 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married for 38 years. We were both divorced prior to our marriage. Our marriage is great, and we have demonstrated this to everyone and especially to our boys.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: The children’s impersonal fundraising requests annoy me Advice | Dear Abby: The bride’s dramatic cousins unleashed wedding backlash Advice | Dear Abby: This unpleasant couple is ruining my peace and quiet Advice | Dear Abby: He put security cameras everywhere, and now he’s logging our activities Advice | Dear Abby: The photos he takes of me are threatening our marriage We decided early on to not say anything to our children about our prior marriages. The boys are now in their 30s. We raised them with solid values, one school district, long-term home, etc. We have no regrets.We have been updating our living trust and other legal documents and have come across pl...