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US to send Patriot missile systems and tanks to Ukraine faster than originally planned

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

(CNN) — US Patriot missile defense systems and Abram tanks are set to be deployed to Ukraine faster than originally planned, US defense officials said on Tuesday.A group of 65 Ukrainian soldiers will complete their training on the systems at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the coming days, the defense officials said.The troops will then move on to Europe for additional training on the two Patriot systems — one American and one built by the Germans and Dutch — that will be deployed to Ukraine in the coming weeks, the officials told reporters at Fort Sill.The announcement of the acceleration of Patriot deployments came shortly after it was reported that the US will accelerate the time it takes to ship Abrams tanks to Ukraine by sending older M1-A1 models of America’s main battle tank instead of the more modern version of the tank, according to two US officials.The decision to speed up the delivery of tanks and Patriots comes as Ukraine is preparing ...

Heat bracing for Knicks’ Randle after his 57 Monday (he had 43 last time in Miami)

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

Even if Julius Randle wasn’t coming off Monday night’s 57 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Miami Heat were well aware of the challenge ahead.That’s because the last time the Heat faced the New York Knicks, Randle went off for 43 points, including the winning 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds to play, on March 3 at Miami-Dade Arena.Wednesday night, the teams meet again at Miami-Dade Arena, with the Heat still with a shot to pass the No. 5 Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoff race.“Randle’s having a fantastic year,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Tuesday’s practice. “We know that we’re going to have to have our defense in order, the way we’re capable of. It was so competitive our last game here in Miami.”The initial challenge likely again will fall to Heat center Bam Adebayo.“I wasn’t guarding him last night, so I don’t know what happened,” Adebayo said of Randle’s Monday e...

BC tenders basketball coach Earl Grant a two-year extension

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

Boston College announced on Tuesday that head basketball coach Earl Grant has been tendered a two-year contract extension that would keep him at the Heights through the 2028-29 season.“Earl has done an outstanding job leading our men’s basketball program over the last two seasons and we are looking forward to him doing so many years to come,” said BC Athletic Director Blake James. “I am excited to watch the program continue to grow under his leadership.”Grant has made the Eagles more competitive in the ACC over the past two seasons, but the move could also be construed as James being proactive. There are many attractive Division 1 vacancies, including nearby Providence College in the Big East and Notre Dame in the ACC.The Eagles recorded nine conference wins for the first time in 14 years that included three ranked opponents, Virginia Tech, Clemson and Virginia. BC rebounded from a slow start against non-conference teams to win 16 games and advance to the second round of the ACC tou...

$10-a-barrel oil price plunge should bring relief at gas pump

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

Ron Hurtibise | (TNS) South Florida Sun SentinelWhat’s bad for the economy is sometimes good for motorists.High-profile bank failures sent stock market and crude oil prices plunging last week amid renewed concerns that a global recession could be taking shape.U.S. crude oil prices dropped about 13% over the past week, from $74.43 a barrel on March 14 to $64.54 in early morning trading on Monday. By mid-afternoon Monday, the price was hovering around $66.15.Oil prices fell 17% over the past two weeks and oil futures were trading on Monday at their lowest prices since December 2021.That’s a deep enough slide to put downward pressure on gas prices. According to travel club AAA’s weekly Gas Price Brief, on Monday a gallon of unleaded regular cost $3.44 nationwide, AAA statistics showed.“There were significant losses in the oil market last week, which should enable gas prices to move lower again,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins. “The failure of two U.S. banks raised concerns of a ...

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued by National Weather Service

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for parts of San Diego County.The warning is in effect until 12 p.m. Tuesday and covers a large part of San Diego County, including Chula Vista and El Cajon, NWS San Diego said in a tweet.Winds up to 60 mph could be felt during the warning period and pea-sized hail drops are possible as well. Weather radar: Track the storm The warning covers an area of San Diego County ranging from the border up to Del Mar along the coast, ranging to El Cajon in the East and up to Escondido inland.The Severe Thunderstorm was originally expected to last until 11:15 a.m., but NWS later updated that until 12 p.m. A brief Special Marine Warning was also issued by NMW San Diego, as high winds and steep waves were reported in the ocean from the border up to San Mateo Point.The warnings come as a strong atmospheric river is making its way through region, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to the county.Floodin...

‘I demand you provide a sample’: Barrie man ordered to give breath sample at home after driving complaint

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

A video showing police arriving at a Barrie home and demanding a man provide a breath sample is raising questions about just how far the long arm of the law can extend.In the video posted to TikTok by Micah Colbert, Barrie police arrive at his family’s home, informing Colbert, aged 20, that they’ve received a traffic complaint from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) “advising of a possible impairment.”“You were swerving in and out of lanes, so now I’m here to administer an alcohol screening device,” the officer explains. “Right now I demand that you provide a sample of your breath into an approved screening device.”“I understand,” Colbert replies, after which the officer demonstrates how to use the device.“Blow it up just like you’re blowing up a balloon,” the officer explains.Colbert never seems to question the request, but does speak up when he notices more officers arriving at the home.“Do ...

Families of Montreal fire victims facing agonizing wait for answers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

MONTREAL — Loved ones of the presumed victims of a deadly fire in Old Montreal were facing an agonizing wait for answers on Tuesday, as a recovery team worked to enter the charred shell of the building where one body has been found and six people remain missing.Yukun Zeng said the wait to hear about what happened to his friend An Wu was “so heartbreaking.”“I also talked with An’s other friends and other relatives, we still cannot totally understand why it takes so long,” he told reporters near the building. While he understands the investigation is complex, he doesn’t understand why police don’t share more about what they’re doing. Wu is one of the six people who remain missing after a fire ripped through a historic building in Old Montreal on Thursday. The body of one woman was recovered, but she has not been identified.Zeng described Wu as a neuroscientist doing post-doctoral work at the University California San Diego who was in Mon...

Food inflation in Canada shows signs of easing, but grocery prices to remain high

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

Food inflation appears to be easing in Canada, but experts say shoppers shouldn’t expect lower prices at the grocery store. Statistics Canada said Tuesday the cost of groceries in February rose 10.6 per cent compared with a year before, down from an 11.4 per cent year-over-year increase in January.Yet a falling food inflation rate doesn’t mean the price of food is coming down. Instead, it means prices are rising less quickly, signalling the worst of the grocery price hikes could be behind us.“Consumers may still feel sticker shock at the grocery store because the products they buy are up closer to 15 or 20 per cent,” said Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.In the month of February, multiple pantry staples increased by nearly double the overall inflation rate for food purchased from stores. Pasta prices rose 23.1 per cent last month compared with a year earlier, flour jumped 22.9 per cent and butter increased 19...

Uganda’s legislature passes harsh new anti-LGBTQ bill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill prescribing jail terms of up to 10 years for offenses related to same-sex relations, responding to popular sentiment but piling more pressure on the East African country’s LGBTQ community.The bill was passed late Tuesday inside a packed parliamentary chamber, and after a roll call ordered by the House speaker, who had repeatedly warned it was necessary to identify those who might oppose the bill. It was supported by nearly all of the 389 legislators present. “Congratulations,” said Speaker Anita Among. “Whatever we are doing, we are doing it for the people of Uganda.”An earlier version of the bill enacted in 2014 later was nullified by a court on procedural grounds. Human Rights Watch has described the legislation as “a more egregious version” of the 2014 law, which drew widespread international concern and was struck down amid pressure from Uganda’s development partners. The bill now will go to President Yoweri Museveni, who ca...

Residents sue Louisiana parish to halt polluting plants

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:53:27 GMT

Residents of a Louisiana parish located in the heart of a cluster of polluting petrochemical factories filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday raising allegations of civil rights, environmental justice and religious liberty violations.The lawsuit names St. James Parish as the defendant and says the parish council approved the construction of several factories in two Black districts of the parish that emit harmful amounts of toxic chemicals. It said the pollution negatively affected the health of the area’s Black residents.Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are calling for a moratorium on petrochemical plants like one being built by Formosa Plastics that was approved by the council in 2019. The Associated Press reached out to the council for comment but did not receive an immediate response.For several years, Black residents of St. James Parish have lobbied the parish council and state government to do something about petrochemical plants emitting toxic chemicals into the air they breathe. But ...