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UN says the Taliban must embrace and uphold human rights obligations in Afghanistan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban must embrace and uphold human rights obligations in Afghanistan, the U.N. mission in the country said Sunday on Human Rights Day and the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have erased basic rights and freedoms, with women and girls deeply affected. They are excluded from most public spaces and daily life, and the restrictions have sparked global condemnation.The U.N. mission, highlighting the Taliban’s failures in upholding rights’ obligations, said it continues to document extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, corporal punishment, arbitrary arrest and detention, and other violations of detainees’ rights.People who speak out in defense of human rights face arbitrary arrest and detention, threats and censorship, the mission said.“We pay tribute to and express our solidarity with Afghan human rights defenders, many of whom are paying a heavy price for seeking to uphol...

Heavy fighting in south Gaza as Israel presses ahead with renewed US military and diplomatic support

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Heavy fighting raged overnight and into Sunday in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive after the U.S. blocked the latest international efforts to halt the fighting and rushed more munitions to its close ally.Israel has faced rising international outrage and calls for a cease-fire after the killing of thousands of Palestinian civilians and the displacement of nearly 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people within the besieged territory, where U.N. agencies say there is no safe place to flee.But the United States has lent vital support to the offensive once again in recent days, by vetoing United Nations Security Council efforts to end the fighting that enjoyed wide international support, and by pushing through an emergency sale of over $100 million worth of tank ammunition to Israel.The U.S. has pledged unwavering support for Israel’s goal of crushing Hamas’ military and governing abilities in order to pr...

Tibetans in exile accuse China of destroying their identity in Tibet under its rule

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

DHARAMSHALA, India (AP) — The president of the Tibetan government-in-exile on Sunday accused China of denying the most fundamental human rights to people in Tibet and vigorously carrying out the extermination of the Tibetan identity. Tenpa Tsering, in a statement marking Human Rights Day, also took exception to China last month releasing a “white paper” — or policy document — on Tibet.China claimed that its rule of Tibet marked “outstanding achievements in development, created on the roof of the world through the Chinese path to modernization.” The report extolled progress in economic development, social stability and environmental protection under Communist Party rule. China has built highways and high-speed railways through the mountainous region and promoted tourism as a way to boost incomes.Tsering said the Chinese Communist Party was “forging a strong sense of the Chinese national as one single community, promoting the Chinese language, the Sinicization of Tibetan B...

At DC roast, Joe Manchin jokes he could be the slightly younger president America needs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Joe Manchin used a weekend Washington roast to tease a potential third-party run for the White House, joking that the nation could use someone slightly younger than the leading contenders.Speaking Saturday night during the Gridiron Club’s winter dinner, Manchin said the country could benefit from a younger leader than President Joe Biden or the 2024 GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump.“With all due respect, the president is 81 years old. Donald Trump is 77,” said Machin, a West Virginia Democrat who announced last month he would not run for reelection in 2024. “I truly believe the American people are ready to pass the torch to a new generation, somebody younger. I’d say maybe someone close to 76 that doesn’t look a day over 70.”The retiring lawmaker is 76.Manchin previously indicated he could potentially launch a run for the White House, saying in an NBC “Meet the Press” interview in November that he would “absolutely” consider a r...

SoCal school crossing guard loses leg after violent crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

Video captured the moment a school crossing guard was thrown into the air by a vehicle that jumped the curb and smashed into him in Lakewood.On Dec. 1, Eduardo Villalpando, 38, had just walked a group of children across the street when suddenly, a speeding driver slammed into him. As Villalpando was standing on the corner of Centralia and Pioneer Streets, a speeding Dodge Challenger slammed into a Honda Pilot SUV that was turning left at the intersection. The violent impact sent the Challenger barrelling into the street corner, through a cement shopping sign and directly into Villalpando who was propelled into the air by the nose of the vehicle.Villalpando’s left leg was completely severed and his right leg was severely injured. Although he survived the violent collision, he faces a long road to recovery ahead.Video captured the moment a school crossing guard was thrown into the air after a vehicle jumped the curb and smashed into him in Lakewood on Dec. 1, 2023. (SuperFin...

Ohtani cashes in as fans in Japan wait for him to deliver more goods and play in a World Series

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Now that Shohei Ohtani has his money — a record $700 million, 10-year contact with the Los Angeles Dodgers — some fans in Japan are waiting for one more thing to complete the deal.“I want Ohtani to play in the World Series,” said Isshin Watanabe, a baseball fan speaking on Sunday near Tokyo’s famous Ginza shopping area, “That’s my hope,” he added.Baseball fans across Tokyo lined up on Sunday to buy special editions of the Yomiuri newspaper, announcing Ohtani’s move across town from the Los Angeles Angels to the Los Angeles Dodgers.This is perhaps the largest contract in sports history, topping highs believed to be set by soccer stars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé.Ohtani is likely to only play this coming season as a designated hitter as he recovers from surgery that is expected to keep him from pitching.“I think Ohtani will return to the two-way role the year after next,” Watanabe, the fan, said. “I want him to be the home run king next ye...

Poffenbarger, Easton lead Albany over Idaho 30-22 for first FCS semifinal berth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — Reese Poffenbarger threw three touchdown passes to Brevin Easton, including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter, and Albany rallied for a 30-22 victory over Idaho on Saturday night in the Kibbie Dome to advance to the semifinals of the FCS Championship.No. 5 seed Albany (11-3) advances to the semis for the first time in program history after notching a victory in its first trip to the quarterfinals. The Great Danes, who won the Coastal Athletic Association for the first time, will play No. 1 seed South Dakota State on Friday. No. 2 seed Montana will host unseeded but nine-time champion North Dakota State in the other semifinal on Saturday.Idaho (9-4), the fourth seed, scored first on freshman Gevani McCoy’s 36-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Dwyer six minutes into the game. Poffenbarger, a sophomore who leads the FCS with 36 touchdown passes this season, needed just four plays to pull Albany even, firing a 64-yard scoring strike to Easton 90 seconds lat...

Over 300 Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar arrive in Indonesia’s Aceh region after weeks at sea

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

ACEH BESAR, Indonesia (AP) — Two boats carrying more than 300 Rohingya Muslims, including emaciated women and children, arrived at Indonesia’s northernmost province of Aceh on Sunday morning after being adrift for weeks One boat, which had been at sea for about one and a half months and carrying 135 passengers, arrived at a beach in Lamreh village in Aceh Besar Regency. Shahidul Islam, a 34-year-old survivor, said they left their refugee camp in Bangladesh. “The boat was sinking. We had no food or water left,” he said.The other boat carrying nearly 180 people docked at a beach in Blang Raya village at Pidie Regency. It has been adrift in the Andaman Sea without adequate supplies for about 27 days. Mahmud Husein, 25, a survivor, said he gave 40,000 taka ($363) to the boat owner to help him leave Bangaldesh. “We came to Indonesia, but we want to go to other countries if they want to help us,” Husein said.Another boat, carrying more refugees, embarked from Bangaldesh at the same time, ...

Egyptians vote for president, with el-Sissi certain to win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians began voting Sunday in a presidential election in which President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi faces no serious challenger and is certain to win another term, keeping him in power until 2030.The election has been overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Almost all Egyptians’ attention has been on the war on their country’s eastern borders and the suffering of Palestinian civilians in the coastal enclave.The three-day vote, beginning Sunday, is also taking place amid a staggering economic crisis in Egypt, a country of 105 million people in which nearly a third live in poverty, according to official figures. The crisis stems from mismanagement of the economy but also from the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, which rattled the global economy.El-Sissi faces three other candidates: Farid Zahran, head of the opposition Social Democratic Party; Abdel-Sanad Yamama, chairman of Wafd Party; and Hazem Omar, head of the...

At COP28, sticking points remain on fossil fuels and adapting to climate as talks near crunch time

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:54 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Negotiators have been urged to narrow down their options so they can agree on how to save Earth from disastrous levels of warming and help vulnerable societies adapt to weather extremes as the clock runs down on United Nations climate talks.“Now is the time to shift gears and get to consensus,” COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber said in a plenary session late Saturday. The president remained determined for the talks to finish on Tuesday as planned, although previous climate summits have run well past their end dates.There some were signs negotiators were moving forward Sunday: A new draft agreement on global adaptation goals — which will determine how poor countries will brace themselves for climate change-fueled weather extremes like drought, heat and storms — was released.The draft text expresses concern over the gap between the money needed for adaptation and how much countries are getting, but it doesn’t say exactly how much cash countries need to...