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North Korea says its latest submarine can launch nuclear weapons, but there are doubts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Friday its new submarine has nuclear attack capabilities. It’s been developing for years, a step leader Kim Jong Un described as crucial in his efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy to counter the United States and its Asian allies.The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the vessel, named “Hero Kim Kun Ok,” is designed to launch tactical nuclear weapons from underwater but did not specify the number of missiles it could carry and fire.South Korean officials were skeptical that the submarine would work as North Korea described and said it likely wasn’t ready for operational duty. Still, the vessel’s development underscored how the North continues to potentially extend the range of its nuclear arsenal with systems that are harder to detect in advance. Based on Kim Jong Un’s comments and photos by North Korean state media, it’s likely the submarine is the same one Kim inspected in 2019 while it was under construc...

Union of equality: Commission proposes European Disability and Parking Card valid in all member states

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

The European Commission has delivered a legislative proposal that will facilitate access to the right to free movement for persons with disabilities, by making sure they can, on an equal basis, access special conditions, preferential treatment, and parking rights when visiting another Member State. The Commission's proposal introduces a standardised European Disability Card and enhances the current European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. Both cards will be recognised throughout the EU.A European Disability CardWhen people's disability status is not recognised abroad, they cannot access the special conditions and preferential treatment, such as free and/or priority access, reduced fees or personal assistance, while visiting other Member States. To address this issue, the Commission proposes the creation of a standardised European Disability Card.The European Disability Card will serve as recognised proof of disability throughout the EU, granting equal access to special c...

Reward offered for hit-and-run driver who killed elderly man in Sylmar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

A reward of up to $50,000 is being offered in the search for a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed an elderly man in Sylmar.The victim was only identified as a man in his late 80s, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.The crash happened on Aug. 9 near Polk Street and Norris Avenue around 8:40 p.m.As the victim was crossing southbound on Polk Street, a Ford Explorer SUV driving eastbound struck the man in the road. The driver did not stop to render aid or contact the police and sped away.Paramedics arrived at the scene and transported the man to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries, authorities saidLAPD released security footage of the hit-and-run crash with hopes the public can help identify the suspect. The suspect's vehicle is described as an older model blue or green Ford Explorer. Ventura County man faces up to life in prison for armed robbery Security footage of a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed an elderly man walking across the stree...

Pair plead not guilty in DUI crash, attack on East Palo Alto cop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

EAST PALO ALTO – A driver and his passenger pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges filed in connection with a DUI crash and an assault on a police officer over the weekend in East Palo Alto, prosecutors said.On Sept. 2, Antonio Sotelo Lozano, 30, of East Palo Alto, crashed into a pair of parked, but unoccupied cars, and tried to drive away, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.One of the vehicle owners confronted Sotelo Lozano and tried to keep him at the scene, but he left on foot.Officers chased and caught Sotelo Lozano. As he was being detained, Sotelo Lozano’s passenger, 23-year-old Beverly Garcia, walked up behind the officer and placed him in a chokehold, prosecutors said.The officer could not breathe and fought off Garcia, who then walked away. Sotelo Lozano, meanwhile, continued to struggle, causing injuries to the officer, according to prosecutors.Sotelo Lozano and Garcia are facing charges including assault with a deadly weapon, resisting an execut...

Family speaks out after I-280 road rage shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (KRON) – The man shot during a road rage incident on the Peninsula says he’s lucky to be alive. The shooting happened Tuesday night on Interstate 280 near San Bruno. It was the latest in what appears to be a dangerous trend on Bay Area freeways.The family says this has been a difficult experience after their dad was shot twice while he was driving on I-280. They’re grateful he’s now back home recovering, but they’re worried because the shooter is still on the loose. Hayward police shoot, kill man allegedly armed with BB gun One of the bullets struck the 50-year-old South San Francisco native in the shoulder while the other grazed the back of his head.“It was a very scary situation for all of us. It could’ve been a lot worse than it came out to be and we’re very grateful,” said Amandalyn Rapues, the victim's daughter. California Highway Patrol responded to the scene Tuesday around 5:30 p.m. and found the victim off of I-280 near the Trousdale Drive off-ramp. The v...

UK to host global food summit as Sunak blasts Russia’s Black Sea grain ‘stranglehold’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

LONDON — The U.K. will host a global summit on food security in November in a bid to break what it calls Russia’s “stranglehold” on grain exports from Ukraine.Russia in July pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a U.N.-brokered accord that has allowed Ukraine, a major grain exporter, to continue to ship food in the face of war.In a release issued as he traveled to the G20 leaders’ gathering in New Delhi, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said world leaders must deal “with the terrible global consequences of [Vladimir] Putin’s stranglehold over the most fundamental resources, including his blockade of and attacks on Ukrainian grain.”The summit — set for November 20 in London — will be backed by NGOs the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Downing Street said. It will aim to “tackle the causes of food insecurity and malnutrition.”No. 10 said Sunak would use the G20 summit to urge his counter...

Absence speaks loudly at the G-20

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

Funny thing about summits of world leaders: Sometimes, not showing up is the best way to grab attention.Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping’s expected absence at this year’s Group of 20 gathering, set for this weekend in New Delhi, has already thrown off the event’s momentum. Russian leader Vladimir Putin also won’t be there and even has some counterprogramming planned.It’s Xi’s first time skipping the annual gathering, and aides are mum as to why; they’ll say only that Chinese Premier Li Qiang will represent Beijing.https://10389341210cf421f3ee2f1f37a47b06.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.htmlXi’s no-show is fueling speculation that he’s snubbing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to rising tension over their shared border and U.S. attempts to woo India as a hedge against China. It’s also possible that Xi, facing an economic crisis at home, is wary of leaving his country amid growing domestic discontent.At the same time, a Chi...

Sweet 16: Catholic Memorial the boss til proven otherwise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

Twenty-nine teams have tried to knock off Catholic Memorial. All 29 left the field on the short end of the scoreboard.Despite some heavy graduation losses, the Knights have enough back in the fold to get the nod as the preseason No. 1 ranked team in the Boston Herald’s 31st annual preseason Eastern Mass. Sweet 16 rankings. It won’t be easy for Catholic Memorial to remain atop the heap as the Knights open the season with an excellent Mansfield team, play a pair of out-of-state teams (Cardinal Newman of Florida and St. Francis of New York) as well as fellow Catholic Conference powers St. John’s Prep and Xaverian.St. John’s Prep shut down Springfield Central to capture the Div. 1 state title and will be among the contenders once again. Xaverian returns some quality players on both sides of the ball and are hungry to make a statement.King Philip has been as consistently successful as any school in Eastern Mass. And can’t see that changing any time soon. The...

Proximity of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Danube ports stirs fear in NATO member Romania

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — The discovery of drone debris on Romanian territory this week has left some local residents fearing that the war in neighboring Ukraine could spread into their country, as Russian forces bombard Ukrainian ports just across the Danube River from NATO-member Romania.Moscow aims to disrupt Ukraine’s ability to export grain to world markets with a sustained campaign of attacks targeting Ukrainian Danube ports, and has attacked the port of Izmail four times this week, Ukrainian officials say.Across from Izmail, pieces apparently from a drone were found near the Romanian village of Plauru, Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar said Wednesday. It was unclear if Romanian authorities had determined when or from where the drone was launched, and Tilvar said the debris didn’t pose a threat, but the development has left citizens in the European Union nation feeling uneasy. Daniela Tanase, 46, who lives in Plauru with her husband and son, told The Associate...

Clashes resume between factions in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:03:55 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Clashes resumed in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp, with heavy gunfire and shelling wounding several people and prompting residents of the camp and the surrounding area to flee on Friday.Several days of street battles had broken out in the camp, Ein el-Hilweh, between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement and Islamist groups after Fatah accused the Islamists of gunning down one of their military generals on July 30. Those street battles left at least 13 dead and dozens wounded, and forced hundreds to flee from their homes.An uneasy truce had been in place since Aug. 3, but clashes were widely expected to resume as the Islamist groups have not handed over the accused killers of the Fatah general, Mohammad “Abu Ashraf” al-Armoushi to the Lebanese judiciary as demanded by a committee of Palestinian factions earlier this month.A committee of Palestinian factions in Ein el-Hilweh announced on Tuesday that their joint security forces would launch rai...