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House GOP lawmaker readies contempt charge over Afghanistan dissent cable

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is threatening to push forward a legislative effort to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress next week if he does not release a classified cable sent from U.S. diplomats in Kabul shortly before the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, told reporters Monday that the House Foreign Affairs Committee could vote on the contempt charges at a hearing May 24. The State Department has said it is trying to provide Congress with “appropriate” information on the cable while also protecting its employees. The so-called dissent channel has for decades provided a way for diplomats to discreetly voice concerns about strategy. They are automatically classified to protect the identities of the Foreign Service officers.McCaul has battled with the Biden administration for months over gaining unprecedented access to the messages as part of a larger Republican inquiry int...

At 81, Martha Stewart becomes oldest Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover model

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — At 81, Martha Stewart isn’t slowing down and some might say she’s heating up. Stewart has been chosen as one of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit cover models, the magazine announced Monday.She’s the oldest model to grace the cover of the annual swimsuit issue, surpassing Maye Musk who posed for the special issue in 2022 at 74.The businesswoman and media personality wrote in an Instagram post Monday that she hopes the cover inspires people “to try new things, no matter what stage of life you’re in.” She also posted a video clip from an interview on her podcast with MJ Day, SI Swimsuit editor in chief. The video showed a series of images of Stewart from a photo shoot in the Dominican Republic, including one of her emerging from water in a blue swimsuit wearing sunglasses. “They were pouring water over my head,” Stewart said during the podcast. Stewart founded Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in the 1990s and became synonymous with cookin...

Fort St. John, B.C., tells all 21,000 residents to prepare to evacuate as fire nears

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The City of Fort St. John in northeastern British Columbia has issued an evacuation alert telling all of its approximately 21,000 residents to get ready to leave in response to a wildfire that’s grown to more than 130 square kilometres in size.An update from the BC Wildfire Service this afternoon says the Stoddart Creek wildfire is burning out of control and continuing to spread.The blaze, which the service says is suspected to be human-caused, has previously triggered alerts and evacuation orders for other properties in its path in the Peace River Regional District since it was discovered on Saturday.It has scorched the traditional territories of the Blueberry River First Nations, Doig River First Nation and Halfway River First Nations.Fort St. John’s evacuation alert says all residents need to prepare to leave on short notice because of the fire’s potential danger to life and health.The wildfire service lists the Stoddart Creek blaze as one ...

5 plead guilty in fake nursing diploma scheme in Florida

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Five people have pleaded guilty in South Florida to participating in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed and find employment.Krystal Lopez and Damian Lopez, both of Palm Beach County, Florida; Francois Legagneur, of Nassau County, New York; Reynoso Seide, of Union County, N ew Jersey; and Yelva Saint Preux, of Suffolk County, N.Y.; pleaded guilty last Wednesday in Miami federal court to wire fraud conspiracy. They each face up to 20 years in prison at a July 27 hearing.A total of 25 people were charged earlier this year in a scam that sold more than 7,600 fraudulent nursing degree diplomas from three Florida-based nursing schools, according to grand jury indictments. The schools involved — Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute — are now closed.During guilty plea hearings, Damian Lopez, Legagneur, Seide and Saint Preux admitted to soliciting and recruiting people who sough...

Detectives charged with stealing costly Champagne at Electric Zoo music festival in NYC

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Two New York City police detectives have been charged with swiping pricey Champagne while on duty at an electronic music festival, and a third detective did nothing to stop them, prosecutors said Monday in announcing indictments of all three officers.Detectives Wojciech Czech and Warren Golden were arraigned Monday and suspended from their jobs. Czech pleaded not guilty to felony charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property; Golden pleaded not guilty to official misconduct, a misdemeanor. Both were released without bail. A third detective, Jonathan Gonzalez, is due to be arraigned on all three charges later in the week.“Detective Czech is shocked and saddened by the criminal charges,” said his lawyer, Oliver Storch, adding that his client is a 10-year law enforcement veteran who “loves being in the business of protecting and saving lives.” Gonzalez’s attorney, Peter E. Brill, said he believed the charges “come from a misunderstanding of the fac...

Swarm of bees close Los Angeles-area streets; injuries reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) - Crashes and investigations often lead to road closures, but it's not every day a swarm of bees is to blame. Authorities were called to an Encino neighborhood around 4:15 p.m. Monday evening for a bee sting, the Los Angles Fire Department said. When fire crews arrived, they were met with a massive swarm of bees, prompting multiple roads in the area to be closed. Nexstar's KTLA captured video of a man appearing to be stung by a swarm of bees that shut down a residential neighborhood in Encino on May 15, 2023. (KTLA)Thousands of bees were seen in the area and residents were urged to stay inside and wait for the arrival of animal control personnel. Video from Nexstar's KTLA showed one person, believed to be an officer or security guard, being attacked by what appeared to be a swarm of bees. The condition of the person who was originally stung is unclear, but they were transported to the hospital.Bee and wasp stings can cause major health complications and even death...

Almanac for May 16, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

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City of Austin employees to return to the office, union not on board

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Many City of Austin employees are being asked to return to the office starting later this year, according to a city memo from Interim City Manager Jesús Garza. Starting in early June, employees in management positions with the city will be required to work five days a week in person, the memo said. Non-executive staff that have been working from home will have to return to the office no less than three days a week starting in October. "It is imperative, in my opinion, that we work to ensure the public’s trust. We cannot completely do so if we are not present or responsive to their needs. With this in mind, we must address the various department policies surrounding telework," Garza said in his memo to employees. ‘A new lens’: Jesús Garza on Austin leadership shakeups, office procedures Meanwhile, the union representing Austin and Travis County employees -- AFSCME Local 1624 -- says it argued against the new policy and that it was prepared to fight it. "Determinin...

Pittsfield offering textile recycling drop-off, pickup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- Officials in the city of Pittsfield have launched a new textile drop-off and pickup service. The city is partnering with Massachusetts-based textile exporter CMRK Inc., to open three drop-off boxes.The locations are the parking lot of the Morningside School at 100 Burbank St., the parking lot of Berkshire Athenaeum at 1 Wendell Ave., and the parking lot behind the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center at 330 North St. They also offer curbside pickup. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Clothing, household textiles and shoes must be placed in a bag. Larger items such as kitchen appliances and bikes must be placed in a box. A ban on putting mattresses, clothes and other textiles in the trash took effect in Massachusetts in November. It's part of the state's efforts to reduce waste. Experts said about three-fourths of mattress parts can be recycled once they're disassembled.

YWCA proposes new housing units in downtown Troy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:38:02 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A new, supportive housing development project could soon be coming to downtown Troy. The YWCA of the Greater Capital Region unveiled their proposal on Monday.If approved, a new development would be built next to the existing YWCA and provide 53 new units for families facing homelessness. They said additional units would not only help residents but would create a greater sense of community in downtown Troy. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "We have over 317 women on our waiting list," YWCA of the Greater Capital Region Exec. Dir. Starletta Smith said. "Because of that, it is more imperative than ever that we address homelessness in our communities. We want a community that is inclusive. We want a community that is safe and equitable."The project proposal will be formally presented to the Troy Planning Commission on Wednesday.