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Growing concern in Washington for protection of rights of Iranian dissidents in Albania

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on 26 July to discuss several pending nominations to State Department positions, including that of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. In his questioning of nominee James Obrien, the Committee’s Chairman Robert Menendez raised the issue of persons seeking refuge in his area of concern, and made specific reference to a community of approximately 3,000 Iranian exiles who have been residing in Albania for the past several years.“On June the 20th, the Albanian government raided Camp Ashraf 3,” Menendez specified, adding that there have been “different accounts” of the raid.According to news reports, one resident was killed in the raid and a number of others suffered injuries requiring hospitalization. Albania agreed to host thousands of members of the main Iranian opposition movement, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), beginning a few years ago.Menendez appeared skeptical about the rai...

Word Game: Aug. 2, 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — PHENOMENA (PHENOMENA: fuh-NOM-ih-na: Rare or significant facts or events.)Average mark 26 wordsTime limit 40 minutesCan you find 33 or more words in PHENOMENA? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — SUBVERT stub suer suet sure user best brut brute burst bust verb vertu vest rebus rebut rest rube ruse rust true tube tuberTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Single family residence sells for $3 million in Oakland

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

6256 Melville Drive – Google Street ViewThe spacious property located in the 6200 block of Melville Drive in Oakland was sold on June 9, 2023. The $2,950,000 purchase price works out to $988 per square foot. The house, built in 1938, has an interior space of 2,987 square feet. This single-story house offers a roomy layout with four bedrooms and three baths. In addition, the house includes a two-car garage, ensuring ample room for parking and storage. Situated on a spacious 0.3-acre lot, the property offers ample outdoor space along with the added bonus of a pool.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:A 1,988-square-foot home on the 6200 block of Melville Drive in Oakland sold in November 2022, for $1,401,500, a price per square foot of $705. The home has 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.In June 2022, a 2,229-square-foot home on Holyrood Drive in Oakland sold for $1,805,000, a price per square foot of $810. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Holyrood Drive,...

Ask Amy: Things got out of hand at dinner, and now my cousin is telling people I’m in danger

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

Dear Amy: Two years ago, my family experienced the tragedy of a homicide-suicide by a beloved family member. It was a difficult time for all.The evening of the night it happened, I was there and am believed to be the last person to have seen them alive. I am in therapy now, but I really struggled with this.Last year, we held a beautiful memorial tribute to our deceased family members. Many people came in from out of town, and I opened my home over that week as a place to gather.My husband and I had dinner with my daughter, my cousin and my sibling’s family, and we talked about the tragedy. My husband unfortunately was drinking too much, and my cousin took offense. She began to needle him verbally, and he barked at her.I was furious with him that evening and did my best to smooth it over with her.In my mind, her actions were less wrong. She was grieving and has had a negative experience with someone in her life related to alcohol.I have forgiven my husband. He’s hurting, too.Bo...

Kgatlana scores late to send South Africa into the last 16 over Italy at the Women’s World Cup

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Thembi Kgatlana scored early in stoppage time Wednesday to give South Africa a 3-2 win over Italy and send it into the knockout rounds of a Women’s World Cup for the first time.On a night of high drama and low temperatures, Hilda Magaia scored in the 67th minute to put South Africa 2-1 ahead before Arianna Caruso equalized with her second goal of the match from a Cristiana Girelli corner, briefly denting South African hopes.A draw would have been enough to put eighth-ranked Italy into the knockout rounds.Instead, South Africa will play Netherlands in a round of 16 match on Sunday. Sweden finished atop Group G after beating Argentina 1-0 and will next play the defending champion U.S. team.Caruso’s 11th-minute penalty and Benedetta Orsi’s own goal earlier had combined to make it 1-1 in the first half in Wellington, where a southerly wind dropped temperatures close to freezing and reduced the crowd to around 10,000, mostly South Africans.Karabo Dhla...

Sweden wins Group G at Women’s World Cup to advance to showdown with the United States

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — Rebecka Blomqvist’s second-half goal lifted Sweden to a 2-0 win over Argentina on Wednesday to advance the Blagult to a round-of-16 showdown with the United States in the Women’s World Cup.Argentina was eliminated from the tournament.Neither side looked close to scoring for much of the match until Blomqvist broke the deadlock with a headed goal at the 66th-minute mark to help the blue and yellow finish 3-0 and win Group G. Sweden, which rested nine starters to open the match, threatened at times in the first half. A combination of disjointed play and fouls prevented Sweden from taking early control of the game.Playing at times in a pelting rain, Argentina did not create a real chance in open play, and suffered a blow when veteran Florencia Bonsegundo was stretchered off in tears after a late tackle by Blomqvist in the 41st minute. Late in the match, Gabriela Chavez committed a foul while defending a corner kick. Elin Rubensson converted the penalty kick ...

South Africa 3, Italy 2

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

Italy11—2South Africa12—3First Half_1, Italy, Caruso, (penalty kick), 11th minute; 2, South Africa, Orsi, 32nd.Second Half_3, South Africa, Magaia, (Kgatlana), 67th; 4, Italy, Caruso, (Girelli), 74th; 5, South Africa, Kgatlana, (Magaia), 90th+2.Goalies_Italy, Francesca Durante, Laura Giuliani, Rachele Baldi; South Africa, Kaylin Swart, Andile Dlamini, Kebotseng Moletsane.Yellow Cards_None.Referee_Maria Carvajal. Assistant Referees_Leslie Vasquez, Monica Amboya, Nicolas Gallo Barragan. 4th Official_Myriam Marcotte.___Source

5 conclusiones de la acusación de Donald Trump por sus esfuerzos para anular su derrota electoral de 2020

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

(CNN) — El fiscal especial Jack Smith reveló su caso alegando que el expresidente de Estados Unidos Donald Trump violó varias leyes en sus intentos de anular las elecciones de 2020, con una acusación del jurado investigador presentada este martes que ilustró la profundidad y amplitud de la investigación criminal federal.Los fiscales dijeron en los nuevos documentos de acusación que Trump “estaba decidido a permanecer en el poder” después de perder las elecciones de 2020, y que él y seis supuestos cómplices no acusados orquestaron un complot para revocar los resultados hasta el 6 de enero de 2021Trump enfrenta cuatro cargos, acusado de conspirar para defraudar a Estados Unidos y obstruir un procedimiento oficial, este último cargo ya se ha presentado con éxito contra los agitadores que asaltaron el Capitolio en 2021. En otro cargo presentado contra el expresidente, los fiscales se basan en una ley de derechos civiles de la era de la Reconstrucción que prohíbe las conspiraciones...

Citing success, Fairfax Co. expands program to respond to mental health emergencies

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

Fairfax County, Virginia, is expanding a program that helps police safely respond to mental health emergencies.The program is called the “Co-Responder Program,” and pairs up a behavioral health expert with a police officer who is trained in crisis intervention techniques.“They ride around the same patrol cruiser together,” explained Fairfax County police Lt. Joanna Culkin. “They can self-dispatch proactively if they hear that there’s a behavioral health component, or they can be dispatched … to any calls for service where they’re needed.”Under the program, the county currently has three such teams.That is being expanded, however, with a fourth team being added in September or October.The program is meant to help people who are experiencing emotional distress potentially related to mental illness, substance use or developmental disabilities.It is comprised of team members who have advanced training and experience working with comm...

Why are gas prices rising? Experts point to extreme heat and oil production cuts

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:33 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Drivers are in for another headache at the pump as U.S. gas prices continue to rise.The national average for gas prices stood at about $3.78 a gallon on Tuesday — about 25 cents higher than that seen one month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were last year, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, experts say such a jump is unusual.“Usually it takes a hurricane to move prices that much,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross, who said the rise is especially interesting as “fewer people are are fueling up” their cars this summer compared to years past.In the U.S., gasoline prices are highly dependent on crude oil. West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. benchmark, has stayed above $80 per barrel since Thursday, standing at over $81 as of Tuesday afternoon. That marks a $12 jump since July 3, according to OPIS global head of energy analysis Tom Kloza.T...