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More than 30 abducted women released in Cameroon; some tortured in captivity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — More than 30 women abducted by separatist rebels for protesting illegal taxes imposed on them were released, the government said Friday.The women were taken earlier this month from Babanki, a farming village in the Northwest Region, along the border with Nigeria.“We have taken the women to hospitals where they are being treated for injuries and supported psychosocially,” said Simon Emil Mooh a local government official. The separatists were collecting monthly payments from children, women and men, imposing taxes on couples before they got married, and forcing families to pay $1,000 to bury their relatives, he said.The Central African nation has been plagued by fighting since English-speaking separatists launched a rebellion in 2017, with the stated goal of breaking away from the area dominated by the French-speaking majority and setting up an independent, English-speaking state.The government has accused the separatists of committing atrocities against Engli...

Commemorating Memorial Day with events in the DC area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

Memorial Day is Monday, May 29, and there are plenty of events scheduled in the D.C. region to honor those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.Here are some of the ceremonies and activities happening in the area this weekend.D.C.United Prayer March The yearly United House Prayer March will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from Saturday, May 27 to Sunday, May 28. The annual parade happens on 6th Street in Northwest. As a result, there will be street closures and parking restrictions for the event.National Memorial Day ConcertPeople are invited to return in person to the 34th National Memorial Day Concert this Sunday at 8 p.m. on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. It’ll be the first time the concert will be a live event since the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also be on PBS and YouTube.National Memorial Day ParadeThe National Memorial Day Parade will be coming back to the District this Monday to honor those Americans who paid the ultimate price. I...

Cardinal blasts vendettas, ‘plots against me’ in Vatican financial trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — A Vatican cardinal on trial in the Holy See’s big financial crimes case complained Friday that he can’t properly defend himself from “the nightmare of these accusations” because prosecutors have withheld key evidence from the defense.Cardinal Angelo Becciu spoke out in court after Judge Giuseppe Pignatone rejected his lawyers’ latest appeal for access to the material. In a decree read aloud Friday, Pignatone sided with prosecutors who have argued that the redacted interrogation transcripts and WhatsApp chats are now part of another investigation and must remain secret.Becciu, who was once one of the most influential Vatican cardinals and a close aide to Pope Francis, said he maintained his faith in the Vatican tribunal but was “bitter” and “perplexed” by the judge’s decision.“The defense has been demeaned — it cannot fully exercise the right of defense if it doesn’t have all the material,” he told the court.Becciu is on trial along with nine other people in...

8 or 9 conference games? SEC heads to spring meetings still debating schedule formats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

Southeastern Conference leaders have been debating what to do with their football schedule for more than a year.Play eight conference games each season including one rival or go to nine league games with three? Whether ESPN is willing to pay to broadcast more SEC games will factor into the decision, though it is unclear how much. As SEC officials head to the Florida Panhandle for spring meetings next week, there is still no deadline to make a call on a format that goes into effect next year.“We have to make a decision and if we don’t make a decision is that the be all, end all? No,” Commissioner Greg Sankey said in an interview. “But at some point we have to land the proverbial airplane. I think we’re ready to do that.”Among the other agenda items for the meetings in Destin, Florida: gambling, coming on the heels of Alabama firing its baseball coach amid an investigation of suspicious bets on a Crimson Tide game; how to better prevent — or at least discourage — field and court...

Rose Zhang leaves dominant amateur career to turn pro

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

Rose Zhang dominated amateur golf like no other female in the modern game. Now the Stanford star is ready to take on the best.Zhang announced Friday she is turning pro, ending an amateur career in which the 20-year-old sophomore set the Stanford record with 12 wins — one more than Tiger Woods — in only 20 tournaments. She won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, followed that with her second straight NCAA titles and was No. 1 in the amateur world ranking for 141 weeks, another record.“Wow … it’s finally happening,” Zhang announced on Instagram. “The endless love, support and inspiration from so many people brought me to this point of my golf career.”She will have no shortage of opportunities — the remaining four majors, including the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open — have given her special exemptions.The Women’s Open is at Pebble Beach, the most iconic of U.S. Open venues, for the first time. While no longer an amateur, Zhang...

Denver mayoral candidates have different priorities for migrants

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — As Denver voters get ready to turn in their ballots for the June runoff, FOX31 asked the candidates what they plan to do about the recent influx of migrants coming to the city.According to the city's Joint Information Center, Denver has helped nearly 10,700 migrants since last December. FOX31 asked the candidates, Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston, how they would handle the increase if they win on June 6."We can find a way to both make sure we are finding those people access to services and not breaking the budget here in Denver," Johnston said."It is clearly just not sustainable. The City of Denver has spent nearly $20 million to date to manage this issue, and so we have to do something different," said Brough. Denver mayoral candidates discuss school safety Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has been urging the federal government to do more to help migrants coming to Denver. Earlier this month, Hancock said the city needs more funding as soon as possible."If this situatio...

How much cheaper are suburbs than Denver itself?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Experts crunched the numbers and found that almost anywhere in the Denver area is a less expensive home buy than in Denver itself. Point2Homes, a real estate analysis firm, compared the median prices of homes in the 20 most expensive real estate markets to the prices for their immediately surrounding suburbs. Suburbs are cheaper in most instances. Among 777 suburbs, 603 were cheaper than the city they surround. Everything to know about Friday’s risk for severe storms in metro, Front Range In Denver, 80% of the surrounding suburbs offer cheaper prices per square foot. Only nine of the 43 cost more: Cherry Hills Village, West Pleasant View, Edgewater, Glendale, Golden, Greenwood Village, Louisville, Lafayette and Superior. In Cherry Hills Village, a median priced home costs $206 per square foot more than Denver itself. Southern suburbs offer the biggest savings in the Denver metro.Denver area homeowners looking for the cheapest suburban option have their best bet i...

Angry airports? DIA made the list

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Summer travel is underway. While some will take road trips, others will hit the skies, but sometimes air travel comes with hassles, like delays, weather issues and even long security lines.Forbes said it analyzed more than 37,000 tweets directed at the 60 busiest airports in the United States from March 2022 to March 2023. How early can you go through security before a flight? What are the 'angriest' airports?Based on the Twitter activity from the research, Forbes said John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California angers its travelers more than any other U.S. airport.Here's a look at the top 10 "angriest" airports, according to Forbes:John Wayne Airport: Orange County, CaliforniaJacksonville International Airport: Jacksonville, FloridaEppley Airfield: Omaha, NebraskaTampa International Airport: Tampa, FloridaSan Antonio International Airport: San Antonio, TexasHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: Atlanta, GeorgiaSan Diego International Airport: San ...

Which parks are open for boating during Memorial Day weekend?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The weather is heating up in Colorado, which means many state parks are getting ready to welcome boaters and water recreationists for the busy Memorial Day weekend.The Pinpoint Weather team has been forecasting a warm holiday weekend with temperatures reaching the 80-degree mark. What are Colorado’s signs of summer? If you are planning to get out on the water this weekend, here is a list of parks open for boating:Barr LakeBoating at Barr Lake will be open starting SaturdayBoyd LakeThe lake is open for boating, but the north ramp is closedChatfield ReservoirChatfield is now open to boats, but the park is warning visitors of increased water levels and floating debris after recent rainCherry Creek ReservoirThe Cherry Creek west boat ramp will be open starting Saturday, but the east ramp will remain closed. After the park received 6 inches of rain in just three days, the East Lake View Road will be closed indefinitely, so be sure to check closures before you head out.S...

Hugs on drugs: Driver under the influence joins Olaf Scholz’s motorcade in security breach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:01 GMT

BERLIN — A man who joined German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s official convoy without authorization was on drugs, according to media reports.As Bild first reported, a driver entered Scholz’s motorcade on Wednesday evening while the leader was on his way to his government plane at Frankfurt Airport, after an appointment at the European Central Bank, and hugged him at the airport before bodyguards intervened.On Friday, a government spokesperson confirmed the report stating that for Scholz, “it was not a big incident in the specific situation, just a surprisingly intimate embrace.”The man, a 48-year-old Greek who lives in Hanau, had joined the motorcade — which was escorted by local police on motorcycles — around 10:30 p.m. in his private vehicle almost 20 kilometers from the airport, according to media reports.His car was able to pass through the airport’s security barrier together with the convoy, despite having unauthorized license plates. When Scholz left his limousine on t...