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Opinion: Cluster bomb use is an admission that it’s OK to kill civilians

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

In 2008, more than 100 nations signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a treaty that “prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions.”The United States did not accede to the convention. Neither did Ukraine nor Russia, both of whom are using these weapons in their seemingly forever war.A cluster munition is a weapon that keeps on killing long after its 72 submunitions, or bomblets, are shot in a shell from a 155 mm artillery weapon. Upon explosion in the air, they can litter an area the size of several football fields. If that wasn’t horrible enough, these submunitions have, according to various government estimates, a “dud,” or unexploded rate, of 2.35% to 6%. That means that every time a cluster bomb is employed, two to four of those 72 bomblets do not explode upon impact.But “dud” doesn’t mean these submunitions stay inactive. They can have the same dangerous lingering effect as a land mine. They stay active for decades. Children are often attract...

Details emerge in prelim for man charged with killing 2 women in Vacaville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

Details began to emerge Tuesday during a Solano County Superior Court preliminary hearing for a 31-year-old Sacramento man charged with killing two females in early 2021, with one witness testifying that, while watching a cellphone feed, she saw a victim, “naked and hurt” and lying on a bedroom floor, as the defendant livestreamed the shootings’ aftermath from a Vacaville apartment.During the afternoon session in Department 1 in Fairfield, Makayla McCaleb told Deputy Public Defender Eric Charm that, after she grabbed the cell phone from her sister while sitting in a car near the Rocky Hill Veterans Apartments, she recognized Raymond Michael Weber, the defendant, in the video.“I could see he had a gun,” said McCaleb, 19, dabbing tears from her eyes as she spoke and adding that she watched the Instagram feed for “10 to 15 seconds at most” and could see a “bullet hole” in one of the victims and saw “Raymond and two girls.”Questioned by Charm, she testified that she “recognized where Ra...

Anchor Brewing might be gone, but the tradition of Anchor Distilling lives on

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

“I feel very sad, because I’m actually an old beer guy,” says Dan Leese, president and chief executive officer of San Francisco’s Hotaling & Co. “I started with Stroh’s brewery up in Detroit, back in 1981. I was sort of a beer industry junkie, a novice historian, and I always loved Anchor. So, I felt bad, but not nearly as bad as the people who came over from there. Yesterday there was a lot of chatter here about Anchor Brewing and what working there was like.”By now, we all know that Anchor Brewing ceased production last week. It’s in the news everywhere from CNN to the New York Times — 127 years of tradition gone. The narrative is that the company began in 1896, was purchased in bankruptcy in 1965 by Fritz Maytag (the washing machine family scion), turned into the first “craft brewery” and then sold first in 2014, before being acquired by Sapporo in 2019.But that isn’t the whole story, because Anchor was actually two companies: Anchor Brewing and Anchor Distilling. Anchor Brew...

Rabbit fire: Evacuation orders, road closures lifted for Southern California wildfire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

All mandatory evacuations and road closures tied to the Rabbit fire south of Beaumont were lifted at noon on Tuesday, July 18, authorities said.The evacuation order for the area east of Jack Rabbit Trail, north of Gilman Springs Road, south of West First Street and west of California Avenue/Highway 79 was reduced to a warning, meaning residents should be prepared to leave should conditions worsen.All roads are now open, the California Highway Patrol said.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Southern California Rabbit fire now smoldering and 45% contained Crashes and Disasters | Angeles National Forest plagued by closures from storms, fires, funding gaps Crashes and Disasters | Map: Rabbit Fire prompts evacuations in Southern California Crashes and Disasters | Map: Pika Fire closes Yosemite trails; smoke reaches hazardous level Crashes and Disasters | Police: MMA fighter helped detain Bay Area arson suspect...

Venezuela’s ex-spy chief Hugo Carvajal being extradited from Spain to U.S. on drug trade charges – lawyer and officials

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Venezuela’s ex-spy chief Hugo Carvajal being extradited from Spain to U.S. on drug trade charges – lawyer and officials.Source

Ally Financial: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — DETROIT (AP) — Ally Financial Inc. (ALLY) on Wednesday reported second-quarter net income of $329 million.On a per-share basis, the Detroit-based company said it had net income of 99 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, came to 96 cents per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 94 cents per share.The auto finance company and bank posted revenue of $2.08 billion in the period, missing Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $2.09 billion.Ally Financial shares have risen 15% since the beginning of the year. The stock has dropped 19% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on ALLY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/ALLYSource

Goldman: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) on Wednesday reported second-quarter profit of $1.22 billion.The company, based in New York, said it had earnings of $3.08 per share.The results missed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $3.25 per share.The investment bank posted revenue of $26.05 billion in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $10.9 billion, surpassing Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $10.79 billion._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on GS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/GSSource

Una avalancha deja al menos 15 muertos y varios desaparecidos en Cundinamarca, Colombia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

(CNN Español) — La cifra de muertos por la avalancha en Quetame ascendió a 15, informó este martes en Twitter el gobernador del departamento de Cundinamarca, Nicolás García.El gobernador agregó que la declaratoria de calamidad pública permite destinar recursos inmediatos para la atención de la emergencia que además registra seis heridos y afectaciones a 22 viviendas, vías, redes eléctricas y acueducto.Entre los fallecidos hay tres menores de edad, dijo anteriormente García Bustos a Noticias Caracol. Asimismo, agregó este lunes que las autoridades buscan a cerca de 20 personas que familiares y allegados reportaron como desaparecidas.“Los trabajos de los cuerpos de socorro continúan. En este momento @RCUNDINAMARCA reporta 8 cuerpos en proceso de rescate, 7 adultos, un menor. En el Hospital de Cáqueza atienden a cinco personas heridas y una menor es atendida en la Clínica Villavicencio”, escribió el gobernador en Twitter más temprano este martes.La avalancha se produjo en Quetame...

Pogacar hits the ground during Stage 17 of the Tour de France, but he gets back on his bike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar crashed early in Stage 17 in the Alps on Wednesday but got back on his bike and continued racing.Pogacar, who trailed race leader Jonas Vingegaard by 1 minute, 48 seconds at the start, hit the ground a few kilometers into the 166-kilometer (103-mile) trek. He fell off at a moderate speed on an uphill section near the foot of the Col des Saisies after apparently touching the wheel of a rider in front of him.Pogacar was quickly back on his bike and continued racing to rejoin the main contenders, including Vingegaard, before a group of breakaway riders moved away from the pack.Stage 17 to the ski resort of Courchevel has been dubbed the Queen Stage of this year’s Tour. The last of four climbs is a 28.4-kilometer (17.6-mile) slog up Col de la Loze, before sweeping downhill to the finish line.Vingegaard, the defending champion after he dethroned Pogacar last year, destroyed the field in Tuesday’s time tr...

Surveillance video captures vandal breaking into Verizon store, stealing merchandise inside

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:24 GMT

A cell phone store was subjected to vandalism before the criminals left behind a trail of destruction and stolen merchandise. Surveillance footage from the scene captured the moments when a man, driving a white car, initiated the break-in by hurling a rock at the store window around 1:30 a.m., Wednesday.The targeted store, a Verizon located along the 9900 block of Southwest 40th Street, fell victim to the assailant’s destructive act. After the subject threw the rock, the windows shattered and he was able to gain access to the store. The aftermath revealed the extent of the damage, with the window completely smashed, leaving shards of glass scattered on the floor. Rows of cell phone displays were stripped bare, highlighting the intent of the criminal.Shantalle Guzman who works at the store expressed her dismay and inconvenience caused by the incident. “It’s a scary situation,” she said. “Inconvenienced now, I got to get the window fixed. You know, I woul...