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Judy Blume, James Patterson and other authors are helping PEN America open Miami office

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Judy Blume, James Patterson and Michael Connelly are among 24 prominent writers who have raised more than $3 million to help PEN America open an office in Miami and expand it efforts to counter Florida’s surge in book bannings in recent years.“What PEN America is doing in Florida is very important to us and our neighbors,” Connelly, who spent part of his childhood in Florida, said in a statement issued by PEN on Wednesday. “We have been astonished to see books ripped off the shelves and students forced into the middle of a fight they didn’t ask for or deserve. All of us, especially those of us who make our living in the literary world, are called upon to defend against book bans and legislation that suppresses new voices.”Other authors contributing money include Amanda Gorman, Nora Roberts, David Baldacci, Nikki Grimes, Suzanne Collins and Todd Parr. The announcement comes in the midst of Banned Books Week, when schools and libraries hi...

U.S. sending seized Iranian ammunition to Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

The Pentagon has transferred more than 1 million rounds of ammunition seized from Iran to Ukraine, the U.S. military announced Wednesday, a move that comes as congressional infighting threatens to delay or derail aid to Kyiv.The transfer, which took place Monday, is aimed at helping Kyiv’s forces push through Russia’s defensive lines before winter arrives. It comes as funding for Ukraine has fallen victim to political infighting in the House, where a group of hardline Republican members are opposing any additional aid to the conflict.Lawmakers over the weekend passed a last-minute spending bill to avert a government shutdown through mid-November, but stripped the legislation of Ukraine funding.The shipment of 1.1 million 7.62 mm rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces has been in the works for months, according to U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Abigail Hammock.U.S. Navy forces originally seized the munitions, which can be fired by AK-47 rifles, from a stateless dhow that was s...

Meloni claims win as EU approves final plank of migration reform

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

BRUSSELS — EU countries on Wednesday struck a deal on the last piece of a flagship migration package.In a concession to win Italy’s crucial backing, a version of the text circulated Tuesday night and seen by POLITICO removed a reference favored by Germany on rescue missions by nongovernmental organizations. EU countries approved the deal Wednesday morning, with Poland and Hungary voting against, while Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia abstained. The move paves the way for the EU to reach a deal on reform of its asylum rules after nearly 10 years of failed attempts. As a front-line country managing soaring migrant arrivals, Italy’s support was essential to unblock the deal on the so-called crisis regulation, which details measures to lift pressure on EU border countries facing spikes in people seeking asylum.Italy unexpectedly blocked an initial compromise during a meeting of interior ministers last Thursday where Germany dropped its veto; German Greens had expressed concerns...

Beijing ready for big fight with Brussels over EV probe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

BRUSSELS — China reacted with anger on Wednesday to the European Union’s announcement that it was going ahead with an investigation into its subsidies for electric vehicles, upping the stakes in a geopolitical spat that could well escalate into a wider trade war.In a strongly worded statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce vowed to “steadfastly safeguard the legitimate interests of Chinese companies” and took exception to the tight timelines foreseen in the EU probe.The response puts Beijing — and its global industrial ambitions — on a collision course with Ursula von der Leyen’s increasingly assertive “geopolitical” Commission. Stirring in the hypernationalist political atmosphere in China and the fact that the probe was launched during the week-long National Day holidays makes for a combustible mix.Beijing essentially accused the EU of failing to ensure due process in the probe. The EU probe, it said, is purely based on “so-called subsidy proje...

FIFA ends total ban on Russian football teams

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

FIFA on Wednesday ended its blanket ban on Russian football teams competing in international tournaments, in a decision set to provoke renewed outcry from Ukraine’s Western allies. The global governing body said it would once again allow Russian youth teams to participate in the men’s and women’s under-17 World Cup tournaments since expelling all Russian teams in February 2022, after the start of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. FIFA’s move follows a similar decision last week from UEFA, European football’s governing body, relating to continental club competitions. That choice triggered a backlash around Europe with several countries saying they won’t play against Russian teams despite UEFA’s ruling. Ukraine’s football federation said last week that it “will not take part in any competitions with the participation of Russian teams, and appeal to other UEFA member associations to boycott pos...

Jim Jordan confirms he’s running for House speaker

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

(CNN) — Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio on Wednesday became the first Republican to officially jump into the race to become the next House speaker.House Republicans are even more bitterly divided in the aftermath of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster and his decision not to run again – and it remains to be seen whether the conference can coalesce around a viable successor to the California Republican.The stakes are extremely high as Congress faces down a looming shutdown deadline in mid-November and the House is essentially paralyzed while it lacks a speaker.Republicans are slated to hear from speaker candidates at a forum next Tuesday, setting up the next possible House-wide speaker vote next Wednesday, October 11.Jordan is on a growing list of possible McCarthy successors, which also includes Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, who chairs a conservative group known as the Republican Study Committee, and Hous...

Suspect charged in rapper Tupac Shakur’s fatal shooting made first court appearance in Las Vegas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A self-described gangster who police and prosecutors say masterminded the shooting death of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas in 1996 made his first public appearance since his arrest last week on a murder charge.Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 60, was arrested Friday during an early-morning walk near his home in suburban Henderson. A few hours later a grand jury indictment was unsealed in Clark County District Court charging him with murder.Grand jurors also voted to add sentencing enhancements for the use of a deadly weapon and alleged gang activity. If Davis is convicted, that could add decades to his sentence.Davis, who wore a dark-blue jail uniform, was scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Wednesday, but the hearing was cut short after he asked District Judge Tierra Jones to postpone the hearing while he retains counsel in Las Vegas. Jones rescheduled the arraignment for Oct. 19.Los Angeles-based attorney Edi Faal told The Associated Press in a brief phon...

Morgan State University: Here’s what to know about the site of Tuesday’s school shooting in Baltimore

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

Caitlyn Freeman | Baltimore Sun (TNS)Five people, including four students, suffered non-life-threatening injuries after gunfire erupted on Morgan State University’s campus in Northeast Baltimore on Tuesday night.Baltimore Police and federal agents responded to campus after the university’s officers heard shots being fired around 9:30 p.m. and found multiple victims in the area of a campus residential building and a fine arts facility.No suspect has been identified, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said at a news conference early Wednesday morning. The victims — four men and one woman — are 18 to 22 years old, Worley said.“What happened on our campus was such a senseless act of violence perpetrated on our community,” Morgan State President David K. Wilson said in a letter to the campus community.Here’s what to know about the university in the aftermath of the shooting.What is Morgan State University?Morgan State is one of Maryland’s four historically Black colleges and un...

Ravens roll over Browns, 28-3, behind ‘point guard’ Lamar Jackson’s 4 total TDs, dominant defense

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

Every day after Ravens practice, players take shots on a basketball hoop set up in the center of the locker room. Lamar Jackson rarely partakes — he’s not a basketball player.Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium, he only played like one.“Lamar kept his poise,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He was running the show out there. He was the point guard, he was the general, he was making the calls, making the changes, handling the shot clock. He played a fantastic game.“The motions, the shifts, the checks at the line, changing the plays when we had to change the plays, single receivers when we had to single receivers, ball handling. That’s what makes him the quarterback he is, that’s what won us the game.”He wasn’t the only one.With the Cleveland Browns missing their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, and top running back, Nick Chubb, Baltimore had little trouble with their AFC North foe on a sun-splashed afternoon....

Ravens OLB David Ojabo could miss remainder of season; other injuries not expected to be ‘long term’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:48 GMT

Another week, another slate of injuries.That’s life in the NFL, but especially for the Ravens, who, going into their game against the Browns, had the dubious distinction of leading the NFL in wins above replacement lost because of injury, according to Pro Football Focus. They left Cleveland with a blowout 28-3 win, but they also departed with three more players suffering injuries.Veteran safety Daryl Worley played just nine snaps before suffering a shoulder injury in the first quarter that knocked him out of the game. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, a fourth-round draft pick last year who has seen sparse action on defense, suffered a hamstring injury and didn’t return for the second half. Right tackle Morgan Moses left late in the first half with a shoulder injury and did not return. He was replaced by Daniel Faalele.On Monday, coach John Harbaugh said MRIs of the injuries were still being evaluated but indicated none would be season-ending.“There’s really...