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Humanitarian aid convoy begins crossing into Gaza Strip from Egypt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Humanitarian aid convoy begins crossing into Gaza Strip from Egypt.Source

MLB playoffs 2023: Wheeler vs Gallen with NLCS tied 2-all; Astros head home with 3-2 lead in ALCS

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

A couple of late comebacks made Friday the most dramatic night of baseball’s postseason so far. Jose Altuve hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Houston Astros, following another bench-clearing scuffle with the rival Texas Rangers, rallied for a wild 5-4 victory in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.A few hours later in Phoenix, pinch-hitter Alek Thomas tied the score with a two-run homer in the eighth and Gabriel Moreno followed with a go-ahead single as the Arizona Diamondbacks stunned the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 to even the NLCS at two games apiece.That marked the first time in major league history two teams rallied to win postseason games on the same day after trailing by two runs or more in the eighth inning or later.After taking all three matchups at streaky Texas, the defending World Series champion Astros head back home to Houston needing one win to capture a third consecutive AL pennant. They lead 3-2 in the best-of-seven playoff going into Game 6 on ...

Aid enters Gaza as Rafah border crossing opens

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

The Egyptian-controlled Rafah border crossing from the Gaza Strip opened on Saturday morning, letting trucks carrying humanitarian aid into the blockaded enclave, which has been under siege from the Israeli military for almost two weeks.The first of 200 trucks loaded with about 3,000 tons of aid, which have been blocked near the Rafah crossing for days, started moving toward Gaza early Saturday, the Associated Press reported.Earlier this week, U.S. President Joe Biden said Egypt had agreed to open the border and let 20 trucks enter the Palestinian enclave, while Israel said it would allow the delivery of food, water or medicine — but no fuel — from Egypt, provided they were limited to civilians in the southern part of Gaza and would not go to Hamas militants.European leaders were quick to welcome the border’s opening. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media that the crossing’s opening was “an important first step that will alleviate ...

US, EU blamed as climate fund talks break down over World Bank push

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

Recriminations were spreading Saturday morning after the failure of talks on the creation of a new fund to help vulnerable countries rebuild from climate disasters.During fraught talks that were partially webcast, negotiators from developing countries blamed the U.S. in particular for insisting on housing the proposed fund in the World Bank, an institution dominated by highly developed economies.“If wealthy nations do not come to the next meeting prepared to let go of this unrealistic proposal, meet their international obligations, and set up a stand-alone, rights-based and resourced fund, they might as well not show up at all,” said Lien Vandamme, an observer at the talks for the Center for International Environmental Law.Vandamme accused the EU, which also backs the idea of the World Bank as host, of hiding behind the U.S. A European Commission spokesperson said the 24-member committee of government officials from rich and poor countries tasked with designing the fu...

Israel-Hamas war cuts deep into Germany’s soul

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

It’s as if one front in the Israel-Hamas war is playing out on the streets of Berlin.The main battleground has been an avenue lined with chicken and kebab restaurants in Neukölln, a neighborhood in the south-east of the city that’s home to many Middle Eastern immigrants. Some pro-Palestinian activists have called for demonstrators to turn out almost nightly, and, as one post put it, turn the area “into Gaza.”On October 18, hundreds of people, many of them teenagers, answered the call.“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” chanted many in the crowd as a phalanx of riot police closed in on them. Berlin public prosecutors say the slogan is a call for the erasure of Israel, and have moved to make its utterance a criminal offense.While similar scenes have played out across much of the world, for Germany’s leaders, they are profoundly embarrassing and strike at the heart of the nation’s identity, on account of the country’s Nazi past. Germany’s “history and our re...

Egypt border crossing opens, letting a trickle of desperately needed aid into besieged Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The border crossing between Egypt and Gaza opened on Saturday to let a trickle of desperately needed aid into the besieged Palestinian territory for the first time since Israel sealed it off in the wake of Hamas’ bloody rampage two weeks ago.Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians, half of whom have fled their homes, are rationing food and drinking dirty water. Hospitals say they are running low on medical supplies and fuel for emergency generators amid a territory-wide power blackout. Israel is still launching waves of airstrikes across Gaza as Palestinian militants fire rocket barrages into Israel.The opening came after more than a week of high-level diplomacy by various mediators, including visits to the region by U.S. President Joe Biden and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Israel had insisted that nothing would enter Gaza until some 200 people captured by Hamas were freed, and the Palestinian side of the crossing had been shut down by Israel...

Horoscopes Oct. 21, 2023: Glen Powell, discover what makes you happy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Blanca Suarez, 35; Glen Powell, 35; Matt Dallas, 41; Judge Judy Sheindlin, 81.Happy Birthday: Reach for what resonates with you, and distance yourself from pushy people who try to manipulate you emotionally. Focus on the changes that make you happy and go about your business behind the scenes, where you’ll experience less interference. Use your intelligence and innovative spirit to discover what makes you happy, and refuse to let anyone take liberties to disrupt your plans. Your numbers are 6, 10, 21, 27, 32, 34, 40.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Refuse to let emotions cloud your vision or lead to a misunderstanding. Pay attention, be kind and don’t start something that leads to regret. Choose your battles and your words wisely, and make your focus self-improvement instead of trying to change others. 2 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ve got more going for you than you realize. Try something new and reach out to experts who can shorten y...

Ask Amy: The fight over laundry has undermined our marriage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

Dear Amy: For as long as I have known my wife (20 years), she has been reluctant to do the laundry.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: I’ve been told that a mad dash through the airport won’t win me a woman Advice | Ask Amy: Should I let him know I’ve been tracking the car’s mileage? Advice | Ask Amy: I can’t believe he’s still doing the thing that almost killed him Advice | Ask Amy: After the Father’s Day blow-up, must I forgive him? Advice | Ask Amy: I’m on edge about a suspicious meeting of my child’s grandmothers I politely ask her to do it, and she tells me that she will. However, two days later, dirty clothes are still piling up.To be fair, she follows through about 20 percent of the time.She works part-time outside the home, and I work full-time from home. She has plenty of time in her day to do the laundry. Instead, she chooses to watch videos o...

The U.N. Is Powerless to Help Gaza. That's How the U.S. Wants It.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, center, attends a U.N. Security Council emergency meeting in New York City on Oct. 18, 2023.Photo: Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty ImagesOn Wednesday, the United States was the only country to vote “no” on a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution authored by Brazil that called for “humanitarian pauses” in Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Twelve countries voted for the resolution, including several surprising ones, such as France and the United Arab Emirates. Two more, Russia and the U.K., abstained. But according to the Security Council’s rules, America’s sole “no” vote meant that the resolution failed.Human Rights Watch criticized America’s actions, saying, “Once again the U.S. cynically used their veto to prevent the U.N. Security Council from acting on Israel and Palestine at a time of unprecedented carnage.”The Security Council has 15 countries. Ten are rotating members, elected by the ...

England wins toss and opts to bowl against South Africa at Cricket World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:21:31 GMT

Temba Bavuma was ruled out because of illness as England won the toss and opted to bowl against South Africa at the Cricket World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.Aiden Markram leads South Africa in Bavuma’s absence. Both teams are looking to rebound after shocking upsets in their last games.England lost to Afghanistan in Delhi by 69 runs. It was the second loss in three games for the defending champions. It had previously lost to New Zealand by nine wickets but beat Bangladesh by 137 runs.South Africa went down to the Netherlands in Dharamsala by 38 runs. It had previously scored massive wins over Sri Lanka (by 102 runs) and Australia (by 134 runs).It is in a better position, placed third in the points table with four points from three games. England is sixth with two points from three games as the World Cup arrives in Mumbai for its first game.Ben Stokes, who is featuring in this tournament only as a batsman, returns after recovering from a hip problem. England has made two other changes...