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Empty Shabbat table on National Mall showcases human toll of Middle East conflict

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

They don’t have a name. They don’t have an affiliation. But they’re hard to miss, especially with a multi-yard Shabbat table on D.C.’s National Mall.A group of concerned D.C. citizens set up a table Friday evening for Shabbat, or the Jewish sabbath, leaving more than 240 seats empty to represent those still missing after being taken hostage in the current conflict in the Middle East.The grassroot community organization flies flags from many nations at their dinner table and has both Jewish and non-Jewish members. They say all they want is an end to the bloodshed.“We’d love to have a peaceful resolution,” said group leader Ron Sokolov. “We’d love for there to be peace in Israel. Peace in the Middle East. And peace for Palestinians and the Jews in Israel.”Sokolov is the de facto leader of this grassroots community group, which he said sprung up organically through networking and word-of-mouth. He said they want to make it clear they’re not taking sides, or poli...

Taliban appeal to Afghan private sector to help those fleeing Pakistan’s mass deportation drive

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban Saturday appealed to Afghanistan’s private sector to help people fleeing Pakistan’s mass deportation drive.Pakistan is arresting and expelling all foreigners it says are in the country illegally, but the policy mostly affects Afghans because they are the biggest group of undocumented foreigners in the country.The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Kabul urged Afghanistan’s private sector to step forward and help.Afghans forcibly expelled from Pakistan are facing the worst situation of their lives, with no opportunities, the ministry said. “The ministry invites the private sector to take action because of the profound humanitarian disaster caused by the forced migration of hundreds of thousands of the poor and needy. It is the duty of Islam and Afghans to stand up for their fellow countrymen.”Afghanistan is overwhelmed by challenges, including years of drought, a beleaguered economy and the aftermath of decades of war. Millions are already internally di...

Pakistani troops kill 9 militants and foil an attack on an airbase in eastern Punjab province

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s military said they foiled an attack by militants on a training air base in eastern Punjab province early Saturday, killing all nine assailants.The troops’ “swift and effective response” thwarted the attack at Mianwali Training Air Base, keeping its personnel and assets safe, a military statement said, though three grounded aircraft were damaged and a fuel tanker destroyed in the fighting. The troops killed three attackers while they were entering the base, and another three were cornered and shot dead in an exchange of fire. The military said that the remaining three attackers who were hiding were killed during an operation to clear the area of militants. The attack comes a day after an ambush on a military convoy killed 14 soldiers in southwest Baluchistan province. Also on Friday, a bomb and gun attack on a vehicle carrying police left five dead and more than 20 wounded. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for Saturday’s at...

England wins toss and bowls against Australia. Ravindra’s 3rd ton leads NZ against Pakistan

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Captain Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to field against Australia in Ahmedabad at the Cricket World Cup on Saturday.The defending champions have endured a nightmarish tournament with only one win in six games, and are languishing at the bottom of the points’ table with two points. After five losses, England is virtually knocked out of the tournament with only a mathematical possibility of making the top-four even if it beats Australia.Australia, meanwhile, is third in the table – equal on eight points with New Zealand – but ahead on net run-rate. The five-time champions need two wins in their remaining three games to outright qualify for the semi-finals.England has fielded an unchanged side from its previous loss against India in Lucknow.Australia has made two changes, after Glenn Maxwell was ruled out owing to concussion at a golfing incident this past week. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh has also flown home for personal reasons, with a return date still unk...

Japanese Shiho Kuwaki and Nasa Hataoka atop the leaderboard after three rounds of Japan Classic

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

OMITAMA, Japan (AP) — Japanese golfers Shiho Kuwaki and Nasa Hataoka each shot 6-under 66 on Saturday to sit atop the leadboard with a one-stoke lead after the third round of the LPGA’s Japan Classic.They were both at 20-under 196 for three rounds. The two Japanese were also tied for the lead after the second round.Japanese Mone Inami was one shot behind after a 65, and fellow Japanese Sora Kamiya was two back, also after a 65 at the Taiheiyo Club in north central Japan.There is a crowded field near the top with four players just four shots back, and four more just five off the pace. The second group includes American Rose Zhang, who shot a 65 on Saturday.Defending champion Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland was eight back after a 68.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfSource

ANÁLISIS | Esta ciudad nunca dormía. Sin embargo, con el endurecimiento del control de China ¿se acabó la fiesta?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

(CNN) — Mientras los dispersos clientes saltan de un bar desierto a otro, cuesta creer que las calles casi vacías por las que zigzaguean fueran antaño de las más animadas de Asia.Es jueves por la noche, una noche normalmente ajetreada, pero no hay multitudes entre las que moverse ni juerguistas que se desparramen por las aceras ni necesidad de esperar para sentarse. En algunas de las paradas de este silencioso tour de bares, ellos son los únicos en la sala.No siempre fue así. A juzgar por esta instantánea reciente, puede parecer inverosímil, pero Hong Kong fue en su día uno de los referentes de la vida nocturna en Asia, una ciudad famosa por su libertad, iluminada por luces de neón, que nunca dormía, donde Oriente se encontraba con Occidente y las multitudes salían de los bares durante toda la noche y hasta bien entrada la mañana, incluso en días laborables.Estas imágenes dieron la vuelta al mundo en 1997, cuando Gran Bretaña cedió la soberanía de su preciada excolonia a China...

Raw and Damp Saturday

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

Clouds were on the increase Friday as a stalled front across the Bahamas and Cuba lifts back toward South Florida, now hanging near southeastern Florida this Saturday.This will help draw in more moisture, making for a raw and damp day ahead. It won’t be a washout but there will be a mist or showers around at times, and even an isolated pocket of heavier rain. Otherwise it will be a mostly cloudy day with highs in the low to mid 80s paired with a lessening breeze. Winds will now be sustained up to 10-20 mph out of the northeast.Thankfully, Sunday will feature better weather with only the spotty shower chance along with intervals of sun and clouds and highs in the mid 80s.A reminder that Daylight Saving Time ends tonight, so you will want to switch your clocks back one hour as we will gain an extra hour of sleep. This will also shift sunrise and sunset times an hour earlier.Then for next week, the weather is looking rather fantastic. Highs will hover slightly above average in th...

The Patriots’ glue guy linebacker keeping Bill Belichick’s defense together

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

FOXBORO — If Jahlani Tavai played basketball, describing his impact and role on the Patriots would be easy.He’d be a glue guy.An overlooked connector who maintains defensive communication, plays different positions and revels in the dirty work, Tavai ranks fourth on the team in tackles (48) and special teams snaps played. Defensively, the Patriots allow fewer yards per run with Tavai on the field than when he’s off, and he allows a passer rating of 50.3 when targeted in coverage.Tavai can play most spots in the front seven. Once the Pats lost rookie defensive end Keion White to a concussion in Las Vegas, he flexed out and played a season-high 35 snaps on the edge. His sturdy run defense helped limit Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs to 2.9 yards per carry after White’s exit.Last week in Miami, Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered a hamstring injury, and Tavai logged more snaps at inside linebacker than ever before. He also tallied three pressures and two pass breakups i...

Friday’s high school roundup/scores: Henry Hasselbeck, Xaverian pass by St. John’s (Shrewsbury)

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

Henry Hasselbeck ran for two scores and threw a pair of TD passes, while Jonathan Monteiro caught a pair of touchdown passes as No. 2 Xaverian (7-2) rolled to a 49-7 win over St. John’s (Shrewsbury) in a Div. 1 first-round football contest.In the first round of the Div. 5 playoffs, Zack Timmons and Caleb Caceres each rushed for two touchdowns, lifting No. 3 Shawsheen (8-0) to a 49-8 win over No. 14 Belchertown (7-2).Tyler Lennox put on a show with six touchdown passes, four of them to Robbie Peterson, as Carver coasted to a 55-0 victory over Franklin Tech in a Div. 8 first round matchup.In ISL action, Bo MacCormack ran for 191 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries as BB&N (5-2) beat St. Sebastian’s, 38-7. … Johny Grinion ran for 202 yards and four touchdowns as Noble and Greenough (3-4) doubled up on Brooks, 28-14. … Max Stevelman threw four touchdown passes, with Amir Lindsey and Jeremy Kiefer hauling in two scores each as Rivers (5-2) rolled to a 38-8 win over St. Mark’s.Ch...

Ukraine minister says he wants to turn his country into a weapons production hub for the West

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:58:23 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s newly appointed head of defense industry says he is working tirelessly to ramp up local arms production and wants to turn the country into a weapons production hub for the West.Oleksandr Kamysyhin, the minister for strategic industries of Ukraine, said that Russia’s invasion of his country and the Israel-Hamas war raging in the Middle East have highlighted the need for countries to spend on their defense systems.“We’re really focusing on making Ukraine the arsenal of the free world,” Kamyshin told The Associated Press in an interview late Friday.Kamyshyn said approximately 500 companies in Ukraine’s defense industry are contributing to the country’s efforts to increase weapons production in order to counter Russia’s attempts to seize more territory. Among those are 70 state-owned factories, over 200 primarily private factories producing unmanned systems, and more than 200 private sector companies involved in the production of various types of weaponry ...