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Romanian explosions: Burn victims arriving in European hospitals for emergency treatment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

In the aftermath of Saturday's (26 August) deadly explosions at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) station in Crevedia near Bucharest, Romania has requested EU assistance for the treatment of severe burn victims. In total nine countries (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and Sweden) have offered to receive patients via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Patients have already arrived in Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Norway.“The tragic explosions in Romania have left dozens of people, including first responders, in need of urgent medical care. My thoughts remain with the victims, their families and colleagues at this time. European countries reacted immediately with offers to treat the victims at their hospitals. Already 12 patients transferred via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism are receiving emergency care in Belgium, Italy, Austria, Germany, and Norway. I thank all countries for extending their solidarity to Romania at this dark hour when i...

Police in hours-long standoff with armed man in Orange County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

Authorities in Orange County were involved in an hours-long standoff with an armed man in the parking lot of a strip mall on Tuesday night.Calls about the incident, located in the 1900 block of 17th Street, came into the Santa Ana Police Department just after 4 p.m.  Aerial footage from Sky5 showed the suspect, armed with a handgun in the parking lot, pacing back and forth, shouting at authorities who were barricaded behind their vehicles with guns drawn. The handgun appeared to be wrapped around the man's hand with a green cloth.A white pickup truck with an open driver's side door could be seen just behind police lines. It is unclear if the vehicle belongs to the suspect, but police were seen searching the vehicle at one point. An armed suspect, seen here, who has refused to surrender himself to police for more than six hours on Aug. 29, 2023. (KTLA)An armed suspect seen pacing in the parking lot outside a Hobby Lobby who has refused to surrender to police on Aug. 29, 202...

A’s finally beat Mariners, drop Seattle into tie for AL West lead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

By Cameron Van TilThe Associated PressSEATTLE — The A’s built an early lead on home runs by Seth Brown and Shea Langeliers Tuesday night, then hung on to defeat the Seattle Mariners for the first time this season when closer Trevor May struck out Eugenio Suarez with the tying runners in scoring position to preserve a 3-1 victory.The major league-worst A’s ended the Mariners’ two-day stay alone atop the AL West by hanging on for their first win in nine games this season against Seattle.“We’re definitely in the seat of spoiler and we want to ruin as many dreams as possible,” said May, who was born in Longview, Wash., two hours away from Seattle.Seattle had won 12 of its previous 13 games, turning a 7 1/2-game deficit into a one-game lead over Texas. The Rangers won 2-1 at the New York Mets, matching the Mariners at 75-57. Houston is a percentage point back at 76-58.Star Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez was scratched of a pinched nerve in his left foot that left him day t...

Red Flag warnings in effect for parts of North Bay as fire danger rises

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

(KRON) -- Red Flag warnings have been issued for parts of eastern Napa County beginning Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service Bay Area. The warnings, which go into effect in North Bay interior mountain areas, take effect at 11 p.m. Tuesday and last through 8 p.m. Wednesday.The NWS warns of gusty north winds of 35-40 mph and afternoon relative humidity of 13 to 20%. Burglars targeting boats on Oakland estuary Red Flag warnings are issued amid dry and windy conditions that potentially lead to critical fire weather danger. During such warnings, the NWS advises people not to burn outdoors as weather conditions will be conducive to rapid fire spread, and to keep in touch with local officials for up-to-date information regarding the need for evacuations.Today's Red Flag Warning was the first one issued by the NWS Bay Area since October 2021.Areas around Santa Rosa and Cloverdale are also under the warning. Conditions for rapid fire spread are most prominent along the ...

Hurricane Idalia strengthens to a dangerous Category 3 storm as it steams toward Florida’s Big Bend region

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

CEDAR KEY, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Idalia strengthens to a dangerous Category 3 storm as it steams toward Florida’s Big Bend region.Source

Thai police say man kills his family after online scam leaves them in massive debt

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — At least 11 people are suspected to be involved with a loan scam that allegedly drove a man to kill his wife and two young boys before trying to take his own life in their family home, Thai police said Wednesday.Sanit Dokmai has been charged with premeditated murder after police found the bodies of his wife and two sons, who were 9 and 13, with slash wounds Monday inside a house in Samut Prakan province, Bangkok’s eastern suburb, said local police chief Rangsan Kamsook.Rangsan said Sanit was conscious Wednesday but in critical condition and unable to speak nor eat due to severe wounds at his throat. Police believe Sanit’s motive came from a huge debt the family was in. Police said Sanit is a debt guarantor for his friend in an amount of 400,000 baht ($11,400). The friend ran away and left Sanit to pay off the debt, then his wife tried to take out a loan to help and got scammed, said provincial police chief Pallop Araemlah. Rangsan said the investigation of the money t...

Pope heads to Mongolia to minister to its few Catholics and complete centuries-old East-West mission

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Francis travels to Mongolia this week, he will in some ways be completing a mission begun by the 13th-century Pope Innocent IV, who dispatched emissaries east to ascertain the intentions of the rapidly expanding Mongol Empire and beseech its leaders to halt the bloodshed and convert.Those medieval exchanges between Roman pope and Mongolian khan were full of bellicose demands for submission and conversion, with each side claiming to be acting in the name of God, according to texts of the letters that survive. But the exchanges also showed mutual respect at a time when the Catholic Church was waging Crusades and the Mongol Empire was conquering lands as far west as Hungary in what would become the largest contiguous land empire in world history.Some 800 years later, Francis won’t be testing new diplomatic waters or seeking to proselytize Mongolia’s mostly Buddhist people when he arrives in the capital Ulaanbaatar Friday for a four-day visit. His trip is n...

Russia earns less from oil and spends more on war. So far, sanctions are working like a slow poison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

The Russian ruble’s wobble in value has exposed a crack in President Vladimir Putin’s fortress economy, a vulnerability quickly plastered over by the Kremlin’s economic team in a move that allowed the currency to regain its footing, at least for now.Yet the patch — an emergency interest rate increase — cannot hide the dilemma at the heart of the Russian economy: how to fund the military while not undermining the national currency and overheating the economy with corrosive and politically embarrassing inflation.Life in Moscow presents a facade of normality despite sweeping sanctions tied to the war in Ukraine and the departure of hundreds of name-brand Western companies. Outdoor seating at restaurants and bars on the popular Bolshaya Nikitskaya street were packed on a recent evening with well-dressed residents enjoying balmy August weather. Loud music from DJs boomed from a nearby courtyard eatery. Malls haven’t changed at first glance, but where Zara and H&M on...

Commission proposes fishing opportunities for 2024 in the Baltic Sea

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

The Commission has adopted its proposal for the 2024 fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea in response to a scientific assessment that indicates several fisheries are in a dire situation.The Commission proposed the total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for three out of the ten stocks managed in the Baltic Sea. The Commission proposes to increase fishing opportunities for salmon in the Gulf of Finland by 7%, while proposing to decrease fishing of salmon in the main basin by 15%, and to decrease herring catches in the Gulf of Riga by 20%.As for the other stocks in the Baltic (western cod, eastern cod, western herring, Bothnian herring, central herring, sprat and plaice), the Commission has requested additional information from the International Council on the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) to take better account of the fact that cod is caught together with flatfish, and herring together with sprat. The remaining quota proposals will be established at a later stage.Environment, ...

Connecticut seeks 25th victory this season in matchup against Phoenix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:40:26 GMT

Phoenix Mercury (9-26, 2-15 Western Conference) at Connecticut Sun (24-11, 13-4 Eastern Conference)Uncasville, Connecticut; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Connecticut will aim for its 25th win of the season when the Sun host the Phoenix Mercury.The Sun have gone 10-6 in home games. Connecticut ranks third in the WNBA with 20.9 assists per game led by Alyssa Thomas averaging 8.1.The Mercury are 1-16 on the road. Phoenix allows 83.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 7.2 points per game.The teams square off for the third time this season. The Mercury won 90-84 in the last meeting on Aug. 11. Brittney Griner led the Mercury with 21 points, and Rebecca Allen led the Sun with 24 points.TOP PERFORMERS: DeWanna Bonner is averaging 18 points and 5.7 rebounds for the Sun. Thomas is averaging 19.2 points over the last 10 games for Connecticut.Diana Taurasi is averaging 16 points and 4.6 assists for the Mercury. Sophie Cunningham is averaging 11.8 points and 3.1 rebounds while sho...