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‘In the hands of God’: One Venezuelan family’s journey to the US

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — When Luis López was lost in Panama’s Darien Gap last year with his wife, then seven months pregnant, their two young children and her grandmother, he often knelt in the mud to beg God not to abandon them.“If I was bad, let me die here, but I came with my family,” the Venezuelan asylum seeker, 34, recalled on Friday of his prayers. Now in El Paso, the family has found shelter with the Catholic diocese.But “la selva” — as many migrants call that particularly deadly stretch of their journey from South America to the United States — struck again two weeks ago. López’s sister called him in tears: She, too, had to flee and was now stuck in the jungle with their 68-year-old mother, who was badly injured from a fall trying to escape armed men.Rescued by Panama’s border police, the two women are now en route to Texas. They don’t know how they will cross into the U.S., though, as new restrictions on asylum went into effect last Thursday after pandemic-era immigrati...

Bangladesh, Myanmar brace as powerful Cyclone Mocha makes landfall

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh and Myanmar braced Sunday as a severe cyclone started to hit coastal areas and authorities urged thousands of people in both countries to seek shelter.The outermost band of Cyclone Mocha reached the coast of Myanmar’s Rakhine state on Sunday morning, and by afternoon the center of the storm was expected to make landfall near Sittwe township, which was under the highest weather alert, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said Sunday.More than 4,000 of Sittwe’s 300,000 residents have been evacuated to other cities since Friday and more than 20,000 people are sheltering in sturdy buildings such as monasteries, pagodas and schools located on the city’s highlands, said Tin Nyein Oo, who is helping people in shelters in Sittwe. Many local residents live in areas more than 3 meters above sea level, places where residents believe the storm surge cannot reach, he added.Strong winds of 40 to 48 kilometers per hour (25 to 40 miles per hour) ...

Sherpa climbs Everest 26th time, matching record set by fellow Nepalese guide

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A Sherpa guide scaled Mount Everest on Sunday for the 26th time, matching the record set by a fellow Nepalese guide for the most ascents of the world’s highest peak.Pasang Dawa Sherpa reached the summit on Sunday morning along with a Hungarian climber, according to expedition organizer Imagine Nepal Treks.The season’s first wave of climbers reached the summit this weekend as Sherpa guides fixed ropes and made paths for the hundreds of climbers who will attempt to scale the peak over the next few weeks.Since making his first successful of climb of the peak in 1998, Dawa has made the trip almost every year.Experienced mountain guide Kami Rita earlier held the record outright for the most climbs of Mount Everest after his 26th successful trip last year. Rita is expected to attempt to climb the peak again later this month as he guides foreign climbers to the top of the world.Climbers generally reach the base camp of the mountain in April and spend weeks acc...

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy in Berlin to meet German leaders, discuss arms deliveries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin on his first visit to the country since Russia invaded Ukraine.Zelenskyy’s visit Sunday comes as he seeks further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion, and funds to rebuild what’s been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict.A Luftwaffe jet flew Zelenskyy to the German capital from Rome, where he had met Saturday with Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.On the eve of his arrival — which is taking place amid tight security — the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.“Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security,” Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday, in an apparent reference to the key priorities of his trip.After initially hesi...

Zelenskyy in Berlin amid push for new weapons for Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy touched down in Germany Sunday morning ahead of talks to secure new Western weaponry for his country and to shore up support among European allies.“Already in Berlin,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. “Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security,” he added in reference to his priorities for the visit, which comes on the heels of meetings in Rome on Saturday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis.Following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, the two leaders are expected to fly to the city of Aachen, where Zelenskyy will collect the International Charlemagne Prize, awarded to him in December for the defense of “Europe and European values.”Ukraine on Saturday said it had made a series of strategic gains around the town of Bakhmut, where its forces have faced a fierce Russian onslaught for weeks. According to CNN, U.S. officials believe Kyiv is condu...

Canadian plywood makers seek duties as cheap Chinese rivals carve out half the market

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

It’s been years since Carlos Zarate and others in Canada’s decorative plywood industry started telling the federal government about a growing problem in their business. The president of the Canadian Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association warns of an industry in decline, but not due to falling demand for things like kitchen cabinets, decorative wood panels, furniture, and other non-structural wood products. Zarate, who’s also president of Industrie Ergie Inc. in Victoriaville, Que., said the association’s members have seen their market share in Canada drop because they are unable to compete with plywood products imported from China at prices domestic producers could never hope to match, let alone beat. The industry wants duties imposed on Chinese exporters, who they say enjoy unfair advantages such as heavy government subsidies and access to illegally harvested wood, flooding global markets with cheap goods that drastically undercut competitors.But they’...

Daily horoscope for May 14, 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

Moon Alert: Avoid important decisions and shopping after 10:30 p.m. EDT today (7:30 p.m. PDT). The Moon is in Pisces.Happy Birthday for Sunday, May 14, 2023:You are intelligent, street smart and imaginative. You like to put your own spin on things. This is a wonderful year for you, because it’s a time of recognition and culmination. Expect a promotion, an award, kudos — definitely acknowledgement of your talents and efforts. Bravo!ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★Today it will please you to do someone a favor or work behind the scenes to benefit someone. Aries embodies the hero archetype, which is why you like to rescue and save people. And you’re good at it! (Many Aries are firefighters.) Tonight: You’ll be kind. This Week: Your wealth will increase for the rest of the year.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★Some of you will be involved with a nonprofit, charitable organization or a group today. You want to do something to benefit others. Although you might think global...

Dear Abby: My husband’s mandatory family events cut into my hobby time

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have no kids. His family (sister, cousins, etc.) hosts family gatherings two to four times a month. My husband and I both work. My own family does not have many gatherings.I have a hobby I would like to pursue, and I’m considering pursuing it more deeply when I retire. My husband complains that I want to spend what’s left of our weekend on it.I can’t seem to get across to him that although I like his family, I don’t want to see them to the exclusion of my hobbies and our collective interests. He and his parents expect me at all of these events. I go, and when I do, I have a good time, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want time to myself.Unfortunately, my husband isn’t interested in my hobby. There are other activities we do together, although we don’t have a lot of time for them given his family events. How do I get across to him that he should be supportive? NEEDING BALANCE IN NEW JERSEYDEAR NEEDING BALANCE: W...

Military honors for Ukrainian president as he visits Germany to discuss arms deliveries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was welcomed with military honors Sunday by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he made his first visit to Germany since Russia invaded Ukraine.Zelenskyy is visiting allies in search of further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion, and funds to rebuild what’s been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict.A Luftwaffe jet flew Zelenskyy to the German capital from Rome, where he had met Saturday with Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni.On the eve of his arrival — which is taking place amid tight security — the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.“Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security,” Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday, in an apparent reference to the key priorities of his trip.After initially hes...

Marlins host the Reds on home losing streak

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:18:26 GMT

Cincinnati Reds (18-21, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Miami Marlins (19-21, fourth in the NL East)Miami; Sunday, 1:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luke Weaver (1-2, 7.36 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 21 strikeouts); Marlins: Braxton Garrett (1-2, 5.97 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 28 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Marlins -166, Reds +142; over/under is 8 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins aim to break their five-game home losing streak with a victory over the Cincinnati Reds.Miami has gone 10-11 in home games and 19-21 overall. The Marlins have a 10-2 record in games when they scored at least five runs.Cincinnati has a 6-12 record on the road and an 18-21 record overall. The Reds are 10-6 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.The matchup Sunday is the third time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Jorge Soler has nine doubles, nine home runs and 20 RBI while hitting .245 for the Marlins. Jesus Sanchez is 13-for-33 with seven doubles and two home runs over the pas...