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Fierce falcon photo takes top prize in bird photography contest

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

(CNN) — A breathtaking image of a peregrine falcon attacking an enormous pelican with its bright orange talons won top prize in this year’s Bird Photographer of the Year competition.The contest, in its eighth edition, celebrates the beauty of birds while also raising awareness of the mounting pressures they face. Photographers from all over the world entered more than 20,000 images into the competition, all vying for the £5,000 ($6,280) grand prize.US photographer Jack Zhi, who took the winning image in southern California, says he had waited for four years to capture the rare moment when a female falcon pounced on a brown pelican more than double its size.“During breeding season, a female peregrine falcon fiercely protects her young, attacking anything that comes near the nest,” he explained in a press release. “The high-speed chase made it challenging to capture a close-up shot with a long lens.”But finally, he succeeded. “The action was fast, and over in the blink of an eye. But ...

Cuba arrests 17 for luring young men to fight for Russia

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

Cuban authorities said they arrested 17 people in connection to a human-trafficking ring that allegedly coaxed young Cuban men to fight for Russia against Ukraine.Earlier this week, the Cuban foreign ministry exposed a Russian trafficking operation used to entice Cubans into the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine. Cuba condemned the recruitment racket and the interior ministry said authorities were working to “neutralize and dismantle” the network.On Thursday evening, César Rodríguez,  a colonel with Cuba’s interior ministry, said 17 people had been arrested, including the “internal organizer” of the ring, reported Reuters.Rodriguez said the group leader relied on two people living on the island to recruit Cubans to fight for hire on behalf of Russia, but did not name any of the suspects. Those involved in the network risk up to 30 years in prison, a life sentence or the death penalty, according to prosecutor Jose Luis Reyes, depending on the severity of the crimes.Russia and...

Rishi Sunak in India for G20 summit with post-Brexit trade deal in sight

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

LONDON — Rishi Sunak arrived in New Delhi for the G20 leaders’ summit Friday hoping to finalize a slimmed-down trade deal with India for signoff next month.A free-trade agreement between the U.K. and India — one of the most coveted prizes of Brexit — will not be done and dusted this weekend, but both sides are hopeful a deal can be reached before the end of the year.Such an outcome hinges in part on face-to-face talks between Sunak and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, scheduled for Saturday in New Delhi. No. 10 Downing Street is keen to make much of Sunak’s trip, with his spokesperson telling reporters this week: “As the first British prime minister of Indian descent, his visit will be an historic moment.”Sunak now faces “a political decision” on whether to press ahead with a slimmed-down trade deal, one senior business representative told POLITICO, as Modi works to “bounce” him into a rapid agreement ahead of next year’s Indian election.“Modi...

Water main break buckles stretch of Broadway in Revere

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

Road crews were called to a water main break in Revere overnight that left a section of Broadway damaged.Water could be seen rushing through cracks in the street as crews shut down the roadway to motorists.The cause of the break remains under investigation.No additional information was immediately available.

Marina owner convicted in fatal 2008 boat crash settles new environmental protection case

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire woman convicted of killing her best friend in a boat crash on Lake Winnipesaukee 15 years ago has agreed to pay the state $100,000 to settle new allegations that she interfered with an environmental protection investigation at the marina she owns.The attorney general and state Department of Environmental Services announced the settlement with Erica Blizzard, owner of Lakeport Landing Marina in Laconia, on Thursday. According to authorities, marina employees severed a fuel line while repairing a dock in August 2021, failed to adequately notify the state, and continued to dispense fuel after a making a faulty repair. Blizzard was accused of hindering the state’s investigation into the fuel line damage until confronted several weeks later.Blizzard, did not admit to the allegations in settling the case. Her attorney, Biron Bedard, said Thursday the settlement represents “the cost of the litigation.”“The allegations recited in the press release ...

Week 1 HS football preview

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

One could forgive Xaverian coach Al Fornaro if he requested an Everett scorecard to see who is coaching the Crimson Tide.For the third time in his seven years at the helm, Fornaro will lead the Hawks into the season opener Friday night (7:30 at the Hawk Bowl) against an Everett team with a new coach in Justin Flores.“Certainly it is easier when you go up against a team whose coach has been there for a while because you do know a lot of their tendencies,” Fornaro said. “We know (Flores) comes in having coached in college and he has a new staff. We did exchange tapes so we’ll see what we can pick up from there.”While Flores’ coaching resume is primarily at the college ranks, he knows how big the annual Everett-Xaverian game is. What he is trying to do is make sure the game doesn’t get too big for his younger players.“We’ve been telling the kids to treat this like it’s just another game,” said Flores, who spent six years coaching at the University of Maine...

As John Means returns, Orioles pitchers who had Tommy John surgery detail the recovery: ‘You just have to trust it’

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

Danny Coulombe flashed the inside of his left elbow proudly.The scar across his pitching elbow represents his membership over a decade ago into the fraternity of pitchers who have gotten Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery.“Webby’s got one, too,” Coulombe said, motioning to the pitcher sitting to his right in the Orioles’ clubhouse at Angel Stadium.Jacob Webb, as Coulombe had just done, showed off the scar on his pitching elbow.The two relievers are among the many across the majors — and the few in the Orioles’ clubhouse — to have the surgery that’s saved the careers of hundreds of professional pitchers. Another will soon join their ranks.John Means, the Orioles’ ace during the rebuild, is expected to be activated off the injured list this weekend after missing the past 16 months recovering from the surgery.“Ooh, John’s got a nice one,” Coulombe said about Means’ scar.The procedure, whose namesake had ...

Flight delayed? Here’s the script I used to get compensation

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

By Sally French | NerdWalletU.S. airlines aren’t required to compensate passengers for flight delays. Refunds are only guaranteed for entirely canceled flights (assuming the passenger opts not to be rebooked by the airline). There’s also no legal requirement for airlines to offer additional flight delay compensation.That said, most U.S. airlines have pledged to provide additional services or amenities to customers affected by disrupted flights, as documented in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s customer service dashboard. But those pledged amenities can be semi-stingy. While every major U.S. airline offers meal vouchers for delays of three hours or more, only Alaska Airlines promises frequent flyer miles.I’ve had two flight mishaps this year — yet both times I got compensation above what the U.S. government requires, and greater than what the airlines pledged.Here’s the script I used to get travel vouchers, bonus miles and a free meal.Southwest delayed flight compensation: a m...

Helicopters airlift residents to safety from deadly floods in central Greece

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Severe rainstorms eased but floodwaters were still rising in parts of central Greece Friday, while fire department and military helicopters were plucking people from villages inundated by tons of water and mud that have left six dead, six missing and many people clinging to the roofs of their homes.Flooding triggered by rainstorms also hit neighboring Bulgaria and Turkey, killing a total of 18 people in all three countries since the rains began Tuesday.In Greece, severe rainstorms that lashed the country turned streams into raging torrents that burst dams, washed away roads and bridges and hurled cars into the sea. Authorities said some areas received twice the average annual rainfall for Athens in the space of just 12 hours.Evacuation orders were issued for two areas north of the city of Larissa Friday morning, with authorities sending alerts to cell phones in the area warning that the Pineios River had burst its banks. Parts of Larissa, one of Greece’s ...

Germany will keep Russian oil giant Rosneft subsidiaries under its control for another 6 months

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:13:08 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The German government said Friday it will keep two subsidiaries of Russian oil giant Rosneft under the control of German authorities for another six months.The government announced a year ago that it was putting Rosneft Deutschland GmbH and Rosneft Refining and Marketing GmbH under the administration of Germany’s Federal Network Agency. In March, a German federal court threw out complaints from Rosneft and upheld the decision.The trusteeship gave German authorities control of three Russian-owned refineries. Rosneft accounted at the time for about 12% of Germany’s oil refining capacity.The Economy Ministry said Friday that it is extending the trusteeship again until March 10, 2024, “to secure the energy supply.”The Rosneft subsidiaries own a refinery at Schwedt, on the Polish border northeast of Berlin, which provides petroleum products for the capital and much of northeastern Germany. Until the end of 2022, it largely processed Russian oil. It now receives oil from the...