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Counterterror Director Used Hamas Attack to Justify Mass Surveillance Program Renewal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

During a Senate briefing last week, a federal counterterrorism official cited the October 7 Hamas attack while urging Congress to reauthorize a sprawling and controversial surveillance program repeatedly used to spy on U.S. citizens on U.S. soil.“As evidenced by the events of the past month, the terrorist threat landscape is highly dynamic and our country must preserve [counterterrorism] fundamentals to ensure constant vigilance,” said Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Christine Abizaid to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, after making repeat references to Hamas’s attack on Israel.She pointed to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which enables the U.S. government to gather vast amounts of intelligence — including about U.S. citizens — under the broad category of foreign intelligence information, without first seeking a warrant.Section 702 “provides key indications and warning on terrorist plans and intentions, supports intern...

A battle brewing in Shaw over a popular nightlife area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

One specific city block in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood is home to nearly two dozen nightlife establishments — a total of 23 liquor licenses have been issued for the 1900 block of 9th Street Northwest near the U Street corridor.“That’s just too many,” said Leola Smith, who lives just a block away.“My grandson got robbed five blocks from the house,” Smith said. “They put guns in his face. He moved away.”Smith, who has lived in Shaw since 1981, told WTOP that the outsized number of bars and taverns on the block, and the thousands of people who go to those establishments every week, is fueling an uptick in crime.Smith is a member of the Westminster Neighborhood Association. She and two other members spoke with WTOP about the association’s recent petition to D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board to pause the issuance of new liquor licenses for that stretch of 9th Street NW.The petition points to the high level of property and violent crime in and around the proposed moratorium ...

Toronto exercised Chad Green’s options for 2024 and ’25, guaranteeing $21 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — The Blue Jays exercised a club option on reliever Chad Green on Monday that guarantees the right-hander $21 million for 2024 and 2025.The 32-year-old returned Sept. 1 following Tommy John surgery while with the New York Yankees on June 1, 2022, and went 3-0 with a 5.25 ERA in 12 games. He struck out 16 and walked four in 12 innings.Green pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the Blue Jays’ loss to Minnesota in the Wild Card Series opener.After earning $2.25 million this year, Green gets $10.5 million in each of the next two seasons and can earn $1 million annually in performance bonuses: $500,000 each for 60 and 65 games pitched.Since making his debut in 2016, Green is 36-22 with a 3.23 ERA and 11 saves in 284 games.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlbSource

Stock market today: Wall Street drifts lower after last week’s big swings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are drifting lower Monday as Wall Street’s wild recent moves calm a bit.The S&P 500 was 0.1% lower in its first trading after careening from months of sharp losses to its best week of the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 23 points, or 0.1%, as of 1:46 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% lower.The flashpoint for the stock market’s movements in both directions has been what the bond market is doing, and it was regressing Monday following its own extreme moves.The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.66%. That’s up from 4.57% late Friday, but it’s still below the perch above 5% that it reached last month, its highest level since 2007. High yields hurt prices for stocks and other investments, while slowing the economy and raising the pressure on the financial system.This upcoming week looks to have fewer big events on the calendar that could shake markets. It’s a slower week for corporate profit reports, with roughly 50 ...

4 men charged in theft of satirical golden toilet titled ‘America,’ at Churchill’s birthplace

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Four men were charged Monday over the theft of an 18-carat gold toilet from Blenheim Palace, the sprawling English country mansion where British wartime leader Winston Churchill was born. The toilet, valued at 4.8 million pounds ($5.95 million), was an artwork titled “America” and intended as a pointed satire about excessive wealth by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan. It was part of an art installation at Blenheim Palace, near the city of Oxford, a few days before it vanished overnight in September 2019. The Crown Prosecution Service said Monday it has authorized criminal charges against four men, ages 35-39, over the theft. They are accused of burglary and conspiracy to transfer criminal property. Seven people had been arrested over the heist, but no charges have been brought until Monday, four years after the toilet was stolen. The artwork has never been found.The golden toilet was fully functioning, and prior to the theft, visitors to the exhibition could...

Guerrilla del ELN dice que no ha podido liberar al padre del futbolista Luis Díaz por operativos militares

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

(CNN Español) — La guerrilla del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) de Colombia dijo este lunes que cumplirá con la liberación del padre del futbolista Luis Díaz pero que está “haciendo esfuerzos para evitar incidentes con las fuerzas oficiales”, de acuerdo con un comunicado.El grupo guerrillero agrega que “la zona sigue militarizada, se realizan sobrevuelos, desembarco de tropas, peritoneos, ofrecen recompensas y una intensa operación rastrillo. Esta situación no permite la ejecución del plan de liberación de manera rápida y segura, en donde no corra riesgo el señor Luis Manuel Díaz”.Klopp sobre el padre de Luis Díaz: Las señales desde Colombia son buenasEl coronel Giovanny Montañez indicó este lunes en un comunicado que, “por orden del Comando General de las Fuerzas Militares, se ordena a las tropas de Ejército que están en la operación de búsqueda del señor Luis Manuel Díaz hacer un reposicionamiento para dar las garantías de entrega de este secue...

Another Colorado 14er could have its name changed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Another Colorado 14er could soon see its name changed.In September, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially renamed Mount Evans to Mount Blue Sky after a years-long movement pushed to address the history of the name. Now, the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board is looking into another mountain. Mount Evans officially renamed Mount Blue Sky On Nov. 2, the board held a meeting to address Kit Carson Mountain. The peak stands at 14,165 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, just north of the Great Sand Dunes National Park. During a virtual meeting, the board discussed the name change. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names introduced the case about renaming Kit Carson Mountain to Frustum Peak. Frustum is a geometric term for a flat-top cone or pyramid. Controversial past of Kit CarsonAccording to the board, the reason for the name change is because proponents said Kit Carson Mountain glorifies the historic figure's controversial past. Carson gained recog...

New surveillance footage released in North Lauderdale murder investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

Detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit have released new surveillance footage featuring individuals believed to be linked to a recent North Lauderdale homicide. At the family’s request, the victim has also been identified. The crime occurred just before 5 p.m. on April 27 in the vicinity of the 7400 block of Kimberly Boulevard. According to BSO investigators, once authorities arrived on the scene following reports of a shooting, they discovered 36-year-old Leayle Powell behind a building, with multiple gunshot wounds.Powell was immediately airlifted to Broward Health North by BSO Fire Rescue and pronounced deceased.Previously, investigators had released Ring camera video and images of the individuals and vehicle thought to be connected to the fatal shooting. In a bid to generate further leads, additional footage has now been made public.The newly released surveillance video shows three individuals walking towards an apartment complex. A few minutes later, a...

Missing airplane mechanic last seen at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a man who has not been seen since last week. Officials said Suren Seetal, a 36-year-old airplane jet mechanic, has been missing since Thursday. He was last seen at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport around 6 p.m. The Fort Lauderdale Police Endangered Persons Unit is actively investigating his disappearance.Seetal owns a 2001 Silver Honda Accord sedan with the license plate EHNA41. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact the Fort Lauderdale Police.

Key West Police need help identifying vandal of Southernmost Point buoy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:34 GMT

Authorities are seeking the public’s help in identifying a male suspect responsible for vandalizing Key West’s iconic Southernmost Point buoy.The incident occurred Friday night.Key West Police Department released several photos that showed a male standing near the tourist attraction, but they did not specify the nature of the vandalism.The red, yellow, black and white marker resembles a giant marine navigational buoy. It proclaims that Key West is 90 miles from Havana. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, contact Key West Police at 305-809-1000.