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A look at the US military mission in Syria and its dangers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — When an Iranian drone struck a U.S. base in northeastern Syria, killing a contractor and wounding several U.S. troops, it was just the latest in a growing number of attacks on American forces in Syria. But its lethality was rare. In most recent cases, no U.S. forces have been hurt in such attacks.The strike on Thursday — by a small, suicide drone — set off a series of retaliatory bombings, and the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, Gen. Erik Kurilla, quickly warned that the U.S. was prepared to launch more attacks if needed.American troops have been in Syria since 2015, but the latest casualties highlight what has been a consistent, but often quiet, U.S. counterterrorism mission, aimed at countering Iranian-backed militias and preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State group.A look at the U.S. troop presence in Syria.IT ALL BEGAN WITH THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUPOn any given day there are at least 900 U.S. forces in Syria, along with an undisclosed number of co...

Alek Manoah named Opening Day starter for Blue Jays, rotation finalized

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

It’s funny how quickly things can change in the world of sports. That couldn’t be more true for the Toronto Blue Jays and starter Alek Manoah, named the Opening Day starter against the St. Louis Cardinals.The 25-year-old will get the assignment only in his third full season in the majors after Manoah impressed in the spring of 2021, eventually leading to a promotion and big-league debut on May 27, 2021.Fast forward to now, Manoah has established himself as Toronto’s ace and as one of baseball’s best young starting pitchers.“I was super-excited to hear that,” Manoah told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith after being named Opening Day starter.“It’s pretty amazing. A couple of years ago, I was coming (into) camp, just doing everything I can to make it hard on them not to send me down to the minor leagues, you know? And a couple of years later, they named me the Opening Day starter. I’m super-blessed for the opportunity.”Th...

Chicago mayoral candidates' push for voters intensifies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago's mayoral candidates were busy hitting the campaign trails as they work to gain voters and endorsements ahead of the April 4 run-off election. Recent polling suggests the race between Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson remains close.Johnson expressed confidence Friday as he traveled across the city meeting with Jewish community leaders, veterans and seniors. The Cook County commissioner has promised safety, jobs and more funding for schools.  Vallas, Johnson face off in WGN’s Chicago Mayoral Debate "As mayor of the city of Chicago, I am going to double the amount of young people we hire, not just for summer jobs, but for year-round jobs, because that's violence prevention," Johnson said. "Funding our schools, funding our parks and recreation, making sure that we have good paying jobs and making sure that our seniors can walk the block without fear." As Johnson bumped shoulders with voters, opponent Vallas gained another city councilmember endorsement:...

Biden, Trudeau say 'inseparable' nations won't fail Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (AP) — President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday celebrated the close, “inseparable” U.S.-Canada relationship and vowed that the two nations remain committed to defending Ukraine as it tries to repel a Russian invasion that has no end in sight.Biden and Trudeau met just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks for the first time since the start of the war. The Chinese and Russian leader agreed to deepen economic bonds between their two countries. But Biden argued that Western resolve remains stronger and warned Russia that the U.S., Canada and their allies would defend “every inch of NATO territory."The president also bristled at the notion that Russia has managed to expand a partnership with Beijing that is allowing Moscow to sustain its economy and war effort despite the U.S. lining up an international coalition to economically isolate Russia with a barrage of sanctions. China, however, thus far h...

WATCH: NASCAR driver Ross Chastain throws watermelons off COTA's 251-foot observation tower

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Ross Chastain won NASCAR's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix last year at Circuit of the Americas, and as a nod to his family's watermelon-farming roots, he threw a big green melon on the track near the finish line to celebrate his first-ever Cup Series victory.It's a celebration he's continued whenever he wins, but it started in Austin. On Friday, he took smashing fruit to a new level and threw a few off the 251-foot observation tower at COTA ahead of Sunday's race. There was a tarp on the ground with targets he was aiming at, and the aftermath of the gravity-fueled fruit colliding with the ground caused huge holes in the tarp but brought big cheers from fans and other onlookers.March, 24 2023: Ross Chastain (right) throws a watermelon off the observation deck at Circuit of the Americas before EchoPark Automotive Gran Prix practice. Chastain's victory celebration is smashing a melon off the top of his car onto the track, and it started with his first win at Austin last...

Public officials join Meals on Wheels Central Texas for annual campaign

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Friday, local public officials teamed up with Meals on Wheels Central Texas to deliver meals as part of the annual March for Meals campaign. According to MOWCTX, the annual campaign is a nationwide effort to generate public awareness about senior hunger and isolation.During the event Friday, State Rep. Lulu Flores, D-Travis County, said, "This is important, because so many folks find themselves isolated in their homes and don't either have the ability, because they live in a food desert, or because they just don't have the appropriate food access at home, or the ability to make their own meals or hot meals. So, this is really important."With one of the country's fastest-growing populations of older adults, the nonprofit said it needs more volunteers to keep up.To learn how to become a volunteer, visit the MOW website for more information.

Look inside a Texas medical cannabis facility as lawmakers move to expand access

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas lawmakers are one step closer to significantly expanding access to medical cannabis. The Texas House Committee on Public Health this week unanimously approved a bill to increase the THC limits in medical cannabis and expand who is eligible to use it.HB 1805 by State Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth) would change the definition of "low-cannabis THC" to 10 milligrams. Cannabis products are currently limited to 1% THC by weight. It would also expand the list of eligible Texans to anyone with a debilitating medical condition or chronic pain "for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid." Currently, only a limited number of chronic illnesses such as cancer, epilepsy, and PTSD are eligible.Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation, Texas' first licensed medical cannabis distributor, said the changes would allow thousands more Texans to access critical pain relief in a safe way."Medical cannabis is a life-saving medicine for people with multiple condi...

Burnsville woman, who was racing teen brother, gets 15-year prison term for Wisconsin couple’s crash deaths

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

A 21-year-old woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison Friday after being convicted of murder in a high-speed crash in 2021 in Burnsville that killed a young couple.Camille Lashay Dennis-Bond of Burnsville was sentenced by Dakota County District Judge Tim Wermager in connection with the crash that killed 22-year-old Tayler Nicole Garza of Woodbury and 22-year-old Dalton Lee Ford of Burnsville.Dalton Lee Ford and Tayler Nicole Garza (Southwest News Media)A Dakota County jury in December convicted Dennis-Bond of two counts of third-degree murder, two counts of criminal vehicular homicide, criminal vehicular operation resulting in great bodily harm and careless driving.According to court documents, Dennis-Bond was racing against a car driven by her brother, who was 17 at the time. Five seconds before the crash, Leon Bond III reached 114 mph. Leon Bond’s Chrysler 200 T-boned a Honda-CRV — Ford was the driver and Garza, the passenger. Dennis-Bond’s Chevrolet Malibu nar...

As Xcel takes nuclear plant offline, it continues to reassure Monticello residents that water is safe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

MONTICELLO, Minn. — Xcel Energy began shutting down its Monticello nuclear power plant on Friday after the continuing release of radioactive material the utility and regulators say is not dangerous but has prompted concerns among nearby residents.Xcel started the shutdown process, and after the plant cools over the next few days, workers will cut out a pipe that is more than 50 years old and had been leaking tritium-contaminated water, said Chris Clark, the Minneapolis-based utility’s president. The utility will then have the pipe analyzed in hopes of preventing similar leaks in the future, he said.Xcel had made a short-term fix to capture the leaking contaminated water and reroute it back into the plant for reuse until a permanent repair could be made next month. But Clark said plant operators discovered Wednesday that the container being used to catch the contaminated water had overflowed, resulting in a secondary leak that was determined to have reached the groundwater unde...

Groundbreaking for new, affordable home in Rotterdam

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:11:23 GMT

ROTTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A groundbreaking ceremony took place for a new home in Schenectady County. Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County started to build a home on Cramer Avenue in Rotterdam.The property has been vacant since 2020 when a deteriorating home was demolished. The Capital Region Land Bank donated the property to Habitat for Humanity as part of ongoing efforts to improve access to affordable housing. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "There is a need for affordable housing in not only Schenectady County but in a lot of communities around the country, so it's really important to be able to have options like this for families," Habitat for Humanity of Schenectady County Exec. Dir. Kathy Fernandez said. "Home ownership provides stability not only for the family but for the communities as well."This will be Habitat for Humanity's second home in Rotterdam. The first was completed in 2019.