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Matt Gaetz’s Legislative Aide Is a Convicted War Criminal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

Derrick Miller, a former U.S. Army National Guard sergeant who spent eight years in prison for murdering an Afghan civilian in 2010, now serves as a legislative assistant covering military policy for Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz.While on a combat mission in Afghanistan’s Laghman province on September 26, 2010, Miller shot 27-year-old Atta Mohammed in the head during an interrogation. Miller has maintained that he was acting in self-defense, alleging that Mohammed, who had walked through a defensive perimeter established by Miller’s unit, could be a threat to his unit and that he had tried to grab Miller’s weapon during the interrogation. But another National Guard member testified he heard Miller threaten to kill Mohammed if he did not tell the truth; and then sat on top of him — Mohammed was lying prone — before shooting him in the head, killing him. According to the prosecutor, Miller then said, “I shot him. He was a liar.”Mohammed’s body was left in a latrine, in violation ...

Mel King, who helped ease Boston’s racial strife, dies at 94

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Longtime Boston civil rights activist Mel King, whose 1983 campaign for mayor helped the city begin to repair some of the racial divisions sparked during the school busing crisis, has died. He was 94.King served in the state Legislature for nearly a decade before becoming the first Black man to reach a Boston general mayoral contest, facing off against a fellow state representative, Ray Flynn.Gov. Maura Healey ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings Wednesday, acknowledging the death of King, whom she described as a “dedicated public servant and civil rights champion.”The election was a test for the city, which had undergone years of strife following the court-ordered desegregation of the public schools in the mid-1970s. Flynn, who represented the predominantly white, Irish neighborhood of South Boston, was an opponent of busing.But instead of reigniting the discord, the race had the opposite effect, being seen as respectful, even friendly at tim...

AP source: Penn St hiring VCU’s Rhoades as men’s hoops coach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

Penn State is hiring VCU’s Mike Rhoades to be its new men’s basketball coach, a person involved in the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the seven-year contract for Rhoades still needed final approval from the school’s board of trustees, which was scheduled to meet later Wednesday.Rhoades, a Pennsylvania native, will replace Micah Shrewsberry, who was hired away by Notre Dame last week. Shrewsberry, an Indiana native, was at Penn State for two seasons, leading the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Tournament this season.Rhoades, 50, is 176-113 in six seasons as head coach at VCU, including three NCAA Tournament bids. He also spent three seasons at Rice, going 23-12 in the final year with the Owls before returning to VCU.He was an assistant at the Richmond, Virginia, school from 2009-14 under then-head coach Shaka Smart.___March Madness coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews...

Biden: World ‘turning the tide’ after backslide on democracy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday offered an optimistic outlook on the health of democracy worldwide, declaring that leaders are “turning the tide” in stemming a yearslong backslide of democratic institutions.Opening his second democracy summit, Biden looked to spotlight hopeful advancements over the past year despite Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine and U.S. tensions with China over its military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.The president cited signs of progress across the globe, from Angola’s effort to create an independent judiciary, Croatia’s move to boost government transparency and the Dominican Republic’s anti-corruption steps. At home, Biden pointed to his stalled push for voting protections in Congress as evidence of his administration’s commitment to support democracy.“Today, we can say, with pride, democracies of the world are getting stronger, not weaker,” Biden said. “Autocracies of the worl...

NBA, players still talking about new deal as deadline looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday he is hopeful that a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players can get done by the end of this week, though he stopped short of predicting that a deal would actually get struck.The league and the National Basketball Players Association face a Friday deadline for either side to decide that they will opt out of the deal and end the current CBA on June 30. That opt-out deadline already has been extended twice, and Silver said the NBA’s current plan is to exercise that option if there is no deal by Friday night.“I hope we do get one done,” Silver said at the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the league’s Board of Governors. “Because, honestly, I’m only one side of the negotiation, it’s difficult for me to place odds on whether or not that’s going to happen.”The NBPA did not have any immediate reaction to Silver’s comments. Both sides have said throughout this process — and past labor ta...

Se cumplen 50 años del retiro de las tropas de EEUU de Vietnam

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

HO CHI MINH, Vietnam – La retirada de las tropas estadounidenses de Vietnam, de la que este miércoles se cumple medio siglo, condenó al Ejército del sur a una derrota segura contra el norte comunista y a una vida de penalidades a algunos de los vietnamitas que lucharon en el bando americano y no pudieron huir del país tras la derrota.Uno de ellos es el señor Dien, un hombre de 79 años que está ataviado con su chaleco del Ejército de Estados Unidos y su boina de conductor de tanques de Vietnam del Sur, intenta convencer a los turistas de que posen para que él los retrate con su cámara frente a la oficina de Correos de Ho Chi Minh, antigua Saigón.“Me lo regaló un coronel estadounidense y lo conservo desde entonces”, dice orgulloso de su chaleco, que solo se atreve a ponerse desde hace unos 20 años, después de que el Vietnam reunificado bajo el mando comunista se abriera al mundo y aparentemente dejara atrás las rencillas de la guerra civil. Tragedia en ...

3-time All-Star Daniel Murphy signs with Long Island Ducks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — Former Met Daniel Murphy agreed Wednesday to a contract with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League.Murphy, who turns 38 on Saturday, last played in 2020, his second season with Colorado. He hit .236 with three homers and 16 RBIs.A three-time All-Star, Murphy has a .296 average, 138 homers and 735 RBIs in 13 major league seasons with the New York Mets (2008-09, 2011-15), Washington Nationals (2016-18), the Chicago Cubs (2018) and the Rockies.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

GOP lawmakers in Kentucky enact sweeping ban on transgender care for minors by overriding Democratic governor’s veto

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — GOP lawmakers in Kentucky enact sweeping ban on transgender care for minors by overriding Democratic governor’s veto.Source

15-year-old girl accused of murder in Brighton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

BRIGHTON, Colo. (KDVR) -- A 15-year-old girl was accused of murdering a 44-year-old man in Brighton.According to Brighton police, just after midnight Tuesday, officers went to the 400 block of North 6th Avenue to check the wellbeing of a man that had not been heard from in days. Colorado youth violence at 5-year high plateau Inside, they found 44-year-old Joseph Johnson dead from apparent gunshot wounds. After an investigation, the 15-year-old was identified as a suspect. She was arrested in Castle Rock Tuesday afternoon and booked into the Prairie Vista Youth Services Detention Center on murder and motor vehicle theft charges. Due to her age, her identity was not released.

Colorado Rockies turn 30 this season, announce plans to celebrate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:46 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Years and decades have a strange way of passing too fast and not fast enough at the same time, but here in Colorado our sports teams provide great measuring sticks.One of those measurements is the Colorado Rockies Major League Baseball team, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary season this year. Rockies sign manager Bud Black to year extension As part of the celebration, players will wear a 30th-anniversary patch on their uniforms and the team will celebrate historic moments and milestones throughout the season. There will also be fan giveaways as part of the schedule.The Colorado Rockies 30th Anniversary logo. (Image: Colorado Rockies)Past players, including Brad Hawpe, Ubaldo Jiménez, Todd Helton, Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, Larry Walker and others will also be recognized during pregame ceremonies throughout the season. The Rockies joined the MLB in 1993 with the Florida Marlins and played their first two seasons at the historic Mile High Stadium before...