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In grim drought, Tunisians ration water in state-ordered ban

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — It’s a feeble drip, drip, drip from the taps every night in Tunisia for six months. Spigots are cut off for seven hours from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. in a state-ordered water rationing in most regions across the country, including Tunis, the capital city. Tunisians are on the front lines of a battle against an increasingly severe drought, now in its fifth year in the north African country, with the government issuing a sudden order to its population to ration their water usage from April to September — or risk fines or jail.Households now need a supply of bottled water to wash, use toilets and prepare meals during late night hours. Authorities have also forbidden the use of potable water for irrigation of farmlands, watering green areas in cities and for cleaning streets and cars. Water levels at almost all of Tunisia’s 30-plus dams have fallen drastically, some as low as 17% of their storage capacity.The Sidi Salem dam in northwest Tunisia provides tap water to Tunis ...

Uvalde families plead for languishing Texas gun bills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Parents whose children were killed in the Robb Elementary School massacre made sobbing pleads for stricter gun laws before legislators early Wednesday on languishing proposals that appeared headed to stall in the face of a Republican majority. The emotional late-night hearing — which started Tuesday morning and stretched past midnight — underlined both the sustained anger by some Uvalde families nearly a year after the shooting and the continued GOP opposition in Texas to passing any new restrictions. The meeting of a state House committee was significant because it marked the first time Texas lawmakers have given any proposed gun restrictions a hearing since the May 2022 shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers. Much of the debate centered on a proposal that would raise the age to purchase semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 years old, which Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has opposed. “Tess didn’t have a choice in life and death,” said Veronica Mata, refer...

The Storm Behind the Warmth, and a look at FINICKY APRIL TEMPS—What the past half century of Aprils (dating back to 1973) tells us about what may follow in the remaining weeks of April

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

It appears, beyond brief warming—first in the south suburbs Wednesday—then over the city and remainder of the Chicago area Wednesday night and Thursday—that we're entering a cooler than normal period overall in the next 2 weeks. What's more, if there's another 4-day run of 80s to come in the coming two weeks, it's not showing up yet on the constellation of models we examine as guides to our forecast preparation each day. It seems safe to say—at least this point—that we NOT likely to see another 4-day run of 80s such as the one which occurred last Wed-Thu-Fri and Sat—any time soon. It will happen as we get deeper into the warm season—just not in the foreseeable future.HERE'S MORE ON WHAT I'VE FOUND IN APRILS (Beyond April 18th) IN THE PAST HALF CENTURY IN CHICAGOTHE SATURDAY TO MONDAY 44° TEMP DROP, from a July-like 83° high Saturday to Monday's blustery and chilly 39° high with a dusting of morning snow in a number of locations across Chicago, ISN'T RARE. Not every years sees anythi...

Spanish PM apologizes over sexual consent law reform loophole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

In an interview published on Sunday (16 April), Spain's Premier Pedro Sanchez (pictured) apologized to victims of sexual assault over a law against sexual violence that contained a loophole that allowed at least 978 prisoners to have their sentences reduced or terminated early.The "Only Yes Is Yes", which was a law that was enacted partly in response to the public outrage caused by the so-called Wolf Pack Case centered on consent. Its purpose was to settle cases where defendants had been convicted of a lesser crime, sexual abuse, because the victims did not resist out of fear.Some perpetrators who were convicted prior to the law's implementation have been able to obtain reduced sentences or an early release.The General Council of the Judiciary, the highest body of judges, announced last week that 104 prisoners had been released earlier than scheduled as of March 31 after the October law passed."Some of these reviews or releases are not final. They can still be appealed." In any case...

G7 ministers encouraged to support existing and new nuclear projects

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

​In light of the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment ministers' meeting in Sapporo, Japan, nucleareurope – together with its international partners – has issued a statement calling on governments to recognize the invaluable role of nuclear in enabling a clean and sustainable energy future, Press Release."Given the challenges which we face in terms of decarbonising our economies and ensuring a secure supply of energy, all actors need to work together to extend the life of the existing nuclear fleet for as long as is technically and economically feasible,” said nucleareurope Director General Yves Desbazeille. “Furthermore, we need policies which will support the financing and construction of new nuclear projects.”According to the statement – co-signed by nucleareurope together with the Canadian Nuclear Association, Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Nuclear Energy Institute (US), Nuclear Industry Association (UK) and World Nuclear Association – G7 countries are encouraged to:Maximize the u...

Rescatan a 11 pescadores indonesios frente a costas australianas tras seis días sin agua ni comida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

(CNN) — Once pescadores indonesios fueron rescatados este lunes de la diminuta isla de Bedwell, frente a la costa occidental de Australia, después de que dos barcos pesqueros fueran destruidos por el ciclón tropical Ilsa, según un comunicado de la Autoridad Australiana de Seguridad Marítima (AMSA).Los once pescadores estuvieron seis días sin comida ni agua en la remota isla de Rowley Shoals, a unos 300 kilómetros al oeste de Broome, en la costa noroccidental australiana.El ciclón Ilsa establece un nuevo récord de viento al azotar la costa occidental de AustraliaSegún las autoridades, al menos otras ocho personas de uno de los pesqueros también están desaparecidas. Uno de los supervivientes pasó 30 horas en el agua antes de llegar a la isla de Bedwell.Los 11 pescadores rescatados fueron avistados por un avión de la Fuerza Fronteriza Australiana (ABF) durante una misión de vigilancia planificada, lo que llevó a la AMSA a enviar un helicóptero de rescate.Las dos embarcaciones que...

Iraq’s years of carnage still engrained in Baghdad streets

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — There are places around Baghdad where I’ll sometimes say a silent prayer for the dead when I pass — on certain residential streets, at a particular restaurant, in a square where minibuses gather. Today, people go about their daily business in these places, perhaps no longer thinking of the horror that took place years ago right where they are walking. For me, each site has become indelibly linked to the carnage I saw and the pain people suffered there.As an Associated Press photographer, I covered 20 years of turmoil since the U.S.-led invasion of my country. At the height of the sectarian butchery following the invasion, I and other photographers rushed to the scenes of suicide bombings, rocket strikes and shootings around Baghdad nearly every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Iraqis today remember the pervasive fear of that era, but with so many bombings, the specifics of individual attacks may have faded. This series of composites joins some of my photos from th...

Kraken make successful playoff debut, stun Avalanche 3-1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

DENVER (AP) — There were of course so many “firsts” for the Seattle Kraken in their postseason debut.First playoff goal for the franchise (and answer to a future trivia question) — Eeli Tolvanen. First playoff penalty — Will Borgen. Above all, first playoff win and brief celebration. Alex Wennberg had a goal and an assist, Philipp Grubauer stopped 34 shots and the Kraken made a successful postseason debut by beating the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Tuesday night. The second-year Kraken became the 13th expansion franchise to earn a win in their first postseason game, according to NHL Stats. “Obviously, we played a good game, getting the first franchise win in the playoffs. But right now this is Game 1,” Wennberg said. “Obviously, we are happy about this performance, but we’ve got to do it again and do it again.”Grubauer was sharp all night against his former team. He frustrated Colorado’s top scorers with one big save after another, while his defense...

Grandes zonas de Asia baten récords con temperaturas cálidas extremas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

(CNN) — Numerosos países asiáticos están batiendo récords de temperatura, mientras la brutal ola de calor del mes de abril sigue afectando a gran parte del continente.Laos ha sido el último país en batir un nuevo récord histórico, ya que este martes Luang Prabang alcanzó los 42,7° C (109° F), según el historiador meteorológico Maximiliano Herrera.El fin de semana, Tailandia superó los 45° C por primera vez en su historia, según Herrera. La ciudad de Tak alcanzó los 45,4° C el sábado, pero gran parte del país ha estado entre los 30 y los 40 grados desde finales de marzo.China siembra nubes para reponer el río Yangtze, que se está secando en medio del calor extremoLas temperaturas abrasadoras también se han extendido por China. Este martes se registraron temperaturas de hasta 42,4° C en Yuanyang, a sólo 0,3° C del récord nacional de abril, según Herrera. Este lunes, más de 100 estaciones meteorológicas de 12 provincias batieron su récord de temperatura de abril, según el climató...

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising commemorated on 80th anniversary

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:20 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Presidents and Holocaust survivors and their descendants are commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on Wednesday with a poignant sense that the responsibility for carrying on the memory of the Holocaust is passing from the witnesses to younger generations.The anniversary honors the hundreds of young Jews who took up arms in Warsaw in 1943 against the overwhelming might of the Nazi German army. There are no surviving fighters still alive. Marek Edelman, the last surviving commander, died in 2009. He remained in Poland and helped keep alive the memory of the revolt in his homeland. Simcha Rotem, a fighter who smuggled others out of the burning ghetto through sewage tunnels, died in 2018 in Israel, where he settled.The small number of surviving witnesses today were mostly children at the time of the revolt. Official commemorations will be attended by presidents Isaac Herzog of Israel, Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany and Andrzej Duda of...