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US strikes Iranian-backed ammo sites in Syria

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

The U.S. conducted two airstrikes against Iranian-backed militia groups in eastern Syria Thursday night in response to a series of attacks on U.S. forces this month.“These strikes are a direct response to a series of ongoing attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria that began on October 17,” a senior defense official told reporters Thursday.While the sites were used by local militias, the official said they are funded and equipped by Iran.“Let’s be clear, Iran is responsible” for the attacks on U.S. forces, the official said.American F-16s hit the two locations near Abu Kamal, one of which was a weapons storage area while the other was an ammunition storage area, according to a military official.It is not yet clear if any Iranians were present at the sites, said the two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the topic.American troops have come under attack by a mix of one-way drones and rockets 19 times in Syria and Iraq this month.Overall, 21 service membe...

Orbán wants Ukraine to ‘negotiate’ for military aid cash

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

Presented by ASD By LAURA KAYALI with JOSHUA POSANER and CALEB LARSON PRESENTED BY View in your browser or listen to audioSNEAK PEEK— As EU leaders meet again today, Viktor Orbán is still refusing to free more cash for military aid to Kyiv. — Ammunition: Beyond the pace of production, the next biggest issue is cost. — In Ukraine, the future of warfare is a $400 drone killing a $2 million tank. Good morning, and welcome to Morning Defense. Tips to jposaner@politico.eu, lkayali@politico.eu and clarson@politico.eu or follow us at @joshposaner, @LauKaya and @calebmlarson.DRIVING THE DAYEUCO BUDGET TALKS: It’s Day Two of the latest summit of EU leaders, with debate on aid to Ukraine bubbling in the background. Some, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have said that more could be done to reallocate existing EU budget cash rather than ask countries themselves to cough up €66 billion toward extra military funding for Kyiv,...

Mass arrests target LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria while abuses against them are ignored, activists say

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Law enforcement authorities in Nigeria are using the country’s same-sex prohibition law to target the LGBTQ+ community while ignoring abuses against them, rights groups and lawyers say, in the wake of fresh mass arrests of gay people.Nigeria is one of more than 30 of Africa’s 54 countries where homosexuality is criminalized in laws that are broadly supported by the public, even though the constitution guarantees freedom from discrimination, and the right to private and family life. Mass arrests and detention of queer Nigerians that continued this week were done without proper investigations and could further expose them to danger amid the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments in Africa’s most populous country, rights groups said.The country’s paramilitary agency on Monday announced the arrest of more than 70 young people – 59 men and 17 women – in the northern Gombe state, accusing them of “holding homosexual birthdays” and having “the intention to hold a same-sex marriage.”F...

Friday opens unseasonably mild—then temps begin to plummet as coldest air of the season approaches; first snowflakes likely for Halloween

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

Friday opens unseasonably mild; it will continue into early afternoon—then readings begin to plummet as the first of two cold surges arrives Friday/early Saturday temperature snapshots:Heaviest area rainfall totals through 9pm Thursday—(rainfall since midnight)One final mild day before "colder than normal" readings take holdUpper-level winds/anomalies from normalFrom an unseasonably warm, southwest flow to a buckling jet stream which shifts steering winds northwest directly from Canada---this will help deliver the season’s coldest air to date with early December level temperatures expected for Halloween.Markedly colder air hits Friday evening Predicted temperature change late tomorrow night compared to Thursday night FORECAST AM WIND CHILLS MONDAY AND TUESDAY   In addition to the COLD AIR arrival, the season’s first snowflakes are likely to fall Halloween afternoon Tracking the flurries/snow showers arrival Tracking the season’s coldest air—from unseasonably mild...

Commission endorses Lithuania's €3.8 billion modified recovery and resilience plan, including a REPowerEU chapter

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

The Commission adopted a positive assessment of Lithuania's modified recovery and resilience plan, which includes a REPowerEU chapter. The plan is now worth €3.85 billion (€2.3bn in grants and €1.55bn in loans) which is nearly double the size of the initial recovery and resilience plan.The REPowerEU chapter includes one reform and three investments to deliver on the REPowerEU Plan's objectives to make Europe independent of Russian fossil fuels well before 2030.In addition to this, Lithuania has added further investments to its original plan, notably two funds that will provide loans for the clean energy transition. One of these funds will incentivise the uptake of renewable energy by businesses, while the other will boost the transition of businesses towards green and high value-added technologies. Lithuania has also scaled up measures which were already included in the original plan, such as strengthening the state's cybersecurity capabilities.For four out of 48 measures related to...

2 dead, including suspect, after stabbing in downtown L.A.

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

Two people are dead, including the suspect and another person is in critical condition after stabbing Thursday in downtown Los Angeles, authorities confirmed to KTLA. Officers responded to the area of West 6th and South Spring streets at about 3:45 p.m.Initial reports indicate one victim, a male in his 60s, was found with stab wounds to his stomach outside of a Starbucks. Two people were transported to area hospitals, a LAPD spokesperson told KTLA. Authorities did not say which one of the victims died. The scene at 6th & Spring in downtown Los Angeles. Oct. 26, 2023. Additional officers were called in to apprehend the suspect, an Asian male, who was hiding inside the Hayward Hotel, police said. Authorities said that when the suspect was located, he was harming himself with a sharp object and said they believe that contributed to his death. Police did not say if force was used on the man. Spring Street was closed to traffic in both directions while police investigated.

During manhunt for suspect in Maine shooting that killed 18, authorities twice converge Thursday on his last known residence

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

Bowdoin, Maine (CNN) — A manhunt for a suspect accused of killing 18 people in a bowling alley and a restaurant in Maine surpassed 24 hours Thursday evening – on a day that saw law enforcement twice converge on the suspect’s last known address for searches.The second time authorities massed at Robert Card’s residence in Bowdoin on Thursday brought tense moments in the evening, as law enforcement officials surrounded the home and one officer could be heard saying “come out with your hands up.”But that episode appeared to end uneventfully, with authorities leaving the scene two hours later and Maine State Police saying they were done there for the night. Investigators had thought they detected something inside or near the home, which prompted the activity, a law enforcement official said.Authorities were simply doing their due diligence while trying to execute search warrants, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss told CNN Thur...

Baker Mayfield remains upbeat after Buccaneers’ comeback bid fails on final play in loss to Bills

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fought back and had an opportunity to win on the final play of the game.But a slow-starting offense, poor field position, and critical, self-imposed errors were too much to overcome for Tampa Bay (3-4). The Buccaneers dropped their third straight and fourth in five outings with a 24-18 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.“We showed fight tonight,” Mayfield said. “That’s the one thing that we can hang our hats on. We gave it everything we had there at the end. But we have to play better early on. We can’t hurt ourselves in too many situations where we’re trying to move the ball. Those momentum killers were critical tonight.”Mayfield limped as he walked up the tunnel after greeting Bills quarterback Josh Allen, his 2018 draft classmate at midfield after the game. Mayfield was 25 of 42 passing for 237 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He took three sacks for the second consecutive game, and was ...

McLaren racing into F1 Mexico City Grand Prix on podium streak by Norris and Piastri

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — McLaren is on the march into Mexico City.While Red Bull’s Max Verstappen sucks up all the energy and almost all the victories in Formula One, McLaren is cruising into Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix on a streak of four consecutive podium finishes.Only Red Bull and Verstappen have been better in the second half of the season. And that has some asking if McLaren, which has just one grand prix win since 2012, could be the team to dethrone Red Bull in 2024. McLaren boss Zak Brown has even suggested that Oscar Piastri, his 22-year-old Australian rookie, has the makings of a future champion. “He’s extremely quick, he’s very mature, he’s very technical. He’s very calm: all the things that you’d like to see out of a rookie but you don’t necessarily always see out of a rookie,” Brown said. “He’s definitely showing every sign of being a potential future world champion.”McLaren has already awarded Piastri a multi-year contract extension. Even Verstappen has said ...

Joel Hofer makes 27 saves in 1st career shutout as Blues blank Flames 3-0

Published Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:46:01 GMT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Oskar Sundqvist had a goal and an assist and rookie Joel Hofer made 27 saves in his first career shutout as the St. Louis Blues beat the Calgary Flames 3-0 on Thursday night.Kasperi Kapanen and Nick Leddy scored in the first period as St. Louis evened its record at 1-1-0 on its four-game trip. Sundqvist added an empty-net goal in the final minute.“Definitely pretty cool,” said Hofer, 23. “I’m obviously very grateful to be in this position and the guys played really great in front of me and I’m just happy to get the win tonight.”As for the game puck?“My dad likes holding on to things like that,” he said. “So I’ll probably give it to him.”Calgary lost its fourth straight game to fall to 2-4-1and has been held without a goal at home for nearly six periods. The Flames’ only goal in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers came 75 seconds into the first period.Boos cascaded down from the Saddledome crowd throughout the game’s final five minutes.“I just want to a...