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UK to house thousands of asylum seekers in ex-military bases

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s government said Wednesday it was planning to house thousands of asylum seekers in two disused military bases, the latest in a series of measures to discourage migrants from crossing the English Channel to U.K. shores in small unseaworthy boats. Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the former Royal Air Force barracks in England will provide “basic and functional accommodation” for up to 3,700 asylum seekers and save the government billions of pounds (dollars) a year housing them in expensive hotels.“Accommodation for migrants should meet their essential living needs and nothing more. Because we cannot risk becoming a magnet for the millions of people who are displaced and seeking better economic prospects,” Jenrick said.Authorities say taxpayers are footing a 2.3 billion-pound ($2.8 billion) hotel bill a year to house asylum seekers, who often remain in temporary accommodation for months as they wait for a decision from officials struggling to cope w...

Indonesia stripped of hosting Under-20 World Cup by FIFA

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

ZURICH (AP) — Indonesia was stripped of hosting the men’s Under-20 World Cup on Wednesday amid political turmoil regarding Israel’s participation.FIFA said Indonesia was removed from staging the 24-team tournament scheduled to start on May 20 “due to the current circumstances” without specifying details.The decision came after a meeting in Doha between FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Indonesian soccer federation president Erick Thohir.Israel qualified for its first Under-20 World Cup in June. The country’s participation in Friday’s scheduled draw in Bali provoked political opposition this month.Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel, while publicly supporting the Palestinian cause.Indonesia’s hosting was cast into doubt on Sunday when FIFA postponed the draw.It is unclear who could now host the tournament, which was scheduled to be played in six stadiums in Indonesia.Argentin...

‘Ultra-rare’ pink diamond expected to sell for more than $35 million at auction

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

A pink diamond of “unparalleled color and brightness” is expected to fetch over $35 million when it goes on sale in New York, auction house Sotheby’s announced Wednesday.Weighing 10.57 carats and named The Eternal Pink, the “ultra-rare” gemstone will go under the hammer this June, four years after South African firm De Beers discovered it at one of its mines in Botswana.Officially classed as “purplish pink” in color, it is the most valuable diamond of its shade ever to appear at auction, according to Sotheby’s. The auction house’s head of jewelry for the Americas, Quig Burning, said in a statement that the stone was “joining the ranks of the most important diamonds in history.”The price of diamonds is largely determined by what gemology experts call the four “Cs”: carat, cut, color and clarity. For the latter grading, the stone has been classed as “internally flawless,” meaning any blemishes ar...

A different March Madness: Online hate for the athletes

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — It wasn’t so much that social media was criticizing his son. That happens sometimes — especially after a loss like THAT. But when a post came up suggesting Terrance Williams II, a junior forward for Michigan, be left for dead in a ditch, his dad decided enough was enough. Terrance Williams Sr.’s profanity-laced response to all the haters was, in many ways, an expected byproduct of social media vitriol that bubbled up after the Wolverines blew an eight-point lead in a one-point loss to Vanderbilt earlier this month — not in the NCAA Tournament but in the NIT.“You actually root for them when they’re good,” Williams Sr. said of the Michigan fans in an interview with The Associated Press two days after the season-ending loss. “But then they make a mistake, and a game doesn’t go your way and you turn to hate. That’s unacceptable.”The episode was just one of countless examples of the toxic minefield that athletes, coaches, friends and family face all too often on soci...

Women making case in tourney for own March Madness TV deal

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

Women’s basketball seems to have found a winner with its new Sweet 16 format in March Madness and the timing couldn’t be better with looming TV contract negotiations on the horizon.There were record-setting attendance at the two sites — Greenville, South Carolina and Seattle — along with record numbers for TV ratings. It fueled the momentum heading into a star-packed Final Four lineup in Dallas.NCAA selection committee chair Lisa Peterson expects the format success to help in upcoming contract negotiations. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer.“It has to,” she said. “I’m very much looking forward to seeing those conversations. It only can be good for the game. People are talking about it.”TV ratings for games on Friday and Saturday averaged 1.2 million viewers, a 73% increase over last year. Saturday afternoon’s Ohio State and UConn matchup on ABC was the most watched women’s Sweet 16 game on record with an average of 2.4 million.Ratings were also up for...

Google, others say Uganda anti-LGBTQ bill bad for business

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — A business group including corporate giants such as Google says it opposes Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ legislation, calling it “a concern for global businesses and investors operating or planning to invest” in the East African country. The legislation, which prescribes the death penalty or life imprisonment for some homosexual offenses, would hurt Uganda’s economy, the Open For Business coalition said in a statement Wednesday. “Diversity and inclusion are core principles of our coalition partners in the conduct of their businesses,” the statement said. The legislation, if signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni, “would undermine Uganda’s attractiveness as a place to do business and invest,” it said. In addition to Google, the Open For Business coalition includes companies such as Microsoft, MasterCard, HSBC and Facebook owner Meta. Uganda’s legislature last week passed the anti-homosexuality bill. The legislation is now with Museveni, who ...

Capitol Riot: FBI informant testifies for Proud Boys defense

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — An FBI informant who marched to the U.S. Capitol with fellow Proud Boys members on Jan. 6 testified on Wednesday that he didn’t know of any plans for the far-right extremist group to invade the building and didn’t think they inspired the violence that day.The informant, who identified himself in court only as “Aaron,” was a defense witness at the trial of former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four lieutenants charged with seditious conspiracy for what prosecutors said was a plot to keep Donald Trump in the White House after the 2020 presidential election.The informant was communicating with his FBI handler as a mob of Trump supporters breached police barricades at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.The Proud Boys “did not do it, nor inspire,” the informant texted his handler. “The crowd did as herd mentality. Not organized.”The handler’s response was redacted from a screenshot that a defense attorney showed to jurors.“Barriers down at capital...

15-year-old charged with attempted murder of Denver police officer

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A 15-year-old was charged with the attempted murder of a police officer on Wednesday. According to the Denver District Attorney's office, on March 21, a program known as ShotSpotter detected 36 rounds of gunfire around 9 p.m. in the Whittier neighborhood. ShotSpotter uses artificial intelligence and a network of microphones to determine if sounds are gunfire. Officers responded to the gunfire in an alley off 30th Avenue between North Gilpin and North Williams Street. Colorado violent youth crime rising after 3 years of improvement According to the DA, Denver Police Department officers approached three males that were walking in the area when one of the males allegedly fired a gun at one of the officers.The DA confirmed the officer was not injured, and the juvenile that allegedly fired the shots was placed into custody.The DA did not identify the 15-year-old by name. The 15-year-old faces the following charges:Attempted murder of a peace officerProhibited possession...

How much more yearly income does it take to go from a condo to a home in Colorado?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Upsizing from a condo to a house is not a huge difference in annual income in Denver, thanks in part to condo prices being already some of the nation's highest. Real estate news and analysis site Point2Home crunched housing data in 200 U.S. cities to find which cities have the lowest bar for condo owners to jump into a detached single-family home. Researchers calculated the "price difference to income ratio," or the number of years worth of income that it would take to match the difference between a condo and a detached home. Colorado had a bigger share of movers than any other state in 2021 Depending on the city, condo-owning Coloradans could need anywhere between two and four years' worth of income to afford a single-family home.In Lakewood, it takes an income of 3.9 years more to afford a single-family home than a condo, which is in the top 25% nationwide and about $303,000. How much could Denver area renters save if they bunked with a roommate? It takes a s...

Classes canceled at Loveland High due to unfounded threat

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 19:11:52 GMT

LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) — Classes at Loveland High School were canceled for the remainder of the day Wednesday after a threat was made against the campus.According to the school, a tip was reported through Safe2Tell that a threat was made against Loveland High School Wednesday morning. The tip was then provided to local law enforcement.The Loveland Police Department investigated the tip and confirmed there was no credible threat at the school and that all students and staff were safe. 15-year-old charged with attempted murder of Denver police officer However, Loveland High School said the tip caused a disruption in the class schedule, and as a result classes were canceled for the remainder of the day and students were sent home. "The safety and security of all students, staff and visitors is the number one priority of our district team. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remain vigilant and to take all reasonable steps and precautions to help keep everyo...