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Corruption trial begins for former Indonesia IT minister over mobile phone tower project

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s anti-graft court on Tuesday began a trial for a former communication and information technology minister who was charged with corruption over the construction of mobile phone transmission towers in remote parts of the country.Prosecutors allege that Johnny G. Plate changed the terms of the 8 trillion rupiah ($533 million) procurement project and the number of construction sites without conducting feasibility studies and that he personally enriched himself with 17.8 billion rupiah ($1.2 million).Anang Achmad Latif, the director of an agency under the Communications and Information Ministry, and Yohan Suryanto, a development expert from the University of Indonesia, were indicted alongside Plate for similar charges.Prosecutors also said Plate asked Latif for 500 million rupiah ($33,353) a month from March 2021 to October 2022, with the money coming from a consortium company that worked for the project. Plate, who was part of the government coalitio...

The reason US response to the Russia rebellion has been decidedly cautious

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — On the surface, the turmoil in Russia would seem like something for the U.S. to celebrate: a powerful mercenary group engaging in a short-lived clash with Russia’s military at the very moment that Ukraine is trying to gain momentum in a critical counteroffensive.But the public response by Washington has been decidedly cautious. Officials say the U.S. had no role in the conflict, insist this was an internal matter for Russia and decline to comment on whether it could affect the war in Ukraine. The reason: to avoid creating an opening for Russian President Vladimir Putin to seize on the rhetoric of American officials and rally Russians by blaming his Western adversaries.Even President Joe Biden, known for straying from talking points, has stayed on script.Biden told reporters Monday that the United States and NATO weren’t involved. Biden said he held a video call with allies over the weekend and they are all in sync in working to ensure that they give Putin “no excus...

Congo fashion show hopes to inspire peace, creativity in region affected by conflict

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

GOMA, Congo (AP) — As she puts the final touches on her latest collection, a fashion designer in Congo sees the pinning, sewing and ironing as a way to send a message to the world. “Through art, all the colors that we will express, through our clothes, it will be full of emotions, trying to explain what we are going through in our country,” Flore Mfuanani Nsukula says in her Goma workshop.Conflict in eastern Congo has gone on for decades as myriad armed groups fight for control of valuable mineral resources. There are frequent mass killings, and the violence has triggered an exodus of refugees.On Saturday, organizers held the ninth edition of the Liputa fashion show, which they say is an opportunity to inspire peace and peaceful coexistence across Africa.“Africans must be one, be united. It is true that we have a very wide cultural diversity, but this diversity must bring us together,” Cameroonian fashion designer Délia Ndougou said. She presented a collection inspired by her ...

Farmers markets thrive as customers and vendors who latched on during the pandemic remain loyal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Farmers markets gave people something they desperately sought during the pandemic: A place to shop outdoors, and at the same time support smaller, often local businesses.The markets are now building on that goodwill as the customers that became regulars and the vendors who set up shop in 2021 and 2022 return for the new season. Back in 2020, the markets were deemed non-essential and had been forced to close. Small vendors ranging from farm stands to dog treat makers say the markets offer them access to customers and a connection to the community.Taylor Choi, operations manager at Green City Market in Chicago, said the Green City Saturday market used to bring in 5,000 to 10,000 shoppers pre-pandemic. Now that figure is 8,000 to 15,000. Green City is one of nearly 7,000 farmers markets listed in the USDA local food directory, up from about an estimated 2,000 in 1994, per the the Farmers Market Coalition.Some shoppers shy away from farmers market vendors because prices ...

Extreme heat 'disproportionately' impacts people with disabilities says human rights watchdog

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

People with disabilities in Spain and other European countries have been disproportionately affected by unprecedented heat extremes, a leading human rights watchdog said on Monday (26 June), urging authorities to provide adequate support.Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report that people with disabilities faced risk of death, physical, social, and mental health distress due to extreme heat particularly if "left to cope with dangerous temperatures on their own".Some people with disabilities are more likely to have health conditions or use medication that can affect the body's ability to respond to heat. Having to stay home due to the heat can also lead to social isolation, HRW said.Jonas Bull, assistant disability rights researcher at HRW, said that inaccessible urban spaces exacerbated the problem. Bull said his research focused on Spain but can be applied to other nations in Europe, which according to scientists is the fastest warming continent on the planet.The report said lack...

Single family residence sells for $2.4 million in Pleasanton

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

1387 Bordeaux Street – Google Street ViewA spacious house located in the 1300 block of Bordeaux Street in Pleasanton has new owners. The 2,430-square-foot property, built in 1991, was sold on May 23, 2023, for $2,350,000, or $967 per square foot. The property features four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage. It sits on a 0.4-acre lot.These nearby houses have also recently been sold:In August 2022, a 3,328-square-foot home on Locke Court in Pleasanton sold for $2,660,000, a price per square foot of $799. The home has 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.On Grant Court, Pleasanton, in March 2023, a 3,357-square-foot home was sold for $3,200,000, a price per square foot of $953. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.A 3,396-square-foot home on the 4100 block of Grant Court in Pleasanton sold in July 2022, for $3,500,000, a price per square foot of $1,031. The home has 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. 

Howard leads Atlanta against Washington after 24-point outing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

Atlanta Dream (5-7, 4-4 Eastern Conference) at Washington Mystics (8-5, 4-4 Eastern Conference)Washington; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Atlanta visits the Washington Mystics after Rhyne Howard scored 24 points in the Dream’s 110-80 loss to the New York Liberty.The Mystics are 4-4 in Eastern Conference games. Washington has a 3-3 record against opponents over .500.The Dream are 4-4 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is fourth in the WNBA with 36.3 rebounds per game led by Cheyenne Parker averaging 7.3.The matchup Wednesday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.TOP PERFORMERS: Elena Delle Donne is averaging 18.1 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Mystics.Parker is averaging 15.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals for the Dream.LAST 10 GAMES: Mystics: 7-3, averaging 76.7 points, 34.1 rebounds, 17.7 assists, 7.4 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 40.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 72.7 points per game.Dream: 4-6, averagi...

EPP’s Manfred Weber vows to vote down EU nature law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

European People’s Party MEPs will vote against the EU’s Nature Restoration Law in the European Parliament’s environment committee Tuesday, EPP chief Manfred Weber confirmed to POLITICO. Speaking to Brussels Playbook, Weber argued that the law risks higher food prices and threatens farmers’ livelihoods and global food supplies in times of war. “To push through a law now, which will lead to lower [food] production, also according to the Commission, is not the right time … The EPP will vote against the bill … we need a new proposal to address the concerns,” he said.The law sets a target for vegetation that supports biodiversity to cover 10 percent of the EU’s farming territory by 2030 — which would force the reconversion of some arable land into forests, orchards or ditches. While EU countries voted in favor of the law, the majority was thin, with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo saying he wants to “hit the pause button” on the legislation....

Uncommon but affecting millions: the rare disease paradox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

References1“What is a rare disease?” EURORDIS, www.eurordis.org/information-support/what-is-a-rare-disease/.2Nguengang Wakap S, Lambert DM, Olry A, et al., “Estimating cumulative point prevalence of rare diseases: analysis of the Orphanet database,” Eur J Hum Genet, September 2019, www.nature.com/articles/s41431-019-0508-0.3Tambuyzer E, “Rare diseases, orphan drugs and their regulation: questions and misconceptions,” Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, November 2010, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21060315/.4“Regulation (EC) no 141/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1999 on orphan medicinal products,” European Parliament, December 2019, eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2000:018:0001:0005:en:PDF.5“Orphan Medical Product designation,” European Medicines Agency, 2023, www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/other/orphan-medicines-figures-2000-2022_en.pdf.6“Expanding research into rare diseases,” Horizon, ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magaz...

Wagner and Russia are here to stay in Africa, says Kremlin’s top diplomat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:53 GMT

PARIS — Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has vowed Wagner Group’s operations in Mali and the Central African Republic “will continue” despite the failed rebellion led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the mercenaries, against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The paramilitary group has expanded its reach across Latin America, the Middle East and Africa in recent years and is seen by Western governments as Russia’s armed foreign policy apparatus. Prigozhin’s mutiny raised questions about the future of its overseas operations.Prigozhin led an uprising against Putin’s army beginning Friday night, first seizing the major southern city of Rostov-on-Don and sending his mercenary forces on a march to Moscow before abruptly standing down his men Saturday night. In Africa, where the group exercises influence in the Central African Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso, Wagner offers its services and help to prop up anti-Western governments in exchange for access to natural resource...