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Shireen Abu Akleh’s Colleagues Are Still Waiting for Justice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

At Al Jazeera’s headquarters in the occupied West Bank, in a high-rise building by Ramallah’s central square, Shireen Abu Akleh’s colleagues have turned her office into a memorial. A room that was once filled by the veteran correspondent’s voice and laughter is now decorated with flowers, portraits, and tributes to her life and career from all over Palestine and the world.This week marks one year since an Israeli soldier killed the Palestinian American journalist with a single shot to the head while she was reporting from the city of Jenin. For her former colleagues, her absence is as dominating as her presence once was.“She was a legend,” Rania Zabaneh, an Al Jazeera producer and friend of Abu Akleh told The Intercept during a visit to the office earlier this year. Abu Akleh was universally loved among her peers and a household name across the Middle East. While she spent her career covering the daily tragedies of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation, her co-workers remember h...

EU lawmakers warn of Hungary, Poland spyware abuses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union lawmakers investigating the use of Pegasus spyware against opposition politicians and journalists on Tuesday raised deep concern about abuses in Hungary and Poland and lamented a lack of cooperation with their inquiry.The spyware developed by developed by Israeli cyber-intelligence company NSO has been used around the world to break into the phones and computers of political figures, human rights activists, reporters and even Catholic clergy. It was allegedly only made available to government agencies.Cybersleuths have found traces of Pegasus or other spyware in Poland, Hungary, Spain and Greece. But after a year-long investigation, members of the European Parliament said they had been unable to come up with a smoking gun.“Do we have evidence? No, because none of the authorities are cooperating,” said Dutch Liberal lawmaker Sophie In‘t Veld, who helped lead the probe.In’t Veld said the lawmakers suspect, but cannot prove, that Greece exported Predator ...

Rita Lee, Brazil’s long-reigning Queen of Rock, dies at 75

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Rita Lee Jones, Brazil’s million-selling “Queen of Rock” who gained an international following through her colorful and candid style and such hits as “Ovelha Negra,” “Mania de Você” and “Now Only Missing You,” has died at 75. Otherwise known as Rita Lee, she died at her home in Sao Paulo on Monday evening, according to a statement posted to her official Instagram account. With a career spanning six decades, the Sao Paulo native left a lasting mark with her irreverence, creativity and compositions containing messages that helped introduce Brazilian society to feminism, while also candidly addressing her struggles with drug abuse. Although she regarded her voice as “weak and a little out of tune,′ like a sparrow’s, she enjoyed a long run of top-selling albums, including “Rita Lee” and “Rita Lee & Roberto de Carvalho,” and dozens of her songs were featured in widely watched telenovelas in Latin America. The behemoth television network Globo used her renditio...

NBA Playoffs: Surprise, it’s Lakers and Heat with 3-1 leads

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

The two lowest seeds left in the NBA playoffs, a No. 7 in the Los Angeles Lakers and a No. 8 in the Miami Heat, are the teams in the driver’s seats right now.Go figure.There are two teams with 3-1 leads in the NBA conference semifinals, and few probably expected them to even still be playing right now. The Lakers have a 3-1 lead on defending champion and sixth-seeded Golden State in the Western Conference semifinals, while the Heat have a 3-1 lead on fifth-seeded New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals.Looking ahead — looking way ahead — there has never been a No. 7 seed in the NBA Finals, and only one No. 8 seed to play for the title.In this playoff format, the only No. 7 seed to make the conference finals was Seattle in 1987 (losing to the Lakers) and the only No. 8 seed to get there was New York in 1999 (beating Indiana before falling to San Antonio in the finals).WHAT’S NEXT?There are two Game 5s on Tuesday: Phoenix at Denver and Philadelphia at Boston. Those series ...

Models covered by Hyundai and Kia anti-theft software update

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

About 8.3 million Hyundais and Kias dating to the 2011 model year can be stolen easily by using just a screwdriver and a USB cord, creating an auto-theft outbreak across the U.S.The cars lack theft immobilizers, whereby computer chips in the car keys and the steering columns must recognize each other before the engines will start. The wave of thefts began in 2021 and spread nationally as a result of instructional videos posted on TikTok and other social media sites. Some police departments report continued rampant thefts despite the automakers’ unveiling of anti-theft software nearly three months ago.Here are the vehicles covered by the software upgrade:____Hyundai: 2018-2022 Accent2011-2022 Elantra2013-2020 Elantra GT2018-2022 Kona2013-2022 Santa Fe2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport2019 Santa Fe XL2011-2019 Sonata2011-2022 Tucson2012-2017 and 2019-2021 Veloster 2020-2021 Venue2013-2014 Genesis Coupe2020-2021 Palisade._____Kia: 2011-2022 Sportage2011-2020 Optima2011-2022 Sorento, 2011-2...

Tempur Sealy to buy Mattress Firm in $4 billion deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bedding provider Tempur Sealy has agreed to acquire Mattress Firm in a cash-and stock-transaction valued at about $4 billion, the companies said Tuesday.Mattress Firm operates more than 2,300 brick-and-mortar retail locations and an e-commerce platfom. After the Tempur Sealy acquistion is complete, the two companies will have a total of some 3,000 retail stores, 30 e-commerce platforms, 71 manufacturing facilities and four research and development facilities worldwide.“This combination will accelerate our growth trajectory and enhance operating cash flow,” Tempur Sealy Chairman and CEO Scott Thompson said in a statement. “Mattress Firm has been a valued retail partner for more than 35 years, and we look forward to welcoming their talented workforce of more than 8,100 employees to the Tempur Sealy family.”Mattress Firm CEO John Eck added that the transaction will increase the companies’ ability “to better address consumers’ needs and drive growth.”In the...

Sweetgreen donates meals Tuesday as part of Ashburn restaurant opening

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Sweetgreen opens a new D.C.-area location in Ashburn, Virginia. (Courtesy Sweetgreen)Home-grown fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen has opened its newest D.C.-area location in Ashburn, Virginia.The 2,400-square-foot restaurant, at 20347 Exchange Street at One Loudoun, has a bar and a small outdoor patio in addition to its dining room. As part of its grand opening, Sweetgreen is donating one meal to Loudoun Hunger Relief for each meal sold Tuesday, May 9.Sweetgreen has nearly 30 D.C.-area locations now. It reopened its Bethesda Row restaurant earlier this year after a two-month closing for a major renovation.The Ashburn store is a traditional Sweetgreen restaurant, but the fast-causal chain has been experimenting with new store formats. Last fall, it opened its first digital-only pickup location in D.C.’s Mount Vernon neighborhood. It is more or less a self-service operation, with no dining area and no front line services, though there is a patio.Sweetgreen says about 60% of its order...

COVID-19 vaccine maker Novavax to chop workforce, expenses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Novavax is cutting about a quarter of its global workforce as the COVID-19 vaccine maker seeks to slash expenses while dealing with uncertain future revenue.The company said Tuesday that it expects to trim next year’s costs for research and development as well as selling, general and administrative expenses by about 40% to 50% compared to 2022. The company has 1,992 full-time employees. A Novavax representative said the cuts will affect about 20% of that workforce, or nearly 400 people, and all of the vaccine maker’s contractors. Novavax’s protein-based vaccine debuted long after alternatives from companies like Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson had reached the market. Only about 88,458 doses of the Novavax vaccine have been administered in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.That compares to more than 400 million doses of market leader Pfizer’s two-shot original vaccine and updated booster. The COVID-19 vaccine is Novavax’s l...

Ryanair to order between 150 and 300 Boeing 737 Max jets

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

Ryanair will order 150 Boeing 737 Max planes with an option for 150 more, marking the biggest aircraft purchase in the Irish airline’s history and a boost for Boeing.At Boeing’s list prices, the deal would be worth more than $40 billion if Ryanair exercises all the options, but airlines routinely get deep discounts. Financial terms were not disclosed.Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said Tuesday that the planes will replace some of the airline’s older Boeing jets and provide room for growth. The airline selected the largest version of the Max, which O’Leary said will have 21% more seats but burn 20% less fuel than the airline’s current 737s.The airline expects to take delivery of the planes between 2027 and 2033.Boeing is benefitting from a boom in airplane orders, as air travel around the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Arlington, Virginia, company has struggled however with production issues affecting the Max and a larger plane, the 787 Drea...

Armed, dangerous man wanted for 1st-degree murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:31 GMT

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — Police are looking for a 24-year-old who allegedly shot and killed a woman in Lakewood. Patrick Placencio is wanted for the first-degree murder of a 22-year-old. The Lakewood Police Department said Placencio should be considered armed and dangerous. Police believe deadly Tesla shooting began as a road rage According to LPD, the homicide occurred on April 30 at 2:48 a.m. in the 1200 block of South Marshall Street. The area is in the Lasley neighborhood. Police located the woman inside a home where she had died from at least one gunshot wound.Detectives have not stated what the relationship is between Placencio and the victim.According to LPD, Placencio is known to frequent the Lakewood and Denver areas. If you have any information on his whereabouts you are asked to contact the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.