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Afghanistan is the fastest-growing maker of methamphetamine, UN drug agency says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan is the world’s fastest-growing maker of methamphetamine, a report from the United Nations drug agency said Sunday. The country is also a major opium producer and heroin source, even though the Taliban declared a war on narcotics after they returned to power in August 2021.The United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crimes, which published the report, said meth in Afghanistan is mostly made from legally available substances or extracted from the ephedra plant, which grows in the wild.The report called Afghanistan’s meth manufacturing a growing threat to national and regional health and security because it could disrupt the synthetic drug market and fuel addiction. It said seizures of meth suspected to have come from Afghanistan have been reported from the European Union and east Africa.Annual meth seizure totals from inside the country rose from less than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) in 2019 to nearly 2,700 kilograms (6,000 pounds) in 2021, suggesting increased...

Families in Gaza have waited years to move into new homes. Political infighting is keeping them out

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli fighter jets bombed the Zorob family’s two-story home in the Gaza Strip in 2019, leaving nothing but a pile of debris and despair.Four years later, the 10-member family lives in a 20-square-meter (215-square-foot) hut covered with nylon sheets as they wait to move into a permanent home.A sprawling housing project, part of a $500-million Egyptian-funded renewal effort in Gaza, has raised hopes for hundreds of needy families like the Zorobs who have lost their homes in the conflict with Israel. But weeks before the spotless white buildings are set to be completed, there is no word on who qualifies for the 1,400 apartments — or even how to apply for one, as Gaza’s Hamas rulers and the rival, internationally recognized Palestinian Authority bicker over who will be in charge.“No one cares,” said 31-year-old Mohammed Zorob, blaming both sides for the delays. “They are sitting under air conditioners with their children and they don’t care about us.”The ...

UTSA's defense stands up in 2nd half, Roadrunners top Texas State Bobcats 20-13

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

SAN ANTOINIO (AP) — Kevorian Barnes ran for 103 yards, Frank Harris bounced back from an early injury to throw the winning touchdown pass and UTSA defeated Texas State 20-13 on Saturday.The Battle of I-35 drew 49,342 fans, the second-largest crowd to watch the Roadrunners in the Alamodome. The schools are just 50 miles apart. 5 sacks, nearly 350 yards from Quinn Ewers lead Longhorns to 34-24 win over No. 3 Alabama Harris, shaken up in the first half, returned after halftime and found Willie McCoy for a 20-yard score late in the third quarter for a 17-10 lead.After the defense forced a three-and-out on the Bobcats' last possession, Barnes had 35 yards as the Roadrunners ran out the last 4:16.The UTSA defense was strong all day, holding the team that beat Baylor 42-21 last week to 242 yards, just 69 in the second half. In picking up their first win over a Power Five program, Texas State piled up 441 yards. But they went from averaging 6.4 yards per snap to just 4.1.MORE TH...

Miami Hurricanes shrug off slow start, thump Texas A&M Aggies 48-33

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — This season for the Miami Hurricanes was about re-instituting a winning culture led by the players and shown through energetic plays on the field.The Hurricanes are already getting what they worked for. 5 sacks, nearly 350 yards from Quinn Ewers lead Longhorns to 34-24 win over No. 3 Alabama Tyler Van Dyke threw a career-high five touchdown passes Saturday, Brashard Smith returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score and Miami overcame a slow start to defeat No. 23 Texas A&M 48-33.Smith caught a kick near Miami's end zone and burst forward, untouched, for the Hurricanes' longest score of the young year. He celebrated only briefly on the sideline, then scampered back onto the field for kickoff coverage.The play gave the Hurricanes an eight-point lead in the third quarter, and they built on that. It was a stark turnaround after Texas A&M jumped out to a 10-point first-quarter lead.“Players are stepping up,” said receiver Xavier Restrepo, who ha...

Thieves escape with over $30,000 from San Bernardino County restaurants

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

For the second time in a week, a San Bernardino County restaurant was broken into by a group of thieves who escaped with over $30,000 in cash.Surveillance video captured the theft at two locations of Brandon’s Diner — the Rancho Cucamonga location on Sept. 6 and the Upland location on Sept. 9.On Wednesday, four thieves hit the Rancho Cucamonga restaurant on the 8600 block of Baseline Road around 4:40 a.m. They smashed their way inside and ripped out the safe using a drill, the owners said. They escaped with $30,000 in cash.The break-in left a ton of damage for the owners.“They made a mess, they smashed the doors,” said employee Sandra Miradan. “In the back of the store, they broke the doors, they took the safe and they tried to open the [employee] lockers with a metal bar."Two Brandon's Diner locations were broken into by a group of thieves, escaping with over $30,000 in cash on Sept. 6 and Sept. 9 2023. (Brandon's Diner)Two Brandon's Diner locations were broken into by a group of t...

Cal football: Bungling Bears lose to Auburn

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

BERKELEY — Quarterback Sam Jackson V didn’t start the game for Cal, but finished it.Running back Jaydn Ott started but didn’t make it to the end.In between, the Bears squandered a series of chances — including three missed field goals and a 51-yarder that was nullified by a penalty — all of which added up to a 14-10 loss to Auburn in front of a Memorial Stadium crowd of 44,141 and an ESPN audience on Saturday night.The Bears (1-1) found no rhythm offensively after putting up 58 points and 669 yards in their opening victory at North Texas.They found tougher sledding against the Tigers (2-0) of the Southeastern Conference, although Cal led until Payton Thorne threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rivaldo Fairweather with 6:31 left.Jackson, who injured his left (non-throwing) arm against North Texas, started the game on the bench. But he relieved Ben Finley midway through the second quarter and helped push Cal into the lead.Ott, who rushed for 188 yards last week, gained 78 on 20 carries bu...

Vatican holds unprecedented beatification of Polish family of 9 killed for hiding Jews

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — In an unprecedented move, the Vatican on Sunday is beatifying a Polish family of nine — a married couple and their small children — who were executed by the Nazis during World War II for sheltering Jews. Last year, Pope Francis pronounced the deeply Catholic Ulma family, including the child that Wiktoria Ulma was pregnant with, martyrs for the faith, paving the way for the beatification Mass that is taking place in their home village of Markowa, in southeastern Poland. The Ulmas were killed at home by German Nazi troops and by Nazi-controlled local police in the small hours of March 24, 1944, together with the eight Jews they were hiding at home, after they were apparently betrayed. Jozef Ulma, 44, was a farmer, Catholic activist and amateur photographer who documented family and village life. He lived with his 31-year-old wife Wiktoria; their daughters Stanislawa, 7; Barbara, 6; Maria, 18 months; and sons Wladyslaw, 5; Franciszek, 3; and Antoni, 2.With them we...

A southern Swiss region votes on a plan to fast-track big solar parks on Alpine mountainsides

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Voters in a southern Swiss region cast their ballots Sunday to decide whether to allow large solar parks on their sun-baked Alpine mountainsides as part of the federal government’s push to develop renewable energy sources.The referendum in the Valais canton centers on economic and environmental interests at a time of high and rising concerns about climate change. It’s also a noteworthy test of public opinion. “Not-in-my-backyard”-style opposition to the plan over a presumed blight on bucolic Swiss mountain vistas has made for some unusual political allies in the Alpine country.A rejection would not torpedo solar parks entirely if the private sector wants to develop them. But a “no” would set back the region, seen as one of the sunniest and most apt for solar parks in Switzerland, against others like central Bern Oberland or eastern Graubünden for generous federal funding for such projects — up to 60% of needed financing for big solar parks.Proponents say Switzerl...

G20 leaders pay their respects at Gandhi memorial on the final day of the summit in India

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — G20 leaders paid their respects at a memorial site dedicated to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi on Sunday, a day after the forum added a new member and managed to reach agreement on a range of issues but softened their language on Russia’s war in Ukraine. India, this year’s host of the Group of 20 rich and developing nations, ended the first day of the summit with what were seen as diplomatic wins despite pointed disagreements among powerful members, particularly over the war in Ukraine. As the weekend’s first session began, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the group was adding the African Union as a member — part of the Indian leader’s drive to uplift the Global South. A few hours later, India announced that it was able to get the disparate group to sign off on a final statement, but only after softening language on the contentious issue of Russia’s war in Ukraine. It also unveiled an ambitious plan with the United States, t...

Sweden brings more books and handwriting practice back to its tech-heavy schools

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:44:33 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — As young children went back to school across Sweden last month, many of their teachers were putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading time and handwriting practice and devoting less time to tablets, independent online research and keyboarding skills.The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether the country’s hyper-digitalized approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills. Swedish Minister for Schools Lotta Edholm, who took office 11 months ago as part of a new center-right coalition government, was one of the biggest critics of the all-out embrace of technology. “Sweden’s students need more textbooks,” Edholm said in March. “Physical books are important for student learning.”The minister announced last month in a statement that the government wants to reverse the decision by the National Agency for Education ...