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Separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik vows to tear his country apart despite US warnings

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — The Bosnian Serbs’ separatist leader vowed to carry on weakening his war-scarred country to the point where it will tear apart, despite a pledge by the United States to prevent such an outcome.“I am not irrational, I know that America’s response will be to use force … but I have no reason to be frightened by that into sacrificing (Serb) national interests,” Milorad Dodik, the president of Bosnia’s Serb-run part, told The Associated Press in an interview Friday.He said any any attempt to use international intervention to further strengthen Bosnia’s shared, multiethnic institutions will be met by Bosnian Serb decision to abandon them completely and take the country back to the state of disunity and dysfunction it was in at the end of its brutal interethnic war in the 1990s.Because Western democracies will not be agreeable to that, he added, “in the next stage, we will be forced by their reaction to declare full independence” of the Ser...

Dear Abby: I’m feeling used, and I want to stop sharing my company discount with this person

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I am a retired automotive worker. My former employer allows me to share my company discount with close relatives.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I’m thinking of moving if my new neighbor continues this behavior Advice | Dear Abby: Pet owners tell these appalling stories as if they were jokes, and it upsets me Advice | Dear Abby: My boyfriend says I’m being too harsh about his ‘mistake’ Advice | Dear Abby: My friend says my party idea is tacky. Is she right? Advice | Dear Abby: How can I light a fire under the poky tradespeople in my new town? One of them has taken advantage of my discount for the last 15 years, which has saved this person literally thousands of dollars. I don’t share it to get anything in return, but I have never received even so much as a thank-you card from this relative.This person isn’t hurting financially by any means. They constant...

Everything you need to know about Trump and the 14th Amendment

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

If you’re confused by news over the last few weeks about Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on the 2024 ballot in several states, you’re not alone.A slew of state courts and election officials have issued rulings on complicated questions of law and constitutional history — rooted in interpretations of the 14th Amendment — that have led to a dizzying array of legal conclusions about whether Trump “engaged in” an “insurrection” when a mob of his supporters attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.The Colorado Supreme Court deemed Trump ineligible to serve as president again. Maine’s secretary of state — the state’s top election official and a Democrat — made a similar determination. But the state supreme courts in both Michigan and Minnesota have allowed Trump to remain on their primary ballots, and California’s secretary of state did as well. The scattershot decisions have turned the spotlight onto — who else — the U.S. Supreme Court, which many legal experts expect to be the final arb...

Airstrikes over eastern Syria near Iraqi border kills six Iran-backed militants

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Three overnight airstrikes on eastern Syria Saturday near a strategic border crossing with Iraq killed six Iran-backed militants, two members of Iraqi militia groups told The Associated Press.The strikes on the border region of Boukamal came hours after an umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militants — known as the Islamic Resistance — claimed an attack on a U.S. military base in the city of Irbil in northern Iraq. The group has conducted over a hundred attacks on U.S. positions in Iraq and eastern Syria since the onset of the Hamas-Israel war on Oct. 7. Four of the killed were from Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group while the other two militants were Syrian, the militants said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not cleared to talk to the press. Another two were injured, they added. Meanwhile, an activist collective that covers news in the area, Deir Ezzor 24, said the airstrikes hit two militant posts and a weapons warehouse that it says w...

Airstrikes hit camps in central Gaza as Biden administration approves new weapons sales to Israel

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli warplanes struck two urban refugee camps in central Gaza on Saturday, as the Biden administration approved a new emergency weapons sale to Israel despite persistent international cease-fire calls over mounting civilian deaths, hunger and mass displacement in the enclave. Israel says it is determined to pursue its unprecedented air and ground offensive until it has dismantled Hamas, a goal viewed by some as unattainable because of the militant group’s deep roots in Palestinian society. The United States has shielded Israel diplomatically and has continued to supply weapons. Israel argues that ending the war now would mean victory for Hamas, a stance shared by the Biden administration which at the same time urged Israel to do more to avoid harm to Palestinian civilians.The war, triggered by the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, has displaced some 85% of the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million residents, sending swells of people seeking ...

Daily horoscope for December 30, 2023

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today, until 9 p.m. PST. The Moon is in Leo.Happy Birthday for Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023:You like to create order out of chaos. You’re quick to see the vision of reform and change. This has been a year of hard work for you. In 2024, expect exciting changes and increased personal freedom. Seek out new opportunities, and be ready to act on them.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★This is a fun-loving day! In particular, it’s also a creative day for you, which is good news, because you are the artisan of the zodiac. (You can do anything with your hands, even without training.) Enjoy schmoozing with others. Express your talents! Tonight: Play!TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★Family discussions will go well, especially if they deal with wrapping up old business related to shared property, taxes, debt or inheritances. Alternatively, some of you might want to cocoon at home today because you feel the need for privacy. To...

Miss Manners: I’m hearing more vulgar talk from women. Have the rules changed?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is your opinion on vulgar language and risque jokes?Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: What can I do when people refuse to hear my needs? Advice | Miss Manners: She’s playing the victim, but it was her rudeness that set me off Advice | Miss Manners: A teen went missing at the mall and it ruined our evening Advice | Miss Manners: Why would they put a sign like this in their home’s bathroom? Advice | Miss Manners: I find it rude that the TV stays on when I enter. Am I overreacting? I’m a man, and was brought up with the rule that a gentleman never uses certain words or tells certain jokes in the presence of ladies, but that this was acceptable (and even expected) when it was “just the guys.” Indeed, a certain amount of coarse talk was considered a natural bonding experience in environments like locker rooms, drinking establishments, the military, et...

Checking in on Patriots 2023 NFL Draft class with two weeks remaining

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

With the Patriots only playing for pride and to play spoiler against the opposition, now is the perfect time to put as many rookies on the field as possible over the final two weeks of the season.The Patriots selected 12 players in the 2023 NFL Draft, and nine remain on the 53-man roster with Week 17 on the horizon.Let’s check in on where the Patriots’ 2023 draft picks stand with two games left on the schedule.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots-Bills injury report: Ezekiel Elliott among 5 Patriots cleared for Sunday New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: What Bill Belichick has seen from new QB New England Patriots | Patriots’ Bill Belichick names five players to personal ‘All-Time team’ New England Patriots | Patriots get good news at Friday practice before Bills game New England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: How to acquire QB of the future while falling down ...

Air raids over eastern Syria near Iraqi border kill 6 Iran-backed militants

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Three overnight airstrikes on eastern Syria Saturday near a strategic border crossing with Iraq killed six Iran-backed militants, two members of Iraqi militia groups told The Associated Press.The strikes on the border region of Boukamal came hours after an umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militants — known as the Islamic Resistance — claimed an attack on a U.S. military base in the city of Irbil in northern Iraq. The group has conducted over a hundred attacks on U.S. positions in Iraq and eastern Syria since the onset of the Hamas-Israel war on Oct. 7. Four of the killed were from Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group while the other two militants were Syrian, the militants said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not cleared to talk to the press. Another two were injured, they added. Meanwhile, an activist collective that covers news in the area, Deir Ezzor 24, said the airstrikes hit two militant posts and a weapons warehouse that it says w...

Horoscopes Dec. 30, 2023: Tyrese Gibson, settle in for the long haul

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:37:51 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Eliza Dushku, 43; Tyrese Gibson, 45; Laila Ali, 46; Meredith Vieira, 70.Happy Birthday: Keep an open mind and heart. How you handle information, relationships and money will determine what type of impact you will have on your future. Look for opportunities that will give you the life you desire. It’s up to you to bring about positive change and create opportunities. Use your imagination, settle in for the long haul and pay attention to details. Something good will transpire. Your numbers are 8, 13, 22, 26, 33, 39, 43.ARIES (March 21-April 19): An open mind, observation and a mentor offering insight into something you want to pursue will cleanse any doubt about what you strive for. Networking, communicating, traveling and seeking clarity will not disappoint. Love is in the stars. 5 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Don’t give up or give in to emotional blackmail. Sign up only for what makes sense and offers benefits that set the stage for better...