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Morocco begins providing cash to families whose homes were destroyed by earthquake

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — Moroccan authorities on Friday will begin providing money to families whose homes were destroyed in an earthquake last month that took nearly 3,000 lives and will require an estimated $11.7 billion in reconstruction funds over the next five years.After a commission tasked by King Mohammed VI to oversee recovery efforts met earlier this week, the government said an initial monthly payment of 2,500 Moroccan dirhams ($242) will be disbursed starting Oct. 6.The Sept. 8 earthquake wreaked havoc on rural regions south of Marrakech, where mountain roads remain unpaved and the economy relies on herding and small-scale agriculture. As autumn nights get cooler, many are sleeping outside in donated tents with the daunting task of rebuilding before them.The payments are among several forms of relief that Morocco plans to provide residents displaced by the earthquake. It will provide temporary rehousing assistance and up to 140,000 dirhams ($13,600) to rebuild destroyed...

A modest Buddhist ceremony marks the anniversary of a day care center massacre in Thailand

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

UTHAI SAWAN, Thailand (AP) — About 200 people gathered in the small northeastern town of Uthai Sawan on Friday for a quiet ceremony marking the one-year anniversary of Thailand’s deadliest mass killing. On Oct. 6, 2022, a fired police sergeant killed 36 people, including two dozen toddlers at a day care center. The shocking gun and knife attack spurred calls for tighter gun controls in Thailand, which has one of the highest rates of gun ownership and gun-related deaths in Asia. The calls for change faded with time, but were dramatically revived this week when a teenager with a handgun roamed through an upscale mall in the capital, Bangkok, shooting dead two people and wounding five others before being apprehended.Officials and residents from Uthai Sawan and neighboring communities in Nong Bua Lamphu province, which sits in one of Thailand’s poorest regions, donned colorful traditional clothes Friday at a Buddhist ceremony. They offered food for a dozen monks and prayed together at t...

Cooler Air Comes In On Gusty Winds; Temps Drop Into The 50s This Weekend

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

While rainfall were modest in the city, totaling 0.21" at O'Hare and 0.42" at Midway, rainfalls were heavier farther south.2.40" fell at Valparaiso—while 1.95" came down at Kouts, 1.65" at Hebron, 1.63" at Chesterton, 1.59" at Roselawn and 1.60" at Dyer—all in Indiana. Other Indiana totals included 0.95" at Crown Point, 0.91" at Munster, 0.89" at Portage and 0.85" at Ogden Dunes---again ALL in Indiana. At the same time, Grant Park in Kankakee county recorded 1.67" while 0.80" was recorded at Chicago Heights, 0.79" at South Holland, 0.66" Elmhurst and 0.59" at Oak Brook. AMOUNTS TAPERED OFF dramatically farther north with only 0.07" recorded at Woodstock, 0.03" at Vernon Hills and just 0.02" at Libertyville.Here Come The Strong WindsWINDS gusted above 40 mph in the Plains and western Midwest Thursday afternoon where temps have dropped into the 50s and 40s. The 30+ mph gusts are to sweep into the Chicago area Friday and Saturday along with the COOLEST WEATHER HERE in the 5 months sinc...

Copernicus: September 2023 – unprecedented temperature anomalies, 2023 on track to be the warmest year on record

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

Globally averaged surface air temperature anomalies relative to 1991–2020 for each September from 1940 to 2023. Data: ERA5. Credit: C3S/ECMWF. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission with funding from the EU, routinely publishes monthly climate bulletins reporting on the changes observed in global surface air temperature, sea ice cover and hydrological variables. All the reported findings are based on computer-generated analyses using billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world. September 2023 – Surface air temperature and sea surface temperature highlights: September 2023 was the warmest September on record globally, with an average surface air temperature of 16.38°C, 0.93°C above the 1991-2020 average for September and 0.5°C above the temperature of the previous warmest September, in 2020.  September 2023 glob...

Prince George’s Community College hosting Black food festival

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

A two-day festival celebrating Black food culture kicks off Friday morning at Prince George’s Community College. The Black Food, Black Futures Festival also hopes to raise awareness about food insecurity in the Maryland county.The free event will run Friday and Saturday at PGCC in Largo.“We have all kinds of experts, and not just even people who cook food, but people who practice herbalism and really digging deep into what Black Maryland culture has to offer for everyone,” Dr. Iyelli Ichile, a professor of history and African American studies at PGCC, told WTOP.“The legacy of food, whether we’re talking about crab recipes, or various approaches to soul food, all of that is so rich in this area. And it’s got its own Maryland flavor,” she added.The two-day event is, in part, a celebration of that Maryland flavor, and you can expect the vibe to be something like a big cookout.“Besides panel discussions on those issues, Black farmers and g...

AP Week in Pictures: Europe and Africa | Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

Thousands of people gathered for a march supporting the opposition against the governing Law and Justice party in Warsaw.Soldiers in Cyprus paraded, marking the 63th anniversary of its independence from British colonial rule.Oktoberfest beer festival started in Munich.This gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published in the past week by Associated Press photographers in Europe and Africa.The selection was curated by AP photographer Darko Bandic.___Follow AP visual journalism:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apnewsAP Images on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_ImagesAP Images blog: http://apimagesblog.comSource

PSG players receive suspended bans after insulting Marseille rivals at Paris stadium

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Four Paris Saint-Germain players have been handed a one-match suspended sentence by the French league’s discipline commission for offensive chants aimed at bitter rival Marseille after a league match last month.Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Randal Kolo Muani and Layvin Kurzawa were questioned by the commission after they were filmed using insults while celebrating at the end of a 4-0 win against Marseille. The four players issued apologies.The match at the Parc des Princes was also marred by homophobic chanting by sections of Paris Saint-Germain fans targeting Marseille players. As a result, the league ordered late Thursday the closure of the Auteuil stand for two matches, including one suspended.“The club regrets that the committee has opted for an excessive and collective measure likely to undermine the dialogue and prevention work undertaken by the club with associations, institutions and supporters,” PSG said in a statement, adding that it would not appeal t...

South Korea to face Japan in Asian Games soccer final, with military exemptions on the line

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

South Korea’s under-24 players are preparing for the biggest game of their careers on Saturday, but standing between Asian Games gold and military exemption is traditional foe Japan.The Asian Games, being staged in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, a year later than scheduled due to China’s strict pandemic lockdown policies in 2022, has brought the two rivals together in the final for the second successive tournament.“We absolutely have to win that match. No questions asked,” South Korea coach Hwang Sun-hong said. “We will pour everything we have into winning that match.”All male gold medal winners at the Asian Games are, by South Korean law, granted exemptions from the 18 to 21 months of military service that all able-bodied men must start by the time they turn 28. Olympic medals are also enough.At the 2018 Asian Games, Son Heung-min led the team to gold, defeating Japan in the final, earning him the right to stay at English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur, a year before he would...

Tyler Lennox, Carver seize opportunity

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

CARVER – One might yawn and miss the Town of Carver on a trip down Route 58 from Plymouth to Wareham along the Southeastern corridor of Massachusetts.But quarterback Tyler Lennox is slowly putting the tiny town and his Crusaders on the map this season in Div. 8.With only two winning seasons in the past 20 years, Lennox has Carver (4-0) positioned for a postseason run this time as they face Cohasset (2-2) in their home and South Shore League opener Friday night.Lennox was anointed a starter midway through his sophomore season and has shattered most school passing and touchdown records four games into his senior season.Coming into this week, Lennox has 4,561 yards in his career with 48 passing touchdowns and 53 total end zone trips. Lennox is just getting started this season with 12 touchdowns, two more on the ground, on only two interceptions on the season.Lennox still has three quarters of the season left after surpassing all the Carver passing records held since 1991 by Jared Helms...

Friday high school football preview

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:16:50 GMT

Since losing to St. John’s Prep in the 2019 Div. 1 state championship contest, Catholic Memorial has had its way with in-state competition.Only one team has managed to stay with single digits and that’s the team the Knights will be facing tonight. Xaverian came oh-to-close to beating Catholic Memorial in the Covid spring year (23-19), the last year, the Hawks took the eventual Catholic Conference champions to the wire before succumbing, 41-34.“It’s a good rivalry, it was that way when coach (Mike) Milo and I were at Everett playing Xaverian,” Catholic Memorial coach John DiBiaso said. “We have a lot of respect for Xaverian, back when Charlie Stevenson was coaching and now with Al Fornaro. We always seem to have real good games with them.”Catholic Memorial has battled some injuries, but the depth carried them against St. Francis (NY). With star running back Mekhi Dodd out with an injury, Chris Sanchez and Lasean Sharp both stepped up, each rushing for more than 100 ...