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Alleged Iran Role in Israel Attack Echoes Bogus Iraq WMD Claims

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

One word was conspicuously absent from President Joe Biden’s speech on Tuesday about Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel: Iran.On Sunday, an explosive Wall Street Journal article accused Iran of having helped Hamas plot the deadliest attack on Israel in 50 years, a claim that seemed engineered to draw the U.S. into war with Iran. But the Biden administration and the Israel Defense Forces, as well as current and former U.S. national security officials interviewed by The Intercept, say there’s no evidence of direct Iranian involvement.“We have no evidence or proof” of Iranian direction, Maj. Nir Dinar, IDF spokesperson, told Politico on Monday — an assertion echoed by Biden’s national adviser, Jake Sullivan, on Tuesday. Though the Biden administration can be said to have a political stake in avoiding conflict with Iran ahead of an election year, two senior Pentagon officials also told The Intercept that efforts to determine Iranian direction are intensive and ongoing but that no pr...

Wallaby coach Eddie Jones says he’s committed to Australian rugby, no plans to head to Japan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones says he is “committed to Australia” amid numerous reports that he is planning to quit and take up the Japan rugby job for a second time.Jones said he plans to hold a media conference on Monday.Jones arrived in Sydney on Thursday night following a poor Rugby World Cup campaign in France in which the two-time champion Wallabies failed to qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time in the tournament’s 36-year history.The 63-year-old Jones was asked by a 7News television reporter at the airport whether he was heading to Japan.“No comment, mate,” Jones replied. “I’ll speak to the media on Monday. But I’m committed to Australia.”Jones said he has had “no discussion” with Japanese officials despite a Sydney Morning Herald report on Sept. 25 that he had interviewed for the coaching role vacated by Jamie Joseph.Japanese media have reported that Jones is the frontrunner to take over from Joseph. Jones denied the reports and Rugby...

Nobody involved in Montgomery Co. principal’s promotion engaged in ‘intentional misconduct,’ report finds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

Maryland's largest school system released the heavily-redacted, 29-page report looking into how Joel Beidleman was promoted while being investigated, after staff and community members said doing so would be essential to restoring trust.(WTOP/Jack Moore) Maryland's largest school system released the heavily-redacted, 29-page report looking into how Joel Beidleman was promoted while being investigated, after staff and community members said doing so would be essential to restoring trust.(WTOP/Jack Moore) Nobody involved in the promotion of Montgomery County, Maryland, Principal Joel Beidleman violated a school system policy or engaged in intentional misconduct when he was promoted earlier this year while under inves...

Muere Luis Alfredo Garavito o “La Bestia”, violador y asesino de casi 200 niños en Colombia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

(CNN Español) –– Luis Alfredo Garavito, alias “La Bestia” y asesino de casi 200 niños en Colombia, murió este jueves en la Clínica Nueva Santo Tomás, le dijo a CNN una fuente del Instituto Nacional Penitenciario y Carcelario de Colombia (Inpec).Según la fuente del Inpec, el deceso se debió a múltiples fallas de salud por enfermedades preexistentes que tenía Garavito.Garavito cumplía una pena de 40 años de prisión en la cárcel de máxima seguridad en Valledupar, en el norte de Colombia, ha sido considerado desde el momento de su captura en 1999 como el peor asesino en serie del mundo. Se encargó de sembrar el horror en al menos 11 de los 32 departamentos del país, asesinando a 186 niños (incluyendo dos en Ecuador) y violando a 200, según él mismo lo confesó en 1999.De Luis Alfredo a “La Bestia”Luis Alfredo Garavito nació en 1957 como el primogénito de una familia que crecería con otros seis hijos en Génova, departamento del Quindío, en plena zona cafetera de Colombia. Su i...

Colts turn to QB Minshew as they try to end an 8-game road skid against the London-weary Jags

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are perfect on the road this season, having already notched wins at Houston and Baltimore.Albeit a small sample size, that success away from home gives players and coaches a little extra confidence heading into what’s become the team’s toughest place to play. The Colts (3-2) will turn to backup quarterback Gardner Minshew as they try to end an eight-game road skid to Jacksonville and take sole possession of first place in the AFC South.The Jaguars haven’t dropped a home game in the series since 2014, winning seven in a row at EverBank Stadium and winning another at Wembley Stadium in London.“It’s a new week, new situation, new team,” Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “I don’t care about what it was. I only care about what it is.”It is a chance for Indianapolis to catch the Jaguars (3-2) in a fog after spending 10 days in London and then several nights trying to recover from an overseas trip that rearranged body clocks and left coa...

Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield aim to keep first-place Lions, Buccaneers headed in right direction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Like Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield is discovering how a change of scenery can make a big difference in a quarterback’s career.Goff’s stellar play is one of the reasons the Detroit Lions are aiming for their best start in more than a decade.Mayfield’s improved performance with his fourth team in just over two years has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers off to a promising start, too.The first-place teams meet Sunday, with the Lions (4-1) looking for a fourth straight win and the Bucs (3-1) trying to take four of five to begin a season for just the sixth time in franchise history.Goff was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 draft with the Los Angeles Rams. He’s in his third year with the Lions, who’ve six of their last seven road games dating to last fall and are eyeing Detroit’s first 5-1 start since 2011.The Lions are one of the league’s highest scoring teams, averaging 29.6 through Week 5 and riding a team-record stretch of 14 consecutive games with 20-plus points.“He is...

Chiefs have Travis Kelce available; Broncos get Greg Dulcich back for AFC West matchup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce was active for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night after hurting his ankle before finishing out last weekend’s win over the Minnesota Vikings.Kelce was limited in practice Tuesday and there was some question whether the quick turnaround from last Sunday would be enough time for his ankle to heal sufficiently. He was listed as questionable on the final injury report but on the field for pregame warmups, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes his most reliable and productive option in the passing game.“He’s always been honest with me on things like that,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week, “so we’ll just see how he does. But he’s doing OK out there (in practice) so we’ll see how it goes.”The Broncos also had their top tight end after activating Greg Dulcich from injured reserve. A third-round pick out of UCLA a year ago, Dulcich had not played since Week 1, when he had two catches for 22...

Idaho officials order brief evacuation of about 10,000 people after reported gas pipeline explosion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

MIDDLETON, Idaho (AP) — Authorities briefly ordered evacuations for most of the town of Middleton, Idaho, after they said a gas pipeline exploded at nearby rural intersection late Thursday morning. The explosion happened when a worker using an excavator ruptured a 22-inch (56-centimeter) natural gas pipeline near the town of about 10,600 people, said Chief Deputy Douglas Hart of the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office. The excavator driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. The ruptured line is part of an interstate pipeline that carries natural gas through several states in the northwestern U.S. owned by the Williams Companies, a natural gas distributor. The pipeline had about 750 pounds of pressure per square inch (53 kilograms per square centimeter), so authorities evacuated an area of about 4 square miles (10.4 square kilometers) surrounding the break, Hart said, including the entire town of Middleton.In an emailed statement, the Williams Companies disputed the local ...

Republicans tweak Brewers stadium repair plan to cut the total public contribution by $54 million

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican legislators in Wisconsin announced Thursday that they have scaled back their plan to help fund repairs at the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium by $54 million, clearing the way for a vote on the state Assembly floor next week. Reports commissioned by the Brewers and another by a state consultant found American Family Field’s glass outfield doors, seats and concourses should be replaced, its luxury suites and technology such as its sound system and video scoreboard need upgrades, and its signature retractable roof needs repairs. Fire suppression systems, parking lots, elevators and escalators need work, too. Assembly Republicans released a bill in September that called for the state to contribute $411 million and the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County to contribute a combined $200 million from 2024 through 2050. The Brewers have agreed to chip in $100 million and extend their lease at American Family Field through 2050, keeping Major League Ba...

Actor and comedian Michael Rapaport revealed as Pickle during ‘Masked Singer’s’ 2000s Night

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:54 GMT

This week’s episode of “The Masked Singer” flashed back to the 2000s for another fun themed night. It also ended with another big unmasking, and we spoke with the latest star to be revealed about his time on the show.Nick Cannon: “Tonight, it’s a throwback party on “The Masked Singer,” as we hit up the 2000s.Singer Jewel kicked off 2000s Night on “The Masked Singer.”After the entertainment, it was time to get down to biz.Nick Cannon: “Our Group A contestants are back, and they are fighting for a place in the Group A finals.”First there were the performances.Pickle (singing): “Pickle, Pickle, where I come from isn’t all that great.”Then the big reveal of who would be staying.Nick Cannon: “The results are in. The singer taking the last spot in the Group A finals is S’more!”After that, there was only one more thing left to do.Nicole Scherzinger: “You know who would make an amazin...