In recent weeks

A blast that ripped through a mosque packed with worshippers in the Afghan capital killed at least 21 people and wounded more than two dozen others, police said Thursday. The number of bombings across Afghanistan has declined since the Taliban returned to power last year, but several attacks — some targeting minority communities — have rocked the country in recent months, including those claimed by the jihadist Islamic State (IS) group. No group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday evening’s blast at Kabul’s Sediqia Mosque, which has an adjoining madrasa. “He was my cousin, may God forgive him,” said one local resident who gave his name as Masiullah, referring to a relative who died in the explosion. “One year had passed from his marriage, he was 27 years old… he was a good person.” Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran said 21 people were killed and 33 others wounded. Italian non-governmental organisation Emergency, which operates a hospital in Kabul, said it had … [Read more...] about Death Toll in Kabul Mosque Blast Rises to 21: Police

+8 % Gross domestic product +6 +4 +2 0 –0.2% 2nd quarter 2022 –2 –4 –6 –8 ’06 ’08 ’10 ’12 ’14 ’16 ’18 ’20 ’22 +8 % Gross domestic product +6 +4 +2 0 –0.2% 2nd quarter 2022 –2 –4 –6 –8 ’06 ’08 ’10 ’12 ’14 ’16 ’18 ’20 ’22 A key measure of economic output fell for the second straight quarter, raising fears that the United States could be entering a recession — or perhaps that one had already begun. Gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, fell 0.2 percent in the second quarter, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That drop followed a decline of 0.4 percent in the first quarter. The estimates for both periods will be revised in coming months as government statisticians get more complete data. News of the back-to-back contractions heightened a debate in Washington over whether a … [Read more...] about U.S. Economy Shows Another Decline, Fanning Recession Fears

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio — A few weeks before Ohio’s Senate primaries, Kristen Bentz stood outside a grocery store in suburban Cleveland, feeling torn about the race. Ms. Bentz, 46, disliked the idea of one-party Democratic control in Washington, and she thought President Biden had been “slow to respond” to pressing challenges like inflation and high gas prices. But she was also alarmed by the hard-right tilt of the Republican primary contest in her state — and horrified by the influence that Donald J. Trump still seemed to wield. “I’m just getting more and more disgusted with the Republican Party,” Ms. Bentz, an X-ray technician from North Olmsted, Ohio, said in a follow-up interview this month, explaining why she was inclined to support the Democratic Senate nominee, Tim Ryan. “It’s just breaking my heart.” Persuadable voters like Ms. Bentz are rare in today’s intensely polarized political environment. But interviews with dozens of voters, elected officials and party strategists … [Read more...] about Swing Voters, Struggling With Their Options, Scramble Traditional Political Coalitions

Follow live updates on Kansas election results . OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Kansas voters will decide next week whether to remove protections of abortion rights from their State Constitution, providing the first electoral test of Americans’ attitudes on the issue since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The election could give the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature authority to pass new abortion limits or to outlaw the procedure entirely, potentially reshaping the map of abortion access in the nation’s center. The vote, which has been planned since last year but took on far higher stakes after the federal right to abortion was eliminated, is expected to send a message far beyond Kansas as politicians nationwide weigh new abortion measures and watch for signs of how the public is reacting. “Kansas is the bull’s-eye of the United States in terms of its geography, but it’s also the bull’s-eye where all the energy that has emerged from the Supreme Court decision has … [Read more...] about ‘Everybody Is Dug In’: Kansans Fiercely Debate the First Post-Roe Vote on Abortion

Federal prosecutors have directly asked witnesses in recent days about former President Donald J. Trump’s involvement in efforts to reverse his election loss, a person familiar with the testimony said on Tuesday, suggesting that the Justice Department’s criminal investigation has moved into a more aggressive and politically fraught phase. Mr. Trump’s personal role in elements of the push to overturn his loss in 2020 to Joseph R. Biden Jr. has long been established, both through his public actions and statements and evidence gathered by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack. But the Justice Department has been largely silent about how and even whether it would weigh pursuing potential charges against Mr. Trump, and reluctant even to concede that his role was discussed in senior leadership meetings at the department. Asking questions about Mr. Trump in connection with the electors plot or the attack on the Capitol does not mean the Justice Department has opened … [Read more...] about Justice Dept. Asking Witnesses About Trump in Its Jan. 6 Investigation

Armed police reportedly smashed down the door of a home in west London early this morning to arrest a man suspected of stabbing a an elderly busker to death. Thomas O'Halloran, who had been playing his accordion to raise money for Ukraine outside a Tesco superstore in Greenford, was attacked while riding his mobility scooter home on Tuesday afternoon. Paramedics attended but the 87-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. A 44-year-old man has been detained in connection with the incident, the Metropolitan Police announced today. He was arrested at an address in Southall after half a dozen officers used a battering ram to break down the door of his home, according to neighbours. Armed police reportedly smashed into the home ( Image: Twitter / @UB1UB2) They apparently used a battering ram to break down the door ( Image: Twitter / @UB1UB2) Footage shared to social media appeared to show police officers in plain clothes at the scene of the arrest. … [Read more...] about Shocking moment police arrest man suspected of ‘stabbing 87-year-old to death’

Australia received praise across corporate media for months on end as the island nation seemingly controlled the spread of coronavirus, albeit through the use of intense lockdown restrictions. But with a surge in cases, the nation has now resorted to measures like shooting dogs at shelters. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?!? They’re SHOOTING all the rescue dogs in Australia because of COVID!!! Who could do that??? That country is trying to be worse than even China. https://t.co/LKU9RwMDyi — Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) August 22, 2021 The New York Times (NYT) released an analysis in February, calling the nation a “model” for coronavirus response. “Ask Australians about the approach, and they might just shrug,” the piece claimed. “Instead of loneliness and grief or outcries over impingements on their freedom, they’ve gotten used to a routine of short-term pain for collective gain.” Forbes published a piece claiming Australia’s “success proves that a strong public health … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: Australia Was A COVID-19 Media Darling. Now They’re Shooting Dogs To Slow The Spread

AFP Kyiv, Ukraine   ● Fri, August 19, 2022 2022-08-19 11:20 0 b2587592dd54281f57bdb7dba9144219 2 Europe Ukraine,Volodymir-Zelensky,Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan,nuclear-disaster,Ukraine-war,Russia Free Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Thursday of a nuclear disaster in Ukraine during his first face-to-face talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky since Russia's invasion began, echoing pleas from the UN's chief. A flare-up in fighting around Europe's largest nuclear facility in Russian-controlled southern Ukraine has sparked urgent warnings from world leaders, and UN chief Antonio Guterres cautioned during talks with Erdogan that any damage to the plant would be akin to "suicide". "We are worried. We don't want another Chernobyl," Erdogan said during a press conference in the eastern city of Lviv, during which he also assured the Ukrainian leader that Ankara was a firm ally. "While continuing our efforts to find a solution, we remain on the side of our … [Read more...] about Erdogan warns of ‘another Chernobyl’ after talks in Ukraine

I first learned about the Rage on the Red Sea boxing match between heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Olexandr Usyk in around February 2022. That's when myself and my husband, and manager, Richard had the idea to campaign my promoters and the Saudi Arabian organizers to allow me to compete there, and help create positive change. After many months of annoying Frank Smith, my promoter's CEO, we finally got the call we had been waiting for; that I would be fighting against Dominican boxer Crystal Garcia on August 20 in the first ever professional female boxing match in Saudi Arabia. It was an amazing feeling to be part of such a historic moment and a cultural shift towards equality in the region. This fight is the seventh since I began my professional career in 2020, and it's probably both my hardest test in terms of competition and the most important outside of the ring as well. I'm not just representing myself but also all women in combat sports; so the world can see that we deserve … [Read more...] about Ramla Ali: “Working with Meghan Markle changed my life”

Right-wing strategist and podcaster Steve Bannon attacked former Vice President Mike Pence after he defended the FBI in the wake of the raid on former President Donald Trump 's Florida residence last week. Pence on Wednesday in New Hampshire urged fellow Republicans to stop their condemnation of federal law enforcement, as some GOP lawmakers have called for defunding or abolishing the FBI after the search warrant was executed at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort home on August 8. "Our party stands with the men and women who stand on the thin blue line at the federal and state and local level, and these attacks on the FBI must stop. Calls to defund the FBI are just as wrong as calls to defund the police," Pence said. Bannon, who served as the chief executive officer of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and for much of 2017 as a White House strategist, quickly lashed out at Pence in a Wednesday episode of his War Room podcast. He described the former No. 2 Trump … [Read more...] about Steve Bannon attacks Mike Pence for defending FBI: “Gutless”