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Niger’s junta gains upper hand over regional bloc threatening military force, analysts say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — One week after a deadline passed for mutinous soldiers in Niger to reinstate the country’s ousted president or face military intervention, the junta has not acquiesced. No military action has been taken and the coup leaders appear to have gained the upper hand over the regional group that issued the threat, analysts say.The West African regional bloc ECOWAS had given the soldiers that overthrew Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum until last Sunday to release and reinstate him or they threatened military action. On Thursday, the bloc ordered the deployment of a “standby” force to restore constitutional rule in Niger, with Nigeria, Benin, Senegal and Ivory Coast saying they would contribute troops.But it’s unclear when, how or if the troops will deploy. The move could take weeks or months to set into motion, and while the bloc decides what to do the junta is gaining power, some say.“It looks the putschists have won and will st...

Daily horoscope for August 13, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Cancer.Happy Birthday for Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023:You are purposeful, tenacious and ambitious. You remember things, and you are multitalented. This is an exciting time for you because you are beginning a new nine-year cycle. Stay flexible so that you can consider your options and be ready to move in a new direction whenever you want.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★★This is a five-star day for having fun, socializing and enjoying entertaining diversions, the theater, movies, playful activities with kids and sports. Pack a picnic. Meet some friends. This is also a lovely day to begin a new flirtation or enhance an existing romance. Enjoy! Tonight: Surprise. This Week: Party, socialize!TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★You will enjoy redecorating or doing something to make your home more beautiful today. Then you can invite family and friends over to admire your efforts. This is a fabulous day to entert...

Dear Abby: Our teen’s messy breakup has had awkward repercussions for us

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My son dated a girl for 3½ years in high school. Both were sure they had found their life mate. While my husband and I knew it was a long shot, they believed it was true because the girl’s parents had been high school sweethearts.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I was annoyed to discover why our friends picked this restaurant Advice | Dear Abby: I had to get rid of my beautiful furnishings because of guests’ stupid comments Advice | Dear Abby: She’s trying to one-up me by being the fun aunt Advice | Dear Abby: I’m 20, he’s 46 and married, and my family isn’t being supportive Advice | Dear Abby: I feel bad about it, but I had to squash my husband’s dream When school ended, they split up, hoping to remain friends and maybe rekindle when they were older. They are now off to college.Before my son left, rumors started flying that the breakup was his faul...

Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates play in game 2 of series

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

Cincinnati Reds (61-57, third in the NL Central) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (52-64, fourth in the NL Central)Pittsburgh; Sunday, 1:35 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luke Weaver (2-4, 6.75 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 78 strikeouts); Pirates: Mitch Keller (9-8, 4.39 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 154 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Pirates -159, Reds +135; over/under is 9 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds take a 1-0 lead into the next game of the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.Pittsburgh has a 52-64 record overall and a 28-31 record in home games. The Pirates are 39-5 in games when they have more hits than their opponents.Cincinnati is 61-57 overall and 32-26 on the road. The Reds have a 23-10 record in games when they hit two or more home runs.The teams meet Sunday for the ninth time this season. The Pirates lead the season series 5-3.TOP PERFORMERS: Bryan Reynolds has 23 doubles, three triples and 15 home runs for the Pirates. Ke’Bryan Hayes is 9-for-32 with a double, a triple, thre...

Diamondbacks and Padres play in series rubber match

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

San Diego Padres (56-61, fourth in the NL West) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (58-59, third in the NL West)Phoenix; Sunday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Seth Lugo (4-6, 4.19 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 90 strikeouts); Diamondbacks: Brandon Pfaadt (0-6, 7.16 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 42 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -139, Diamondbacks +118; over/under is 9 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres play on Sunday with the winner claiming the three-game series.Arizona has a 29-31 record at home and a 58-59 record overall. Diamondbacks hitters have a collective .322 on-base percentage, the eighth-ranked percentage in the NL.San Diego has a 26-33 record on the road and a 56-61 record overall. The Padres have hit 150 total home runs to rank fourth in the NL.The teams meet Sunday for the ninth time this season. The Padres are up 5-3 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Ketel Marte has 19 doubles, seven triples, 19 home runs and 59 RBI while hitting .281 for the D...

Rockies head into matchup against the Dodgers on losing streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

Colorado Rockies (45-72, fifth in the NL West) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (70-46, first in the NL West)Los Angeles; Sunday, 4:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Rockies: Kyle Freeland (4-12, 4.84 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 76 strikeouts); Dodgers: Julio Urias (9-6, 4.39 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 87 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Dodgers -363, Rockies +288; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Rockies look to break their four-game slide with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.Los Angeles is 37-20 at home and 70-46 overall. The Dodgers have the eighth-ranked team batting average in the NL at .252.Colorado has a 20-42 record on the road and a 45-72 record overall. The Rockies have the 10th-ranked team batting average in the NL at .247.The teams play Sunday for the ninth time this season. The Dodgers lead the season series 7-1.TOP PERFORMERS: Freddie Freeman has 43 doubles, two triples and 23 home runs while hitting .344 for the Dodgers. Mookie Betts is 14-for-39 with four doubles and three home ...

Braves visit the Mets on 3-game road win streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

Atlanta Braves (75-41, first in the NL East) vs. New York Mets (52-65, fourth in the NL East)New York; Sunday, 7:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Yonny Chirinos (5-4, 4.83 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 44 strikeouts); Mets: Kodai Senga (8-6, 3.24 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 142 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Braves -130, Mets +111; over/under is 9 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves will try to keep a three-game road win streak alive when they visit the New York Mets.New York has a 28-27 record at home and a 52-65 record overall. The Mets have a 36-23 record in games when they record eight or more hits.Atlanta has a 38-21 record on the road and a 75-41 record overall. The Braves have a 57-21 record in games when they record at least eight hits.The teams meet Sunday for the 10th time this season. The Braves lead the season series 8-1.TOP PERFORMERS: Francisco Lindor has 25 doubles, two triples, 22 home runs and 69 RBI while hitting .244 for the Mets. Jeff McNeil is 9-for-36 with a double an...

Popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy may raise risk of complications under anesthesia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

Patients who take blockbuster drugs like Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss may face life-threatening complications if they need surgery or other procedures that require empty stomachs for anesthesia. This summer’s guidance to halt the medication for up to a week may not go far enough, either. Some anesthesiologists in the U.S. and Canada say they’ve seen growing numbers of patients on the weight-loss drugs who inhaled food and liquid into their lungs while sedated because their stomachs were still full — even after following standard instructions to stop eating for six to eight hours in advance. The drugs can slow digestion so much that it puts patients at increased risk for the problem, called pulmonary aspiration, which can cause dangerous lung damage, infections and even death, said Dr. Ion Hobai, an anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “This is such a serious sort of potential complication that everybody who takes this drug should know about it,” s...

Linda Yaccarino, cuestionada por el caos en la X de Elon Musk, ofrece respuestas fuera de la realidad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

(CNN) — Linda Yaccarino vive en un mundo de engaños.La líder de Twitter/X hizo el jueves una serie de afirmaciones descabelladas, y completamente ridículas, sobre la compañía propiedad de Elon Musk donde ella tiene el título (al menos en papel) como directora ejecutiva, aparentemente sin darse cuenta del sombrío estado de cosas en la plataforma en peligro.Durante una larga entrevista con Sara Eisen de CNBC, Yaccarino describió la antigua plataforma del ave como si todo no solo estuviera bien, sino que estuviera en una mejor posición desde la caótica toma de posesión y el reinado de Musk.Yaccarino habló fantásticamente sobre Twitter, que ha tenido un verano de extrema dificultad para realizar funciones básicas, como mostrar tweets y alojar transmisiones de audio en vivo, y proclamó que la aplicación pronto se sumergiría en el mundo de las videollamadas sin esfuerzo y el procesamiento de pagos en línea sin problemas.La exjefe de publicidad de NBCUniversal también fingió efectiva...

France and Australia bury the AUKUS hatchet via football

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:50 GMT

Forget about the scuttled submarine deal that plunged Australia-France relations to an historic low. Paris and Canberra are acting like besties again, thanks to football and online bantz.French President Emmanuel Macron and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have spent most of the weekend joshing about their national teams — Les Bleues and the Matildas — facing off in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup, which Australia is co-hosting with New Zealand. Ahead of the Saturday match, Albanese threw down the gauntlet in a social media post. “How about a bet @EmmanuelMacron? If [Australia] win tonight, you’ll support Australia in the semi-finals. If [France] win, I’ll support France. Deal?” the Aussie leader wrote. Macron gamely accepted the challenge, not without first praising Australia for “brilliantly” co-organizing the tournament. The camaraderie is a far cry from where the two country’s relations stood in 2021, when France rec...