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Denmark ends height requirements for soldiers best known for ceremonial unit outside royal palaces

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The Danish defense said Wednesday that they are abolishing the height requirements for people serving with the Danish Royal Life Guards, mainly known for being a ceremonial unit outside Denmark’s royal palaces.Joining the Danish defense “is not about whether you are male or female or tall or short. It is about the ability to solve the task,” the armed forces said.Until now, it was required for men had to be at least 175 centimeters tall (5-foot-9) and women 169 centimeters (5-foot-6) to serve in the unit. The Danish Royal Life Guards is a mechanized infantry regiment of the Danish Army, founded in 1658 by Danish King Frederik III.“The previous height requirements at the Royal Life Guard do not make operational sense,” Maj. Gen. Gunner Arpe Nielsen, chief of the Army Command, said in the statement. “There must be no special requirements for height if it is not operationally justified.”Arpe Nielsen told Danish broadcaster DR he hoped that the abolition...

A four-story apartment building collapses in Egypt’s capital and at least 4 are killed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — A four-story apartment building collapsed Wednesday in the Egyptian capital, leaving at least four people dead, authorities said, as rescuers continued to search through the rubble.Cairo’s governate said in a statement that the building collapse occurred in the Hadaeq el-Qubbah neighborhood, roughly 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the city center. At least three others were injured, it said.It’s unclear what caused the collapse. Egypt’s public prosecutor was investigating the incident, Cairo’s governate said.In a separate statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Social Solidarity said it would give 60,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,941) to the families of the dead. Fatal building collapses are common in Egypt. In recent years, the government has tried to crack down on illegal buildings after decades of lax enforcement. Authorities are also building new cities and neighborhoods to rehouse those living in areas that are at risk of collapse. Many cities across the cou...

Edmunds: The best affordable performance cars

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

There’s often a point when car enthusiasts are looking to purchase their first new performance car or sports car. Inflation and price creep have pushed many desirable models out of reach, but fortunately, a handful of automakers remain committed to offering thrill-making machines with wallet-friendly price tags. Edmunds’ car experts have rounded up six of the best with starting prices under $33,000. These vehicles have a high Edmunds rating and are listed by the manufacturer’s suggested retail price and include the destination charge. MAZDA MX-5 MIATA The Miata has long been the quintessential affordable convertible sports car thanks to its winning formula of rear-wheel drive, low weight and manageable power. The Miata’s 181-horsepower four-cylinder engine won’t impress your muscle car friends, but it’s good enough for a respectable 0 to 60 mph sprint of 6.4 seconds when Edmunds tested it.In addition to being a smile-making machine, the Miata is fuel-effi...

Sri Lanka will investigate allegations of intelligence complicity in 2019 Easter bombings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s government will appoint a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations made in a British television report that Sri Lankan intelligence had complicity in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 269 people. A man interviewed in the Channel 4 videos released Tuesday said he arranged a meeting between a local Islamic State-inspired group and a top state intelligence official to hatch a plot to create insecurity in Sri Lanka and enable Gotabaya Rajapaksa to win the presidential election later that year.On Wednesday, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa called for an international inquiry into the bombing attack. “A large majority of the people are of the view that a fair local investigation has not been conducted into this attack,” Premadasa said in Parliament. The lack of a proper local investigation has led to confusion, he added.Premadasa stressed that justice should be delivered to the victims of the attack and therefore, there is ...

An appeals court in Nigeria is set to rule on the president’s disputed election victory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — An appeals court in Nigeria convened Wednesday to rule on whether President Bola Tinubu’s February election victory was legitimate, a decision that has put Africa’s most populous country on edge. The opposition challenged the election results, arguing that Tinubu was not qualified to run for president because he was a citizen of Guinea and allegedly did not have the required academic credentials. The opposition has hinted at possible protests if the court rules in his favor.Tinubu has denied all the allegations. Security was tight in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, where five judges at the Court of Appeal were expected to hand down their ruling. The tribunal is empowered to either uphold Tinubu’s election win, declare someone else the winner, annul the vote or to order a new election. Whatever decision they make can be appealed at Nigeria’s Supreme Court.If the judges annul the presidential election, it would be a first in Nigeria’s...

This summer was a global record breaker for high heat, meteorologists say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Earth has sweltered through its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured, with a record warm August capping a season of brutal and deadly temperatures, according to the World Meteorological Organization.Last month was not only the hottest August scientists ever recorded by far with modern equipment, it was also the second hottest month measured, behind only July 2023, WMO and the European climate service Copernicus announced Wednesday.August was about 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial averages, which is the warming threshold that the world is trying not to pass. But the 1.5 C threshold is over decades — not just one month — so scientists do not consider that brief passage that significant. Tropical Storm Lee approaches hurricane strength, expected to rapidly intensify to an ‘extremely dangerous’ hurricane The world's oceans — more than 70% of the Earth's surface — were the hottest ever recorded, nearly 21 d...

Tropical Storm Lee approaches hurricane strength, expected to rapidly intensify to an 'extremely dangerous' hurricane

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tropical Storm Lee is approaching hurricane strength and is expected to rapidly intensify to an "extremely dangerous" hurricane by this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).Lee formed Tuesday evening. It’s located about 1265 miles east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is moving at about 16 mph. WATCH: 3-legged bear breaks into Florida home, drinks White Claw Lee is expected to become a hurricane sometime Wednesday. By the weekend, the NHC said the storm will likely be a major hurricane."The current forecast takes the system just north of the Caribbean Islands, but when the storm makes the turn to the north will determine if anywhere in the U.S. will feel impacts," WFLA meteorologist Leigh Spann said.The NHC said swells from Lee are expected to reach portions of the Lesser Antilles on Friday. The swells will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.Lee is the...

Liberty Hill neighbors worry about growing hole on their street

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

LIBERTY HILL, Texas (KXAN) -- A neighborhood road in the Santa Rita Ranch development is sinking and cracking around a manhole cover, and there is no known reason why it's happening. It has neighbors in the area very concerned. "As you can see behind me, I don't know if we have much more time to resolve this before it sinks in," Julie Rodriguez said. Rodriguez lives right in front of where this hole formed on Suri Drive. She and her neighbors said the road first started showing signs of sinking on Halloween night last year. This past April, the road began to crack and noticeably started sinking. The road around the manhole cover began to crack and sink in April of 2023 (Courtesy: Julie Rodriguez)A waiting gameNeighbors said they reached out to their homeowners association who told them it was an issue that Williamson County needed to fix. After four months of calling, Rodriguez said they were not receiving any help and decided to reach out to KXAN. The hole was completely surrounded...

APD Interim Chief to address cadets following Chief's Run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Days after taking over the Austin Police Department, Interim Chief Robin Henderson will address the newest members of her department Wednesday. According to an Austin Police announcement, Chief Henderson will address 19 cadets from the 148th Cadet Class after the traditional Chief's Run Wednesday morning. The APD’s Assistant Chiefs will join the cadets on the run at the south end of the Congress Avenue Bridge and end at the Texas State Capitol Peace Officers Memorial.According to APD, the Chief’s Run focuses on unity within the community. Council approves Robin Henderson as APD Interim Chief The cadets will be commissioned during a graduation ceremony Friday morning at Bannockburn Church on 7100 Brodie Ln. Henderson has served with APD for 26 years, most recently as chief of staff to former Chief Joseph Chacon, who announced his retirement Aug. 21. Henderson began serving as interim police chief effective the first week of September until a search for a permanen...

Office building coming to Leander development

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (Sept. 5, 2023) — Plans to build a new development in Leander will soon take a major step forward, a real estate company said Tuesday.St. John Properties said it plans to break ground in early spring 2024 on a 120,000-square-foot office building. The Maryland-based company said it would be the city's "first Class ‘A’ office building" and the first commercial component of the 116-acre urban, mixed-use Northline development 30 miles north of Austin. That is east of US Highway 183, west of US Highway 183-A and south of San Gabriel Parkway. According to Building Owners and Managers Association International, Class A buildings are defined as "most prestigious buildings competing for premier office users with rents above average for the area. Buildings have high quality standard finishes, state of the art systems, exceptional accessibility and a definite market presence."St. John Properties said the four-story building is "designed to earn LEED certification" and would offe...