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US officials, lawmakers express support for extension of Africa trade program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — U.S. officials and lawmakers expressed support Saturday for the extension of a trade program that grants eligible African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets.The move follows a clear push by eligible African countries at the African Growth and Opportunity Act trade forum in Johannesburg to have the program extended. It is currently slated to expire in September 2025.AGOA is U.S. legislation that allows sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets provided they meet certain conditions, including adherence to the rule of law and the protection of human rights.Addressing the forum this week, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the U.S. Congress to extend the program for a far longer period than the previous 10-year extension granted in 2015. More than 30 African countries that are part of the AGOA program participated in the forum, where African businesses showcased products ranging from food and jewelry to electronics. The for...

White Sox decline team option on Tim Anderson, making him a free agent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago White Sox have declined their team option on shortstop Tim Anderson, making him a free agent, according to a press release from the team Saturday.After Anderson put together two straight MLB all-star campaigns in 2021 and 2022, his production fell off a cliff during the 2023 MLB season. In 123 games, Anderson hit just one home run with 25 RBI's, while slashing .245/.286/.296 with a .582 OPS, which ranked dead last among MLB shortstops last year. Cody Bellinger declines player option, becomes free agent Rogers also noted Anderson was owed $14 million before the White Sox declined the option, which will in turn pay him a $1 million buyout. Anderson also won an AL Silver Slugger Award (2020) and led MLB with a .335 average (2019) with Chicago. He hit .300 or better and finished in the Top 5 of the American League batting title race in three consecutive seasons from 2019-21. Anderson originally was selected by the White Sox in the first round (17th overall) of th...

Rewatching 'Gilmore Girls' for fall? Here's why it's the perfect autumn show

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — "Fall is for Gilmore Girls."In case you didn't know, the internet says there's one signature show to rewatch come autumn and it's the hit 2000s comedy-drama "Gilmore Girls." But did you know the show has a Texas connection? More on that below.But first: what's with "Gilmore Girls," which premiered on now-defunct network The WB in October 2000, and autumn? 5 dog breeds this veterinarian says he’d never own — and why One needs not search too far for "Gilmore Girls" x fall content, the concept has been memed for years — but this year, the idea seems to have gone more mainstream. Aside from this article you're reading, here are just a few recent stories/videos about the seasonal pairing:Why 'Gilmore Girls' hits different during the fall — Collider15 Coziest 'Gilmore Girls' fall episodes, ranked — ScreenRantA 'Gilmore Girls' fall guide — FilmAndSuchAutumn is for 'Gilmore Girls' — Yahoo!Why 'Gilmore Girls' is the ultimate fall TV show — Rolling StoneNow that everyone seems t...

Giraffes could go extinct – the 5 biggest threats they face

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

(The Conversation) - Giraffes are the world’s tallest mammals and an African icon, but they are also vulnerable to extinction.Giraffe populations have declined by 40% in the last 30 years, and there are now fewer than 70,000 mature individuals left in the wild. What are the causes of this alarming decline, and what can be done to protect these gentle giants?The five biggest threats to giraffes are habitat loss, insufficient law enforcement, ecological changes, climate change, and lack of awareness. Below, I will tell you about these threats and what is being done to save them.I will also explain a study I was a part of that ranked these threats in terms of each one’s danger of causing giraffe extinction, and whether human actions can alleviate that danger. The study used data from more than 3,100 giraffes identified over eight years in an unfenced 4,500km² area of the Tarangire ecosystem in Tanzania. We used the data to simulate how environmental and land use changes could...

Rewatching 'Gilmore Girls' for fall? Did you know its Texas connections?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — "Fall is for Gilmore Girls."In case you didn't know, the internet says there's one signature show to rewatch come autumn and it's the hit 2000s comedy-drama "Gilmore Girls." But did you know the show has a Texas connection? More on that below.But first: what's with "Gilmore Girls," which premiered on now-defunct network The WB in October 2000, and autumn? 5 dog breeds this veterinarian says he’d never own — and why One needs not search too far for "Gilmore Girls" x fall content, the concept has been memed for years — but this year, the idea seems to have gone more mainstream. Aside from this article you're reading, here are just a few recent stories/videos about the seasonal pairing:Why 'Gilmore Girls' hits different during the fall — Collider15 Coziest 'Gilmore Girls' fall episodes, ranked — ScreenRantA 'Gilmore Girls' fall guide — FilmAndSuchAutumn is for 'Gilmore Girls' — Yahoo!Why 'Gilmore Girls' is the ultimate fall TV show — Rolling StoneNow that everyone seems t...

Upcoming milling projects announced in Troy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Troy Bureau of Engineering has announced upcoming pavement milling projects. The road work is scheduled to run between November 6 and November 8. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The road work schedule is subject to change as milling projects are highly weather-sensitive. Work is set to begin at 6 a.m. for the majority of the scheduled dates, and projects will take place in the following neighborhoods:November 6124th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Seventh AvenueNovember 6 and November 7Second Street, between State Street and River StreetNovember 7 and November 8Fourth Street, between Adams Street and Ferry StreetAdams Street, between Church Street and Williams StreetWashington Street, between Church Street and Hill StreetLiberty Street, between Church Street and Hill StreetHill Street, between Liberty Street and Washington StreetDivision Street, between Fourth Street and Church Street Albany Tulip ...

Two shot, one killed overnight in north St. Louis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - One man died and another suffered critical injuries from an overnight shooting in north St. Louis. The shooting happened around 3 a.m. Saturday in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood.Investigators say one victim was found deceased in a field. Another was found in a vacant lot near the 3500 block of Cass Avenue. Housing authority scandal rocks East St. Louis; whistleblower faces backlash Police report that one man died in the shooting, but did not disclose his name or age. The second victim, a 20-year-old man, was rushed to a hospital and is currently in critical, but stable condition. No suspect information is available at this time, and it's unclear what might have led up to the shooting. Homicide detectives with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department are handling this investigation. If you have any information relevant to the case, contact SLMPD at 315-444-5371 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).

Man shot inside parked car in St. Louis, critically injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A man is hospitalized with critical injuries after he was shot inside a parked car Friday evening in north St. Louis. The shooting happened around 10 p.m. Friday in the 4600 block of Korte Avenue in the Penrose neighborhood. Housing authority scandal rocks East St. Louis; whistleblower faces backlash Investigators say two people, a 36-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, were inside a parked car when an unknown driver in a black sedan pulled up to a side. Moments later, the driver allegedly fired shots at the parked vehicle. The man, a passenger in the car, was shot in the head. The woman, in the driver's seat, quickly took off from the scene. The suspect also fired shots at a back window and shattered it. The driver quickly rushed the passenger to a hospital. He is considered to be in critical, but stable condition. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News ...

Avalanche Journal: Would an in-season tournament work for the NHL?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

Trying to gauge the reaction of NHL players to the NBA’s first in-season tournament starts with a long preamble to the question, and that’s the first obstacle.It’s a lot of explaining, particularly for guys who aren’t basketball or soccer fans. Then they have questions, and sometimes more questions based off the answers.After speaking with a handful of players on the Colorado Avalanche about whether or not an in-season tournament could work in the NHL, the general consensus was … intrigue, but also plenty of skepticism.“It could be interesting,” Fredrik Olofsson said. “I think it could work, but the schedule is as intense as it already is.”For the uninitiated, the NBA kicked off its inaugural In-Season Tournament — which needs a better name — on Friday night. The league is seeking to boost interest during the regular season with a nod to the various in-season competitions in all the major soccer leagues.There are four group-stage...

What DC’s giant pandas taught the world about conservation during their time at the National Zoo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:54 GMT

As the Smithsonian National Zoo’s giant pandas prepare to depart later this month, Zoo staff are speaking on the conservation successes they have produced with pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang over the past two decades.Pandas producing offspring can sometimes feel like an impossible mission for zoo officials. That’s because they have an unbelievably short breeding season.“The female can conceive between 12 and 18 hours only,” said Pierre Comizolli, a reproductive physiologist at the National Zoo. “That window of time really got more and more precise and specific over time because we added more data to observation.”And that is for the entire year. The breeding season is usually sometime between March and May, but Comizolli told WTOP that they have observed it as early as January, always keeping staff on their toes in terms of when they can attempt to produce another cub.Back in 2004, veterinarians started trying to breed Mei Xiang and Tian Tian naturally, but “there were some kin...