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Top review says COVID lockdowns and masks worked, period

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

Speedy implementation of a combination of measures such as face masks, lockdowns and international border controls, “unequivocally” reduced COVID-19 infections, a major review has shown.The report published Thursday by the Royal Society looked at findings from six evidence reviews that analyzed thousands of studies to assess the effect of masks, social distancing and lockdowns, test trace and isolate systems, border controls, environmental controls and communications. It found evidence that each of these measures — which are called “non-pharmaceutical interventions” — were effective, albeit to varying degrees, when looked at individually. However, the evidence in favor of using these tools was stronger when countries combined several measures. The report could have significant implications for decision-making in future outbreaks, with Mark Walport, chair of the report’s expert working group and foreign secretary of the Royal Society, saying that “having protocols in adv...

Gunfire at a California biker bar kills 4 people, including the shooter, and wounds 5 more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

TRABUCO CANYON, Calif. (AP) — Three people were killed and five others were wounded in a shooting Wednesday at a Southern California biker bar, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department said. The gunman was also killed by deputies.The shooting occurred after 7 p.m. at Cook’s Corner in rural Trabuco Canyon in Orange County, a popular longtime watering hole for motorcycle riders and enthusiasts who gather for live music, open-mic nights or just a cold beer after a long ride.The gunman was dead four minutes after the first report of the shooting came in to authorities, who arrived on scene within two minutes and engaged in gunfire with the shooter, Orange County Sheriff’s Sgt. Frank Gonzalez said. The gunman was a retired police officer with the Ventura Police Department, department Cmdr. Mike Brown was told by Orange County authorities, he told the Ventura County Star newspaper. He worked at the agency from 1986 to 2014, Brown said. Orange County Undersheriff Jeff...

4 killed in shooting at famous Southern California biker bar; gunman among the dead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

At least four people were killed and several more were injured Wednesday evening after shots rang out at a historic and popular Southern California biker bar.Among those killed was the suspected gunman, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.The shooting happened around 7:05 p.m. at Cook’s Corner located in Trabuco Canyon.Multiple people called 911 to report shots fired and deputies from the Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene within minutes, according to Undersheriff Jeff Hallock.When deputies arrived, emergency dispatchers reported the sounds of gunshots could be heard on their radios.Authorities responded after several people were shot at Cook's Corner, a biker bar in Trabuco Canyon on August 23, 2023. (KTLA)At an 11 p.m. press conference, Hallock said several deputies entered the property and confronted the suspect, who’s been identified only as an adult man.A shooting occurred involving multiple deputies and the suspect was fatally shot. Hallock could not c...

Burglary ringleader sentenced to prison for San Diego County crimes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The ringleader of a Los Angeles group involved in a series of San Diego County burglaries that amounted in $500,000 in cash and jewelry was sentenced Tuesday to prison for 45 years and eight months, prosecutors said.Gregory Shively, 41, was convicted in July on 57 criminal counts, including residential burglary, residential burglary in association with a criminal street gang and conspiracy to commit residential burglary in association with a criminal street gang, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a news release Wednesday. Shively, along with three other defendants, burglarized 38 homes in San Diego County and then returned to Los Angeles County with the stolen property from January 2017 to February 2018, according to the DA. Copycat In-N-Out restaurant in Mexico changes its name Kenneth Ford, 22, was convicted of 13 criminal counts and sentenced to 11 years in state prison in October 2021, while Aerick Splane, 29, was sentenced in 2022 to ...

Jailed WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich arrives at a hearing on extending his detention

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained on espionage charges, arrived at a Moscow court Thursday for a hearing on a motion by the prosecution to extend his arrest. Gershkovich arrived at court in a white prison van and was led handcuffed out of the vehicle wearing jeans, sneakers and a shirt.A 31-year-old United States citizen, Gershkovich was arrested in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip to Russia in late March. He and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government declared him to be wrongfully detained. Russian authorities have not provided any evidence to support the espionage charges. Gershkovich is the first American reporter to to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.The Associated Press

Zimbabwe’s election extends to a second day after long ballot delays. Some slept at polling stations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Voting is still underway in Zimbabwe, where hourslong delays in distributing ballot papers forced the president to extend the general election by a day at dozens of polling stations.Some frustrated voters slept at polling stations in the capital, Harare, snuggling under blankets or lighting fires to keep warm.President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who seeks a second term, used his presidential powers to extend voting to Thursday night at dozens of polling stations. Ballot papers were still being printed late Wednesday, hours after voting should have closed. At other polling stations, counting of ballots began.Zimbabwe has a history of violent and disputed elections. The 80-year-old Mnangagwa had claimed Zimbabwe to be a “master” of democracy while criticizing Western countries that expressed concern about the credibility of the polls weeks ago.His main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, a 45-year-old lawyer who narrowly lost a disputed election in 2018, has described this el...

China bans seafood from Japan after the Fukushima nuclear plant begins its wastewater release

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

OKUMA, Japan (AP) — The tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant ‘s operator says it began releasing its first batch of treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday — a controversial step that prompted China to ban seafood from Japan.In a live video from a control room at the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings showed a staff member turn on a seawater pump with a click of a mouse, marking the beginning of the controversial project that is expected to last for decades.“Seawater Pump A activated,” the main operator said, confirming the release was underway. TEPCO later confirmed that the seawater pump was activated at 1:03 p.m. (0403 GMT), three minutes after the final step began. TEPCO said an additional wastewater release pump was activated 20 minutes after the first. Plant officials said everything was moving smoothly so far. Japanese fisher groups have opposed the plan for fear it will further damage to the reputation of their seaf...

Wildfires: EU mobilizes five additional rescEU airplanes for Greece as well as more firefighters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

As new devastating wildfires burn in different areas of Greece, the EU is swiftly mobilising additional firefighting resources to aid the ongoing efforts of Greek firefighters. Five rescEU firefighting airplanes stationed in Croatia, Germany and Sweden, and one Blackhawk helicopter, 58 firefighters and nine water tanks from Czechia are on their way to Greece today. This assistance comes in addition to the aerial and ground means from Cyprus and Romania that arrived in Greece on 22 August.Over the last two days, the EU has deployed seven airplanes, one helicopter, 114 firefighters and 19 vehicles to assist Greek firefighters, volunteers and police in fighting the massive wildfires. In addition, the EU Copernicus satellite mapping programme has already produced two maps of the affected areas and two Liaison Officers from the EU's Emergency Response Coordination Centre are also on their way to Greece.Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič said: "Greece is witnessing an unprecede...

Commission pays a further €1.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

The Commission has paid €1.5 billion under the  Macro-financial Assistance + package for Ukraine worth up to €18bn. With this instrument, the EU seeks to help Ukraine cover its immediate funding needs, with stable, predictable, and sizeable financial support in 2023. With today's payment, Ukraine has so far received €12bn this year under Macro-financial Assistance +.This support will help Ukraine to continue paying wages and pensions, and keep essential public services running, such as hospitals, schools, and housing for relocated people. It will also allow Ukraine to ensure macroeconomic stability and restore critical infrastructure destroyed by Russia in its war of aggression, such as energy infrastructure, water systems, transport networks, roads, and bridges.Today's payment comes after the Commission found on 25 July that Ukraine continued to make satisfactory progress towards implementing the agreed policy conditions and complied with rep...

4 killed in shooting at famous Orange County biker bar; gunman among the dead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:54:21 GMT

At least four people were killed and six others were injured Wednesday evening after shots rang out at a historic and popular Orange County biker bar. Among those killed was the suspected gunman, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. The shooting happened around 7:05 p.m. at Cook's Corner, located at 19152 Santiago Canyon Rd. in Trabuco Canyon.Multiple people called 911 to report shots fired and deputies from the Sheriff's Department responded to the scene within minutes, according to Undersheriff Jeff Hallock.When deputies arrived, emergency dispatchers reported the sounds of gunshots could be heard on their radios.Authorities responded after several people were shot at Cook's Corner, a biker bar in Trabuco Canyon on August 23, 2023. (KTLA)At an 11 p.m. press conference, Hallock said several deputies entered the property and were confronted by the suspect, who's been identified only as an adult man.A shooting occurred involving multiple deputies and the suspect was f...