This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambian authorities have rearrested eight Croatians Tuesday, preventing them from leaving the country after a court dropped child trafficking charges against them a day earlier. “I can confirm that they have been rearrested on the instructions of NPA (the National Prosecutions Authority). I am not sure of the charges though,” immigration spokesman Namati Nshinka told The Associated Press. Zambian officials prevented the eight Croatians — four couples — from boarding a flight to leave the southern African country. On Monday a court dismissed child trafficking charges against them following applications by their lawyers. They had earlier pleaded not guilty. The charges alleged that on December 7, last year, the four couples acted together to traffic the children. The young children were from neighboring Congo and the couples said they adopted the … [Read more...] about Zambia rearrests 8 Croatians after charges dropped
Why dropping things
Why the pandemic’s economic impact on F1 goes far beyond a disrupted calendar · RaceFans
Two statistics lay bare the astonishing impact Covid-19 has had on Formula 1. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free First, since the pathogen intensified its spread across world in March almost half this season’s scheduled 22 races have been cancelled or (optimistically, in the view of some) postponed. Second, the obligatory annual team shutdown – usually a three-week break in summer – has now been in place for three times as long. Although speculative calendars are increasingly doing the rounds, these count for nought as long as authorities restrict the movement of people across the world. What use is a calendar which schedules races in countries which refuse to admit foreigners or make concessions for sport activities? The pandemic’s effect on the 10 teams has been disastrous . Most have furloughed staff, some are expected to be ‘retrenched’, ‘de-hired’ or similar, while a number of independent teams have availed themselves of advances on future F1 revenues … [Read more...] about Why the pandemic’s economic impact on F1 goes far beyond a disrupted calendar · RaceFans
The major change Alfa Romeo made after being “stuck in a corner” last year · RaceFans
Two anticipated trends in 2023 Formula 1 car design were evident in the first new chassis presented for the upcoming season today. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free While Red Bull, Haas and Williams relied on models or old cars to reveal their new liveries over the past week, Alfa Romeo became the first team to show something approaching a genuine 2023 machine. Their video broadcast showed Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu revealing the car in a similar configuration to what they will run when testing begins in Bahrain in two weeks’ time. The team also issued images of its car in launch specification. One obvious change is the shift towards a darker livery, just as fellow Ferrari power unit customers Haas have done. Teams have been removing paint and exposing the carbon fibre beneath for years in an effort to save weight, but the introduction of new regulations last year prompted many to go a step further. It’s striking that Alfa Romeo, who began last … [Read more...] about The major change Alfa Romeo made after being “stuck in a corner” last year · RaceFans
A trailblazer who brought a Black woman’s voice to comics
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 Barbara Brandon-Croft wrote a pitch that, 34 years later, has lost none of its punch. "Few Black Cartoonists have entered national syndication since the 1970s," began the boldfaced heading to her letter to newspaper syndicates. "None have been Black Women." What Brandon-Croft was offering the gatekeepers of such mass distribution was not a shaming as much as a way to course-correct. They could overcome their lack of representation while also reaching new audiences. "We all gain from the Black experience," she wrote in the letter. "Moreover, everyone's to gain from the Black female experience in particular." Her precise verbal strike caught the eye of Universal Press Syndicate editor Lee Salem, who had nurtured such strips as "Calvin and Hobbes" and "Cathy" and later discovered "The Boondocks." He knew excellence when he saw it, replying to her: "It's rare to … [Read more...] about A trailblazer who brought a Black woman’s voice to comics
Here comes spring TV, even if you’re not caught up on fall TV
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 William Shakespeare once wrote, "Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?" He just needed a TV. Though in fairness to the bard, we might have finally reached that point of excess. After all, Apple TV Plus released two seasons of the excellent "Slow Horses" last year. And though everyone is still trying to catch up on 2022's best shows - we're not even 12 months removed from "The Bear" and "The White Lotus"! - 2023 is already off to a prodigious start. The first episode of HBO's zombie video-game-turned-series "The Last of Us" was the network's second-biggest premiere of the past 13 years, eventually reaching more than 10 million viewers - only hinting at the deluge of shows to come. Meanwhile, Rian Johnson of "Knives Out" fame is attempting to revive television of a bygone (see: pre-streaming) era with his Natasha Lyonne-starring case-of-the-week dramedy … [Read more...] about Here comes spring TV, even if you’re not caught up on fall TV
‘Dog’ box office hunk Channing Tatum visits San Antonio military members
Actor Channing Tatum visited San Antonio to visit with members of the military at Joint Base San Antonio. Tatum, who is starring in the new movie Dog , was on a USO tour that stopped at the base on Wednesday, February 9. JBSA shared the news of the star's visit on Thursday, February 17. The tour was in promotion of the just-released dog-lover movie, JBSA says. During his stop, Tatum was able to tour facilities and units where dogs and their handlers train. He was also able to participate in a dog demonstration. JBSA members at the Kelly Field, Lackland and Fort Sam Houston were able to get a prescreening of Tatum's new movie, which he co-directed and starred in as former U.S. Army Ranger Jackson Briggs in. In his directing debut, Tatum shares the screen with a Belgian Malinois named Lulu. The two embark on a sentimental road trip to get Lulu to the funeral of her handler. JBSA says online that the base was "thrilled" to host the actor. Tatum also stopped by Fort Benning in … [Read more...] about ‘Dog’ box office hunk Channing Tatum visits San Antonio military members
Houston Texans coordinator search: Candidates to be next OC, DC
After hiring former Pro Bowl linebacker and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans as head coach last week, the Houston Texans have wasted no time pursuing potential coordinators. Some early candidates started to emerge shortly after Ryans was hired, with 49ers offensive passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik, Cincinnati Bengals receivers coach Troy Walters, New England Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley, New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel and San Francisco defensive pass game specialist and secondary coach Cory Undlin being linked to the job prior to last Thursday's introductory press conference. According to KPRC's Aaron Wilson , the Texans have recently requested permission to interview Washington Commanders secondary coach Chris Harris for their defensive coordinator position as well, in addition to Manuel. Ryans described the type of coaching staff is looking to build while speaking with the media last week, while not providing any … [Read more...] about Houston Texans coordinator search: Candidates to be next OC, DC
Texans brace for the end of nearly three years of pandemic Medicaid coverage
One day, Alexandria Robertson’s carefully crafted life suddenly started falling apart. She returned from vacation in January 2020 to learn she’d been laid off from her corporate job in the Austin area. Her car was totaled in an accident. At the same time, she found out she was pregnant with her first child. “I was pregnant. I had no job. I had no car. And I had no health insurance,” Robertson said. “I at the time just did not have money for the expenses of having a baby.” Robertson qualified for Medicaid, but since Texas is one of just 11 states that haven’t expanded the program, she would be covered only up to two months after childbirth. But then, just a few weeks later, COVID-19 descended on the United States. For the length of the public health emergency — which turns three next month — no one would be moved off of Medicaid. The state is urging people on Medicaid to ensure their information is up to date at YourTexasBenefits.com and to respond to renewal notices … [Read more...] about Texans brace for the end of nearly three years of pandemic Medicaid coverage
2023 Honda Accord First Drive Review: Hybrid-Heavy Honor Roll
Verdict 9.0 / 10 Unlike some of its competitors, Honda has no intention of giving up on the sedan market. Its Accord and Civic are today’s most popular vehicles for first-time buyers, Generation Z, and Hispanic customers, and the automaker isn’t about to cede that crown by abandoning the segments that made it a household name in the US. But tastes and environmental sensibilities demand some evolution, which is why the 2023 Accord is leaning heavily into electrification. Although not a fully electric vehicle (yet), the redesigned sedan is ditching the lusty turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder in its top trims, with an efficient hybrid powertrain taking its place. Although the base LX and slightly better-equipped EX trims soldier on with Honda’s adequate 1.5-liter turbo, every other model (Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, and Touring) now comes exclusively with the hybrid powertrain. I’ll freely admit that Honda’s decision to go heavy on electrification had me a bit skeptical … [Read more...] about 2023 Honda Accord First Drive Review: Hybrid-Heavy Honor Roll