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Audit: Security breach, staffing concerns contributed to ‘unsatisfactory’ accountability from Md. Medicaid agency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

Another audit within a branch of the Maryland Department of Health reveals years of “unsatisfactory” record-keeping that may have resulted in millions of Medicaid dollars improperly paid out for people who did not qualify and a lack of program oversight to ensure that people received adequate health care services, according to a Tuesday report from the Office of Legislative Audits.The audit raised several concerns out of the Medical Care Programs Administration, which largely oversees the implementation of Medicaid in the state, from August 2018 through March 2022, during the administration of former Gov. Larry Hogan (R). The audit evaluated how the agency monitored the low-income federal health care assistance program.“We determined that MCPA’s accountability and compliance level was unsatisfactory, in accordance with the rating system we established in conformity with State law,” the audit concluded.This audit comes just days after the state Departmen...

London police clash with counter-protesters as tensions rise over a pro-Palestinian peace march

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Palestinian supporters marched peacefully through central London on Saturday, even as right-wing counter-protesters clashed with police, after a week of angry debate over whether to permit the demonstration on a day when Britain honored its war dead.The day unfolded in a backdrop of tensions fueled by Home Secretary Suella Braverman who earlier this week characterized pro-Palestinian demonstrations as “hate marches” and called for Saturday’s event to be blocked out of respect for Armistice Day events marking the end of World War I.The skirmishes between police and counter-protesters carrying the Union flag of Great Britain and the red-and-white flag of England appeared to confirm the concerns that Braverman’s comments would attract right-wing elements looking for an excuse to confront the pro-Palestinian marchers.The march was apparently the largest in London since the start of the conflict, with hundreds of thousands snaking through the city from Hyde Park to the U.S....

Virginians can apply for state fuel assistance to help with heat costs through Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

Following the extreme cold temperatures Virginia experienced last year during Winter Storm Elliott, residents concerned about paying heating bills this year can apply for state help.The deadline for residents to apply for fuel assistance is 6 p.m. Monday. The application window typically opens the second Tuesday in October and runs through the second Friday in November, or the next business day when the deadline falls on a holiday. Friday is Veterans Day.“Keeping warm during the winter months should not be a struggle Virginia families have to face,” said Danny Avula, the commissioner of Virginia’s Department of Social Services, which oversees the assistance, in a statement. “With this assistance, households will be able to dedicate their resources towards other expenses they might have while staying comfortable in their homes.”Virginia’s fuel assistance program is part of the federally funded, state-administered Low-Income Heating and Energy Assis...

Real Madrid top scorer Jude Bellingham to miss Valencia game with hurt shoulder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Jude Bellingham will miss Real Madrid’s game against Valencia on Saturday because of a shoulder injury.Bellingham had stayed on the bench Wednesday against Braga in a 3-0 win that put Madrid into the Champions League knockout round.The Spanish league home game against Valencia will be the last for Madrid before an international break. The team said hours before kickoff that Bellingham would sit out.Bellingham is supposed to play for England in European Championship qualifiers next week. England has already qualified for next year’s tournament in Germany before hosting Malta on Nov. 17 and visiting North Macedonia three days later.The 20-year-old Bellingham leads Madrid with 13 goals, including a Spanish league-leading 10 goals, since arriving this summer from Borussia Dortmund.Madrid is second in the league behind Girona.___AP soccer: apnews.com/hub/soccerSource

Guerra en Gaza: Israel amplía pausas humanitarias a 7 horas para permitir salida de civiles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

El Ejército israelí anunció una ampliación de tres horas de las “pausas humanitarias” para permitir la salida de civiles palestinos del norte de la Franja de Gaza hacia el sur a través de la carretera de Salah al Din.Según un breve comunicado castrense, el eje de Salah al Din, que atraviesa de norte a sur el enclave, permanecerá abierto siete horas en lugar de cuatro como en días anteriores y se abrirá una nueva vía costera para las evacuaciones.El Ejército apunta que “cientos de miles” de gazatíes han huido ya del norte de Gaza en busca de refugio.La nota agrega que las Fuerzas de Defensa de Israel también han decidido “una pausa táctica de las operaciones militares” de cuatro horas en el campamento de refugiados de Yabalia, en el norte de la Franja, entre las 10:00 a.m. y las 2:00 p.m. hora local para permitir la salida de civiles. Israel hará “pausas humanitarias” para permitir salida de civiles y entrada de ayuda a Gaza ...

Tottenham allows stoppage-time goals in 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton in Premier League

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — Wolverhampton scored twice in stoppage time to beat Tottenham 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday, handing Spurs back-to-back losses for the first time this season.Mario Lemina struck in the 97th-minute after Pablo Sarabia had evened the score six minutes earlier at Molineux Stadium.The visitors led from Brennan Johnson’s goal after just three minutes and were poised to regain first place from Manchester City.Instead, new manager Ange Postecoglou’s team remained one point behind the defending champions after having gone unbeaten in the first 10 games of the season.Tottenham lost 4-1 to Chelsea on Monday after having two players sent off. The game at Molineux was going to be a test of its character and Johnson’s early goal was the perfect response.Sarabia evened the score when he controlled Matheus Cunha’s cross and volleyed a left-footed shot past Guglielmo Vicario at the near post.For the winner, Sarabia was the provider with an inc...

Maryland-based immigrant rights group scrambles to save political, financial support

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

These should be heady times for CASA, the immigrants’ rights group based in Langley Park.The organization just finalized its new strategic plan, and canvassers from CASA’s political unit were on the ground in Virginia for the past few weeks, contributing to the Democrats’ significant victories in legislative races. CASA helped muscle through groundbreaking rent control legislation in Montgomery County earlier this year, and the state Senate committee chair who tucked a piece of health care legislation in her desk drawer last spring that was a priority for the group has just left the legislature.But instead of celebrating these developments, CASA, the biggest and most consequential immigrants’ rights group in the Mid-Atlantic, finds itself on its heels this week, and facing suggestions that it could lose a substantial amount of its political support — not to mention public and private funding.The crisis emerged after the group’s leaders released a statement and social media posts ove...

Sports on TV for Sunday, November 12

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsSunday, November 12AUTO RACING1:30 p.m.NBC — FIM MotoGP: The Grand Prix Of Malaysia, Sepang Circuit, Selangor, Malaysia (Taped)2 p.m.FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif. (Taped)3 p.m.FS1 — NHRA: The In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Pomona, Calif.COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S)12:30 p.m.ESPN2 — Asheville Championship: TBD, Third-Place Game, Asheville, N.C.2 p.m.ACCN — Lehigh at North Carolina3 p.m.ESPN2 — Asheville Championship: TBD, Championship, Asheville, N.C.7 p.m.BTN — Army at Indiana10 p.m.PAC-12N — Nevada at WashingtonCOLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S)1 p.m.ABC — Maryland at South Carolina3 p.m.ABC — UConn at NC State4 p.m.ACCN — DePaul at LouisvillePAC-12N — Villanova at Oregon St.5 p.m.BTN — Auburn at RutgersESPN — Indiana at Stanford6 p.m.ACCN — Davidson at North CarolinaPAC-12N — Oklahoma St. at Colorado8 p.m.ACCN — Team USA at Duke (Taped)COLLEGE SOCCER (ME...

Texas police officer killed in a shooting that left another officer wounded

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

One Texas police officer was killed and a second officer was wounded in a shooting early Saturday at a home in Austin that also left the suspected gunman dead, according to a post on the City Council message board by the mayor’s chief of staff.“One of our SWAT Officers is dead. Another Officer was shot” shortly after 4 a.m., according to the post by Colleen Pate for Mayor Kirk Watson.“The suspect was shot and was deceased at the scene,” the post said, but provided no further information.Austin police declined comment until a news conference later Saturday.“I’m praying for the family of our fallen officer,” Watson said in a separate statement, and “for our officer who was shot and in surgery and his family.”

Mexico’s ruling party names gubernatorial candidates, but questions remain about unity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:15 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s ruling party on Saturday named its candidates for eight governorships and the mayorship of Mexico City.But after ruling out the most popular candidate for the capital, questions remain about whether the party can avoid desertions. For the moment, former capital police chief Omar García Harfuch — who won polls on the city race but was knocked out by a gender quota requiring a female candidate — told local media he had no plans to leave the party.“We will always respect the gender quotas and the decision of our party,” García Harfuch wrote in his social media accounts.The Morena party, founded by charismatic President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, is made up of disparate elements united only by López Obrador’s outsized personality, but he cannot be reelected and leaves office in ten months.Morena already announced its nominee for the presidential race: former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who is seen as an unquestioningly faithful follower of the pres...