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Videos purport to show protesters storming Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in protest over Quran burning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Protesters angered by the burning of a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, online videos purported to show. The videos showed demonstrators at the diplomatic post. It wasn’t clear if there were any staff inside the complex at the time. Iraqi police and state media did not immediately acknowledge the incident. Swedish officials could not be immediately reached for comment. The demonstration occurred after an Iraqi Christian immigrant last month burned a Quran outside a Stockholm mosque during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, triggering widespread condemnation in the Islamic world. A similar protest by a far-right activist was held outside Turkey’s Embassy earlier this year, complicating Sweden’s efforts to convince Turkey to let it join NATO.The Associated Press

Women’s World Cup security heightened ahead of opening match following deadly shooting in Auckland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Security will be heightened ahead of Thursday night’s opening Women’s World Cup game after a gunman killed two people at a downtown construction site in Auckland, roughly 12 hours ahead of co-host New Zealand’s match against Norway. Norway’s team hotel was located within a short distance of the shooting, which occurred in the tourist area of the city near the harbor ferry terminal. Norway captain Maren Mjelde said teammates were awakened by a helicopter hovering outside the hotel. “We felt safe the whole time,” Mjelde said in a statement. “FIFA has a good security system at the hotel, and we have our own security officer in the squad. Everyone seems calm and we are preparing as normal for the game tonight.”Officials from Eden Park, where the game was scheduled to be played following an opening ceremony for the tournament, encouraged ticket holders to arrive to the stadium early. “There will be an increased security presence within...

Russian gymnasts allowed as ‘individual neutral athletes’ from 2024, no decision on Olympics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Gymnasts from Russia and Belarus will be allowed to take part in sanctioned competitions as “individual neutral athletes” from the start of 2024, the sport’s governing body said Wednesday, but any decision on the Paris Games will be left to the International Olympic Committee.Russian and Belarus gymnasts had been banned since last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ military support.The executive committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Wednesday it had decided “to authorize, under strict conditions, the participation of athletes and support personnel of Russian and Belarusian sporting nationality in FIG sanctioned events listed on the FIG Calendar as ‘individual neutral athletes’ without any involvement or association with the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus, their respective National Federations or National Olympic Committees.”This may include Olympic qualifying events, the gymn...

72-hour B.C. port strike notice removed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

Port workers in B.C. will not be going on strike again on Saturday, as a 72-hour strike notice has now been removed.In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU) announced the decision.“Effective immediately the strike notice dated July 22 for 9:00 a.m. has now been removed,” Rob Ashton wrote in a statement.Although Ashton didn’t provide any further details, but the BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) has confirmed that the notice was removed.“The past 24 hours have demonstrated that this continues to be a fluid and unpredictable situation. We will communicate as appropriate with key stakeholders as we receive clarification,” a statement from the employer reads.This comes after Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said the resumption of a strike at B.C.’s ports is “illegal,” following an announcement on Tuesday that a tentative deal had been rejected.O’Regan said in a twe...

Judge orders man charged with killing 2 teenage girls to remain at northern Indiana prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

DELPHI, Ind. (AP) — A man charged with killing two teenage girls will remain held at a northern Indiana prison after a judge concluded Wednesday he’s being treated better there than other inmates. Special Judge Fran Gull denied a request from attorneys for Richard Allen to relocate him from the Indiana Department of Correction’s Westville Correctional Facility because of what they said were his deteriorating health and poor living conditions at the prison where he has been held since last November. His lawyers argued, among other things, that Allen sleeps on a pad on a concrete floor; must wear the same clothes including underwear for days that are soiled, stained, tattered and torn; and has had no chance to visit his wife or other family members in the past five months. His attorneys have described his living conditions as “akin to those of a prisoner of war.” But the judge ruled, without going into specifics, that “the evidence presented demonstrated that the Defendant...

Federal judge appoints expert to oversee Oregon agency that has been housing foster kids in hotels

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge this week appointed an outside expert to help Oregon end its practice of housing kids in foster care in hotels, years after the agency promised it would do so in a legal settlement. U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane on Tuesday took the unusual step of appointing Marty Beyer to oversee the state’s Department of Human Services, noting the agency has not figured out how to stop “temporary lodging” on its own, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Oregon has spent more than $25 million housing 462 kids in foster care in hotels since the state promised to largely end the practice as part of a legal settlement in 2018.In the first six months of this year, 75 kids ranging in age from 6 to 19 years were placed in hotels. Twenty of those kids have lived in a hotel for more than 60 days.“This is incredibly harmful for these kids,” said Maggie Carlson, an attorney for Youth, Rights & Justice, which was one of the groups that filed a 2016 lawsuit...

Black lawmakers say Alabama GOP’s proposed new congressional map insults the Supreme Court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Republicans advanced new congressional lines Wednesday, a proposed map that Black lawmakers called an insult after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the legislature to redraw districts to give Black voters a greater voice in elections. Republican majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate advanced separate plans that do not establish the second majority-Black district sought by plaintiffs who won the Supreme Court case but do increase the number of Black voters in one district. The GOP plans would increase the percentage of Black voters in the state’s 2nd congressional district from about 30% to 38% under the Senate proposal, or 42% under the House plan. Republicans said that complies with the court’s directive to provide a second district where Black voters can influence the outcome of congressional elections. Democrats said it is short of what the court ordered.“This is really a slap in the face, not only to Black Alabamians, but...

State Department sanctions 2 former Salvadoran leaders, dozens of officials in Central America

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The State Department announced Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on two former Salvadoran presidents and dozens of other officials and judges in Central America.The report said that those sanctioned “have knowingly engaged in actions that undermine democratic processes or institutions, significant corruption or obstruction of investigations” into corruption in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.The extensive list, which also includes heads of banks, judges and high ranking officials, underscores the depth of corruption across the region.Chief among the names on the list was Mauricio Funes, president of El Salvador between 2009 and 2014 who was recently sentenced to prison for 14 years for negotiating with the gangs and six years for tax evasion. Funes’ successor, former president Salvador Sánchez Cerén, was also sanctioned for “significant corruption by laundering money” while he held the position as vice president.Corruption has been a hot but...

Chicago teen missing may be in need of medical attention

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing teenager who may be in need of medical attention.Kelis Carpenter, 14, was last seen near the 10300 block of South Torrence Avenue around 1 a.m. on Monday, July 17. CPD: 27-year-old woman missing from the Hermosa neighborhood Carpenter is described as 4-foot-10, weighing 115 pounds, with black braids, a nose piercing, and cuts on her arms and legs. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie and black pants. Carpenter takes medication for diabetes and may be in need of said medication.She's known to be seen in the area of Trumball Park Homes and the BP gas station at 10302 South Torrence Avenue.Anyone with information regarding Kelis Carpenter are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-747-8274.

South Side residents organize to protest property management order

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:22 GMT

CHICAGO — Dozens of residents who live in Beverly and surrounding neighborhoods gathered to call out the property management company that purchased their apartment buildings Wednesday, claiming they are pushing them out of their homes.Back in May, residents of six apartment buildings in Beverly began receiving notices that their properties had been sold to Levav Properties — and shortly thereafter — they said they began to receive non-renewal notices.The 120-plus residents of the property are predominantly Black, as well as being senior citizens and people with disabilities who said they have lived in their apartments for years."We will not let them break the solidarity of O'Shea Neighbors United," said Arieh Venick, a community organizer with the Metropolitan Tenants Organization. "It's time to negotiate."Residents are demanding a conversation at the table with Levav Properties management, in which they said they want help with relocation assistance and additional time beyond the 6...