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Protesters storm Swedish Embassy in Baghdad after man threatens to burn Quran in Stockholm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Protesters angered by an Iraqi man in Sweden who threatened to burn a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, overrunning the diplomatic compound and starting a fire.Hours later, Iraq’s prime minister cut diplomatic ties with Sweden in protest over the desecration of the Islamic holy book.Protesters occupied the diplomatic post for several hours, waving flags and signs showing the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr, and setting a small fire. The embassy staff had been evacuated a day earlier.The attack came ahead of a protest by an Iraqi asylum-seeker who burned a copy of the Islamic holy book during a previous demonstration last month. He threatened to do the same thing again in Stockholm.After protesters left the Swedish Embassy, diplomats announced it had closed to visitors, without specifying when it would reopen.Following a meeting with security officials, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sud...

Home sales in June fell to the slowest pace since January with near-historic low inventory for sale

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in June to the slowest pace since January, as a near-historic low number of homes for sale and rising mortgage rates kept many would-be homebuyers on the sidelines. The national median sales price fell on an annual basis for the fifth month in a row, though fierce competition led to about one-third of homes selling for more than their list price. Existing home sales fell 3.3% last month from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.16 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s slightly below what economists were expecting, according to FactSet, and marks the slowest sales pace since January.Sales sank 18.9% compared with June last year. All told, sales are down 23% through the first half of this year.The national median sales price fell 0.9% from June last year to $410,200. That’s the smallest annual decline since March. While down from a year earlier, the median sales price rose from...

Russia imposes travel restrictions on UK diplomats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia on Thursday imposed travel restrictions on most British diplomats in the country, a practice reminiscent of the Soviet Union’s tight control over the movement of foreigners.The Foreign Ministry summoned UK charge d’affaires Tom Dodd to announce the policy, saying it was “a response to the hostile actions of London, including hindering the normal functioning of Russian overseas missions in the UK.”The ministry also said it upbraided Dodd for the UK’s support of “the terrorist actions of the Kyiv regime.” Britain is among the countries most strongly supporting Ukraine in the fighting with Russia. Under the restrictions, most UK diplomatic personnel will be required to give Russia five days’ notice of intent to travel out a 120-kilometer (75-mile) radius and to state the purpose of the trip, the route, accommodations and planned contacts.The ambassador, the consuls in Moscow and the deputy chief of mission are exempt from the order. The Asso...

Kevin Spacey’s lawyer says three of the actor’s sexual assault accusers are ‘liars’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Three of Kevin Spacey ‘s accusers are liars, his lawyer told jurors Thursday at the actor’s sexual assault trial, and he suggested they not convict him for making a “clumsy pass” at a fourth man.Spacey was an easy mark for men who hopped on a “bandwagon” and fabricated stories in hopes of a payout, attorney Patrick Gibbs said. “A man who is promiscuous, not publicly out, although everyone in the business knows he’s gay, who wants to be just a normal guy,” Gibbs said in describing his famous client. “It’s a life that makes you an easy target when the internet turns against you and you’re tried by social media.”Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to nine charges, including multiple counts of sexual and indecent assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.The jury of nine men and three women is due to begin deliberating on Monday in Southwark Crown Court.The acts alleged between 2001 and 2013 ra...

Helicopter crashes in northwestern Alberta during firefighting operation: TSB

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

PEACE RIVER, Alta. — A helicopter involved in firefighting operations has crashed in northwestern Alberta, the Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.Spokesman Chris Krepski said two board investigators are en route to the scene near Peace River, Alta.“They will be on site later today to begin gathering information and assessing the occurance,” he said. Krepski said an emergency locator transmitter signal was received on Wednesday at around 6 p.m. He said the downed aircraft is currently in a marshy area near Haig Lake, roughly 140 kilometres northeast of Peace River. Krepski said it was operated by Valhalla Helicopters, based in West Kelowna, B.C., which declined to comment. Krepski said there was one person on board. RCMP were not immediately available to confirm the person’s condition. As of Thursday morning, Alberta had 117 active wildfires, 17 of which were considered out of control. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 20, 2023. Th...

Tornado damage to Pfizer plant will probably create long-term shortages of some drugs hospitals need

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

The fallout from a Pfizer factory being damaged by a tornado could put even more pressure on already-strained drug supplies at U.S. hospitals, experts say. Wednesday’s tornado touched down near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and ripped up the roof of a Pfizer factory that makes nearly 25% of all sterile injectable medicines used in U.S. hospitals, according to the drugmaker.Pfizer said all employees were safely evacuated and accounted for, and that it is still assessing damage.Here’s a closer look at the possible effects.WHAT ARE STERILE INJECTABLES? The North Carolina plant produces injectables — like drugs used in IV infusions or that are delivered under the skin or into patient muscles.The plant makes anesthesia drugs, anti-infectives (that typically treat things like fungal infections) and drugs that temporarily paralyze muscles. The latter are used in surgeries or intensive care units for patients who are placed on ventilators, said Mike Ganio, who studies drug shortages at...

Amid labor turmoil in Hollywood, Broadway seems to avoid a strike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Broadway and the touring theater community seem to have avoided a labor disruption like the one that has silenced the film and television industry.The Broadway League and Disney Theatrical Productions, which represent producers, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees announced Thursday they had reached a tentative agreement that had threatened a strike as early as Friday.About 1,500 workers — stagehands, hair and makeup artists, and wardrobe personnel — are directly covered by the tentative agreement, currently working on 28 productions on Broadway and 17 on tour.The agreement still needs to be ratified. In a joint statement, the bargainers said: “The respective parties will inform their members of the details of this agreement in the coming days.”The agreement is unconnected to the strike action roiling Hollywood. Leaders of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) voted unanimously last week to st...

Tens of thousands of Canadian moviegoers bought ‘Barbenheimer’ tickets: Cineplex

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

Cineplex says the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon is taking hold in Canada, with nearly 345,000 advance tickets purchased for two of the biggest Hollywood movie releases of the year.  Canada’s largest movie theatre chain says it’s no surprise that moviegoers are eager to see Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” — two very different but equally anticipated films coming out on Friday. Cineplex says more than 60,000 advance tickets were purchased by moviegoers seeing both films, and 65 per cent of those ticket buyers will watch “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” on the same day. The excitement over the double feature has been dubbed “Barbenheimer,” as both movies and their box office showdown trend online.A media analyst recently told The Associated Press that “Barbenheimer” is a “marketing gift borne out of social media” and the hype is benefiting both mo...

11-year-old daughter of top Kashmiri rebel leader issues rare appeal to visit father jailed in India

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The eleven-year-old daughter of a prominent Kashmiri rebel leader who was sentenced to life in prison in neighboring India issued an emotional appeal on Thursday, urging New Delhi to allow her to meet her ailing father.Razia Sultan, the daughter of Mohammed Yasin Malik, 57, made this emotional demand after she was allowed to address the regional legislative assembly in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.“I was only two years old when I met my father. I have now turned 11,” she said in a televised speech. “I miss my father like anything. I crave to hear his voice.”Sultan said she would hold Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible if any harm was caused to her father. She said she hoped that one day her father would be released, and he had been wrongly sentenced in a “fake case.”Malik was arrested in 2019 and was sentenced to life in prison last year by an Indian court on charges of terrorism and sedition. His arrest trigger...

Suburban middle school employee accused of distributing child pornography

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:55:43 GMT

CARY, Ill. — A man who worked in the attendance office of a suburban middle school is facing multiple charges relating to a child pornography investigation.According to Algonquin police, Donald Peters was arrested on Tuesday after executing a search warrant was executed at his residence in Cary. Peters is a longtime employee of the CommunityUnit School District 300 and may have solicited students for their social media accounts, police said. Antioch police execute search warrant in criminal investigation after boy thrown from carnival ride "District 300 can confirm Donald Peters' employment at Westfield Community School," a spokesperson said to WGN News. "Mr. Peters has been placed on administrative leave. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, the district cannot provide further comment at this time."Peters was charged with 10 offenses, including: Child pornography – reproduce or distribute videoChild pornography – solicits another to provideIntimidation – physical harm...