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Iraq’s crackdown on booze, social media posts raises alarm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Only a few months into its term, Iraq’s government is suddenly enforcing a long-dormant law banning alcohol imports and arresting people over social media content deemed morally offensive. The crackdown has raised alarm among religious minorities and rights activists. Some see the measures as an attempt by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to head off potential political challenges from religious conservatives and to distract from economic woes, such as rising prices and wild currency fluctuations. The ban on the import, sale and production of alcohol was adopted in 2016, but was only published in the official gazette last month, making it enforceable. On Saturday, Iraq’s customs authority ordered all border crossings to impose the prohibition.Although many liquor stores across Iraq continued business as usual — presumably using up their stocks — border crossings went dry overnight, with the exception of the northern, semi-autonomous Kurdish region which hasnR...

Xi awarded 3rd term as China’s president, extending rule

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping was awarded a third five-year term as the nation’s president Friday, putting him on track to stay in power for life at a time of severe economic challenges and rising tensions with the U.S. and others. The endorsement of Xi’s appointment by the ceremonial National People’s Congress was a foregone conclusion for a leader who has sidelined potential rivals and filled the top ranks of the ruling Communist Party with his supporters since taking power in 2012.The vote for Xi was 2,952 to 0 by the NPC, members of which are appointed by the ruling party.Xi, 69, had himself named to a third five-year term as party general secretary in October, breaking with a tradition under which Chinese leaders handed over power once a decade. A two-term limit on the figurehead presidency was deleted from the Chinese constitution earlier, prompting suggestions he might stay in power for life.No candidate lists were distributed, and Xi and those aw...

Man convicted of killing Kristin Smart set to be sentenced

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The man convicted of killing Kristin Smart, who vanished from a California college campus more than 25 years ago, was scheduled to be sentenced Friday for her murder.Paul Flores could face 25 years to life in state prison. However, the judge was first expected to consider defense motions to toss out Flores’ conviction, acquit him and order a new trial. Smart, 19, disappeared from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo on the state’s scenic central coast over Memorial Day weekend in 1996.Her remains have never been found, but she was declared legally dead in 2002.Prosecutors maintained that Flores, now 46, killed Smart during an attempted rape on May 25, 1996, in his dorm room at the university, where both were first-year students. He was the last person seen with Smart as he walked her home from an off-campus party.Flores was arrested in 2021 along with his father, who was accused of helping to hide Smart’s body.The trial was held i...

Erasmus+ 2023 Annual Work Programme: Commission increases annual budget to €4.43 billion, with a focus on learners and staff from Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

The Commission has adopted a revision of the Erasmus+ Annual Work Programme for 2023. The overall budget of the programme for this year has been revised upwards to €4.43 billion, the highest annual financial envelope ever reached by the Erasmus+ programme. The increased budget will reinforce the Erasmus+ priorities on inclusion, active citizenship and democratic participation, and on the green and digital transformations in the EU and abroad.The revised work programme includes a €100 million frontload from the 2027 Erasmus+ budget, to support projects that promote educational activities and facilitate the integration of people fleeing the war in Ukraine into their new learning environments, as well as activities supporting organisations, learners and staff in Ukraine. Funded activities may range from linguistic and cultural integration courses and language learning tools addressed to educators or learners, to scholarships or general financial support in all Erasmus+ sectors for lear...

Man arrested for allegedly drugging, sexually assaulting woman in West Hollywood bar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

Los Angeles County detectives are urging those who attend clubs to be extra vigilant about their surroundings and what they drink after a woman was allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted in West Hollywood. Kent Okukporo, 42, is accused of spiking a woman’s drink before dragging her out of The Abbey Food & Bar to his car on February 25. The victim was able to get away and call 911. Okukporo returned to The Abbey the following day where security staff recognized him and called deputies to arrest him, authorities said. Kent Okukporo (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)When asked how unusual it is for suspects to return to the scene of alleged assaults so soon, West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department Captain Bill Moulder said he was not surprised. “I don’t know how unusual that is, but I can say it seems brazen,” Moulder said at a press conference on Thursday. Community members are keeping their guard up and taking extra precautions to make sure their nig...

Belgian strikes cut public services, snarl traffic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — A nationwide strike by Belgium’s public sector is slowing rush-hour traffic and affecting everything from garbage collection to childcare. Trade unions are protesting investment and employment cuts and demand that pension reforms be cut back. “Not a single department escaped the cuts imposed by several governments. That’s why we sound the alarm bell. Because everyone should have a strong public sector,” the ACOD union said.Train service was paralyzed in large parts of the nations and buses and subways were running on a limited timetable in and around Brussels. Source

Miami police arrest 5 after officer wounded in shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Police in Miami said five suspects were taken into custody in connection with a shooting that wounded an officer on Wednesday.Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez told WTVJ-TV that the officer was conducting a narcotics investigation around 4 p.m. near the 500 block of Northwest 42nd Street and was “ambushed” from behind while approaching another suspect he intended to arrest.The shot grazed the officer, who was treated and released from Jackson Memorial Hospital, Ramirez said.A 32-year-old man was accused of being the gunman and was expected to be charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm. A 30-year-old was charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder, police said.Three others were taken into custody and accused of harboring the alleged gunman after the shooting, Ramirez said.Ramirez did not identify the officer who was hurt, but said he was a department veteran of about 18 years including undercover work.“I did that job...

Anti-Russia guerrillas in Belarus take on ‘two-headed enemy’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

After Russia invaded Ukraine, guerillas from Belarus began carrying out acts of sabotage on their country’s railways, including blowing up track equipment to paralyze the rails that Russian forces used to get troops and weapons into Ukraine.In the most recent sabotage to make international headlines, they attacked a Russian warplane parked just outside the Belarusian capital.“Belarusians will not allow the Russians to freely use our territory for the war with Ukraine, and we want to force them to leave,” Anton, a retired Belarusian serviceman who joined a group of saboteurs, told The Associated Press in a phone interview.“The Russians must understand on whose side the Belarusians are actually fighting,” he said, speaking on the condition that his last name be withheld for security reasons.More than a year after Russia used the territory of its neighbor and ally to invade Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops, as well as warplanes, missiles and other weapons. ...

Czech Republic beats China 8-5 in World Baseball Classic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Martin Muzik hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning and the Czech Republic beat China 8-5 on Friday in the World Baseball Classic.The Czech Republic overcame a 5-4 deficit in the ninth, with Filip Smola adding an RBI single in the team’s first game in Group A. Matej Mensik also homered for the Czechs, connecting in the third. Marek Minarik was the winner, closing with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.Hai Cheng Gong took the loss as China dropped to 0-2. It lost 8-1 to Japan on Thursday.The all-amateur Czech team has had fun in Japan. A few of the players even went surfing in the run-up to the tournament during games in Miyazaki in southwestern Japan.“We’re enjoying the Japanese stay,” player Marek Chlup said. “At Miyazaki, some players swam.”Source

Arizona State upsets 3-seed USC in Pac-12 quarterfinals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:31:56 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Desmond Cambridge Jr. hit six of Arizona State’s 14 3-pointers and scored 27 points as the sixth-seeded Sun Devils upset USC, the No. 3 seed, 77-72 in a Pac-12 Conference tournament quarterfinal on Thursday night.The Sun Devils (22-11) will face Arizona in the second of Friday’s semifinal. Arizona State stunned the Wildcats on a 60-foot shot at the buzzer by Cambridge February 25 in Tucson.Cambridge opened the game by hitting from beyond the arc and, after adding a jumper, DJ Horne followed suit to give the Sun Devils a quick, 8-0 lead they never relinquished. The lead reached 15 points after an 8-0 run capped by a Cambridge 3 that made it 36-21 and Arizona State held a 39-25 lead at intermission. USC cut its deficit to single digits midway through the second half after Drew Peterson hit a pair of free throws to make it 52-43 but Duke Brennan answered with a layup that pushed it back to double digits. Cambridge and Alonzo Gaffney hit back-to-back 3s to m...