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Analysis: Iran-backed Yemen rebels’ helicopter-borne attack on ship raises risks in crucial Red Sea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The helicopter-borne Houthi attack on an Israel-linked ship in the Red Sea highlights the danger now lurking in one of the world’s key shipping routes as the Israel-Hamas war rages, as well as the rebels’ tactics mirroring those of its chief sponsor, Iran.While Tehran has denied aiding the Yemen rebel group in launching their attack Sunday, the targeted ship before the assault passed by an American-sanctioned Iranian cargo vessel suspected as serving as a forward spying base in the Red Sea. The rebels, dressed commando-style in bulletproof vests carrying assault rifles, covered each other and moved in military formation before quickly seizing control of the bridge of the Galaxy Leader. While their body-camera footage serves as a propaganda coup to bolster their own position in Yemen amid some protests against their rule, it also signals a new maritime front has opened in a region long focused on the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth at the Strait o...

Putin, Xi and UN Secretary-General Gutteres to attend virtual meeting on Israel-Hamas war

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders from the BRICS bloc of developing countries will hold a virtual meeting on the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday, with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres also participating.The leaders of fellow BRICS members Brazil, India and South Africa, as well as of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which are set to join the bloc in January, will also take part, according to the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.Ramaphosa will chair the “extraordinary meeting” because of South Africa’s position as current chair of BRICS, his office said. It said the leaders are expected to deliver statements on the “humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and will likely adopt a joint statement.The meeting comes a day after China’s top diplomat hosted the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authori...

Man dead, 2 women critically injured in Caledon triple shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

A man is dead and two women are fighting for their lives in hospital after a shooting along the Caledon and Brampton border on Monday night.Emergency crews were called to a house near Airport and Mayfield roads around 11:30 p.m. after getting reports of a shooting.Paramedics confirm a man was pronounced dead at the scene and two women were rushed to hospital in critical condition.No suspect information has been made available.This is a developing story. More to come.

Serbia expels a Croatian diplomat and further strains relations between the Balkan neighbors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia has expelled a Croatian diplomat in a move that further strains relations between the two former wartime foes and Balkan rivals.The Serbian foreign ministry said that the first secretary of the Croatian Embassy was proclaimed persona non grata for “gross stepping outside the framework of diplomatic norms” during his service.Media close to the populist Serbian government said that the diplomat, identified as Hrvoje Snajder, is accused of “spying activities” and “recruiting” of people for work for Croatian secret services.The Croatian foreign ministry rejected the grounds for the diplomat’s expulsion and said that it is “a step toward the deterioration of mutual relations” at the time “when the stability of southeastern Europe is of exceptional importance for the whole of Europe.”The Croatian ministry said that it reserves the right to respond to the expulsion “at the time and the way it chooses.”Tensions between the two Balkan neighbors have off a...

A 2-year-old is dead and 8 people are missing after a migrant boat capsized off Italy’s Lampedusa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

ROME (AP) — A small boat crammed with migrants capsized off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Monday evening, killing a 2-year-old girl and leaving at least eight people missing, rescuers said.The Italian coast guard and fishermen who were in the area when the boat hit some rocks before capsizing saved 43 other people. Most of those rescued were from Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau and Mali and had departed from Sfax, in Tunisia. Survivors told rescuers that at least eight people who were aboard were missing, including two children.Meanwhile, a fishing boat with 400 migrants onboard disembarked at the commercial port of Lampedusa, after being escorted by the local coast guard, bringing the total of the people landed in the island on Monday to 800 in 11 different arrivals.Last week, over 1,200 rescued migrants had arrived on the tiny island in just 26 hours.Lampedusa is a small stretch of land and the southernmost spot of Italy. Mass arrivals of migrants over the y...

German police raid homes of 17 people accused of posting antisemitic hate speech on social media

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities on Tuesday raided the homes of 17 people in the state of Bavaria accused of spreading antisemitic hate speech and threats targeting Jews online.According to the Bavarian criminal police, the suspects were 15 men and two women, aged between 18 and 62, German news agency dpa reported. Police questioned the suspects and confiscated evidence from their homes, including cell phones and laptops, the agency said.The suspects were said to have celebrated the attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, and were accused of spreading hate speech against Jewish people on social media, using symbols of banned terrorist organizations, dpa reported.The police operation focused on Bavaria’s capital city of Munich where nine of the accused resided. Further searches were carried out in the Bavarian towns of Fuessen and Kaufbeuren as well as in the counties of Passau, Fuerstenfeldbruck, Berchtesgadener Land, Coburg, Aschaffenburg and Hassberg...

Polish police arrest woman with Islamic extremist sympathies who planted explosive device in Warsaw

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish authorities say that they have arrested and pressed charges against a 38-year-old Polish woman with Islamic extremist sympathies who planted an explosive device on a street in central Warsaw earlier this month. There were no injuries.Police said in a statement published on Monday that the woman placed the device in Warsaw on the night of Nov. 10-11 and then took a train back to her home in western Poland.Nobody was hurt, but the device had the potential to hurt many people, police said.“The makeshift explosive device filled with gas containers and nails could have caused a serious threat to the health and lives of many people,” the statement said. It added that she was charged with “causing danger and bringing danger to the life and health of many people, as well as preparation for causing such danger.”Police used CCTV footage to track her movements. After planting the device in Warsaw, she headed to the central train station in the capital and the...

Record crowds expected to take to the air and hit the roads for Thanksgiving

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Despite inflation and memories of past holiday travel meltdowns, millions of people are expected to hit airports and highways in record numbers over the Thanksgiving break.The busiest days to fly will be Tuesday and Wednesday as well as the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 2.6 million passengers on Tuesday and 2.7 million passengers on Wednesday. Sunday will draw the largest crowds with an estimated 2.9 million passengers, which would narrowly eclipse a record set on June 30.Meanwhile, AAA forecasts that 55.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between next Wednesday and the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with roads likely to be the most clogged on Wednesday.The weather could snarl air and road traffic. A storm system was expected to move from the southern Plains to the Northeast on Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing severe thunderstorms, gusty wind and possible snow.U.S. Transportation Secretary Pet...

Central Michigan withstands Saints second-half surge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

DAYTONA BEACH, FL (NEWS10) -- Siena Basketball whittled a 19-point second-half deficit to as little as three before Central Michigan held on for a 70-56 decision over the Saints in the Sunshine Slam presented by Discount Tire at the Ocean Center. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Siena (1-3) will play Milwaukee in the Ocean Bracket third-place game Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., while Central Michigan (2-3) advances to take on Stetson in the Championship Game at noon.Anthony Pritchard scored 18 points on 8-11 shooting and added seven rebounds, nine assists, and four of 14 total steals for Central Michigan, which forced 21 Siena turnovers. The Chippewas capitalized with a 26-4 advantage in points off turnovers, fueled in part by a 17-0 margin in fast break scoring. Brian Taylor scored a game-high 21 points for Central Michigan.Giovanni Emejuru posted collegiate career-highs of 20 points (9-12 shooting) and eight rebounds for the shorthande...

9% of EU graduates engaged in mobility abroad

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:34:48 GMT

Approximately 386,900 students who graduated in 2021 in EU countries had studied abroad during their degree for at least 3 months (so-called credit mobile graduates, enrolled in tertiary education ISCED levels 5-8). As there were approximately 4.3 million graduates in the EU, this means that 9% of EU graduates participated in a mobility programme abroad.In 2021, among the EU members, the largest number of graduates, who had credit mobility stays, was in France, numbering approximately 176,100, or a 45.5% share of the total. With 68 700 (excluding doctoral or equivalent studies), or a 17.8% share of the EU total, Germany had the second highest number of credit mobile graduates. Spain ranked third with approximately 40,100 credit mobile graduates, with a share of 10.4%. The main destination for EU graduates who had studied abroad was the United Kingdom, accounting for 10.7% of all credit mobile graduates, followed by Spain (9.4%) and the United States (7.5%).Source dataset: educ_uoe_m...