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Afghan Taliban suspend all activities of Swedish aid groups over burning of Islam’s holy book

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Afghan Taliban say they have suspended all the activities of Swedish organizations in the country in response to the recent burning of Islam’s holy book in Stockholm. The announcement left a Swedish non-governmental aid group perplexed about the future of its programs in Afghanistan, which provide education and medical facilities to thousands of people across the country. The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan said it was seeking clarification from the Taliban.Two weeks ago, a man identified in Swedish media as a refugee from Iraq burned a Quran outside a mosque in central Stockholm during the major Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.The burning drew widespread condemnation in the Muslim world, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested that the incident would pose another obstacle to Sweden’s bid for NATO membership, although he later scaled back his objection. On Tuesday, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban gov...

Vandals in Naples destroy seminal artwork by 90-year-old Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Vandals set fire and destroyed a seminal artwork by one of Italy’s most famous living artists early Wednesday outside Naples’ City Hall.By the time flames were doused, all that was left of the installation by Michelangelo Pistoletto was a charred frame.Pistoletto’s artwork, titled “Venus of the Rags” had been display in Naples since June 28. It featured a large plaster neoclassical nude Venus, inspired by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen’s 19th century “Venus with Apple,” picking through a mountain of rags. Pistoletto made several versions of “Venus of the Rags.” The first, in 1967, had a concrete or cement Venus purchased at a garden center covered with mica to create a glittery surface. Others used plaster casts of the that statue, and one was made out of Greek marble containing mica, according to the Tate Gallery, which owns one of the pieces. Pistoletto told the Corriere della Sera daily newspaper that the reasons for the attack could be many.“It is a work t...

Live Updates | UK defense secretary says Ukraine should be grateful, not treat allies like ‘Amazon’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Follow along for updates on the summit of the NATO military alliance in Lithuania’s capital:What to know: — NATO backs Ukraine’s fight vs. Russia but doesn’t invite Kyiv to join— Sweden’s rocky road from neutrality toward NATO membership— What is NATO doing to help Ukraine in the war with Russia?——British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has raised some eyebrows by suggesting that Ukraine should appear more grateful for Western military support and not treat allies like “Amazon.”“Whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude,” Wallace told reporters at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, noting that Ukraine was persuading other countries to give up their own stocks of weapons.In comments cited by multiple British media outlets, including The Times of London, The Guardian and the Independent, Wallace said he had heard “grumbles” from lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington that “we’re not Amazon.”“I mean, that’s true,” he was quoted as ...

Person shot, killed in Kankakee

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

KANKAKEE, Ill. — A person was shot and killed Tuesday night in Kankakee.At around 10:15 p.m., officers responded to the 700 block of North Park Avenue on the report of a shooting.At the scene, officers located an individual suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The person, who has not been identified at this time, died as a result of the shooting.Police said more information will be released Wednesday.No one is in custody.

Woman accused of taking selfie before stealing thousands in jewelry in California

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

(KTLA) - Police are searching for a woman accused of snapping a selfie before stealing packages of jewelry worth thousands of dollars in Irvine, California.The woman was caught on camera using a fraudulent identification card to collect FedEx packages that did not belong to her, police said.Security video from inside the FedEx store captured a recent theft. The woman is seen waiting in line when at one point, she appears to snap a casual selfie before calmly walking away with the stolen package.Police are searching for a woman wanted for allegedly stealing thousands worth of jewelry packages from FedEx in Irvine. (Irvine Police Department)Police are searching for a woman wanted for allegedly stealing thousands worth of jewelry packages from FedEx in Irvine. (Irvine Police Department)Police are searching for a woman wanted for allegedly stealing thousands worth of jewelry packages from FedEx in Irvine. (Irvine Police Department)Police are searching for a woman wanted for allegedly st...

Prime Day 2023: Behind the scenes of an Amazon warehouse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

FENTON, Mo. (KTVI) -- Before the sun came up Tuesday, work was already underway at Amazon’s delivery station in Fenton, Missouri. From conveyor belts to carts, colors and QR codes, every package finds its proper place.Tuesday marked the start of this year's Amazon Prime Day event, which offers deals for Amazon Prime members for 48 hours through Wednesday. “We prepare about four weeks out," said Andrew Prewett, senior station manager at Amazon’s Fenton warehouse. “Unique to Amazon, we actually stow our packages to bags. We want to combine multiple orders within a bag. It makes it easier to transfer multiple packages to a cart and to load into the van.” Prime Day 2023: Here are the 190+ best deals The 142,000-square-foot facility is roughly the size of two-and-a-half football fields. It serves customers within a 1,700-square-mile radius. During a normal week, the Fenton delivery station processes 285,000 customer orders. But during Prime week, that number jumps to 370,000 orders.“W...

Student loans: How payments pinch renters, dash dreams of homeownership

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

(The Hill) - Student loan borrowers could face housing hurdles in an already tight and expensive market once payments kick in later this year after a three-year pause.   The money saved not paying on loans during this period helped some borrowers build savings or handle the rising costs of household goods and other necessities, including rent. Some analysts predict that the added costs of loan repayments could slash savings and force borrowers into difficult housing situations. “While the income needed for monthly rent payments remains the same with the resumption of loan payments, renters especially from the lower- and middle-income group will be forced to make difficult housing decisions and sacrifice some aspects to the quality of life,” Moody’s Analytics senior economist Lu Chen and economist Mary Le told The Hill. Borrowers who immediately resume payments in October will owe roughly $275 per month, Moody’s projected in a recent report. That could lead those in de...

Inflation slowed to 3 percent in June, hits lowest rate in 2 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

(The Hill) -- Consumer prices rose 3 percent annually in June and 0.2 percent last month alone, according to inflation data released Wednesday by the Labor Department.The consumer price index (CPI) posted its smallest annual increase since March 2021 as inflation fell from a 4 percent annual rate in May. Without food and energy, prices rose 4.8 percent on the year and 0.2 percent in June, the smallest one-month increase since August 2021.Inflation came in slightly lower than economists had expected after declines in used auto prices, airline fares and household furnishings helped bring down overall price growth. Housing costs were the biggest driver of inflation, according to the Labor Department, fueling more than 70 percent of price growth in June.Inflation falling steadilyThe June slowdown in price growth is another sign that the U.S. is finally behind the burst of inflation set off by the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and years of supply chain issues.After peaking at an an...

Nassar stabbing not captured on prison cameras: report

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

(The Hill) -- The stabbing attack on disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar in federal prison was not captured on camera, The Associated Press reported on Wednesday. A person familiar with the matter said Nassar was attacked inside his prison cell, which is a blind spot for cameras that only cover the common areas and corridors. He was stabbed multiple times in the neck, back and chest by another inmate at United States Penitentiary Coleman in Florida. He was declared to be in stable condition as of Monday. Nassar pleaded guilty in 2017 to sexual assault charges after being accused by dozens of gymnasts of sexual abuse throughout his career. He was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in 2018. He has also been sentenced to 60 years in prison for possession of child pornography and 40 to 125 years in prison for three additional counts of sexual assault. More than 150 individuals who shared their own experiences of abuse by Nassar spoke at his s...

3 tax prep firms shared 'extraordinarily sensitive' data about taxpayers with Facebook's parent, lawmakers say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:05:11 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of congressional Democrats reported Wednesday that three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to Facebook parent company Meta over the course of at least two years.Their report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the wealth of information that H&R Block, TaxAct and Tax Slayer shared with the social media giant.In a letter to the heads of the IRS, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms.”Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers' income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websi...