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NATO summit boosted by Turkey’s decision to end opposition to Sweden’s bid to join alliance

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — NATO opened its summit Tuesday with fresh momentum after Turkey withdrew its objections to Sweden joining the alliance, a step toward the unity that Western leaders have been eager to demonstrate in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a significant move toward Sweden’s membership and it will alleviate tension in Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital. The deal was reached after days of intensive meetings, and it’s poised to expand the alliance’s strength in Northern Europe. “Rumors of the death of NATO’s unity were greatly exaggerated,” Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser, told reporters triumphantly on Tuesday morning. As part of the deal, Erdogan said he would ask Turkey’s parliament to approve Sweden joining NATO. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, another holdout, is expected to take a similar step. The outcome is a victory for President Joe Biden...

At least 5 dead after helicopter carrying foreign tourists crashes near Mount Everest in Nepal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — At least five people were killed after a helicopter carrying foreign tourists crashed Tuesday near Mount Everest in Nepal, and one other person on the aircraft was still missing.The helicopter crashed in the Lamajura area and rescuers had recovered the bodies of five people and were searching for the sixth, said Basanta Bhattarai, the chief government administrator in the area.The aircraft was returning to the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday morning after bringing the five tourists on a sightseeing trip to the world’s highest peak.The tourists were believed to be Mexican nationals while the pilot was Nepalese.Airport official Sagar Kadel said weather conditions had caused changes to be made to the helicopter’s planned flight route. It is common for flights to be delayed and routes changed during the monsoon season amid heavy rains.The tourist and mountaineering season ended in May with the onset of the rainy season and tourist flights to the mountains are ...

The dismembered body of a missing German businessman is found in the freezer of a home in Thailand

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — The dismembered body of a 62-year-old German businessman who has been missing for a week has been found in the freezer of a house in southern Thailand, police said Tuesday.Tawee Kudthalaeng, chief of police in the town of Nong Prue, said the body of Hans-Peter Mack was found at about 11 p.m. Monday. Investigators were able to locate the body by using security camera footage from the area, Tawee said. He did not elaborate, but photos and video from the camera published by Thai media showed the white freezer in the bed of a black truck on the road with a man squatting next to it. Mack was last seen driving in his Mercedes sedan in Pattaya, a coastal city in southern Thailand, according to a missing person announcement distributed by his family that offered a reward of 3 million baht ($86,000) for information leading to his return. The telephone number listed on the poster for tips went unanswered Tuesday. Mack lived in Pattaya with his Thai wife, and worked as a real es...

Indonesia warns nuclear weapons put Southeast Asia a ‘miscalculation away’ from a catastrophe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s top diplomat warned Tuesday of the threat posed by nuclear weapons, saying that Southeast Asia is “one miscalculation away from apocalypse” and pressing for world powers to sign a treaty to keep the region free from such arms.Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi raised the alarm ahead of a two-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations starting later Tuesday in Jakarta. The agenda will spotlight Myanmar’s deadly civil strife, continuing tensions in the South China Sea and efforts to fortify regional economies amid the global headwinds set off by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Later in the week, the 10-nation bloc will meet Asian and Western counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese foreign policy overseer Wang Yi.The U.S.-China rivalry is not formally on ASEAN’s agenda but looms large over the meetings of the bloc, an often-unwieldy collective of demo...

China signs pact with Solomon Islands to boost cooperation on ‘law enforcement and security matters’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — The Solomon Islands has signed an agreement to boost cooperation with China on “law enforcement and security matters,” in a move likely to raise concerns among the South Pacific island’s traditional partners including Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The agreement, details of which were not immediately released, was contained in a joint statement made public Tuesday following a meeting Monday in Beijing between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. As part of efforts to build a “comprehensive strategic partnership” the sides agreed to: “Enhance cooperation on law enforcement and security matters. The Chinese side will continue to provide support and help to Solomon Islands as needed in strengthening Solomon Islands’ police law enforcement capacity.” Located 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia, Solomon Islands has been China’s biggest success in a campaign to expand its presence in the South Pacific...

UK wage growth remains strong amid high inflation; unemployment unexpectedly increases

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Wages in the U.K. are still rising at record highs, official figures showed Tuesday, as inflation remains stubbornly high.The Office for National Statistics said that wages, excluding bonus payments, rose by 7.3% in the three months to May, unchanged over the previous three-month period and matching the highest rate since records began in 2001.The agency’s director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said that due to high inflation “the real value of weekly earnings are still falling, although now at its slowest rate since the end of 2021.”Though inflation has fallen from its peak of over 10% at the end of last year, it remains elevated at 8.7%. The failure of inflation to fall as anticipated has stoked concerns that the Bank of England will continue to raise interest rates in the coming months rather than take a pause. The central bank lifted its main interest rate to a 15-year high of 5% last month, which has led to a sharp increase in mortgage rates.Els...

At least 2 killed as elevated road collapses in Bangkok

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — At least two people were killed after an elevated road being built in Thailand’s capital collapsed, authorities said Tuesday.Another 11 people were injured in the accident on Monday evening, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipan said in a news conference on Tuesday that one person was killed at the site and another later died at a hospital.Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse, which occurred on the west side of Bangkok. The elevated road had been under construction since 2020.Chadchart said the debris at the site was being removed after authorities confirmed no one else was still trapped. It could take several days for the rubble to be cleared, he said.Video footage of the moment of the collapse showed a blue metal structure that appeared to be used for holding the concrete slabs suddenly falling and bringing the whole structure down.The construction project was commissioned by Bangkok authorities ...

Here are the best deals of Prime Day so far

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.130+ Best deals of Prime Day 2023Amazon Prime Day has begun, so now is the time to shop! The hottest items this year include electronics, kitchen appliances and toys, but you can find huge discounts on robot vacuums, outdoor furniture, TVs, beauty products and more. To help you quickly find the best deal of Prime Day 2023, we’ve curated a list of our favorites.The deals below were last updated on July 11, 2023, at 11:50 p.m. PT. Featured dealsIf you’re looking for the best items in a glance, these products are our favorites for Prime Day. Shark AV1010AE IQ Robot Vacuum 35% OFFIf you get this intelligent robot vacuum, you can forget about cleaning for up to 45 days. It cleans floors and carpets, works with voice or phone commands, and offers faster mapping than the previous model.Sold by AmazonEar and Nose Hair Trimmer Clipper 68% OFFIt is important to always look your best. Wi...

At least 300 migrants missing at sea near Spanish Canary Islands, aid group says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

At least 300 people who were traveling on three migrant boats from Senegal to Spain's Canary Islands have disappeared, migrant aid group Walking Borders said on Sunday.Two boats, one carrying about 65 people and the other with between 50 and 60 on board, have been missing for 15 days since they left Senegal to try to reach Spain, Helena Maleno of Walking Borders told Reuters.A third boat left Senegal on June 27 with about 200 people aboard.The families of those on board have not heard from them since they left, Maleno said.All three boats left Kafountine in the south of Senegal, which is about 1,700 kilometres (1,057 miles) from Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands."The families are very worried. There about 300 people from the same area of Senegal. They have left because of the instability in Senegal," Maleno said.The Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa have become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Spain, with a much smaller number also seeking to cross the M...

Dear Abby: What can I do about my husband’s embarrassing sneeze?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:38:14 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My husband sneezes really loud and it’s kind of embarrassing. What should I do about this? I told him he should see a doctor because it happens a lot.MARRIED TO A NOISEMAKERRelated ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My ex-wife says these kids are my grandchildren. I’m not so sure. Advice | Dear Abby: My brother has cut all ties, and I don’t even know what I did Advice | Dear Abby: I don’t want to make my husband jealous but I’m excited about this new hobby Advice | Dear Abby: I don’t want to live like this, but there’s that ‘for better or worse’ thing Advice | Dear Abby: I want a relationship with her, but she doesn’t know she’s my sister DEAR MARRIED: People sneeze for various reasons, not all of them allergy-related. Your husband should discuss it with his doctor because the solution could be something simple.If he’s unwilling,...