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Russia’s currency hits the lowest level since beginning of the war in Ukraine

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

The Russian ruble has reached its lowest value since the early weeks of the war in Ukraine as Western sanctions weigh on energy exports and weaken demand for the national currency.On Monday, the Russian currency passed 101 rubles to the dollar, continuing a more than 25% decline in its value since the beginning of the year and hitting the lowest level in almost 17 months.President Vladimir Putin’s economic adviser, Maksim Oreshkin, on Monday blamed the weak ruble on “loose monetary policy” in an op-ed for state news agency Tass. He said a strong ruble is in the interest of the Russian economy and that a weak currency “complicates economic restructuring and negatively affects people’s real incomes.”Oreshkin said Russia’s central bank has “all the tools necessary” to stabilize the situation and said he expected normalization shortly.At a press conference Friday, central bank deputy director Alexei Zabotkin said the bank is adhering to a floating exchange rate because “it allows the ec...

Railway bridge collapses in southeastern Norway after last week’s torrential rain

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A railway bridge in southeastern Norway that ran across a river swollen by torrential rain collapsed on Monday, authorities said.BaneNOR, a government agency in charge of the Norwegian rail infrastructure, said the central section of the steel truss bridge over the Laagen River slid into the water “due to damage to the central bridge foundation.”All traffic across the bridge was halted a week ago out of fear that it would collapse because of the large volume of water. “Bane NOR had just begun investigating the extent of the damage to the bridge on Monday morning when the middle part slid into the river,” the agency said in a statement.The bridge is 172.5 meters (189 yards) long with three spans. It has a direct foundation on the riverbed, and was built in 1957.Eivind Bjurstrøm at Bane NOR said that the collapse of the bridge “never involved a danger to life and health, which I am very happy about.”The rain led to the evacuation of thousands in southe...

Indonesian rescuers search for 7 people missing in waters of Aceh, including 4 Australians

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian search and rescue team on Monday was searching for seven people, including four Australian tourists, reported missing in the waters of Aceh following bad weather. The group was in a wooden speedboat in the waters around Sarang Alu and Banyak islands in Aceh Singkil district. They were part of a group of 12 Australian nationals and 5 Indonesians who were traveling to Pinang Island in two boats. The area is known as a tourist destination with white sand beaches and good waves for surfing. The boats left North Nias port in Nias island, which located around 150 kilometer (93 miles) from Indonesia’s Sumatra island, on Sunday afternoon and experienced bad weather with very heavy rain during the trip. Ten of them decided to stay and shelter on Sarang Alu island, while the others continued the trip, said a written statement from Nias Search and Rescue Agency on Monday.The resort on Pinang Island later reported to the agency that the boat with 10...

Men alleging abuse at Japanese talent agency are interviewed by company investigators

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Two men who say they were sexually abused as teenagers by a Japanese entertainment mogul were interviewed Monday by a special team set up by the talent agency to look into the allegations.Junya Hiramoto and Shimon Ishimaru, both former members of a boys’ dance-and-song group called Johnny’s Junior, said they still want an apology and compensation from Johnny & Associates.“They haven’t admitted anything, and they haven’t apologized,” Hiramoto told reporters after the interviews.“We desire a peaceful resolution. There is no point in taking the bloody, contentious route of fighting it out with hatred.”The two are among about a dozen men who have alleged sexual abuse by the agency’s founder, Johnny Kitagawa. They say they were abused at his Tokyo luxury mansion as well as at other places, such as his car and overseas hotels, while performing as teens.Kitagawa, who died in 2019, was never charged.Earlier this month, the U.N. Working Group on Business and Human Rights urg...

Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister sworn in as people celebrate Independence Day

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Former Pakistani Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was sworn in on Monday as the country’s prime minister to head a caretaker national government that will oversee parliamentary elections amid one of the worst economic crises the Islamic nation has faced, officials said.Kakar, who is comparatively new to politics and known to be close to the powerful military, has been representing his Baluchistan province in the Senate since 2018. President Arif Alvi administered the oath of office to him inside a white marble palace known as the Presidency in a brief ceremony. Kakar on Sunday quit as the head of his small Baluchistan Awami Party and quit as a senator after being named by outgoing premier Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raza Riaz to oversee the vote and run the day-to-day affairs of the government until the people elect a new government. It is normal practice in Pakistan to appoint a caretaker administration for the election period.Under the constitution, the ...

Scooter rider found with life-threatening injuries in Mississauga

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

The rider of a motorized scooter is fighting for his life in hospital following an incident in Mississauga.Peel police were called to Homeric Drive, in the area of Tomken Road and Dundas Street, just before midnight on Sunday.A man in his 50s was found on the road near a scooter. Paramedics say he was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries.Police are working to figure out what happened and tell CityNews the scooter did not have any visible damage that would indicate it was involved in a collision.Roads were closed in the area for the investigation but they have since reopened.

Sweden calls for vigilance abroad after Quran desecrations and protests

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A senior Swedish official said Monday Swedes abroad and businesses linked to Sweden“should observe increased vigilance and caution,” following recent Quran burnings in the country and protests in the Muslim world.Henrik Landerholm, Sweden’s National Security Adviser, said there are signs of “a heightened threat” to the country and to Swedish interests abroad, adding the security situation has worsened.In a statement, Landerholm said that “representatives of terrorist groups have called for attacks against Sweden. States and other actors have helped amplify such messages.” He said Sweden has gone from being considered a “legitimate” target to being a “priority” target. The statement did not identify those involved.Landerholm said there also were ”indications” that groups are planning other acts against Swedish interests abroad, and cited the storming of Sweden’s Embassy in Baghdad last month and an attempted attack on the diplomatic mission in B...

Poland’s government wants to ask voters loaded questions on border security as part of election

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s government said Monday it wants to ask voters whether they want dismantled a recently-built border wall that blocks unauthorized migration from Belarus.The loaded question is one of four the right-wing ruling party wants to ask in a referendum it intends to hold alongside the Oct. 15 parliamentary elections. The Law and Justice party is intent on winning an unprecedented third term in the elections. Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on social media that the question will ask: “Do you support the pulling down of the barrier on the border on the Polish Republic with the Republic of Belarus?”The government built the wall last year and substantially reduced the inflow of Middle East and African migrants across that border. Poland and European Union authorities view the inflow as an effort by Russia’s ally Belarus to generate turmoil in Poland and other European countries. Poland has also reinforced military troops along that border due to Belar...

Typhoon approaches western Japan, threatening to bring heavy rain and high winds during holiday week

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s main archipelago of Honshu on Monday, threatening to hit large areas of western and central Japan with heavy rain and high winds, as many people were traveling for a Buddhist holiday week.Typhoon Lan was packing winds of up to 126 kph (78 mph) as it headed northwest over the Pacific Ocean south of Cape Shionomisaki in the central Japanese prefecture of Wakayama, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The typhoon is expected to make landfall on Tuesday morning, cut across the region and veer east toward Hokkaido over waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, the JMA said.The typhoon, arriving in the middle of the Bon Buddhist holiday week, is expected to affect many Japanese traveling to visit their families and relatives, as transportation and event operators in the typhoon’s predicted path have decided to suspend services through Tuesday. Central Japan Railway Co. said Shinkansen “bullet” train operations bet...

Potential severe storms Monday; Flood Watch issued

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 01:07:20 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly cloudy Monday with rain at times and isolated thunderstorms. Some could be strong to severe. Winds: ESE/WNW 5-15 mph. High: 75.A Flood Watch is issued for Cook, Lake, DuPage and McHenry counties from 10 a.m. until midnight. Mostly cloudy tonight with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Winds: NNE 5-10 mph. Low: 62. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Tuesday Forecast: A few lingering showers and thunderstorms then decreasing clouds. Winds: NNE/SW 5-10 mph. High 77.Extended outlook calls for more sunshine and temps back into the lower 80s on Wednesday and a bit muggier. Chance of showers/t'storms again on Thursday with warmer and sunnier weather expected for Friday into the weekend with highs getting close to 90. Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog