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Russia’s General Armageddon disappears, as Kremlin bats away arrest rumors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

Sergei Surovikin, Russia’s “General Armageddon,” has vanished from public view after the Wagner Group’s aborted weekend mutiny — amid reports he has been detained over a rumored role in the insurrection. Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov was noncommittal Wednesday when asked by reporters about the claims. “There are many different speculations, allegations, and so on about those events,” he said. “I think this is one of such examples.”Surovikin, Russia’s former commander of the war in Ukraine, hasn’t been seen since Saturday, with a Moscow Times story late Tuesday saying he has been arrested after reports circulated that he knew in advance about Yevgeny Prigozhin’s planned insurrection which President Vladimir Putin said brought Russia to the brink of a civil war. The Financial Times has since reported that Surovkin, who commands Russia’s air force, has been detained, citing three people familiar with the ma...

UK’s Rwanda asylum plan unlawful, court rules

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

LONDON — Rishi Sunak is promising to fight on after a top court dealt a major blow to the British government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their claims processed.The U.K. announced a controversial multimillion-pound deal with Rwanda last year, vowing to deport to the Central African nation people it deems have made “dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys” to Britain.The High Court has previously dismissed several bids to halt the government’s plan. But a number of individual asylum seekers and the charity Asylum Aid succeeded Thursday at the Court of Appeal in overturning the finding that Rwanda represents a “safe third country,” throwing the much-vaunted policy into fresh legal chaos.No Rwandan deportation flights have so far gone ahead, despite the policy being unveiled in spring of last year.Sunak made clear Thursday lunchtime that the British government will now seek to challenge the latest decision at the Supreme Court.“The policy of t...

5 tips to survive the summer party season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

LONDON — Suspect wine, sweltering political obsessives and the bitter taste of regret: it can only be party season in Westminster.Think tanks, lobbying shops and even much-loved media titles are all rolling out the red carpet for their summer gatherings over the next few weeks, with proper power players rubbing shoulders with humble free booze-enjoyers to swap gossip, gather intel and spray around business cards like confetti.So how can the consummate political pro make the most of all this enforced revelry? POLITICO tapped up the experts so you didn’t have to. Cheers!Seriously, watch the drinkingGetting blitzed may be big and clever — but it’s bad for business. It might seem like common sense, but free booze, 30-degree heat, and a sea of unfamiliar faces make it easy to slip from tipsy to trolleyed in record time.Rat-arsed antics or loose-lipped gossip can come back to haunt you. So — and stay with us here — why not try a glass of water or two in between the throat-burn...

“23 Subaru Legacy is a big bang for the buck

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

Subaru enters Grasso’s Garage this week with its 2023 Subaru Legacy Touring XT. Wrapped in Cosmic Blue Pearl, the Legacy rides on a legacy of a long lasting tradition in the Subaru fleet. Known for a family 4-door sedan and an affordable one, the Subaru Legacy has an array of utilization for an array of consumers.Powering the 2023 Subaru Legacy, you guessed it, the Boxer-style engine. A 2.4 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, the Legacy Touring Xt is a heck of a 4-door sedan. We notice a High-torque CVT transmission as well, which could be its biggest flaw. Known for high transmission noise, the CVT is a cheaply designed transmission and known most for its presence in snow-mobiles or off-road recreation equipment. Although in most of the Subaru family, it does offer a decent performance; which is good.LED headlights, medium brown leather interior, sunroof, SiriusXM radio and a 11.6 inch STARLINK infotainment system with navigation are jus...

Muslim pilgrims take part in symbolic stoning of the devil as Hajj pilgrimage winds down

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars representing the devil on Thursday in the final days of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.This year’s pilgrimage was the first in three years to be held without coronavirus restrictions and drew over 1.8 million Muslims from all corners of the earth.The pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam, required of all Muslims at least once in their lives if they are able. For the pilgrims, it is a deeply spiritual journey that wipes away sins and affirms the unity of the worldwide Muslim community.It began with pilgrims circling the Kaaba in Mecca’s Grand Mosque, the cube-shaped structure to which Muslims face during their five daily prayers. The spiritual high point came on Tuesday. That’s when pilgrims flocked to Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.During the final three days of the Hajj, pilgrims cast stones at pillars representing the devil, a reenac...

Philippines considering US request to host visa processing center for Afghans despite concerns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that a request for his country to temporarily host a U.S. immigrant visa processing center for thousands of Afghan nationals faces security and other concerns but is still being considered by his administration.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken first relayed the request to his Philippine counterpart last year, and President Joe Biden discussed the request when Marcos visited the United States in May, Philippine officials said.The full details of the request, which remains under negotiations between the treaty allies, have not been made public, but Marcos said he was told by American officials that only a maximum of 1,000 Afghan nationals would be allowed to stay in the Philippines at any one time while their special immigrant visas are being processed.A Philippine official said an initial 600 Afghan nationals would be allowed in a “pilot phase” if the U.S. proposal gets approved. The proposal was...

South Koreans grow younger overnight as the country changes how it counts people’s ages

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — As South Korea campaigns to retire an old and odd age-counting method that makes people a year or two older than they really are, children are among the few who seem most eager to stick with the past.“I turned 6 and then became 5 again,” Kim Da-in said when a TV reporter asked her about a new law that went into effect Wednesday that formalizes the international age-counting method in administrative and civil laws and encourages people to tally their own ages accordingly.South Korea’s traditional age-counting custom considers every person 1 year old at birth and adds another year when the calendar hits Jan. 1, meaning a child born on Dec. 31 turns 2 the next day.While the new law is the country’s latest attempt to retire that method and standardize international ages based on the passing of birthdays, it’s not immediately clear what will actually change — putting aside the minor frustrations of children like Da-in waiting for their birthdays.President ...

Same-sex couples and LGBTQ+ rights activists in Nepal celebrate interim court ruling

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — LGBTQ+ rights activists and couples in Nepal on Thursday were celebrating an interim order issued by the country’s Supreme Court enabling the registration of same-sex marriages for the first time.The Supreme Court issued the order on Wednesday allowing for the temporary registration of marriages for same-sex and non-traditional couples.The decision represented a leap forward for activists and others who have long sought to amend the laws to permit same-sex marriage and end provisions that limit marriage to heterosexual couples.“At a personal level, for those who are living together it is a huge victory. Practically, they can register their marriage and their rights can be immediately exercised,” said Sunil Babu Pant, an openly gay former parliamentarian and leading LGBTQ+ rights activist in Nepal.“This is very important because it allows the couple to go and register their marriage and start living as a couple legally,” Pant said.Since a cou...

Firefighters rescue man trapped inside vehicle after rollover on DVP

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

A man has been rushed to hospital after a rollover crash on the Don Valley Parkway.It happened on the northbound DVP ramp to westbound Lawrence Avenue. Emergency crews were called to the scene just after 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.Firefighters worked to free the man who was trapped in his SUV after it flipped over onto the driver’s side.The man was rushed to a trauma centre but paramedics say his injuries are not life threatening.Crews had to stabilize the vehicle before attempting to extricate the man.CityNews traffic reporter Jordan Kerr who was flying over the scene in Chopper 680 said it took firefighters around half an hour to free him.The right lane of the northbound DVP is blocked off at Lawrence, as well as the ramp to westbound Lawrence.UPDATE: #Chopper680 says firefighters are working to free a trapped person. Right lane blocked northbound DVP at Lawrence. Ramp to westbound Lawrence blocked.https://t.co/xGrbNN6JMp pic.twitter.com/iUXZTBopAD— CityNews Toronto Traffic &...

Lawyers ask Amsterdam court to reduce Canadian 13-year cyberbullying sentence to Dutch citizen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A 13-year sentence a Canadian court handed to a Dutch cyber bully in a notorious case involving a young girl who took her own life in 2012 should be reduced to four-and-a-half years in the Netherlands, a prosecutor in Amsterdam said Thursday.Aydin Coban was convicted last year of extortion, harassment and other crimes in a case involving Canadian teenager Amanda Todd who was blackmailed to expose herself in front of a webcam. The 15-year-old died by suicide after detailing her ordeal in a YouTube video watched by millions around the world.Coban was already serving an 11-year sentence in the Netherlands for similar crimes targeting 33 other victims when he was extradited to Canada to face trial in the Todd case. His Canadian sentence is to be served in the Netherlands after he serves out his original prison term in August next year. It must first be converted into a sentence in accordance with Dutch law.Coban was not in court for a hearing Thursday at Amsterdam Distr...