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Tunisia’s Islamist party leader is sentenced to 15 months in prison for supporting terrorism

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The leader of Tunisia’s moderate Islamist party was sentenced to 15 months in prison for supporting terrorism and inciting hatred in the North African country, once seen as a model for democracy in the Arab world but increasingly authoritarian in recent years. The Court of Appeal in the capital, Tunis, pronounced the sentence late Monday against the Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi, a former speaker of parliament and a vocal opponent of President Kais Saied. Saied has cracked down on critics and political rivals while consolidating power and ruling largely by decree in the past two years. Ghannouchi, 82, is the founder and long-time leader of the Islamist party. He served as speaker of the Ennahdha-led parliament until Saied took all powers into his own hands in July 2021, suspending parliament. Ghannouchi, who has maintained that Saied’s actions amounted to a coup, was arrested in April amid growing social tensions and deepening economic troubles in Tunisia. ...

Finland convicts 3 far-right men for plotting racially motivated attacks using 3D printed weapons

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Three Finnish men who embraced neo-Nazi ideology were found guilty Tuesday of committing crimes with terrorist intent including plotting attacks against migrants, critical infrastructure, and their perceived political opponents.The Paijat-Hame District Court sentenced the main suspect, Viljam Lauri Antero Nyman, to three years and four months in prison on charges of aggravated firearms offences committed with terrorist intent as well as training to commit a terrorist act.Nyman, 29, was also convicted of a narcotics charge.His two accomplices received a sentence of one year and nine months in prison and a suspended prison sentence of seven months, respectively. They were charged with terrorism-related crimes of manufacture of firearms and training to use them, among other things.Public broadcaster YLE said the case marked the first terrorism conviction in Finland that is linked to far-right ideology.The crimes took place between 2021 and 2023.Finnish prosecutors told ...

Hong Kong leader John Lee will miss an APEC meeting in San Francisco due to ‘scheduling issues’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader John Lee will not attend an upcoming economic conference in the U.S. due to “scheduling issues” despite an earlier appeal to be invited as per convention, following reports that he would be barred from the gathering due to U.S. sanctions.In a statement Tuesday, the Hong Kong government said that it had received an invitation this month to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders’ Meeting taking place Nov. 15 to 17 in San Francisco, but that Lee would not be able to attend in person due to issues with scheduling.Instead, Hong Kong’s financial minister Paul Chan will attend as a representative of Hong Kong on Lee’s behalf.In July, China demanded that the United States invite Lee to the APEC meeting following a report from The Washington Post that Lee, who was under U.S. sanctions for his role in a political crackdown in Hong Kong, would not be invited. Lee himself had appealed to the U.S. to act in accordance with conventio...

Thousands of Bangladesh’s garment factory workers protest demanding better wages

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of garment factory workers took to the streets of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, and the industrial district of Gazipur on Tuesday to demand better wages. Bangladesh is the second largest garment-producing country in the world after China with its nearly 3,500 factories where some 4 million workers are employed — most are women — according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, or BGMEA. The workers get 8,300 takas, or $75, as monthly minimum wage and they often need to work overtime to make ends meet, labor unions and workers say. Protests erupted over the weekend after BGMEA offered to increase the monthly minimum wage by 25% to reach $90, instead of the $208 demanded by the workers.While Bangladesh has been maintaining stable annual economic growth for years, rising inflation has become a major challenge. Gazipur district, which houses thousands of factories, saw thousands of protesters on the streets with some throwing...

Remains of a person missing since devastating floods in 2021 have been found in Germany

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Remains of a person missing since devastating summer floods in western Germany more than two years ago were found near the mouth of the small Ahr river, police said Tuesday.People collecting garbage in an area where the Ahr flows into the Rhine in the town of Sinzig found several bones and bone fragments on Oct 15. Investigators carried out a DNA test that police said determined the remains were those of a person who had been missing since the floods. They didn’t give any details on the person, citing the need to protect their relatives.More than 230 people died in Germany and neighboring Belgium in the floods on July 14, 2021. The hardest-hit area was the Ahr valley, a wine-growing region south of Cologne where more than 130 people died when heavy rain turned the Ahr river and streams into torrents that swept away houses, roads and bridges.The remains found this month belonged to one of two people who were still missing.The Associated Press

Employee hit, injured by fuel truck at Austin airport

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A person working at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport was hit and injured by a fuel truck on the tarmac Tuesday morning, according to airport officials. An AUS spokesperson said it's not clear which company the person is employed by, and it's not clear who owns the fuel truck. Mayor in talks to possibly rename AUS after former president Austin Fire Department units and the Austin-Travis County EMS responded to the incident. AFD said the person was hit by the truck near a service road that goes by the tarmac, and AUS added it was between gates 33 and 34. CPR was performed on the employee. The extent of their injuries is unclear at this time. An AUS spokesperson said no airport operations are being impacted, and flights are coming and going as normal. Austin Police, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the incident, according to AUS. AUS officials said the airport is preparing a brie...

Texas State, ACC student completes 2 NASA 'missions' in college program

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Amanda Maes wants to take her love of space and interest in helping others to new heights. Maes, an Austin-area college student, finished her second mission in the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program last week. The multi-mission program teaches about careers in NASA with mentors and goals along the way -- including a simulation to the moon in the second mission. RELATED: Austin-based startup designing humanoid robot with NASA "Growing up, I always thought, you know, I would love to have an opportunity to at least learn from NASA -- at least work in a team there," she said. "But here I am doing it and just thinking about that. It's just mind-blowing."Maes is dual enrolled at Austin Community College and Texas State University studying biology and microbiology with plans to enroll in physician assistant school. Her interest in space and science has been lifelong, but Maes said a focus on human health came from a recent diagnosis. When she was 18, she ...

Gophers football: Coaches share freshmen standouts in scrimmages

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

The Gophers football team is currently trying to maximize every ounce of talent on its roster, entering November in the middle of the Big Ten West division title race.They list 14 players in their final year of eligibility — from star safety Tyler Nubin to starters such as defensive tackle Kyler Baugh, center Nathan Boe, slot receiver Corey Crooms, cornerback Tre’Von Jones and tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford.Minnesota has a handful of senior contributors and a blend of others from younger classes chipping in. The freshman class has been headlined by tailback Darius Taylor, who has won three Big Ten freshman of the week honors but also has battled injuries this season, and guard Greg Johnson, who has played regularly this season and received his first start in the 27-12 win over Michigan State on Saturday.“It’s interesting because we have some guys who have played a lot of football and then we have guys that are all just young,” Fleck said. “It’s amazing. There is not a lot of that middl...

From TakeAction MN to the St. Paul Firefighters, political action committees aim to pick winners for St. Paul city council, school board

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

In no uncertain terms, the candidate screening questionnaire from TakeAction Minnesota seeks allegiance, and not just to the progressive organizing group’s principles and priorities such as rent control and police divestment, but to the institution itself.“How will you relate to us in an ongoing way so that we can govern together?” asks a question on the survey recently issued to candidates for the St. Paul City Council. “How do you imagine yourself being in an accountable relationship with us and the greater movement of people’s organizations in Minnesota?”Another question asks, “What makes you excited and/or nervous about a relationship with us? What are you hoping to get out of a relationship with us?”Some candidates for city council have balked at what they perceive to be a purity test for a progressive agenda. Still, six prominent candidates have won the TakeAction endorsement, including two who are already seated on the city coun...

Rite Aid hosting after-work immunization event

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:45:44 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Wednesday, Rite Aid is offering an after-work immunization event from 5 to 9 p.m. A full list of participating stores can be seen online. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Rite Aid will distribute vaccines to protect against flu, RSV, COVID-19, and other vaccinations including shingles, TDAP, GPV, and more. According to the CDC, only 22.7% of adults got their flu shots this year.