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Iran confirms it arrested Swedish EU official

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

Iran on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of a Swedish citizen who works for the European Union, saying his case will soon be sent to court.“The investigation is being finalized and the case will be sent to the competent court in the days ahead with the final decision of the prosecutor’s office,” Iran’s judiciary spokesperson Massoud Setayeshi said.Setayeshi did not mention the Swedish citizen by name, but said he was charged with committing crimes on Iranian territory.Last week, the New York Times broke news that Swedish national and EU worker Johan Floderus had been detained in prison in Iran for more than 500 days. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, confirmed Floderus’ arrest, saying he’s been working “relentlessly” to free him and will continue to push for his release.Floderus, who works for the European External Action Service, was reportedly arrested on espionage charges in April 2022, while on a private trip to Iran.The arrest news sparked blowback from EU member...

Police warn that escapee Danelo Cavalcante is armed. He has avoided searchers for nearly two weeks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

Authorities warned that an escaped murderer who has evaded capture in southeastern Pennsylvania for nearly two weeks was armed and urged residents Tuesday in the area where he was being pursued to lock up, secure vehicles and remain indoors.Pennsylvania State Police posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that the department was pursuing Danelo Souza Cavalcante in South Coventry Township. Police also asked that the public call 911 if Cavalcante is seen and not to approach him.At least one nearby school district announced early Tuesday that it would close all schools and offices for the day and another in the area planned to keep students indoors.On Monday, state and federal officials pushed back against questions about whether they blew a chance to catch Cavalcante, saying that the area where hundreds had been searching included heavy woods, underground tunnels and drainage ditches. They also said it took more than two hours for news to reach them th...

Boy arrested after 2 young girls sexually assaulted at Toronto summer camp

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

A teen boy is facing charges in the alleged sexually assault of two young girls at a Toronto summer camp earlier this year.Police say the 14-year-old boy was enrolled in a ‘Leader in Training’ program at a summer camp called Jack of Sports. The camp ran between July 17 and July 21 at Western Technical Commercial School in the city’s west end near Runnymede Road and Bloor Street West.It is alleged the boy repeatedly sexually assaulted two six-year-old girls during the camp.The boy has been arrested and is facing three sexual assault charges and three sexual interference charges. He is scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom on Wednesday morning.Police believe there could be more victims. The investigation is ongoing.

Retailer Roots reports $5.3M Q2 loss compared with $3.2M loss a year ago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

TORONTO — Retailer Roots Corp. reported a loss of $5.3 million in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $3.2 million a year earlier as its total sales edged higher.The company says its loss amounted to 13 cents per share for the quarter which ended July 29 compared with a loss of eight cents per share in the same quarter last year.Sales in what was the company’s second quarter totalled $49.4 million, up from $47.8 million a year earlier.Roots says its direct-to-consumer sales, which include its corporate retail store and e-commerce sales, amounted to $37.1 million, down from $38.5 million a year ago.The company says the decrease was driven by a challenging economic conditions and a competitive promotional environment.Partner and other sales — which include wholesale Roots branded products, licensing to select manufacturing partners and the sale of certain custom products —  totalled $12.3 million in the quarter, up from $9.3 million a year ago due to help from...

EU lawmakers approve a deal to raise renewable energy target to 42.5% of total consumption by 2030

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — European Union lawmakers endorsed a deal Tuesday to raise the share of renewables in the bloc’s energy mix, another step to accelerate its green transition away from fossil fuels.The bill, adopted by a large majority — 470 lawmakers voted in favor, 120 against and 40 abstained — foresees an updated renewable energy target of 42.5% of total consumption by 2030. The current goal is 32%.“Today’s vote in the European Parliament clears the way for a massive boost towards the energy transition, in a way that is affordable for citizens and reinforces the EU as an industrial bastion,” said Green MEP Ville Niinistö. “The EU is saying goodbye to fossil fuels in our energy mix. The energy crisis has shown that we must be fully independent of oil and gas, especially from Russia.” A review by global energy think tank Ember showed that wind and solar generated a record 22% of the EU’s electricity last year and for the first time overtook gas, which accounted for 20%. Coa...

Israeli academics and artists call on Biden and UN to shun Netanyahu during his upcoming US visit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of Israeli academics and artists have urged U.S. President Joe Biden and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to shun Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the United States next week, underlining the divide between Israel’s far-right government and segments of the country’s population. In an open letter published Wednesday, over 3,500 signers, including well-known Israeli writer David Grossman and painter Tamar Getter, called on Biden and Guterres not to meet with Netanyahu or invite him to speak at the U.N. General Assembly’s yearly meeting of world leaders. The prime minister’s office has said Netanyahu will travel to the U.S. next week to visit high-tech leaders in California before flying to New York to address the U.N. “Netanyahu incites citizens against each other, threatens the country’s security and economy, and turns his face away from the historical conflict that tears Israel apart – the for...

Hurricane Lee swirls through open waters on a path to Atlantic Canada

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee whirled north of Puerto Rico on Tuesday as a Category 3 storm, with forecasters noting it would remain in open waters through this week while on a path to Atlantic Canada.The storm was located 575 miles (925 kilometers) south of Bermuda. It had winds of up to 115 mph (185 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph).By Sunday, Lee was forecast to weaken into a tropical storm and likely make landfall in Nova Scotia, Canada, according to AccuWeather.“A significant storm surge will occur along with the strongest winds and risk of property damage,” AccuWeather said in a statement.Winds and flooding also are expected to affect Rhode Island, eastern Massachusetts, southeastern New Hampshire and central and coastal Maine, forecasters said.Hurricane Lee was expected to start turning northward on Tuesday afternoon on a path that would take it just west of Bermuda late Thursday, with the National Hurricane Center warning the island could expe...

Sweeping study finds 1,000 cases of sexual abuse in Swiss Catholic Church since mid-20th century

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — A sweeping, year-long study of sex abuse by priests and others within the Roman Catholic Church in Switzerland published Tuesday has turned up more than 1,000 cases since the mid-20th century.The report, commissioned by the Swiss Conference of Bishops and led by two University of Zurich historians, offers a rare and deep look at sexual abuse and harassment that has confounded the Catholic Church across the globe in recent decades — upending the lives of many victims and their families, and tarnishing the image of the institution. The authors said in a statement that they identified 1,002 “situations of sexual abuse,” including accusations against 510 people accused. The abuse, they wrote, affected 921 people. “The situations identified surely amount to only the tip of the iceberg,” said the historians Monika Dommann and Marietta Meier in a statement. Among other findings, which were admittedly not exhaustive, over half — 56% — of the cases of sexual abuse involved men ...

Registration opens today for Toronto’s fall rec programs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

Registration opens this week for Toronto’s fall recreation programs.Starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday, people living in Toronto, Etobicoke, York and East York can sign up for rec programs and Holiday CampTO.There are nearly 13,000 registered programs available with approximately 130,000 spaces for people of all ages. Programs include arts, fitness, sports, skating and swimming, beginning the week of Sep. 30.The city says the quickest and easiest way to sign up is online through the fall recreation page. There is also in-person support available between 7 a.m. and noon at the following locations:Driftwood Community Recreation Centre – 4401 Jane St.Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre – 220 Cowan Ave.Wellesley Community Centre – 495 Sherbourne St. Registration opens Wednesday for residents in North York and Scarborough, with in-person support available from 7 a.m. to noon at the following locations:Centennial Recreation Centre – 1967 Ellesmere Rd.Denni...

The MTV VMAs return Tuesday night with Timbaland, Haddish and Billy Porter added as presenters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:37 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The MTV Video Music Awards return Tuesday night, and for the first time, only women are nominated in the show’s artist of the year category. Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, Karol G and Shakira are contenders for the night’s prize.On Tuesday morning, the VMAs announced its final round of presenters, which include A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Anuel AA, Ashanti, Billy Porter, Chloe Bailey, Dove Cameron, Fat Joe, Halle Bailey, Nelly Furtado, Reneé Rapp, Saweetie, Shenseea, Thalia, Tiffany Haddish, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean.The VMAs, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey — just outside of New York City — will be hosted by Minaj. Last year, she emceed alongside Lil Wayne and Jack Harlow; this year, she’s solo.The show will also celebrate 50 years of hip-hop with a star-studded, multi-generational finale performance: DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J and Minaj will join forces.The VMAs k...