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Labour frontbencher quits in protest at Keir Starmer’s position on Gaza cease-fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

LONDON — A Labour frontbencher quit his post Tuesday night over U.K. opposition Leader Keir Starmer’s refusal to call for a cease-fire in the war between Hamas and Israel.Shadow Work Minister Imran Hussain sent a letter of resignation to Starmer saying it had “become clear that my view on the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza differs substantially from the position you have adopted.” Starmer has aligned Labour with the U.K. government, United States and European Union in calling instead for humanitarian “pauses” in the fighting, but he is under mounting pressure from some parts of his party to go further.Hussain, the MP for Bradford East since 2015, said he wished to be “a strong advocate for the humanitarian cease-fire,” adding: “It is clear that I cannot sufficiently, in all good conscience, do this from the front-bench given its current position.”While Hussain stressed that he “unequivocally condemned” Hamas’...

Ontario to consider new job-protected leave for workers facing critical illnesses like cancer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

The province of Ontario says it is considering a new job-protected leave that would “ensure employees who receive a diagnosis of cancer or other diseases will have the peace of mind that their job will be waiting for them while they seek treatment.”The leave would match the length of federal Employment Insurance sickness benefits, which is 26 weeks, the province revealed in a release Wednesday morning.The province is launching consultations on the matter. Related: Ontario to require companies to disclose salary in job listings Meanwhile, Doug Ford’s government also announced on Wednesday that it will soon introduce legislation to support injured workers that would enable “super indexing” increases to Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) benefits above the annual rate of inflation.“For an injured worker who earns $70,000 a year, a 2 per cent increase could mean an additional $900 annually on top of cost-of-living adjustments...

General Motors’ autonomous vehicle unit recalls cars for software update after dragging a pedestrian

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle unit is recalling all 950 of its cars to update software after it dragged a pedestrian to the side of a San Francisco street in early October.The company said in documents posted by U.S. safety regulators on Wednesday that with the updated software, Cruise vehicles will now remain stationary in similar cases.The Oct. 2 crash forced Cruise to suspend driverless operations nationwide after California regulators found that its cars posed a danger to public safety. The California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the license for Cruise, which was transporting passengers without human drivers throughout San Francisco.In the crash, a human driven vehicle hit a pedestrian, sending the person into the path of a Cruise autonomous vehicle. The Cruise initially stopped, but then pulled to the right to get out of traffic, pulling the person about 20 feet (six meters) forward.Cruise says in documents that it already has updated so...

Indonesia’ sentences another former minister to 15 years for graft over internet tower project

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s anti-graft court on Wednesday sentenced a former Cabinet minister to 15 years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption linked to the construction of mobile phone transmission towers in remote parts of the country.Johnny G. Plate, former communication and information technology minister, was arrested in May after being questioned as part of an investigation by the attorney general’s office in Jakarta. He was detained with five other suspects, including three from the private sector, after some 60 people were questioned about the procurement process.The court also ordered Plate to pay a fine of 1 billion rupiah ($63,765) — or spend an additional six months in prison — and to also reimburse the state for losses of 15.5 billion rupiah ($988).During the trial, which started in June, the prosecutors alleged that Plate changed the terms of the $533 million procurement project and the number of construction sites without conducting feasibility s...

A top Chinese military official visits Moscow for talks on expanding ties

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Chinese military official held talks in Moscow Wednesday, praising strong ties between the countries during a visit that underlined growing cooperation between them. Gen. Zhang Youxia, China’s second-ranking military official and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that relations between Russia and China are “at the highest level in the new epoch.” He said they “invariably support each other on issues of fundamental interest and key concerns.” Beijing declared last year that it had a “no-limits” friendship with Russia. China has denounced Western sanctions against Moscow, and accused NATO and the United States of provoking Russia’s military action in Ukraine even as it tried to project itself as neutral in the Ukrainian conflict.Russia, in turn, has continuously voiced support for Beijing on issues related to Taiwan.Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Moscow in March to further cement ties and Russian President Vladimir Putin tr...

Pakistani premier tries to reassure Afghans waiting for visas to US that they won’t be deported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s prime minister on Wednesday sought to reassure Afghans waiting in Pakistan for resettlement in the United States that they won’t be deported as part of his government’s widely criticized crackdown on undocumented migrants in the country.Islamabad this month launched a crackdown on illegal migration, saying any unregistered foreign national and migrant lacking proper documentation would face arrest and deportation. The drive mostly affects Afghans because they are the majority of foreigners living in Pakistan, although the government says it’s targeting all who are in the country illegally. Pakistan has long hosted about 1.7 million Afghans, most of whom fled during the 1979-1989 Soviet occupation. In addition, more than half a million people fled Afghanistan in August 2021, when the Taliban seized power in the final weeks of U.S. and NATO pullout. At least 25,000 of those who escaped the Taliban takeover had worked for the American milit...

Cambodian deports 25 Japanese nationals suspected of operating online scams

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Twenty-five Japanese nationals suspected of involvement in a cyberscam operation based in Cambodia were deported to Japan on Wednesday, said Gen. Khieu Sopheak, a spokesperson for Cambodia’s Interior Ministry.The Japanese government arranged a charter flight to transport the suspects, who were detained in September after Cambodian police received a tip-off from their Japanese counterparts, he told The Associated Press.The 25 were arrested in the capital, Phnom Penh, according to Gen. Keo Vanthan, a spokesperson for the immigration police.Khieu Sopheak thanked the Japanese government “for their support and good cooperation with the Cambodian government in order to arrest these people.”Cybercrime scams have become a major issue in Asia.In August, the U.N.’s human rights office said that criminal gangs have forced hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia into participating in unlawful online scam operations, including false romantic ploy...

Denmark’s intelligence agencies win a case against a foreign fighter who claims he worked for them

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Denmark’s domestic and foreign intelligence services on Wednesday won a case against a Dane of Syrian origin who claimed he worked for them in Syria in 2013 and 2014 and spied on Danish jihadi fighters.Ahmed Samsam was sentenced to eight years in 2018 in Spain for fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria. He sued Denmark’s two spy agencies in an attempt to have a court order them to admit that he had worked for them, and hoping it would enable him to reopen the case in Spain.The Eastern High Court in Copenhagen said in its ruling that Samsam had not made it likely that he could reopen his case in Spain. He immediately appealed the ruling to Denmark’s top court.The case has proven embarrassing for the Danish government, which has opposed an inquiry into the case. A preliminary parliamentary committee that was supposed to probe the 34-year-old Danish citizen’s claims was dropped in June.Danish media say the case is probably linked to a former def...

Patrick Dempsey named Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine for 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — He's not just “McDreamy” anymore — Patrick Dempsey is now also People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.Patrick Dempsey poses for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film "Ferrari" during the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival, Aug. 31, 2023, in Venice, Italy. On Tuesday, Nov, 7, People magazine named Dempsey as its Sexiest Man Alive. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)The “Grey's Anatomy” star and race car driver takes the mantle from “Captain America” star Chris Evans, who was 2022's selection. The pick was revealed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Tuesday night."I’ve always been the bridesmaid!” Dempsey, 57, told the magazine about his initial reaction. “I’d completely forgotten about it and never even contemplated being in this position. So my ego is good.”The actor stars in the upcoming Michael Mann film “Ferrari.” He told The Associated Press last year that he did all the driving himself, calling it “the best role I’ve ever had...

Georgetown voters approve $130 million bond

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:25 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Georgetown voters Tuesday approved a $130 million bond package to expand multiple city facilities. ELECTION DAY BLOG: Texans vote on 14 state constitutional amendments, local propositions There were four propositions in this bond package. Prop A costs $56 million and would allow the City of Georgetown to build an 80,000-square-foot customer service center.In an October interview, City Manager David Morgan said the facility would streamline several city service departments that are spread out among different buildings.He said the building would also create a more convenient way for residents to pay utility bills and other services. Election Results Prop B costs $49 million and would expand the city’s existing recreation center. The measure would add 30,000 square feet to the facility, add a third gymnasium, and renovate the center’s parking lot and indoor pool.Proposition C, at $15 million, would give Georgetown the option of expanding its existing anim...