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Protesters storm Swedish Embassy in Baghdad amid continuing anger over Quran burning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

BAGHDAD (AP) — Protesters angered by the burning of a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, breaking into the compound and lighting a small fire. Online videos showed demonstrators at the diplomatic post waving flags and signs showing the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr. The videos showed dozens of men climbing over the fence at the complex, with the sound of them trying to break down a front door. Another showed what appeared to be a small fire being set. Other footage showed men, some shirtless in the summer heat, inside what appeared to be a room at the embassy, an alarm audible in the background.Others later performed predawn prayers outside of the embassy. As dawn broke, police and other security officials gathered at the still-smoldering embassy. Firefighters tried to douse the flames from the ladder of a fire truck. Some demonstrators still stood at the site, holding placards showing al-Sadr’s face,...

Dingo pack leader killed after attacking a jogger on a popular Australian tourist island

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Wildlife authorities have killed the leader of a pack of dingoes that mauled a jogger on a popular Australian tourist island in a ferocious attack that a rescuer said could have been fatal.Sarah Peet, 23, was attacked by three or four Australian native dogs on Monday as she jogged along a beach at Queensland state’s K’gari, the world’s largest sand island formerly known as Fraser Island.The Brisbane resident was flown by helicopter to a mainland hospital in a stable condition. The health department refused to provide an update on her condition Thursday, citing patient confidentiality.Wildlife rangers captured and humanely euthanized the leader of the pack on Wednesday, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service said.“Euthanizing a high-risk dingo is always a last resort and the tough decision by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service was supported by the island’s traditional owners, the Butchulla people,” a service statement said.The dingo was the second...

South Side residents organize to protest property management memo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Dozens of residents who live in Beverly and surrounding neighborhoods gathered to call out the property management company that purchased their apartment buildings Wednesday, claiming they are pushing them out of their homes.Back in May, residents of six apartment buildings in Beverly began receiving notices that their properties had been sold to Levav Properties — and shortly thereafter — they said they began to receive non-renewal notices.The 120-plus residents of the property are predominantly Black, as well as being senior citizens and people with disabilities who said they have lived in their apartments for years."We will not let them break the solidarity of O'Shea Neighbors United," said Arieh Venick, a community organizer with the Metropolitan Tenants Organization. "It's time to negotiate."Residents are demanding a conversation at the table with Levav Properties management, in which they said they want help with relocation assistance and additional time beyond the 6...

Declan Rice comes in as 2nd-half sub in Arsenal's 5-0 victory over MLS All-Stars

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly acquired midfield star Declan Rice came on as a second-half substitute and helped Arsenal finish off a 5-0 victory over the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday night.Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz all scored — and those weren't the only highlights for the many red-clad Arsenal supporters in the crowd at Audi Field.VERDE LIGHTS: Miss the latest show? Watch the replay on Austin FC's website, but remember to tune in for the next show at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays on The CW AustinRice moved from West Ham to the Gunners for a British-record transfer fee last weekend, reported to be 105 million pounds ($138 million). The crowd roared when he came in just over an hour into the match, and cheered again when he possessed the ball.U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun, whose days at Arsenal could be numbered, also came on for the London club at the same time as Rice.By then, the Gunners had a 3-0 lead.Arsenal midfielder D...

Thieves target car washes, business owners band together to fight back

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A couple of St. Louis car wash owners, fed up with being targets of crime, are fighting back. Their efforts are working, and they have the video to prove it.Don Barrett was washing his car at the Classic Car Wash on Reavis Barracks. He said he was glad to see new ownership restoring the business with new paint, new pavement, and new equipment, but he was sorry to hear about the same old issues.“The guy’s working really hard to get his business going, and somebody wants to ruin it for you,” Barrett said.Just after 9:15 p.m. Saturday, surveillance video showed a man in a black shirt hiding a prybar behind his back as another man in red pretends to be vacuuming a car. The two men were seen trying to pry open the vacuum’s coin boxes. The video also showed them taking off after being surprised by a siren and strobe lights. Missouri man makes speed bumps to slow traffic The car wash owner had been watching the suspects from his home through a new 32-camera security system. T...

Suspected killers of teen caught in crossfire may soon be released

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS – The grandmother of a murdered teen fears charges will be dropped against the alleged killers.It’s a case she says was blown by the previous St. Louis Circuit Attorney.After a meeting with prosecutors, Brenda Mahr told us, “Sometimes you’ve got to give it up.”Mahr’s granddaughter, Isis Aaliyah Mahr, was killed in the crossfire of a drive by shooting in October 2021.Jalin Jefferson, 18, and Corey Hardy, 19, both face first-degree murder charges, as of the date of this report. But Mahr just found out the two defendants, who were supposed to stand trial this month, could be released Friday.“So many mistakes were made, I think initially, in the case,” Mahr said, “…that I don’t know there’s anymore the prosecutor can do at this point.” Police: Fatal Lemay crash ‘not an apparent speeding situation’ The criminal court record is filled with evidence of judicial neglect under Kim Gardner’s administration. A January 2023 court order includes a judge’s warning: “…the court is cons...

Barbie fanatics get an early look at ‘Barbie’ movie  

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS - There was a ton of pink at an early screening of 'Barbie' at the Chase Park Plaza Cinemas in the Central West End.“This is not our first rodeo,” said Lauren Sansone, a Barbie fan.One of the summer's biggest blockbusters brought out some of its biggest fans, all ready for a close-up."I grew up playing Barbie in my basement. I would play it every day for hours,” said Patty Boehm."Every Halloween, I asked my mom to dress me up like a Barbie doll,” said Amy Wellen.Kelly Bagwe and Wellen bring together about 150 Barbie fanatics to an early screening of Barbie at the Chase Park Plaza Cinemas in Central West End. Missouri man makes speed bumps to slow traffic "I'm so excited I can't wait to see what it is,” Sansone said.The movie premiere also ties into the St. Louis Fashion Fund 10th anniversary celebration."I actually invited them because I wanted to highlight them,” Bagwe said. “It's a fun fashion event. I just wanted St. Louis to represent their local designer."These fans...

Knowing your rights as an airline passenger amid summer travel frustration

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Air travel angst is the theme of the summer travel season, and more Americans are feeling it this year. As of July 18, TSA statistics show 45.3 million travelers have passed through U.S. airport checkpoints, an average of 2.5 million people per day. That’s up significantly from the same period last July, when 40.4 million travelers accounted for a daily average of 2.2 million.“I characterize it as a long-running perfect storm,” said Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org.Hudson says congestion delays at major domestic hubs, antiquated computer systems, and pilot and air traffic control shortages are fueling the frustration travelers are experiencing nationwide.“The airlines are not going to generally advise you of your rights,” he said.That’s why Hudson urges travelers to study the contract of carriage for the airline they’re flying, because they’re not all the same. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. ...

Kansas man pleads guilty to poaching moose in Colorado

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

After a nearly two-year Colorado Parks and Wildlife investigation, a Kansas man has pleaded guilty to poaching a bull moose he illegally killed in Teller County and left to rot.On July 10, Steven Samuelson, 33, of Oakley, Kan., pleaded guilty in Teller County District Court to willful destruction of wildlife, a felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of hunting without a proper and valid big game license, aggravated illegal possession of wildlife, failure to prepare wildlife for human consumption, hunting in a careless manner and illegal take of wildlife, according to a CPW news release.Samuelson, who was fined about $20,000, received a two-year deferred jail sentence on the felony charge. It will be waived if he meets the terms of the plea agreement and to two years of unsupervised probation. He surrendered the bow he used to poach the moose as well as other property that contained evidence of the crime including his cellphone.“As the agency responsible for perpetuating the wildlife...

Los Angeles man collapses, dies at Death Valley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:25:32 GMT

A 71-year-old man from Los Angeles collapsed and died Tuesday at a trailhead in Death Valley National Park as temperatures reached 121 degrees, authorities announced.  Other visitors to the park noticed the man outside the restroom of the popular Golden Canyon hiking trail and called 911 at around 3:40 p.m., according to a news release from park officials.  Park rangers arrived just seven minutes later, performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator (AED), but were unable to save the unidentified 71-year-old.  Rangers believe the man, who was wearing a sunhat and hiking clothes, and was also carrying a backpack, had likely been hiking the Golden Canyon trail.  “The Inyo County Coroner’s Office has not yet determined the man’s cause of death. However, park rangers suspect heat was a factor,” the release noted. “The official temperature at nearby Furnace Creek was 121°F around the time of his death. Actual temperatures inside Golden Canyon were likely m...