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Vienna seeks to calm Selmayr ‘blood money’ furor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg signaled his government was de-escalating a row with the EU’s senior representative in the country, Martin Selmayr, who last week accused Vienna of paying “blood money” to Moscow by continuing to purchase large quantities of Russian gas.“Everything has already been said about this,” Schallenberg said over the weekend in a written response to questions from POLITICO on the affair. “We are working hard to drastically reduce our energy dependency on Russia and we will continue to do so.”Austrian officials insist that the country’s continued reliance on Russian gas is only temporary and that it will wean itself off by 2027 (over the past 18 months, the share of Russian gas in Austria has dropped from 80 percent to an average of 56 percent). Some experts question the viability of that plan, considering that OMV, the country’s dominant oil and gas company, signed a long-term supply deal with Gazprom under former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz th...

The Vatican beatifies a Polish family of 9 killed by the Nazis for sheltering Jews

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — In an unprecedented move, the Vatican on Sunday beatified a Polish family of nine — a married couple and their small children — who were executed by the Nazis during World War II for sheltering Jews. During a ceremonious Mass in the village of Markowa, in southeastern Poland, papal envoy Cardinal Marcello Semeraro read out the Latin formula of the beatification of the Ulma family signed last month by Pope Francis. In his homily Semeraro noted that for their “gesture of hospitality and care, of mercy” the Ulmas “paid the highest price of martyrdom.” A contemporary painting representing Jozef and a pregnant Wiktoria Ulma with their children was revealed near the altar. A procession brought relics taken from their grave to the altar. It was the first time that an entire family has been beatified. At the Vatican, speaking to the public from a window in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said the Ulmas “represented a ray of light in the darkness” of the war and should...

Biden says US outreach to Vietnam is about providing global stability, not containing China

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

HANOI (AP) — President Joe Biden said Sunday his visit to Vietnam to showcase stronger ties with Hanoi was not about trying to start a “cold war” with China, but rather was part of a broader effort to provide global stability by building U.S. relationships throughout Asia at a time of tensions with Beijing.“It’s not about containing China,” Biden said at a news conference in Vietnam’s capital after attending the Group of 20 summit in India. “It’s about having a stable base.”The American president came to Hanoi as Vietnam was elevating the United States to its highest diplomatic status, comprehensive strategic partner. That is evidence of how far the relationship has evolved from what Biden referred to as the “bitter past” of the Vietnam War.The expanded partnership reflects a broader effort across Asia to counter China’s influence. Biden has said Vietnam wants to flex a degree of independence, and U.S. companies are seeking an alternative to imports from Chin...

Mr. Dressup doc a ‘nostalgia trip’ for generations who loved the children’s performer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

TORONTO — A record signed by beloved children’s performer Ernie Coombs, more affectionately known to generations of Canadians as Mr. Dressup, hangs in Mark Bishop’s office. The Toronto-based producer doesn’t call himself a superfan, but a lifelong love of the man who encouraged children to be themselves and provided a portal for their imaginations with a toy chest called the “tickle trunk,” suggests otherwise. Bishop met Coombs twice before the performer’s death in 2001 — once as a child and then years later in university. About three years ago, Bishop came across various social media posts about the performer as part of a Facebook fan page. He decided to reach out to the man who posted the videos, Canadian documentarian Robert McCallum, to pitch a project that would explore not only the popularity of Mr. Dressup but also who Coombs was off camera. Bishop tapped McCallum to direct the full-length documentary “Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-B...

End may be in sight for Phoenix’s historic heat wave of 110-degree plus weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — A historic heat wave continues to stifle Phoenix — but the end may finally be in sight for residents of Arizona’s largest city.The high temperature in Phoenix on Sunday was expected to hit 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43.8 degrees Celsius), tying the record for that date set in 1990. It also would be the 55th day this year that the official reading at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport reached at least 110 F (43.3 C).However, an excessive heat warning was expected to expire at 8 p.m. Sunday, and meteorologists were forecasting a high of 106 F (41.1 C) on Monday and 102 F (38.8 C) on Tuesday.“I hate to say, ‘Yes, this will be the last,’ but it’s more than likely that will be the case — this will be our last stretch of 110s this summer,” said Chris Kuhlman of the National Weather Service in Phoenix.The city eclipsed the previous record of 53 days — set in 2020 — when it hit 113 F (45 C) Saturday.Phoenix experienced the hottest three months since record-keeping began in 1895, includi...

Cord Jefferson’s insightful satire of race and media, ‘American Fiction,’ lights up TIFF

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Fifty pages into Percival Everett’s “Erasure” Cord Jefferson knew he wanted to adapt it into a movie script. Halfway through, he began to see Jeffrey Wright playing the book’s academic protagonist, Thelonious “Monk” Ellison. By the time he was finished, he knew he wanted to direct it, too.As quick as that, Cord Jefferson — the 41-year-old TV writer of “Succession,” “Master of None” and “Watchmen” — began working toward his directing debut, “American Fiction.” And just as speedily, following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, “American Fiction” became a breakout hit of the festival, launching Jefferson as a major new voice in movies.In the film, Monk (Wright), is a frustrated author who’s agent (John Ortiz) tells him his books — the latest of which is a reworking of Aeschylus’ “The Persians” — aren’t “Black enough.” “I’m Black,” he responds, “and this is my book.”Monk, played with acerbic perfection and de...

Virginia governor pardons man whose arrest at a school board meeting galvanized conservatives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

The father of a Virginia student sexually assaulted in her high school bathroom has been pardoned after his arrest two years ago protesting a school board meeting became a flashpoint in the conservative push to increase parental involvement in public education.Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced on Fox News Sunday that he had pardoned Scott Smith of his disorderly conduct conviction stemming from the June 2021 incident. The episode featured prominently throughout the gubernatorial campaign that year for Youngkin, who has made support for the so-called “parents’ rights” movement a cornerstone of his political brand.“Scott Smith is a dedicated parent who’s faced unwarranted charges in his pursuit to protect his daughter,” Youngkin said Sunday in a press release. “Scott’s commitment to his child despite the immense obstacles is emblematic of the parental empowerment movement that started in Virginia.”According to Loudoun Now, Smith threatened to kick out the t...

Health Canada recalls Paqui spicy chip brand after U.S. teen’s death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

Health Canada has recalled a popular spicy chip brand after a 14-year-old died in the U.S. due to medical complications believed to be from the “2023 one chip challenge.”Health Canada announced the recall stemmed from “reported adverse reactions” from the Paqui “2023 one chip challenge” brand.On September 1, Harris Wolobah, a 14-year-old at Doherty Memorial High School in Massachusetts sophomore, died unexpectedly. A GoFundMe page for the teen mentions they died after consuming one of the spicy chips.Paqui chips contain seasoning of two of the hottest peppers currently available — Carolina Reaper Peppers, which are around 1.7 million Scoville Units and Naga Viper Pepper, which is about 1.4 million Scoville Units.On September 1, Harris Wolobah, a 14-year-old at Doherty Memorial High School in Massachusetts, died after partaking in the Paqui one-chip challenge. Photo: GoFundMe.Paqui’s website states that the one-chip challenge is intende...

Foreign student arrested in Norway on suspicion of espionage including electronic eavesdropping

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — A 25-year-old foreign student has been arrested in Norway on suspicion of espionage, including illegal eavesdropping through various technical devices.Norway’s domestic security agency, known by its acronym PST, told Norwegian media that the man, who was arrested on Friday, was charged in court on Sunday with espionage and intelligence operations against the Nordic country.The man, whose identity and nationality haven’t been disclosed, has pleaded not guilty in initial police questioning. Norwegian authorities haven’t said which country the man was allegedly spying for.“We don’t quite know what we’re facing. We are in a critical, initial and vulnerable phase of the investigation,” PST lawyer Thomas Blom was quoted as saying by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK. “He (the suspect) is charged with using technical installations for illegal signal intelligence.”Police have seized from the man a number of data-carrying electronic devices, which the PST is now in...

2 Uptown businesses vandalized, spray-painted by at least 10 people

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:12:36 GMT

CHICAGO — Two Uptown businesses were vandalized and spray-painted Saturday night in Uptown, according to the Chicago Police Department.The first business was targeted around 10 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Carmen Avenue and the second was targeted about 40 minutes later in the 5100 block of North Clark Street. Man’s body found near Promontory Point According to information from Chicago police, about 10-15 people broke the windows of the businesses, went inside, spray-painted the doors and walls and set off a smoke grenade inside one of the businesses.The group consisted of 10-15 men and women who are between 18 and 25 years old, according to CPD.Anyone with information is asked to call Area 3 detectives at 3121-744-8263.