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Russian spaceport visited by Kim has troubled history blighted by corruption and construction delays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Vostochny space launch facility where President Vladimir Putin hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday reflects an ambitious attempt by Moscow to burnish its scientific glory that faded after the collapse of the Soviet Union.The new spaceport has a troubled history tarnished by construction delays and widespread corruption.Here is a glance at Vostochny’s creation and capability.POST-SOVIET CREATIONAfter the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia leased the Baikonur cosmodrome from Kazakhstan and continued to use it for most of its space launches. The agreement with Kazakhstan allows Russia to keep leasing Baikonur for $115 million a year through 2050.The relatively small Plesetsk launch pad in northwestern Russia has been used for some military satellite launches and military missile tests.Amid occasional disputes with Kazakhstan over Baikonur’s use, Russian authorities declared that the country needs a full-fledged space facility of its own whil...

Arrest made after victim shot during botched carjacking in Toronto’s west end

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

A Toronto man is facing nearly a dozen charges after someone was shot during a failed carjacking attempt in the city’s west end.Toronto police officers responded to reports of a robbery near Weston Road and Black Creek Drive on Aug. 11.It is alleged a victim was driving a 2016 Mercedes sedan and parked the car to attend a restaurant with a friend. Two vehicles pulled up on either side of the Mercedes and three suspects got out when the victim and his friend returned to their parked car.Police say two suspects attacked the victim while the third suspect got into the Mercedes. The two suspects who assaulted the victim fled the area in the two suspect vehicles.The third suspect was unable to start the victim’s Mercedes and attempted to run away. The victim confronted the man while he was trying to flee. The suspect pulled out a handgun and shot the victim before making good on his escape.The victim, a man in his 20s, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.Investigators...

3 wounded in southern Syria after shots fired at protesters at ruling party’s local headquarters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Security guards from the Syrian president’s Baath party on Wednesday fired shots at protesters trying to raid its local headquarters in southern Syria, wounding at least three people, activists said.The incident marked a major escalation in anti-government protests over the past month that have otherwise been calm.Anti-government protests have rocked the Druze-majority Sweida province over the past month. Hundreds continue to gather in demonstrations that were initially driven by the war-torn country’s spiraling economy and skyrocketing inflation but quickly shifted focus to calling for the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government.Protesters have raided and closed offices of Assad’s Baath party across the province and have torn images of Assad. On September 4, protesters smashed a statue of Assad’s father and predecessor, Hafez, as they they marked the 2015 assassination of a prominent anti-government Druze leader. Some of the offices h...

Palestinian Authority lashes out at renowned academics who denounced president’s antisemitic remarks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian political factions on Wednesday raged against dozens of Palestinian academics who had criticized President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent remarks on the Holocaust that have drawn widespread accusations of antisemitism.Politicians lambasted the open letter signed earlier this week by over a hundred Palestinian academics, activists and artists based around the world as “the statement of shame.” “Their statement is consistent with the Zionist narrative and its signatories gives credence to the enemies of the Palestinian people,” said the secular nationalist Fatah party that runs the Palestinian Authority. Fatah officials called the signatories “mouthpieces for the occupation” and “extremely dangerous.” The well-respected writers and thinkers released the letter after footage surfaced that showed Abbas asserting European Jews had been persecuted by Hitler because of what he described as their “social functions” and predat...

Hurricane Lee turns north on path that will take it past Bermuda as it aims for Atlantic Canada

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Lee began to spin away from the northern Caribbean on Wednesday as the Category 3 storm aimed for Atlantic Canada and left big waves in its wake.The storm was located about 475 miles (765 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda in the morning. It had winds of up to 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers per hour) and was moving northwest at 6 mph (9 kph).Lee was expected to eventually pass just west of Bermuda, prompting forecasters to issue a tropical storm watch for the island. Wind and heavy rainfall were expected to lash Bermuda starting late Wednesday or early Thursday, forecasters said.Lee is then expected to keep traveling north and lose strength in cooler waters before potentially making landfall over the weekend in Nova Scotia, Canada, as a possible tropical storm.“Slow weakening is forecast during the next few days, however Lee is likely to remain a large and dangerous hurricane into the weekend,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Lee’s...

Dollarama reports second-quarter profit and sales up from year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

MONTREAL — Dollarama Inc. reported its second-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago as its sales also climbed nearly 20 per cent.The retailer says it earned $245.8 million or 86 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended July 30, up from a profit of $193.5 million or 66 cents per diluted share in the same quarter last year.Sales for the quarter totalled $1.46 billion, up from $1.22 billion a year earlier.Dollarama says the increase was driven by growth in its total number of stores compared with a year ago and higher comparable store sales.Comparable store sales for the quarter rose 15.5 per cent as the number of transactions gained 12.9 per cent and the average transaction size added 2.3 per cent.Dollarama had 1,525 stores at the end of its most recent quarter, up from 1,444 a year earlier.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:DOL)The Canadian Press

Jury to hear from more witnesses as trial of London attack suspect unfolds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

The jury at the trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in Ontario is set to hear from more witnesses today.Nathaniel Veltman, who has pleaded not guilty, is accused of deliberately hitting five members of the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk, with prosecutors saying his actions amount to an act of terrorism.The jury at the trial was shown video on Tuesday of Veltman speeding his truck, seen with a heavily damaged front end, into an almost empty mall parking lot a few minutes after the attack on June 6, 2021, and stopping next to a parked cab.The video — extracted and edited from security camera footage from the mall — shows three police vehicles arriving about two minutes later, followed by more police vehicles minutes after that.Veltman is seen leaving his truck and taking a few steps before kneeling down and putting his hands on his head as officers approach and arrest him.Federal ...

Live updates: North Korea’s Kim to visit two more cities in Russia’s Far East

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

Follow the latest updates on the meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East on Wednesday.WHAT TO KNOW:— North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The visit marks a growing alignment of the isolated leaders of the nuclear-armed states.— The leaders are trying to deepen their relationship as each one is locked in confrontation with the United States. — Kim traveled to Russia in a special armored train, following a tradition begun by his predecessors.___North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will continue his trip across Russia’s Far East after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.Putin told Russian state TV that Kim would have a “busy program” with visits to two more cities over the next day.Putin said Kim would visit an aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and then attend “a demonstration of capabilities” of Russia’s Pacific Fleet in Vladivo...

New COVID shots: Five things to know after CDC’s approval 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

Americans will be able to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine as early as Wednesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the shot for all Americans over 6 months old. The new shots from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech will hit the market just as the U.S approaches the fall and winter respiratory virus season. They arrive along with new treatments to protect infants and older adults from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).Here's what to know:The vaccine protects against current variantsLike all the other COVID-19 vaccines, the updated version is not designed to prevent infection completely, but is meant to reduce the severity of symptoms and curb the risk of "long COVID."The updated shots were designed to target the XBB.1.5 variant, which was dominant when vaccine makers began to formulate and test a new version. That variant is no longer dominant and only accounts for about 3 percent of cases. But experts and administration officials have said the...

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in upper 60s with a few showers near lake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:24 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly cloudy Wednesday morning with a 20 percent chance of showers and decreasing clouds. Winds: NE 5-10. High: 68. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly clear tonight. Winds: NNE 5-10. Low: 52.Thursday Forecast: Mainly sunny, E 5-10. High: 71.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog