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Niger coup leaves France, US exposed in West Africa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

PARIS — An ongoing military coup in Niger is threatening to destabilize one of the last Western allies in Africa’s Sahel region. On Wednesday night, Niger’s top military brass announced on national television they had overthrown the country’s president Mohamed Bazoum, who was democratically elected in 2021. “We, the Defense and Security Forces, united within the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, have decided to put an end to the regime you know,” Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said, according to Agence France-Presse. “This follows the continuing deterioration of the security situation, and poor economic and social governance,” he added.A change of regime in Niger could be a blow to the West — and more specifically to France and the United States, who have strong ties to the West African nation. For both Paris and Washington, Niger is a strategic country in the fight against Islamist terrorism. Viewed as “one of the mo...

Macron condemns ‘new imperialism’ in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese influence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron denounced “new imperialism” in the Indo-Pacific on Thursday as he pledged France would boost its presence in the region to defend the sovereignty of smaller states.“In the Indo-Pacific, and particularly in Oceania, a new imperialism is appearing, and a power logic that is threatening the sovereignty of several states, the smallest, often the most fragile,” Macron said in a speech in Vanuatu. The French president is on a five-day visit to the South Pacific, stopping off in the French territory of New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and the archipelago of Vanuatu.Macron however stopped short of naming the countries he accused of “new imperialism” in a region where China is leading an increasingly offensive foreign policy, and the U.S. is also scaling up its presence.The French president denounced “illegal fishing” in maritime waters, the exploitation of rare minerals, and extortionate loans offered to smalle...

Indian authorities allow Muslim procession in Kashmir’s main city for the first time in 3 decades

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Thousands of Shiite Muslims were allowed to hold a religious procession marking the Muslim month of Muharram in Indian-controlled Kashmir’s main city on Thursday for the first time since an anti-India rebellion broke out in the disputed region more than three decades ago.The participants, mostly wearing black clothes, beat their chests and recited elegies in the commercial heart of Srinagar. Some carried copies of the Quran to protest recent public desecrations of the Islamic holy book in Sweden and Denmark.Muharram is among the holiest months for Shiite Muslims and marks the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Imam Hussein, and his 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in the seventh century in present-day Iraq. The mourning over their deaths reaches to its peak on Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram. Thursday’s procession marked the eighth day on the calendar.The main Muharram gatherings on the eighth and 10th days that used to pass through the...

Japanese pop star Shinjiro Atae says he’s gay in an announcement that’s been warmly received by fans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese pop star Shinjiro Atae said he is gay in an emotional announcement at a fan event that was warmly welcomed in a country where the government does not legally recognize LGBTQ equality.“What I’m going to tell you now may not be something you expect or hope to hear. Perhaps some of you may need time to understand,” Atae told fans at the event in Tokyo on Wednesday.“For years, I struggled to accept a part of myself … But now after all I have been through, I finally have the courage to open up to you about something,” he said. “I am a gay man.”As he choked up, fans cheered, saying “hang in there!” and applauding.Atae performed for 15 years in the hugely popular group AAA before it went on a hiatus in 2020. He’s been based in Los Angeles lately and is pursuing a solo career in the United States.Atae’s revelation comes at a time of increased awareness and support for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Japan.The political party that has governed Japan for most ...

Liverpool great Jordan Henderson heads to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Ettifaq

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Weeks after luring Liverpool great Steven Gerrard to join as manager, Saudi Arabian soccer club Al-Ettifaq signed Jordan Henderson on Thursday.The England international, who was captain of Liverpool when the club won the Premier League and Champions League titles, is the the latest star to head to the oil-rich kingdom. He will reportedly earn 700,000 pounds ($900,000) per week.“Liverpool Football Club can confirm Jordan Henderson has completed a transfer to Al-Ettifaq,” the team said in a statement. “The move to the Saudi Pro League side sees the midfielder bring an end to his 12-year Reds career, during which he lifted eight trophies, all but one of which as club captain.”The Saudi league has targeted a slew of leading players from Europe as part of an ambitious recruitment to raise the profile of soccer in the country. Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr in December and has been followed by stars like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Roberto Firmino ...

Putin promises African summit that Russia will make maximum efforts to avert a food crisis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin told leaders and officials from most African countries on Thursday that his nation is making full efforts to avert a global food crisis despite concerns that its withdrawal from a deal allowing grain shipments from Ukraine will cause shortages and price spikes.He spoke at the opening session of a two-day Russia-Africa summit attended by a sharply lower number of African heads of state and government compared with a previous summit in 2019.“Our country will continue supporting needy states and regions, in particular, with its humanitarian deliveries. We seek to actively participate in building a fairer system of distribution of resources. We are taking maximum efforts to avert a global food crisis,” Putin said.“I have already said that our country can replace Ukrainian grain, both on a commercial basis and as grant aid to the neediest African countries, more so since we expect another record harvest this year,” he s...

Bluffing or not, Putin’s declared deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus raises tensions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

Sometime this summer, if President Vladimir Putin can be believed, Russia moved some of its short-range nuclear weapons into Belarus, closer to Ukraine and onto NATO’s doorstep.The declared deployment of the Russian weapons on the territory of its neighbor and loyal ally marks a new stage in the Kremlin’s nuclear saber-rattling over its invasion of Ukraine and another bid to discourage the West from increasing military support to Kyiv.Neither Putin nor his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, said how many were moved — only that Soviet-era facilities in the country were readied to accommodate them, and that Belarusian pilots and missile crews were trained to use them.The U.S. and NATO haven’t confirmed the move. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg denounced Moscow’s rhetoric as “dangerous and reckless,” but said earlier this month the alliance hasn’t seen any change in Russia’s nuclear posture.While some experts doubt the claims by Putin and Lukashenko, others not...

How the attempted coup in Niger could expand the reach of extremism, and Wagner, in West Africa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

Niger is not to be confused with Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Niger lies just to the north, part of the sprawling region directly below the Sahara Desert that for years has faced a growing threat from various groups of Islamic extremists.Until Wednesday’s coup attempt in Niger, the United States’ security ally had avoided the military takeovers that destabilized West African neighbors in recent years, and it was seen as the last major partner standing in a Francophone region where anti-French sentiment had grown.Here’s what to know:What does this mean for regional security?Signaling Niger’s importance in the region where the Russian private military group Wagner also operates, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the country in March to strengthen ties and announce $150 million in direct assistance, calling the country “a model of democracy.”Now a critical question is whether Niger will pivot and engage Wagner as a counterterrorism partner like its ...

EU investigates Microsoft over concerns bundling Teams with Office eliminates competition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union said Thursday that it has opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft over concerns that bundling its Teams messaging and videoconferencing app with its Office productivity software gives it an unfair edge over competitors. The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s top competition enforcer, said it would carry out its in-depth investigation “as a matter of priority.”The investigation stems from a complaint filed in 2020 by Slack Technologies, which makes popular workplace messaging software. Slack, owned by business software maker Salesforce, alleged that Microsoft was abusing its market dominance to eliminate competition — in violation of EU laws — by illegally combining Teams with its Office suite, which includes Word, Excel and Outlook.“Remote communication and collaboration tools like Teams have become indispensable for many businesses in Europe. We must therefore ensure that the markets for these products remain competitive,” sa...

Thursday Forecast: Heat Advisory issued for parts of area, isolated storms possible tonight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:47 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly sunny and humid conditions Thursday, cooler lakeside. Winds: E 5-10 G15. High: 92/85.A Excessive Heat Advisory has been issued for parts of the area until 9 p.m. Friday. Hot temperatures both Thursday and Friday will top out in the 90s, with heat indices between 100° to 110° away from the lake. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Partly cloudy tonight with isolated shower/storms possible. Winds: NNE 5-10. Low: 74.Friday Forecast: Partly cloudy, 40% storm chance, humid, SSW 5-10 G15. High: 94.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog