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Pakistan’s finance minister says China rolls over $2.4 billion loan for Islamabad for 2 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s finance minister on Thursday said China has rolled over a $2.4 billion loan for the cash-strapped Islamic nation for two years, a move aimed at helping the country overcome one of its worst economic crises.The latest extension in loan maturities by Beijing was a boost to Pakistan’s fragile foreign exchange reserves, which are still only enough to pay the import bill for a period of two months.In a post on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, Ishaq Dar said the Chinese EXIM Bank rolled over for two years the “principal amounts” of the $2.4 billion loan, which Islamabad was to have paid back in 2024 and 25.However, he said Pakistan would now only make interest payments in both years.China is a longtime friend of Pakistan and it has played a key role in helping Pakistan avoid a default this year, though there has been concern in the country about how Islamabad would repay the growing Chinese loans. Some analysts in Pakistan call it a debt t...

Kuwait executes 5 prisoners, including man convicted in 2015 Islamic State-claimed mosque bombing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait said Thursday it executed five prisoners, including an inmate convicted over an Islamic State group-claimed mosque bombing in 2015 that killed 27 people. A statement from Kuwait’s Public Prosecution said the five inmates were executed by hanging. The 2015 bombing struck during midday Friday prayers inside one of Kuwait’s oldest Shiite mosques. The Islamic State group views Shiites as heretics.Kuwait, a small, oil-rich nation, conducted its last mass execution in November 2022, putting to death seven inmates.The Associated Press

Stock market today: Asian shares advance after the Federal Reserve raises interest rates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to their highest level in more than two decades, just as Wall Street expected. Market attention turned to a decision later in the day by the European Central Bank and to whether Japan’s central bank might alter its longstanding ultra-lax monetary policy at a policy meeting that ends on Friday. The ECB is expected to follow the Fed’s example. “Today, all eyes will be on the ECB, where a 25 basis point hike is widely expected along with the door being left open for another hike in September,” ING Economics said in a commentary. A 0.25 percentage point hike would take the ECB’s benchmark rate to 4.25%. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.7% to 32,891.16 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong jumped 0.9% to 19,545.77. The Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.3% to 3,213.20. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.7% to 7,455.90. South Korea’s Kospi climbed 0.4% to 2,603....

Wildfire in Spain's Gran Canaria island menaces villages

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

A rapidly-spreading wildfire that broke out at the centre of the Spanish island of Gran Canaria on Tuesday (25 July) forced the authorities to remove several hundred villagers from their homes, shut three roads and deploy helicopters to contain the blaze.A witness said the flames affecting the hilly central part of the island near the Tejeda peak, away from the beaches popular with tourists, were just metres from an array of antennae on a mountain top, some of them linked to air traffic control.However, Spanish airports operator AENA told Reuters, however, the Gran Canaria airport on the eastern coast was operating normally."The fire has escaped the initial efforts to control it... We are working intensely to prevent it from spreading," local emergency services chief, Federico Grillo, told Radio Canarias.Antonio Morales, head of the Island Council of Gran Canaria, told reporters about 100 firefighters and nine aircraft were working to put out the blaze that has so far burned through...

Dear Abby: The insufferable neighbor is trying to claim my boyfriend

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, “Pete,” and I have been together four years. During the pandemic, he moved to my hometown, and we live together.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: My fiance left me, and now I’m pregnant. That’s just the start of it. Advice | Dear Abby: This painting hurts me, and I don’t know what to do about it Advice | Dear Abby: How honest should I be with my married pickleball partner? Advice | Dear Abby: I’m leaving, and I don’t want to hear their phony farewells Advice | Dear Abby: This guy I just met has gotten very creepy online Last year, he befriended a man who lives across the street. This neighbor had been a civil-service employee but took early retirement and is undergoing treatment for PTSD.Originally, I was happy for Pete’s new friendship in a new city, but the friendship has turned into a daily bromance.They spend two to six hours ...

Detached house sells for $1.6 million in Fremont

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

4438 Richmond Avenue – Google Street ViewA house located in the 4400 block of Richmond Avenue in Fremont has new owners. The 1,782-square-foot property, built in 1961, was sold on June 14, 2023. The $1,565,000 purchase price works out to $878 per square foot. The layout of this single-story house consists of three bedrooms and three bathrooms. Additionally, the home includes a garage. Situated on a spacious 6,200-square-foot lot, the property offers ample outdoor space.These nearby houses have also recently changed hands:A 1,777-square-foot home on the 4300 block of Lorren Drive in Fremont sold in April 2023, for $1,460,000, a price per square foot of $822. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.In August 2022, a 1,940-square-foot home on Logan Drive in Fremont sold for $1,676,000, a price per square foot of $864. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.On Kimbro Street, Fremont, in September 2022, a 1,694-square-foot home was sold for $1,850,000, a price per square foot of $1,092....

Arizona teen Alicia Navarro missing for nearly 4 years shows up safe at Montana police station

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona teenager who vanished without a trace nearly four years ago is safe after walking into a police station in Montana, authorities said Wednesday.Alicia Navarro, 18, of Glendale showed up alone this week in a small town about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Canadian border and identified herself, according to police in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb. Her disappearance sparked a massive search that included the FBI. Santiago said over the years, police had received thousands of tips.Her mother, Jessica Nunez, raised concerns that Navarro, who was diagnosed as high-functioning on the autism spectrum, may have been lured away by someone she met online.The name of the town wasn’t immediately disclosed but Montana is more than 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) from Arizona.“She is by all accounts safe, she is by all accounts healthy, and she is by all accounts happy,” police spokesman Jose Santiago said at a news conference.Investigators were trying to det...

Dallas hosts Washington following Ogunbowale’s 25-point outing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

Washington Mystics (12-10, 6-8 Eastern Conference) at Dallas Wings (13-10, 8-5 Western Conference)Arlington, Texas; Friday, 8 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Dallas faces the Washington Mystics after Arike Ogunbowale scored 25 points in the Dallas Wings’ 88-83 loss to the Connecticut Sun.The Wings are 8-3 on their home court. Dallas has a 2-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.The Mystics have gone 4-7 away from home. Washington is 5-2 in games decided by at least 10 points.The teams square off for the third time this season. The Wings won the last meeting 89-72 on July 2. Satou Sabally scored 27 points to help lead the Wings to the victory.TOP PERFORMERS: Sabally is scoring 17.7 points per game and averaging 9.3 rebounds for the Wings. Ogunbowale is averaging 21.2 points and 3.1 rebounds over the last 10 games for Dallas.Brittney Sykes is averaging 14 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals for the Mystics. Ariel Atkins is averaging 11.4 points over the last 10 games...

Kuwait executes 5 prisoners, including a man convicted in 2015 Islamic State-claimed mosque bombing

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait said Thursday it executed five prisoners, including an inmate convicted over an Islamic State group-claimed mosque bombing in 2015 that killed 27 people. A statement from Kuwait’s Public Prosecution said the five inmates were executed by hanging. Prosecutors said the five include the mosque attacker, three people convicted of murder, and a convicted drug dealer.One of the convicted murderers was Egyptian, another was Kuwaiti, and the drug dealer was from Sri Lanka. The statement didn’t provide the nationality of the mosque attacker or the third convicted murderer, saying only that they were in Kuwait unlawfully.The 2015 bombing struck during midday Friday prayers inside one of Kuwait’s oldest Shiite mosques. The Islamic State group views Shiites as heretics.The attack shocked Kuwait and represented the country’s first militant attack in more than two decades. Within hours of the attack, Kuwait’s then ruler, Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al...

Seattle visits Chicago following Copper’s 37-point performance

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

Seattle Storm (4-19, 4-7 Western Conference) at Chicago Sky (9-14, 3-10 Eastern Conference)Chicago; Friday, 8 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Chicago hosts the Seattle Storm after Kahleah Copper scored 37 points in the Chicago Sky’s 107-95 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.The Sky are 4-8 in home games. Chicago has a 4-10 record against opponents over .500.The Storm have gone 2-8 away from home. Seattle ranks second in the Western Conference shooting 35.0% from 3-point range.The teams meet for the second time this season. The Sky won 90-75 in the last matchup on July 23.TOP PERFORMERS: Courtney Williams is averaging 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.1 assists for the Sky. Copper is averaging 22.4 points over the last 10 games for Chicago.Jordan Horston is averaging eight points and 5.5 rebounds for the Storm. Jewell Loyd is averaging 21.3 points over the last 10 games for Seattle.LAST 10 GAMES: Sky: 4-6, averaging 79.1 points, 33.4 rebounds, 20.1 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while s...