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Rugby World Cup promises to improve access to Marseille stadium after fans stuck outside

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Rugby World Cup organizers will take steps to improve access to Marseille’s Stade Velodrome after numerous fans missed the start of England’s match against Argentina on Saturday night.All 63,118 ticket-holders eventually reached their seats after many were stuck in long queues when the game kicked off at 9 p.m.Ireland fans were also reportedly held up by a lack of public transport in Bordeaux on Saturday when they headed to the game against Romania. Many were still waiting outside when the national anthems started.“Fan experience is paramount to everyone involved in the staging of the tournament,” RWC organizers said in a statement on Sunday. “France 2023 are deploying more service volunteers to welcome fans (to Stade Velodrome) and direct ticket-holders to the appropriate entry points.”Marseille is to host four more games, including South Africa-Scotland on Sunday, France-Namibia on Sept. 21, South Africa-Tonga on Oct. 1, and two quarterfinals.French author...

Brexiters rage after crowd waves EU flags at Royal Albert Hall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

Prominent Brexiteers are outraged after seeing thousands of EU flags waving during a rendition of “Rule, Britannia!” at a televised concert in London.Last Night of the Proms — the BBC’s annual celebration of classical music — became an ideological battleground for Leave and Remain supporters when it kicked off on on Saturday evening after people started waving the blue-and-yellow flags of the EU, which appeared to outnumber Union Jacks in the crowd. Do not let anybody make you believe this country is anti-European. The UK has the strongest pro-EU voice in Europe. #lastnightoftheproms pic.twitter.com/Qr8V2NTjg9— Jason (@jasonsuresh) September 9, 2023Former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor even called for an investigation to get to the bottom of how the “disgraceful and misguided BBC” let such an “utterly vulgar and wrong” spectacle happen. “Rule Britannia, not Rule EU!” Proctor said in on social media, adding a Union Jack to h...

Off-duty Seekonk officer killed in double fatal motorcycle crash in Somerset

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

An off-duty Seekonk police officer was killed in a motorcycle and vehicle collision in Somerset early Saturday morning, police confirmed.The crash took place in the Route 103 rotary, where the driver of the motorcycle was pronounced dead when officials arrived around 1:15 a.m. Patrolwoman Kourtny DeForitis, believed to be a passenger on the motorcycle, was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. The motorcycle entered the rotary heading the wrong way and collided with the vehicle, Somerset police said their initial investigation showed. The driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital as well and is expected to survive.DeForitis was with the Seekonk police force for just under three years as a patrol and community outreach officer. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, officials said.

Islamist factions in a troubled Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon say they will honor a cease-fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

SIDON, Lebanon (AP) — Islamist factions in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp said Sunday they will abide by a cease-fire after three days of clashes killed at least five people and left hundreds of families displaced.Fighting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement and Islamist groups has rocked southern Lebanon’s Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp since Friday. Fatah and other factions in the camp had intended to crack down on suspects accused of killing one of their military generals in late July. Besides the five killed, 52 others were wounded, Dr. Riad Abu Al-Einen, who heads the Al-Hamshari Hospital in Sidon that has received the casualties, told The Associated Press.Ein el-Hilweh, home to some 55,000 people according to the United Nations, is notorious for its lawlessness and violence is not uncommon in the camp. It was established in 1948 to house Palestinians who were displaced when Israel was established.Lebanese officials, security agencies and t...

Israeli delegation attends UN heritage conference in Saudi Arabia in first public visit by officials

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to attend a U.N. conference on world heritage sites, in the first public visit by government officials to the kingdom, an Israeli official said.The delegation is led by the head of Israel’s Antiquities Authority, Eli Escusido, and includes diplomats, the official said. It is not a bilateral visit, and it was unclear whether they would meet with Saudi officials. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter with media and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official noted that Israel took part in a video game competition in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.The visit comes as Washington is pushing to broker normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which are believed to have quietly cultivated ties in recent years over their shared suspicion of Iran. A formal agreement would be a historic step toward integrating Israel into the wider region, but it faces major challenges.The Saudis ...

Biden says Vietnam deal is about global stability, not containing China.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

HANOI (AP) — President Joe Biden insisted Sunday that he is not trying to start a “cold war” with China as he made his first visit to Vietnam, saying his goal is to provide stability around the world by building U.S. ties with Vietnam and other Asian countries.“We have an opportunity to strengthen alliances around the world to maintain stability. That’s what this trip is all about,” Biden said at a news conference. “It’s not about containing China. It’s about having a stable base.”The U.S. president came to Hanoi as Vietnam is elevating the United States to its highest diplomatic status as a comprehensive strategic partner, evidence of how far the relationship has evolved from what Biden referred to as the “bitter past” of the Vietnam War.The expanded partnership reflected a broader effort across Asia to counter China’s influence as Biden has said Vietnam wants to show its independence and U.S. companies want an alternative to Chinese factories. But Biden is pursuing the...

Mossad chief accuses Iran of plotting deadly attacks, vows to hit perpetrators ‘in heart’ of Tehran

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency on Sunday said that Israel is prepared to strike “in the heart of Tehran” to track down the perpetrators of what he said were over two dozen Iranian attempts to hit Israeli and Jewish targets around the world.Speaking at a security conference, David Barnea said that Israel and its allies had foiled 27 attacks over the past year in Europe, Africa, southeast Asia and South America.“The plots being pursued by these teams were orchestrated, masterminded and directed by Iran,” Barnea told the conference at Reichman University. He added that “as we speak” Iran is trying to carry out additional attacks.“Our message is loud and clear and determined,” he said. “Make no mistake, those of you who decided to dispatch the teams. Be assured that we will get to you, and justice will be done for all to see. This has been proven in the past, and in the future, we will ramp it up to the next level.”Barnea said Israel would go after the agents in...

‘The Nun II’ conjures $32.6 million to top box office

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

Like many horrors before it, bad reviews didn’t scare off moviegoers from buying tickets for “ The Nun II.” The sequel to the 2018 hit, released in 3,728 theaters by Warner Bros., topped the box office in its first weekend in North American theaters earning an estimated $32.6 million, the studio said Sunday.Horror is perhaps the most reliably critic-proof genre, at least when it comes to opening weekend. The Michael Graves-directed sequel starring Taissa Farmiga and Storm Reid fell far short of the debut for the first film ($53.8 million), but it’s still a solid launch. “The Nun” movies are part of the so-called Conjuring universe, which now has nine films, and $2.1 billion in box office, to its name. “The Nun II” bumped Denzel Washington’s “ Equalizer 3 ” to second place in its second weekend. The Columbia Pictures release added $12.1 million, bringing its domestic grosses to $61.9 million and its worldwide earnings to $107.7 million. Third place went to another new movie: Th...

Vatican ordered investigation into Catholic clerics linked to abuse, Swiss Bishops’ Conference says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The Vatican has ordered an investigation into high-ranking Catholic clerics in Switzerland in connection with sexual abuse, the Swiss Bishops’ Conference said on Sunday.The group said in a statement that there were allegations against several active and retired bishops as well as other clergy for their handling of abuse cases. Specifically, they are accused of covering up abuse cases. There are also accusations that some committed sexual assaults themselves in the past.“There are accusations against some of them of having committed sexual assaults themselves in the past,” it said.According to the bishops’ conference, the Vatican received a letter with the allegations in May and subsequently appointed Swiss Bishop Joseph Bonnemain to head a preliminary investigation in June. Bonnemain has a history of investigating sexual assaults around the church, the statement said.Father Nicolas Betticher, a priest at the Bruder Klaus church in the Swiss capital Bern, co...

Man wanted for punching woman in face, knocking her out at TTC subway station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:02 GMT

A man is wanted in a violent attack after he punched a woman in the face, knocked her unconscious and assaulted a stranger at Castle Frank Station.Toronto police responded to reports of an assault at the TTC subway station in Rosedale around 3:30 p.m. on September 5.It’s alleged that a woman and a man were waiting for the subway on the eastbound platform, and as the two began to embark on the train, an altercation ensued.Authorities said the man punched the woman in the face, knocking her unconscious. Another man on the train attempted to stop the attack and was punched in the face by the same suspect.The man then fled the subway station.He is described as approximately 55 to 60 years old with a large build, short dark hair, and a grey mustache.Police said he was last seen wearing an orange t-shirt, a coloured baseball cap, black pants, black shoes and a black coloured backpack.Photo: Toronto police.