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Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are among 6 nations set to join China and Russia in BRICS economic bloc

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Iran and Saudi Arabia were among six countries set to join Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in the BRICS economic bloc from next year, the bloc announced Thursday, a move that will likely throw more scrutiny on Beijing’s political influence in the Persian Gulf.The United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia are also set to become new members of BRICS from 2024.BRICS was set up in 2009 as a group of emerging market economies and has become one of the leading voices for more representation of the developing world and the Global South in world affairs.It currently represents around 40% of the world’s population and more than a quarter of the world’s GDP, although that is set to increase with the new members, which include three of the world’s biggest oil producers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran.Recently, questions have been raised over if BRICS is taking an anti-West turn under the influence of China and Russia amid Be...

A top court in Pakistan will rule on a conviction appeal from ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A court in Pakistan’s capital is expected to issue a crucial ruling Thursday on an appeal from the country’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan against his recent conviction and three-year sentence in a graft case, one of his lawyers said. The former cricket star and top opposition leader was found guilty of concealing assets after selling state gifts he received while in office and was convicted and sentenced on Aug. 5 by another court. Khan, through his legal team, requested his release, saying the trial court sentenced him in haste. The 70-year-old Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022, is currently being held at a high-security Attock prison in eastern Punjab province. Even if Khan’s conviction is set aside, his release is unlikely as other courts have canceled his bail in multiple cases.He has denied the charges of corruption, saying he did not violate any laws.Shortly before the court hearing, Khan’s lawyer, Naeem Haider Pan...

RBC reports $3.87B Q3 profit, up from $3.58B a year ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

TORONTO — Royal Bank of Canada says its third-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago, helped higher by strength in its personal and commercial banking and insurance operations.The bank says its net income amounted to $3.87 billion or $2.73 per diluted share for the quarter ended July 31, up from $3.58 billion or $2.51 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.Revenue totalled $14.49 billion, up from $12.13 billion a year earlier.Provisions for credit losses amounted to $616 million, up from $340 million in the same quarter last year.On an adjusted basis, RBC says it earned $2.84 per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from $2.55 a year earlier.The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of $2.71 per share, according to figures compiled by financial markets data firm Refinitiv.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 24, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:RY)The Canadian Press

Major wildfires sweeping through forests in Greece force evacuations near Athens and the northeast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Major wildfires burning for days in northeastern Greece and on the fringes of the country’s capital have incinerated more tracts of forest and forced additional evacuations Thursday as firefighters struggled against strong winds and arid conditions to bring the multiple fronts under control.The wildfires have left 20 people dead over the last week. Eighteen of those, including two boys aged between 10 and 15, are believed to be migrants who crossed the nearby border with Turkey. Their bodies were found by firefighters near a shack in a burnt forest area in northeastern Greece.Sixty firefighters have been injured battling the flames, fire department spokesman Ioannis Artopios said Thursday.Elsewhere in Europe, fires on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, northwestern Turkey near the border with Greece, Portugal and Italy were being brought under control, officials said.In Greece, dozens of firefighting aircraft, including from other European countries, ass...

Maui wildfires renew tensions around water rights in a centuries-old conflict over sacred streams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Shortly after the ignition of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century, a developer of land around a threatened Maui community urgently asked state officials for permission to divert water from streams to fight the growing inferno.West Maui Land Company, Inc. said it eventually received approval from the Hawaii commission that oversees water management, but suggested the state body didn’t act quickly enough and first directed the company to talk with a downstream taro farmer who relies on stream water, according to letters by a company executive obtained by The Associated Press and other news outlets. Community members, including Native Hawaiian farmers, say the water the developer wanted for its reservoirs would not have made a difference in the fires. The reservoirs don’t supply Maui County’s fire hydrants, and firefighting helicopters — which could have dipped into the reservoirs for water — were grounded by high winds.The Aug. 8 fire that killed ...

Canadians unified on forest protection although wildfire cause divisive: poll

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

As Canada struggles through its worst fire season in recorded history, a new survey suggests protecting forests remains one issue that unites most Canadians no matter who they are or where they live. However, other parts of the survey done for Nature Canada and the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests the climate change debate is spilling over into the woods — especially in a season of unprecedented wildfires. “That is deeply concerning and it does reflect widespread disinformation on climate issues,” said Michael Polanyi of Nature Canada.The two environmental groups commissioned Ekos Research to conduct the survey of more than 1,000 Canadians between July 28 and Aug. 9 on a wide range of forestry and policy issues. The margin of error was three percentage points, 19 times out of 20. It found 81 per cent of respondents agreed the federal government should be doing more to protect Canada’s forests and wildlife. That figure changed little across the country. The lowe...

Isolated storms daily as temps top 100 degrees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's not much... but it's something. Near-daily rain chances are in the forecast through the next week, but it won't help our temperatures much.Isolated storms will be possible each afternoon and evening today through the weekend. Although no area is expected to get rain every day, it'll be a good idea to keep an eye on the KXAN Weather app as these storms, although few and far between, could pop up quick.Heat alerts in effect 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. ThursdayDespite the low chance for a few spot storms, afternoon highs will have no problem climbing into the low 100s. Austin is likely to reach 105°-106° every day through Monday of next week.A weak cool front will approach us from the north next Tuesday, helping to kick off a few more storms while slightly dropping temperatures.Daily rain chances but no major accumulation expected Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather newsle...

60 displaced after fire burns North Austin apartment complex; no one hurt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Sixty people, including children, were displaced after a fire at a complex in North Austin Thursday morning. According to an Austin Fire Department social media post at 4:49 a.m., three units of an apartment building on Sam Rayburn Drive suffered fire damage. Five units had smoke and water damage. All 16 units in the building could not be occupied, AFD said. The apartment complex is just north of Powell Lane, which is northeast of U.S. 183 and northwest of Interstate 35.Austin Fire Division Chief Eddie Martinez earlier said, "We are shutting off electricity. We are having electrical issues with the actual building. Austin Energy is on scene to disconnect power to the actual unit." KXAN asked AFD why crews had to shut off electricity to the building and will update this story when a response is received. AFD said no one was hurt, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

TXST plans to open new dormitory halls next 2 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) -- Texas State University welcomed its biggest freshman class in school history this year with almost 8,000 students arriving to San Marcos for their first semester. The growth is expected to continue in the future, and the university is making moves to ensure there is enough on-campus housing for first-year students. University officials said on-campus housing is currently at 107% capacity with a total of 7,244 students checked into their spaces. The school faced a similar issue last year and had to make last-minute changes to the dorms, turning single rooms into doubles and double rooms into triples. This year, the school made that change earlier so there were no surprises for students arriving to school expecting a single room. Almost 2,000 new beds coming to campusThe heart of campus is busy with construction as crews continue building the newest dormitory hall, Hilltop Halls. It is on schedule to open in the fall of 2024 and will have 1,006 beds strictl...

Michelle Goldberg: The right-winger calling for social democracy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:09:54 GMT

NEW YORK — For the New York City launch of his new book last Friday, Sohrab Ahmari, best known as a pugilistic voice of the Trumpist new right, held a dialogue with Bhaskar Sunkara, founder of the socialist journal Jacobin and president of the left-wing magazine The Nation. The talk took place at a packed, sweltering event space on the Lower East Side, before an audience heavy on Twitter (now X) personalities and writers for small magazines. Introducing the discussion, Sunkara said that when Ahmari invited him to participate, he was skeptical. But then he read Ahmari’s book, “Tyranny, Inc.: How Private Power Crushed American Liberty — and What to Do About It,” and found, as he explained, “surprisingly very little to criticize.”Sohrab Ahmari in New York on Friday, March 18, 2022. (Victor Llorente/The New York Times)The book surprised me as well. It was only a few years ago that Ahmari, in an attack on my Times colleague David French, called on conservatives to “fight the culture war ...