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Macron decides to keep French PM in role despite pension unrest and riots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to keep Elisabeth Borne (pictured) in her role as prime minister, an official at the president's office said on Monday (17 July), rejecting pressure to give a new direction to his government after a tumultuous few months.Months of unrest and strikes over Macron's pension reform in the spring as well as five days of riots and looting in French cities earlier this month had fuelled calls among political opponents and some government insiders for a reshuffle.But with no clear candidate to replace Borne, a former technocrat who critics say lacks charisma but supporters say has delivered on many of Macron's campaign pledges already, the French leader decided to keep her at the helm of cabinet."To ensure stability and in-depth work, the president has decided to maintain the prime minister," Macron's office said.The President will also "by the end of the week" provide clues about his plans for the coming months, the official said.French media sa...

Address by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the First Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asian countries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHEEM! Distinguished heads of delegations! Distinguished Secretary-General!I am indeed pleased to see you all today at the First Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asian countries.We have been looking forward to our historical meeting in the beautiful and unique Jeddah, the symbolic gateway to the holy city of Mecca.I echo the words of gratitude expressed to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, His Majesty King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and ‏His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for initiating this high-profile event and excellent arrangements.Dear participants of the summit!The peoples of Central Asia and the Gulf Region have long been linked by close trade relations, common values and traditions, and most importantly, our sacred religion of Islam.We recall with great pride the incomparable contribution of our great intellectuals and scholars in the development of historical relations b...

Ask Amy: My wife is wonderful, but she has a grudge against my entire family

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

Dear Amy: I am married to a wonderful woman. We just completed 20 years of marriage and have two fantastic teenagers. Our life is fairly blissful.Unfortunately, we are cut off from our families. My wife only gets along with her mother; no one else. She has not talked to her brother in years. She barely speaks to my family when we visit them every other year.I feel like I have eloped with her to a distant island.She expects everyone to behave in a certain manner and if they don’t, she holds grudges against them forever. She will not forgive and move on. She brings up stuff from years ago that no one even remembers. Even a mention of anyone from my family leads to a fight and a chronological list of gripes.I would like my children to meet their relatives, but she just refuses to budge.Every few weeks, she will select something, pick a fight and be grumpy for a few days.My family members are eager to move past any disagreements. They have apologized for things they might have sai...

Harriette Cole: They talk about how my wife dresses, and I don’t like it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: My wife dresses very sexily. She often wears sheer clothing that reveals the curves of her body. I like it, but I have noticed that some people in our friend group do not.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: My husband lives in the lakehouse so he can avoid my teen daughter Advice | Harriette Cole: It bugs me when they assume I’m privileged Advice | Harriette Cole: How can I get invited to the good parties? Advice | Harriette Cole: My mom takes money from my bank account to give to my siblings Advice | Harriette Cole: Everyone wants my success tips, but they don’t really care about me What’s weird is that the very people I see saying things about her behind her back will wear similar clothing. The main difference is that my wife is a curvy woman, and these other women are bone-thin. They seem to think that it’s OK to wear sexy clothes as a size 6, but it’...

Yellen visits Vietnam, seeking to build US ties and supply chains, and offset tensions with China

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

HANOI (AP) — The U.S. considers building strong economic and security ties with Vietnam a priority, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday as she met with Vietnamese officials in a visit aimed at fortifying America’s relations across Asia. Yellen arrived in Vietnam after visits to Beijing and to India, where she attended financial meetings of the Group of 20 major industrial economies. “The United States considers Vietnam a key partner in advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Yellen told Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, according to remarks provided by the U.S. Treasury Department.A “free and open Indo-Pacific” refers to the latest iteration of broad U.S. diplomacy aimed at cultivating stronger ties with other countries in the region to counter China’s growing sway among its neighbors. “Vietnam is also a close economic partner, with our two-way trade reaching record highs last year and the United States serving as Vietnam’s largest export market,...

Belgian ace Wout van Aert leaves Tour de France ahead of second child birth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

MOUTIERS, France (AP) — Belgian allrounder Wout van Aert, a key teammate of Tour de France leader Jonas Vingegaard, has left the race to be with his wife Sarah ahead of the birth of their second child. Van Aert, a versatile rider capable of winning on all grounds, has provided crucial support to Vingegaard since the start of the Tour. But because Vingegaard has opened a huge gap in the general classification with one tough mountain stage left, Van Aert’s presence was not deemed as essential.“As everyone knows, Sarah is pregnant, things are starting to get a bit tight at home,” Van Aert said in a video published by his Jumbo-Visma team ahead of Thursday’s Stage 18. “In consultation with the team we have decided that my place is now at home.”Van Aert added that leaving the race is “a strange feeling, but it’s not a dilemma.”Vingegaard, the defending champion, dropped Tadej Pogacar in the last big stage in the French Alps on Wednesday to increase his overall lead to 7...

Australia star Sam Kerr ruled out of opening two Women’s World Cup games with injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Sam Kerr has been ruled out of Australia’s opening two games of the Women’s World Cup in a major setback for the tournament co-hosts.The star striker picked up a calf muscle injury during practice on Wednesday and it was confirmed shortly before kickoff Thursday that she wouldn’t be able to play for the Matildas against Ireland at Stadium Australia or their second match against Nigeria in Brisbane next week.“Sam will be unavailable for the next two matches with the Matildas medical team to re-assess her following our second group stage match,” Australia’s national team tweeted. The Matildas also face Olympic Canada in Group B. She is Australia’s captain and all-time leading scorer with 63 goals in 120 games, and was one of the favorites to win the Golden Boot at this World Cup.“I wanted to share this with everyone so there is no distraction from us doing what we came here to achieve,” she wrote in an Instagram post distributed by the team. “Of c...

India’s Modi breaks silence over ethnic violence in Manipur after video shows mob molesting women

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke more than two months of public silence over deadly ethnic clashes in India’s northeast, saying Thursday that the assaults of two women as they were being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur state were unforgivable.A video showing the assaults triggered massive outrage and was widely shared on social media late Wednesday despite the internet being largely blocked and journalists being locked out in the remote state. It shows two naked women surrounded by scores of young men who grope their genitals and drag them to a field.“The guilty will not be spared. What has happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven,” Modi told reporters ahead of a parliamentary session in his first public comments related to the Manipur conflict.Without making any direct references to the violence in Manipur, Modi urged heads of state governments to ensure the safety of women and said the incident is “shameful for any civilized nation.”“My...

Live updates | Cameron Smith opens title defense at British Open

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

SMITH OPENS TITLE DEFENSE, AMATEUR LEADSHOYLAKE, England (AP) — Cameron Smith has started his title defense at the British Open and is chasing a South African amateur holding an unlikely lead at Royal Liverpool.Smith is looking to do what no player has achieved since Padraig Harrington in 2008 and lift the claret jug in successive years.The Australian opened with a birdie at the first after a putt from about eight feet.Christo Lamprecht, a two-time All-American from Georgia Tech who qualified by winning the British Amateur at the nearby Hillside links, reached the back nine at 3 under. He made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 3.Lamprecht is hard to miss. He stands at 6-foot-8 (2.03 meters) and hits it long off the tee.He is a shot clear of 2009 champion Stewart Cink, who is 2 under after seven holes.___WHAT TO KNOW— A brown British Open turns green— Rasmus and Nicolai first set of twins playing the British Open— New hole on an old links getting all the attention at Roya...

Wilkinson’s goal gives New Zealand a 1-0 win over Norway in an emotional Women’s World Cup opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:45 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Hannah Wilkinson scored to open the second half and New Zealand went on to beat Norway 1-0 on Thursday for its first-ever win at the Women’s World Cup, just hours after a shooting in downtown Auckland shocked the host nation.A gunman stormed a high-rise construction site near Norway’s team hotel and opened fire, killing two people. The gunman was found dead after a police shootout. There was increased security at Eden Park stadium, where 42,137 — a record crowd for a soccer match in New Zealand — were on hand to cheer on the home team, co-hosts of the tournament with Australia. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was among those at the game. After an opening ceremony that honored New Zealand’s Indigenous heritage, there was a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting. Four people were wounded in the attack, including an police officer. New Zealand got the nod to stage the first game, although co-host Australia’s match...