Spain tells 'fire tourists' to stay away from forest blaze

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

Authorities have urged 'fire tourists' to avoid blazes raging in eastern Spain on Sunday. Officials said that by looking on, they were putting themselves at danger and interfering with efforts to quell them.Emergency services reported that more than 500 firefighters were fighting the fire with the support of 20 helicopters and planes four days after it broke out close to Villanueva de Viver, Valencia region.Gabriela Bravo, regional head for interior affairs in Valencia, said that police had seen 14 cyclists close to the scene.She said: "We ask again and most importantly tourists not to engage in fire tourism, or to approach the perimeter area."Officials said that Spain's first major wildfire of this year destroyed more than 4,900 hectares (9.900 acres) of forest, and that 1,700 villagers were forced to flee their homes in Valencia and Aragon.Residents fear that the fire could have a severe impact on the local economy, which relied heavily on tourism.Jorge Grausell (72) said that "th...

Ask Amy: I picked an awkward time to end the handouts to my young relative

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

Dear Amy: I have a niece, “Jane,” whom I love and feel very connected to. I’ve been very supportive – practically, emotionally, and financially.Around five years ago, Jane reached out to me with an emergency need for several thousand dollars. I didn’t hesitate to give it to her, and she was extremely grateful.Over the years I’ve given her smaller sums (without her asking), when I’ve had the sense that she was financially on the edge – the pandemic really interrupted her progress. Again, she has always been very grateful.For a variety of reasons, I’ve decided not to continue to do this. First of all, I know she can make it on her own. I also recognize that she is making choices that keep her lifestyle where it is. I know that if she wanted to live in a higher income bracket, she is perfectly capable of getting herself there.Well, just as I’d decided this, she asked for financial help for the down payment on a house. I fully support home ownership for her and know she can handle it, r...

Harriette Cole: Should I tell my family what’s behind my unsettling behavior?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been struggling with nicotine addiction for a long time. I recently moved back in with my family and thought that now would be an excellent opportunity to quit, as I know they would not approve of my habit anyway.However, I am really struggling with my withdrawal symptoms, and they have begun to question me on some of my behaviors that they don’t understand.I’m scared to tell them what’s really going on with me. What should I do?RecoveringDEAR RECOVERING: The best thing you can do is admit to your family what you are dealing with and ask them for help.Nicotine addiction is real, and as you are experiencing, extremely difficult to break. Making your parents allies in your struggle can be beneficial to you. It is too hard to try to hide it from them as you are experiencing withdrawal.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: My friend didn’t know her crush is my ex, and things got awkward Advice | Harriette Cole:...

Reports: Dozens feared dead at migrant facility in Mexico

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Local media reports in Mexico say a fire killed dozens of people at a migrant facility in Cuidad Juarez near the U.S. border.Source

Local media reports in Mexico say dozens feared dead in a fire at a migrant facility in Ciudad Juarez

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Local media reports in Mexico say dozens feared dead in a fire at a migrant facility in Ciudad Juarez.Source

Kidjo, Blackwell, Pärt awarded Sweden’s Polar Music Prize

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Five-time Grammy Award winner Angélique Kidjo, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell and Estonian composer Arvo Pärt have won the 2023 Polar Music Prize, a Swedish music award.The three “all made such a global impact with their music,” Marie Ledin, managing director of the annual prize, said in announcing the winners on Tuesday. Blackwell, 85, whose independent label started in Jamaica and signed artists such as Bob Marley, Cat Stevens, Roxy Music, Tom Waits, Grace Jones and Marianne Faithful, made Island one “of the most successful labels in music history,” Ledin said in a statement. The award committee said that Kidjo’s “striking voice, stage presence and fluency in multiple cultures and languages has won respect from her peers.” The 62-year-old singer-songwriter has mixed the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk and jazz, as well as influences from Europe and Latin America. Ledin described Pärt who is 87...

Prince Harry returns to court in tabloid phone hacking case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry returned to a London court Tuesday for a second day of hearings to see if the phone hacking lawsuit he brought with Elton John and other celebrities can withstand a challenge from the publisher of The Daily Mail. The case is one of several brought by the Duke of Sussex in his battle with the press and alleges the publisher hired private investigators to illegally bug homes and cars and to record phone conversations. Associated Newspapers Ltd. denies the allegations and is seeking to throw out the case, arguing that the claims are too old and rely on information they turned over in confidentiality for a 2012 probe into media law breaking. Actresses Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost, and John’s husband, David Furnish, are also parties to the case.The lawsuit alleges Associated Newspapers, which publishes The Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday, commissioned the “breaking and entry into private property,” and engaged in other unlawful acts that invaded the privacy of ...

Hundreds of fencers protest against letting Russians compete

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:25 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — More than 300 fencers, including nine medalists from the last Olympics in Tokyo, signed an open letter published Tuesday urging the sport’s governing body and the International Olympic Committee not to allow Russian fencers to compete while the war in Ukraine continues.The International Fencing Federation, known by its French acronym FIE, voted this month to allow fencers from Russia and its ally Belarus to return to international competitions as qualifying for next year’s Olympics in Paris ramps up.“The FIE is not fulfilling its duty of care for athletes, especially for Ukrainians. Your insufficient leadership in completely banning Russia and Belarus is being called out by athletes and civil society across the globe,” said the open letter signed by the fencers, organized by two advocacy groups, Athleten Deutschland and Global Athlete.“You have chosen Russian and Belarusian interests over the rights of athletes, notably Ukrainian athletes, and by doing so, ...