Indonesia, South Korea on target as eSports set for Games landmark
Indonesia, South Korea and hosts China scooped gold at the Asian Games on Tuesday as eSports fans eagerly awaited the outcome of the first gaming medal...
2023-09-26 15:22
Sweden’s PM issues warning to all nationals abroad after Brussels terror attack
The killing of two Swedish citizens in an attack ahead of a football match in Brussels has shocked the country, although the government has been warning for months that Swedes were at greater risk since a recent string of public desecrations of the Quran holy book by a handful of anti-Islam activists. Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday noted that the government in August had raised the terror alert to the second-highest level following threats against Sweden by Islamic extremists. “Now we know with chilling clarity that there were grounds for those concerns,” he said. The desecrations, primarily by an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden, have sparked angry reactions in Muslim countries. In June, demonstrators in Iraq stormed the Swedish Embassy and the Iraqi government cut off diplomatic relations with Sweden. Now Swedish nationals have been urged to remain vigilant after the gunman opened fire and killed two Swedes in Brussels, with a third victim seriously injured. Mr Kristersson said he had been told by Belgium that the perpetrator “had stayed in Sweden but was not known to the Swedish police”. The European Union’s passport-free zone allowed him to travel to Sweden. The PM has called on the EU to bolster border controls and internal security, while Swedes abroad have been encouraged to download the UD Resklar app to receive updated safety alerts. The attack unfolded at 7pm when a man, who named himself in a video as Abdesalem Lassoued, opened fire in the north of the city centre. Videos shared online showed a man on a scooter, dressed in an orange fluorescent jacket, pull up and start shooting passers-by. He then chases people into the hallway of an apartment building to gun them down while four gunshots can be heard. A major manhunt was launched, with the perpetrator eventually tracked down to a cafe in Schaerbeek, after a witness recognised him and contacted the police. He was shot and later died of his injuries, with the interior minister Annelies Verlinden posting on Twitter/X, that “The perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Brussels has been identified and has died.” The gunman, who named himself in a video as Abdesalem Lassoued, is believed to be a Tunisian man who was in Belgium illegally after his asylum application was rejected in 2020. He posted a video online saying he had killed people in the name of God, with the Belgian prosecutor’s office stating their belief he was inspired by Isis. While they initially said there did not appear to be any links between the attack and the Israel-Gaza war, they later said they could not exclude that possibility. Belgium prime minister Alexander De Croo called Monday’s shooting “a harrowing act of terrorism” in a press conference, while it is believed the victims were probably targeted because they were Swedish. The attack occurred three miles away from the stadium where Belgium was playing Sweden to qualify for the Euro 2024 football tournament. Following news of the attack, the match was abandoned at half time while 35,000 fans had to wait for hours in the King Baudouin stadium before being evacuated in groups. Sweden’s foreign ministry sent a text message to its citizens in Belgium on Tuesday morning warning them to be vigilant. It later issued a statement urging all Swedes abroad to be careful. “All indications are that this is a terror attack aimed at Sweden and Swedish citizens only due to them being Swedish,” Mr Kristersson told a news conference.“These terrorists want to scare us into obedience and silence. That will not happen.” Sweden’s terror alert was raised to its second-highest level in August after a series of public Quran burnings, with the government warning that the country had become a target for jihadis. After copies of the Quran were burnt outside Stockholm’s Royal Palace, the city’s largest mosque, and the Turkish embassy, state authorities were warned by intelligence services of a heightened risk for a terrorist attack. Swedish officials have repeatedly condemned the desecrations while saying they are allowed under freedom of speech. The government is investigating whether to give police greater authority to stop such acts on security grounds.“Not everything that is legal is appropriate,” Mr Kristersson said Tuesday. “What you do in Sweden can have consequences elsewhere.” Protests occurred in Muslim-majority countries across the world, with protestors in Iraq storming the Swedish embassy and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan holding up Sweden’s NATO membership bid. Sweden’s embassies urged nationals to exercise increased vigilance abroad while Swedes at home voiced concerns about safety in a country lately also contending with a wave of gangland shootings. “The threat assessment against Sweden has gradually changed and the threat of attacks by above all violent Islamist extremism has increased,” security police SAPO said in a statement following the attack on Monday. “It is a serious situation and the security police estimates that it will remain for a considerable period.” Read More Climbers scale 142-metre tall tower in Barcelona city centre Ukraine Russia war: Putin’s forces suffer blow as helicopters destroyed - live Experts on what winter brings for the Ukraine war – and why Putin is banking on Trump Sweden captain Victor Lindelof ‘shocked and devastated’ by killing of two fans What we know about Isis Brussels terror suspect Abdesalem Lassoued Sweden fans given overnight police protection in Brussels after shooting during Euro 2024 qualifier
2023-10-18 01:21
Israeli forces shoot and kill Palestinian motorist after alleged car-ramming attack in West Bank
Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian in disputed circumstances in the northern West Bank — the latest in an ongoing surge of violence that shows no sign of slowing down
2023-07-22 19:28
5 49ers that deserve stronger Hall of Fame consideration
One of the premier NFL franchises has its share of enshrinees in Canton, Ohio. Which San Francisco 49ers players also belong in the Hall of Fame?
2023-09-17 00:49
Did a Travis Scott fan sell his house for a concert ticket?
A Travis Scott superfan fooled the internet by convincing people he'd sold his house to attend the rapper's concert in Egypt. It all started when TikTok user @thatlookslikecj shared a clip standing next to a house and a 'sold' sign. "I actually did it," he wrote alongside the footage that racked up 5.1 million views. The comments were flooded with fellow fans, with one writing, "I lowkey might have to sell my kidney for this." Another added, "excellent economic decisions," while a third chimed in: "This deserves more fame." "If you’re that desperate to sell your own home for Travis Scott you deserve whatever comes to you," one person chimed in. Despite social media believing the move, it turned out the story was completely made up and the TikToker is known for his editing. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @thatlookslikecj SOLD FOR UTOPIA #utopia #travisscott #soldmyhouse Yet another lesson in don't believe everything you see on the internet. The rapper was set to perform in Cairo on Friday (28 July), but the event was cancelled two days before. Live Nation, the promoters for the gig, said in a statement: "We regret to inform you that the UTOPIA show, originally scheduled for July 28th at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt is cancelled. "Unfortunately, despite highest efforts, complex production issues meant that the show could not be constructed in the desert. We understand that this news is disappointing and not the outcome any of us desired." They reassured fans that they would be refunded for their tickets and apologised for the "inconvenience." They continued: "We remain committed to bringing exceptional live performances to fans and hope to have the opportunity to do so in the future." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-07-29 00:25
India's Bengaluru may need $363 million to fix drainage, avoid flooding - report
By Deep Kaushik Vakil BENGALURU India's Bengaluru may need nearly 28 billion rupees ($362.7 million) to restore a
2023-05-31 16:16
A powerful typhoon pounds Japan's Okinawa and injures more than 20 people as it moves toward China
A powerful typhoon has slammed Okinawa and other islands in southwestern Japan Wednesday with high winds injuring more than 20 people as it moved west making its way toward mainland China
2023-08-02 17:17
Panda Diplomacy: The departure of DC's beloved pandas may signal a wider Chinese pullback
The National Zoo’s three giant pandas are set to return to China in early December with no public signs that the 50-year old exchange agreement struck by former President Richard Nixon will continue
2023-10-03 12:52
US Open: Yes, Rickie Fowler’s time may still come
Rickie Fowler faded in the final day of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club, painfully falling back five spots from his lead. But it’s not time to write him off just yet.Rickie Fowler stunned fans with an opening round of 62 at the 123rd U.S. Open on Thursday, electrifying golf f...
2023-06-19 21:59
Local baffled by mysterious 'UFO' hovering in the sky
A mysterious spinning ‘UFO’ has been spotted in the night sky by a stunned local. The brightly illuminated object is seen spinning in the air, but it appears to hover above a mountain. The shocked onlooker zooms in on the mysterious aircraft while saying in wonder: “It’s moving.” The hovering UFO was filmed in the village of Honorato Vásquez, Ecuador, on Tuesday (9 Sept) evening. The local authorities have yet to respond to claims that the object was from outer space. One local said: “I believe it.” Manuel wrote: “Those crazy aliens.” Yet Eddy joked: “In that drone there, you wouldn’t even be able to fit two-quarters of a Martian!” It followed an alleged aerial battle between military personnel and several alien spaceships in Argentina this month. Scared locals claimed that the military base was attacked by four black triangular-shaped UFOs. Scores of residents gathered outside the Commander Espora Air Naval Base near Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, as thunderous noises sounded from within the perimeter walls. The Commission for the Study of UFO Phenomena of the Argentine Republic, an organisation dedicated to investigating alleged alien sightings, claimed to have information that there were four UFOs seen attacking the military base. The group said the alien spacecrafts were black and triangular in shape and that Argentine troops fired at them with anti-aircraft weapons. Group spokesperson Andrea Pérez Simondini said witnesses saw “four lights entering the territory from across the ocean before taking a strategic position over one of the buildings where ammunition is stored”. However, the military authorities have denied that the base was under attack and claimed that the videos were faked by unscrupulous locals. Navy spokesperson Captain Germán Luis Zarralanga said their Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopter was taking part in a training exercise that night, but was not involved in any kind of altercation with other aircraft. When discussing the social media footage, the spokesperson said: “It’s an edit. I don’t know what their intentions were. “Airport security and airport workers did not report seeing anything, and everyone at the base was sleeping except for the person piloting the helicopter. There was no type of special activity, no tactical manoeuvres, just a normal helicopter training flight, nothing related to ammunition.” One local commented: “Incredible! How many UFOs? I can't believe it! Amazing. An interplanetary war has begun.” Another said: “Are you telling me that it was one of the first-ever confrontations between humans and UFOs and we shot them down?” Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-24 18:52
Jessica Pegula says it was a 'bummer' Cotton Eye Joe played during crucial Canadian Open point
Tennis star Jessica Pegula has responded to the now viral gaffe at the Canadian Open which saw the song 'Cotton Eye Joe' play during a crucial point in her game against Iga Swiatek. The American upset the world number one in three sets to reach the final however there was only one moment that tennis fans were talking about after the contest. During a tie-break in the second set, Swiatek was serving at 3-4 when inexplicably the 1995 school disco classic 'Cotton Eye Joe' by Rednex started to play over the tannoys. The moment shocked those in attendance in Montreal and play was briefly paused. Speaking at the post-match press conference 29-year-old Pegula said that the she thought the moment was "funny" adding: "I've never had that happen, let alone with ‘Cotton-Eyed Joe.’ I was, like, ‘Is this really happening right now?’ Of all the songs. It was just, like, what is going on?” However, it wasn't all fun and games as she would go on to lose the tie-break. Even more annoying for her was the fact that the return she played just before Cotton Eye Joe blasted out of the speakers looked to be a good one. She said: "Yeah, it was a bummer because I hit a really good lob, and she barely got it, and I had a really good play on the ball, and she was kind of out of position from the lob that I hit. "So, I mean, I don't know if I would have won the point. Maybe. I would have been up 5-2, but that doesn't mean I'm going to win the tiebreaker. I think the wind started shifting, so I felt like I was really against the wind on that side, the side that that point happened on." Despite the setback Pegula still managed to defeat her Polish opponent and will now play either Elena Rybakina or Liudmila Samsonova in the final. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-08-13 18:56
How did Young Capone die? Rapper, 35, found dead after going missing
Rapper Young Capone was found dead in Marquette Park after he went missing from Chicago
2023-08-18 11:45
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