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11 stranded pilot whales saved in Sri Lanka

Eleven pilot whales were saved on Saturday after they became stranded near the shore on Sri Lanka's west coast in the early hours, wildlife officials told AFP. A navy team aided the rescue effort alongside local fishermen who raised the alarm when they spotted the pod after midnight near the resort village of Kudawa.. In November 2020, Sri Lankan rescuers managed to save 120 pilot whales in a gruelling overnight effort that also involved the country's navy.

Sat, Feb 11, 2023 0 mins read

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Children rescued as Turkey-Syria quake toll nears 24,000

Rescuers pulled children from the rubble of the Turkey-Syria earthquake on Saturday as the death toll approached 24,000 and a winter freeze compounded the suffering of millions of people, many in desperate need of aid.. In rebel-held northwestern Syria, about four million people rely on humanitarian aid but there have been no aid deliveries from government-controlled areas in three weeks.

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 3 mins read

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French academic Fariba Adelkhah released from prison in Iran: ministry

Iranian authorities on Friday released from prison French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah, who was first arrested in June 2019 and was serving a five-year sentence on national security charges vehemently denied by supporters, the French foreign ministry said.. Adelkhah was sentenced in May 2020 to five years in prison for conspiring against national security, accusations her supporters have always denounced as absurd. 

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 2 mins read

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French academic Fariba Adelkhah released from prison in Iran: source

Iranian authorities on Friday released from prison French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah, who was first arrested in June 2019 and was serving a five-year sentence on national security charges vehemently denied by supporters, a source close to her said.. Motalebzadeh wrote on Twitter that Adelkhah was among half a dozen more prisoners released on Friday.

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 1 mins read

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Acclaimed Spanish director Carlos Saura dead at 91

Acclaimed Spanish director Carlos Saura, who hit the global spotlight in the 1960s with his critiques of Franco's dictatorship, died Friday at the age of 91, the Spanish film academy said. . "He died today at his home at the age of 91, surrounded by his loved ones," the academy wrote on Twitter, describing him as "one of the most important filmmakers in the history of Spanish cinema".

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 2 mins read

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US shoots down 'high-altitude object' over Alaska

A US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object drifting high over Alaska on Friday, the White House said, just six days after the downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon sparked a fresh diplomatic rift with Beijing.. The object was much smaller than a huge Chinese balloon that crossed the United States last week and was shot down by a US fighter jet off the Atlantic coast on Saturday, Kirby said.

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 2 mins read

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Reviewers rave for 'Hogwarts Legacy' video game despite backlash

The highly anticipated video game "Hogwarts Legacy" was met with largely positive reviews after its release Friday, despite some gameplay quibbles and the controversy that has dogged the Wizarding World's original creator.. Writing at tech website Wired, game reviewer Jaina Grey, who is a transgender woman and former "Potter" fan, called the gameplay "dated" and "lifeless." 

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 2 mins read

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Belgian MEP detained for questioning in EU graft probe

Police on Friday detained a Belgian European Parliament member for questioning after searching a bank safe belonging to him as part of a probe into a bribery scandal that has rocked the EU.    Belgium's federal prosecutors said "several raids" were carried out Friday morning targeting the safe of lawmaker Marc Tarabella, 59, in the city of Liege and offices in the town hall of Anthisnes, where he is mayor.  . Tarabella was "detained for questioning" and the judge overseeing the case will decide in the coming hours whether the Socialist MEP should appear before him, prosecutors said. 

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 1 mins read

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Amsterdam bans cannabis on red light district streets

Amsterdam city authorities said Friday they are banning cannabis smoking in the streets of the red light district from mid-May as part of efforts to curb criminality and anti-social behaviour.. The measure comes amid wider efforts to restrict drinking hours and bring forward closing times of cafes, bars, restaurants and brothels, as the municipality cracks down on a "huge anti-social behaviour" problem.

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 1 mins read

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Mexico City seeks to grow reputation as international art hub

Artists and collectors from around the world are descending on Mexico City this week for several fairs aimed at consolidating the capital's position as a Latin American hub of modern and contemporary art.. Two other events are also being held this week: the Material contemporary art fair and Salon ACME -- described by organizers as "an art platform created by artists for artists." st-dr/des

Fri, Feb 10, 2023 1 mins read