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After Malaysia bans his book, author says his depiction of Indonesian maid was misunderstood

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia’s government has banned a book following protests over what was perceived as an insulting depiction of an Indonesian maid, and the book’s author on Thursday apologized for the offensive material and said it was misunderstood.Boey Chee Ming, a Malaysian artist now based in the United States, said he was shocked to learn that his book “When I was a Kid 3” was banned by the government almost a decade after it was released in 2014. It was his third book in a series of graphic novels about his childhood in Malaysia.The Home Ministry has said the book contained material that was “likely to be prejudicial to morality” and issued the ban on Sept. 15, local media reported. Indonesian non-governmental organization Corong Rakyat staged a rally outside the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta in June to protest the book, which it said belittled Indonesian maids, Malaysia’s national Bernama news agency reported. Home Ministry officials couldn̵...

Shelters for migrants are filling up across Germany as attitudes toward the newcomers harden

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Dozens of people from around the world lined up on a sunny morning this week in front of a former mental health hospital in Berlin to apply for asylum in Germany.There were two older women from Moldova. A young man from Somalia sat next to them on a bench. A group of five young Pakistanis chatted loudly, standing behind two pregnant women from Vietnam.The newcomers are among more than 10,000 migrants who have applied for asylum in the German capital this year, and are coming at a time when Berlin is running out of space to accommodate them.“The situation is not very good at the moment,” Sascha Langenbach, the spokesperson for the state office for refugee affairs in Berlin, said in an interview this week. “This is much more than we expected last year.”The former mental health hospital in Berlin’s Reinickendorf neighborhood was turned into the city’s registration center for asylum-seekers in 2019 and can house up to 1,000 migrants. But it’s full. Offici...

First C5+1 Leaders' Summit: C5+1 resilience through security, economic, and energy partnership

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

This week, we – the presidents of the United States, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan – met on the occasion of the first-ever C5+1 Presidential Summit, held during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City and commit to the following principles of further interaction. Resilience through Partnership United in an unwavering commitment to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter, our partnership is founded on respect for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all states. We commend the considerable progress made on shared objectives since the first C5+1 ministerial meeting in 2015. The establishment of the C5+1 Secretariat in 2022 and the Working Groups on Economy, Energy and the Environment, and Security have further deepened our engagement. We remain committed to enhancing our partnership through the C5+1 platform. Dedicated to our pu...

Oakland rookie has shot at first big league win ruined by Twins rally

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

By BRIAN HALLThe Associated PressMINNEAPOLIS — A’s rookie pitcher Joey Estes had a shot of earning his first major league victory ruined by a blown save from fellow rookie Kyle Muller. Two innings later, the Twins’ Trevor Larnach ruined Oakland’s chance for a win.Larnach, a former College Park High of Pleasant Hill star, broke an eighth-inning tie with an RBI double to help Minnesota rally to beat Oakland 6-4.Estes may not have gotten the win, but the 21-year-old right-hander impressed A’s manager Mark Kotsay after allowing just three runs in 5 1/3 innings in his second big league appearance.“I think he got some swing and miss on the fastball in the first outing,” Kotsay said of Estes, who was acquired two years ago from Atlanta in the Matt Olson deal. “Tonight, he got swings and misses on all of his stuff, which is a great sign. This kid is a competitor. You can see the way he’s out on the mound. He’s got a presence about him.”Twins designated hitter Ryan Jeffers, who hit a t...

Why are COVID booster shots hard to find in the Bay Area?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

(KRON) – Some people are having a hard time getting an appointment for the COVID booster shot. Pharmacies like CVS are reporting a supply problem.During the peak of the pandemic, officials begged people to get the COVID vaccine, and now people are struggling to get the latest booster. KRON4 spoke with a UCSF doctor who says it’s because there is a shift in who is responsible for supplying and paying for people to get the vaccine. When KRON4 looked up booster appointments on the CVS website for a San Francisco pharmacy, we were directed to a location in Colma, in San Mateo County. It said no time slots were available. San Francisco DA Jenkins blames judges for fentanyl epidemic A CVS spokesperson told KRON4 that its pharmacies are receiving the vaccine on a rolling basis, but they are experiencing supplier delivery delays. Walgreens did not reply in time for this report.UCSF's Dr. Peter Chin-Hong explains why it hasn’t been as easy to get the shot at your local pharmacy."There is a...

Hateful comments lead to virtual comment ban at Bay Area school board meeting

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KRON) – Some boards are starting to take action after public meetings across the Bay Area got bombarded with hateful comments made virtually. Santa Rosa city schools hosted their first meeting without any online comments on Wednesday.Racist, antisemitic and homophobic comments took over the Santa Rosa city schools district's last meeting just two weeks ago, all over Zoom. The board decided to take swift action and immediately eliminated virtual comments.“I was shocked,” said Gabriel Albavera, a Santa Rosa school district official. “I was hurt, I was taken aback. Granted, it was online so I kind of took it with a grain of salt to a degree.”Santa Rosa City Schools Board of Education believes a barrage of hateful virtual comments attempted to distract board members at their Sept. 13 meeting. San Francisco DA Jenkins blames judges for fentanyl epidemic “It’s easy to make those comments when you’re behind a screen as opposed to being in person,” Albavera said. ...

San Francisco DA Jenkins blames judges for fentanyl epidemic

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- In San Francisco alone, thousands of people continue to die on the streets. Among those on the frontlines of this crisis is SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins who promised a “tough on crime” approach when she took office just over a year ago.Yet, the death count in San Francisco this year is on track to break records. KRON4 sat down with Jenkins to talk about the progress her office has made and the challenges she says stand in the way of getting dealers off the streets. ‘It’s a ticking time bomb’: Bay Area moms who lost children warn of fentanyl dangers Read the full Q&A below. KRON4: You took office a year ago -- promising a tough-on-crime approach... more prosecution for drug offenders. but overdose deaths are up compared to last year. Why isn’t the problem getting any better?Jenkins: Yes, overdose deaths are up and that continues to be a concern. It's something that took years to get to this point of the crisis, and it's going to take us some...

Sanna Marin, film star? Ex-Finnish PM signs with talent agency

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has signed with entertainment and talent management company Range Media Partners. Marin is set to explore opportunities in media and entertainment, including TV, film, audio and brand partnership, Variety reported Wednesday. Range Media Partners — whose clients have included Hollywood stars such as Bradley Cooper, Tom Hardy and Keira Knightley — says it works with a “team of renowned leaders within the industry to provide performing and recording artists, directors, writers, professional athletes and others within the entertainment industry with top-quality management and representation services.” Earlier this month, Marin also joined the Tony Blair Institute as a strategic counselor. In that role, Marin will advise political leaders on their reform programs. Marin, who became Finland’s youngest prime minister at the age of 34 in 2019, stepped down in April after losing in the national election. Her ...

Lachlan Murdoch could reunite Fox and Trump, biographer says

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

Lachlan Murdoch, the newly appointed heir to Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, might try to salvage Donald Trump’s relationship with Fox News, according to the media mogul’s biographer.Since Rupert Murdoch announced his plan to resign, ending his decades-long reign atop the family business, there has been much speculation on what’s in store for Fox and News Corp.Among that, one burning question: Will Trump — once beloved by right-wing Fox News and later jilted in favor of Republican opponent Ron DeSantis — make a comeback as the network’s darling?Michael Wolff, author of upcoming book “The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty” and longtime Murdoch watcher, said a Trump reconciliation is a distinct possibility for Rupert’s son Lachlan.“I think he could do that. Absolutely,” Wolff told POLITICO’s new global podcast Power Play. “Why not? It’s a humiliation. I would not want to have to go and sit down for a cup of tea with my father, Rupert M...

Half of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population flees as the separatist government says it will dissolve

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:08:49 GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The separatist government of Nagorno-Karabakh announced Thursday that it will dissolve itself and the unrecognized republic will cease to exist by the end of the year, and Armenian officials said more than half of the population has already fled.That is after Azerbaijan carried out a lightning offensive to reclaim full control over its breakaway region and demanded that Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh lay down their weapons and the separatist government dissolve itself.A decree to that effect was signed by the region’s separatist President Samvel Shakhramanyan. The document cited an agreement reached last week to end the fighting under which Azerbaijan will allow the “free, voluntary and unhindered movement” of Nagorno-Karabakh residents and disarm troops in Armenia in exchange.Nagorno-Karabakh is a region of Azerbaijan that came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by the Armenian military, in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. During...