U.S. military helicopter crashes in Iraq
WASHINGTON— A U.S. militaryhelicopter crashed Thursdaynear the city of alQaimin western Iraq, killing someof the seven service membersaboard, U.S. officials said.
Itwas unclear why the aircraft,an HH-60 Pave Hawk, wentdown, the officials added.They did not rule out groundfire, and they could notconfirm how many peoplehad been killed.
One official said the helicopterwas not on a combat operationbut was ferrying troopsfrom Iraq into Syria.
Maj.Adrian Rankine-Galloway,a Pentagon spokesman,said Thursday night thatrescue personnel had beendeployed and that the crash,in Anbar province, nearSyria, was under investigation.
The HH-60 is a modified version of the Black Hawk helicopter. It is often flown by the Air Force for medical evacuation missions and is used by Special Operations pararescue specialists.
The crash comes as U.S. forces and their Iraqi counterparts are winding down combat operations against the Islamic State group. In December, the Pentagon said there were roughly 5,200 U.S. troops still in the country. There are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.
The border between Iraq and Syria still poses a critical threat to the U.S.-led coalition battling IS.
Unilever’s headquarters
LONDON —Unilever said Thursdaythat it would make Rotterdam,the Netherlands, itssole headquarters, dealing asymbolic blow to Britain as it negotiates its exit from the EuropeanUnion.
Fornearly 90 years, the consumerproducts giant — whosebrands include Dove soap,Lipton tea, Surf detergentand Ben and Jerry’s ice cream— has straddled the NorthSea, maintaining headquartersin London and inthe Netherlands.
Investorshave pushed Unileverfor years, however, toeliminate the dual structure,arguing that doing so wouldmake the company moreagile and better able to pursuemergers.
Thatreview has been complicated,though, by Britain’s plannedwithdrawal from the EU,known as Brexit, and fearsthat the company’s decision could be politicized.
Britishgovernment officialshad lobbied hard to persuadeUnilever to maintain itsLondon headquarters, in thehopes of avoiding the symbolicblow of a major companybeing seen to “leave”the country at a delicate time in its negotiations with EU officials. Unilever officialssaid Thursday that Brexitdid not factor into the company’s decision.
Saudi prince’s power grab
Saudi ArabianCrown PrinceMohammed bin Salmanhas garnered internationalintrigue since maneuveringto become next in line forthe throne.
Partof that plan was seeminglyto hide his mother away— fearing she would blockhis power grab last June.The crown prince has kepthis mother’s whereaboutsa secret from his father,King Salman, for morethan two years, NBC Newsreported Thursday.
TheSaudi Embassy in Washingtondenied the report.
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A top Australian official said this week that white farmers from South Africa should be granted emergency visas, saying they needed protection in a “civilized country” amid a debate over redistribution of their lands to black citizens. ... French baker Cedric Vaivre was fined 3,000 euro ($3,600) for working seven days a week in a country where everyone — including business owners like Mr. Vaivre — is required to take at least one day a week off from work.