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Niger fashion designer aims to show a positive image of her country at Joburg Fashion Week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Niger fashion designer Alia Bare took center stage at the Joburg Fashion Week with a collection that she hopes will spread a positive image of her troubled country, suffering from instability and economic sanctions that followed a military coup earlier this year.Bare is one of several African designers that descended on Johannesburg, South Africa, this week for the Joburg Fashion Week, a key feature of Africa’s fashion and entertainment calendar.Bare, who has lived in Senegal and India, on Thursday showcased an elegant collection, which drew from her experiences living in different countries.Speaking to The Associated Press at the event, Bare said Niger has long been associated with political strife by the rest of the world, an image that she says does not fully represent the beauty of her country.“When people talk about Niger they always talk about conflict, they talk about poverty and death, they talk about negative things,” she said.“I know most people a...

‘Vile’: Human rights group denounces vandalism at Toronto Indigo store, police investigating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

The Toronto Police Service’s Hate Crime Unit is investigating after the Indigo store at Bay Street and Bloor Street West was vandalized on Friday morning, with one human rights group calling it a “vile antisemitic attack.”Police did not provide details on the nature of the vandalism, but in a release, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) said the store was found “vandalized with red paint and posters plastered on its front windows wrongfully accusing its Jewish founder and CEO, Heather Reisman, of ‘Funding Genocide.’ “FSWC President and CEO, Michael Levitt, called the vandalism “absolutely appalling.”“Sadly, this is the tragic, new reality for Jews today in Canada and around the world which requires more than just condemnations from government leaders,” he wrote.Speaking earlier this week, Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw said the city is seeing an alarming spike in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crimes amid ...

Losses in utility and base metal stocks weigh on S&P/TSX composite, U.S. stocks up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was down in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the utility and base metal stocks, while U.S. stock markets moved higher.The S&P/TSX composite index was down 13.80 points at 19,573.61.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 142.79 points at 34,034.73. The S&P 500 index was up 29.25 points at 4,376.60, while the Nasdaq composite was up 145.65 points at 13,667.10.The Canadian dollar traded for 72.29 cents US compared with 72.56 cents US on Thursday.The December crude oil contract was up US$1.31 at US$77.05 per barrel and the December natural gas contract was down a penny at US$3.03 per mmBTU.The December gold contract was down US$22.70 at US$1,947.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was down five cents at US$3.59 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 10, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian Press

Partial list of nominees for the 66th Grammy Awards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

A partial list of nominees in the top categories at the 66th annual Grammy Awards, announced Friday by The Recording Academy.— Album of the year: “World Music Radio,” Jon Batiste; “The Record,” boygenius; “Endless Summer Vacation,” Miley Cyrus; “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” Lana Del Rey; “The Age of Pleasure,” Janelle Monáe; “GUTS,” Olivia Rodrigo; “Midnights,” Taylor Swift; “SOS,” SZA.— Record of the year: “Worship,” Jon Batiste; “Not Strong Enough,” boygenius; “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus; “What Was I Made For?”, Billie Eilish; “On My Mama,” Victoria Monét; “Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo; “Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift; “Kill Bill,” SZA.— Song of the year (songwriter’s award): “A&W,” Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey and Sam Dew; “Anti-Hero,” Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift; “Butterfly,” Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson; “Dance the Night,” Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt; “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein and Michael Pollack; “Kill Bill,” Rob Bisel,...

The Air Force’s new nuclear stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider, has taken its first test flight

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The B-21 Raider took its first test flight on Friday, moving the futuristic warplane closer to becoming the nation’s next nuclear weapons stealth bomber. The Raider flew in Palmdale, California, where it has been under testing and development by Northrop Grumman. The Air Force is planning to build 100 of the warplanes, which have a flying wing shape much like their predecessor the B-2 Spirit but will incorporate advanced materials, propulsion and stealth technology to make them more survivable in a future conflict. The plane is planned to be produced in variants with and without pilots. “The B-21 Raider is in flight testing,” Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said.Such testing is a critical step in the campaign to provide “survivable, long-range, penetrating strike capabilities to deter aggression and strategic attacks against the United States, allies, and partners,” Stefanek said.The B-21 Raider is the first new American bomber aircraft in more than ...

An EU plan aimed at fighting climate change will go to final votes, even if watered down

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union institutions and conservationists on Friday gave a conditional and guarded welcome to a major plan to better protect nature and fight climate change in the 27-nation bloc. The plan is a key part of the EU’s vaunted European Green Deal that seeks to establish the world’s most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets and make the bloc the global point of reference on all climate issues. Yet it has had an extremely rough ride through the EU’s complicated approval process and only a watered-down version will now proceed to final votes. Late Thursday’s breakthrough agreement between parliament and EU member states should have normally been the end of the approval process. But given the controversy the plan had previously stirred, the final votes – normally a rubberstamp process – could still throw up some hurdles. The plan has lost some of its progressive edge during negotiations over the summer because of fierce opposition in the ...

A Belarusian dissident novelist’s father is jailed for two weeks for reposting an article

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A noted Belarusian dissident author said Friday that his father has been sentenced to two weeks in jail for reposting an article from an opposition website.Alexander Filipenko was seized by police Thursday in a raid on his apartment and later “given 13 days for reposting some kind of article from Zerkalo,” his son Sasha Filipenko said on Facebook. Zerkalo is a website based outside the country that is critical of the authoritarian government of President Alexander Lukashenko. Sasha Filipenko, who lives outside Belarus, is a popular novelist and one of the most prominent voices opposing Lukashenko, who has harshly cracked down on dissent and independent media since a wave of huge protests broke out in 2020.Those protests started after a disputed presidential election whose results gave another term to Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994. Lukashenko unleashed harsh measures against the protesters, with police detaining around 35,000 people and beating thousand...

City Council approves ordinance that guarantees 10-day paid leave

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

CHICAGO -- Another victory for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s progressive agenda with an ordinance that gives workers in Chicago a totally of 10 days off.The vote came just after 6 p.m. Thursday, the version of the ordinance that passed was a compromise from the initial one introduced. Invest in Kids Act to expire as Illinois legislative session comes to close Starting January 1, 2024, employers must give full time workers five sick days and another five days for any reason. Larger companies with more than 100 workers will have to pay out up to seven sick days when an employee leaves. Whereas medium size businesses, will have a two year faze-in period and companies with 50 or fewer employees will be exempt from the payout. Labor unions are among the policy supporters whereas, Ald. Brendan Reilley whose ward includes downtown said on the council forum that many restaurant groups have told him they won't continue investing. Mayor Johnson suggested the policy be a work in progress and alde...

SZA leads the 2024 Grammy nominations as women outpace men in the leading categories

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Killing her ex? That’s a bad idea. Writing “Kill Bill” and releasing her critically acclaimed sophomore album “SOS” earlier this year? That was a great one. SZA is the lead contender for the 66th Grammy Awards, with nine nominations announced Friday.“Kill Bill,” her revenge anthem cloaked in an R&B ballad, earned her nods for record of the year, song of the year, and best R&B performance. “SOS” is also up for album of the year and best progressive R&B album. The 2024 ceremony will mark the second time SZA has been nominated for record, album, and song of the year in the same year.And just like at the box office, “Barbie” will be seen — and heard — at the Grammys. Music from the hit film’s soundtrack earned 11 nominations, including nabbing four of the five slots in the visual media song category.If there is an overall trend in the 2024 nominations, it’s that female acts outperformed their male counterparts. ...

Arrests made in burglaries of Lincoln Ave businesses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:58:33 GMT

CHICAGO — An 18-year-old and a 15-year-old are facing charges in a string of smash and grab crimes in the North Center and Lincoln Square neighborhoods.Police say Vernon Edwards, the juvenile and three other people carried out more than a dozen thefts at bars, restaurants and other businesses earlier this week.According to police, a group targeted at least eight businesses along Lincoln Avenue in North Center and Lincoln Square starting around 11:40 p.m. into the 1 a.m. Tuesday. Previous Coverage: Lincoln Ave businesses targeted in North Side burglaries In at least three locations the group smashed the front door of the businesses and attempt to damage and take the register.Edwards faces five burglary counts, and one count of attempted armed robbery.The juvenile faces four felony burglary counts.