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Strikes at hospitals in Gaza trigger exodus of thousands sheltering there

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 GMT

By WAFAA SHURAFA, ISABEL DEBRE and JACK JEFFERY (Associated Press)DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Thousands of Palestinians sheltering from the Israel-Hamas war at Gaza City’s main hospital fled south Friday after several reported strikes in and around the compound overnight. They joined a growing exodus of people escaping intense urban fighting in the north — including near other hospitals — as Gaza officials said the territory’s death toll surpassed 11,000.The search for safety across the besieged Gaza Strip has grown desperate as Israel intensified its assault on the territory’s largest city. The Israel army says Hamas’ military infrastructure is nestled amid Gaza City’s hospitals and neighborhoods. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after its deadly Oct. 7 surprise incursion. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.The tens of thousands of Palestinians who fled south in the past...

Cabbage Patch Kids and the Fischer-Price Corn Popper are added to the Toy Hall of Fame

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Fans have pushed the Fisher-Price Corn Popper into the National Toy Hall of Fame, elevating it from perpetual finalist to 2023 inductee, alongside baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids and NERF foam toys, the Hall of Fame announced Friday.The Fisher-Price push toy that encourages babies to walk was chosen by fans, who were invited to celebrate the Toy Hall of Fame’s 25th anniversary by voting for one of five toys that had made it to the finals more than once but were passed over. The rest of the so-called “Forgotten Five” included the pogo stick, My Little Pony, PEZ dispensers and Transformers.Baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids and NERF toys were voted in in the usual way from among a field of 12 finalists, with input from a panel of experts. Those finalists included Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken, who didn’t make the cut despite a big boost in visibility from the summer “Barbie” movie. “These four deserving inductee...

More than $8 million worth of drugs seized at border

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 GMT

CALEXICO, Calif. -- Over $8 million worth of fentanyl pills were seized last Friday at the U.S.-Mexico border, authorities said.Around 9:55 a.m., U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers examined a 1995 pickup truck, driven by a 23-year-old man, that needed further inspection at the Calexico West Port of Entry, CBP said in a news release Wednesday.During the second examination, CBP officers found a total of 41 packages hidden in the spare tire and rear seat of the truck, containing around 840,000 blue pills that tested positive for fentanyl, according to border officials. Suspect posed as trick-or-treater still wanted in deadly 1995 Halloween Escondido shooting CBP confirmed the pills, which weighed 185.41 pounds, have an estimated street value of $8,400,000.“Fentanyl continues to be the deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered. This seizure is indicative of the exceptional performance our officers display day after day,” said Roque Caza, Calexico Area Port D...

CP NewsAlert: Allison Russell, Drake, among Canadians with Grammy nominations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 GMT

Roots singer Allison Russell, rapper Drake and classical conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin are among the Canadians who have snagged multiple Grammy nominations.More coming.The Canadian Press

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

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 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 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 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 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 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 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 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 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 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 Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:36 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 ...