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Dutch political leaders campaign on final day before general election that will usher in new leader

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch political leaders sought support from undecided voters in frantic campaigning Tuesday, on the eve of a general election that will change the face of the country’s politics after 13 years of leadership by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.Pollsters were predicting a knife-edge vote with four parties across the political spectrum vying to become the largest bloc in the 150-seat lower house of parliament.Rutte’s fourth and final coalition resigned in July after it failed to agree on measures to rein in migration. Rutte subsequently said he would not seek re-election but he remains in power as caretaker prime minister until a new coalition is formed — a process that could take months.The vote could provide the Netherlands with its first ever female prime minister — the new leader of Rutte’s People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) is 46-year-old Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, a former refugee who now advocates cracking down on immigration.Bu...

Here’s a list of October inflation rates for selected Canadian cities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s annual inflation rate was 3.1 per cent in October, Statistics Canada says. The agency also released rates for major cities, but cautioned that figures may have fluctuated widely because they are based on small statistical samples (previous month in brackets):— St. John’s, N.L.: 2.9 per cent (4.4)— Charlottetown-Summerside: 1.6 per cent (2.8)— Halifax: 3.5 per cent (4.9)— Saint John, N.B.: 2.7 per cent (4.2)— Quebec City: 4.3 per cent (4.9)— Montreal: 4.6 per cent (5.0)— Ottawa: 2.6 per cent (2.9)— Toronto: 4.0 per cent (4.1)— Thunder Bay, Ont.: 2.6 per cent (3.1)— Winnipeg: 2.2 per cent (2.8)— Regina: 2.3 per cent (4.0)— Saskatoon: 2.2 per cent (4.0)— Edmonton: 1.7 per cent (3.5)— Calgary: 2.8 per cent (4.4)— Vancouver: 3.4 per cent (4.0)— Victoria: 2.3 per cent (2.8)— Whitehorse: 2.8 per cent (3.8)— Yellowknife: 1.6 per cent (1.8)— Iqaluit: 1.5 per cent (1.2)This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2023.The Canadian Press

Here’s a list October inflation rates for Canadian provinces

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

OTTAWA — Canada’s national annual inflation rate was 3.1 per cent in October, Statistics Canada says. Here’s what happened in the provinces (previous month in brackets):— Newfoundland and Labrador: 2.4 per cent (4.1)— Prince Edward Island: 1.7 per cent (2.8)— Nova Scotia: 3.2 per cent (4.8)— New Brunswick: 2.8 per cent (4.0)— Quebec: 4.2 per cent (4.8)— Ontario: 3.3 per cent (3.6)— Manitoba: 1.9 per cent (2.6)— Saskatchewan: 1.8 per cent (3.5)— Alberta: 2.1 per cent (3.7)— British Columbia: 2.7 per cent (3.3)This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2023.The Canadian Press

Iran arrests gunman who opened fire near parliament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s police arrested a gunman who opened fire near the nation’s parliament in the central part of the capital, Tehran, state media reported on Tuesday.The official IRNA news agency said police disarmed the man, who was carrying a shotgun. No one was injured. The report did not say when the incident took place.The parliament held an open session on Tuesday. The gate of the chamber has long been a frequent location for protests over payments to workers, teachers and retirees.In 2017, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a pair of attacks on Iran’s parliament and the mausoleum of the late leader of the country that left dozens dead.The Associated Press

Deaths from gold mine collapse in Suriname rise rise to 14, with 7 people still missing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AP) — The number of people killed when an illegal gold mine collapsed in Suriname rose to 14 on Tuesday, with seven others missing in what is considered the South American country’s worst mining accident.Rescue crews combed through mounds of earth in hopes of finding survivors as the government launched an investigation into the deadly incident that occurred Monday in the country’s remote southern region.“We are shocked and offer our condolences to the relatives,” President Chandrikapersad Santokhi said during a short, televised speech.He said the incident occurred in an area where a gold vein was previously discovered, attracting large groups of illegal miners.Zijin Mining, a company that operates a legal gold mine in the area, had been meeting with the government just hours before the incident to find solutions to illegal mining at the concession of its subsidiary, Rosebel Goldmines N.V.Zijin issued a statement on Monday saying it has “repeatedly emphasized t...

South Korea’s president gets royal welcome on UK state visit before talks on trade and technology

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

LONDON (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was greeted by Britain’s King Charles III and a military honor guard on Tuesday at the start of a state visit aimed at strengthening trade and defense ties between the two countries.The U.K. government hopes the Korean leader’s formal three-day visit will help cement an “ Indo-Pacific tilt ” in its foreign and trade policy.The king and Queen Camilla greeted Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee at Horse Guards Parade, a military parade ground in central London. Heir to the throne Prince William and government ministers also attended the welcome ceremony, where the king and president inspected rows of soldiers from the Scots Guards in grey tunics and bearskin hats.The visiting couple traveled by horse-drawn coach down an avenue lined with British and Korean flags to Buckingham Palace. The king is due to host a state banquet for the guests at the palace on Tuesday evening.Yoon also is scheduled to address Parliament and to hold...

Public Enemy, R.E.M., Blondie, Heart and Tracy Chapman get nods for Songwriters Hall of Fame

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Everything from rap to yacht rock, country and alt-rock are represented among the nominees for the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame, with nods for Public Enemy, Steely Dan, Bryan Adams, George Clinton, Tracy Chapman, R.E.M., Blondie, Heart and The Doobie Brothers. The ballot also includes “Footloose” singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, Nashville hitmaker Hillary Lindsey, who helped write “Girl Crush” for Little Big Town, and producer-writer Timbaland, the mastermind behind Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack” and Missy Elliot’s “Get Yer Freak On.”Included on the list are the “Losing My Religion” R.E.M. quartet led by Michael Stipe, as well as sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart, who showed women could rock hard with songs like “Barracuda” and “Crazy On You.”Joining them is Adams, with radio staples like “Summer of ’69” and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?,” and Clinton, whose Parliament-Funkadelic collective was hugely influential with hits like “Atomic Dog” an...

Teachers and students grapple with fears and confusion about new laws restricting pronoun use

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis high school senior Caston Peters had used they and them or he and him pronouns at school for three years without a problem, but they came home a few days into this school year and told their mother that the situation had changed.Peters, 18 and nonbinary, heard from a teacher that a new state law meant they wouldn’t be able to use those pronouns, or the first name they’ve used for years, without explicit permission from a parent because the pronouns and name don’t correspond with their sex assigned at birth.This was news to Caston’s mother, Kim Michaelis-Peters, who immediately sent teachers, a counselor and the principal an email asking them to comply with Caston’s wishes, and the school staff did. But even though her own child’s wishes are being respected, Michaelis-Peters said she has deep concerns about what Indiana’s law could mean for students whose parents might not be understanding if they learn from school officials that the...

What a truck attack against a Muslim family can teach us about hate in Canada

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, in June 2021, Nathaniel Veltman intentionally ran his truck into the Afzaal family, who were simply out for a walk. All but one member of the family was killed, and Veltman later said he did it because he was looking for Muslims to run over. Last week, Veltman was quickly found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Related: Nathaniel Veltman guilty on all counts in London, Ont., attack His trial, the first in Canada to officially associate terrorism with white supremacy, offered a glimpse into where he found his hatred, how it twisted him, and how similar attacks might be prevented. His sentencing may also indicate just how the courts will treat terrorism charges in cases like these going forward.Wendy Gillis is the crime and police reporter for The Toronto Star. “Traditionally, we have not seen white nationalism be designated to the level of terrorism,” said Gillis. “We haven’t...

Rolling Stones coming to Soldier Field next summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The Rolling Stones are going back on tour!The English rock legends annouced their 16-city "Hackney Diamonds" tour Tuesday — that includes a stop at Chicago's Soldier Field on June 27.Soldier Field responded to the news on "X", saying: "Chicago is ready to rock! Can’t wait."The North American tour will run from April to July.Go to RollingStones.com for information on how to access the fan presale which starts Wednesday. General tickets sales will begin on December 1.In a bit of a perfect irony, the show is sponsored by AARP. The Rolling Stones range in age from 76 to 80-years-old.The group last played in North America in 2021, weeks after the death of drummer Charlie Watts.