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Strike over privatizing Sao Paulo’s public transport causes crowds and delays in city of 11 million

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Long lines appeared in Sao Paulo’s bus and subway stations Tuesday as a strike opposing privatization efforts of public transport in South America’s largest city caused delays. Traffic on some routes stalled completely.Sao Paulo state Gov. Tarcísio de Freitas, who took office in January, called the strike “unreasonable.” He told reporters he had campaigned for looking into privatizations, concessions and “the participation of private capital in public services as a way of bringing investment.”It was not clear how long the strike would last, and there appeared to be little room for negotiations. The governor insisted that privatization had been the “winning position” in the election and that “to not accept that position is to not accept the results of the polls.”Camila Lisboa, president of the Sao Paulo Subway Workers Union, which opposes privatization, lamented “authoritarian statements that do not consider the right to strike.” Lisboa claimed that ...

Attacks on Sierra Leone barracks and prisons were failed coup, minister says, as 13 arrested

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The attacks Sunday on Sierra Leone’s main military barracks and prisons are a failed coup attempt and have resulted in the arrest of 13 military officers, the government’s spokesman said Tuesday.The attackers attempted to “overthrow the elected government of Sierra Leone,” Information Minister Chernor Bah said as he briefed reporters about the early-morning attack that took security forces and residents by surprise in the usually peaceful capital city of Freetown.“Thirteen military officers are currently in custody and one other civilian … in this incident we are now calling a failed coup,” Bah said.The Associated Press

14-year-old boy charged with murder after stabbing at NC school kills 1 student, injures another

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murder after a stabbing at a North Carolina high school that left one student dead and another hospitalized, officials said.The stabbing happened during a fight at Southeast Raleigh High School on Monday morning, Raleigh police said in a news release. Officers and school security responded to a report of a stabbing around 11 a.m. and two teens were taken to a local hospital. A 15-year-old student died and a 16-year-old was hospitalized with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, police and school officials said late Monday.The 14-year-old was charged with murder on a juvenile petition, Raleigh police said. The teen was a student at the school, police spokesperson Lt. Jason Borneo said. Officials haven’t released the name of the student who died. Schools should be a safe haven for students and staff and all safety processes and protocols will be reviewed, Wake County Superintendent Robert Taylor said at a news c...

Markham man charged with murder in death of B.C. woman

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

A 34-year-old man is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of a B.C. woman in Markham over the weekend.York Regional Police officers responded to a residence on Gillingham Avenue, near Steeles Avenue East and McCowan Road, just before 10:50 p.m. for an ‘unknown trouble’ call.Police found a 34-year-old woman without vital signs and a man with serious injuries.The woman, from B.C., was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have identified her as Xu Guo.The cause of death not yet been determined. A post mortem is expected to take place in the coming days.Investigators have charged Zhaoyu Li, from Markham, with first-degree murder.It is not yet known if the victim and the suspect knew each other.

Finland plans to close its entire border with Russia over migration concerns

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland will close its last remaining road border with Russia due to concerns over migration, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said Tuesday, accusing Moscow of undermining Finland’s national security.Finland already closed seven of its eight of the checkpoints along its long border Russia this month following a surge in arrivals of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. The government accuses Moscow of ushering the migrants toward the Finnish border.“The government has decided to close the entire eastern border,” Orpo told reporters, saying the country faced an “exceptional” situation.“We don’t accept any attempt to undermine our national security,” he said.Finnish authorities say about 900 migrants crossed the border from Russia this month, significantly more than normal. It has accused Russia of trying to create a migration crisis in Finland following the Nordic nation’s entry into NATO this year.Interior Minister Mari Rantanen sai...

Canada Goose buys European knitwear supplier Paola Confectii

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

TORONTO — Canada Goose Holdings Inc. says it has acquired a long-standing knitwear supplier and its European manufacturing facility.Financial terms of the deal for the operating assets of Paola Confectii Manufacturing were not immediately available.Canada Goose, best known for its luxury down-filled parkas, says Paola Confectii is based in Romania and has been a knitwear manufacturing partner since Canada Goose launched in 2017.The company says the deal builds on its existing network of seven facilities across Canada and marks its first in Europe.Canada Goose chairman and chief executive Dani Reiss says the deal demonstrates the confidence the company has in its emerging categories and its plans to develop them into even more meaningful contributors to its business. It says Paola Confectii will continue to be led by general manager Giannino Lessi and technical director Paola Zaffalon as a stand-alone entity.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2023.Companie...

Eddie Izzard returns to New York for a version of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ with just one actor onstage

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Eddie Izzard is returning to a New York stage this winter for an ambitious version of “Hamlet.” It’s ambitious because the actor-comedian will be the only one on stage.Izzard will play all the William Shakespeare parts in a one-person staging adapted by Izzard’s brother, Mark, and directed by Selena Cadell. Performances at Greenwich House Theater run from Jan. 25-March 3.“It’s a great challenge but there is no point living and not going for challenges,” Izzard tells The Associated Press on the eve of the play’s announcement. “You’re just at the edge of your skill set and pushing out even further.” This “Hamlet” will ask Izzard to play noblemen, women, ghosts, soldiers, courtiers, lovers and fools. “I want it so that 10-year-old kids can grab this. I want it for the people who don’t find Shakespeare easy, like I didn’t when I was a dyslexic kid.”“Hamlet” sees Izzard reunited with her brother and Cadell after all three worked on a one-person adaptatio...

Baltic nations’ foreign ministers to boycott OSCE meeting over Russian foreign minister’s attendance

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — The foreign ministers of the three Baltic states said Tuesday they will boycott a meeting by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe being held this week in North Macedonia, in objection to the participation of Russia’s foreign minister.The foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint statement saying they “deeply regret the decision enabling the personal participation” of Russia’s Sergey Lavrov: “It will only provide Russia with yet another propaganda opportunity.”Lavrov said Monday he planned to travel to Skopje for the OSCE foreign ministers’ meeting, which would mark a rare visit to a NATO member country since Russia invaded Ukraine. He also has visited NATO member Turkey, which has no ban on Russian flights. In September, he was in New York to attend the United Nations’ annual gathering of world leaders.There was no immediate reaction from the Russian Foreign Ministry to the statement by the Baltic states...

Off-duty Chicago officer among victims in armed robbery spree

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

CHICAGO — An off-duty Chicago police officer is among the victims of a series of armed robberies that happened in less than two hours overnight.Sources tell WGN News they believe these robberies may be connected.The robbery involving the off-duty cop happened around 11:30 p.m. Monday in the 2300 block of West 83rd Street on the South Side.According to police, the 33-year-old man was exiting his vehicle when a group of men approached in a black Nissan sedan and got out with handguns and a rifle. The offenders demanded the officer's personal belongings, then entered the sedan and fled the scene. The officer was not injured and no one is in custody. According to WGN News sources, the same black Nissan was used in multiple armed robberies overnight. Aurora woman accused of leading police on 122 mph pursuit The other incidents occurred at the following locations:3200 North Leclaire Avenue1400 West Lexington Street700 West 15th Street3800 South Wallace Street8000 South Cottage Grove Ave...

Mayor Johnson to address migrant crisis Tuesday amid frigid weather

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:11:48 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Johnson plans to address Chicago's migrant crisis Tuesday morning as temperatures continue to be below freezing.Johnson will join faith leaders and other charitable organizations to address the crisis at 10 a.m.Mayor Johnson signed a contract to build large, winterized tents to house migrants in mid-September but has never publicly shared a specific target date for the facilities to be opened. The governor’s office announced Monday that the winterized tent camp, located in Brighton Park at 38th and California, won’t be open until mid-December. A shelter will also open at a former CVS Pharmacy building in the 2600 block of South Pulaski.Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th Ward) expressed opposition to the Brighton Park site and said she is concerned about possible toxic metals present in the soil. Brighton Park residents filed a lawsuit to keep the site from housing more than 1,000 migrants.So far, more than 22,000 migrants have been bussed or flown to Chicago since August ...