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

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 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 ...

Report: Patrick Kane signs deal with Red Wings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

DETROIT — Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane will be joining the other side of an Original Six rivalry, reportedly signing with the Detroit Red Wings.Kane has been rehabbing from a hip resurfacing surgery he underwent about six months ago.He is signing a one-year deal to join the Red Wings, according to Emily Kaplan of ESPN. Details of his contract aren't available at this time.ESPN reported that Kane replied "because I love the game" when asked by hockey executives why he wanted to put his body through rehab at the age of 35.The deal reconnects Kane with his former linemate in Chicago Alex Debrincat.Kane, arguably the greatest American hockey player ever, was traded to the Rangers on Feb. 28 in exchange for a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick and a veteran defenseman — ending 16 seasons in Chicago.There's no word at this time when Kane could make his Red Wings debut.

Morgan Wallen tops Apple Music's 2023 song chart; Taylor Swift and SZA also top streaming lists

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Country singer Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2023 as the giant music streamer released year-end lists Tuesday and provided listeners with data on their own most listened-to tunes.Wallen’s hit emerged as the country song with the most days — 52 — at No. 1 on the Global Daily Top 100 chart.Nigerian rapper Rema’s “Calm Down” remix with Selena Gomez was No. 12 on the global songs chart, the highest entry, ever, for an African song. (“Calm Down” was No. 1 on the streamer’s Shazam chart.)This combination of photos shows Taylor Swift at the world premiere of the concert film "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" in Los Angeles on Oct. 11, 2023, left, SZA performing at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston on Nov. 5, 2021, center, and Morgan Wallen at the 57th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tenn., on Nov. 8, 2023. (AP Photo)Joining “Last Night” at the very top of the global songs list were “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus in second, “Kill Bill...

Fragile truce in Gaza is extended as Israel faces pressure to spare civilians if fighting resumes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT

By TIA GOLDENBERG and SAMY MAGDY (Associated Press)TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with the militant group promising to release more hostages to delay the expected resumption of the war and Israel under growing pressure to spare Palestinian civilians when it renews its offensive.For the first time since the cease-fire began, Israel and Hamas traded accusations of a serious violation. The Israeli military said three explosive devices were detonated near its troops at two locations in northern Gaza, and that militants at one site opened fire on the troops, who fired back. It said its troops were in positions in accordance with the terms of the truce,Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of committing a “blatant breach of the ceasefire,” triggering retaliation by its fighters, without providing details. It said in a statement that it “was still committed to the cease-fire so long as the enemy is committed to it,” and urged med...