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Lebanese army takes Hezbollah truck containing munitions after 2 die in clashes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s army moved a truck that had carried Hezbollah munitions from the road where it crashed to a military post early Thursday after clashes at the scene killed two people.The truck overturned on a mountain road near the Lebanese capital in the Christian town of Kahaleh on Wednesday, on the highway that links Beirut to the eastern Bekaa Valley. Lebanese troops immediately cordoned off the truck filled with large boxes, which residents suspected belonged to the Iran-backed militant group.Two people died in brief clashes after the truck overturned. The army confirmed the truck held munitions, but its brief statement did not say what the munitions were or who owned them. It did not mention Hezbollah and said an investigation is ongoing over the clashes.However, Hezbollah said in its statement that the truck belonged to them without saying whether it had weapons inside it. It said local gunmen attacked people in the truck, leading to an exchange of fire that fata...

More virtual lineups expected for tickets to Taylor Swift’s Toronto shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

Taylor Swift fans will have another chance today to score prized tickets to see the pop star perform in Toronto next year. The Nov. 16, 2024 show will go on sale at 11 a.m. ET and the Nov. 21, 2024 date will be up for grabs at 1 p.m. ET. Ticketmaster is staggering ticket presales for six shows at the Rogers Centre over three days to avoid online technical issues Swift fans may have encountered for past shows.Buyers must have already registered for and received a “verified fan” sale code in order to get in the virtual queue for the tickets. The first day of ticket sales on Wednesday was marked by celebration and disappointment, as some fans scored seats for the first two nights of Swift’s stop in Toronto while others were wait-listed.  The only Canadian stop on Swift’s global Eras Tour is expected to draw fans from all over the country and beyond, and give Toronto’s economy a boost next fall.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, ...

Taylor Swift announces October release of ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ at Eras Tour show in Los Angeles

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift closed the 2023 U.S. leg of her landmark Eras Tour at the Los Angeles SoFi Stadium in a big way by announcing the fourth edition of her re-recording project: “1989 (Taylor’s Version.)” After playing a few tracks from her “1989” era live, the pop star approached the center of the stage with an acoustic guitar in hand and suggested to the audience that she’d been working on something big. “Instead of telling you about it, we’ll just show you,” she told the crowd as the screen illuminated behind her. “1989 (Taylor’s Version) available October 27th!” she cheered. Across three-and-a-half hours, the pop superstar offered fans a bevy of career-spanning hits that was less of a greatest hits collection, and more of a live celebration of an artist in her veterancy. Throughout the dozen tracks, it was as if the ground shook with the rapturous sound of 70,000 fans scream-singing along to a popstar’s deep cuts. This is Taylor Swift’s house — filled wit...

Federal government expected to release new clean electricity regulations today

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

OTTAWA — Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to announce the country’s draft clean electricity regulations today. The government has set a target of making the electricity grid net-zero by 2035, and the regulations are meant to help guide the way.It has been seeking feedback on the regulatory framework for nearly a year and will consult on the draft regulations once they are released.A net-zero grid is a critical part of reaching Canada’s overall climate goals, because without clean electricity, things like zero-emission vehicles are still generating greenhouse gases through the power they use.The country’s grid is already nearly 85 per cent clean, but demand is expected to double by 2050 as things like cars, buses and trains become electric. In the last federal budget, the Liberals set aside more than $45 billion to go toward building a clean grid. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 10, 2023.The Canadian Press

Unifor, Detroit Three to kick off contract talks with official handshakes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

TORONTO — Unifor and the Detroit Three automakers are set to kick off talks today for the next three-year contracts for autoworkers.The official handshakes that will start off negotiations between the union and Ford, General Motors and Stellantis come as the rising cost of living and the transition to electric vehicles are front-of-mind.More than 18,000 autoworkers are covered by the agreements up for negotiations.Unifor says priorities include improvements to pensions and wage packages, clarity around transition issues related to the shift to electric vehicle production and firming up the automakers’ investment and production commitments.The last round of contract negotiations in 2020 led to billions of dollars of investment commitments from the three automakers, while Unifor says increased momentum on the transition to electric vehicles has brought total promised spending across all of Canada’s auto sector to around $25 billion in the past three years.Talks are expecte...

Daily horoscope for August 10, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Gemini.Happy Birthday for Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023:You have excellent communication skills because you like to please others. You also like to benefit others. This is a year of reflection, both inwardly and outwardly. Explore philosophies and ideas that will give you a better self-awareness and get you closer to the truth of the meaning of your life.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★Although you’re eager to talk to others today, run errands and take short trips, be aware that conversations, especially related to your job or your health, might go south in a New York minute. People are touchy and things are glitchy. (But you can still have fun.) Tonight: Socialize!TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★Today is a positive day if you can avoid financial arguments with your kids or financial disputes about social occasions like perhaps who picks up the tab at lunch — that sort of thing. Steer clear ...

Commission approves €100 million Italian scheme to support companies in Sardinia in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

The European Commission has approved a €100 million Italian scheme to support companies active in Sardinia in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.Under the scheme, the aid will take the form of direct grants, guarantees or subsidised loans. The measure will be open to companies active in many economic sectors, though with a number of exceptions, such as the primary production of agricultural products and the financial sector.The purpose of the scheme is to remedy the liquidity shortage fa...

Miss Manners: She became irate when I corrected her statement about the moon

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We were guests at a gathering when the host, during a story, stated, “I knew I was headed east because my brother told me the full moon rises in the east.”Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: I complimented this celebrity, and his reply was insulting Advice | Miss Manners: My summer dresses make my boyfriend uncomfortable Advice | Miss Manners: My fiancee says she must have a diamond, despite my objection Advice | Miss Manners: Should we warn our guests about our house’s acoustic anomaly? Advice | Miss Manners: My co-worker said what I did was insulting, but I’ve never heard of this rule I commented that all phases of the moon rise in the east. She was irate and told me her sibling knew what he was talking about — he was in the Navy. She was so aggressive, I did not reply.Should I have explained that I was a science teacher and that the moon and the star...

Dear Abby: She’s trying to one-up me by being the fun aunt

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I have a sister-in-law who constantly one-ups me. Anything I mention, she has to chime in and let everyone present know how much better her trip was, or that she got a better shopping deal, etc.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I’m 20, he’s 46 and married, and my family isn’t being supportive Advice | Dear Abby: I feel bad about it, but I had to squash my husband’s dream Advice | Dear Abby: We’re nervous about telling our kids this family secret Advice | Dear Abby: The children’s impersonal fundraising requests annoy me Advice | Dear Abby: The bride’s dramatic cousins unleashed wedding backlash It has now turned to my grandchildren. For example, if I correct their table manners at a family dinner, she comes back with a smart comment like, “You can leave your elbows on the table” or “It’s OK to eat that with your fingers.”...

West African leaders meet on Niger but options are few as the military junta defies mediation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:49 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — West African heads of state are scheduled to meet Thursday after Niger’s military junta defied their deadline to reinstate the nation’s deposed president, but analysts say the Economic Community of West African States may be running out of options as support fades for a military intervention.As Niger’s junta turns away most efforts at mediation, one analyst asserted that Russian meddling in the country has spiked in the two weeks since mutinous soldiers overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who has refused to step down and is under house arrest.Niger was seen as the last country in the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert that Western nations could partner with to counter jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that has killed thousands and displaced millions of people. The international community is scrambling to find a peaceful solution to the country’s leadership crisis.On Wednesday, a Nig...