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The Weeknd changes name on social media to birth name Abel Tesfaye

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

TORONTO — The Weeknd is no more — and not just because it’s Monday.The Toronto-born singer has changed his display names on Instagram and Twitter to his birth name, Abel Tesfaye, though the usernames remain “theweeknd”.It comes one week after Tesfaye was quoted in W Magazine saying he was considering retiring the stage name, which he’s used for more than a decade.He told the magazine that he was ready to “close the Weeknd chapter,” though he plans to continue making music.He says he may still make music under the name, but he wants to “shed that skin and be reborn.”The shift comes just weeks before Tesfaye’s television show “The Idol” is set to debut at the Cannes Film Festival.He’s set to star in the HBO show, which he co-created with “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson and nightlife entrepreneur-turned-producer Reza Fahim.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2023.The Canadian P...

Oakland students to return to class after district, striking teachers reach deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Students in the Oakland Unified School District will return to full classroom instruction Tuesday after the district and striking teachers announced a tentative deal that includes a reparations task force for Black students and more say from parents and teachers in school decisions.Monday’s announcement ends a strike that had kept 34,000 students out of school for more than a week. The last day of school for the district east of San Francisco is May 25. The union representing 3,000 educators, counselors and other workers walked out May 4 in a bid for traditional demands such as higher salaries. But they also wanted “common good” changes, such as reparations and resources for students who are homeless. Common good clauses that address community issues have become more of a bargaining issue, starting with Chicago in 2012 when teachers went on strike and demanded a voice in improving schools. In Oakland, the two sides agreed to a shared governance model of ...

Palestinian leader commemorates 1948 flight of Palestinians from Israel at first UN commemoration

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the United Nations on Monday to suspend Israel’s membership unless it implements resolutions establishing separate Jewish and Arab states and the return of Palestinian refugees.Abbas spoke during the first official U.N. commemoration of the flight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from what is now Israel following the U.N.’s partition of British-ruled Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states 75 years ago.Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Gilad Erdan, had sent letters to General Assembly ambassadors condemning the commemoration and urging them not to attend what he called an “abominable event” and a “blatant attempt to distort history.” He said those who attended would be condoning antisemitism and giving a green light to Palestinians “to continue exploiting international organs to promote their libelous narrative.”Israel and the United States boycotted the commemoration of what is known as the Nakba, or catas...

Stock market today: Wall Street rises ahead of updates on U.S. shoppers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is edging higher Monday ahead of reports that will show how much a slowing economy is hurting what’s prevented a recession so far: solid spending by U.S. households.The S&P 500 rose 0.4% in its first trading after closing out a second straight down week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 85 points, or 0.3%, to 33,385, as of 1:12 p.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.7% higher.Some of the sharper moves came from companies announcing takeovers of rivals, including an 8.1% drop for energy company Oneok after it said it’s buying Magellan Midstream Partners. Magellan jumped 14.2%. But the larger market was relatively quiet as several concerns continue to drag on Wall Street.Chief among them is the fear of a recession hitting later this year, in large part because of high interest rates meant to knock down inflation. But concerns are also rising about cracks in the U.S. banking system and the U.S. government’s inching toward a possible d...

Green Party deputy leader to run in upcoming Montreal byelection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

OTTAWA — Green Party deputy leader Jonathan Pedneault is planning to run for a seat in the House of Commons in an upcoming byelection in Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount riding.The 32-year-old ran on a joint ticket to share the party leadership in November with longtime member of Parliament Elizabeth May. The party’s constitution has not yet been changed to make the pair co-leaders so Pedneault is the deputy leader.The Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount seat was created in 2015 and the area has long been considered a Liberal stronghold.It was last held by Liberal MP Marc Garneau, who announced his retirement earlier this year.A victory for Pedneault in the June 19 vote would see him join May and Mike Morrice as Green Party MPs in Ottawa.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 15, 2023. The Canadian Press

Biden chooses cancer expert to lead National Institutes of Health

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden announced Monday that he plans to nominate cancer specialist Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to become director of the National Institutes of Health.Bertagnolli is a cancer surgeon and researcher who last fall became the first female head of the NIH’s National Cancer Institute. If confirmed by the Senate, she would become the second woman named permanent director of the NIH, one of the world’s leading biomedical research agencies.“Dr. Bertagnolli has spent her career pioneering scientific discovery and pushing the boundaries of what is possible to improve cancer prevention and treatment,” Biden said in a statement. She “will ensure NIH continues to be an engine of innovation to improve the health of the American people.”Bertagnolli also would bring a patient’s perspective to the job. Shortly after becoming NCI director, she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.“It’s one thing to know about cancer as a physician but it is another to experience it ...

Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago's 57th mayor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago will get a new mayor Monday when Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson is sworn in.Johnson will arguably be the most progressive mayor Chicagoans have elected. He will become the 57th mayor and the leader of America's third-largest city. WATCH: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot leaves city hall for last time His administration will face several challenges on day one, including choosing a new police superintendent and coming up with a plan to fight violence, which normally spikes during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend and summer. On Saturday, Brandon Johnson resigned as a Cook County Commissioner. His full resignation letter is below. “Today, I announced my resignation from the Cook County Board of Commissioners. As excited as I am about my future as mayor of Chicago, I am also sobered and humbled to be leaving my constituents and colleagues on the Board, because together, we have done so much important work to transform Cook County government.“...

Police search for man in connection to Gresham home invasion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

CHICAGO — Police are searching for a man in connection to home invasion that took place in Auburn Gresham Sunday. Police reported of a home invasion in the 8300 block of South Peoria Avenue. Chicago police released a video of the suspect. If any information is recovered, contact detectives at (312)- 747- 8273.

2 in South Carolina facing charges after drugs found hidden in rubber pregnancy belly

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) - The Anderson County Sheriff's Office said two people are facing drug charges following a traffic stop.According to the sheriff's office, deputies initiated the traffic stop along I-85 while conducting proactive patrol.Deputies pulled over Anthony Miller and Cemeka Mitchem.Deputies said the first red flag began when the two gave conflicting information about her "due date."Officials say as Mitchem realized deputies were becoming more suspicious of the conflicting story, she took off running and drugs fell from the fake rubber stomach.Deputies collected more than 1500 grams of cocaine.Miller and Mitchem are facing trafficking cocaine charges.

Mayor Johnson's progressive strategy to be tested amid public safety, growth concerns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:00:25 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Brandon Johnson was officially sworn into Chicago's mayoral office on Monday, facing an influx of migrants in desperate need of shelter, pressure to build support among skeptical business leaders, and summer months that historically bring a spike in violent crime.Progressives viewed Johnson’s election as evidence that bold stances lead to victory at the ballot box. Now, his first term leading the nation’s third-largest city will test the former union organizer’s ability to turn those proposals into solutions for stubborn problems worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, including public safety, economic growth and housing affordability.“There’s no honeymoon in mayoral politics or city governments,” said Dan Gibbons, CEO of the City Club of Chicago and a former staffer for the city’s longest-serving mayor, Richard M. Daley. “Everyone has your phone number, you get the blame and you don’t get the credit.” A decade before his election, Brandon Johnson foreshadowed his own...