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S&P/TSX composite down as tech stocks fall, U.S. stock markets mixed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

TORONTO — Losses in the technology stocks led Canada’s main stock index lower in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were mixed. The S&P/TSX composite index was down 48.83 points at 19,705.31.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 25.04 points at 34,078.91. The S&P 500 index was down 15.51 points at 4,373.20, while the Nasdaq composite was down 149.11 points 13,518.19.The Canadian dollar traded for 75.83 cents US compared with 75.52 cents US on Tuesday.The August crude contract was up 99 cents at US$72.18 per barrel and the July natural gas contract was up four cents at US$2.53 per mmBTU.The August gold contract was down US$4.30 at US$1,943.40 an ounce and the July copper contract was up three cents at US$3.92 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD=X)The Canadian Press

16-year-old giraffe expecting calf at Brookfield Zoo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

BROOKFIELD, Ill. — On World Giraffe Day, Brookfield Zoo announced one of its giraffes is expecting a calf.Arnieta, the 16-year-old mother, is due to deliver sometime between mid-July and late August.She was paired with Ato — who arrived at the zoo in 2017 when he was nearly two years old."Since learning of her pregnancy last summer, Zoo veterinarians and animal care staff have been making every effort to help ensure Arnieta is successful in maintaining this pregnancy and delivering a healthy calf," Brookfield Zoo stated in a press release.Arnieta has been fed a regimen of liquid synthetic progesterone that was mixed in beet pulp and prophylactic antibiotics due to two previous miscarriages in 2020 and 2021 — both in the first trimester.Brookfield Zoo worked with a team at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium to support her pregnancy, which was learned in July 2022."Our team at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is honored to have collaborated with Brookfield Zoo on this special ...

41 women die in grisly riot in Honduran prison that president blames on 'mara' gangs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — A grisly riot at a women’s prison in Honduras Tuesday left at least 41 women dead, most burned to death, in violence the country's president blamed on “mara” street gangs that often wield broad power inside penitentiaries.Twenty-six of the victims were burned to death and the remainder shot or stabbed at the prison in Tamara, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, said Yuri Mora, the spokesman for Honduras’ national police investigation agency. At least seven inmates were being treated at a Tegucigalpa hospital.“The forensic teams that are removing bodies confirm they have counted 41,” said Mora.Video clips shown by the government from inside the prison showed several pistols and a heap of machetes and other bladed weapons that were found after the riot.Honduran President Xiomara Castro said the riot was “planned by maras with the knowledge and acquiescence of security authorities.”"I am going to take drastic mea...

Bloomington falls short in effort to host 2027 World Expo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

Bloomington’s bid to host the 2027 World Expo event has fallen short, with Belgrade, Serbia, being selected.Belgrade was selected by the representatives of the Bureau of International Expositions at its general assembly in Paris. Bloomington’s bid was one among five competing to host the event.“While we’re disappointed that we will not have the opportunity to host the world this time, we congratulate Serbia on their successful bid for Expo 2027. We know that they will create a memorable Expo experience,” said Bob Clark, Minnesota USA World Expo bidcommittee co-chair, in a statement. “While Minnesota may not have been chosen as the host, we are incredibly proud of the effort, passion, and commitment that went into our bid.”Bloomington’s proposal featured it’s “Our ‘Healthy People, Healthy Planet’ theme and would have been the first-ever Expo focusedon international health and wellness.The three-month summer event was expected to bring an estimated 14 million a...

Renaissance Black Film Festival coming to Albany

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The inaugural Renaissance Black Film Festival (RBFF) is set to take place in Albany from June 22 to 25. The festival celebrates the work of local, national, and international Black film artists. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The festival takes place at both the Palace Theatre and the Renaissance Hotel, both in Albany. Guest speakers include Morris Chestnut, best known for "Boyz n the Hood" and "The Best Man," Gail Bean, best known for "Snowfall," and Jamal Hill, a director best known for his film "Brotherly Love."“Over the last decade, we’ve seen about 20 productions come to the area, each growing larger and larger. The secret of the flexibility, affordability, and overall beauty of our area has gotten out and folks that are here should be ready to join the industry as it lays roots," said Collectiveffort Co-founder Patrick Harris. Alternative rock band Fuel coming to Rivers Casino RBFF will scr...

Take the kids to Regal Crossgates for $2 this summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

GUILDERLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Starting on June 27, families can visit Regal Cinemas Crossgates 18 & IMAX for $2 kid-friendly movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The film festival will offer two movies during the first show of the day. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Summer Movie Express lineup is:June 27 – 28: Sonic the Hedgehog (PG); Dora and the Lost City of Gold (PG)  July 4 – 5: Puss in Boots:  The Last Wish (PG); Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG)July 11 – 12: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (PG); Paw Patrol: The Movie (G)July 18 – 19: The Bad Guys (PG); Playing with Fire (PG)July 25 – 26: Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (PG); Sing 2 (PG)August 1 – 2: Boss Baby:  The Family Business (PG); Doolittle (PG)August 8 – 9: Curious George (G); Kung Fo Panda 3 (PG)August 15 – 16: Minions (PG); How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (PG)August 22 – 23: Shrek (PG); Kung Fu Panda (PG)August 29 – 30: Trolls World Tour (PG); Despicable ...

Why egusi is more than just a great soup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

By Yewande Komolafe, The New York TimesEvery cook has at least one hard-to-get ingredient that they know they can find almost anywhere they are, as long as they’re persistent.For me, it’s the egusi seed. Even after moving from Nigeria to the United States, I’ve always been able to find these off-white seeds, dried and peeled, harvested from the gourd-like fruit of a climbing vine native to West Africa. Just a few handfuls are all I need for a divine pot of soup.The availability of an ingredient that grows on the other side of the Atlantic feels like a luxury, and I felt that even more acutely after speaking with Bethany Oyefeso, who owns Adùn, a Nigerian food delivery company, with her husband, Tobi Smith.When she left Nigeria in 2004, egusi seeds — also called agushi, egunsi or egwusi — and most other West African ingredients were harder to come by outside the continent. As she moved from Sierra Leone to China, the United Arab Emirates and finally to the United States, she de...

Binance’s eastward pivot: New crypto platform launched in Kazakhstan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

In response to rising regulatory challenges in Western markets, Binance, the world’s foremost cryptocurrency exchange, has taken a decisive step Eastward. Marking a significant milestone in its expansion strategy, Binance has inaugurated a regulated digital asset platform in Kazakhstan, writes Lee Thompson.The announcement was made at a press conference held on June 20, 2023. The event was graced by an assembly of distinguished guests, including representatives from Kazakhstan’s banking sector and the leadership of Binance Kazakhstan.This move follows Binance’s receipt of preliminary approval for operations in Kazakhstan last August. By October, the AIFC Financial Services Authority had granted the exchange a permanent license to establish a digital asset platform and offer custodial services at the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC).Binance’s newest platform is designed to cater to the specific needs of Kazakhstani users. It promises a comprehensive suite of crypto and fi...

Sold! California family sells 1 million pennies found in relative's home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

More than a week after capturing the interest of the entire nation, a California family's bounty of 1 million copper pennies has officially changed hands.John and Elizabeth Reyes, who discovered the massive cache of precious metal coins in the home that previously belonged to Elizabeth's father, say they've completed a sale for the pennies.Since first speaking with KTLA, the Reyes' story went viral and they received no less than a thousand offers. John says he was so inundated with inquiries that many interested parties were left without an answer, their messages forever lost as social media requests and unread mail in his inbox. "There were some people that were legit, bonafide, really good prospects that I had just completely missed," John said. "Because of the influx of messages that I received, it was just overwhelming."A California family says they've found a buyer for 1 million pennies discovered in the crawlspace of a loved one's home in Los Angeles in 2022. (John Reyes)But d...

California no longer has the most expensive gas in the nation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:48:43 GMT

California drivers may not take much comfort in this, but the Golden State no longer has the most expensive gasoline in the United States.Over the past week, the average cost of regular unleaded in Washington State has reached $4.93 per gallon, topping California ($4.86/gallon), by 7 cents, according to AAA.Both states are still well above the national average of $3.58 per gallon.Perhaps more notable is how much lower fuel prices are compared to a year ago when Californians were paying a whopping $6.38 per gallon on average. These California cities have the most expensive pizza in the nation “Drivers are benefitting financially, with 20 gallons of gas costing nearly $30 less than last year. And with the cost for oil low, drivers will find pump prices that are flat or drifting slightly lower for now,” said Andrew Gross with AAA. “We may be in a bit of a demand lull heading into the July Fourth holiday.”In Los Angeles County, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded is $4.9...