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Legal challenge to dethrone South Africa’s Zulu king heads to court

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The battle for the throne of South Africa’s ethnic Zulu nation has reached the courts as a faction of the royal family seeks to dethrone the king after less than a year.The North Gauteng High Court in the capital Pretoria is hearing legal arguments this week in the royal succession battle between King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and his half-brother, Prince Simakade Zulu, who believes he is entitled to be king.The Zulu nation is the largest ethnic group in South Africa with an estimated 12 million Zulu-speaking people, predominantly in the KwaZulu-Natal region.They are acknowledged for resisting British colonialism in the early 1800s and the Zulu king is arguably the most influential traditional leader in South Africa.Prince Simakade wants the court to overturn President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recognition of King Misuzulu as the rightful heir. He is disputing the traditional and legal processes followed to appoint Misuzulu, and his lawyers have told the court that Ramaphosa...

Emotional reunions at Pearson airport as Canadians arrive from Israel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

Toronto’s Pearson airport was the scene of a number of emotional reunions on Monday as hundreds of Canadians arrive home from Israel following 10 days of war in the region.“She looks tired, as I expected,” said Adi Waksman as she greeted her 86-year-old mother Mary who just got off a flight from Athens. “But she looks good.”Mary was one of 273 passengers aboard the fourth Air Canada repatriation flight. Those flights are carrying Canadians and their families who fled from Tel Aviv to Greece via Canadian military planes in the wake of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas militants.Modya Silver’s daughters were on the same flight as Mary and he tells CityNews their safe arrival marks the end of 10 days of fear and uncertainty for his family. His 18-year-old daughter Maayan studies in Israel and her younger sister was visiting when Hamas launched its surprise attack on Oct. 7.“I’ve really been in a frozen state, completely numb,”...

Live updates | GOP will make another attempt at seating House speaker with Jim Jordan’s nomination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

The House of Representatives is set to vote on Jim Jordan’s nomination for speaker on Tuesday afternoon, two weeks after the chamber ousted Kevin McCarthy from the top spot.Jordan was scrambling to shore up the votes needed to clinch the vote in the closely divided chamber. He can likely only lose a few GOP votes to win the nod.What to knowJim Jordan’s rapid rise has been cheered by Trump and the far rightHow the vote for a new speaker worksScalise ends bid to become speaker as holdouts refuse to back himMcCarthy was an early architect of the GOP majority that became his downfallSpeaker McCarthy ousted in historic House voteShowdown for the gavelRepublicans are gearing up for another attempt at seating a House speaker, hoping to elevate a chief ally of Donald Trump’s to a center seat of U.S. power.The House is scheduled to start voting at noon in what could become a showdown for the gavel. At least a handful of holdout Republicans are refusing to give Jordan their votes,...

Greta Thunberg joins activists to disrupt oil executives’ forum in London

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Greta Thunberg joined dozens of climate activists outside a central London hotel on Tuesday to disrupt a meeting of oil and gas company executives.Five people were arrested on suspicion of obstructing a highway during the protest targeting the Energy Intelligence Forum, which is hosting speakers including the chief executives of Saudi Arabia’s Aramco and Norway’s Equinor as well as the U.K.’s energy security minister. Protesters attempted to block access to the conference venue, the InterContinental Hotel on Park Lane, by sitting on the sidewalk by the entrance. They held aloft banners and chanted “oily money out” and “cancel the conference,” while some lit yellow and pink smoke flares.Greenpeace activists abseiled down from the roof of the hotel to unfurl a banner reading “make big oil pay.” The protesters accuse fossil fuel companies of deliberately slowing the global energy transition to renewables in order to make more profit.“The world is drownin...

The mother of an Israeli woman in a Hamas hostage video appeals for her release

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — The mother of a young Israeli woman held by Hamas appealed for her release on Tuesday, calling the seizure of some 200 hostages by the Palestinian militant group “a crime against humanity.”A day earlier, Hamas’ military wing released a video showing a dazed Mia Schem, 21, having her arm wrapped with bandages. It was the first sign of life from any of the hostages since Gaza-based gunmen smashed through border fortifications on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,400 people in Israel.“I didn’t know if she’s dead or alive until yesterday,” her mother, Keren Schem, said at a news conference. “All I knew is that she might be kidnapped. I’m begging the world to bring my baby back home. She only went to a party, to a festival party to have some fun. Now she’s in Gaza.”Mia Schem was seized at a desert rave just over the border from Gaza that became the site of what is believed to be the worst civilian massacre in Israeli history. At least 260 people were gunned down as heavily arm...

Versailles Palace evacuated again for security alert amid high vigilance in France against attacks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The Palace of Versailles, one of France’s most visited tourist attractions, is being evacuated for a security scare. It’s the second time in four days the palace has had to close, with France on heightened alert against feared attacks after the fatal stabbing of a school teacher.The former royal palace’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “For security reasons, the Palace of Versailles is evacuating visitors and closing its doors today Tuesday October 17. Thank you for your understanding.” The post gave no other details.The palace as well as the Louvre Museum in Paris were also evacuated of visitors and staff on Saturday after receiving bomb threats, police said. France stepped up its terror alert level in the wake of the school attack in the northern city of Arras last Friday by a suspected Islamic extremist.The Associated Press

Prosecutors are appealing length of prison sentences for Proud Boys leaders convicted of Jan. 6 plot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is appealing the length of prison sentences for four Proud Boys leaders convicted of seditious conspiracy in the U.S. Capitol attack, challenging punishments that were significantly shorter than what prosecutors had recommended, according to court filings.U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio and three lieutenants to prison terms ranging from 15 to 22 years after a jury convicted them in May of plotting to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election. Tarrio’s 22-year sentence is the longest so far among hundreds of criminal cases stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, but prosecutors had sought 33 years behind bars for the Miami man. Attorney Nayib Hassan said in an email that the defense team will review prosecutors’ reasoning for appealing the sentencing but is preparing its own appeal and...

TD Bank says Charles Schwab stake expected to add $156M for Q4

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

TORONTO — TD Bank Group says its stake in Charles Schwab Corp. is expected to translate into $156 million of reported equity in net income for its fourth quarter.The Toronto-based bank says excluding about $13 million in acquisition-related charges after-tax, about $35 million in restructuring charges after-tax, and approximately $30 million in amortization of acquired intangibles after-tax, its adjusted equity in net income from its investment in Schwab will be about $234 million for the quarter.Schwab reported its third-quarter results on Monday.It said it earned net income of US$1.13 billion for the quarter that ended Sept. 30, down from US$2.02 billion in the same quarter last year.Its adjusted profit for the quarter totalled US$1.52 billion, down from an adjusted profit of US$2.21 billion a year earlier.TD is expected to report its full fourth-quarter results on Nov. 30.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:TD)The Cana...

Sweden players take overnight flight home, start returning to clubs after deadly shooting in Belgium

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Sweden players were returning to their clubs Tuesday after taking an overnight flight home from Brussels following the suspension of their European Championship qualifier at halftime because a gunman killed two Swedish nationals before kickoff.It remained unclear Tuesday whether the match would be completed at a later date. European soccer governing body UEFA said it was too early to make any decision and that “further communication will be made in due course.” Belgium and Austria have qualified from Group F for the tournament to be held in Germany next year but both teams can still win the group. The squad went directly to the airport and flew back to Sweden once they were allowed to leave King Baudouin Stadium, which was locked down for 2 1/2 hours for security reasons before officials began an evacuation process around midnight local time.It was around 4 a.m. local time when the last of the Swedish supporters — totaling about 650, according to the Swedish Football...

Stock market today: World shares mixed following Wall Street rally as war shock to markets fades

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:39:31 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — World shares were mixed Tuesday after U.S. stocks rallied as investors unwound some of last week’s moves driven by worries about war in the Middle East. Oil prices rose and U.S. futures declined. Markets are awaiting China’s latest economic growth figures, due Wednesday. Economists are forecasting that annual growth dropped below 5% in July-September from 6.3% in the previous quarter. A weaker Chinese economy is a drag on regional and global trade and manufacturing, slowing the global recovery from the pandemic. Germany’s DAX fell 0.5% to 15,163.52 and the CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.3% to 7,000.99. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.3% to 7,654.72. The futures for the S&P 500 and Dow industrials were 0.2% lower. In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.2% to 32,040.29 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.8% to 17,773.34. The Shanghai Composite index gained 0.3% to 3,083.50. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.5% to 7,056.10. India’s Sensex advance...