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FIFA expands 2026 World Cup again to create 104-game program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — The expanded World Cup in North America got even more supersized on Tuesday.The governing body of soccer increased the size of the 2026 tournament for the second time — six years after the first — by approving a bigger group stage for the inaugural 48-team event.By retaining groups of four teams instead of moving to three, FIFA has created a 104-game schedule that will last nearly six weeks in June-July in the United States, Canada and Mexico.The 16 host cities — 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada (Vancouver and Toronto) — now have 24 extra games to stage on top of the 80 they already had for the inaugural 48-team tournament.Adding about 1.5 million more tickets will also further fuel FIFA’s expected record revenue of at least $11 billion through 2026 from a tournament that will rely on using high-revenue NFL stadiums.FIFA said the decision followed a “thorough review that considered sporting integrity, player welfare, team travel, comme...

Cubans search for holiday food amid deepening crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

HAVANA (AP) — As Belkis Fajardo, 69, walks through the dense streets of downtown Havana with a small bag of lettuce and onions in hand, she wonders how she’ll feed her family over the holidays.Scarcity and economic turmoil are nothing new to Cuba, but Fajardo is among many Cubans to note that this year is different thanks to soaring inflation and deepening shortages.“We’ll see what we can scrap together to cook for the end of the year,” Fajardo said. “Everything is really expensive … so you buy things little-by-little as you can. And if you can’t, you don’t eat.”Basic goods such as chicken, beef, eggs, milk, flour and toilet paper are difficult and often impossible to find in state stores.When they do appear, they often come at hefty prices, either from informal shops, resellers or in expensive stores only accessible to those with foreign currency.It’s far out of the range of the average Cuban state salary, approximately 5,000 pesos a month, or $29 USD on the island’s more widely us...

Charges against topless protester during Juno Awards pending, Edmonton police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

EDMONTON — Police in Edmonton say charges are pending after a topless protester interrupted the Juno Awards.Pop-punk star Avril Lavigne was caught off-guard Monday night when the woman leapt on the stage.The woman was wearing pasties with paint on her that read “land back” and “save the green belt,” which was a reference to Ontario’s decision last fall to open a protected area of land for housing.Lavigne proceeded to swear at the protester, demanding she get off the stage.The woman was quickly escorted off the stage.Edmonton police say charges against a 37-year-old woman are pending, but would not comment on the nature of the charges. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2023.The Canadian Press

Toronto transit riders can now text to report TTC safety concerns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

With Toronto police reducing the number of officers patrolling TTC subway stations, the transportation operator is introducing a new texting service.The TTC announced that customers can now text 647-496-1940 through “SMS text a tip” and choose to use ttc.ca to report safety concerns and submit details and images.“The TTC must be safe for everyone — for all riders and for all employees,” said Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie. “I support the ongoing work by the TTC with their community partners to increase safety on the transit system.”TTC riders can also use the SafeTTC app, free on iOS and Android devices. The app lets users report a problem directly to the TTC’s Transit Control Centre by sending text, photos or videos or calling 911 in an emergency.RELATED: ‘Help is a text away’: GO Train passengers handed flyers to promote transit securityA TTC spokesperson said that in an emergency, riders are encouraged to use the yellow ...

EU urges members to deport more migrants ineligible to stay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Tuesday urged its member countries to deport more people who enter Europe without authorization and who are not eligible to stay, saying that only around one in five would-be migrants who should be sent home actually is.“Last year, we had a return rate of only 21% of those who are not eligible to stay,” EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told reporters at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. “When we fail to return people, this hampers our system and erodes trust.”Johansson said that 340,000 decisions were handed down in EU member nations last year to deport people, but that only in 60% of cases did European authorities try to contact the migrants’ home countries to get them accepted back in.“To protect the right to apply for asylum we have to show that we are appropriately dealing with those who do not qualify for international protection,” she said. “We need migration, but it has to be in a legal and orderly way.”The arrival...

Review: Paris Hilton’s path from party girl to style icon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

“Paris: The Memoir” by Paris Hilton (Dey St. Books)Dubbed the “OG Influencer,” club kid-turned-mogul Paris Hilton pioneered becoming “famous for being famous,” in the early 2000s, a playbook since adopted by everyone from the Kardashians to Housewives and countless social media influencers.Hilton became a staple on the New York City club circuit in her teens in the late 1990s, decked out in designer fashion and towering heels, an irresistible magnet for paparazzi.In her 20s, her fame became mainstream with the nearly simultaneous debut of her reality show “The Simple Life,” and the leak of a scandalous sex tape.“I knew I wasn’t trying to build an ordinary career,” Hilton recalls of her early days of being paid to party and attract the paparazzi. “I was building a brand that would eventually turn into multiple income streams … but that sounds way more calculated than it was.”Born into the family dynasty of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton, Hilton spent her childhood in a rarefied world of...

NDP want Liberals to expand GST rebate, fund school lunches in upcoming budget

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

OTTAWA — The New Democrats say they are using their agreement with the Liberal government as leverage to push for more ways to save Canadians money in the next federal budget.Party leader Jagmeet Singh said he expects to see money in the budget to expand dental care coverage to teens, seniors and people living with a disability, which was part of the confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals.But he also wants to see the government extend the six-month boost to the GST rebate, introduced last fall, which temporarily doubled the amount people received. “That’s something that we’re going to use our power on,” Singh said in an interview with The Canadian Press.“It’s not in our agreement, but the agreement gives us the leverage to push for things like that.”Singh said his budget priority is helping Canadians find ways to save money through rebates or other cost-of-living initiatives. “Federal funding for school lunches is something ...

Saudi Arabia places order for up to 121 planes from Boeing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

Two Saudi Arabian airlines said Tuesday they will order 78 jetliners from Boeing and take options to buy 43 more in a major boost for the American aircraft manufacturer.The order for Boeing 787s will be divided between Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudia, and a planned new airline called Riyadh Air, which Saudi officials introduced over the weekend.At list prices, the combined deal would be worth about $37 billion if the options are exercised, but airlines routinely get deep discounts. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Relatively high oil prices have boosted Saudi Arabia’s economy and government, making it easier for the kingdom to close a multi-billion-dollar jet order. The creation of Riyadh Air by the Saudi sovereign-wealth fund and the growth of Saudia are part of a broader Saudi strategy to diversify its oil-based economy. Saudi Arabia hopes to become a global aviation hub and attract 100 million annual visitors by 2030.The kingdom’s neighboring states of Qatar and the...

Buffalo Wild Wings posts snarky tweet amid lawsuit over boneless wings: ‘It’s true’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

(WGN/NEXSTAR) – Buffalo Wild Wings has nothing but saucy remarks after getting slapped with a class-action lawsuit over its boneless wings.Last week, Chicago man Aimen Halim filed the complaint with the U.S. District Court of Northern Illinois, alleging that Buffalo Wild Wings had been engaging in “false and deceptive marketing and advertising” by calling its boneless wings “wings,” arguing that the dish is not made with de-boned wings, but rather chicken breast meat. You might be eating Buffalo wings wrong, according to an expert A representative for Buffalo Wild Wings had not responded to a request for comment as of Tuesday morning. But on Monday, the team behind the restaurant’s social media accounts appeared to issue a snarky comment on Twitter.“It’s true. Our boneless wings are all white meat chicken,” reads the tweet, which soon turns cheeky. “Our hamburgers contain no ham. Our buffalo wings are 0% buffalo.”The tweet, which has been viewed more than 50,000 times as of Tuesda...

Body not discovered for 23 days in Las Vegas airport's short-term parking

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:16 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A woman’s body went undiscovered in a car in short-term parking at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for nearly a month, in a part of the garage just yards away from passenger pickup.The car sat undisturbed for 23 days. It was not until a parking employee noticed the smell that he called police.“The odor around the vehicle — it's pretty, pretty horrific,” an officer said in body-camera video Nexstar's KLAS obtained documenting the response.The discovery comes on the heels of a report finding thieves have stolen dozens of cars parked at the airport garages over two years. While there are cameras and license plate readers throughout the garages, KLAS found they do not always work or do not capture every vehicle. Dozens of stolen vehicle reports show surveillance and other security measures in place are not catching nor preventing all thefts.“To me, it seems like there's no safety in that garage, at all,” a former airport employee who requested anonymity ...