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EU demands answers from Poland about visa fraud allegations

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Poland must clarify allegations that its consulates in Africa and Asia sold temporary work visas to migrants for thousands of dollars each in a scheme that could undermine free travel in Europe, a senior European Union official said Tuesday.European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas said that travel within the 27-nation ID-check free travel zone known as the Schengen area relies on trust between the members, which include most EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.“What happens in a Schengen state affects the functioning of all Schengen countries. That is why the alleged cases of fraud and corruption in the Polish visa system are extremely worrying,” Schinas told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France.“If third-country nationals have been allowed the right of free movement within Schengen, without respecting the appropriate conditions and procedures, this would amount to a violation of EU law, in particular the EU visa code,” he said...

Zimbabwe’s opposition boycotts president’s 1st State of the Nation speech since disputed election

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s main opposition party on Tuesday boycotted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation address following his reelection in a disputed August election, revealing the widening political cracks in the southern African nation amid allegations of a post-vote clampdown on government critics.Citizens Coalition for Change spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the party’s lawmakers stayed away from the speech because it views Mnangagwa as “illegitimate.”The CCC accuses Mnangagwa, 81, of fraudulently winning a second term and using violence and intimidation against critics, including by having some elected opposition officials arrested.The ruling ZANU-PF party, which has been in power in Zimbabwe since the country’s independence from white minority rule in 1980, also retained a majority of Parliament seats in the late August voting. Western and African observers questioned the credibility of the polling, saying an atmosphere of intimid...

Chanel takes a dip: Viard’s spring show brings Paris stalwart down to earth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

PARIS (AP) — As Chanel’s models took their sashay down the Paris runway, guests could practically hear the faint splashes from the pools of the villa Noailles. This historic cubist space in the south of France, once graced by luminaries like Buñuel, Man Ray, Dali —and also Karl Lagerfeld — has for more than a century been a beacon for art. Virginie Viard’s spring collection emerged as a sun-drenched ode to liberty and movement, inspired directly from the villa’s gardens. With Gigi Hadid leading the pack in flip-flops, the stalwart was stripped of its typical high-brow allure, grounding Chanel styles in an earthy, relaxed summer vibe.Here are some highlights, including when Penélope Cruz told The Associated Press why heartfelt memories of her grandmother drew her to fashion.VIARD MAKES CHANEL RELATEABLE“Sophistication juxtaposed with informality, the ever-present tweed, sporty touches, and delicate lace: I aimed for a harmonious blend of contrasts,” Viard said. Using the sunlit...

Cyclist struck by dump truck near Rosedale

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

A cyclist has been struck by a dump truck near Rosedale on Tuesday morning.Police responded to reports at approximately 10:08 a.m. that a cyclist was struck by a dump struck in the Park Road and Church Street area.The driver remained on the scene and medics say an adult female was taken to a trauma centre, but injuries are unknown.There are delays in the area and those in the area should consider alternate routes.

Order a bagel and schmear at Feltz Bagels, and you’ll be fed an original piece of art

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — While not one the major food groups, a bagel and a schmear made of felt might satisfy your appetite for art.“Feltz Bagels,” the latest installation from British artist Lucy Sparrow, uses approximately 30,000 pieces of felt to recreate the look and feel of the authentic Jewish bagel shops prominent in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood.Sparrow says she wanted to depict how this breakfast food brought here by Eastern European immigrants in the late 19th century “morphed into New York society” and beyond, making the bagel the Swiss Army knife of breads. Cream cheese, butter, cold cuts, lox — anything that fits on the circular bread is fair game, Sparrow felt.Taking over an abandoned storefront in the East Village, Sparrow’s pop-up shop runs from Tuesday through the end of October, offering a step back in time and the ambience of a real New York bagel shop.Adding a dose of reality, Sparrow works the counter, taking orders for the bagel of your dreams — o...

Shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall kills at least 2 and a suspect is in custody

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — A shooter opened fire inside a major shopping mall in the center of Thailand’s capital Tuesday afternoon, killing at least two people before being apprehended, authorities said. Police said a suspect was taken into custody less than an hour after the first reported gunshots at the Siam Paragon Mall, long been seen as one of Bangkok’s biggest and most upscale shopping destinations. Video uploaded to social media and broadcast on television showed a long-haired teenage boy in the custody of police. Major Thai media said he was 14 years old, though recently appointed police chief Torsak Sukvimol confirmed only that he is a minor and appeared to be suffering from mental illness.Torsak said two people had been killed, a visitor from China and a Myanmar national. Earlier, Yutthana Sretthanan, director of Bangkok’s Erawan Emergency Medical Center, had said three people were killed and six were injured. There was no explanation of the discrepancy, though Yutthana later ...

Stock market today: Unrelenting rise in Treasury yields drags Wall Street sharply lower

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is sinking Tuesday as it focuses on the downside of a surprisingly strong job market. The S&P 500 was 1% lower in morning trading and back to where it was in June. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 260 points, or 0.8%, at 33,172, as of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.4% lower.Stocks fell as the pressure on them cranked even higher from rising Treasury yields in the bond market. Such weight has been the main reason the stock market has lost roughly 40% of its value since the end of July, after charging higher for much of the year. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed again Tuesday, up to 4.75% from 4.69% late Monday and from just 0.50% early in the pandemic. It’s near its highest level since 2007 and rose after a report showed U.S. employers have many more job openings than expected.When bonds are paying so much more in interest, they pull investment dollars away from stocks and other investments prone to bigger swings in ...

Source: Ald. Lopez expected to announce 4th District bid for Congress

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez is expected to announce his 4th District bid for Congress on Tuesday morning, according to a source.Lopez has been an alderperson of the 15th Ward since 2015, which as of 2020 includes parts of Back of the Yards, Brighton Park, Gage Park, West Englewood, Chicago Lawn, Canaryville and the Stockyards.Jesus "Chuy" Garcia has been serving the 4th District, which includes parts of the Southwest Side and Western suburbs, since 2019.Both ran for mayor in 2022 with Lopez withdrawing before the first round and Garcia finishing in fourth.Garcia took over for longtime U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez in 2019, who retired after serving the district since 1993.Lopez was a vocal critic of former Mayor Lightfoot and has been critical of policies of Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx. He ended up endorsing businessman Willie Wilson for mayor.Lopez is expected to announce his intention to run Tuesday at 10 a.m. in a press conference. WGN will stream it here.

Man accused of kidnapping New York 9-year-old Charlotte Sena arraigned

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (WTEN) — The man accused of kidnapping Charlotte Sena in a New York state park over the weekend has been arraigned. Craig Ross Jr., 46, is currently held at the Saratoga County Jail on a charge of first-degree kidnapping. Sena, 9, had been on a camping trip with her family in Moreau Lake State Park, a heavily wooded area some 35 miles north of Albany over the weekend. She disappeared while riding her bike around the campground. Craig Ross Jr. has been accused of kidnapping Charlotte Sena, 9, in a New York state park on Sept. 30, 2023. (Saratoga County Jail)The girl's mother called 911 after Sena's bicycle was found a half hour after her disappearance. Police feared she may have been abducted.Hundreds of search and rescue personnel spent the weekend and part of Monday searching for Sena, covering a 46 linear mile area around Moreau Lake State Park after an Amber Alert was activated Sunday morning.Authorities were watching the Sena family's home during the sear...

Robin's list of singer/athlete couples you've forgotten about

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:52 GMT

CHICAGO — One of the biggest stories in sports has to do with something off the field - and one we saw play out in front of one of our sports anchors on Channel 9.Taylor Swift, arguably the most popular singer in the world at the moment, has been seen with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, even attending his last two games. WGN's Jarrett Payton caught the couple leaving Arrowhead Stadium after the game against the Bears on September 24.She was at Kansas City's next game on Sunday when the Chiefs defeated the Jets at Met Life Stadium. While this is exciting, it's not something new in the world of entertainment and sports - and Robin Baumgarten made people aware with that on Tuesday's WGN Morning News.She devoted her choices for "The List" to the singer/athlete couples you've forgotten about through the years. You can see the examples Robin had during the October 3 show in the video above.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your in...