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David Grann and Siddhartha Mukherjee are among contenders for a prestigious nonfiction prize

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Books about the perilous state of our world, our food and our relationship with technology are in the running for Britain’s leading nonfiction book award, the Baillie Gifford Prize.The 13-book longlist announced Wednesday includes John Vaillant’s look at the reality of climate change, “Fire Weather”; Chris van Tulleken’s dietary warning “Ultra Processed People”; and “Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity” by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson.Best-selling American author David Grann is nominated for the stirring seafaring yarn “The Wager,” while physician-writer Siddhartha Mukherjee is in the running with “The Song of the Cell.”British journalist Hannah Barnes is on the list for “Time to Think,” which charts the demise of Britain’s controversial Tavistock gender clinic for children.Other contenders examine key moments in history, including Tania Branigan’s look at China’s Cultural Revolution, “Red Memory,” and Katja Hoyer’s portrai...

In the news today: Trudeau at ASEAN summit, evacuation order lifting in Yellowknife

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Indo-Pacific countries see a partner in CanadaPrime Minister Justin Trudeau has wrapped up five meetings with Indo-Pacific leaders on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.Trudeau met with the leaders of Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea, Philippines and Australia. During these talks, the leaders expressed a desire to partner up with Canada through trade, immigration, and to utilize its know-how when dealing with their transition to green energy.Evacuation order set to lift in YellowknifeThousands of vehicles are expected to travel to Yellowknife in the coming days as a three-week evacuation order is set to lift at noon today. Territorial officials have said the migration home will go forward unless there are significant changes to fire and highway conditions. More than 20,000 people were forced to flee by road and air when the order came into force on Aug. 16 due to an enc...

Kim Jong Un may travel to Russia to meet Putin again. Will he take a plane or the train?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s possible trip to Russia might be like his first one in 2019 — a rattling, 20-hour ride aboard a green-and-yellow armored train that is a quirky symbol of his family’s dynastic leadership.In what would be his first foreign travel since the start of the pandemic, United States officials say Kim may visit Russia this month for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, possibly to advance talks on North Korean arms sales to refill Russian reserves drained by its war on Ukraine.According to U.S. reports, a potential venue for their meeting is the eastern city of Vladivostok, the site of their first meeting in April 2019, where Putin is expected to attend the annual Eastern Economic Forum that takes place on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University from Sunday to Wednesday.How Kim, the 39-year-old authoritarian leader, would get there is a focus of media attention. While Kim has used planes more frequently than his...

In ‘Backspot,’ director D.W. Waterson wants you to see the ‘grit and dirt’ of cheer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

TORONTO — D.W. Waterson wasn’t a cheerleader — but they did perform as one.The director, whose first feature “Backspot” is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, said they used to wear the uniform while DJing and playing drums on stage.“I just loved the idea of being the cheer captain of an audience,” they said by video call ahead of the fest. “That uniform really brings something out in people.”But when it came to making a film about cheer, Waterson said they were more interested in the athleticism than the esthetics. “Backspot” tells the story of Riley, played by Canadian actress Devery Jacobs, who along with her girlfriend Amanda makes an elite cheer team led by an exacting coach, portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood. Growing up in the early 2000s, Waterson said they were immersed in a veritable Eden of cheerleading media. From TV shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to the movies “Br...

‘Freedom Convoy’ to hear from Ottawa police as trial enters its second day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

OTTAWA — A court in Ottawa is expected to hear from additional members of city’s police service today on the second day of the trial of two key ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizers.The 16-day hearing began Tuesday with a Crown prosecutor presenting the case against Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, who are jointly charged with mischief, counselling others to commit mischief, intimidation and obstructing police. Prosecutor Tim Radcliffe told the court in his opening statement that the pair’s political views against COVID-19 health orders are not on trial, but rather the means by which they tried to bring those orders to an end. The court viewed a 12-minute video compilation of footage shot by police body cameras as well as drones that captured the honking and atmosphere as hundreds of protesters blocked downtown Ottawa streets for three weeks in the winter of 2022.It was the first of many videos the Crown anticipates showing in court including some videos taken by Lich and...

Alberta’s ‘war room’ is back with massive ad spend revealed in annual report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

EDMONTON — New documents outline a massive increase in public funding for the Canadian Energy Centre’s campaign to change attitudes toward Alberta’s oil and gas. An agency founded by Alberta’s United Conservative government to fight what it calls misinformation about the province’s industry and otherwise known as the “war room,” the centre’s most recent annual report shows it signed a $22-million contract last fiscal year for a media campaign. That’s about three times its entire government grant from the previous year.“There’s a lot of things the government could do with that money,” said Opposition New Democrat energy critic Kathleen Ganley. The spending is mentioned only in the line item “RFP — Agency of Record” in the centre’s annual report, filed late last month. The ad campaign was to take place in the U.S., Europe and the United Kingdom and Canada. Little information is available on how the mon...

Daily horoscope for September 6, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Gemini.Happy Birthday for Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023:You are hardworking and very creative. You often encounter unexpected events. This year, simplicity is the key to your life. It’s time to create solid foundations. Take charge of your health. Physical exercise is important. Stay grounded and levelheaded. Hard work is required to maintain your lifestyle.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★Communications with others will blow hot and cold today. When talking to your kids or a romantic partner, or enjoying a fun social situation, your words will be like gold! However, work-related discussions might be a tad sticky. Have patience. Tonight: Conversations and travel.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★This is a lovely day for family conversations, especially about plans to entertain or redecorating ideas. Likewise, real estate discussions will go well. Ironically, you might find yourself at odds with your k...

When do young Europeans leave their parental home?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

In 2022, young people across the EU left their parental home on average at the age of 26.4 years. However, this average varied among EU countries.The highest average ages, at 30 years or above, were recorded in Croatia (33.4 years), Slovakia (30.8), Greece (30.7), Bulgaria and Spain (both 30.3), Malta (30.1) and Italy (30.0). In contrast, the lowest average ages, all under 23 years old, were registered in Finland (21.3 years), Sweden (21.4), Denmark (21.7) and Estonia (22.7). In the space of 10 years, the average age of young people leaving their parental home increased in 14 EU countries, most notably in Croatia (+1.8 years), Greece (+1.7) and Spain (+1.6). In 2012, the lowest average in the EU was in Sweden, where young people left their parental home at 19.9 years old, however, in 10 years that average increased by 1.5 years. At the EU level, between 2012 and 2022, the average age varied slightly, with the lowest being 26.2 years (2019) and the highest 26.5 (2012, 2014,...

Harriette Cole: Someone is threatening me online, and I think I know who it is

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: An anonymous account has been sending me strange, threatening messages, and I am beginning to suspect the identity of the sender.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I was drinking with new friends, and I regret telling this story Advice | Harriette Cole: My hobby scares my girlfriend, but she doesn’t like to be left out Advice | Harriette Cole: Why shouldn’t I live with my friend’s ex? Advice | Harriette Cole: Was I rude to this woman I passed in the restaurant? Advice | Harriette Cole: I hoped I was wrong about my son’s girlfriend. I wasn’t. I don’t want to jump to conclusions and falsely accuse the wrong person if my suspicions turn out to be wrong. What steps can I take to investigate and potentially confront the sender without damaging any innocent relationships? How can I approach this situation delicately without causing more problems?—...

Miss Manners: We aren’t invited to the shower but our co-worker wants gifts from us anyway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:59 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A young colleague is expecting her first child. I am very happy for her, although I feel conflicted about how the celebration has been communicated.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: My husband was upset by my request at the restaurant Advice | Miss Manners: Am I really ‘trying too hard to be liked’? Advice | Miss Manners: Please decree that people should not knock on a bathroom door Advice | Miss Manners: They say they’d rather die than live like I do. How should I respond? Advice | Miss Manners: How should I warn my neighbors about months of noise? She invited colleagues to purchase items from her registry by the date of her baby shower — to which there was no invitation. This communication went out via office email. I should add that this colleague’s superior is the head of human resources.Is it appropriate to ask for contributions from people who a...