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Milan Kundera, renowned but reclusive Czech writer and former dissident, dies in Paris at 94

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Milan Kundera, the renowned but reclusive author whose dissident writings transformed him into an exiled satirist of totalitarianism and explorer of identity and the human condition, has died in Paris. He was 94. Kundera died Tuesday afternoon, his long-standing publishing house Gallimard said in a one-sentence statement on Wednesday. It confirmed that he died in Paris, where he has lived for decades, but provided no further information.The European Parliament held a moment of silence upon news of his passing. Kundera held both French and Czech nationality, which he lost and then regained.Kundera was a man of few words whose novels were translated into dozens of languages, but he abhorred the publicity that came with it, refusing interviews.“I dream of a world where writers are obliged by law to keep their identity secret and use pseudonyms,” he wrote in the 1986 essay, “The Art of the Novel.” Kundera used the sentence to respond to questions put to him in 2011 by Le Mo...

Actors Martin Short, Lamar Johnson and Luke Kirby among Canadian Emmy nominees

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

Actors Martin Short, Luke Kirby and Lamar Johnson are among the Canadian actors heading to this year’s Emmy Awards. Hamilton-born Short is nominated again for his leading role in the murder-mystery comedy “Only Murders in the Building.” The Emmys veteran also scored a nod for the same role as an eccentric theatre director last year.Meanwhile, Ontario-raised Kirby landed a guest actor nomination in a comedy series for his role as Lenny Bruce in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Rising Toronto star Johnson is recognized for his guest appearance as an outlaw in the dystopian drama “The Last of Us.” Among the other notable Canadian nominees are composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer for the catchy opening tune of “The White Lotus” titled  “In The Sandbox” and reality star Antoni Porowski, who is one of the fab five hosts of makeover series “Queer Eye.”The annual TV awards celebrate their 75th anniversary this year, and winners will be announced...

Calgary company inks deal with Adidas to produce C02-embedded running shoes

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

CALGARY — A Calgary-based technology company has signed a deal with Adidas that will see the sneaker giant manufacture some of its shoes using ink embedded with captured carbon emissions.The partnership is a major win for Oco, the consumer-facing offshoot of Carbon Upcycling Technologies, a company that specializes in carbon capture and utilization solutions for heavy industry sectors.Currently focused on the cement industry, Carbon Upcycling uses patented technology installed at Enmax’s Shepard Energy Centre east of Calgary to capture carbon dioxide emissions produced by Alberta’s largest natural gas-fired power generating facility and sequester them in industrial byproducts for use in concrete production.But the company also aims to engage the public with products that help people see the potential of carbon capture technology.Oco takes the solid powder created from its parent company’s carbon sequestration process and markets it to brands looking to improve thei...

Public health agency investigates after Air France passenger sat in blood soaked area

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

Canada’s public health agency has opened an investigation after a passenger on an Air France flight from Paris to Toronto says he sat amid the uncleaned remnants of a previous passenger’s hemorrhage.The Public Health Agency of Canada says it is aware of the incident on the June 30 flight and cited its mandate to ensure that anything brought into the country on a conveyance does not threaten public health.Passenger Habib Battah told The Canadian Press that after boarding the eight-hour flight he smelt a strong manure-like odor and noticed a large stain on the floor in front of his seat.Battah says he alerted the cabin crew about the stain and was then given cleaning supplies in response.He says that after wiping the floor beneath his seat, the cloth came out “blood red.”He says cabin crew later told him that someone suffered a hemorrhage in his seat on a previous flight and that he could not change seats as the flight was full – they instead gave him mor...

Ukraine wins G7 security pledges but its NATO membership remains elusive

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed fresh pledges of weapons and ammunition to fight Russia’s invasion along with longer-term security commitments from the West on Wednesday even as he expressed disappointment over the lack of a clear path for his country to join NATO as the alliance wrapped up its annual summit.“The Ukrainian delegation is bringing home a significant security victory for the Ukraine, for our country, for our people, for our children,” he said while flanked by U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders from the Group of Seven most powerful democratic nations.A joint declaration issued by the G7 lays the groundwork for each nation to negotiate agreements to help Ukraine bolster its military over the long term. Zelenskyy described the initiative as a bridge toward eventual NATO membership and a deterrent against Russia. Biden said, “Our support will last long into the future. We’re going to help Ukraine build a strong...

10-month-old picked as 2023 Gerber Baby

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Gerber announced the winner of its annual Gerber Baby photo search, and the 2023 winner is a 10-month-old from Colorado.Madison "Maddie" Mendoza is the winner of the 13th annual Gerber photo search. Gerber said Maddie, along with her parents, captured the attention of the judges with a throwback submission that included a photo of Maddie and her mom at that same age.The 2023 Gerber Baby comes from Colorado after submitting a throwback photo. On the left is Maddie, the 2023 winner, and on the right is Maddie's mom when she was her age. (Gerber)“The throwback submission of Maddie and her mom brought a smile to the judges’ faces and perfectly captured the spirit of this year’s program. We’re excited to partner with Maddie and her family throughout the next year to highlight the full-circle journey from baby to parent," said Tarun Malkani, Gerber president and CEO.According to Maddie's parents, she is 10 months old and came into the world with a full head of hair. She en...

City of Austin suspends partnership with Texas Department of Public Safety

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for July 12, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Interim City Manager Jesús Garza announced Wednesday that he has suspended the City's partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety with the approval of Mayor Kirk Watson. “From the start of this partnership with DPS, I said I wanted Austinites to feel safe and be safe. Recent events demonstrate we need to suspend the partnership with DPS. The safety of our community is a primary function of City government, and we must keep trying to get it right,” Watson said. MORE: Mayor Kirk Watson discusses DPS partnership, accountability Watson didn't specify to which recent events he referred. On Monday, a DPS trooper was involved in a chase and shot a suspect in the arm.“This partnership was an innovative approach to address acute staffing shortages that were years in the making. However, any approach must be in sync with Austin values," he continued. The partnership w...

Drugs, homeless camps continue at east Austin park

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Drugs and homeless camps continue to plague a popular east Austin park.People living near Parque Zaragoza told KXAN in May they don't feel safe and want something done, but today the problems continue."We have had to lock up a lot of stuff, and we never had to before," said Kathy DeLeon, who lives across the street.In May, the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) said the camps in the park have been cleared multiple times over the last year and a half."A lot of homeless people," said a man who lives nearby. "A lot of drug use around the clock."Other people living nearby said they are upset with how the city has enforced the camping ban."Where do we turn? Where does the community turn to? Who is in charge here?" said a man living nearby."It doesn't seem like the government is doing what is in the best interests of the community," said a woman who lives down the street from the park. Councilmember calls community meeting after drug concerns co...

Tracking the Tropics: New hurricane outlook predicts 'above-average' season

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Researchers at Colorado State University are now forecasting an “above-average” Atlantic hurricane season due in part to record warm sea surface across much of the Atlantic.The updated forecast predicts 18 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes — that’s five more named storms, three more hurricanes, and two more major hurricanes than CSU’s initial predictions.(WFLA)But researchers warned there’s more uncertainty than normal with their latest outlook.CSU pointed to “conflicting signals” between the warmer than normal Atlantic waters and a robust El Niño, which increases vertical wind shear, tearing storms apart as they form. Philip Klotzbach, who authored the forecast, said the extreme warmth in the Atlantic may counteract some of the typical El Niño-driven wind shear, leading to more storms.El Niño vs La Niña hurricanes in the last 30 years (WFLA)“As is the case with all hurricane seasons, coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one h...

Petition on Twin Bridges in Moreau gains over 1K signatures

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:28 GMT

MOREAU, N.Y. (NEWS10) - This week, residents in the town of Moreau sounded off against the sale of land at the town industrial park to the owner of Twin Bridges Waste & Recycling. A petition for permissive referendum was presented to the town clerk on Monday after accumulating just over 1,003 signatures.In June, the Moreau Town Board sold three parcels of land at Moreau Industrial Park to current Twin Bridges owner Scott Earl - who is in the process of selling the Clifton Park-based business to Casella Waste Systems of Vermont. In a conversation with NEWS10, Town Supervisor Todd Kusnierz said he did not know if actual waste management would take place there, and Earl did not return requests for comment. That's left town residents hungry for answers. The petition effort was spearheaded by Gina LeClair, organizer of the Not Moreau group on Facebook, first founded in 2022 in opposition to an ongoing biochar plant project also based around the municipal center. Starting in late June...