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Erik Spoelstra believes coaching in Philippines at World Cup is a perfect homecoming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Erik Spoelstra had a plan. He was going to finish college and head to the Philippines to play professional basketball in his mother’s homeland. He’d been watching games from that part of the world on VHS tapes for years and wanted to experience those atmospheres for himself.The plan changed. The paperwork he needed to play in the Philippines got delayed, so he played in Germany instead. And after a little time there, he got a chance to interview for a video-room job with the Miami Heat. The rest is history. He never got to Manila as a player.But on Saturday, 30 years or so behind his original schedule, Spoelstra has a game awaiting in the Philippines. He’s an assistant coach for USA Basketball, which plays its World Cup opener in Manila against New Zealand on Saturday night. Spoelstra will wear the red, white and blue of the U.S. — in an arena where the blue, red and white of the Philippines flag will sway. And, after thousands of games he’s been par...

Heineken completes exit from Russia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

Heineken said on Friday it had completed its exit from Russia, over a year after first announcing its plans to leave following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.The Dutch brewing giant said it had sold all its Russian operations to manufacturer Arnest Group for €1, in an exit that is expected to cost the company €300 million. All assets — including its seven breweries in Russia — will be transferred to the Russian packaging group, which has committed to guarantee work for Heineken’s 1,800 employees in Russia for three years.“Recent developments demonstrate the significant challenges faced by large manufacturing companies in exiting Russia,” CEO Dolf van den Brink said. “While it took much longer than we had hoped, this transaction secures the livelihoods of our employees and allows us to exit the country in a responsible manner.”Heineken first announced its plans to leave Russia in March 2022, alongside many other companies and businesses that pulled out of the country follow...

UN Geneva complex shuts briefly after ‘intruder’ breaks into security perimeter in ‘minor’ incident

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — The sprawling U.N. compound in Geneva was briefly shut down Friday after an intruder broke through the security perimeter, a spokesperson said.Alessandra Vellucci said the incident lasted no more than about half an hour, and that U.N. security teams and Geneva police were investigating. She declined to identify the “intruder” or say whether he or she was in custody, but called it a “minor” incident.The Geneva site, which houses a vast array of operations by the world body, is the second-largest U.N. facility outside of its headquarters in New York and is home to its European headquarters. Vellucci said the last such security breach at the U.N. offices in Geneva occurred in 2017, also without major incident.The Associated Press

In the news today: Travel restrictions lifted in B.C., phone disruptions in NWT

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 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…Evacuation, travel orders lifted as fires diminishThe last travel restriction for the Okanagan region in British Columbia has been lifted alongside all previous evacuation orders within Kelowna’s city limits, as wildfires there diminish after this week’s rainfall.Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said in a statement late yesterday that travel restrictions to West Kelowna — adjacent to the McDougall Creek wildfire — has been lifted as of midnight.The ban for Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Kamloops was lifted earlier this week after being placed over much of the region on Aug. 19 to ensure there are accommodations for evacuees and emergency personnel.N.W.T. wildfires disrupt phone, internet services as evacuee anxiety mountsWildfires in the Northwest Territories are continuing to disrupt communication services as fire crews fight the blaze threa...

Dutch brewer Heineken sells its Russian operations for 1 euro, taking a 300-million-euro hit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch brewer Heineken has completed its withdrawal from Russia, 18 months after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, selling its business in Russia for just 1 euro, the company announced Friday.Heineken said it would incur a total loss of 300 million euros ($325 million) for the sale to Russian manufacturing giant the Arnest Group.Heineken had faced criticism for the slow pace of its exit in the wake of the outbreak of war, but insisted it was seeking to look after its local employees in Russia.In March last year, Heineken had said it was quitting Russia as its business there was “no longer sustainable nor viable in the current environment,” but added that it wanted to ensure an “orderly transfer” to a new owner.“While it took much longer than we had hoped, this transaction secures the livelihoods of our employees and allows us to exit the country in a responsible manner,” Heineken CEO Dolf van den Brink said in a statement.The sale...

Fear, falsehoods and conspiracy theories ignite amid Canada’s wildfires

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

Canada’s current wildfire season is devastating evidence of the effects of climate change, scientists say, but for some conspiracy theorists, the thousands of square kilometres of burnt ground isn’t enough to convince them.Instead, space lasers, arsonists and government plots to restrict people’s movement are some of the causes of the fires, according to fringe online circles. But despite being fringe, these theories are widely circulated and boosted by social media algorithms.People turn to conspiracy theories to help them make sense of disasters like the recent wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, in British Columbia or the Northwest Territories, said Eric Kennedy, associate professor at York University’s school of administrative studies.“Some of the conspiracy theories about wildfires create simple villains, or simple evil characters — ‘this is Bill Gates, this is the World Economic Forum, this is a particular evil actor,’” said Kennedy, w...

Evacuation orders, final travel ban lifted for Kelowna area as wildfires diminish

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

The last travel restriction for the Okanagan region in British Columbia has been lifted alongside all previous evacuation orders within Kelowna’s city limits, as wildfires there diminish after this week’s rainfall.Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said in a statement late yesterday that travel restrictions to West Kelowna — adjacent to the McDougall Creek wildfire — has been lifted as of midnight.The ban for Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Kamloops was lifted earlier this week after being placed over much of the region on Aug. 19 to ensure there are accommodations for evacuees and emergency personnel.Meanwhile, the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre has downgraded all orders within Kelowna, as well as those for some homes in West Kelowna Estates and more than 300 properties in the District of Lake Country, to alert status.However, officials say evacuation orders are still in effect in parts of West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation and Lake Country.The emerge...

Back-to-school: Parents offer tips on how they save during annual shopping spree

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

Two weekends ago, Anne Zarifa and her children sat down to make a list of clothes they’d need for the coming school year after sifting through their closets to get rid of anything too small or worn out.The Montreal mother of three says leaving back-to-school shopping until the last minute can be a costly error for parents — one that’s more important than ever to avoid in a time of high inflation. Zarifa said she tries to get ahead of the annual Labour Day weekend rush by starting her spree in early August, which also leaves more time to search for deals.“I find if you’re looking to save some money, the deal items, they go fast and then the (clothing)sizes get picked over very quickly,” said Zarifa, whose son James is going into Grade 5 and twin daughters Clara and Nora are about to start Grade 2.“So giving yourself a bit of time, I think, is good. Making a plan, making a budget so that you don’t overspend.”But Zarifa said the biggest k...

Daily horoscope for August 25, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Sagittarius.Happy Birthday for Friday, Aug. 25, 2023:You are focused and disciplined. You are aware of your image, and you have excellent social skills. Simplicity is the key to your life this year because it’s time to create solid foundations for yourself. Take charge of your health. Explore martial arts or yoga. Stay grounded and levelheaded.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★★★You are the pioneer of the zodiac, and right now you have a strong desire to explore new vistas, see new places and talk to fascinating people from different backgrounds. In other words, you want to expand your world through study, travel and learning as much as you can. Tonight: Get organized.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★You are the financial wizard of the zodiac, and today is the perfect time to take care of loose ends regarding financial matters, especially related to vacations, children, the entertainment world and ...

Passenger rights: Travelling in the EU without any worries 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:07 GMT

Was your train delayed or your flight cancelled? Find out about your passenger rights when travelling in the EU.As you set off on your holidays or a business trip, it is good to know that EU passenger rights protect you, should anything go wrong while travelling.EU rules ensure a minimum level of protection for passengers, irrespective of the mode of transport: flight, train, bus, coach or ship.Journeys can be tricky - with unexpected delays, cancellations and lost luggage. This is why MEPs helped to introduce EU rules obliging transport companies to provide travellers with meals, accommodation, reimbursement and compensation if something happens.And transport companies in the EU can no longer charge more for tickets based on nationality and location of the purchase.EU law also guarantees special attention to passengers with reduced mobility who have the right to free assistance services.Air passenger rightsAir passenger rights apply under certain circumstances, for example if the f...