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Christie’s sale of Austrian heiress’ jewels stirs criticism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Christie’s is auctioning a staggering 700 pieces of jewelry from the collection of the late Heidi Horten, an Austrian heiress whose German husband built a retail empire starting in the 1930s — in part from department stores and other assets sold by desperate Jews as they fled Nazi Germany.The auction house says the sale from “one of the greatest jewelry collections” is expected to reap some $150 million. Proceeds are to benefit her Vienna art museum, welfare for children, and medical research. Christie’s — as criticism of the auction grew — said it planned to chip in some of its profits from the sale to Holocaust education.The sale has already begun online, but also takes place in-person in two parts on Wednesday and Friday at a ritzy Geneva hotel. There’s a record-setting ruby ring that Heidi Horten bought for $30 million in 2015. A dazzling diamond necklace could fetch $15 million or more. And the auction house says the sale features more Bulgari jewels than ever ass...

Spanish Civil Guard raid illegal wells amid drought

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s Civil Guard said Friday it had arrested 26 people in raids on illegal wells in the Andalusia region, as part of a widening crackdown on unauthorized water use amid a prolonged drought. The Civil Guard’s environmental crimes division said it had identified 250 infractions by fruit farmers including illegal wells and boreholes in the Axarquia area, east of the coastal city of Malaga. It estimated the damage to public water infrastructure at 10 million euros ($10.95 million).Spain’s central government is urging increasingly strict rules on water use in Andalusia, the world’s most important region for olive oil production and a key source of fruits and vegetables for the European export market.Record-breaking April temperatures in Andalusia have coupled with a chronic lack of rainfall. Water reservoirs in the Guadalquivir river basin, which runs through the territory, are only about a quarter full, at 27.95%, even before summer has begun. Fa...

Hyundai and Kia thefts keep rising despite security fix

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

Nearly three months ago, Hyundai and Kia unveiled software that was designed to thwart an epidemic of thefts of their vehicles, caused by a security flaw that was exposed on TikTok and other social media sites.So far, it hasn’t solved the problem. Across the country, thieves are still driving off with the vehicles at an alarming rate.Data from seven U.S. cities gathered by The Associated Press shows that the number of Hyundai and Kia thefts is still growing despite the companies’ efforts to fix the glitch, which makes 8.3 million vehicles relatively easy targets for thieves.From Minneapolis, Cleveland and St. Louis to New York, Seattle, Atlanta and Grand Rapids, Michigan, police have reported substantial year-over-year increases in Hyundai and Kia theft reports through April. An eighth city, Denver, which was hit early by the theft outbreak, reported a 23% decline from 2022 levels but still endured a high number of thefts. So far this year, Minneapolis police have received 1,8...

Robo umps reach Triple-A, but MLB rollout still uncertain

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — Trailing Nashville with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, St. Paul Saints first baseman Alex Kirilloff watched the 3-2 pitch go by for strike three. He thought it might have missed the high and inside corner.There was no point in arguing.The game was being umped by the Automatic Ball-Strike system that Major League Baseball is testing in Triple-A this season, which means the strike was called by a computer and merely relayed to Kirilloff and the crowd by home plate umpire Brock Ballou. “Nobody complains about anything anymore with the strike zone because there’s nothing to complain about,” Saints manager Toby Gardenhire said after his first series with the so-called ”robo-ump.” “You take that as good and bad. It’s kind of entertaining to watch a guy argue.”Much like the pitch clock that had purists panicking, only to quickly and quietly blend into the flow of the game, automatic balls and strikes could soon be coming to the major leagues. And much li...

Pet Valu posts lower profit as same-store sales growth declines

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

MARKHAM, Ont. — Pet Valu Holdings Ltd. reported its first-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago despite its revenue climbing higher.The pet food and supplies retailer says its profit attributable to shareholders totalled $18.7 million or 26 cents per diluted share for the quarter that ended April 1.The result was down from a profit of $22.6 million or 32 cents per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue totalled $250.3 million, up from $213.2 in the first quarter of 2022.The increase came as the company saw same-store sales growth of 9.4 per cent, down from 22.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2022.On an adjusted basis, the company says its profit was 32 cents per diluted share, compared with 35 cents per diluted share last year.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:PET)The Canadian Press

China says it won’t seek to benefit from war in Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — China’s foreign minister said Tuesday that his country has no intention of benefiting from the war in Ukraine and hopes for further discussions on a peace plan Beijing proposed earlier this year.Speaking after a meeting with his German counterpart in Berlin, Foreign Minister Qin Gang noted the recent talks the government in Beijing had with both Moscow and Kyiv, and said China’s special envoy for Europe was expected to visit Ukraine again soon.“We won’t pour oil on the fire” of the war, Qin said, according to an official interpreter.Western countries have accused Beijing of providing political and material support to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The European Union is currently considering imposing sanctions against companies that supply critical components to Russia’s arms industry. Qin denied Chinese firms were doing so. He said China maintains “normal” trade relations with Russia, not mentioning a significant bump in ...

It’s ‘never too early, never too late’ to learn financial literacy, experts say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

For as long as he remembers, Aidan D’Souza says his mother has helped him ensure that he’s making smart money decisions. At roughly 10 years old, D’Souza said his mother advised him not to spend all his money on candy and frivolous gadgets. When he started working part-time jobs, D’Souza’s mother recommended that he save some of his hard-earned money for his long-term goals and an emergency fund. Today, the 23-year-old said his mother still guides him financially. She helped him set up mutual funds and taught him about compound interest, which accelerates the growth of one’s savings and investments over time. “My mom has always helped me make sure my money was going to the right places,” said D’Souza, who resides in Toronto.“She always wanted to make sure that I was set for life.” While D’Souza credits his mother for the financially secure position he’s in, he acknowledged that not all Canadians have parental figures who are financially literate or know how to best guide their chil...

Man arrested in connection with alleged Scarborough fatal hit-and-run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection to an alleged fatal hit-and-run in Scarborough.Police were called to Markham Road and Sheppard Avenue East are just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday to reports of a collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle.It was reported the driver was travelling westbound on Sheppard when they struck a 58-year-old man crossing the street at Markham.The driver allegedly continued and did not stop at the scene. The victim died of his injuries in hospital.On Monday, Adam Hosseini of Toronto was arrested in connection with the crash and charged with failure to stop at an accident scene causing death, along with a Highway Traffic Act offence.He is expected to appear at a bail hearing on Tuesday.

With debt limit looming, Biden, congressional leaders to finally meet at White House

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will meet with congressional leaders today as the race against the clock to raise the U.S. debt limit gets underway in earnest. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that the country could run out of cash as early as June 1 without an agreement. Congressional Republicans say they won’t agree to raise the limit — once a routine procedure, now a familiar political standoff — without deep spending cuts. Biden, meanwhile, is insisting that Congress must first agree to raise the debt ceiling without attaching any conditions.Biden meets later today with Republican leaders Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Sen. Mitch McConnell, as well as their Democratic counterparts Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer. Experts say a default would spell disaster for the domestic economy, with dramatic spillover effects for allies, such as Canada, whose own economic fortunes are closely tied to the U.S. “It is imperative that Congress act as soon as possible ...

Concerned citizen intervenes during attempted child luring in Rogers Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:28 GMT

CHICAGO — A concerned citizen interjected during an attempted child luring attempt in Rogers Park Monday night.At around 6:30 p.m., a girl was at Pottawattomie Park, located in the 7300 block of Rogers Avenue, when a man approached and invited the girl to his home in exchange for money.Police said a nearby citizen interjected and assisted the girl into the park's fieldhouse, where 911 was called.The suspect is described as an African American, approximately 25-30, 6'-6'2", 165 to 175 lbs. and was wearing a hooded Michael Kors rain coat with black jeans and black shoes. CPD: Man shot after running away from attempted robbery at Near West Side gas station He had a thick accent and is missing his upper front teeth, police said.Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip at tipsoft.com.