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‘Forced to flee my country’: Omer Malikyar’s incredible journey to graduation day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

Omer Malikyar graduated from the University of Toronto (U of T) with a double major in Political Science and Canadian Studies, but the journey hasn’t always been easy.  “I was forced to flee my country in 2018,” the 24-year-old said.Malikyar was born and raised in Afghanistan, but as a teenager, his human rights work gained the attention of Islamic Extremists.“I went to summer camp in India, and when I came back, I tried to implement some of the things that I learned,” he explained.“Like gender equality, democracy, these kinds of topics. I decided to contact some community service projects in my community. The conservative society I lived in had some backlashes, and I couldn’t continue. I was forced to flee my country.”Malikyar says he was forced to leave his family behind to flee to the U.S., which presented a new and different set of challenges.“I was there for a month, and then I couldn’t stay in the U.S. because that wa...

Spirit Aerosystems, major airlines supplier, suspends plant operations after labor contract rejected

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

Spirit Aerosystems, a major supplier to the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, is suspending operations at a critical Kansas plant after union workers there rejected a proposed four-year contract and authorized a strike.Approximately 6,000 members of the IAM District 70, Local 839 voted to reject Spirit Aerosystems’ best and last offer after 13 years without a fully negotiated agreement, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said in a prepared statement.Shares of Boeing Co. and Airbus slid about 2%, and shares of Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc. tumbled 10% at the opening bell. The tentative deal that was rejected had included up to a compounded 34% average pay bump through general wages increases, cost-of-living adjustments, and a guaranteed annual bonus; a 14.7% increase in retirement benefits; increased paid time off; job security enhancements and made Sunday overtime voluntary. A strike is scheduled to start on Saturday. “Most of our ...

Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah look marvelous as they headline this year's Kennedy Center Honors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — You know you've made a cultural impact when Henry Kissinger quotes your own joke back to you. That's what happened to Billy Crystal, one of five iconic artists selected for this year's Kennedy Center Honors. The others selected for the lifetime artistic achievement award are rapper and actor Queen Latifah, opera singer Renée Fleming, 1970s music icon Barry Gibb and prolific hitmaker Dionne Warwick. All will be honored with the traditional gala celebration at Washington's Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 3. Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter called this year's crop of inductees “an extraordinary mix of individuals who have redefined their art forms.”Crystal, 75, came to national prominence in the 1970s playing Jodie Dallas, one of the first openly gay characters on American network television, on the sitcom “Soap." He went on to a brief but memorable one-year stint on “Saturday Night Live” before starring in a string of movies, including massiv...

Chicago suburb ranks as one of the best small cities of 2023, study says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Living in a big city can have its perks, like a shorter commute or more entertainment and dining options. But for some, the thought of living in a bustling big city can be overwhelming. Rest assured, there are numerous smaller cities that can be equally as attractive. After analyzing nearly 300 small cities — with populations ranging from 65,000 to 100,000 — personal finance site SmartAsset ranked each based on access to entertainment establishments, dining options and healthcare facilities, as well as housing costs, poverty rates, unemployment rates and commute time using data made available by the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Arlington Heights in Illinois came in No. 5 on the list.Overall, cities in two states, Washington and Michigan, ranked among the most livable cities. This was largely thanks to lower housing costs as a percentage of income, lower unemployment rates, and lower rates of residents living below poverty. Nearly every...

Dean's A-List Interviews: Chicago's Very Own Deon Cole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

Dean caught up with Chicago's Very Own and friend of the Morning show, actor and comedian Deon Cole starring in a new drama comedy 'Average Joe,' premiering Monday on BET+.Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

American Airlines crew sickened by airplane fumes at airport, taken to hospital

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

CLEVELAND (WJW) – Four American Airlines crew members were taken to the hospital after being overcome by fumes in Cleveland on Wednesday morning. American Airlines flight 1264 was scheduled to depart from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport for Charlotte, North Carolina. While in the process of boarding the plane with passengers, four crew members complained of fumes in the cockpit, according to John Goersmeyer, a representative for Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Avon Lake man charged in Westlake hit-and-run The passengers were then taken off the plane and the crew members were taken to the hospital for evaluation by Cleveland Hopkins Intl Airport Fire & Rescue. No one else on board complained of illness or feeling sick, according to Goersmeyer.Nexstar's WJW reached out to American Airlines, which said, "Prior to departing from Cleveland International Airport (CLE), crewmembers reported a possible odor in the cabin of American Airlines flight 1264. The aircraft ...

Dean's A-List Interviews: Jason Schwartzman working with longtime friend, Wes Anderson in 'Asteroid City'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

Dean sits down Wes Anderson regular, Jason Schwartzman on his role in the new film 'Asteroid City.' Schwartzman has appeared in eight Wes Anderson films starting in 1998 and he sat down with Dean to talk about working with his long-time friend. Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

Tesla may replace H-E-B in shopping center, filings indicate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) -- Tesla Inc. looks to be moving into an aging shopping center in Southwest Austin.The electric car manufacturer is planning a nearly 65,000-square-foot facility at 7010 W. State Highway 71, according to a June 12 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. That would be in the Kimco Realty Corp.-owned Center of the Hills, right next to the intersection known as "the Y," where SH 71 splits from U.S. Route 290.It's not at all clear what Tesla (Nasdaq: TSLA) might do with the facility — whether it intends to use it as a new showroom for its cars, or even as a warehouse, since it has an EV plant located about 20 miles away.Read the full story on Austin Business Journal.

Troy woman arrested on trespassing charge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Troy woman has been arrested for trespassing, according to state police. Jessica Wise, 34, is facing multiple charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On June 16 at 10:24 p.m., troopers responded to a residence in Brunswick for the report of a trespass in an occupied home. The investigation determined that Wise reportedly entered the home of a person unknown to her without permission and used the shower. The homeowner then contacted police, and upon their arrival, troopers found Wise still inside the bathroom and arrested her. No property was damaged, and no one was injured during the incident. DMV launches second phase of new inspection sticker rollout Police say that while being taken into custody, Wise was found to be in possession of a smoking device containing drug residue. Wise was charged with second-degree criminal trespass and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substa...

Things to do in the Capital Region this weekend: June 23-25

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:12 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The weekend is almost here! From the Renaissance Black Film Festival to the Saratoga Jazz Festival to New York Free Fishing Days, there are quite a few things happening on June 23, 24, and 25. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Here are some of the events going on around the Capital Region this weekend.Friday, June 23Renaissance Black Film Festival, The Palace Theatre and Renaissance Hotel in Albany, starts at 10 a.m. You can still buy both weekend and day passes on the Ticketmaster website.The Neil Diamond Experience, The Egg in Albany, 8 p.m. You can buy tickets on The Egg website.Pride Night Out, downtown Troy, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.Broken Arrow: The Music of Neil Young, Cohoes Music Hall, 8 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Cohoes Music Hall website.Tri-City ValleyCats vs. Ottawa Titans, Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy, 6:30 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Tri-City ValleyCats website.Capital Region APA ...