Latest news with #MB
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mel B Gushes About Her Return to ‘America's Got Talent': ‘This Feels Like a Triumph'
Mel B couldn't be more excited to be back at the judges' table on America's Got Talent after a seven-year absence. 'We're pulling out all the stops,' she says of the upcoming 20th season. Her return — alongside Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel and Sofía Vergara — is an emotional one: The 49-year-old Spice Girls singer (real name: Melanie Brown) was still dealing with the fallout of a messy divorce from ex Stephen Belafonte when she stepped away in 2018, and she's done a lot of healing since then. 'In my final year on AGT, I was not in a good place,' says the mom of three (she shares Phoenix, 26, with Jimmy Gulzar, Angel, 18, with Eddie Murphy and Madison, 13, with Stephen). 'So, this feels like a triumph for me. There is hope. You can piece your life back together with the support of good people around you.' Here, she talks to Life & Style's Fortune Benatar about her wedding plans with her hairdresser fiancé Rory McPhee and the latest on a Spice Girls reunion tour. You've said you were going through a rough time toward the end of your last stint on the show. What has your healing process been like? MB: It has involved a lot of hard work. I had to resolve issues with my family — as I was isolated from them for so long — and be totally honest with myself and others. [Back then] AGT represented a safe place. I could put on a Mel B mask and enjoy myself. How are you feeling now? MB: I see this current chapter in my life as a continuation of the work I've done. You don't just recover overnight. Tell us about your fellow panelists. MB: I love to play pranks with Howie. Sofía has been a revelation. She's so gorgeous, but she's also incredibly warm and really, really funny. Simon and I have known each other since he turned the Spice Girls down when we tried to get him to sign us. I love reminding him of that! You're turning 50 on May 29, 2025. Any party plans or goals for the year? MB: My goal for the year is to be happy and to do what I love, and AGT is part of that. I've made no plans, but I think there may be a little surprise in store for me! How has Rory changed your view on love? MB: Rory enabled me to trust a man and believe in kindness again. It was a slow romance, because I wasn't looking for a partner. He's a family friend — the best friend of my cousin — so he's known me and my family all his life. Tell us about your wedding. MB: We're getting married at St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where Princess Diana was married. I'm allowed to be married there because I was awarded an MBE [Member of the Order of the British Empire] by the late Queen [Elizabeth II] for my services to survivors of abuse and abused women. We've had many meetings with the dean and the bishop and have talked about the spiritual and religious importance of marriage and why we want to be married. I can promise my wedding will be a very happy day.
Globe and Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
ARTIS REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST ANNOUNCES VOTING RESULTS FROM THE 2025 ANNUAL MEETING OF UNITHOLDERS
WINNIPEG, MB, May 28, 2025 /CNW/ - Artis Real Estate Investment Trust ("Artis" or the "REIT") (TSX: announced today the results of matters voted on at its annual meeting of unitholders held on May 27, 2025 (the "Meeting").
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Duck and Run: Ducks Unlimited Canada's annual race for wetlands returns to communities across Canada
Run, walk or waddle for wetlands STONEWALL, MB, May 23, 2025 /CNW/ - Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) announces the return of its highly anticipated Duck and Run 2025, the annual race for wetland conservation. With races happening across the country on June 14, 21 and 22, Duck and Run offers lively in-person 1k and 5K fun runs for runners and walkers alike as well as a virtual challenge. Canadians from coast to coast are invited to host a race,volunteer or register for Duck and Run 2025. Participants can get started today by setting fundraising goals and sparking interest with local participants and supporters. Each step helps ensure a brighter future for Canada's wetlands. Participants can register for just $30 for adults or $15 for youth. Hosting races and setting goals Inspire your workplace or unite your community in conservation by hosting a race. DUC provides the tools to support your Duck and Run and raise awareness about wetland conservation in Canada. Race hosts can simply identify a trail, park or route and we'll provide the necessary resources for a successful event that supports conservation efforts. DUC also provides creative assets to help spread the word and assist in fundraising efforts. Why race for wetlands? Wetlands are invaluable and essential parts of the Canadian landscape. They clean our water, provide resilience from floods and fires, store carbon and provide habitat for wildlife. They are natural spaces where Canadians come together for recreation and wellness. Their health directly impacts our environment, economy, our communities and quality of life. By the numbers Wetlands are incredible ecosystems that need our help. Many have already been lost and more are destroyed every day. Lace up for Duck and Run and join us in safeguarding these vital spaces. Every step counts! Building on success Duck and Run 2025 reflects DUC's commitment to continuous improvement and growth. In addition to the growing number of participants year after year, this year's race includes a new fundraising app that will simplify fundraising and celebrate achievements. For the first time, Duck and Run will be held in the province of Québec! The Québec race will be at Grand-Héron Park in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier on June 14, 2025 at 10:00. Uniting a country of conservation champions Duck and Runs provide an opportunity for Canadians of all ages to connect with nature while supporting a vital cause. From scenic routes to the camaraderie of like-minded conservation enthusiasts, each run highlights the importance of wetlands to biodiversity, climate resilience and the communities that depend on them. Learn more and register For more information about Duck and Run 2025, including event locations, registration details and fundraising opportunities, visit Duck and Run resources Spread the word about Duck and Run with images and documents designed specifically for participants and race directors to use in social media, email and more. Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Canada DUC is grateful to Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Canada for its sponsorship and support over the past three years. Last year, Duck and Run raised over $80k to help conserve and restore Canada's precious wetlands and this year, we're on track to exceeding our goals with even more races, participants and fundraising in store. About Ducks Unlimited Canada Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) is the country's largest land conservancy and a leader in wetland conservation. A registered charity, DUC uses sound science and partners with government, industry, non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples and landowners to conserve wetlands that are critical to waterfowl, wildlife and the environment. To learn more about DUC's innovative environmental solutions and services, visit SOURCE Ducks Unlimited Canada
Globe and Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Winpak Announces Voting Results
WINNIPEG, MB , May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Winpak Ltd. (TSX: WPK) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that the nominees listed in the management proxy circular dated March 20, 2025 , were elected as directors of the Corporation at the Corporation's Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on May 15 , 2025. A total of 95.30 percent of outstanding shares were voted. Each of the directors was elected by a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present or represented by proxy at the meeting. The results of the vote are set out in the following table: 50,017,422 85.50 % 8,481,987 14.50 % Martti H. Aarnio-Wihuri 42,648,131 72.90 % 15,851,278 27.10 % Rakel J. Aarnio-Wihuri 45,827,808 78.34 % 12,671,601 21.66 % Bruce J. Berry 46,639,859 79.73 % 11,859,550 20.27 % Kenneth P. Kuchma 58,290,447 99.64 % 208,962 0.36 % Dayna Spiring 57,699,042 98.63 % 800,367 1.37 % Minna H. Yrjönmäki 44,454,425 75.99 % 14,044,984 24.01 % Final voting results on all matters voted on at the meeting are available on SEDAR at Winpak Ltd. manufactures and distributes high-quality packaging materials and related packaging machines. The Company's products are used primarily for the protection of perishable foods, beverages, and healthcare applications.
Toronto Star
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Trad-moms and natalism: how the way we talk about motherhood is changing
The way we're talking about motherhood is changing, says Miranda Brady, a professor of communication at Carleton University. Brady is the author of the recent book 'Mother Trouble: Mediations of White Maternal Angst after Second Wave Feminism,' which examines media portrayals of 'good' and 'bad' motherhood over the last 50 years through a series of case studies that include HGTV home renovation shows, the 1975 film 'Stepford Wives' and TV series 'Modern Family.' She said political discourse south of the border combined with social media 'trad-wives' and 'trad-moms,' who espouse traditional gender roles while they model motherhood, have led to a new era of natalism in which some populations are encouraged to go forth and multiply — with the role of 'mother' treated as a moral imperative. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Canadian Press spoke with Brady about how motherhood is being politicized in this moment — and what it's rooted in. CP: Where is this coming from? MB: There's a few different things at play. One is a pronatalist movement amongst people like Elon Musk and other (groups) coming out of Silicon Valley, which are concerned about demographic decline, and so they assume a kind of instrumentalist perspective on these declines which involves trying to promote procreation as much as possible. I think there's another kind of pronatalism being espoused, and coming out of the U.S., which is much more influenced by Christianity — by right-wing Christian lobbyists. CP: The Quiverfull thing. (A Christian theological belief that suggests children are a blessing from God tantamount to arrows in a quiver: the more the better.) MB: Yes, exactly. That is influenced by the same culture that produced the Duggars (of the TLC show '19 Kids And Counting'). And I think the Duggars had a big influence on this kind of prolific child-bearing amongst a right-wing conservative Christian base. In some Christian circles and cultures, in particular the Church of Latter Day Saints, prolific child-rearing has always been part of the culture. But what's happening now is it's becoming much more mainstreamed through lobbying efforts by right-wing Christians, but I think also by influencer culture. CP: Tell me about the influencers. MB: It's a lot of influencers who assume either a trad-mom esthetic and who are overtly political — they're overtly espousing political views. But in some cases, they're more so just modelling prolific child-bearing and in particular in an agrarian, bucolic setting that seems like an ideal lifestyle. Unfortunately, it's one which (only) people who have the means can assume in many cases. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW For example, Hannah Neeleman, Ballerina Farm, (a 34-year-old mother-of-eight with 10 million Instagram followers) — that kind of lifestyle is made possible by intergenerational family wealth, where their family was able to acquire a ranch and are able to live this life because they already had money to begin with. CP: How is this trad-mom lifestyle mainstreamed by old-school, established media like HGTV? MB: HGTV content esthetically matches a lot of the trad-life content we're seeing today. And even if it's not necessarily politicized, there's a similar kind of sentiment and esthetic. ...The kind of hyper-feminine esthetic where the host of an HGTV show or a trad-mom is usually conventionally heteronormative, attractive — usually with hair extensions, wearing makeup or in some cases have on a prairie dress, they're assuming kind of a homesteading esthetic. CP: Can the esthetic be separated from the political? Can you just like your prairie dresses or your milkmaid dresses and cooking for your kids, or is the politics kind of baked in? MB: A lot of people just stay at home with their kids and they don't call themselves trad-moms. It's what they do. It's their circumstances or their choice. And I do think that the trad-mom is a very highly estheticized version of this. ...Where it starts to get more moralistic is where it gets more problematic. The judgment of mothers who don't choose to stay home with their kids, those who work outside the home or those who choose not to have children. It's a decision that's very personal and in part motivated by economic circumstances. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ...During the pandemic, for example, when I was in the midst of really messy parenthood and I was trying to do my job and all the stuff, sometimes I would turn to these highly esthetic, glossy images of people who just seem to have it figured out.... Sometimes there's a real attractiveness to these kinds of esthetics, because they do create a fantasy world where everything is neat and orderly and you can check out of your problems. CP: Almost like propaganda? MB: For anybody who knows their history, it really does look a lot like propaganda. For example, Nazi German propaganda in its promotion of the agrarian setting and the duty of the mother to reproduce the nation. The visuals look very similar to what we see now in trad-mom influencer content. There's a lot of historical patterns, and for people who have studied history, this rings a lot of alarm bells for them. CP: And what about the language? MB: There are a lot of historians of natalist movements who have studied both anti- and pronatalist policies and sentiment in various countries around the world. Richard Togman, for example, wrote about this and he talked about how in some forms of natalism there's both a policy toward trying to encourage population growth among some segments of the population while simultaneously trying to discourage other segments of the population. If we look at the U.S. now, this is pretty clear with a kind of white Christian push toward encouraging reproduction through things like, for example, the executive order around in vitro citizens to have more babies. But then at the same time, there's a denial of birthright citizenship amongst other segments of the populations and mass deportation as well. So in particular Latinx populations are being targeted with an anti-natalist set of actions. CP: You called it a pattern. How far back does the pattern go? MB: It goes back further than Nazi Germany. In the U.S. in the early 20th century, there was a whole eugenics movement. There were a lot of prominent people in society, elites, who established eugenics as a way to try to grow the population in particular ways that were very ableist, excluding disabled people from society through institutionalization, and also wary of freed Black slaves, of migrant workers, of people who were generally not seen as more desirable parts of the population. And even further back than that, Margaret Andersen wrote about the French Third Republic after the Franco-Prussian War (in 1871). There were very similar patterns there, too, with a movement toward pronatalism, but also increasing expansion through colonization and the effort to colonize new colonies with French populations, but also the treatment of colonized people as not necessarily French when they migrated to the metropole to fill labour shortages. CP: What is it like to be a mom and see this facet of your identity being portrayed in this way — as a kind of moral imperative? ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW I find it incredible frustrating, because I'm a parent of two kids and one of my kids is disabled and autistic. And I find the sentiment toward women — or parents more generally — that they should just go out and have as many children as possible, unsupported, to be extremely dangerous. ...There's not enough supports for parents, but in particular mothers. So I think it's totally irresponsible to just encourage them to go out and have as many children as possible in a world where they are not supported. Looking at these highly estheticized images, it does not match my reality. — This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2025.
