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Atlanta police: Motorcycle fires started by ‘anarchists’ aimed at stopping new training center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A fire that destroyed eight Atlanta Police Department motorcycles was among several acts of vandalism in recent days by a group of “anarchists” aimed at stopping construction of a new public safety training center, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Wednesday.Schierbaum spoke at a news conference with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent In Charge Ben Gibbons. The bureau, along with the FBI, is helping investigate the vandalism. Homemade “incendiary devices” caused a fire early Saturday at Atlanta police’s current training center that destroyed the motorcycles, Dickens said. An hour earlier, vandals had smashed the windows of police vehicles at another location. Authorities believe those involved intended to set those vehicles on fire as well but were spotted by a bystander. “Collectively, these have been some of the most significant attacks on public safety in our city and in our nation ...

Child seriously injured after being struck by vehicle in west end

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

A child has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Toronto’s west end Junction neighbourhood.The victim is reportedly a girl under the age of 10.Emergency crews were called to the scene at High Park Avenue and Dundas Street West at around 4:40 p.m. on Wednesday.Police say roads in the area are being closed for an investigation and advise motorists to find alternative routes.The driver remained on the scene, but there’s no word yet on possible charges.More to come

Movie Review: ‘The Lesson’ provides a spicy literary thriller

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

The egos are as vast and thorny as the gardens on the lush estate of a prominent author in “ The Lesson,” an entertaining and erudite chamber piece about a master, a tutor and a family after loss.This is a story that, in different hands, could have easily turned maudlin or melodramatic, but director Alice Troughton, writer Alex MacKeith and composer Isobel Waller-Bridge opted instead for wry lightness within the construct of a slow-burn thriller. It’s as though “The Lesson,” and everyone involved, is winking at the audience through the serious material that lingers, intentionally, on the fine line between pretentious and provocative. Daryl McCormack, of “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” and “Bad Sisters,” plays Liam Sommers, an aspiring writer who has accepted a job tutoring the son of world-famous author J.M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant), who also happens to be his literary idol. But the film begins with Liam on a fancy stage, being interviewed about his novel about a fading patriarch ...

RCMP officer says he forgot to record B.C. murder suspect’s arrest after car crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

VANCOUVER — The police officer who arrested a man accused of murdering a 13-year-old girl found dead in a Burnaby, B.C., park six years ago says no recording of the arrest exists because he forgot to switch on his recorder when a police car crashed into another vehicle at the scene Burnaby RCMP Const. Jason Cutler told a B.C. Supreme Court jury that Ibrahim Ali was “co-operative and well behaved” when he was apprehended during the co-ordinated traffic stop on Sept. 7, 2018.Cutler said he and Const. Bryce Sinclair were tasked by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team with arresting Ali.He said a “safe traffic stop” was performed but another police car collided with a civilian car before the arrest, causing him to forget to start recording, although he had placed the recorder in his vest.The body of the girl, who cannot be identified under the terms of a publication ban, was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017, just hours after her mother rep...

How did the federal government and Meta reach an impasse over the Online News Act?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

Tensions between Ottawa and tech giants further escalated on Wednesday over Canada’s recently passed Online News Act. The new law, also known as Bill C-18, will require tech giants pay media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms, drawing the ire of Google and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.Here’s how the situation reached this point.What happened on Wednesday?Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced the federal government will stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram after Meta promised to block Canadian news content on its platforms in response to the legislation.Rodriguez blasted Meta for refusing to negotiate with the federal government, calling the company’s decision “unreasonable” and “irresponsible.” He said Ottawa spends about $10 million in advertisements on its platforms per year, which will be reinvested in other ad campaigns.Earlier in the day, news and telecommunications...

Quebec offers $50 million to businesses affected by unprecedented wildfire season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebec has announced $50 million in support for businesses hit by unprecedented wildfires that have been raging for several weeks in different regions of the province.The measures announced Wednesday target loggers, sawmills, paper mills, outfitters, tourism operators and other affected local businesses. The assistance will be a loan or loan guarantee and will be administered by the regional municipality or the provincial government’s investment corporation, depending on the amount needed.According to the province’s forest fire prevention agency, known as SOPFEU, there were 135 fires burning across the province on Wednesday, including 69 in the “intensive protection zone” where it systematically fights all fires.Three of those fires in northern Quebec are considered out of control near the towns of Chibougamau and Lebel-sur-Quévillon.The other fires are in what the agency calls its northern zone, where authorities only fight blazes if infrastructur...

S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points Wednesday, U.S. markets also fall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was down more than 100 points Wednesday amid broad-based weakness, while U.S. stock markets also slumped. It’s been a quiet week to start the quarter as investors await payroll data on Friday and the start to earnings season in the U.S. next week, said Greg Taylor, chief investment officer at Purpose Investments. Nevertheless, some concerning economic data out of China and more hawkish messaging from the Federal Reserve weighed on markets Wednesday, he said. Caution is “the tone of the day,” said Taylor. The S&P/TSX composite index was down 100.98 points at 20,103.89.In New York, where stock markets were closed on Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 129.83 points at 34,288.64. The S&P 500 index was down 8.77 points at 4,446.82, while the Nasdaq composite was down 25.12 points at 13,791.65.Minutes from the U.S. central bank’s last meeting showed growing divisions among policymakers, with some pushing for another hike ev...

Strike could cost $250 million per week, experts say, with consumers taking a hit too

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

The B.C. port workers strike could cost companies hundreds of millions of dollars per week, experts and business groups say, with smaller operators and consumers feeling the biggest pinch.Industry organizations say the job action by 7,400 waterfront employees that began Saturday will back up shipments, deplete inventories and boost prices on goods in shorter supply.The economic toll will amount to at least $250 million per week, said Werner Antweiler, chair in international trade policy at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.“The first week or two, businesses are usually able to bridge quite fine. It gets increasingly worse after that, as some businesses will run out of inventory and cannot replenish it easily,” he said.Companies face the choice of riding out the strike by drawing on existing inventory and holding on to exports that cannot be shipped — resulting in lost sales and storage costs, respectively — or finding alternate routes for the...

Skilling: Thunderstorms, possible hail Wednesday night

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

Sunny start to Wednesday with hot and humid weather and building clouds. An Air Quality Alert is in place for Chicagoland. High near 90, 80s lakeside.Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely in the afternoon. The biggest threats look to be heavy downpours and strong winds in localized spots. SW 10-15 mph/gusty. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Wednesday night will see scattered showers and thunderstorms tapering off overnight. Low 67Thursday will be mostly cloudy and a few showers with some afternoon clearing. High 74Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog Extended outlook delivers more sunshine for Friday with highs getting to near 80. Pleasant on Saturday with highs near 80. Increasing late-day clouds and a chance of showers/t'storms late that last into some showers on Sunday. TONIGHT: Clusters of thunderstorms—the heaviest capsble of downpours, gusty winds----and some with hail. Storms thin out past 10pm.  Then clouds linger,...

Luis Robert Jr. will have another event at the All-Star Game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:05:21 GMT

CHICAGO — It looks like the White Sox representative for the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is going to have a little extra duty in Seattle next week. That's because outfielder Luis Robert Jr. is going to get to show off his power against some of the best long ball hitters in the league. On Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced that the outfielder will take part in the 2023 Home Run Derby, which will take place at T-Mobile Park on Monday, July 10. On Sunday, Robert was named an American League All-Star for the first time in his career as the White Sox lone representative. As of Wednesday, he'll be in the competition with the following players.Mets first baseman Pete AlonzoRays outfielder Randy ArozarenaDodgers outfielder Mookie BettsBlue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.Mariners outfielder Julio RodriguezOrioles catcher Adley RutschmanRobert will become the sixth player in White Sox history to take part in the home run derby, joining Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas,...