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‘Astronomical costs’: N.W.T. politicians to discuss next steps in wildfire crisis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Wildfires threatening communities in the Northwest Territories were kept at bay Wednesday as politicians continued grappling with “astronomical” costs of fighting the blazes and how to eventually get people home.The N.W.T. government said in its wildfire update that fires encroaching on the capital of Yellowknife, along with the communities of Hay River and Fort Smith, remained a threat but had not moved closer.Fires were within 15 kilometres of Yellowknife, within eight kilometres of the hub city of Hay River and four kilometres from Fort Smith on the Alberta boundary.Crews continued to water bomb the fires and dig barriers down to the forest’s dirt floor to rob the fires of fuel.There were 237 active fires menacing the region. More than two-thirds of the 45,000-plus residents who call the N.W.T. home are living in evacuation centres and hotels as far as Calgary and Winnipeg. They left by plane or by driving hundreds kilometres to safety.The 20,000 residents of Yellow...

S&P/TSX composite up almost 200 points, U.S. stock markets also climb higher

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

TORONTO — Technology stocks helped lead a broad-based rally, bringing Canada’s main stock index up almost 200 points Wednesday, while U.S. stock markets also climbed.Bond yields moved lower Wednesday, easing pressure on equities after a string of increases recently sent the 10-year Treasury yield to its highest level since 2007. The move in yields provided some relief to big tech and other growth-oriented sectors of the market Wednesday, said Angelo Kourkafas, an investment strategist at Edward Jones. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 188.58 points at 19,879.79.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 184.15 points at 34,472.98. The S&P 500 index was up 48.46 points at 4,436.01,while the Nasdaq composite was up 215.16 points at 13,721.03.“I think today is probably a case of bad news is interpreted as good news,” said Kourkafas. The bad news in question is some weaker data on business activity in the U.S. and Europe, he said. A preliminary reading of U.S. s...

Ohio attorney general rejects language for amendment aimed at reforming troubled political mapmaking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office rejected petition language Wednesday for a constitutional amendment aimed at remaking the state’s troubled system for drawing political maps, determining that it failed to present a fair and truthful summary of what is proposed. In announcing the determination, Republican Dave Yost’s office said, “The decision underscores the importance of precise, comprehensive and unbiased summaries to enable voters to make informed decisions.” The group Citizens Not Politicians, which includes two former Ohio Supreme Court justices, aims to place the proposal on next year’s fall ballot. Spokesman Chris Davey said rejections are not unusual in a proposed amendment’s early stages. “We believe our summary was accurate,” he said in a statement. “But we will review the Attorney General’s guidance, will make necessary adjustments and will collect new signatures with our broad, statewide, nonpartisan coalition of part...

Over 50 organizations show solidarity with York-South Weston rent strikes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

Almost three months into a rent strike, more than 50 food banks, faith and community organizations have announced their support for the tenants of 33 King Street and 22 John Street in the York South-Weston neighbourhood.Residents of 33 King have withheld rent from their landlord, Dream Unlimited, since June 1. Some tenants at the neighbouring building at 22 John stopped paying rent on July 1.They cited mismanagement by the corporate landlord and increases they say are three times higher than the buildings’ rent control guidelines.The organizations have released an open letter of community solidarity, saying they have seen the impact of excessive rent increases in the building. They are urging Dream to come to a fair agreement with the York South-Weston Tenant Union.The Weston King Neighbourhood Centre, which is among the organizations, said they declined a donation from Dream’s Community Foundation in solidarity with the tenants on rent strike.“It’s not helpful whe...

Driver of minivan facing charge in Ohio school bus crash that killed 1 student, hurt 23

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ohio (AP) — The driver of a minivan involved in a crash with an Ohio school bus that left one student dead and more than a score of others injured is now facing a criminal charge.According to Clark County Municipal Court records, 35-year-old Hermanio Joseph of Springfield is charged with fourth-degree vehicular homicide, a felony. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said 52 children from Northwestern Local Schools and a driver were on the bus shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday when an oncoming minivan veered into its path on Route 41 in Lawrenceville. Trooper Tyler Ross said the bus veered onto the shoulder but was unable to avoid a collision and overturned. One student ejected from the bus was pronounced dead at the scene. Twenty-three children were taken to hospitals by emergency medical personnel and others, including parents. One seriously injured student was taken to Children’s Hospital, while the injuries of the other 22 children were described non-life-threatening.Jo...

Argentina arrests dozens in looting attempts amid fear of growing violence ahead of October election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

LOMA HERMOSA; Argentina (AP) — Argentine authorities have reported a large number of arrests for lootings and attempted lootings in recent days, raising concerns about violence ahead of October presidential elections and prompting the president to appeal for calm. The arrests have prompted some business owners to prepare for the possibility that their stores could get ransacked. It also has unleashed a highly partisan exchange of blame for the spate of incidents between the president’s office and the right-wing populist candidate Javier Milei, who gained the most votes in the Aug. 13 presidential primary.Buenos Aires provincial authorities said Wednesday that 94 people had been detained in what were more than 150 looting attempts since Monday following days of isolated incidents of looting in the central Córdoba, western Mendoza and southern Neuquén provinces over the weekend.President Alberto Fernández said Wednesday that the incidents “evidently were organized” and said that it wa...

Ingebrigtsen goes down in another upset, while Warholm hurdles to gold

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Britain’s Josh Kerr pulled off the biggest upset at track and field’s world championships Wednesday, outrunning heavily favored Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway to the line for a win in the 1,500 meters.Kerr finished in 3 minutes, 29.28 seconds to join Jake Wightman as the second British runner in two years to upset Ingebrigtsen at worlds.A few minutes later, another Norwegian avoided the same fate. Olympic champion and world-record holder Karsten Warholm ran away from a stacked 400-meter hurdle field to climb back on top in that race after injuries derailed him last year. Moments after his win, he was posing with his country’s flag and wearing his Viking horns. Warholm crossed in 46.89 seconds, a full three paces and .45 seconds ahead of surprise silver medalist Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands. American Rai Benjamin finished third and defending champion Alison dos Santos of Brazil clipped the eighth and 10th hurdles and finished f...

University Park workers go unpaid

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. — It’s payday in south suburban University Park. But when village employees checked their bank accounts Wednesday they found they had been stiffed. Several told WGN Investigates that their calls to village hall, the village manager and mayor have gone unanswered.Roughly 80 employees, including police and firefighters along with public works and other village staffers, may have been impacted. One village employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said village officials fired the person in charge of payroll several days ago.“It's no coincidence that this happened on the first payday after new Village Manager Elizabeth Scott wrongfully terminated the one and only employee who maintained the village payroll,” said Anders Lindall of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Council 31 (AFSCME). More Coverage: WGN Investigates All 30 of the village’s unionized employees went unpaid, according to union reps. "AFSCME is fighti...

Pedestrian dies following weekend crash on North Lamar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN New Today's top headlines for Aug. 23, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police said a man died following a traffic collision in central Austin Saturday night.APD said at 10:57 p.m., officers responded to a crash between a vehicle and a pedestrian in the 100 block of North Lamar Boulevard. PAST COVERAGE: 1 critically injured in auto-pedestrian crash on North Lamar Police said an unidentified pedestrian was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.According to APD, the driver of the vehicle was not impaired, remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation.This incident is being investigated as Austin's 57th fatal crash of 2023, resulting in 60 fatalities for the year, according to police.The investigation into the incident remains pending as of Wednesday.

APD releases details on fatal crash that caused I-35 shutdown

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:10:51 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN New Today's top headlines for Aug. 23, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department released additional details surrounding a fatal crash that occurred Monday.APD said at approximately 6:03 a.m., officers responded to a crash in the 7400 block of North Interstate 35 where a pedestrian was hit by several vehicles and died at the scene.According to APD, the pedestrian was a man but otherwise remained unidentified. RELATED: I-35 northbound at 290 East reopens after deadly crash According to police, this incident is being investigated as Austin's fifty-eighth fatal crash of 2023.APD said the investigation into the incident was pending.Anyone with any information about this crash was asked to contact APD's Vehicular Homicide unit at 512-974-8111.Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.