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Frequent shootings put US mass killings on a record pace

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The U.S. is setting a record pace for mass killings in 2023, replaying the horror on a loop roughly once a week so far this year.The carnage has taken 88 lives in 17 mass killings over 111 days. Each time, the killers wielded firearms. Only 2009 was marked by as many such tragedies in the same period of time.Children at a Nashville grade school, gunned down on an ordinary Monday. Farmworkers in Northern California, sprayed with bullets over a workplace grudge. Dancers at a ballroom outside Los Angeles, massacred as they celebrated the Lunar New Year.In just the last week, four partygoers were slain and 32 injured in Dadeville, Alabama, when bullets rained down on a Sweet 16 celebration. And a man just released from prison fatally shot four people, including his parents, in Bowdoin, Maine, before opening fire on motorists traveling a busy interstate highway. “Nobody should be shocked,” said Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was one of 17 people kill...

Norwegian sovereign wealth fund to support Teck Resources plan to split business

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

VANCOUVER — Norway’s sovereign wealth fund will vote to support Teck Resources Ltd.’s plan to split the company’s metals and steelmaking coal businesses into two separate companies at a key shareholder meeting next week. The decision comes as Teck works to secure support for its plan over an unsolicited takeover proposal by Swiss company Glencore, which is urging shareholders to reject the company’s proposal in favour of its offer to acquire the company.Glencore has said it cannot pursue its bid if Teck’s plan to separate its businesses goes ahead since it would add significant complexity to the deal. Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, published its voting intentions as part of its routine disclosures on its website. It held a roughly 1.5 per cent stake in the Canadian mining company as of the end of 2022.The United Steelworkers (USW), the union which represents over 4,000 Teck employees in B....

NFL suspends 5 players for violating gambling policy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL suspended five players for violating the league’s gambling policy on Friday.Detroit Lions wide receiver Quintez Cephus and safety C.J. Moore and Washington Commanders defensive end Shaka Toney were suspended indefinitely, while Lions wide receivers Stanley Berryhill and Jameson Williams were suspended six games.Cephus, Moore and Toney are suspended indefinitely through at least the conclusion of the 2023 season for betting on NFL games in the 2022 season, and may petition for reinstatement at the conclusion of the 2023 season.Berryhill and Williams were suspended for betting from an NFL facility on non-NFL games. They are eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason activities, including preseason games., and their suspensions will take effect at the final roster cutdown. The Lions released Cephus and Moore on Friday. Detroit Lions executive vice president and general manager Brad Holmes said in a statement that the players “exhibited decision makin...

Police say woman assaulted parking enforcement officer in downtown Toronto

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

Toronto police have charged a 58-year-old woman after an alleged assault on a parking enforcement officer last week in the city’s downtown core. Officers were called to the Baldwin and Beverley Streets area on Wednesday, April 12 at around 11:13 a.m. Police say the officer spotted a vehicle that was double parked and advised the driver to move the vehicle. When that apparently didn’t happen in a timely fashion, the officer began issuing a parking violation ticket. That’s when a person came out of a nearby home, approached and allegedly pushed the officer.“The driver also exited the vehicle and the two individuals began to verbally abuse the officer while following him,” police said in a release on Friday. Ever Nyakachanga, 58, has been charged with assaulting a peace or public officer and is scheduled to appear in court on June 1.

Tech and industrial stocks help lift S&P/TSX composite, U.S. stock markets lower

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

TORONTO — Strength in technology and industrial stocks helped Canada’s main stock index creep higher in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets fell on the final day of trading for the week.The S&P/TSX composite index was up 4.33 points at 20,635.02.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 54.51 points at 33,732.11. The S&P 500 index was down 4.48 points at 4,125.31, while the Nasdaq composite was down 9.84 points at 12,049.72.The Canadian dollar traded for 73.88 cents US compared with 74.24 cents US on Thursday.The June crude contract was up 43 cents at US$77.80 per barrel and the June natural gas contract was down three cents at US$2.40 per mmBTU.The June gold contract was down US$30.00 at US$1,989.10 an ounce and the May copper contract was down four cents at US$3.99 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD=X)The Canadian Press

Austin: US troops ready to support possible Sudan evacuation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) — Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Friday that the American military has deployed forces and is developing options to assist in the potential evacuation of U.S. Embassy personnel from Sudan, where the security situation is deteriorating due to fighting between two warring factions.The aim is “to ensure that we provide as many options as possible, if we are called on to do something. We haven’t been called on to do anything yet,” Austin said at a news conference in Germany, where he and U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, met with defense leaders from other countries to discuss additional support for Ukraine. According to an American official, a small number of U.S. troops have begun arriving in the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, where the U.S. is pre-positioning forces and equipment to assist in any potential evacuation of embassy staff from Sudan. The official said Army soldiers are being tapped for the task.The ...

Russian dad convicted in antiwar case keeps parental rights

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Russian court has dropped the authorities’ lawsuit to restrict the parental rights of a single father convicted of discrediting the army and sentenced to prison following his daughter’s antiwar sketch at school, a prominent rights group involved in the case said Friday.Child services officials earlier this week had announced they would withdraw the lawsuit to restrict the parental rights of Alexei Moskalyov and Olga Sitchikhina, the separated parents of 13-year-old Maria whose antiwar drawing set in motion a swift and ruthless crackdown against her father.OVD-Info, a prominent rights group involved in the case, reported Friday that the court in Moskalyov’s hometown of Yefremov has dropped the lawsuit, citing his lawyer, Vladimir Biliyenko. Biliyenko called it an important moral victory, the group said, and thanked “all caring people who worried about this family.”Moskalyov, 54, was convicted of discrediting the army and sentenced to two years in priso...

Iowa may limit gender identity, sexual orientation teachings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers have passed a sweeping education bill limiting instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation, requiring school administrators to notify parents if a student asks to use a new name or pronouns, and removing books depicting sex acts.The Senate approved the bill Wednesday night and the House passed it Thursday, the Des Moines Register reported. It now goes to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds for her signature.“Parents are the ultimate decisionmakers for their children. This legislation defines parents’ rights in law, requires transparency, and sets boundaries to protect Iowa’s children from woke indoctrination,” Reynolds said in an emailed statement to the Register. “I will always fight for Iowa’s parents as they know what is best for their children.”Instruction related to gender identity or sexual orientation is banned in kindergarten through sixth grade. That provision, along with the requirement to notify parents if a student asks the schoo...

Chicago police detail safety plans after last weekend's violence in Loop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police will take new steps to prevent a recurrence of last weekend's violence on the streets of the city's Loop.The weather is anticipated to be much colder this weekend with highs in the 40s compared to last weekend's 80s. But police are preparing for a possibility of more teen takeovers.2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins says CPD command staff plan to put captains and lieutenants, who have more experience dealing with volatile crowds, on the streets to lead rookies. Prisoner transport vans will be stationed at various locations to act as a deterrent. ‘We’re so scared right now’: Indiana couple caught in downtown Chicago violence Two teens were shot and 15 people were arrested Saturday night in the Loop after crowds flooded the streets.At least two times, groups of teens were also seen punching, kicking and stomping on someone on the ground.Cars were damaged after reports of teens jumping on cars. Traffic was also disrupted in the area. The CTA reported servi...

Armed man fatally shot by police in Dolton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:04 GMT

DOLTON, Ill. — Dolton police officers fatally shot an armed man while responding to a domestic dispute call Friday morning. According to police, sometime before 5:30 a.m., officers were called to a home in the 600 block of E. 144th St. Moments earlier, a woman called the police in fear for her safety, police added. GoFundMe created for teacher hospitalized in Jefferson Park hit-and-run Arriving Dolton officers located the man, with officers in full uniform identifying themselves. According to police, officers asked the armed man to drop his weapon multiple times but after his continued refusal, the man was shot. The officers involved had working body cameras, police added. It is unknown at this time if the male suspect fired any shots. SEE ALSO: DePaul student journalists say university employees got rid of papers covering budget woesDolton Police Department has asked the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations to investigate an officer-involved shooting.A WGN N...