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Barrie council to vote on motion advocates warn would create barriers for homeless

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

The southern Ontario city of Barrie was set to vote Wednesday night on whether to prevent the distribution of food, tents and other items to homeless individuals on public property – a proposal heavily criticized by the federal housing advocate. The city north of Toronto passed a motion last month directing staff to investigate and take action on several initiatives aimed at addressing what it called the “chronic homeless situation” in Barrie. The city wrote on its website that part of that motion included proposed changes to bylaws to ban the distribution of food and grocery items in public spaces, and prohibit the use and distribution of tents or tarps on public land, including parks.“The bylaw provisions only apply to distributing from city property,” it wrote. “Organizations would be able to continue their food outreach programs on their own property or any property in the community not owned by the city where permission for such distribution to occ...

Faint hope as ‘banging’ noise detected in deepsea search for sub near Titanic

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

HALIFAX — Underwater noises described as “banging” have been heard in an area of the Atlantic where a submersible disappeared three days ago near the wreck of the Titanic, search officials confirmed Wednesday.However, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jamie Frederick cautioned that analysis of the sound by naval acoustics experts has so far proved inconclusive.“We don’t know what they are, to be frank with you,” Frederick told reporters in Boston.The noise, which was detected by a Canadian Aurora military patrol aircraft early Wednesday, was giving added impetus to the desperate search for five people aboard the 6.4-metre vessel named Titan.Frederick said the search was continuing in the area where the noises were detected. “It’s my understanding that the (Aurora) heard some noises today as well,” he added.Carl Hartsfield, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, said there have been multiple reports of noises from the search area.“Every one of those noises is being analyz...

Biden’s 3 Federal Reserve nominees appear likely to win Senate approval

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s three nominees for the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors pledged to fight inflation during a confirmation hearing Wednesday that drew only modest pushback from Republican members of the Senate Banking Committee. Last month, Biden nominated Adriana Kugler, a Georgetown University economist, to serve as a Fed governor, a position that would make her the first Latina to serve on the board in the Fed’s 110-year history.He also nominated Philip Jefferson, who joined the board last year, for the spot of vice chair, which was vacated by Lael Brainard when she became a top economic adviser to Biden. Jefferson, who was a top administrator at Davidson College before being nominated by Biden, holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia.Also in May, Biden nominated Lisa Cook to serve a full 14-year term on the board. Cook joined the board last year along with Jefferson, but only to serve out the final year of her predec...

Bloc leader optimistic Trudeau will call public inquiry into foreign interference

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government appeared to be on the verge of calling a public inquiry on foreign interference Wednesday after months of resisting calls from the opposition to do so.The Liberals were nearing the end of talks with opposition parties to negotiate a deal that would see the Liberals agree to call a public inquiry and be able to get through some bills they want passed before the House of Commons rises for the summer.Government House leader Mark Holland would say only that talks with the Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Québécois leader were ongoing and productive.“Look, I’m not going to get into the details of the of the conversations at this point,” he said, following the Liberal caucus meeting on Parliament Hill. “They are ongoing and it’s important for those conversations to to continue to move.”However, Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Wednesday morning that an agreement on the inquiry could be reached within hours.Blanchet sugg...

Canada Bread to pay $50 million fine for role in bread price-fixing scandal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

TORONTO — Canada Bread Co. has been fined $50 million after pleading guilty to its role in a criminal price-fixing scheme that inflated the wholesale price of bread in Canada.The Competition Bureau of Canada says it is the highest price-fixing fine ever imposed by a Canadian court.It says Canada Bread, a subsidiary of Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, pleaded guilty to four counts of price-fixing under the Competition Act. The Competition Bureau says the bread maker admitted that it arranged with its competitor, Weston Foods (Canada) Inc., to increase prices for various bagged and sliced bread products, such as sandwich bread, hotdog buns and rolls. The price-fixing resulted in two price increases, one in 2007 and another in 2011.At the time of the price-fixing arrangement, Canada Bread was under the ownership of Maple Leaf Foods, and Grupo Bimbo says it’s considering “all legal options against those responsible.”This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2...

Ottawa releases action plan to implement UNDRIP, despite calls for more consultation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government has released its action plan on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.Its release coincides with the country marking today as National Indigenous Peoples Day, and follows feedback it received on a draft of the plan in April. The government had presented its draft to chiefs gathered for a meeting of the Assembly of First Nations, which formally called on Ottawa to do more consultations. Justice Minister David Lametti said in April that he knew the draft was not perfect and there was a lot of room for improvement. The Liberal government says the plan contains 131 measures it plans to take to uphold the advance the rights of First Nations, Inuit and Metis people. The government had passed a law in 2021 requiring it return to Parliament with an implementation plan by June. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023. The Canadian Press

Zimbabwe’s president, opposition leader and exiled ex-minister all seek to run in August election

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s president, the country’s main opposition leader and a former ruling party stalwart exiled following a coup are all seeking to run in the presidential election scheduled for August. The three registered to run on Wednesday and the national electoral agency is to announce the final list of confirmed candidates.The Aug. 23 vote is expected to be another closely watched affair in a country with a history of violent and disputed elections. Along with the presidential election, Zimbabweans will also vote to decide the makeup of the 350-seat parliament and close to 2,000 local council positions on the same date. If no presidential candidate wins a clear majority in the first round, a runoff will be held on Oct. 2. President Emmerson Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF party is seeking what would be the 80-year-old’s final five-year term. He is expected to be closely challenged by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, whom he narrowly beat in a dispute...

Chicago woman charged with stealing mail from several condos in Niles

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

NILES, Ill. — A 32-year-old woman from Chicago is facing charges for stealing mail from several mailboxes inside a condominium complex in Niles.Christina Bray is charged with three counts of burglary, which is a Class 3 Felony.According to police, the incident occurred on May 23 between 5:30 and 6 a.m. Bray used a key to gain access to three buildings in a condo complex in the 7000 block of Touhy Avenue.Police said she then opened several banks of mailboxes in the building lobbies and stole an unknown amount of mail.Niles detectives identified Bray through video surveillance and she was taken into custody Tuesday by US Postal Inspectors and Chicago police officers for a separate case.During an interview with Niles detectives, Bray admitted to committing the condo burglaries. She is scheduled to appear in bond court Wednesday.

24 hurt after explosion rips through Paris building

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A strong explosion hit a building in Paris' Left Bank on Wednesday, leaving 24 injured and igniting a fire that sent smoke soaring over city monuments and prompted the evacuation of surrounding buildings, police said. The cause of the blast was not immediately known.The facade of a building in the 5th arrondissement, or district, collapsed, and emergency services were working to determine if anyone was still inside, a Paris police official said. The explosion happened near the historic Val de Grace military hospital.Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said the building where the explosion occurred was a private school, the Paris American Academy, which was founded in 1965 and offers teaching in fashion design, interior design, fine arts and creative writing.The fire was contained but not yet extinguished. Some 270 firefighters were involved in putting out the flames and 70 emergency vehicles were on the scene.A Paris police official told The Associated Press that 24 people...

Grade school program offers insight into nuclear medicine career

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 15:04:14 GMT

CHICAGO — High schoolers dreaming of a career in nuclear medicine have a rare opportunity this weekend. Professionals will be on hand at a daylong career interest program, providing information on education requirements, scholarships, career guidance and support for becoming technologists. Attendees will learn about personalized, precision medicine, including guiding patients through MRI, PET, CT and X-ray scans or joining pharmacy staff. More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch Students will also have a chance to win a Nintendo Switch and Amazon gift cards. The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging is hosting the program from noon to 5 p.m. at McCormick Place on Saturday, June 24.For more information, log onto snmmi.org and search 'NM careers.' Sign up for our Medical Watch newsletter. This daily update includes important information from WGN's Dina Bair and the Med Watch team including latest updates from health organizations, in-depth reporting on advancements in medical ...