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Slew of transport issues face new minister Pablo Rodriguez

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

Pablo Rodriguez has been sworn in as Canada’s new transport minister, taking the baton on a raft of turbulent issues as the aviation sector emerges from a period of crisis.Leaving his spot atop the Heritage Department, Rodriguez takes over from Omar Alghabra, who assumed the cabinet post in January 2021 while the pandemic pummelled the travel industry.Alghabra steered the government through negotiations with airlines on financial aid, COVID-19 testing at airports and a new passenger rights charter.But with the traveller complaint backlog at a record high topping 52,000, both advocates and airlines continue to find fault with parts of the overhauled regime, even as other issues demand attention.Rodriguez will take over on topline items including nascent plans for a high-frequency railway between Toronto and Quebec City, ongoing supply chain hitches and infrastructure vulnerable to natural disasters amid increasingly extreme weather.Alghabra announced his decision Tuesday not to...

6 days after fuel spill reported, most in Tennessee city still can’t drink the tap water

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — It’s been six days since residents of a Tennessee city were told that diesel fuel spilled into a local reservoir, and most of them still can’t drink their tap water.Many of the 40,000 people who live and work in the Memphis suburb of Germantown remained under an order Wednesday to avoid using water for everything except flushing toilets. They can’t drink or boil tap water, or use it for showering or bathing. Officials advised using bottled water for personal use and the city has been distributing bottled water since Friday. It was not immediately clear when tap water would be deemed safe for use. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation wants to see water samples come back clear of diesel before the advisory is lifted, spokesperson Eric Ward said in an email Wednesday. There have been no reports from officials about people getting sick. The city first told residents on July 20 that a diesel fuel spill at a treatment plant taint...

Whistleblower tells Congress the US is concealing ‘multi-decade’ program that captures UFOs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects, a former Air Force intelligence officer testified Wednesday to Congress. The Pentagon has denied his claims.Retired Maj. David Grusch’s highly anticipated testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee was Congress’ latest foray into the world of UAPs — or “unidentified aerial phenomena,” which is the official term the U.S. government uses instead of UFOs. While the study of mysterious aircraft or objects often evokes talk of aliens and “little green men,” Democrats and Republicans in recent years have pushed for more research as a national security matter due to concerns that sightings observed by pilots may be tied to U.S. adversaries.Grusch said he was asked in 2019 by the head of a government task force on UAPs to identify all highly classified programs relating to the task force’s mission. At the time, Grusch was detailed to ...

African leaders condemn coup attempt against Niger’s president after his home is surrounded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Governing bodies in Africa condemned what they characterized as a coup attempt Wednesday against Niger’s president, whose official Twitter account reported that elements of the presidential guard engaged in an “anti-Republican demonstration” and tried to obtain the support of other security forces. The tweet from the administration of President Mohamed Bazoum did not refer to a coup, and the part of that referred to the demonstration later was deleted. But it said the president and his family were doing well, and Niger’s army and national guard “are ready to attack” if those involved in the protest did not back down. However, the commissions of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States called the actions of the presidential guardsman an effort to unseat Bazoum, who was elected president two years ago in Niger’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since its independence from France in 1960. The ECOWAS Commission, whi...

Store owner charged with murder in Black teen’s killing fights warrant over business records

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A lawyer for a store owner in South Carolina facing a murder charge after police said he chased and shot a Black 14-year-old who he had falsely accused of stealing water has asked a judge to stop a search warrant for his business records.Cyrus Carmack-Belton was fatally shot in the back on May 28, a killing that sent waves of anguish and grief through the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black. A gun was found near Carmack-Belton’s body, but investigators have said there is no evidence that the teen ever directed the firearm at Rick Chow or his son, who together had pursued Carmack-Belton on a chase that stretched more than 500 feet (152 meters) past their family’s Xpress Mart Shell station in Columbia.A prosecutor on Monday said investigators need to search computers and other electronics from Chow and his family to find the store’s employee manual and other documents that could potentially re...

Missouri school board that voted to drop anti-racism resolution might consider a revised version

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The president of the Missouri school board that voted to revoke its anti-racism resolution now says the resolution could be kept, but revised.The Francis Howell School Board in 2020 adopted a resolution against racism at the height of the national reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Control of the board flipped over the past two years, with conservatives winning elections, and it voted 5-2 last week to let the resolution expire.But in a Facebook post Tuesday, board President Adam Bertrand said that although support for the 2020 resolution as written is unlikely, “there may be support of a rewrite or modification.” Bertrand said member Mark Ponder will seek input from other board members and the community, “to move towards a draft that he feels the majority of the current board feels the community could support.”Messages left Wednesday with Bertrand and Ponder were not immediately returned.Zebrina Looney, pres...

‘It’s a community service’: Home bike repair shop at risk of being shut down

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

It’s another day at work for Ryan Richter, who repairs bicycles for people who live near the Scarborough Co-op housing complex he calls home. The shop is small, occupying a portion of his backyard patio. His customer base is made up of people who say they cannot afford repairs at more traditional brick-and-mortar shops. “The people I serve come from homeless shelters, group homes. Many are disabled and on fixed incomes,” Richter said. One of those customers is Jay Alexander, who has a disability but is still able to ride a bicycle, which he calls his lifeline. “This is the only way I can afford to get around,” he said. Until he met Richter, he struggled to pay for repairs and maintenance. “I go to another shop it costs me $150. I go to this guy it’s $10 to $25, which is a significant drop.” But that savings and convenience may not last long. Richter has been notified by his complex that his business is a violation of its rules. Not to mention, it also violates Toronto’s zoning byla...

Maple Leafs goalie Matt Murray out indefinitely, placed on long-term injured reserve

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced goaltender Matt Murray is out indefinitely and will be placed on long-term injured reserve ahead of the 2023-24 season.The Maple Leafs announced today that goaltender Matt Murray is out indefinitely and will be placed on Injured Reserve/Long Term Injury prior to the start of the season.— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) July 26, 2023The team traded for Murray ahead of last season and opened the year with the 29-year-old and Ilya Samsonov as a starting tandem. Samsonov eventually took over the majority of starts in net by mid-season and started for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs.Murray had an injury-prone debut season with the Leafs, only starting 24 games and finishing with a .903 save percentage and 3.01 goals against average.Joseph Woll started two games in place of an injured Samsonov in Toronto’s second-round playoff series loss to the Florida Panthers last season, with Murray settling in as the backup.The two-time Stanley Cup winning Murray sign...

Suburban man accused of arson in employer's lot for wanting explanation on firing

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. — A suburban man was arrested after allegedly setting fires in his employer's parking lot in an attempt to get a further explanation on his termination.On Tuesday at around 11:50 p.m., Lake County Sheriff's deputies responded to a fire at an automotive business in the 25500 block of Route 173 in unincorporated Antioch. A 911 caller told authorities it appeared a person was intentionally starting fires in the parking lot.At the scene, deputies located Jonathan Tracy, 31, of Fox Grove, after he allegedly set fire to a motorcycle parked outside of the business.Police said Tracy appeared irate and was shouting that he wanted to speak to his former boss. It was determined Tracey was fired from the business earlier in the day. Police believe Tracy allegedly began setting fire to items in the parking lot in an attempt to lure his former boss outside. Video shows crop dusting plane nearly clipping semi-truck in Northwest Indiana Tracy told police he wanted a further expl...

Bears TE Cole Kmet is getting a contract extension, reports say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:12:59 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — It looks like a native of the Chicago area is going to play for his hometown team for a few more years.Per numerous reports, the first from Adam Schefter and Field Yates of ESPN, tight end Cole Kmet and the Bears have reached an agreement on a four-year, $50 million contract extension.The team has yet to confirm the move. This comes as the Lake Barrington native and former St. Viator High School standout was approaching the final year of his rookie contract he signed in 2020, when the Bears selected him in the second round out of Notre Dame. This represents the first contract extension that has been given out by new general manager Ryan Poles. Check back with WGNTV.com for more on this story.