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Minister launches review of B.C. port strike case to uncover ‘structural issues’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

VANCOUVER — Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan is launching an examination of the recently resolved British Columbia port dispute to see if “structural issues” in negotiations led to a 13-day work stoppage last month.In a written statement released Wednesday through social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, O’Regan said officials will immediately begin by reviewing reports on previous, similar disputes.O’Regan said the goal is to create “a harmonious working environment” between unions and employers in future collective bargaining, in order to prevent future stoppages similar to the port strike from happening.“Another dispute and disruption on that scale is still possible, and that’s not good enough,” O’Regan said in the statement. “The workers and businesses that depend on our ports deserve long-term solutions. They deserve answers.”The port labour dispute between the International Longshore...

UN says agreement to reopen crossing to Syria’s northwest will safeguard independent UN operations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The agreement the United Nations reached with Syria to reopen the main border crossing from Turkey to its rebel-held northwest for six months “safeguards” the independence of U.N. operations and allows it to provide aid to all parties, the U.N. said Wednesday.The agreement, which was announced Tuesday night, will reopen the Bab al-Hawa crossing, which had been used for 85% of deliveries to the northwest Idlib region, home to about 4.1 million people.U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the U.N. is ready to resume operations through Bab al-Hawa as soon as possible but it will take some time to get trucks moving and “I don’t expect anything to happen in the next few days.”The U.N.-Syria “understanding” on Bab al-Hawa, announced by Haq Tuesday evening, followed his announcement earlier in the day that Syria agreed to keep two other crossings to the northwest, Bab al-Salameh and al-Rai, open for three months until Nov. 13.Haq said Wednesday that Secretary-General ...

A wildfire on Maui kills at least 6 as it sweeps through historic town, forcing some into the ocean

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

KAHULUI, Hawaii (AP) — A wildfire tore through the heart of the Hawaiian island of Maui in total darkness Wednesday, reducing much of a historic town to ash and forcing people to jump into the ocean to flee the flames. At least six people died and dozens were wounded.Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames “wiped out communities,” and urged travelers to stay away. “This is not a safe place to be,” she said. The wind-driven conflagration swept into coastal Lahaina with alarming speed and ferocity, blazing through intersections and leaping across wooden buildings in the town center that dates to the 1700s and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Aerial video revealed entire blocks of homes and businesses flattened, including on Front Street, a popular shopping and dining area. Other images portray a scene of near-complete devastation. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of scorched trees. “It...

Canopy Growth sees $42M net loss in Q1 as cost reduction efforts continue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

Canopy Growth Corp. reported a $42-million net loss in its most recent quarter, which its chief executive said was spent making “significant and sweeping changes” that left the cannabis business “simplified, asset-lite” and ready to complete in the turbulent pot market.Among the changes David Klein trumpeted on a Wednesday call with analysts were a divestment of Canopy’s retail cannabis business to reduce the company’s complexity; the closure of several facilities to leave cultivation to two, purpose-built sites; and the outsourcing of production of edibles, vapes and beverages, which will help accelerate the time it takes to get items on shelves.“While we’re pleased with the significant progress already made, our work to complete the transformation of Canopy Growth is not yet done,” he said.“Over the next weeks and throughout the remainder of the year, we’ll continue to execute on opportunities to drive efficiencies ...

An illicit, Chinese-owned lab fueled conspiracy theories. But officials say it posed no danger

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jesalyn Harper, the only full-time code enforcement officer for the small, agricultural city of Reedley in California’s Central Valley, was responding to a complaint about vehicles parked in the loading dock of a cold-storage warehouse when she noticed a foul smell and saw a garden hose snaking into the old building. A woman in a lab coat answered her knock, and behind her were two others in plastic gloves and blue surgical masks, packing pregnancy tests for shipping. Harper said they spoke broken English and told her they were from China. Walking through the lab, she found dozens of refrigerators and ultralow-temperature freezers hooked to illegal wiring; vials of blood and jars of urine in shelves and plastic containers; and about 1,000 white lab mice being kept in crowded, soiled containers.The women said the owner lived in China, provided a phone number and email address and asked her to leave. Alarmed by what she saw, Harper, whose work mostly entails...

Closure of 3 Southern California power plants likely to be postponed, state energy officials decide

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Temperatures in many California cities are cooling down this week, but a debate is simmering on how to generate enough electricity to power the state through extreme weather events while transitioning away from a reliance on fossil fuels.The California Energy Commission voted Wednesday to extend the life of three gas power plants along the state’s southern coast through 2026, postponing a shutoff deadline previously set for the end of this year. The vote would keep the decades-old facilities — Ormond Beach Generating Station, AES Alamitos and AES Huntington Beach — open so they can run during emergencies. The state is at a greater risk of blackouts during major events when many Californians simultaneously crank up their air conditioning, such as a blistering heat wave.“We need to move faster in incorporating renewable energy. We need to move faster at incorporating battery storage. We need to build out chargers faster,” commissioner Patricia Monahan s...

Illinois Gov. Pritzker unveils butter cow and the state fair's theme: 'Harvest the Fun'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Lorilee Schultz, whose childhood memories include munching cream puffs in the Dairy Building at the Illinois State Fair, had a special reason for attending this year's unveiling of the famed butter cow: She's part of it.The 102nd edition of the Dairy Building's crown jewel features a butter model of Schultz ready to milk one of her 60 head at Mil-R-Mor Farm in Orangeville, 131 miles (211 kilometers) northwest of Chicago. The 800-pound sculpture, created by Sarah Pratt of West Des Moines, Iowa, was unveiled Wednesday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II, serving as a soft opening for the annual agricultural extravaganza.“This year's butter cow sculpture celebrates the Illinois dairy families like mine who ‘Harvest the Fun’ of dairy every day on our farms,” Schultz told gathered reporters, slipping in a reference to the theme of this year's fair. “What is more fun than ice-cold milk, creamy ice cream and gooey cheese made with ...

CPD launching nightlife patrol to monitor Near West Side entertainment strips

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department are launching a new unit to patrol entertainment districts on the Near West Side.Block Club Chicago reports that six officers and a sergeant from the 12th district will focus on parts of West Loop, West Town and Pilsen, including Greektown, parts of Taylor Street, the University of Illinois Chicago and part of Division Street. RELATED: Fulton Market developers, restaurant groups look to hire private 24 hour security The unit will be created to police safety in the entrainment districts following a string of shootings, armed robberies, and break in's. Also, the new unit will monitor late night loitering and to ensure venues comply with their pump place of amusement licenses.The assigned officers will reportedly work 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. It's unclear at this time what days of the week the patrol will work.Sgt. Mike Karczewski, business, licensing, and special events supervisor for the 12th District, told Block Club Chicago they hope to have the u...

McDonald's orders featured in hit movies, TV shows now have their own meal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

(KTLA) - McDonald’s is giving its fans a chance to eat like their favorite character with its newest meal offering that includes items featured on TV shows and movies throughout the years.Known as “The As Featured In Meal,” customers will soon be able to order food that was featured in TV shows and movies like “Seinfeld,” “I'm Not Rappaport” and “Coming to America.”"It's not only our real-life fans who have a go-to order; for decades, our favorite movie and TV characters have, too,” Morgan Flatley, global chief marketing officer and head of new business ventures at McDonald's, said in a statement."The As Featured In Meal" will include a choice of 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, or Big Mac Sandwich along with Medium World Famous Fries, a Medium soft drink and the newly branded Sweet 'N Sour Sauce. (McDonald's) “The As Featured In Meal is our biggest Famous Order yet, celebrating the most memorable McDonald's references across the world of entertainment."The m...

Illinois man to celebrate 70th first day of school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:43 GMT

VIENNA, Ill. -- Imagine going to school for 70 years.A southern Illinois man will take part in his 70th first day of school on Friday.Max Hook spent his first 12 years in school at Vienna Grade and Vienna High Schools. After graduating from high school, he went on to earn his bachelor's degree in education at McKendree College.Max HookHe then started his career as a teacher and coach at Breese Central before making his way back to Vienna where he has served as a teacher and coach since 1982.“I was one of his many math students while in high school. He was and is an excellent teacher," said Vienna High School Superintendent Joshua Stafford. "Since that time Mr. Hook has continued to be a teacher and mentor to me. While he has taught me a great deal about math, the life changing influence that he had on numerous people is incalculable."Hook and his wife have two sons and five grandchildren, most of which have had or will have him as a teacher and maybe even as a coach.This year, Hook ...