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Quebec offers $50 million to businesses affected by unprecedented wildfire season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebec has announced $50 million in support for businesses hit by unprecedented wildfires that have been raging for several weeks in different regions of the province.The measures announced Wednesday target loggers, sawmills, paper mills, outfitters, tourism operators and other affected local businesses. The assistance will be a loan or loan guarantee and will be administered by the regional municipality or the provincial government’s investment corporation, depending on the amount needed.According to the province’s forest fire prevention agency, known as SOPFEU, there were 135 fires burning across the province on Wednesday, including 69 in the “intensive protection zone” where it systematically fights all fires.Three of those fires in northern Quebec are considered out of control near the towns of Chibougamau and Lebel-sur-Quévillon.The other fires are in what the agency calls its northern zone, where authorities only fight blazes if infrastructur...

S&P/TSX composite down more than 100 points Wednesday, U.S. markets also fall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was down more than 100 points Wednesday amid broad-based weakness, while U.S. stock markets also slumped. It’s been a quiet week to start the quarter as investors await payroll data on Friday and the start to earnings season in the U.S. next week, said Greg Taylor, chief investment officer at Purpose Investments. Nevertheless, some concerning economic data out of China and more hawkish messaging from the Federal Reserve weighed on markets Wednesday, he said. Caution is “the tone of the day,” said Taylor. The S&P/TSX composite index was down 100.98 points at 20,103.89.In New York, where stock markets were closed on Tuesday, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 129.83 points at 34,288.64. The S&P 500 index was down 8.77 points at 4,446.82, while the Nasdaq composite was down 25.12 points at 13,791.65.Minutes from the U.S. central bank’s last meeting showed growing divisions among policymakers, with some pushing for another hike ev...

Strike could cost $250 million per week, experts say, with consumers taking a hit too

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

The B.C. port workers strike could cost companies hundreds of millions of dollars per week, experts and business groups say, with smaller operators and consumers feeling the biggest pinch.Industry organizations say the job action by 7,400 waterfront employees that began Saturday will back up shipments, deplete inventories and boost prices on goods in shorter supply.The economic toll will amount to at least $250 million per week, said Werner Antweiler, chair in international trade policy at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business.“The first week or two, businesses are usually able to bridge quite fine. It gets increasingly worse after that, as some businesses will run out of inventory and cannot replenish it easily,” he said.Companies face the choice of riding out the strike by drawing on existing inventory and holding on to exports that cannot be shipped — resulting in lost sales and storage costs, respectively — or finding alternate routes for the...

Skilling: Thunderstorms, possible hail Wednesday night

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

Sunny start to Wednesday with hot and humid weather and building clouds. An Air Quality Alert is in place for Chicagoland. High near 90, 80s lakeside.Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely in the afternoon. The biggest threats look to be heavy downpours and strong winds in localized spots. SW 10-15 mph/gusty. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Wednesday night will see scattered showers and thunderstorms tapering off overnight. Low 67Thursday will be mostly cloudy and a few showers with some afternoon clearing. High 74Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog Extended outlook delivers more sunshine for Friday with highs getting to near 80. Pleasant on Saturday with highs near 80. Increasing late-day clouds and a chance of showers/t'storms late that last into some showers on Sunday. TONIGHT: Clusters of thunderstorms—the heaviest capsble of downpours, gusty winds----and some with hail. Storms thin out past 10pm.  Then clouds linger,...

Luis Robert Jr. will have another event at the All-Star Game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

CHICAGO — It looks like the White Sox representative for the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game is going to have a little extra duty in Seattle next week. That's because outfielder Luis Robert Jr. is going to get to show off his power against some of the best long ball hitters in the league. On Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced that the outfielder will take part in the 2023 Home Run Derby, which will take place at T-Mobile Park on Monday, July 10. On Sunday, Robert was named an American League All-Star for the first time in his career as the White Sox lone representative. As of Wednesday, he'll be in the competition with the following players.Mets first baseman Pete AlonzoRays outfielder Randy ArozarenaDodgers outfielder Mookie BettsBlue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.Mariners outfielder Julio RodriguezOrioles catcher Adley RutschmanRobert will become the sixth player in White Sox history to take part in the home run derby, joining Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas,...

JetBlue dumping partnership with American Airlines to salvage its Spirit purchase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

(AP) - JetBlue says it won't appeal a judge's ruling against its partnership with American Airlines, effectively dropping the deal in an effort to salvage its purchase of Spirit Airlines.JetBlue Airways said Wednesday that it will wind down the deal with American in New York and Boston in the coming months and “turn even more focus” to its proposed $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit.The U.S. Justice Department sued to block the Spirit sale, saying it would hurt competition by eliminating Spirit, the nation's biggest discount airline. JetBlue hopes that dropping the deal with American might persuade the government to allow the Spirit purchase to go ahead.A federal judge decided in May that JetBlue and American must end their partnership because it violates U.S. antitrust law. American has said it will appeal the ruling.Last month, JetBlue and American asked U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin to let them keep selling tickets on each other’s flights, an arrangement called code...

'Disturbing' video shows woman pushed to the ground, pepper sprayed by L.A. County sheriff's deputy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

(KTLA) - Officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released body-worn camera footage of a disturbing use of force incident that, according to a late Monday night announcement by the department, is currently under investigation.  The confrontation happened on June 24 when deputies from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station responded to the parking lot of a WinCo Foods store in Lancaster on reports of an “in-progress robbery.”  “Upon arrival, deputies approached a man and a woman matching the description given by store security personnel in calls placed to 911,” a LASD news release stated. “As deputies attempted to detain the individuals described by store security personnel, the encounter escalated into a use of force incident.” Man accused of killing woman, 73, with stolen forklift Officials also said that an eyewitness captured cellphone footage of the incident that the department news release referred to as "disturbing" video. In footage from body cameras wo...

Video: Shark stalks paddleboarders during charity race from Bahamas to Florida

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (WJZY) – The terrifying moment when a hammerhead shark appeared to hone in on a couple of paddleboarders making a grueling journey from the Bahamas to Florida for charity last month was caught on camera.Gabe Barajas and his teammate, Malea Tribble, had embarked on the 80-mile voyage to raise money for families affected by cystic fibrosis."It just so happened that out in the middle of the gulf stream, 40 miles off the coast of Bimini, we got new fundraising help from a five-foot hammerhead shark," said Barajas, of Mooresville, North Carolina. TSA records its busiest day in history ahead of July Fourth The motto of the company Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, which organizes the race each year, is "bold in the face of fear." Barajas never expected he'd have to take that motto so literally.(Courtesy: Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis)Barajas was paddling with Tribble when Tribble's husband, who was following them in a support boat, spotted the shark trailing his wife. Lar...

What to watch for at LIV Golf London

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

(LIV GOLF) - As the LIV tour prepares for the 9th of 14 stops in 2023, 12 teams have set up camp in England, where 48 golfers will tee off on Friday. Here's a look at the key details and storylines to watch: TOURNAMENT NUMBERSWhen: July 7-9, 2023Where: Centurion Club, St Albans, EnglandCompetition: 54 holes of stroke playField: 48 players/12 teamsPurse: US$25 million ($20 million individual, $5 million team)Winner’s Share: US$4 million (individual), $3 million (team)Local tee time: Shotgun start for Rds. 1-2 at 1:15 p.m. ET, Rd. 3 at 1:05 p.m.KEY STORYLINESLIV Golf League returns to the site of its inaugural tournament that launched the 2022 Invitational seasonIn addition to hosting the first-ever LIV Golf event, Centurion Club becomes the first course to repeat as a host siteCharl Schwartzel (individual winner) and his all-South African Stinger GC (team winner) are set to defend their LIV Golf London titlesSix players from the United Kingdom are i...

Man accused of killing woman, 73, with stolen forklift

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:21:51 GMT

WALDORF, Md. (WHTM) - A Maryland man has been charged with murder after allegedly killing a woman with a stolen forklift.According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, on July 2, officers responded to a burglary at a Lowe's Home Improvement store on Crain Highway. The sheriff's office says the suspect, Bryce Caleb Timothy Brown, allegedly broke into the business, stole a forklift, and rammed it through the rear gates.He then allegedly drove the forklift into a Home Depot parking lot and rammed a parked vehicle. Mother identified almost 20 years after baby’s body found at Nebraska river According to the sheriff's office, a woman was sleeping in the car when it was struck. The woman then got out of the car and tried to run away but was struck by the forklift.Authorities say the woman, 73-year-old Gloristine Pinkney, was found dead under the machine.Brown is accused of stealing the woman's car and leaving it near his home. He has been charged with first and second-degree murder, a...