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Advocates call on City of Toronto to do more to boost shelter system ahead of winter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

Several advocates are urging the City of Toronto to do more to boost the shelter system as we approach the winter season. The Economic and Community Development Committee is debating the strategy released last week by city staff on Tuesday and over 40 people were signed up to speak on the issue.The strategy, which will be implemented on November 15 if passed, includes adding up to 180 spaces in the shelter system and opening a 24-hour respite centre with capacity for 40 people.There will also be 170 spaces activated in four warming centres when temperatures reach -5 C. Additional surge spaces will be made available when temperatures reach -15 C.“I want to stress that the winter services plan may continue to evolve as we monitor demand for warming centres and continue to search for appropriate locations to add capacity,” said Gord Tanner, general manager of Shelter, Support and Housing Administration. “Staff have connected with real estate brokers, faith leaders, co...

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental healthRefirl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. A lawsuit filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C. “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit a...

Detroit officials approve spending nearly $14 million in federal dollars on inflatable dome

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Officials in Detroit have approved spending nearly $14 million in federal pandemic relief dollars on an inflatable athletic dome on the city’s east side. The City Council on Tuesday approved spending $13.9 million supplied by the American Rescue Plan Act to construct the dome in Chandler Park, the Detroit Free Press reported.The dome will serve as a public recreation center, complete with a workout space and a multi-purpose field. LaJuan Counts, director of the city’s construction and demolition department, said the dome could host banquets or dances as well as sports.The Associated Press

Man placed cell phone in U of T campus washrooms, recorded victims: police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

Toronto police are hoping to identify a man who allegedly placed a cell phone inside a washroom at the University of Toronto (U of T) campus and recorded victims over several months. Authorities said that between July 2023 and October 2023, U of T Campus Safety received reports of voyeurism in the Spadina Avenue and Willcocks Street area.In collaboration with U of T, Toronto police took over the case and began investigating seven reports of voyeurism.It’s alleged a man loitered inside women’s washrooms and gender-neutral showers, and in some of the incidents, he placed a cell phone underneath the stalls to record people.Police said the victims ranged from 14 to 21 years old. No one was physically injured.The man is described as five-foot-two to five-foot-seven with short black hair and a medium build. Investigators said on occasion, the suspect was wearing a white and grey hoodie, black pants, and dark-coloured Crocs.Police have released images of the suspect.The investi...

Scotiabank says it will close eight branches across rural Newfoundland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Scotiabank says it is closing eight branches across rural Newfoundland.A spokesperson for the Canadian banking giant confirmed in a series of emails that branches in Grand Bank, Twillingate, Lewisporte, Bonavista, Burgeo, Flowers Cove, Deer Lake and Whitbourne will close.Daniela Da Silva did not say when the branches will close, nor how many employees will be affected by the closures.Da Silva says customers in affected communities requiring in-person banking services will have to go to other branches.Scotiabank also closed its branch on Newfoundland’s Fogo Island last year.Bonavista Mayor John Norman said in a Facebook post Monday that he was told his town’s Scotiabank would be shut down in the fall of 2024, adding that he was assembling a committee to fight the decision.“The business community, low-income groups, seniors and others cannot do all banking online. Scotiabank kicked its customers with this, and if they choose not to serve us, ...

CN Rail profits plummet as consumer demand falls and B.C. port strike takes its toll

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway Co. is reporting a nearly one-quarter drop in profits for the three months ended Sept. 30.Canada’s largest railway says falling consumer demand and fallout from the B.C. port workers’ strike dented its cargo volumes and revenue last quarter, alongside lower fuel surcharges.The Montreal-based company says net income in its third quarter fell 24 per cent to $1.11 billion from $1.46 billion in the same period a year earlier.CN says revenues decreased 12 per cent to $3.99 billion from $4.51 billion the year before.On an adjusted basis, diluted earnings were down 21 per cent at $1.69 per share from $2.13 per share last year, slightly below analyst expectations of $1.72 per share, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.CN says it continues to expect flat to slightly negative adjusted earnings this year, adding that it forecasts growth of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent between 2024 and 2026.This report by The Canadian Press was firs...

US developing contingency plans to evacuate Americans from Mideast in case Israel-Hamas war spreads

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the Israel-Hamas war spreads into a broad regional conflict.White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the 18-day-old Israel-Hamas war could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 a...

Man United pays respects to the late Bobby Charlton with pre-match tributes at Old Trafford

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A lone piper playing the tune to the Manchester United anthem “We’ll Never Die” provided a moving soundtrack inside Old Trafford on Tuesday to the latest tributes to club great Bobby Charlton following his death at the age of 86.The piper led out United manager Erik ten Hag, Charlton’s former teammate Alex Stepney, and United youth-team captain Dan Gore onto the field ahead of United’s Champions League match against FC Copenhagen. They laid a wreath in the center circle before an impeccably observed minute’s silence.Another rendition of “There’s only one Bobby Charlton” then swirled around the stadium to applause as fans paid their respects to one of England’s World Cup winners from 1966 who is widely considered United’s greatest player.A separate wreath, meanwhile, had been placed on Charlton’s seat in the directors’ box in the stands.The piper’s tune was a tribute to the victims of the Munich plane crash in 1958 which killed eight members of the “Busby B...

Another Chicago suburb makes a stadium pitch to the Bears

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

CHICAGO — There is another community in the Chicagoland area that is making their "Hail Mary" pitch to be the home of a potential Bears' new stadium. It's the second south suburb to put their hat in the ring in 2023.Per a news release, Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon is asking the NFL team to consider Country Club Hills as a place to build their new stadium. This comes after the Bears said in June that Arlington Park, which they purchased in February, is no longer a "singular focus" for a new stadium.Gordon sent the letter to Bears owner Virginia McCaskey along with President and CEO Kevin Warren, asking them to consider building the stadium in the south suburb which is located 25 miles south of downtown Chicago. Bears won’t take one step toward a new stadium this fall In the letter, Gordon touts Country Club Hills' proximity to three major highways, the Metra electric line, and the State of Indiana as reasons to build the stadium there.The city becomes the fifth to make c...

Tom Emmer drops out of Speaker’s race

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:25 GMT

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) dropped out of the Speaker’s race Tuesday, just hours after the conference nominated the Minnesota Republican for the top job, according to a source familiar.Emmer withdrew his name from the running after a contingent of Republicans made clear they would not back him on the House floor, making it virtually impossible for him to secure enough votes to win the gavel.It also came after former President Trump released a scathing statement calling Emmer a “RINO” and saying voting for him “would be a tragic mistake.”Emmer won the GOP nomination over House GOP Vice Chair Mike Johnson (La.) in a secret ballot 117-97, but in a secondary roll call vote, 26 Republicans voted present or for another person, according to House GOP Conference Secretary Lisa McClain (R-Mich.).If all members vote present and for a specific candidate, Emmer could only afford to lose four Republicans and still win the Speakership on the House floor.Emmer is the third GOP Speaker...