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Quebec premier worries about western Quebec fires with no rain expected for 5 days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

MONTREAL — Quebec Premier François Legault says his government is looking internationally for support as it struggles to battle more than 160 forest fires.With more than 480 wilderness firefighters on the ground, Quebec can fight around 30 fires, Legault told reporters Monday, adding that normally firefighters would come from other provinces to help.“When I talk to the premiers of other provinces, they have their hands full,” Legault told a briefing in Quebec City.He said no lives have been lost in the fires, but firefighters were forced to pull back from the hamlet of Clova, Que., around 325 kilometres northwest of Montreal.“Unfortunately, we lost control,” Legault said. “We are going to be obliged to let Clova burn.” Authorities said the community’s 36 residents have been evacuated.Later in the day, Quebec’s wildfire prevention agency, SOPFEU, said the intensity of the fire in the area had exceeded the capacity of water bombers, but ...

One year after their killing, loved ones pay tribute to duo slain in Amazon rainforest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A year after the killing of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon rainforest, friends, colleagues and family members gathered Monday in several Brazilian cities to honor their memory and pledge to carry forward their work.Dozens of people showed up at demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, capital Brasilia and Bahia state’s Salvador. Gatherings also took place in London and Atalaia do Norte, a small Amazon town that is the launching-off point for the remote, sprawling Javari Valley Indigenous territory. Just outside that territory, the men were brutally killed.Phillips had been conducting research for his book, “How to Save the Amazon: Ask the People Who Know,” which was years in the making. In 2021, he secured a yearlong fellowship with the Alicia Patterson Foundation to write it and, by the time of his death, had completed nearly half.A main line of police investigation points to an international network...

Norfolk Southern is 1st railroad to give all workers sick time as others negotiate with unions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Norfolk Southern became the first major North American freight railroad with deals to provide paid sick time to all of its workers Monday, but the other railroads are making progress, with nearly 65% of all rail workers securing this basic benefit since the start of the year.All of the major freight railroads have said they are committed to resolving this key issue that nearly led to a strike in last year’s bitter contract talks. But most of those railroads — which include CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City — are still negotiating with a number of their unions.Also Monday, Union Pacific announced a deal that will provide paid sick leave to about 5,600 engineers in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that gives that railroad agreements with 12 of its 13 unions.Most of the sick time deals, including the one Norfolk Southern announced for yardmasters Monday, provide four days of paid sick time and...

Ex-guard at NYC federal building indicted in sex assault of asylum seeker

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — An asylum seeker was sexually assaulted by an armed guard at a federal building in New York City where the FBI has its offices, according to an indictment unsealed Monday.Jimmy Solano-Arias, 42, of the Bronx, was charged in Manhattan federal court with deprivation of rights under color of law involving kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse. The charge carries a potential penalty of maximum sentence of life in prison. He lost his job after his arrest on May 5, a day after the attack is alleged to have occurred. He is free on bail.According to a criminal complaint signed by an FBI agent, Solano-Arias admitted in a video recorded interview with federal agents that the asylum seeker performed oral sex but claimed it was consensual.Michael J. Driscoll, head of New York’s FBI office, said in a release that the asylum seeker had come to 26 Federal Plaza in lower Manhattan on May 4 to submit an asylum application.U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Solano-Arias, who wa...

CNN chief apologizes to employees for distracting from work

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Licht, the embattled chief executive of CNN, apologized to network employees on Monday for distracting from their work and promised to “fight like hell” to earn their trust amid criticism of his year at the helm.Licht’s tenure hit a low point last week with publication of a lengthy, damaging profile of him in Atlantic magazine and the appointment of a new executive from parent company Warner Bros. Discovery to help manage CNN.Licht said on an editorial conference call that he was sorry that his role in the news cycle overshadowed the work of CNN’s journalists, according to a transcript of the call. He described it as a humbling experience.Licht said he would work to win their trust, “because you deserve a leader who will be in the trenches, fighting to ensure CNN remains the world’s most trusted name in news.”“CNN is not about me,” he said. “I should not be in the news.”A CNN spokesperson had no further comment on Monday.Licht replaced a popul...

Chicago police issue response to weekend shootings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

Over the weekend, 46 people were shot, and at least nine killed across the city.Among the incidents was a shooting early Sunday morning, when gunfire erupted in the 4800 block of West Iowa. Nearly 100 people were gathered for a celebration of life when, according to police, an argument broke out around 1 a.m. and unknown offenders began firing shots. 25-year-old Terry’a Adams was killed and six others wounded. Woman killed, 6 injured in shooting at memorial gathering on West Side The Chicago Police Department held a news conference Monday asking the public's help for information.The CPD’s own numbers show that while murders are down slightly so far this year compared to last and in 2021, other crime is up. Robberies are up 16 percent from the same time last year and up 37 percent from 2021. Related: Mayor Johnson promises “more sophisticated, sharper response” after weekend violence in Chicago By far the biggest jump is in vehicle thefts. More than doubling from 2022 and triplin...

Federal lawsuit filed to stop construction of new Chicago Fire FC training facility

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

CHICAGO -- A new Chicago Fire training facility on the near West Side faces a legal challenge as community groups are suing in federal court to stop construction.Community groups are objecting to the use of public land owned by the Chicago Housing Authority for private purposes. Land that was once dedicated to low-income individuals and families living at Chicago’s ABLA homes.A crowd downtown on Monday chanted: "Whose land? Our land!"Members of the Chicago Housing Initiative, the Coalition to Protect Public Housing, and other community groups believe the move is an injustice while affordable housing remains in short supply.“This is our land and it’s being used for private endeavors," Executive Director of Lugenia Burns Hope Center Rod Wilson said.Wilson and others discussed why they’ve filed a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Housing Authority and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.“HUD has one mission to make sure CHA does its job," Don Washington of the Chicag...

Illinois man indicted for trafficking China-made Glock switches

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. -- A 19-year-old from Illinois was arraigned Monday in federal court for allegedly scheming to import Glock switches from China to St. Clair County.Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois said Carlos Akins, 19, of Cahokia Heights, ordered 30 machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) from China between late 2022 and January 2023.These devices are small, about the size of a nickel, and can convert a standard, semi-automatic pistol into a fully-automatic weapon. ‘Was hit 25 times’: Mother wants justice after 16-year-old son gunned down in Joliet According to the indictment, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Chicago discovered a package containing 10 MCDs (or Glock switches) en route to an East St. Louis address in December 2022.CBP notified the Illinois State Police. State troopers and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives went and arrested Akins at that address.Following the arr...

Teen allegedly tried to hire hitman to kill 7-year-old: Iowa police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

STORM LAKE, Iowa (KCAU) – A 17-year-old is facing a felony charge after officials say she allegedly attempted to order a hit on a 7-year-old. According to a release from the Storm Lake Police Department, officials were contacted on Friday for a report at midnight of someone visiting a parody website called "rentahitman.com" with the intention of hiring someone to kill a young child. The webmaster of the website told officials that the person had allegedly visited the website two times and provided the child's private information, including their name and location. The release states that an investigation was launched immediately and officials were able to identify the child and a possible suspect. An officer went undercover and posed as a hitman while making contact with the suspect. Robert Hanssen, FBI agent convicted of spying, dies in Colorado supermax prison The officer was able to confirm that their potential suspect allegedly wanted their target killed. The 17-year-old susp...

Federal gun charges filed against mother of 6-year-old who shot Virginia teacher

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:33:23 GMT

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - The mother of the Virginia elementary student who police say shot his teacher in January is now facing federal gun charges. Court documents indicate that Deja Taylor, the mother of the 6-year-old boy who police say shot Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner, faces federal charges of unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. It states she "was an unlawful user of marijuana." Full coverage: Richneck Elementary shooting Taylor was indicted in April by a grand jury on charges of felony child neglect and misdemeanor recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child."The court filing states that "on or about July 19, 2022," Taylor knew she was an unlawful user of a controlled substance and possessed a firearm - a Taurus model PT111, G2A 9mm semiautomatic handgun.Redacted Deja TaylorDownloadIt also states that she "knowingly made a false and fictitious ...