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Rio Tinto to expand aluminum smelter with $1.4B investment using greener technology

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

SAGUENAY, Que. — Rio Tinto says it will make a $1.4-billion investment to expand an aluminum smelter equipped with low-carbon technology in Saguenay, Que.The Anglo-Australian metals and mining giant says it plans to build 96 new pots that use the greener AP60 technology on an existing site adjacent to the 97-year-old Arivda aluminum smelter.The announcement today eases anxiety over jobs ahead of that plant’s closure in 2025, and gives more weight to Rio Tinto’s claim to being a producer of green aluminum, with the newer facilities emitting far fewer greenhouse gas emissions.The investment at the Jonquière Complex roughly 200 kilometres north of Quebec City would eventually churn out 220,000 tonness of primary aluminum per year, over 360 per cent more than its current output.The company says the amount could furnish enough for 400,000 electric cars, though the total falls short of the 400,000-tonne smelter that was pledged in 2006 by former owner Alcan Inc. — acquired the...

Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan leaves paper after 9 years at helm

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

Washington Post publisher and chief executive Fred Ryan is leaving the newspaper after nine years in charge.Newspaper owner Jeff Bezos announced Ryan’s departure in a memo to staff on Monday. He’ll continue as publisher and CEO for two more months. He’ll continue as publisher and CEO for two more months before leaving to lead the Center on Public Civility at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, the newspaper said.The Post has been aggressive in transitioning to a digital world, but has still suffered from the financial problems of many organizations in the media industry.Ryan oversaw the appointment of Sally Buzbee — the former Associated Press executive editor — as the Post’s top editor, replacing Marty Baron in 2021.David Bauder, The Associated Press

Chow’s lead slips slightly as other mayoral candidates make small gains: Poll

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

There’s just two weeks left until Torontonians select a new mayor and the frontrunner remains well ahead of her closest challenger, though her support has softened slightly, according to the latest poll.The most recent Forum Research Poll released on Monday suggests Olivia Chow is still way out in front with 35 per cent support, down three points from the week before.Mark Saunders is up a single percentage point from the last week, up to 14 per cent, and continues to target Chow while campaigning. The former police chief has cited himself as the only candidate who can stop the frontrunner from becoming mayor.Columnist Anthony Furey is now in third place and up to 11 per cent. Former city councillor Ana Bailão has 10 per cent support, up from 8 per cent the week before.“Furey and Bailao may be changing the dynamic,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research. “In the last two weeks, we might see a surprise upset.”Josh Matlow, Mitzie Hunter and Brad Bradford follow clo...

Quebec makes progress against record wildfire season as blaze in B.C. grows

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

Quebec is on the offensive in its battle against a record wildfire season as gusty winds fuel a huge blaze in northeastern British Columbia, forcing more evacuations. Premier François Legault says there are now more than 1,200 people fighting fires across the province, including reinforcements from New Brunswick and France, and thousands of Quebecers are starting to return home as the situation improves.Legault says there should be fewer than 4,000 evacuees remaining by the end of the day, down from a peak of more than 13,500 Friday.  In British Columbia, two evacuation orders were issued Sunday for remote properties outside Fort Nelson as crews battle the 4,049-square-kilometre Donnie Creek blaze — the second-largest recorded in the province.The B.C. Wildfire Service says the winds responsible for the weekend trouble around Fort Nelson aided firefighters on a separate blaze south of Fort St. John that prompted an evacuation of the entire northeastern community of Tumbler Ridge.More...

Oscar-winning director-producer Ed Zwick writing memoir ‘Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Oscar-winning director-producer Ed Zwick is working on a memoir, with all the highs and the lows and in-betweens. Gallery Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Inc., announced Monday that Zwick’s “Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood,” will be published Feb. 13. Zwick’s directing credits include “Glory” and “Legends of the Fall,” for which he received Golden Globe nominations; along with the less successful “Pawn Sacrifice” and “The Great Wall.” He also was a co-creator of the highly regarded TV series “Thirtysomething.”He won a best picture Academy Award as one of the producers of “Shakespeare In Love,” and he was nominated as a producer of “Traffic.” According to Gallery, the book will trace “the head spinning ascents and vertiginous plunges that define a career in Hollywood.” Zwick, 70, has worked with such top stars as Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Annette Bening and Bruce Willis.“Even as the business under...

Vancouver family who lost son to fentanyl donates $20 million to recovery centre

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

VANCOUVER — A Vancouver family known for its philanthropy is making a $20 million donation to a British Columbia substance use treatment centre in memory of their adult son and brother who died of an opioid overdose.Jill Diamond, executive director of Vancouver’s Diamond Foundation and sister to Steven Diamond, said in a statement that her brother might still be alive today if he had received the care being offered at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital.“No matter where we turned, we never found the help that Steven needed,” Diamond said in a news release.“We’re speaking out today for the first time because we want to save lives.”The donation to the St. Paul’s Foundation will help fund the hospital’s Road to Recovery program that aims to fill treatment gaps by cutting weeks off waiting lists and providing supports to patients through a full spectrum of treatment services in one location, the statement said.The Diamond family was expected to atte...

Chicago police looking for missing woman last seen going to work in River North

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police are searching for a missing woman who was last seen Sunday leaving her home and going to work in River North.Allison Hague, 34, is described as being about 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Hague left her home around 2:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of North Carolina and was going to work in the 700 block of North Clark Street, police said.Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Area Five SVU detectives at 312-746-6554.

In rubble beneath I-95 collapse in Philadelphia, investigators looking for truck fire's cause

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

State and federal investigators were trying to find out Monday why a tanker fire collapsed a section of the East Coast’s main north-south highway, throwing hundreds of thousands of morning commutes into chaos and disrupting commerce for untold numbers of businesses.Interstate 95 will be closed in both directions for weeks at the start of summer travel season. Motorists should expect extensive delays and street closures, and avoid the northeast corner of the sixth-largest city in the country, transportation officials said. The accident also disrupted the car route from Canada to Florida through the Boston, New York and Washington metropolitan areas, increasing Americans' dependence on air travel and the interstate rail network.Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Michael Carroll said the I-95 segment carries roughly 160,000 vehicles per day and was likely the busiest interstate in Pennsylvania.Sunday morning's fire sent plumes of black smoke into the air. The northbound lanes collap...

Tour boat capsizes inside New York cave

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A tour boat capsized Monday while inside Lockport Cave with passengers onboard, according to local police.It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured or how the boat capsized. The Lockport Cave is located east of Niagara Falls and northeast of Buffalo, New York.Tours have been conducted inside the cave system, which was created roughly 150 years ago, since 1977. The water in the cave itself is roughly 4 to 6 feet deep, according to a 2021 story about the cave by Nexstar's WIVB.Multiple agencies were responding to assist Monday. The streets surrounding the Lockport Cave were also closed.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Take a look at Chicago's weekend in sports

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:49:20 GMT

CHICAGO — The second weekend of June featured some heartbreak on the south side, a near no-no for the Cubs out west, along with a rough weekend for Chicago's WNBA squad and soccer teams. Here's a wrap-up of what happened in Chicago sports this weekend.(Photo by Brandon Vallance/Getty Images)Kyle Hendricks had the highlight of the weekend in what was a more positive than negative end to the Cubs' 10-game west coast road trip on Saturday.The pitcher had a no-hitter through 7 2/3 innings before Mitch Haniger's double broke up the veteran's attempt for his first career "no-no." It was still a positive effort for Hendricks, who allowed just one hit with three strikeouts compared to one walk over eight shutout innings and 94 pitches.That came after a 3-2 win over the Giants on Friday, which featured another Marcus Stroman quality start, to give the Cubs the series win, though they lost the chance to finish their road trip with a .500 record with a 13-3 loss Sunday.After a 4-6 road trip th...