Union, government continue negotiations as both sides face pressure to get to a deal

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

OTTAWA — An ongoing strike of thousands of public servants is causing service disruptions across the country as both sides are facing different kinds of pressure to reach a deal.Thursday marked the second day of job action by members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which comes at the height of tax season and is expected to cause slowdowns at the border and pauses to new employment insurance, immigration and passport applications.In one of the largest strikes in Canada history, government workers walked off the job as of 12:01 a.m. EDT Wednesday, hitting the picket lines at some 250 locations across the country.“When will this prime minister apologize for his incompetence and end this strike?” Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie, the transport critic, said during question period in the House of Commons.Conservatives are holding the federal government responsible for service disruptions caused by the strike.While services deemed essential will continue, some services...

‘This was fear’: Imperial CEO hears of impacts from oilsands leaks, apologizes

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

OTTAWA — The head of Imperial Oil has heard how the spill of oilsands wastewater from its Kearl mine north of Fort McMurray, Alta., created fear in downstream communities.Brad Corson is testifying before the House of Commons environment and sustainability committee about why there was a nine-month delay for First Nations and governments to find out about contaminated groundwater that was found seeping from a tailings pond.Laila Goodridge, the Conservative member of Parliament for Fort McMurray, says people were deeply afraid about the releases.She says there were weeks when rumours flew before the six area First Nations were told about what had happened.Corson apologized for the releases, which have exceeded guidelines for some toxic chemicals near the release sites, and says Imperial failed in its duty to the Indigenous communities and promises to work to rebuild trust. The environmental group Greenpeace is calling for Imperial Oil to be charged over releases of the toxic wastewate...

MyPillow founder ordered to pay $5M in election data dispute

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An arbitration panel has ordered MyPillow chief executive Mike Lindell to pay $5 million to a software engineer for breach of contract in a dispute over data that Lindell claims proves that China interfered in the U.S. 2020 elections and tipped the outcome to Joe Biden.But Lindell told The Associated Press on Thursday that he has no intention of paying and that he expects the dispute to land in court.Lindell, a prominent promoter of false claims that voting machines were manipulated to steal the 2020 presidential election, launched his “Prove Mike Wrong Challenge,” as part of the “Cyber Symposium” he staged in South Falls, South Dakota, in August 2021, to further his theories. Lindell offered through one of his companies a $5 million reward for anyone who could prove that “packet captures” and other data he released there were not valid data “from the November 2020 election.”Robert Zeidman entered the challenge with a 15-page report that concluded the da...

Suspect killed, 2 Indianapolis officers shot in gun battle

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two Indianapolis police officers wounded in a Thursday gun battle that left the suspect dead are expected to survive, a deputy chief said.The shooting involved officers who were members of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force, a joint effort among central Indiana police agencies charged with identifying and removing illegal weapons from the community, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Christopher Bailey said during a news briefing.Following a brief pursuit around 12:40 p.m., the officers were shot by a 46-year-old suspect armed with an AR-15-style rifle who also “riddled” a police patrol vehicle with bullets, Bailey said. They were among four officers who shot at the suspect, he said.The injured officers were taken to a hospital by other officers, were listed in stable condition and were expected to recover, Bailey said.Their names and that of the suspect were not immediately released.“We are fed up. The community should be fed up with it. We ...

Cubs pitcher lands on IL just before his start Thursday

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

CHICAGO — It was supposed to be his fourth start of the 2023 season, but that will have to wait for one of the Cubs' newest starting pitchers. Before the beginning of a four-game series with the Dodgers on Thursday, the Cubs put Jameson Taillon on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain that's been described as "mild to moderate." Manager David Ross said on Thursday that it happened while playing catch before the series finale against the Athletics in Oakland on Wednesday. He was scheduled to take the mound for the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday, with Michael Grove opposing him for Los Angeles. Instead, Javier Assad will pitch for the Cubs after he was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Thursday in what will be his first start of the season. Assad was on the Cubs' Opening Day roster, pitching out of the bullpen in two games before being sent down on April 10.Signed as a free agent after spending the last two seasons with the Yankees, Taillon has pitched in three games so fa...

Urban Prep Academies denied charter status for 2 Chicago schools

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- A charter school network could soon lose control of two south side Chicago high schools.The Illinois Board of Education denied Urban Prep Academies appeal to renew its charter for the Bronzeville and Englewood schools.Urbana Prep Charter Academy For Young Men - Englewood campus is located on the 6200 block of South Stewart Avenue in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.Urbana Prep Charter Academy For Young Men - Bronzeville campus is located on the 520 block of East 35th Street in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood.Urban Prep is the city's only all boys charter school and nationally recognized for sending all of its seniors to college year-after-year. Illinois middle school wrestler sucker-punched by opponent after loss in viral video "Across every metric, Urban Prep outperforms Chicago Public Schools for our demographic, which makes the CPS and ISBE decisions even more confounding," Urban Prep Academies wrote.Chicago Public Schools moved last year to take over the schools...

MedWatch Daily Digest: A new gene discovery for breast cancer – and more

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

For Thursday, April 20, WGN’s Dina Bair has the latest on new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch Indiana University School of Medicine students made a discovery that could ultimately help not only diagnose breast cancer early but better treat it.How an at-home ear pod may be able to alert people to the early signs of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.A study found that a sleeping pill may help ward off Alzheimer's and prevent cognitive decline.

Ohio DoorDash driver killed while on delivery: police

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — Police are investigating after a DoorDash delivery driver was fatally shot on the job in Akron, Ohio.When investigators arrived around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, they found a 22-year-old man in a parking lot with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Medical Center in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead Thursday morning. WATCH: Umpire assaulted at Ohio adult softball game According to police, the victim was making a DoorDash delivery when he was shot. Investigators say the victim got into an altercation with two men around 11 p.m. in the city's Highland Square area. The pair then allegedly followed the victim to the delivery spot and shot him. Two suspects, 21 year-old Matthew Couch and 19 year-old Derek Ransome-Fromby were arrested at an area home and taken to the Summit County Jail.They were initially charged with felonious assault, but now murder charges are pending.

Democrats push for Green New Deal in health care sector

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:37:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Lawmakers who support the Green New Deal say despite skepticism from many, the platform is moving forward and they plan to continue pushing for new green initiatives.Progressives like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez say 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act made big parts of their Green New Deal a reality.“We have started to win,” Rep. Ocasio Cortez said. “We have highlighted important issues ranging from education to renewable agriculture to show that a better way is possible.”Democratic Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey additionally says a Green New Deal for the health care industry is their next focus “for a health care system that puts people and our planet before pollution and profits.”Markey says the health care sector accounts for 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.“Our health providers are trying to heal patients, but the health care system is part of what makes them sick,” Markey said.The goal of the health care Green New Deal is to make the ind...