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WestJet CEO, pilots’ union head clash over compensation as strike looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

No sign of a breakthrough emerged in talks between WestJet and its pilots Wednesday, as the company’s CEO deemed the union’s expectations unrealistic while the Air Line Pilots Association slammed the airline for trying to ‘publicly villainize’ its workers.WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said late Tuesday the two sides remained far apart on key sticking points — especially wages — as bargaining heats up and the clock ticks down on a strike deadline.“The gap is still massive,” von Hoensbroech said from the bargaining venue, a hotel north of Toronto. Neither the company nor the union provided a concrete update Wednesday on the negotiations.More than 1,800 pilots at WestJet and its Swoop subsidiary are poised to potentially walk off the job as of 3 a.m. EDT on Friday after the union issued a strike notice Monday night.The standoff has left thousands of passengers with travel plans for the May long weekend and beyond hanging in limbo.In ...

California congresswoman’s husband sentenced to prison in Connecticut fraud case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — The former board chairperson of a Connecticut energy cooperative and estranged husband of a California congresswoman was sentenced Wednesday to six months in prison for using public funds to pay for lavish trips to the Kentucky Derby and a luxury golf resort. James Sullivan, 56, a one-time Democratic congressional candidate in Connecticut, was convicted of helping plan trips in 2015 and 2016 for dozens of top staff, board members and family members totaling $800,000. Prosecutors said the trips were unrelated to the business of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative, which receives federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.The $800,000 included travel expenses, private chartered airfare, first-class hotel accommodations, meals, tickets to sporting events, golf fees, souvenirs and gifts, federal prosecutors said. For a trip to the Kentucky Derby trip in 2015, which prosecutors said had an average cost of approximately $9,000 per guest, S...

Man who witnessed George Floyd murder by police suing Minneapolis over officers’ actions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

One of the most vocal bystanders as a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd three years ago is suing the city, alleging he was assaulted and suffered emotional distress as he witnessed the handcuffed Black man beg for his life, go limp and stop breathing.Donald Williams of Minneapolis filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court. While now ex-officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck on May 25, 2020, he threatened Williams and other bystanders with a can of mace, shaking it at them after Williams expressed concern for Floyd, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also alleges that Chauvin and another now-former officer, Tou Thao, taunted Floyd, Williams and other bystanders who expressed concern and that Thao placed his hand on Williams’ chest. Williams took those actions as threats and, the lawsuit says, he was fearful for his safety and the safety of the other witnesses.The lawsuit says Williams is seeking more than $50,000 for each count, a standard d...

Oil project near Amazon River mouth blocked by Brazil’s environment agency

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s environmental regulator refused on Wednesday to grant a license for a controversial offshore oil drilling project near the mouth of the Amazon River, prompting celebration from environmentalists who had warned of its potential impact. The decision to reject the state-run oil company Petrobras’ request to drill the FZA-M-59 block was made “as a function of a group of technical inconsistencies,” said the agency’s president, Rodrigo Agostinho, who highlighted environmental concerns.With Brazil’s existing production set to peak in coming years, Petrobras has sought to secure more reserves off Brazil’s northern coast. The company earmarked almost half its five-year, $6 billion exploration budget for the area. CEO Jean Paul Prates had said that the first well would be temporary and that the company has never recorded a leak in offshore drilling. The company failed to convince the environmental agency.“There is no doubt that Petrobras ...

Documents leak suspect had been warned about handling of classified information, prosecutors say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Superiors of the Massachusetts Air National Guard member charged with leaking highly classified military documents had raised concerns internally on multiple occasions about his handling or viewing of classified information, according to a court filing Wednesday. Justice Department lawyers made the disclosure in a court papers urging a magistrate judge to keep Jack Teixeira behind bars while he awaits trial in the case stemming from the most consequential intelligence leak in years. The judge is expected to hear more arguments Friday on prosecutors’ detention request and issue a ruling. Teixeira is accused of sharing highly classified documents about top national security issues in a chatroom on Discord, a social media platform that started as a hangout for gamers. He has not yet entered a plea. Prosecutors told the judge in their filing that Teixeira continued leaking documents even after he was admonished by superiors on two separate occasions last year over &#...

Alaska lawmakers weigh bill to keep gun shops open during disasters if other businesses are

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska lawmakers were poised to pass legislation Wednesday that seeks to block state and local officials from closing gun stores during disasters declared by the governor, unless such closures apply to all other businesses. The bill, HB61, is a response to business closures in Alaska and other states during the pandemic, according to a statement from House Speaker Cathy Tilton, a Wasilla Republican and the bill’s sponsor. Several other states have adopted similar bills.The bill was one of the last debated by lawmakers in the waning days of the 121-day regular legislative session, which was set to end Wednesday. It was backed by the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association and criticized as a “special rights” bill by state Sen. Jesse Kiehl, a Juneau Democrat. The measure passed the Senate 17-3 on Tuesday and was returned to the House for a concurrence vote. The bill was on the House’s calendar Wednesday, but the House had yet to meet as of late...

Mattea Roach advances to next round of ‘Jeopardy Masters’ tournament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Canadian trivia phenom Mattea Roach has made it to the semifinals of “Jeopardy Masters,” a spinoff of the TV game show that made them famous.The Toronto-based writer and podcaster came in third in their game on tonight’sshow but still managed to land a spot in the next round, which begins Monday.The tournament pit six recent super-champions against each other, including Roach, James Holzhauer and Amy Schneider.A different combination of competitors plays two “high-stakes games” in each hour-long episode. Roach entered tonight’s episode ranked third of the six, with Holzhauer in the lead.The final episode of the tournament airs next Wednesday on CTV2.This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 17, 2023.The Canadian Press

Man charged in hate-motivated incidents in Toronto’s east end

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

Toronto police say a man arrested in a hate-motivated incident in Peel Region is now facing a dozen charges in connection with a pair of anti-Islamic hate-motivated events in Scarborough. Police allege that 28-year-old Sharan Karunakaran visited two Scarborough mosques in the area of Lawrence Avenue East and Markham Road and Lawrence Avenue East and Midland Avenue on the morning of April 6. Investigators say Karunakaran entered the parking lots at both mosques and attempted to hit worshippers and other vehicles before fleeing the scene. “Tollowing the incidents at the two mosques, the accused travelled to Scarborough Town Centre and entered the mall. While inside the mall, he harassed and threatened several customers, shouting anti-Islamic and derogatory comments,” police said. Karunakaran was arrested on May 3 and is facing 13 charges including two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, two counts of assault with a weapon and five counts of criminal harassment. Kar...

G-Eazy heading to Chicago this summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Bay Area is heading to the Windy City!Rapper G-Eazy will be taking his "Nothing Ever Lasts Forever" tour to The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Thursday, June 15. LL Cool J, first tour in 30 years, to stop in Chicago The Oakland native hit the mainstream with his 2014 studio debut album "These Things Happen." His 2015 hit song "Me, Myself & I" featuring Bebe Rexha has over a billion streams on Spotify.G-Eazy last performed in Chicago during his "Endless Summer Tour" with Ty Dolla $ign, P-Lo, and YBN Nahmir in August 2018.The event will begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 15.For ticket information, click here.

Bill banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments for trans kids sent to Texas governor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:57 GMT

AUSTIN (The Texas Tribune) -- Texas is on the brink of banning transgender minors from getting puberty blockers and hormone therapies, treatments that leading medical groups say are important to supporting their mental health.The Senate has voted 19-12 Wednesday to accept Senate Bill 14’s House version and send it to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, two days after the lower chamber passed the legislation.The bill is a legislative priority for the Republican Party of Texas, which opposes any efforts to validate transgender identities. It’s also a key proposal among a slate of GOP bills that would restrict the rights and representation of LGBTQ Texans this session, amid a growing acceptance of Christian nationalism on the right.Authored by New Braunfels Republican Sen. Donna Campbell, SB 14 would prohibit trans Texans under the age of 18 from accessing transition-related medical treatments including puberty blockers, hormone therapies and surgeries — though surgeries are rarely performed on k...