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Union official says safety of railroads has been compromised by job cuts and time constraints

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Freight railcar inspections are happening less often and are not as thorough as in years past due to staff cuts, time constraints and regulatory loopholes, a union official testified Friday during a federal hearing to examine the reasons behind a fiery train derailment in Ohio.The National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report that an overheating wheel bearing likely caused the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment that sent a plume of toxic black smoke into the sky near East Palestine, Ohio. Several tank cars were damaged in the crash, and officials decided that five of them containing vinyl chloride needed to be blown open to release the chemical and prevent an explosion. It’s not clear whether an inspector would have been able to catch that the bearing was failing because it is sealed within the railcar’s axle. No inspector was even given a chance. Jason Cox with the Transportation Communications Union testified Friday during the s...

British Museum apologizes for using Canadian translator’s work without permission

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

The British Museum says it has removed a Canadian translator’s work from its exhibition after using the translations without permission, attribution or compensation. The museum says Yilin Wang’s translations of poems by 19th century revolutionary Qiu Jin were displayed in the “China’s hidden century” exhibition, as well as its brochures, though it says the catalogue acknowledges her work. The institution says it has apologized and offered to pay Yilin Wang for the time her translations were displayed.The British Museum says “unintentional human error” led to the slight. On Twitter, Wang says her translations are labour intensive pursuits, and her work should be properly acknowledged.The British Columbia-based writer says she’s still in communication with the museum. “This has been an incredibly and needlessly frustrating experience after experiencing copyright infringement,” Wang tweeted. “I urge the British Museum to...

Toronto-based food pickup service Ritual lays off 40% of staff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

TORONTO — Ritual says it has laid off about 40 per cent of its company.The cut carried out by the Toronto-based food pickup service amounts to about 38 workers.The company did not say what promoted the layoff but described it as a difficult decision in a statement.Ritual says it believes the move will strengthen the company, position it for success and better help it service restaurants as they grow their businesses.The cut comes after Ritual said in May that it would begin charging consumers a fee for every order they place on its platform.The charges amount to between 15 and 99 cents for orders under $30 and $1.99 for orders above $30.This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2023.The Canadian Press

Stock market today: Wall Street sinks toward first losing week in last six

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Another drop for stocks on Friday has Wall Street on track to close out its first losing week in the last six.The S&P 500 was 0.7% lower in late trading, pulling back further from last week when it reached its highest level in more than a year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 209 points, or 0.6%, at 33,737 with less than an hour remaining in trading. The Nasdaq composite was 1% lower.Overseas markets also fell, while crude oil prices slipped amid worries that a stressed global economy may burn less fuel.Europe’s economy appears to be weaker than expected, according to a preliminary report measuring manufacturing and services businesses. That’s adding to this week’s hesitance in markets, caused by a crank higher in interest rates by central banks around the world as they try to get high inflation under control. High rates drive down inflation by slowing the economy, which raises the risk of a recession.High interest rates in the United States have alread...

Judge stays medical marijuana licenses as companies argue selection process was flawed

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A judge on Friday ordered Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to temporarily halt the issuance of licenses to growers and distributers as two companies argue the state used a flawed and secretive process to selectin winners for the potentially lucrative licenses. The order re-enforces a decision already made last week by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to pull back the licenses awarded on June 12 after the chairman said they discovered “potential inconsistency in the tabulation of scoring data.” Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson on Friday issued a temporary restraining order on top of that, staying the licenses until the issue regarding the scoring data is resolved. The state and companies agreed to the stay. Anderson scheduled a July hearing on the companies’ request for a preliminary injunction as the companies argue the entire selection process was flawed. Alabama Always and Hornet Medicinals, two companies that applied for the five int...

West Virginia industrial gas plant will pay $1.9 million for Ohio River pollution

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

NEW CUMBERLAND, W.Va. (AP) — A producer of industrial gas in West Virginia has agreed to pay $1.9 million to settle allegations that it violated the Clean Water Act by dumping copper, aluminum, residual chlorine, iron and phenolics into the Ohio River at levels above what was permitted, federal regulators said Friday.Messer LLC produces liquid nitrogen, oxygen, argon, krypton and xenon at the facility in New Cumberland.According to the EPA, the facility violated its pollution discharge permit at least 186 times since 2016. Messer assumed liability for the violations when it acquired the facility in 2019, the EPA said.In addition to the civil penalty for exceeding discharge permits, which will be paid in equal amounts to the state and federal governments, Messer agreed to build a new treatment system and do more to inspect stormwater discharges, the statement said.The Associated Press

Attorney general denies whistleblower claims of interference in Hunter Biden investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland pushed back Friday against claims from IRS whistleblowers that the Justice Department interfered with the investigation into Hunter Biden, saying more broadly that attacks on the department’s independence are corrosive. The Republican-led House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday released a transcript of testimony from Gary Shapley, an IRS official who, among other things, claimed that Garland had denied a request from U.S. Attorney David Weiss of Delaware to be appointed special counsel. That designation would have would have given Weiss the same status as the prosecutor leading the investigation into former President Donald Trump.Weiss never made such a request, Garland said Friday, and always had full authority to file charges wherever and however he saw fit against President Joe Biden’s son. And Garland added that if Weiss — first appointed U.S. Attorney by Donald Trump — agrees to testify before Congress, the Justice Dep...

Carlos Ghosn says $1 billion lawsuit against Nissan is reasonable given his suffering after arrest

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Carlos Ghosn said Friday that the $1 billion lawsuit he recently filed against Nissan and others is just the beginning of his fight. The former Nissan CEO said during an interview with The Associated Press in Beirut that had he been an American citizen filing a lawsuit in the United States, “I would not be asking for $1 billion, but for much more,” given his suffering. Ghosn led Japanese automaker Nissan for two decades, rescuing it from near-bankruptcy, before he was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on charges of breach of trust, misusing company assets for personal gains and violating securities laws by not fully disclosing his compensation. He fled Japan in December 2019 for Lebanon where he has lived since.Ghosn is wanted in Japan and France. Since he fled to Lebanon, Beirut has received three notices from Interpol based on arrest warrants for him from those countries. In France, he is facing a number of legal challenges, including tax evasion and alleged money l...

Separate arrests made after assaults of Toronto parking enforcement officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

Toronto police have arrested two people in separate assaults targeting parking enforcement officers, including an incident that saw a 19-year-old refuse a ticket and squeeze an officer’s hand.The first alleged incident happened on June 15 around 5:15 p.m. in the Beverley Street and Cecil Street area in the city’s downtown core.Police said a parking enforcement officer was patrolling along Cecil Street when he observed a man throwing an object near pedestrians. The man then smashed a beer bottle on the ground.The unknown man chased the parking enforcement officer, who fled to his vehicle. Police said the officer placed himself on the other side of his car, away from the man, and called dispatch for assistance.The male suspect then fled on foot and, a short time later, was taken into police custody.The accused was identified as 30-year-old Ivan Ramos Hernandez of Toronto. He was charged with assault and resisting arrest.He’s expected to appear in court on July 11.19-...

Interim Supt. Fred Waller to discuss safety plans ahead of weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:15:31 GMT

CHICAGO -- Interim CPD Supt. Fred Waller is expected to discuss plans to tackle weekend violence ahead of the Chicago Pride Parade set to take place Sunday. As businesses and locals gear up for one of the biggest events this weekend, police are getting ready to discuss their safety plans for the upcoming Pride parade that is expected to round up about one million people, based on years in the past. Last weekend, 75 people were shot with 13 fatalities in the city of Chicago. Ahead of the following weekend, police have responded to eight people shot overnight. A 17-year-old boy suffered a graze wound to the back of the head in Gage Park around 9:22 p.m. He was transported to the hospital in serious condition. Body recovered from Lake Michigan near where woman went missing Another shooting happened near the Loyola University campus in the 1200 block of West Columbia Street around 8:09 p.m. A 24-year-old man self-transported to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. He is ...