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Russia denies visit to American reporter in visa retaliation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday denied a U.S request for a consular visit to Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal who is jailed on espionage charges.The ministry said it rejected the request for the May 11 visit in retaliation for the U.S. refusing to grant visas to Russian journalists who planned to accompany Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on a trip to the United Nations.Gershkovich has been in custody since his March 29 arrest by Russia’s security service on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government have denied.Gershkovich is the first U.S. correspondent since the Cold War to be detained in Russia on spying charges, and his arrest rattled journalists in the country and drew outrage in the West.The United States has declared Gershkovich to be “wrongfully detained” and demanded his immediate release.The Russian denial of the U.S. request for a consular visit to Gershkovich followed Lavrov warning that Mo...

US Navy says Iran seized Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. Navy said Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday amid wider tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. The Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet. Satellite tracking data for the vessel from MarineTraffic.com showed it in the Gulf of Oman just north of Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Thursday afternoon. It had just come from Kuwait and listed its destination as Houston, Texas.“The oil tanker issued a distress call during the seizure,” the 5th Fleet said. “Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. Iran should immediately release the oil tanker.”The vessel’s owners could not be immediately reached for comment. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the seizure and Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thursday’s seizure by...

Bring your own bag: LCBO to phase out single-use paper bags

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

BYOB will soon mean ‘bring your own bag’ for many Ontarians.The LCBO says it will be phasing out single-use paper bags in the months ahead and asking customers to bring their own reusable bags when shopping.In a Thursday morning release, the LCBO says it will be clearing its stores of the bags “as part of its commitment to minimize our impact on the environment and create a more sustainable Ontario.”The moves comes 15 years after the provincial liquor retailer got rid of plastic bags.In addition to bringing their own reusable bags moving forward, customers will also have the option to buy a reusable bag in-store, or use cardboard boxes or an 8-pack carrier for free.“This initiative will remove almost 135 million paper bags annually from LCBO retail stores and convenience outlets,” reads the release.The retailer says the move will divert 2,665 tonnes of waste from landfill and save more than 188,000 trees every year.“The removal of single-use paper...

Stock market today: Wall Street climbs ahead of US GDP data

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

TOKYO — Wall Street pointed toward gains ahead of the release of data expected to show the world’s biggest economy cooled in the first quarter despite a very strong showing from the largest companies in the U.S. during the same period. Futures for the Dow Jones industrials rose 0.4% and the S&P 500 inched 0.5% higher before the opening bell ThursdayThe U.S. economy stood firm last year but is expected to weaken and potentially slip into a recession in coming months. Worries over the impact of higher interest rates aimed at vanquishing high inflation are detracting from relatively strong earnings reports for many companies. Shares in Facebook parent company Meta jumped 12% in off-hours trading after its first-quarter results beat Wall Street’s modest expectations on both profit and revenue. Meta’s revenue guidance for the current quarter was also above analyst estimates.Meta’s surprisingly strong quarter echoed results from other high-profile companies. General Motors...

LCBO to phase out paper bags, 15 years after trashing plastic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

TORONTO — The Liquor Control Board of Ontario says it will phase out paper bags at its retail stores, a move the provincial agency says will save the equivalent of 188,000 trees each year. The Crown corporation says 15 years after it trashed single-use plastic bags, it will discontinue paper bags over the coming months at its stores. The LCBO says customers are encouraged to bring reusable bags, or they can purchase them. Customers can also request a re-used cardboard box or an 8-pack carrier at no cost. The LCBO says the initiative will remove roughly 135 million paper bags annually from its stores, diverting some 2,665 tonnes of waste from landfills. It comes after the LCBO partnered with Tree Canada, a non-profit, as part of its latest sustainability campaign to raise money to plant trees in Ontario.“Fifteen years ago, we took the lead to remove single-use plastic bags from our stores. Now, the removal of single-use paper bags is another important step in our efforts to minimize ...

Glencore willing to take takeover offer for Teck Resources directly to shareholders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

VANCOUVER — Swiss commodities giant Glencore says it is willing to present its takeover offer directly to shareholders of Teck Resources Ltd. if the company’s board does not come to the negotiating table regarding its unsolicited proposal.The statement came after Teck repeated its assertion that the Glencore’s offer is a “non-starter,” even after the Vancouver-based miner cancelled a key shareholder vote Wednesday on a plan to split its business that Glencore had opposed.Teck called off the vote when it became apparent it did not have the required two-thirds majority approval from shareholders for the proposal, which would have split the company into Teck Metals and Elk Valley Resources. Instead, the company will pursue what is says will be “a simpler and more direct separation.”Teck’s board has rejected Glencore’s unsolicited takeover offer that would see shareholders receive a stake in a combined metals company as well as a choice of...

How will the Sudan crisis end? And what role will Canada play?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

In today’s Big Story podcast, it’s hard to overstate just how dire things are in Sudan’s capital right now, with violence on the streets and almost no access to food and water for millions. The only option left for many of those caught in the cross-fire, is to attempt to flee the country.Dr. Khalid Mustafa Medani is an associate professor of Political Science and Islamic Studies and the chair of the African Studies program at McGill University. He joins us to break down the origins of the current conflict, and the efforts being undertaken to get Sudanese-Canadians, and other innocent civilians, to safety.“It really is important for Ottawa to understand the severity of this conflict as it threatens the entire region,” he said.So what is happening right now on the ground? What is Canada doing to get its citizens out? And how might this conflict end?You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.You can also find it at thebigstorypodc...

Family of Gary woman murdered in 2019 call for accused killer to be jailed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

CHICAGO — The family of a woman murdered in 2019 is calling on authorities in Indiana to put her accused killer back in jail.Draw Carter is accused of killing Jessica Flores back in 2019 and is scheduled to be in court Thursday. He was released early this year due to a law in Indiana that protects defendants while awaiting trial.The car Flores was last seen in was found burned in a Chicago Alley. Court documents obtained by the Tribune also found a large amount of blood in the back seat of the car. Police believe Flores was killed in Gary, Indiana. Police found Flores' remains in a Gary park in 2020. Chicago man charged after fatal shooting in Washington Heights last year Carter was in jail but was released in January due to the Indiana Criminal Rule 4 law that prevents people from staying in jail more than six months before they get a trial.Flores' family will be at the Lake County Superior Courthouse Thursday morning to ask a judge to put Carter back in jail until he stands trial.

Chicago man charged after fatal shooting on South Side last year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago man faces felony charges after a shooting that left a man dead in Washington Heights last year.Christopher Haynes, 34, of Chicago, faces first degree murder charges after a 38-year-old man was shot and killed on August 13, 2022. Rapper MoneySign Suede dies in California prison stabbing Haynes was arrested by police on Wednesday in the 3500 block of West Van Buren Street and was identified as the second offender who participated in the fatal shooting of a 38-year-old man who was driving om the 500 block of West 95th Street last year. Haynes was placed into custody and charged accordingly. There is no additional information at this time.

Thursday Forecast: Temps in upper 60s with increasing clouds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:56 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly sunny Thursday with increasing clouds and cooler conditions lakeside. Winds: S 5-10. High: 67/60. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly cloudy tonight. Winds: E 5-10. Low: 45.Friday Forecast: Mostly cloudy, 20% shower chance, cooler lakeside, NE 5-10 G15. High: 61/51.Full forecast details at the WGN Weather Center