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UN nuclear agency seeks more access to plant that Kyiv, Moscow say is under threat

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The head of the United Nations nuclear agency said Friday he was pushing for access to the roof of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine after Ukraine and Russia accused each other anew of planning attacks. The plant was seized by Russia, in March 2022, in the first weeks of the war in Ukraine, raising fears of a nuclear accident. The Russians have granted only limited access to officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency, citing security.Wrapping up a four-day visit to Japan, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said his agency was making progress on access to Zaporizhzhia. “It’s like a conversation and I’m pushing to get as much access as possible,” Grossi said, in an interview with The Associated Press in Tokyo, adding that there was “marginal improvement.”“I’m optimistic that we are going to be able to go up and see,” Grossi said, referring to the plant’s rooftops.Citing intelligence reports, Ukrainian Preside...

Bank of Canada expected to raise rates next week, despite rise in unemployment rate

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

OTTAWA — The Canadian labour market is showing some signs of softening as the unemployment rate rises and wage growth slows, but with another solid job gain last month, forecasters are still expecting a rate hike next week.Statistics Canada reported Friday the economy added 60,000 jobs in June, driven by gains in full-time work. But as more Canadians searched for work and the population continued to grow, the unemployment rate climbed higher to 5.4 per cent, the highest it’s been in a year. “The reason the unemployment rate can rise alongside historically strong employment growth is that population growth continues to set new records — including an 84k monthly increase in June,” wrote RBC assistant chief economist Nathan Janzen in a note to clients.June marked the second month in a row the unemployment rate has risen as economists watch for softening in the labour market amid high interest rates.Job gains were concentrated in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturi...

Ferry disruptions hurting P.E.I. businesses after years of COVID-19 closures

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

CHARLOTTETOWN — The Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island says the sporadic ferry service this year between the province and Nova Scotia has been challenging for local businesses.Corryn Clemence, chief executive officer of the association, says the MV Confederation was pulled from service on Canada Day and will stay off-line this weekend for the Cavendish Beach Music Festival.The company that operates the ferry between Nova Scotia and eastern Prince Edward Island says the MV Confederation will be out of service until at least next week, leaving the Confederation Bridge as the Island’s only link to the mainland.Northumberland Ferries says the ferry was removed from the water because of a mechanical glitch and that the required parts are due to arrive Saturday.Clemence says this year is important for most businesses because it’s the first time they’re in full swing after two years of COVID-19 closures.She says the financial hit to businesses will be ca...

Caribbean leaders seeking discounted oil criticize US sanctions against Venezuela

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — Caribbean leaders on Friday denounced U.S. economic sanctions against oil-rich Venezuela, saying they’ve been forced to buy costlier petroleum elsewhere as they struggle with tight budgets.Members of a Caribbean trade bloc known as Caricom called for removal of the sanctions, which prevent them from purchasing oil at a discounted rate as part of a deal with Venezuela known as Petrocaribe.“We in the Caribbean are suffering immensely,” Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said at the close of a three-day Caricom conference on Wednesday. “People should be allowed to go about their lives, especially in these difficult times.”Both Skerrit and Keith Rowley, prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, said the issue was raised with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken when he met with Caribbean leaders this week at the conference in Trinidad.The Petrocaribe deal that began in 2015 and was recently revived allows Caribbean nations to pay 60% of oil purchases with...

Fatal fire still burns on cargo ship in New Jersey, raising questions about response capability

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — A cargo ship burned for a third day Friday at a New Jersey port after the fire claimed the lives of two firefighters and exposed gaps in the ability of fire crews to respond to emergencies on hulking container ships.Crews shot jets of water into the Italian-flagged Grande Costa d’Avorio docked in Newark as flames flared periodically from the section of the ship where hundreds of vehicles were loaded onto multiple decks.The Coast Guard and other officials were set to hold a news conference later Friday to give an update on the situation.Newark firefighters Augusto “Augie” Acabou and Wayne “Bear” Brooks Jr. died fighting the blaze that broke out Wednesday night on the 10th floor of the ship. The fire quickly reached the 11th and 12th floors as firefighters were forced to retreat in the intense heat. Five other firefighters were injured. Newark Fire Chief Rufus Jackson said the department had trained on ships before, but not the specific kind of cargo vessel t...

Florida judge to murder suspect on run for 40 years: “You knew you were running from something.”

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A judge in Florida has ordered a 65-year-old California fugitive held without bond in connection with the death of a woman nearly 40 years ago.Donald Santini was arrested by U.S. marshals in California last month, and extradited to Florida. He had used at least 13 aliases over the years. Santini was the last person seen with 33-year-old Cynthia “Cindy” Ruth Wood. The arrest warrant said a medical examiner determined she had been strangled, and Santini’s fingerprints were found on her body.“You being on the run for almost 40 years is a consciousness of guilt. You knew you were running from something,” Judge Catherine Catlin told Santini during a hearing in Tampa on Thursday. Photos taken in the courtroom showed Santini weeping before the judge denied bond.Wood’s stepdaughter, Denise Kozer told the Tampa Bay Times she’s hoping to find closure in a case that resulted in “total devastation” for her family.Back in 1984, Santini was known as Charles Michael ...

Pat Fitzgerald gets a suspension after Northwestern hazing investigation

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — The conclusion of an investigation into hazing allegations within the Northwestern University football program has brought changes along with punishment for its leader.On Friday, it was announced that head coach Pat Fitzgerald will be suspended for two weeks without pay after the investigation found "evidence to corroborate claims made by an anonymous whistleblower regarding hazing activities and events." The investigation was launched in December 2022 and was led by Maggie Hickey of ArentFox Schiff, a former inspector general of Illinois. In the report, she said that the anonymous whistleblower's claims against the program were "largely supported by the evidence."Fitzgerald will begin serving that suspension immediately, which would make him available for the start of Wildcats training camp later this summer. “I was very disappointed when I heard about the allegations of hazing on our football team,” said Fitzgerald in a statement released by Northwestern Universi...

Taylor Swift releases 'Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)': What to listen for

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In 2010, newly anointed as a Grammy winner, Taylor Swift released “Speak Now,” her third studio album and her first without a single songwriting collaboration.Her 2006 self-titled debut and 2008’s “Fearless” had inspired both acclaim and criticism for her bold bridges and keen lyricism — these are masterful country-pop songs, critics argued, but surely a teen idol wasn’t responsible for them. Swift proved her detractors wrong on “Speak Now,” an album that arrived just before her pivot from country’s youngest hope to pop’s freshest voice.The album served as a close document of her nascent fame and future career ambitions, and now, 13 years on, it's back. “Speak Now (Taylor's Version),” released Friday, is the third release of the six albums Swift plans to re-record. The "Taylor's Version" albums, instigated by music manager Scooter Braun's sale of her early catalog, represent Swift's effort to control her own songs and how they're used...

Drake hit by phone thrown during 1st show of It's All a Blur tour

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

(KTLA) – "Hotline Bling"? More like hotline fling. Drake is the latest artist to be struck by an object thrown by a fan while performing on stage. This happened Wednesday night during the rapper's first show of his It's All a Blur tour, which opened at the United Center in Chicago. Drake fans upset at Ticketmaster over ticket prices for the rapper’s It’s All A Blur Tour As the former "Degrassi" star sang a slowed-down version of Ginuwine's "So Anxious," a phone came flying from the crowd. It looked like Drake almost caught it, but it ended up hitting his hand and flying off the stage.Video of the incident was captured on social media. This dangerous practice by fans has been making headlines recently. Bebe Rexha had to get stitches after a fan chucked a phone at her face during a concert in New York City. Kelsea Ballerini was also hit by what was believed to be a bracelet during a performance in Idaho. While she wasn't hurt, Pink was also performing when a fan tossed their dead m...

At least 18 hospitalized after tour bus hits MTA bus in New York: FDNY

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:57 GMT

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (WPIX) -- A Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus and a double-decker tour bus collided in Manhattan on Thursday evening, sending a number of passengers to the hospital.The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) said 18 people were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Around 63 other people were being evaluated for possible injuries."I see this bus barreling towards us, smashes into the side of our bus. For a second, I thought I was in a movie, didn't think it was real until I saw the glass, I saw the people screaming, I saw the blood," MTA bus passenger Ishrak Jahan told WPIX. "I immediately went into 'Is everyone alright, is everyone good?' [Then I] called 911." Fire still burning on cargo ship that killed 2 firefighters in New Jersey Fern Parker recorded the rescue from her apartment window."They put the ladder up, the tour people couldn't get down the steps, so they had to rescue them by taking them down the ladder," Parker said.The MTA to...