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Biden in San Diego to announce Australia submarine deal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to meet Monday with two of America’s closest allies to announce that Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet as concerns grow about China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.Biden flew to San Diego for talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on an 18-month-old nuclear partnership given the acronym AUKUS.The partnership, announced in 2021, enabled Australia to access nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier and more capable than conventionally powered vessels, as a counterweight to China’s military buildup.San Diego is Biden’s first stop on a three-day trip to California and Nevada. He will discuss gun violence prevention in the community of Monterey Park, California, and his plans to lower prescription drug costs in Las Vegas. The trip will include fundraising stops as Biden steps up his political activit...

Venue issues first statement after GloRilla concert deaths

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Operators of the western New York concert venue where three people were fatally injured after a show by the rapper GloRilla say they are “devastated by the events” and cooperating with the city as it investigates the crowd surge that left several others hurt.A statement issued Saturday on behalf of the Rochester Main Street Armory and owner Scott Donaldson said Donaldson has consented to the city’s request to inspect the venue and is confident it followed all city codes.The city temporarily shut down the former military armory by refusing to renew its entertainment license while criminal and regulatory investigations are underway. Aisha Stephens, 35, of Syracuse, Rhondesia Belton, 33, of Buffalo, and Brandy Miller, 35, of Rochester, died and at least six people were injured after being caught up in a crush of concertgoers who surged toward the exits after the March 5 show.Police said concertgoers described hearing what they believed to be gunshots, but no evid...

Autopsy: ‘Cop City’ protester had hands raised when killed

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

DECATUR, Ga. (AP) — An environmental activist who was fatally shot in a confrontation with Georgia law enforcement in January was sitting cross-legged with their hands in the air at the time, the protester’s family said Monday as they released results of an autopsy they commissioned.The family of Manuel Paez Terán held a news conference in Decatur to announce the findings and said they are filing an open-records lawsuit seeking to force Atlanta police to release more evidence about the Jan. 18 killing of Paez Terán, who went by the name Tortuguita and used the pronoun they.The family’s attorneys said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which has been probing the shooting for nearly two months, has prevented Atlanta police from releasing additional evidence to the family.“Manuel was looking death in the face, hands raised when killed,” civil rights attorney Brian Spears said, citing the autopy’s conclusions. “We do not stand here today telling you that we know what happened. The sec...

Plans for a NYC rail link to LaGuardia Airport now abandoned

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

Plans for a rail link were abandoned Monday that would have connected LaGuardia Airport to New York City’s subway and commuter rail system, after intensive criticism about its $2.4 billion-plus price tag and the potential affects on surrounding neighborhoods.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul accepted the recommendations made by a panel of transportation experts who determined it would be more feasible in the near-term to increase bus service and add a shuttle. Hochul’s action effectively means that LaGuardia — in the borough of Queens, across the East River from Manhattan — will remain among the major U.S. airports without rail service. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2015 proposed the 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) elevated link, similar to one serving John F. Kennedy International Airport elsewhere in Queens. The link was envisioned to serve air travelers who currently rely on taxis and car services, and was originally estimated to cost $450 million.Hochul ordered a review of the proje...

Flair CEO says bigger rivals ‘want us out’ as airline scrambles after plane seizures

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

MONTREAL — The head of Flair Airlines is accusing one of Canada’s two major airlines of attempting to kneecap the discount carrier’s operations by trying to lease four planes that were recently seized from it due to overdue payments.“We’ve come in and upset the cozy duopoly, and as a consequence people want us out of business. And we do believe that there were negotiations going on behind the scenes between one of the majors and the lessor to hurt Flair by them offering probably above-market rates for the aircraft we’ve been leasing,” said CEO Stephen Jones at a news conference Monday.“While I’m not going to name names or cite evidence, I believe that there is much more to this picture than the surface that you see.”The Boeing 737 Maxes were grounded Saturday after a “commercial dispute” with New York-based Airborne Capital Inc., Flair said.The four planes were “only a few days in arrears” with about $1 million owing, “which is a...

Tribe to reopen Lac du Flambeau roads in temporary deal

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

LAC DU FLAMBEAU, Wis. (AP) — A Native American tribe and a northern Wisconsin town have reached an agreement under which the tribe will temporarily reopen four barricaded roads that are the subject of a decadelong dispute and a recent lawsuit.Officials with the town of Lac du Flambeau on Saturday accepted the Lac du Flambeau tribe’s offer to remove barricades blocking the roads for 90 days in exchange for $60,000 as negotiations continue for a more permanent solution, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported.On Jan. 31, tribal officials barricaded the roads, which traverse tribal land, cutting off non-tribal residents who live on about 65 properties from the only access for vehicle traffic to their homes.Tribal officials said the easement agreements for the roads expired more than 10 years ago. They argue that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and the title insurance companies that handle the properties had not negotiated in good faith to extend the agreements.Tribal Chairman John Jo...

Illinois enacts mandatory paid leave ‘for any reason’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois will become one of three states to require employers to offer paid time off for any reason after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law on Monday that will take effect next year.Starting Jan. 1, Illinois employers must offer workers paid time off based on hours worked, with no need to explain the reason for their absence as long as they provide notice in accordance with reasonable employer standards.Just Maine and Nevada mandate earned paid time time off and allot employees the freedom to decide how to use it, but Illinois’ law is further reaching, unencumbered by limits based on business size. Similarly structured regulations that require employers to offer paid sick leave exist in 14 states and Washington, D.C., but workers can only use that for health-related reasons.Illinois employees will accrue one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked up to 40 hours total, although the employer may offer more. Employees can start using the time once they have worked fo...

Wheel separated from commercial truck strikes vehicle, injures driver

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

Provincial police are investigating an incident where a wheel from a commercial truck on Highway 400/88 struck a southbound vehicle and injured the driver.Wheel separation from a commercial vehicle traveling #Hwy400/88 northbound. One of the wheels bounced into the southbound lanes and struck a southbound vehicle. The male driver was transported to hospital with non critical injuries. #AuroraOPP investigating. pic.twitter.com/rUV3LiHIxm— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) March 13, 2023Ontario Provincial Police say the crash happened around 6:30 a.m. Monday, where a commercial truck travelling northbound had a tire separate from the vehicle and bounced into the southbound lanes.The wheel landed on the driver’s side of the southbound vehicle, and the driver was transported to hospital with non-critical injuries.OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt tells CityNews that the investigation is ongoing, and charges are pending though there is no word on what charges or if they’ve be...

Pritzker signs bill mandating paid leave for Illinois workers

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Gov. JB Pritzker is expected to sign a bill Monday which will mandate paid leave for nearly all Illinois workers.It's called the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. It's a bill that was passed by the Illinois General Assembly earlier this year and is now making its way to the governor's desk.It will require employers in the state to give their employees time off based on the hours they've worked, and unlike before, they can be used for any reason.Most employees will get a minimum of 40 hours, or what's equivalent to five days, of paid leave per year and employers will have the option to offer more if they'd like.The time will be available for use on the worker's 90th day of employment. While the time can be used for any reason, an employer can still require prior notice before taking the time off.Up to 40 hours of unused paid leave can be carried over annually, but employers are not required to pay out the balance if a person leaves the workspace. Employers that viol...

$201 cardboard box among Silicon Valley Bank-branded items for sale on eBay

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:51:37 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – From coffee mugs to a cardboard box, swag from the now-failed financial institution Silicon Valley Bank is attracting bids on eBay.Along with those who appear to be manufacturing items with the SVB logo and tongue-in-cheek "Bank Run 2023 FDIC 250K" OR "Risk Management Department" messages, there are number of other singular items for sale.A branded "corporate swag" tumbler and bottle set surpassed $75 Monday with nearly seven days before the auction's close. Bidding for a hat and 12-ounce tumbler set reached $100. Tom Brady’s ‘retirement sand’ auctioning off for $99,990 on eBay The seller of a $50 used, blue SVB coffee mug claims to have been an employee at the failed bank:I worked for Silicon Valley Bank in the Enterprise Business Analytics team as a data scientist," the alleged former employee wrote. I am utterly shocked by what has happened and am extremely concerned about the future. Buying this mug helps me out but also gets you a piece of history to one of the fa...