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Canada’s government will stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Canada’s government announced Wednesday it would stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram, in response to Meta’s decision to block access to news content on their social platforms as part of a temporary test.Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government’s decision at a news conference.Canada’s move is the latest episode in a spat that started after Trudeau’s administration proposed a bill that would require technology companies to pay publishers for linking to or otherwise repurposing their content online. Meta promised at the time to block Canadian news content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms to address Canada’s recently passed Online News Act.Rodriguez said the decision from Meta is “unreasonable” and “irresponsible,” and as a result Canada would stop advertising on their platforms.The annual report on government spending shows the federal government spent just over 11.4 m...

John Berylson, American businessman and owner of English soccer team Millwall, dies at age 70

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

LONDON (AP) — John Berylson, an American businessman and owner of English soccer team Millwall, has died. He was 70. His death was announced by the second-division London team, which said Berylson had “lost his life in a tragic accident” on Tuesday. “It is with a collective broken heart and the deepest of regret that we announce the passing of our beloved owner and chairman, John Berylson,” Millwall said in a statement. It has since been reported that Berylson died in a car crash in Falmouth, Massachusetts.“John was, without any doubt whatsoever, the best club owner I have ever worked with, and I would argue strongly that he was the best chairman of any club in this country,” Millwall CEO Steve Kavanagh said. “I feel so desperately sad for John’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them at what is just such a devastatingly cruel time.”Berylson became involved with Millwall in 2006 and, by the following year, was a significant shareholder after leading a consortium to ...

Swanson and Williamson among the top players sidelined for the Women’s World Cup

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

Just as the United States appeared to solidify its front-line starters for the Women’s World Cup, the team was thrown by the loss of Mallory Swanson to a knee injury.Swanson was injured in early April during an exhibition match against Ireland. She cried in pain as she went down and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher in Austin, Texas.The next day, the national team announced the news: Swanson had torn the patellar tendon in her left knee and required surgery. While no timeline was given for her recovery, the World Cup was happening just too soon for a comeback.Swanson was the team’s leading scorer this year with seven goals and a six-game scoring streak, tied for fourth longest in team history. The 25-year-old forward had formed a solid front line with Sophia Smith and Alex Morgan.Swanson joined a long list of high-profile players who will miss the Women’s World Cup. England, considered one of the contenders for the title, has been especially hard hit.CATARIN...

Montgomery Co. reports uptick in students arrested on school grounds

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

A least thirteen students were arrested on the grounds of Montgomery County Public Schools in the most recent school year — up from three during the academic year prior.The data was shared by school officials in a presentation on student well-being and safety during a June 27 Board of Education meeting. Eight of the students arrested during the 2022-2023 school year were Black, and five were white, according to county data. The data doesn’t cite what the students were arrested for.Some school board members expressed frustration that Hispanic students weren’t included in the data. Dana Edwards, the school’s systems chief of district operations, said some Hispanic students were arrested in the 2022-23 year, but it wasn’t included in the presentation because “it’s not an identified race” in federal reporting procedure.The presentation came after Superintendent Monifa McKnight condemned a rise in hate and bias incidents at county schools this ye...

Federal Reserve minutes: Some officials wanted to raise interest rates last month

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Federal Reserve officials pushed to raise the Fed’s key interest rate by one-quarter of a percentage point at their meeting last month to fight high inflation, though the central bank ultimately decided to forgo a rate hike.In a sign of growing division among the policymakers, some officials favored a quarter-point increase or said they “could have supported such a proposal,” according to the minutes of the June 13-14 meeting released Wednesday. In the end, the 11 voting members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee agreed unanimously to skip a hike after 10 straight increases. But they signaled that they may raise rates twice more this year, beginning as soon as this month.In Fed parlance, “some” is less than “most” or “many,” evidence that the support for another rate hike was a minority view. And some who held that view were likely unable to vote at the meeting; the 18 members of the Fed’s policymaking committee vote on a rotating basis.Though the vo...

A Chinese mining company has opened a giant lithium processing plant in Zimbabwe

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A Chinese mining company formally opened a $300 million lithium processing plant Wednesday in Zimbabwe, which has one of the world’s largest reserves of the metal as demand surges globally because of its use in electric car batteries.Zimbabwe has the largest lithium reserves in Africa and has in recent years drawn investors in battery minerals from Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, although China is the dominant player.The plant opened by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, an arm of Chinese company Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, has a capacity to process 4.5 million metric tons of hard rock lithium into concentrate for export per year, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said. Mnangagwa was present for the official opening of the sprawling plant in Goromonzi, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) southeast of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.“Lithium is the mineral of the present and the future … and value addition will position our country as an emerging and compe...

Neuma and SLC launch psychedelic foundations course

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

St. Lawrence College is partnering with local health and wellness startup Neuma to deliver the country’s first course focused on foundations of psychedelics and psychedelic therapy.As the medicinal potential of psychedelics like psilocybin continues to be explored, the Neuma Centre believes there’s value to people gaining an understanding of the history, science, principles, and philosophy of psychedelics and bringing those things into real practice.Neuma hosted a launch event last Thursday at the college to talk about why they think starting the “Foundations for Psychedelic Exploration” course is important, and as an opportunity for people to ask questions about and provide feedback on what Neuma is doing and the new course they’ll be delivering.Nearing a year old, Neuma’s goal is to provide more tools for mental health and wellness that people can use on their own. The Wellness Centre’s Co-Founder Cory Firth says that Neuma thinks it’...

Wilton Wings Bar and Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale catches on fire

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

A South Florida restaurant went up in flames Wednesday morning.Wilton Wings Bar and Kitchen, located at 1818 E. Sunrise Blvd, burned for nearly an hour in Fort Lauderdale.Firefighters at the scene were having a hard time getting to the fire. When it was all over, there was major damage left behind. Even the theater next door was left with minor smoke damage.“I mean, the restaurant had just been remodeled,” said Armand Daiguillom, theater manager and owner. “Re-did everything, and doing really well, so it’s a shame this is happening now.”The fire is under investigation. There were no injuries reported.

Ex-Florida QB Jalen Kitna agrees to plea deal that drops 5 felony child porn charges

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Ex-Florida quarterback Jalen Kitna, the son of retired NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, accepted a plea deal Wednesday that dismissed five felony child pornography charges stemming from his arrest last November.Kitna instead pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct, second-degree misdemeanors.Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Susan Miller-Jones placed Kitna on six months’ probation for each count but did not levy a fine or require the 20-year-old to register as a sex offender.Kitna, with his mother and father sitting behind him, read a statement of contrition.“I want to start off by apologizing to my family, my friends and those that care about me,” Kitna said. “Their support through this whole ordeal has meant a lot to me. The hardest thing about this whole process has been seeing how it’s affected them.“The valuable lessons that I’ve learned through this whole deal have been very helpful. I’m looking forward to applying those things and moving forwar...

Police investigate fatal three-vehicle crash in Southwest Miami-Dade

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:53 GMT

A fatal traffic crash involving three vehicles occurred in Southwest Miami-Dade, shutting down a street for hours. The incident occurred at approximately 10:37 a.m. near SW 147th Avenue and 288th Street. According to authorities, the passenger of one of the vehicles involved died at the scene as a result of their injuries. The driver of the same vehicle was transported to Jackson South Medical Center, where they are currently reported to be in stable condition.The drivers of the remaining two vehicles, who were the sole occupants, sustained injuries and received on-site treatment. Their injuries were not severe, and they were subsequently released.Details regarding the cause of the crash and the identities of those involved have not yet been disclosed. The Miami-Dade Police Department is actively investigating the incident to gather further information and determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.As of 3:30 p.m., the surrounding area remains closed. Drivers are urged to avo...