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DA says gun charge dropped against NYC lawmaker seen with pistol at protest because gun did not work

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Charges have been dropped against a New York City lawmaker accused of bringing a gun to a protest because her gun was inoperable, prosecutors said Friday.City Council member Inna Vernikov, a strongly pro-Israel Republican, was arrested on Oct. 13 for bringing a handgun to a Brooklyn College demonstration supporting Palestinians.Vernikov was seen in photos and videos with the butt of a pistol jutting out from her waistband while counterprotesting at the pro-Palestinian rally, according to the New York Police Department.She was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court this month on a charge of possessing a gun at a sensitive location.Vernikov had a license to carry a concealed weapon, but under New York law, even licensed gun owners may not bring weapons to certain sensitive locations, including protests and school grounds. But after Vernikov surrendered her gun, the police examined it and found that it was missing the recoil spring assembly, rendering it inoperable, Brook...

US labor board delays new employment rule after business groups sue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

The federal government is delaying a new rule that could make it easier for millions of workers to unionize after business groups challenged it in court.The National Labor Relations Board said Thursday that the rule — which was scheduled to go into effect in December — will now be effective Feb. 26. The board said the delay will give it time to resolve legal challenges.The rule sets new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers” in labor negotiations. Under the current NLRB rule, which was passed by a Republican-dominated board in 2020, a company like McDonald’s isn’t considered a joint employer of most of its workers since they are directly employed by franchisees.But the new rule would expand that definition, saying companies may be considered joint employers if they have the ability to control — directly or indirectly — at least one condition of employment. Conditions include wages and benefits, hours and scheduling, the ...

Police evacuate Jewish school in North York after threat was received

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

Toronto police are investigating after a threat was made against a Jewish high school in North York.Investigators say students at Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto on Wilmington Avenue have been evacuated as a precaution after a threat was received at the school just before 11:30 a.m. Friday.No further details were provided as to the nature of the threat.Police K9 units were on the scene to assist investigators in their search of the school for any threats. This is the same school which was the focus of a hate-crime investigation last month after online threats were received. In that instance, two teens and a man were charged with making threats after a group of Jewish students were threatened outside the school.Police forces across the GTA have increased patrols around Jewish communities as well as cultural centres, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East.

Driver facing charge of impaired driving causing death in Gardiner crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

A driver is facing an upgraded charge following a single-vehicle crash on the Gardiner Expressway last weekend that has now claimed the life of a 22-year-old passenger in the sedan.Just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, police were called to the area of the expressway near Jameson Avenue.Police say the 22-year-old driver in Nissan Maxima was travelling west on the Gardiner when he lost control of the vehicle and hit a guard rail.The passenger was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on Thursday.Three other people in the vehicle were treated for minor injuries.The driver was arrested at the scene of the crash.Police initially charged Stefano Odorico, from Weston, with three impaired driving offences. Investigators say the charges will be upgraded to impaired operation of a conveyance causing death.

Toronto man, woman charged in online child luring investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

Toronto police have charged a man and woman for allegedly trying to lure a child over the internet.Police say the two suspects communicated with who they believed was a 14-year-old girl on Thursday, November 16.That communication led to members of the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Section and officers from 42 division obtaining and executing a search warrant.Maragret Ann Mayhew, 40, of Toronto was later charged with two counts of luring a child under 16 years and one count of invitation to sexual touching.Troy Emmanuel Persaud, 38, of Toronto, faces the same charges at Mayhew as well as the following additional charges:Unlawfully Possess Child PornographyUnlawfully Access Child Pornographythree counts of Store Firearm or Restricted Weapon Contrary to Regulation 7 of the Criminal Codefour counts of Careless Storage of Firearm, Weapon, Prohibited DeviceUnauthorized Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted WeaponPolice are reminding parents to remain vigilant when it comes to their...

EV battery subsidy deals to cost $5.8B more than government projections: PBO report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

OTTAWA — A report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer says the total cost of provincial and federal support for electric vehicle battery manufacturing in Canada will be $5.8 billion more than government projections.The report analyzes the costs to governments of recent deals struck with Northvolt, Volkswagen and Stellantis-LGES to locate EV battery manufacturing facilities in Canada.It pegs the total cost of government support at $43.6 billion between 2022 and 2033, which is $5.8 billion higher than the $37.7 billion in costs announced by Ottawa and the provinces.The report says the extra $5.8 billion represents foregone corporate income tax revenues for the federal, Ontario and Quebec governments.Of the total $43.6 billion in costs, 62 per cent will be borne by the federal government and 38 per cent will fall on the governments of Ontario and Quebec.The report also estimates a break-even timeline for governments of 11 years for the Northvolt production subsidy, 15 years for the V...

Ex-federation president ruled unfit to hold job in Spanish soccer for 3 years after kissing player

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

MADRID (AP) — The former president of the Spanish soccer federation has been ruled unfit to work in the sport in Spain for three years after he kissed a player on the lips without her consent at the Women’s World Cup final.Luis Rubiales had already been forced to resign from his post after he initially tried to stay in office despite a global uproar over Rubiales kissing forward Jenni Hermoso at the trophy ceremony following the Aug. 20 final in Australia.Friday’s ruling by the legal panel that oversees sports in Spain comes after world soccer governing body FIFA had already banned Rubiales for three years.A Spanish judge is investigating accusations by Hermoso that Rubiales sexually assaulted her with his kiss and then pressured her to publicly support him afterward.He has denied any wrongdoing.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerThe Associated Press

CPKC says it’s unshaken by Mexican president’s decree to host passenger rail service

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. says it’s untroubled by a draft decree from Mexico’s president that would require freight railways to allow passenger service on their tracks.The Calgary-based railway says the decree, expected to take effect on Nov. 20, stresses that freight rail service will be respected and that it does not anticipate any adverse impact on its network — the only one to stretch from Canada through to the United States and Mexico.President Andres Manuel López Obrador denied any notion that his decree to be issued later this month amounted to expropriation of private property. He said existing law guarantees passenger trains priority.Still, almost no regular passenger service remains in Mexico following a 1995 reform that gave concessions to two private railway companies: Mexico’s Ferromex and a subsidiary of U.S.-based Kansas City Southern, which Canadian Pacific acquired in April.CPKC says it has reached a deal with the Mexican governme...

One of Napoleon’s signature bicorne hats on auction in France could fetch upwards of $650,000

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

FONTAINEBLEAU, France (AP) — One of the signature broad, black bicorne hats that Napoleon Bonaparte wore when he ruled 19th-century France and waged war in Europe is expected to fetch upwards of 600,000 euros ($650,000) at an auction Sunday.Other history-laden items in the sale of industrialist Jean-Louis Noisiez’s collection of Napoleonic memorabilia include a silver plate looted from Napoleon’s carriage after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It also includes a wooden vanity case he owned, with razors, a silver toothbrush, scissors and other personal belongings. The faded black felt hat is the star piece, valued at between 600,000 and 800,000 euros ($650,000 to $870,000). While other officers customarily wore their hats with the wings facing front to back, Napoleon wore his with the ends pointing toward his shoulders. That style — known as “en bataille,” in battle, in French — made it easier for his troops to spot the military general and statesman in...

US sanctions Iran-backed militia members in Iraq conducting strikes against American forces

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Friday imposed sanctions on six people affiliated with the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia Kataeb Hezbollah, which is accused of being behind a spate of recent attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria following the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel. Included in the sanctions are the militia’s foreign affairs chief, a member of its governing council, its military commander and a media spokesman. The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent the targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans.A spate of drone attacks hit U.S. bases in Iraq as recently as Friday, as regional tensions have flared up following the bloody war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Two U.S. defense officials confirmed three additional attacks on U.S. military facilities in Iraq and Syria on Friday, bringing the total number of attacks on U.S. and coalition military facilities in Iraq and Syria to at least 60. Th...