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Florida expands ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ House passes 3 LGBTQ bills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis added more wins to his agenda targeting the LGBTQ+ community as a state board approved an expansion of what critics call the “Don’t Say Gay” law Wednesday, and the House passed bills on gender-transition treatments, bathroom use and keeping children out of drag shows.The Board of Education approved a ban on classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, expanding the law that bans those lesson up to grade 3 at the request of DeSantis as he gears up for an expected presidential run.The rule change would ban lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4-12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take. That’s the time when students are becoming aware of their sexuality.The proposal will take effect after a procedural notice period that lasts about a month, according to an education departmen...

Cost of carbon emissions nearly five times higher than previously thought: analysis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

OTTAWA — The economic cost of greenhouse gas emissions is nearly five times higher than previously thought, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Wednesday.The minister told attendees at a climate change conference in Ottawa that the government used updated scientific knowledge and economic models to revise the way it evaluates how much climate change is costing Canadians.The new numbers have been in development for months but come after a recent report from the parliamentary budget officer on the economic costs of the carbon price. That report did not specifically equate the cost of the price on carbon to the costs of climate change itself.“The updates to the social cost of carbon simply show that every tonne of greenhouse gas is costing the economy more,” Guilbeault said at the Net Zero Leadership Summit.The social cost of carbon estimates the financial impact that every tonne of emissions has on everything from food production and human health to disaster repair...

Industry minister asks telecoms for update on service agreement in Toronto subway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

Canada’s industry minister is calling on the country’s major telecom companies to come to an agreement over wireless service in Toronto’s subway system.In a letter on Twitter, François-Philippe Champagne said he has taken note of Rogers Communications Inc.’s recent announcement that it’s acquiring the company which owns the wireless network in the Toronto Transit Commission subway system.The letter addressed to executives of Bell Canada, Telus Communications Inc., Quebecor Inc. and Rogers said arrangements are still not in place to ensure service is available to customers who are with a service other than Rogers.Champagne said he wants the telecom companies to rectify the situation with urgency to reach agreements.He requested that the companies respond to his letter within 30 days detailing their respective statuses on the issue, as well as outlining a joint plan to offer mobile service to all customers. BAI Communications Inc. won the contract to buil...

House committee hears testimony on DC health data breach

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A top administrator with Washington’s health insurance exchange apologized to House members on Wednesday for the data breach that resulted in the disclosure of personal information for thousands of users, including members of Congress.The leak was the result of human error, Mila Kofman, executive director of the District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange Authority, told a joint session of two House Oversight subcommittees.She said a server was incorrectly configured in mid-2018 when they installed the internal communications program Slack. That faulty configuration allowed an unauthorized individual to access the server and steal two reports containing personal information of “56,415 current and past customers including members of Congress, their families, and staff.”Some of that information was later offered up for sale in an online forum. The issue first came to public attention when members of the House of Representatives and the Senate were informed tha...

Leafs’ Bunting suspended 3 games for check to the head of Tampa’s Cernak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

Toronto Maple Leafs’ winger Michael Bunting has been suspended for three playoff games following an illegal check to the head and interference of Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Erik Černák, the league announced.The hit happened in the second period of Game 1 when the Lightning were up 4-2 against the Leafs.Michael Bunting has been suspended for 3 playoff games for an illegal check to the head and interference against Tampa Bay’s Erik Cernak, via @NHLPlayerSafety.pic.twitter.com/aY8TnNYJ6N— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2023Bunting was given a match penalty and game misconduct as a result of the hit. Černák left the game and did not return. He’s been ruled out for Game 2 in Toronto.The NHL’s Player Safety determined the hit as an illegal check to the head and interference, saying the head was the main point of contact and noting that the impact to the head was avoidable.Head coach Sheldon Keefe pencilled in rookie winger Matthew Knies on the third line in p...

Search continues for victim in collapsed NYC parking garage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Crews used cranes to pluck cars, one by one, from the rubble of a New York City parking garage Wednesday as building inspectors sought to pinpoint a cause for the century-old structure’s deadly collapse.Grim work also continued to recover the body of one garage worker presumed dead under tons of concrete and crumpled vehicles.“Right now we’re transitioning to how we safely take down that building,” Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said at a news conference, a day after the multilevel parking lot collapsed just as a stream of customers were returning from work to retrieve their cars.It was a delicate operation to remove as many as 90 vehicles scattered on the structure’s buckled top deck and amid tons of shattered concrete.A preliminary investigation found that all three floors of the garage partially or completely collapsed, according to the city’s Buildings Department. The garage’s rear wall partially collapsed, and the fron...

Semi-automatic rifle ban passes Washington state Legislature

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — A ban on dozens of semi-automatic rifles cleared the Washington state Legislature on Wednesday and the governor is expected to sign it into law. The high-powered firearms — once banned nationwide — are now the weapon of choice among young men responsible for most of the country’s devastating mass shootings. The ban comes after multiple failed attempts in the state’s Legislature, and in a year that has seen the most mass shootings during the first 100 days of a calendar year since 2009.The Washington law would cover more than 50 gun models, including AR-15s, AK-47s and similar style rifles, which fire one bullet per trigger pull and automatically reload for a subsequent shot. The bill bans their future sale, distribution, manufacture and importation, although some exemptions are included for sales to law enforcement agencies and the military in Washington.The law would go into effect immediately once it’s signed by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who ...

FBI: Search on for suspect who robbed bank in Chicago's Loop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

CHICAGO — The FBI is investigating a bank robbery that occurred Tuesday afternoon at a Chase Bank in Chicago's Loop. According to authorities, the bank robbery occurred around 4:40 p.m. inside the bank on the first block of S. Dearborn Street. A man, believed to be 45-55 years of age, allegedly handed a note demanding funds to the bank clerk and displayed a gun. FBI: Armored truck robberies reported in Chicago area Police described the suspect as 5-foot-6-inches to 5-foot-7-inches in height, with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a baseball cap with a brown bill and city of Chicago logo, a brownish winter coat with a full hood, blue surgical gloves and a white N95 mask.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAnyone with information is asked to call (312) 421-6700 or report details to tips.fbi.gov.

Teens charged with misdemeanor in stolen vehicle crash that killed 6-month-old

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

CHICAGO — Two teenagers are only facing misdemeanor charges after the crash of a stolen car resulted in the death of a 6-month-old infant.In an update Wednesday, Chicago police said two male juveniles, ages 17 and 14, each face one misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing, though charges could be upgraded pending the department's investigation. Boy, 15, charged after violent vehicle theft at gas station in Wicker Park Police said the crash happened around 5 p.m. Sunday in the 4400 block of West Washington. A stolen Hyundai was traveling westbound on Washington when it struck a pickup truck.A screenshot of surveillance video captures the moments before a stolen Hyundai slams into a pickup truck, causing fatal injuries to 6-month-old Cristian Uvidia.According to police, there were multiple hospitalizations in this crash — including a 6-month-old boy who died from his injuries. The medical examiner has identified the baby as Cristian Uvidia.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesF...

Marijuana employees go on strike at Chicagoland dispensaries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:04:43 GMT

CHICAGO -- Employees at three Chicagoland marijuana dispensaries went on strike Wednesday afternoon.Teamster members walked out of three RISE Dispensary locations in Niles and Joliet on Wednesday. RISE has 11 marijuana dispensaries around the state of Illinois, including six in the Chicagoland area.The Union said it's an open ended and unfair labor practice strike that demands RISE employees receive better pay and retirement contributions. 4/20: Origins of marijuana holiday explained On Wednesday, RISE employees walked out of the Niles dispensary located on the 9600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, one Joliet dispensary located on the 2900 block of Colorado Avenue, and another Joliet dispensary located on the 1600 block of Rock Creek Boulevard.RISE Dispensaries parent company, Green Thumb Industries, plans on keeping the stores running and ensures it's customers and patients will continue to receive the products they need.For more information on RISE Dispensary, click here.