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US sanctions money network tied to the Yemen Houthi rebels blamed for shipping vessel attacks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Thursday imposed sanctions on a group of money exchange services from Yemen and Turkey alleged to help provide funding to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who have been launching attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the southern Red Sea. Included in the sanctions are the head of a financial intermediary in Sana’a, Yemen, along with three exchange houses in Yemen and Turkey. U.S. Treasury alleges that the people and firms helped transfer millions of dollars to the Houthis at the direction of sanctioned Iranian financial facilitator Sa’id al-Jamal.The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent the targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans.Thursday’s action is the latest round of financial penalties meant to punish the Houthis. Earlier this month, the U.S. announced sanctions against 13 people and firms alleged to be providing tens of millions of dollars from the sale and shipment of Iranian commodit...

TTC to be free with extended service on New Year’s Eve

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

The TTC will once again offer free and extended service overnight on New Year’s Eve so Torontonians can get to and from their celebrations safely.Service will be extended until 3 a.m. on Monday Jan. 1, with the last train from Union to Finch departing at 2:31 a.m. and 2:27 a.m. to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The last southbound train from Finch to Union will depart at 2 a.m. and from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre at 1:50 a.m. The last northbound train on Line 1 will connect at Bloor-Yonge Station with the last westbound and eastbound trains departing the station on Line 2 at 2:40 a.m.For Line 2, the last eastbound train will depart Kipling Station at 2:15 a.m. and the last westbound train will depart Kennedy Station at 2:18 a.m. The last train for Line 4 will depart Don Mills Station to head westbound at 3:09 a.m. and Sheppard-Yonge at 2:57 a.m.Service will be free from 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 8 a.m. on Jan. 1 with regular Sunday schedule resuming on New Year’s Day. The Blue Night Netwo...

As tree species face decline, ‘assisted migration’ gains popularity in Pacific Northwest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) — As native trees in the Pacific Northwest die off due to climate changes, the U.S. Forest Service, Portland, Oregon and citizen groups around Puget Sound are turning to a deceptively simple climate adaptation strategy called “assisted migration.”As the world’s climate warms, tree growing ranges in the Northern Hemisphere are predicted to move farther north and higher in elevation.Trees, of course, can’t get up and walk to their new climatic homes. This is where assisted migration is supposed to lend a hand.The idea is that humans can help trees keep up with climate change by moving them to more favorable ecosystems faster than the trees could migrate on their own.Yet not everyone agrees on what type of assisted migration the region needs — or that it’s always a good thing.In the Pacific Northwest, a divide has emerged between groups advocating for assisted migration that would help struggling native trees, and one that could instead see native species replaced...

Air Canada signs sponsorship deal with Professional Women’s Hockey League

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

MONTREAL — Air Canada has a sponsorship deal with the soon-to-launch Professional Women’s Hockey League.The airline says it is an inaugural premier partner and the official airline for the first six teams in the league, which is set to hold its first game on Jan. 1, 2024.Air Canada is launching an ad campaign along with the launch.As part of the deal, the airline says it has secured intellectual property rights for the teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, along with jersey branding rights for the Montreal team.The airline says the deal builds on its previous partnerships in professional women’s hockey, along with women’s sports including the Women’s National Basketball Association and the planned Project 8 professional women’s soccer league in Canada.The Professional Women’s Hockey League counts Canadian Tire as a founding partner, and has numerous official partner and official supplier partnerships. This report by ...

Last Canadian kidnapped by Hamas, Judih Weinstein Haggai, declared dead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

The family of the only Canadian citizen who was still missing after Hamas militants conducted a brutal assault on Israel has confirmed her death.A relative says Judih Weinstein Haggai died on Oct. 7, the day of the attacks that killed an estimated 1,200 people, and her body is being held in the Gaza Strip.The 70-year-old woman’s family says she held Canadian, Israeli and American citizenships.Weinstein Haggai was born in New York state but moved to Toronto at the age of three, and moved to Israel 20 years later to live with her husband.She lived in the Nir Oz kibbutz, which sits less than three kilometres from her home, and was a volunteer who helped Palestinians in Gaza.Weinstein Haggai made puppets to help teach students English, and often posted haikus and meditations on YouTube.In an interview earlier this month, Weinstein Haggai’s relatives said she and her husband Gadi Haggai were out on an early-morning walk when the Oct. 7 attacks started.She sent a text message ...

Osisko Mining renews share buyback program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

TORONTO — Osisko Mining Inc. says the Toronto Stock Exchange has approved its plans to renew its normal course share buyback program.Under the terms of the notice, Osisko could acquire up to about 36.5 million common shares through the program.The program runs between Jan. 1, 2024, and Jan. 1, 2025, with a daily maximum purchase of 191,304 shares.Osisko says that as of Dec. 19 it had 370.8 million common shares issued and outstanding.During its 2023 program, Osisko was approved to buy up to 29 million shares and actually bought just under 14 million shares.Companies routinely conduct share buyback programs as a way to return capital to shareholders and to try to boost share price.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:OSK)The Canadian Press

Anti-corruption authorities to investigate Zambia’s foreign minister over cash-counting video

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Anti-corruption authorities in Zambia said they will investigate after a video posted on social media allegedly showed the foreign minister receiving piles of cash from a Chinese businessman.Foreign Minister Stanley Kakubo resigned but denied wrongdoing and said he had stepped down because he didn’t want to cause a distraction for the government. He did not deny he was in the video but said there had been “malicious claims over a business transaction between my private family business and our business partner.”“In due course, we will provide the accurate context,” he said.Kakubo said he would keep his position as a parliament member. The Zambian Anti-Corruption Commission said it would investigate the circumstances surrounding the video.The video shows at least three men counting piles of money neatly stacked on a table, some of it in U.S. dollars and some of it in Zambian kwacha. None of the men’s faces are visible, but they can be heard coun...

Bedard scores 1st overtime goal, powers Blackhawks past Jets 2-1

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Connor Bedard scored his second goal of the game at 2:15 of a frantic overtime, leading the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.Bedard, who leads NHL rookies in scoring, sent a wrist shot under the glove of Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck for the first OT goal of his career and his 15th of the season as Chicago earned just its second win in eight games.“It was obviously nice to get the winner in overtime,” said Bedard, who recorded his third two-goal game. “I don't know if I thought about it overly, but it feels nice.”Bedard has three goals in his last two games and extended his points streak to five games. The 18-year-old center has three goals and five assists in the span and 14 goals and 32 points in 34 games overall. He is the third-youngest player in NHL history to score his first OT goal. At 18 years, 163 days, he is behind Sidney Crosby (18 years, 101 days), who scored on Nov. 16, 2005, and Jordan Staal (18 years, 153 days), w...

Barnes & Noble in downtown Naperville to close in January

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- After 25 years, the Barnes & Noble location in downtown Naperville is expected to close in the new year, according to the store's social media post. The iconic bookstore is expected to close down and reopen at the Prairie Market Shopping Center in Oswego around Spring 2024. Law firm offering $20 Uber voucher for NYE rides in Chicago area Until the Oswego location opens, readers are encouraged to visit the Bolingbrook location near the 600 block of East Boughton Road and the Oakbrook store in the 200 block of Oakbrook Center. "It has truly been an honor and privilege to be your bookseller in Naperville for the last 25 years. While we're saddened to vacate our current home, we are so excited to stay nearby and in a beautiful new bookstore," the post said.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:41 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law 50 years ago on Thursday. The law promised to protect endangered plants and animals across the United States, and it passed with bipartisan support. In a statement released by the White House, President Joe Biden said the law has “safeguarded the incredible biodiversity across our Nation, supported the recovery of imperiled species, and conserved the habitats they depend on.”Before the act was signed into law in 1973, federal law did not protect species facing extinction. It allows species to be listed as endangered without consideration for the economic consequences, which some say is controversial.The White House credited the act with preventing 99% of all fish, wildlife, and plants under its protection from going extinct.“Because of these protections, nearly 300 species have avoided extinction—from the American alligator to the bald eagle,” President Biden said in a statement.The Endang...