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Van carrying oxygen tanks explodes in Milan; driver injured

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

MILAN (AP) — A van that was transporting oxygen tanks to a nearby medical facility exploded in the center of the Italian city of Milan on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of a school and residential apartment buildings. The driver suffered minor injuries. Images on Sky TG24 show a plume of dark smoke rising from a narrow street near Porta Romana, where flames scorched nearby cars and motorcycles and exploded windows in adjacent buildings, including the school. Firefighters quickly brought the flames under control. The driver of the van suffered an injury to his hand when he tried to douse the flames, firefighter Carlo Cardinali told reporters at the scene. The driver was treated at the scene and transported to a hospital. It wasn’t immediately known what sparked the explosion, but Cardinali said the rapid spread of the flames was due to the quantity of explosive material on board. Law enforcement was investigating. About 200-300 children at an elementary, middle school and day...

Jacklyn Zeman, longtime ‘General Hospital’ cast member who played Bobbie Spencer, dies at 70

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

Jacklyn Zeman, who played Bobbie Spencer for 45 years on ABC’s “General Hospital,” has died. She was 70.Zeman died after a short battle with cancer, her family confirmed Wednesday. News of her death was first announced by the show’s executive producer, Frank Valentini.“I am heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved Jackie Zeman,” he wrote on Twitter. “Just like her character, the legendary Bobbie Spencer, she was a bright light and a true professional that brought so much positive energy with her work.”ABC Entertainment and “General Hospital” also released a statement stating, “Jacklyn Zeman has been a beloved member of the General Hospital and ABC family since she originated the iconic role of Bobbie Spencer over 45 years ago. She leaves behind a lasting legacy for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of the bad girl turned heroine and will always be remembered for her kind heart and radiant spirit. We are devastated by the news of her passing, and send our deepest condolences to ...

CP NewsAlert: One officer dead, two others injured in eastern Ontario shooting: OPP

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

BOURGET, Ont. — Ontario Provincial Police say one officer is dead and two others were injured in an early morning shooting in a village east of Ottawa. OPP say three officers went to a home in Bourget, Ontario, shortly after 2 a.m. after someone reported hearing gunshots. Police say all three officers were shot by someone at the home. OPP say the officers were sent to hospital in Ottawa and one of them has since died from their injuries. Police say the other officers are recovering and one person has been taken into custody. OPP say there is no risk to public safety and did not immediately release any further details. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2023.The Canadian Press

Australian trade minister visits China as part of joint efforts to repair ties

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell visited China on Thursday as part of a joint effort to repair ties scarred by political rifts over the past decade. In a statement issued by his office, Farrell said he would be “advocating strongly for the full resumption of unimpeded Australian exports to China.” China is Australia’s biggest trading partner, with two-way exchanges totaling $287 billion in 2022. China recently resumed imports of coal, cotton and copper from Australia after a lengthy unannounced trade embargo. Farrell said he would push for a review of tariffs on Australian barley and represent “the interests of Australian exporters and producers.” China blocked such exports in retaliation for government actions targeting Beijing’s alleged interference in Australian elections, civic life and the large Australian-Chinese community. Despite improvements in economic relations, ties between the two remain tense. In April, Australian Foreign Minister Penny ...

Toronto approves multiplex residential buildings in low-rise neighbourhoods

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

Toronto’s residential landscape will be changing in an effort to build more housing in the city.City Council voted in favour of moving forward with a recommendation to allow multiplexes in all neighbourhoods. In Wednesday’s 18-7 vote, council adopted a staff report that will make amendments to the City’s Official Plan and city-wide zoning bylaw.“We have done extensive consultation, I have sent this out to my community multiple times,” says Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, adding she believes the change is something most Toronto residents want.The amendment means single-family homes in any neighbourhood could be torn down and replaced with low-rise housing of two, three, or four units. The move will add to the diversity of housing options in areas where buildings with multiple units was previously not possible.“There has been housing growth through mid- and high-rise apartment buildings concentrated in densely populated areas of the city,” rea...

Japan’s Honda records lower profit, projects recovery ahead on sales rebound

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Honda’s profit for the fiscal year that ended in March dropped 1.7% as sales took a hit from a semiconductor shortage and restrictions in China related to the coronavirus pandemic.But the Japanese automaker said Thursday that recovery was on the way, forecasting record sales and operating profitability for the current fiscal year.Net profit for the fiscal year that just ended totaled 695.2 billion yen ($5.2 billion), as declining auto sales and rising research costs offset the perks of a favorable currency exchange rate.A cheap yen is a plus for Japanese exporters like Honda because it raises the value of overseas revenue when it is converted into yen.Sales for the fiscal year grew 16% to 16.9 trillion yen ($126 billion), lifted by healthy motorcycle sales. Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. projected record sales revenue for the fiscal year ending in March 2024, at 18.2 trillion yen ($136 billion). The 1 trillion yen ($7.5 billion) operating profit projected for the fiscal ye...

‘Now or never’: Migrants rush to US border ahead of Title 42 expiration

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

MATAMOROS, Mexico (AP) — Migrants rushed across the border hours before pandemic-related asylum restrictions were to expire Thursday, fearing that new policies would make it far more difficult to gain entry into the United States.In a move to clear out overwhelmed holding facilities, Border Patrol agents were told Wednesday to begin releasing some migrants with instructions to appear at an immigration office in the United States within 60 days, according to a U.S. official. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and provided information to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The Biden administration has been unveiling measures to replace Title 42, which suspended rights to seek asylum since March 2020 on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. On Wednesday, the Homeland Security Department announced a rule to make it extremely difficult for anyone who travels through another country, like Mexico, to qualify for asylum. It also introduced ...

OPP officer dead, 2 others injured in shooting east of Ottawa

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

An Ontario Provincial Officer has died and two others are injured after a shooting east of Ottawa.Provincial police were called to a home on Laval Street in the village of Bourget, around 50 kilometres east of Ottawa, shortly after 2 a.m. on Thursday after someone reported hearing a gunshot.When three officers arrived at the scene, police say they were shot at by someone inside the home.The officers were taken to hospital in Ottawa, but one of the officers was later pronounced dead.The extent of the injuries suffered by the officers is not known but police say they are recovering.One person has been taken into custody.

How Europe is leading the world in building guardrails around AI

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Authorities around the world are racing to draw up rules for artificial intelligence, including in the European Union, where draft legislation faced a pivotal moment on Thursday. A European Parliament committee voted to strengthen the flagship legislative proposal as it heads toward passage, part of a yearslong effort by Brussels to draw up guardrails for artificial intelligence. Those efforts have taken on more urgency as the rapid advances of chatbots like ChatGPT highlight benefits the emerging technology can bring — and the new perils it poses.Here’s a look at the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act: HOW DO THE RULES WORK? The AI Act, first proposed in 2021, will govern any product or service that uses an artificial intelligence system. The act will classify AI systems according to four levels of risk, from minimal to unacceptable. Riskier applications will face tougher requirements, including being more transparent and using accurate data. Think about it ...

Bank of England raises UK interest rates to highest level since 2008

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:20:54 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England has raised interest rates to their highest level since late 2008 as it continues to combat stubbornly high inflation in the U.K.The decision on Thursday by the bank’s nine-member Monetary Policy Committee to lift its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5% was widely anticipated in financial markets. The increase was its 12th in a row.Like other central banks around the world, the Bank of England has sought to keep a lid on inflation, which over the past year has been fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That sent energy prices soaring, a development that then led to price increases across a wide array of goods and services.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England is set to raise interest rates later Thursday to their highest level since late 2008 as it continues to combat stubbornly high inflation in the U.K.Financial markets expect the bank’s nine-member Monet...