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Toronto lagging in post-pandemic foot traffic recovery, data shows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

Data released by the University of Toronto’s School of Cities suggests post-pandemic recovery in foot traffic in downtown Toronto is lagging far behind other major North American cities.Researchers have been keeping track of foot traffic since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic by analyzing smartphone data.The numbers suggest that between March and May of 2020, foot traffic in downtown Toronto dropped to about 39 per cent pre-pandemic levels.The drop aligned with changes seen in other major North American cities including New York City, which dropped to 31 per cent, Boston down to 32 per cent, and Montreal down to 35 per cent.Data places Toronto 55th in the list of 63 North American cities in recovery of downtown foot traffic post-pandemic.Toronto saw a drop as low as 31 per cent pre-pandemic levels between March and May of 2021 with lockdowns having a significant impact.The numbers have been steadily improving since then, but the most recent data between December 2022 and Febr...

Zelenskyy wants Putin trial; Russia accuses US on drones

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ukraine and Russia pressed their wartime rhetoric Thursday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressing confidence that Vladimir Putin would be convicted of war crimes, and the Kremlin alleging that the U.S. was behind what it called an assassination attempt against the Russian president.The countries’ leaders have personally attacked each other multiple times during the war that Russia started by invading Ukraine in February 2022. The latest flare-up came Wednesday, with Russia’s claim that Ukraine had attacked the Kremlin in Moscow with drones meant to assassinate Putin.Zelenskyy denied that Ukrainian forces were responsible for the purported drone attack. The Kremlin promised unspecified retaliation for what it termed a “terrorist” act, and pro-Kremlin figures called for the assassinations of senior Ukraine leaders.Uncertainty still surrounds exactly what happened in the purported attack.Putin’s spokesman on Thursday accused t...

Prosecutor: Baltimore police officer sold pot on the clock

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Two Baltimore police officers were indicted this week in separate cases, including an 11-year department veteran accused of selling drugs on the clock — allegations that come as the agency seeks to rebuild its reputation after the Gun Trace Task Force corruption scandal ruptured public trust.Officer Cejus Watson was supposed to be working at police headquarters in downtown Baltimore on Sept. 29, but he left during his shift and drove to a Baltimore County tattoo parlor where he sold marijuana, according to a grand jury indictment. Watson had been previously charged with marijuana distribution in Baltimore County, a separate legal jurisdiction, and was suspended without pay as a result; that case, which pertains to the same alleged drug deal, is ongoing with trial scheduled for June.Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, who took office as the city’s top prosecutor in January, announced the indictments at a news conference Thursday morning, saying they demonstrate hi...

Ford government to launch audits of six municipalities’ housing finances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

Ontario’s minister of municipal affairs and housing says he is moving forward with audits of six municipalities to see if there will be any “potential or perceived” financial hits from a provincial housing law.Municipalities have been raising concerns about a housing law, that, in part, freezes, reduces and exempts fees developers pay on certain builds such as affordable housing.Those fees go to municipalities to pay for infrastructure to support new homes, such as roads and sewers, and they say the provincial changes will leave them $5 billion short.Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark has expressed some skepticism about the impacts, and in late November he announced he would launch third-party audits of “select” municipalities.Today Clark announced that he’s looking for auditors to go over the books of Toronto, Newmarket, Peel Region, Mississauga, Caledon and Brampton – the latter three are part of the upper-tier municipality...

GOP Oregon state senators boycott 2nd day, prevent quorum

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Republican members of the Oregon Senate on Thursday extended their boycott of Senate proceedings into a second day, delaying action by the majority Democrats on bills on gun safety, abortion rights and gender-affirming health care.The stayaway prevented a quorum, with Senate President Rob Wagner having to postpone the planned opening of the Senate. Republican lawmakers have used walkouts in the past, but this time — if they continue to stay away — they’ll be testing a new law that was passed overwhelming by Oregonians in a ballot measure last November and that bans lawmakers who have 10 or more unexcused absences from running for reelection.“The Senate is adjourned until 12 p.m. Friday,” Wagner said with a bang of the gavel after seven lawmakers — all Republicans — were excused. Five other senators — four Republicans and one independent — were absent without having been excused.The boycott comes as several statehouses around the nation, including in Montana and Te...

Sons of ‘El Chapo’ deny US fentanyl indictment allegations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Sons of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán have denied accusations made by U.S. prosecutors last month, saying in a letter that they have no involvement in the production and trafficking of the potent synthetic opioid fentanyl.The letter was provided to The Associated Press by José Refugio Rodríguez, a lawyer for the Guzmán family. Despite not being signed, Rodríguez said he could confirm that the letter was from Guzmán’s sons.The Mexican government did not explicitly confirm the letter’s authenticity, but President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Thursday it had been analyzed by the country’s security council.The sons of Guzmán said “we have never produced, manufactured or commercialized fentanyl nor any of its derivatives,” the letter said. “We are victims of persecution and have been made into scapegoats.” Milenio Television first reported the letter Wednesday.U.S. prosecutors detailed in court documents last month how the Sinaloa cartel ha...

Weekend need to know: Toronto Marathon, Maple Leafs Game 3 and the King’s Coronation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

It will be a big weekend for road closures in the city as runners take to the street for the Toronto Marathon, but they’ll want to be back home in time to catch the Toronto Maple Leafs Game 3 against the Florida Panthers in the second round.The King’s Coronation will also be happening on Saturday morning. CityNews will have live coverage of the entire event starting at 4 a.m. live on Citytv.There are some scheduled closures due to the marathon, as well as ongoing road closures. Scroll below for those details.Here’s what’s happening this weekend:Top eventsKing’s CoronationKing Charles III will officially be crowned in a coronation ceremony along with his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort. You can watch it live on Citytv starting at 4 a.m. or head down to Queen’s Park to celebrate.The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Premier Doug Ford, Speaker Ted Arnott, and Indigenous leaders will hold a flag raising ceremony, 21-gun salute, and drum circle...

Canadian Indigenous leaders meet with King Charles in London ahead of coronation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

LONDON — A delegation of Indigenous leaders from Canada met with King Charles III on Thursday, where they talked about reconciliation and the need to build a strong relationship going forward. Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami President Natan Obed and Métis National Council President Cassidy Caron had an audience at Buckingham Palace, just two days before the King’s coronation on Saturday.Archibald said the meeting was a chance to “evolve the relationship with the Crown,” which predates confederation.“One of the issues that is important to us is that nation-to-nation relationship that we have had and continue to have,” she said, adding that the meeting was “very positive.”“It was also an opportunity for us to connect to the King on things that matter to him, things that also matter to us and that we can work together on.”Obed said the leaders were also able to talk about the issues facing their communities, and all three...

California police detain person in connection to stabbings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — Northern California authorities said they have detained a person in connection with two fatal stabbings and a third stabbing in a university town and will provide more details at a press conference Thursday afternoon. This is the first time the Davis Police Department has said the three stabbings that occurred over a week period and terrified the community are linked. The announcement said the person was detained in connection with the two homicides and the attempted homicide. NBC affiliate KCRA-TV in Sacramento, California, reported it captured aerial footage of police Wednesday afternoon speaking with a person near a downtown park where the second victim, a 20-year-old student at the University of California, Davis, was killed.Officers were then seen placing the person in the back of a patrol car. Davis is a small city about 70 miles (112 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco and 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Sacramento. There are roughly 67,000 residents ...

Rideshare drivers protest outside Uber Hub over wages, safety concerns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Rideshare drivers rally for better pay, job security and safety on the city's North Side.Uber and Lyft drivers gathered Thursday outside the Uber Hub on North Avenue to protest unfair working conditions and low pay.The workers are asking for fair wages, safer conditions when it comes to picking up riders and fair termination and suspension practices.Several drivers spoke about incidents where they felt unsafe or were attacked by the riders. Earlier this week, Chicago police issued a community alert about armed robberies and aggravated vehicular robberies. Six of 10 victims were Uber drivers. Mayor Lightfoot to hold community meeting to address plans for asylum seekers Ald. Mike Rodriguez and Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez came out in support of the drivers, both stating their support of an ordinance that would require the companies provide fair wages, due process for deactivation to driver accounts and better safety protocols.Uber released a statement in response to the protest...