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NATO member Romania finds more drone fragments on its soil after Russia again hits southern Ukraine

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian authorities said Thursday they found a crater from a suspected drone that may have exploded on impact on its territory near the border with Ukraine, reviving concerns about possible spillover of Russia’s war in Ukraine onto a NATO member country.The pre-dawn discovery of the crater three kilometers (1.8 miles) west of the village of Plauru, which sits across the Danube River from the Ukrainian port of Izmail, was made after the Romanian Defense Ministry said it detected a series of drones heading toward Ukrainian river ports.The ministry said the drone possibly exploded on impact but it was not immediately clear when or from where the drone was launched. An investigation was under way.“Heinous Russian attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure had again serious consequences on Romania’s territory,” Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu wrote on X, the social medial platform formerly known as Twitter, adding that “new evidence of impact was ...

After tour of fire devastation in N.W.T., Trudeau promises new homes for Yellowknife

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there will be 50 new affordable homes in Yellowknife under the federal government’s rapid housing project. Trudeau says it’s a jointly funded project between the federal government and the Northwest Territories, with the City of Yellowknife providing the land.“Work on a construction site is already underway,” Trudeau told reporters in Yellowknife on Thursday. He said the rapid housing project is in the third round of funding, with more than 15,000 homes to be built nationally. He acknowledged remote communities face unique challenges with supplies and workers.“The people who are, of course, hardest hit by this lack of supply are vulnerable people including seniors, Indigenous peoples and those experiencing homelessness,” he said.“Housing is a complex issue and we have to tackle it from different angles.”Trudeau was in N.W.T. touring communities ravaged by recent wildfires.The territory saw nearly 70 per cent of its population ...

Taylor Swift concert movie breaks Cineplex record for event pre-sales

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

TORONTO — Taylor Swift’s concert movie is proving to be a fairy tale for Canada’s largest cinema chain.The film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which hit theatres Thursday, generated $6.2 million in pre-sales for Cineplex Inc., making it the Toronto-based company’s most successful event for pre-sales.Sara Moore, Cineplex’s executive-vice president and chief marketing officer, said she and the company were “giddy” about the film’s première. It was originally set to open on Oct. 13 before Swift moved up the release by a day, citing “unprecedented demand.” The star announced the earlier release date on X, formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday evening, catching even Cineplex by surprise.“We found out about the same time as everybody else did when Taylor posted it last night, so obviously we were thrilled and jumped on it right away because the interest has been so strong,” said Moore.The chain managed to find sp...

B.C. Real Estate Association says sales activity impacted by high cost of borrowing

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

VANCOUVER — Home sales in British Columbia were up in September by more than 10 per cent from the same time last year. However, the B.C. Real Estate Association says sales activity is clearly being affected by the Bank of Canada’s policy on interest rates and the subsequent rise in interest rates. Chief economist Brendon Ogmundson says home sales are trending at below average levels as potential buyers struggle with the high cost of borrowing.Active listings in the province were up slightly month-over-month at just over 33,000 total listings and were 8.1 per cent higher year-over-year.The average residential price in the province was $966,530 in September, up 4.8 per cent compared with September 2022, while total sales in dollar volume were $5.3 billion, a 15.7 per cent increase from the same time last year.Year-to-date figures point in a different direction with residential sales dollar volume down 15 per cent to $57.9 billion, compared with the same period in 2022. This repo...

Man accused in London, Ont., attack on Muslim family tells court of childhood abuse

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

The man accused of killing four members of a Muslim family in an alleged act of terrorism took the stand in his own defence on Thursday, telling a jury that his “fundamentalist” Christian upbringing was marked by isolation and abuse at the hands of his mother.Nathaniel Veltman testified that he and his five siblings, including a twin sister, were raised in Strathroy, Ont., by a largely distant and “introverted” father and a “religious fanatic” mother who homeschooled the kids and regularly spanked him until the age of 12.Under questioning from his lawyer, Christopher Hicks, in the Windsor, Ont., courtroom where the trial is taking place, Veltman said his upbringing made him increasingly angry, especially as he developed obsessive thoughts and what he said he later understood to be signs of mental health issues.“I began obsessing over not thinking evil or violent things, which inevitably led me to think the worst thing a person could think,&#...

'I'm going to fall': Northwest Indiana woman accused of letting kids ride on roof of car; daughter injured

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

PORTAGE, Ind. — A Northwest Indiana woman was arrested on a warrant this week after allegedly letting her children joyride on top of her vehicle, injuring her daughter.On the night of Aug. 3, Portage police responded to the 100 block of Coral Avenue on the report of an injured child.A 911 caller told authorities they observed a woman, later identified as Katy Newboles, 35, of Portage at the time, allegedly driving with two children hanging on the roof of her vehicle.At the scene, a police report states an officer made contact with a young girl who was suffering from lacerations and several road rash injuries. Newboles told the officer that she lets her children, a boy and a girl, hang onto the back of her vehicle while on skateboards at around 5 miles per hour, police stated.When the officer asked the injured girl where the skateboards were, she reportedly replied, "what skateboards?" No skateboards were found at her home.The girl was transported to an area hospital and the officer ...

5 officers shot in Minnesota, suspect in custody

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

PRINCETON, Minn. (AP) — Five drug task force officers were shot and wounded Thursday while serving a search warrant near the Minnesota city of Princeton, authorities said. The suspect was arrested after a standoff that lasted several hours.A news release from Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck said the officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect when they were confronted by the man, who was injured in the incident and was taken away for treatment after his arrest. The cause and extent of his injuries were not immediately known, the sheriff said.The officers' injuries were not life-threatening, the sheriff said. Three of the officers were taken to North Memorial Hospital in the Minneapolis suburb of Robbinsdale while two were taken to a hospital in St. Cloud.The confrontation started Thursday morning at a home in Glendorado Township, which is a few miles west of Princeton, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis.Law enforcement and helicopters are seen near where officer...

Bears will make an addition to the coaching staff, but when will that happen?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

CHICAGO — There is one major move are planning to make this October, and it concerns their coaching staff. But instead of a subtraction, it's going to be an addition to Matt Eberflus' staff as the team tries to rally back from a difficult start. The biggest question that remains is when it will happen.The head coach announced that he'll be hiring a senior defensive analyst to join his staff for the rest of the 2022 season to aid the unit as they look to make progress. This also comes after defensive coordinator Alan Williams abruptly resigned in September, with Eberflus taking over the playcalling duties."Would do advance work for us for the upcoming opponent," said Eberflus Monday about what he's looking for out of the position. "Would give us certainly ideas, how to attack that upcoming opponent. Just to get another set of eyes for advancing for us."Eberflus said he doesn't have a timetable for the hiring for the position as the Bears continue to work ahead of Sunday's game agains...

Small businesses are priority for incentives program in city south of Austin

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) -- Cari Wible admitted that running Buda-based wedding and events venue The Carrington has its rewards and challenges. While it's exciting to be involved in their guests' special days, it can be difficult to do so out of a century-old historic building in an industry that doesn't have a lot of repeat clients.That's why Wible said she's grateful for a grant from the Buda Economic Development Corp. that helped her business replace an $8,000 heating and cooling system in the building. It's one of a number of grants the business has received from the city since it opened in 2018, to cover things like a pipe burst, damaged walls and to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic and Winter Storm Uri.It's helped ensure the vitality of The Carrington as it hosts about 50 events annually – mostly weddings, but everything from corporate Christmas parties to art events for military women – out of the 2,000-square-foot boutique space at 300 Main St.Read the full a...

Election 2023: Rosemount-Apple-Valley-Eagan School Board (Elect 4)

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:49 GMT

Voters in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district will elect four members for their school board on Nov. 7 from a field of 12 candidates.General information about the Nov. 7 election is online at twincities.com/tag/elections. In addition, twincities.com/news/politics/elections will have a full voters guide with candidates for Ramsey, Dakota and Washington county races online this month. To find out where to vote, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s online polling place finder at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us.Sachin Isaacs (incumbent)Sachin Isaacs of Burnsville, candidate for District 196 School Board in the November 2023 election. (Courtesy of the candidate)Age: 45What qualifies you to hold this position? As a current member of the Board, I have gained invaluable experience over my almost eight-year tenure. During this time I have served on several committees – as chairperson of the Curriculum and Instruction Advisory Council and as a board representative on several advis...