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Editorial cartoonists’ firings point to steady decline of opinion pages in newspapers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Even during a year of sobering economic news for media companies, the layoffs of three Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonists on a single day hit like a gut punch.The firings of the cartoonists employed by the McClatchy newspaper chain last week were a stark reminder of how an influential art form is dying, part of a general trend away from opinion content in the struggling print industry.Losing their jobs were Jack Ohman of California’s Sacramento Bee, also president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists; Joel Pett of the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky and Kevin Siers of the Charlotte Observer in North Carolina. Ohman and Siers were full-time staffers, while Pett worked on a free-lance contract. The firings on Tuesday were first reported by The Daily Cartoonist blog.“I had no warning at all,” Ohman told The Associated Press. “I was stupefied.”McClatchy, which owns 30 U.S. newspapers, said it would no longer publish editorial cartoons....

CP NewsAlert: firefighter in NWT dies battling wildfire near home community

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

FORT LIARD, N.W.T. — A firefighter has died while battling a wildfire near his home community in the Northwest Territories.The territorial government issued a statement saying the firefighter from Fort Liard died from an injury sustained while battling a nearby blaze on Saturday afternoon.Wildfire Information Officer Jessica Davey-Quantick says the firefighter was involved in combatting a fire that started July 7 and is currently about 11 kilometres southwest of Fort Liard.More coming.The Canadian Press

3 people injured, another arrested in West Hill shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

Three people have been injured and a suspect has been taken into custody after a shooting in West Hill.Police were called to Morningside Avenue and Danzig Street at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon for reports of a shooting.Paramedics tell CityNews three adult victims suffering from gunshot wounds are being taken to hospital in serious, non-life-threatening condition. Two of the victims are men and the other victim’s gender is unknown.Residents in the area should expect a significant police presence.More to come

European Union and Tunisia announce progress in building economic and trade ties, and on migration

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — European leaders and Tunisia’s president announced progress on Sunday in the building of hoped-for closer economic and trade relations and on measures to combat the often lethal smuggling of migrants across the Mediterranean Sea. The leaders of Italy, the Netherlands and the European Commission made their second visit to Tunis in just over a month. They expressed hope that a memorandum newly signed with Tunisia during the trip would pave the way for a comprehensive partnership.On their last visit in June, the leaders held out the promise of more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in financial aid to rescue Tunisia’s teetering economy and better police its borders, in an effort to restore stability to the North African country and to stem migration from its shores to Europe.This time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte didn’t detail the full monetary value of E...

Death toll from Manitoba bus crash rises to 17

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

The death toll from last month’s fatal bus crash in western Manitoba has risen to 17 after a woman who was in critical condition died of her injuries in hospital Sunday.Manitoba RCMP confirmed the 79-year-old woman’s death in a brief update. Seven patients remain in hospital.A minibus was carrying a group of seniors from Dauphin, Man., and the surrounding area to a casino on June 15 when it went into the path of an oncoming semi-trailer truck. Twenty-five people were on the bus.LATEST ON MANITOBA BUS CRASH:Winnipeg charter operator says more regulations needed in wake of Carberry crashForensic mechanical analysis will be ‘very extensive’ for Manitoba crash: ExpertRCMP release names of those killed in Carberry crashThe crash happened on the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry, west of Winnipeg.

Couple checking out barking dog leads to encounter with escapee, his recapture

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

YOUNGSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A couple checking out a barking dog on their northwestern Pennsylvania property led to the capture of a homicide suspect who had used bed sheets to escape from jail, authorities said.Michael Burham, 34, was captured nine days after he fled the Warren County jail in the late evening hours of July 6 by climbing on exercise equipment, going through a window and scaling down a rope fashioned from jail bedding, authorities said. A tip from residents in Conewango Township about a suspicious individual came in just before 4 p.m. Saturday, and Burham was in custody shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, said Lt. Col. George Bivens, the deputy commissioner of Operations for the Pennsylvania State Police.The residents went out to see why their dog was barking, went to the rear of their property and encountered Burham, who said something about camping during a brief conversation, Bivens said.“The owner of the property recognized him, got his wife back into the golf cart (they ...

Poilievre’s office, Calgary MP silent over latest photo with controversial message

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s office is tight-lipped over a photo of one of his Opposition critics posing with two people wearing slogans against measures addressing sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.The image, shared to social media, surfaced not long after Poilievre distanced himself from another photo in which he stood next to a man wearing a T-shirt referring to “straight pride.”The latest photo shows Calgary MP Jasraj Singh Hallan, the Conservative finance critic, standing with three other men during a pancake breakfast that was open to the public last week as part of the Calgary Stampede.Two of the men are wearing white T-shirts with black letters that read “leave our kids alone.” The shirts also show a smaller, stylized image of a family beneath an umbrella sheltering them from the rainbow of colours associated with LGBTQ Pride flags.The offices of Poilievre and Hallan, who represents the riding of Calgary Forest...

Person fires shots at Chicago police officers in Logan Square

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

CHICAGO — A person fired shots at Chicago police officers early Sunday morning in Logan Square, according to police.According to information from the Chicago Police Department, officers were called around 12:45 a.m. to the 3500 block of West Shakespeare Avenue on the report of a person with a gun. 5 people shot, 1 fatally, in Garfield Park drive-by: CPD When they arrived and approached the person, described as a male, he shot at the officers before running away, according to police.Officers took cover and weren't injured, police said. They did not fire any shots.They searched for the person who fired shots but weren't able to locate him.

Man, 71, critical after accidental fall in water on South Side

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 71-year-old man is in critical condition after he was pulled from the water near DuSable Lake Shore Drive Saturday night. According to police, the man was pulled from the water after an accidental fall near the 4900 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Jackson Park around 11:59 p.m. Saturday Night. 5 people shot, 1 fatally, in Garfield Park drive-by: CPD He was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center where he is listed in critical condition. The incident was classified as non-criminal and WGN will update as more information is recovered.

Some Texans are relying on lifesaving cooling centers. Find yours here.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:55:22 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- As Texans brace for another week of record hot temperatures, cities across the state are offering cooling centers for those without reliable access to air conditioning or water.The Texas Division of Emergency Management has compiled the local centers into a statewide map. Texans can find the one closest to them at tdem.texas.gov/cool."We know it's hot, but there are things that you can do to try and minimize your heat exposure, like staying hydrated, like seeking shade and finding a local cooling center near to you," TDEM Communications Office Wes Rapaport said. "All disasters begin and end at the local level. So the Texas Division of Emergency Management works to support requests for assistance from local officials, should they have any needs, and one of the tools that the state is able to utilize is this cooling center map."In Austin, city officials offered free water and misting tents throughout the weekend in downtown's Republic Square Park. It was a lifeline...