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How COVID-19 changed cities — and how it didn’t

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

The world ground to a halt three years ago when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Amid lockdowns, mask requirements and travel restrictions, city residents were confined to their apartments, the monotony broken up by the occasional grocery run, distanced walks on empty streets, and evening applause for emergency workers. But as the pandemic’s intensity has waned, life in cities has reverted to “normal” at impressive speed. Across Europe, people are once again commuting to workplaces, sitting in crowded restaurants and concert halls, and boarding planes. So how many of COVID’s provisional changes have become permanent, and how many have been swept away? 4 ways cities changedBike-lane boomCOVID-19 was terrible for human beings, but it gave a great boost to cycling infrastructure. One of the first cities to bet big on bicycles was Milan, which just one month into Italy’s hard lockdown unveiled its a strategy to reconfigure 35 kilome...

Cactus League report: Why Lucas Giolito likes the cool weather in Arizona this spring — and the back-end backbone of the Cubs bullpen

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

The long ball carried the Cubs offense Wednesday.Cody Bellinger, Edwin Ríos and Christopher Morel all homered in a 4-2 win against the Oakland Athletics. Ríos’ two-run homer and Morel’s solo homer were each their fourth of the spring, leading the Cubs. In a bullpen game, nine pitchers combined to strike out eight A’s and walk three.Meanwhile, left-hander Drew Smyly pitched in a minor-league game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Sloan Park. He threw 80 pitches in five scoreless innings, limiting them to two hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.The Sox went 0-for-2 in split-squad action, falling 2-0 to the Texas Rangers in Peoria, Ariz., and 4-3 to the Kansas City Royals at Camelback Ranch.Mike Clevinger allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in five innings against the Rangers.“It was good to finally get out there and extended a little bit and get to roll the lineup over again and being able to work with (catcher) S...

Anti-Semitic reported incidents surge in Massachusetts, hit record highs in New England and US

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

Anti-Semitic reported incidents spiked across the state last year, as the total number of incidents against the Jewish community hit record highs in New England and around the U.S., according to Anti-Defamation League officials who called it a “a grim reminder that anti-Semitism continues to infect our communities in real and pervasive ways.”The ADL’s annual “Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents” recorded a total of 204 anti-Semitic incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism in the New England region last year — a 32% jump from 2021, and the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents ever recorded in the region that covers Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont.The Bay State accounted for 152 of those 204 anti-Semitic reported incidents. Massachusetts’ total of 152 incidents was a 41% surge from the previous year, and the state recorded the sixth highest number of incidents in the country.Nationally, ADL recorded 3,697 an...

Man critically injured after being struck by vehicle near Leslie and Steeles

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

A man in his 60s is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in North York.Emergency crews responded to the scene near Leslie Street and Steeles Avenue East around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.The driver remained at the scene.The area is closed to traffic as police investigate.COLLISION:Leslie St & Steeles Ave E @TPS33Div6:23 am-pedestrian struck by vehicle-police o/s investigating–@TorontoMedics transported victim to hospital with life-threatening injuries-s/b Leslie St closed to Equestrian Crt-expect delays#GO641362^sc— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) March 23, 2023More to come

China criticizes possible US plan to force TikTok sale

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s government said Thursday it would oppose possible U.S. plans to force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the short-video service as a security risk and warned such a move would hurt investor confidence in the United States.Governments are worried TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, might give browsing history or other data about users to China’s government or promote propaganda and disinformation. The Wall Street Journal reported U.S. authorities were considering banning TikTok ban if ByteDance doesn’t sell the company.“If the news is true, China will resolutely oppose it,” said a Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman, Shu Jueting. She gave no indication what Beijing might do.A forced sale “would seriously damage investors from multiple countries including China” and hurt “confidence to invest in the United States,” Shu said.TikTok is one focus of conflicts between China and other governments over technology and security that are disrupting processor chip, smartphone and other ...

BRP reports $365.1M Q4 profit, revenue up 31% compared with year ago

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

VALCOURT, Que. — BRP Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit of $365.1 million, up from $209.6 million a year earlier, as its revenue rose 31 per cent to a record high.The Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo maker says its profit amounted to $4.54 per diluted share for the quarter ended Jan. 31, up from $2.50 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue for the fourth quarter of the company’s 2023 financial year totalled $3.08 billion, up from $2.35 billion.BRP says its normalized profit for the quarter was $3.85 per diluted share, up from a normalized profit of $3.00 per diluted share a year earlier.In its outlook, it expects revenue for its 2024 financial year to grow in a range of nine to 12 per cent compared with its 2023 financial year.Normalized diluted earnings per share for the 2024 financial year are expected in a range of $12.25 to $12.75, an increase of two to six per cent.This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:DOO)The Canadian ...

Denver high school shooting suspect dead, coroner confirms

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A body found in the Colorado woods near an abandoned car was that of a 17-year-old student accused of wounding two administrators in a shooting at his Denver high school, a coroner’s office said.Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said the body was discovered Wednesday not far from the student’s car in a remote mountain area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Denver, near the small town of Bailey, in Park County. The town had been ordered to shelter in place while while officers from a number of agencies including the FBI combed the forest.Earlier in the day, Denver police identified the suspect as Austin Lyle. The Park County coroner’s office confirmed in a Facebook post that the body was that of Lyle’s. Cause of death wasn’t released, pending the completion of an autopsy.The shooting occurred at East High School in Denver, not far from downtown, while two administrators searched Lyle for weapons, a daily requirement because of the bo...

What are Australia’s plans for Indigenous Voice?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australians expect to vote this year in a referendum that would enshrine in the nation’s constitution a mechanism for Indigenous people to advise Parliament on policies that effect their lives known as the Voice.Proponents say embedding the Voice in the constitution would recognize the special place that Indigenous people have in Australian history while giving them input in government policies.Skeptics and opponents say Australians need more details before they vote on a proposal that risks dividing the nation along racial lines without reducing Indigenous disadvantage.As Australia’s first referendum in a generation approaches, the bipartisan support regarded as essential to successfully changing the constitution has yet to emerge and Indigenous leaders remain divided.Here are some questions and answers about key issues behind the referendum:____WHO ARE INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS?Australia is unusual among former British colonies in that no treaty was ever si...

Ethics agency to better protect gymnasts for LA Olympics

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Created to help protect athletes after the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal, the sport’s international investigations agency has set new safeguarding standards with a view to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.The Gymnastics Ethics Foundation published a “Gymnasts 2028” strategy Thursday to better protect athletes from harassment and abuse, investigate complaints, prosecute disciplinary cases and monitor national federations.“The idea is to really put gymnasts at the center of our thinking throughout everything we do,” Alex McLin, the independent foundation’s director, told The Associated Press in an interview.The GEF was created and funded by the sport’s governing body, the International Gymnastics Federation, in the fallout from the scandal of long-time U.S. team doctor Larry Nassar, who is now in prison.Since 2019, the foundation has worked to address systemic issues it describes as “the inherent power imbalances between gymnasts, coaches, judges, and administrators, ...

Ford says EV unit losing billions, should be seen as startup

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 18:02:26 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co.’s electric vehicle business has lost $3 billion before taxes during the past two years and will lose a similar amount this year as the company invests heavily in the new technology.The figures were released Thursday as Ford rolled out a new way of reporting financial results. The new business structure separates electric vehicles, the profitable internal combustion and commercial vehicle operations into three operating units.Company officials said the electric vehicle unit, called “Ford Model e,” will be profitable before taxes by late 2026 with an 8% pretax profit margin. But they wouldn’t say exactly when it’s expected to start making money.Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said Model e should be viewed as a startup company within Ford. “As everyone knows, EV startups lose money while they invest in capability, develop knowledge, build (sales) volume and gain (market) share,” he said.Model e, he said, is working on second- and even...