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Will B.C.’s short-term rental crackdown really work?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, regulating short-term rentals like AirBnB as a way to ease the housing crisis isn’t a new idea — it’s been tried in plenty of cities in North America and beyond. But British Columbia’s new legislation goes much further than most, and though it was just announced two weeks ago, a glance at apartments on sale in Victoria and Vancouver show that it’s having an impact already.Ryan Hook is a journalist who reported on this for Ricochet. “What is the simplest way to put some houses on the market and hopefully get them to a cost where first-time home buyers can buy them? And in my opinion, this was just one way to do that.”So, what’s in the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act that makes it a step beyond other North American efforts. Has it gone too far, or not far enough? And if it works, could it become a model for other provinces to follow?You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.Yo...

Super fog blankets New Orleans again, as damp fires and smoke close interstate after deadly crash

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Dense smoke reminiscent of last month’s “super fog” that rolled into Louisiana has led to a deadly accident that shut down Interstate 10 in the New Orleans area early Tuesday, police said.The thoroughfare was closed due to smoke, fog and accidents involving multiple vehicles, New Orleans police said in a statement Tuesday morning.“Multiple people were injured and transported to the hospital,” the agency said after the accident around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.Smoke from fires near New Orleans is getting trapped under a very shallow layer of the atmosphere along Interstate 10 in eastern Orleans Parish, the National Weather Service said in a memo early Tuesday. As a result, motorists could see a quarter-mile or less, the weather service said.The weather service issued a dense smoke advisory. The thick smoke also reduced visibility along Interstate 55 in Louisiana, the weather service said.Few details were available about the motorist who died Tuesday. Police said it w...

Statistics Canada reports $2B merchandise trade surplus for September

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says the country’s merchandise trade surplus more than doubled in September as higher oil prices helped boost energy exports.The agency says Canada’s trade surplus for the month amounted to $2 billion compared with a revised surplus of $949 million for August. Total exports rose 2.7 per cent to $67.0 billion in September. The increase came as exports of energy products gained 10.6 per cent at $16.9 billion, boosted by a 13.7 per cent increase in crude oil exports that was largely due to higher prices.On the flip side, total imports increased one per cent to $65.0 billion.Imports of motor vehicles and parts rose 5.8 per cent in September to $12.9 billion, while imports of industrial machinery, equipment and parts fell 3.6 per cent to $7.5 billion.In volume terms, exports gained 0.4 per cent and imports rose 1.7 per cent.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.The Canadian Press

Bangladesh raises monthly minimum wage for garment workers to $113 following weeks of protests

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Authorities in Bangladesh announced a new salary structure on Tuesday for protesting garment factory workers with a 56% increase in the monthly minimum wage to $113 from the previous $75, a decision rejected by some workers’ groups as too small. State Minister for Labor and Employment Monnujan Sufian announced the decision after a meeting of a government-formed wage board made up of representatives of factory owners and workers. She said the new pay structure will take effect Dec. 1. Critics say the influential factory owners should do more for the workers.The decision came after weeks of violent protests by workers demanding a $208 monthly minimum wage. Workers have demonstrated in the streets, attacked factories, fought with police and burned vehicles.The protests began after the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association offered to increase the monthly minimum wage by 25% to $90.The last increase in the minimum wage was announced in ...

A top aide to the commander of Ukraine’s military is killed by a grenade given as a birthday gift

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A top aide to the commander of Ukraine’s military was killed by a grenade given to him as a birthday gift and not in a targeted attack, the interior minister said.Maj. Hennadii Chastiakov died in the tragic accident Monday that badly injured his 13-year-old son, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram.A colleague presented six new grenades as a gift to Chastiakov, who was a top aide and close friend to Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, for his 39th birthday, Klymenko said.Chastiakov was showing off the grenades to his family at home when his son took one and began twisting the ring.“The serviceman then took the grenade from the child and pulled the ring, leading to a tragic explosion,” Klymenko said.Police are investigating the incident in the village of Chaiky in the Kyiv region.The officer’s death was the second fatal tragedy in less than a week for Ukraine’s military.A Ukrainian brigade holding a ceremony in Zaporizhzhia to honor troops on Fr...

Portuguese prime minister resigns after being caught up in corruption probe

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said Tuesday he is resigning after being involved in a widespread corruption probe.Costa said in a nationally televised address that “in these circumstances, obviously, I have presented my resignation to the president of the republic.”THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portuguese police have arrested the chief of staff of Prime Minister António Costa while raiding several public buildings and other properties as part of a widespread corruption probe, the prosecutor’s office said Tuesday.The Supreme Court, prosecutors said, is also examining the suspects’ “use of the prime minister’s name and his involvement to unlock” the practices being probed.An investigative judge issued arrest warrants for Vítor Escária, Costa’s chief of staff, the mayor of Sines, and three other people because they represented a flight risk and to protect evidence, the prosecutor’s o...

LaVine, DeRozan power Bulls past Jazz 130-113, snapping 3-game skid

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 24 points, DeMar DeRozan had 21 and the Chicago Bulls snapped a three-game losing streak with a 130-113 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.Coby White added 18 as the Bulls (3-5) scored a season high in points. Chicago got a boost off the bench as Jevon Carter hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 points, and Andre Drummond added 12 points from the paint.Drummond had seven rebounds, reaching 10,000 for his career.The Bulls bounced back with focus and energy, shooting 51.6% (48 of 93) from the floor following a 123-101 loss at Denver on Saturday, when they led by two points at the half but faded.“I just appreciated the spirit they came out with,” Chicago coach Billy Donovan said. "And obviously, it's always a little bit easier playing with that spirit when you score 130 points.“But I thought the intention we played with was really good tonight and it was good to see them sustain in it through the whole game.”Eight Bulls players reached double-figures ...

Live updates | Israel open to 'little pauses' as it bombards Gaza

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will have “overall security responsibility” in Gaza “for an indefinite period” after its war with Hamas and expressed openness to “little pauses” in the current fighting to facilitate the release of hostages.His comments, in an interview that aired late Monday on ABC News, offered the clearest indication yet that Israel plans to maintain control over the territory that is home to some 2.3 million Palestinians.Netanyahu ruled out any general cease-fire without the release of the more than 240 captives seized by Hamas in its Oct. 7 raid into Israel, but said he was open to “tactical little pauses.” U.S. President Joe Biden had raised the need for humanitarian pauses directly with Netanyahu on a call earlier Monday, but no agreement was reached, the White House said.The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 10,300, including more than 4,200 children, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.In the occupi...

Closing arguments expected Tuesday in APD officer's murder trial

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

Editor's note: The above video is from KXAN's coverage of this trial from Monday (Nov. 6, 2023). AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Closing arguments could begin Tuesday in the murder trial for APD Officer Christopher Taylor, should the state not bring forward any rebuttal witnesses. On Monday, attorneys representing Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor finished presenting their case after the state rested last week. Taylor is on trial for murder in the death of Michael Ramos. Prosecutors expect to wrap mid-week in APD officer’s murder trial Taylor shot and killed Ramos, 42, during an incident with police back in April 2020 at a south Austin apartment complex's parking lot. Taylor is on administrative leave with APD.KXAN's Grace Reader will be in court Tuesday providing live updates of the trial on social media platform X: Closing arguments are likely to happen today in the trial of APD Officer Christopher Taylor. I'm in the courtroom. Thread 🔽 pic.twitter.com/CS7C8x7apJ— Grace Reade...

San Marcos City Council postpones vote on vision plan

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:55:26 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Monday night, the San Marcos City Council decided to move its vote on the comprehensive plan called Vision SMTX ++. This plan will serve as a roadmap for the city's next 20 years. Ultimately, council members agreed they needed more time to look through feedback sent to them by residents. Council decided to move the vote to Jan. 16, 2024. In the meantime, two council members and the mayor volunteered to create a committee tasked with working with city staff to gather more community input about the plan.During public comment, people were divided on their feelings for the plan. Some encouraged the council to approve it. "It has taken years of drafting, it has cost tens of thousands of dollars and it has included thousands of hours of work to bring this inclusive, community-driven version to completion," one supporter said. While others were not so sure. "A future San Marcos that is less affordable, sprawls out further into undisturbed lands and gives almost a...