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Metrolinx to provide long-awaited Eglinton Crosstown LRT update today

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

Months after Metrolinx officials admitted there were hundreds of deficiencies that needed to be fixed on the 12-year Eglinton Crosstown LRT construction project, they’re set to provide a long-awaited update to the public Wednesday afternoon.The technical briefing will be given by the president and CEO of Metrolinx, the provincial transportation agency overseeing the private-sector consortium building the Eglinton Crosstown.Among the many lingering questions that reporters have tried to get answers on is what the timeframe projected for opening. Construction on the 19-kilometre, 25-station light rail transit line began under the previous Ontario Liberal government in 2011 and it was supposed to be finished by 2020. However, various financial, legal and technical challenges combined with the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in multiple delays.CityNews repeatedly posed questions over several months surround the project’s status without definitive information being released. ...

Philippines says it will remove any sea barrier China installs in the disputed South China Sea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Filipino forces would dismantle any floating barrier that China’s coast guard may install in the disputed South China Sea, a Philippine admiral said Wednesday after Manila infuriated China by removing one such obstruction in a contested shoal. Philippine officials strongly condemned the installation last week of a 300-meter (980-foot) -long barrier by Chinese coast guard vessels at the entrance to the lagoon of Scarborough Shoal as a violation of international law and the country’s sovereignty. The barrier has prevented a swarm of Filipino boats from entering the rich fishing area, they said. The shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone just west of the main Luzon Island, but has been occupied by China since 2012 as part of a push by Beijing to lay claim to virtually the entire South China Sea. On Monday, the Philippine coast guard said it has complied with an order by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to launch a covert operation to r...

Deion Sanders’ impact at Colorado raises hopes other Black coaches will get opportunities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

Floyd Keith has waited half a century for a Black coach with Deion Sanders’ swagger and success to shake up college football.The fanfare and hoopla surrounding the Colorado program since Sanders’ arrival has been well documented, but Keith, who for more than a decade was executive director of the Black Coaches Association, hopes the spotlight leads to opportunities for more Black coaches.Even with a loss at Oregon on Saturday that knocked the Buffaloes out of the Top 25, Sanders has the football world’s attention. The 75-year-old Keith believes that includes decision-makers who typically have shied away from hiring Black coaches.“There was maybe this model that everybody (thought they) had to follow,” Keith said. “There was this blueprint of the way it’s done. Well, I think Deion shattered that.”While there is optimism there’s also a healthy dose of skepticism. Sanders is a unicorn in many ways, so it’s unclear if the whirlwind he has created will have coattails.Ke...

These 19 Senate Republicans voted against advancing short-term funding bill 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

(The Hill) - The Senate voted Tuesday to advance a short-term funding measure needed to avert a government shutdown at the end of the week, though not every lawmaker in the upper chamber was in support. The vote was 77 to 19, with all 19 in opposition part of the Republican Party. The Senate Republicans who voted no include Sens. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Mike Braun (Ind.), Katie Britt (Ala.), Ted Budd (N.C.) Ted Cruz (Texas), Steve Daines (Mont.), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Ron Johnson (Wis.), Mike Lee (Utah), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.), Roger Marshall (Kan.), Rand Paul (Ky.) Pete Ricketts (Neb.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.), Rick Scott (Fla.), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), and J.D. Vance (Ohio.) Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) chat before the resumption a Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting to move the nomination of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson out of committee on Monday, April 4, 2022. (...

WATCH: Mexican mother bravely shields son as bear leaps on picnic table to devour his birthday enchiladas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A Mexican mother bravely shielded her son after a bear leapt on a picnic table and devoured the tacos and enchiladas meant for the boy’s birthday dinner, inches from his face.Silvia Macías of Mexico City had traveled to the Chipinque Park on the outskirts of the northern city of Monterrey to celebrate the 15th birthday of her son, Santiago, who has Down syndrome.Soon after they sat down to eat the food they had brought, the bear showed up and gulped down french fries, enchiladas, tacos and salsa. A video shot by her friend, Angela Chapa, shows Macías sitting stoically, inches from the bear's mouth, holding Santiago and shielding his eyes with her hand. She kept her eyes downcast, to avoid anything the bear might consider a challenge.“The worst thing was that Santiago might get scared," Macías recalled Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. “Santiago is very afraid of animals, a cat or a dog, any animal scares him a lot.”“That's why I covered ...

Recipes: Five dishes to bridge summer and fall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

You have to eat dinner tonight, and I think the five dishes below are exceptionally good. And now, for a limited time, you can view these recipes at no cost, along with about 22,000 others. Just download the NYT Cooking app to start your free trial.1. Skillet Chicken With Peppers and TomatoesSkillet chicken with peppers and tomatoes. This new recipe cooks entirely on your stove — no oven — and seamlessly bridges summer and fall. Food styled by Samantha Seneviratne. Props styled by Paige Hicks. (Kelly Marshall/The New York Times)This one-pan dinner is coated in a sauce anchored by onion and garlic and a summery mix of bell peppers. A splash of sherry vinegar and squeeze of honey balance the mild flavors of the peppers with a little acidity and sweetness, while cherry tomatoes simmered into the sauce at the end add bright, tangy pops to the meal. A shower of fresh herbs is optional, but go with basil if you’d like a more assertive aroma. Serve everything over steamed rice ...

Dinner salad recipes for easy weeknight meals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

After sitting down to dinner at a friend’s house a couple of days ago, I was confronted with something I hadn’t seen in a month: a big leafy green salad. Because of traveling on the East Coast, and eating out so much, I had forgotten the homey joys of a giant bowl packed with salad greens, various chopped vegetables and fruit, some cheese, nuts and seeds, etc. I promptly stuffed large forkfuls in my mouth, relishing the crunch of the lettuce spines while the bracing vinaigrette stung the corners of my lips. It was as good a welcome back to California as I can imagine.To keep riding that salad high, I’ll be making riffs on substantial dinner salads all week, starting with this Chopped Pear Salad With Buttermilk Dressing that’s packed with fat cubes of pear and Gruyère cheese and topped with walnuts and sprouts. It’s based on a salad I had in Big Sur many years ago and think about often for how it felt cozy and refreshing at the same time. It’s perfect this time of year.I revere Chris...

5 things to know this Wednesday, September 27

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A camel once asked in a Geico commercial, in regards to Wednesday, "Guess what day it is?" Happy hump day! According to Meteorologists Jill Szwed and Matt Mackie, we will warm up quickly after a chilly morning and can expect highs around 70. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Jacob Klein requested a mistrial twice over indicators in surveillance video pointing to persons and vehicles of interest and comparisons made by New York State Police. Both motions were denied, and he attempted to argue those indicators could sway the jury and that the witness was giving his opinion. Meanwhile, the man accused of videotaping women in Saratoga Springs was arrested on Tuesday after reportedly turning himself in. Charles Ross had a warrant out for his arrest dating back to early September. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Wednesday morning. 1. Jacob Klein motions for mistrial over vi...

Ask Amy: Friend plans to lose her home, gain an RV

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

Dear Amy: My BFF and I met in grade school.We’ve lost touch on and off, but we always find our way back, usually when she’s losing a relationship.The last loss was two Christmases ago, when after 10 years together her partner “Benny” called her at work, telling her: “This isn’t working anymore, I’m moving out today.”It was rough. She had custody of her toddler grandson who she thought Benny would help her to raise.I was there for her. She got therapy and started choosing to focus on herself, versus always needing to be with a guy.Six months later, she met “Chris” on a dating website.He was one of five or six guys she was seeing.After four months, she decided she really liked him, and they became exclusive.I’ve seen her four times since then. Now I’m lucky if I talk to her once a month.Her birthday is coming up, so we caught up.She told me that her daughter and the daughter’s girlfriend are taking over her house, while she will live in the basement.Related ArticlesAsk Amy | ...

Pakistan: EU releases €1 million in humanitarian aid to respond to monsoon floods

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:50:38 GMT

The EU has released an additional €1 million in humanitarian aid to respond to the floods that have affected Pakistan in the past weeks, which have directly or indirectly affected some 900,000 people. The funding will help address the most pressing needs of vulnerable people in the provinces of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as the areas hit the hardest. Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič said: “One year after the tragic floods that caused tremendous suffering in Pakistan, the EU remains committed to helping those most in need. As a new rain  season has again displaced thousands of people in parts of the country, this additional EU funding will help support vulnerable communities as they try to  recover their former lives.”This allocation will be used to provide multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance to those who remain displaced, as well as those who have returned to their place of origin, given the level of damage to houses and key basic service...