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Toronto Star owner pausing ads on Facebook, Instagram over Meta’s vows to block news

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

TORONTO — The company that owns the Toronto Star is joining other Canadian media companies in pausing all advertising on Facebook and Instagram.The immediate pause is in response to Meta’s plan to block access to content from Canadian news outlets on its platforms, Torstar Corp. said in a press release Thursday evening. “We vigorously object to Meta’s unprecedented plans to block our content on its platforms in protest against the federal government’s Online News Act,” said Torstar CEO Neil Oliver in the press release. “By its action, Meta will be deliberately closing one of the main ways that Canadians currently access news. Such access is critical for the long-term health of our democracy.”It’s the latest such move by a media company in Canada as tech giants respond in protest to the Canadian government’s Online News Act, which seeks to make them pay news outlets for sharing their content. Media companies Quebecor Inc. and Coge...

Twitter threatens legal action against Meta over Threads: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Twitter has threatened legal action against Meta over its new, text-based app called Threads, according to a letter obtained by Semafor.In a Wednesday letter addressed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alex Spiro, an attorney representing Twitter, accused Meta of unlawfully using Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property by hiring former Twitter employees to create a “copycat” app.Since launching Threads Wednesday night, Meta’s new app has collected tens of millions of sign ups. The app, which was created by the company’s Instagram team, arrives at a time when many are looking for Twitter alternatives to escape Elon Musk’s raucous oversight of the platform since acquiring it last year for $44 billion.Meta spokesperson Andy Stone responded to the report of Spiro’s letter on Threads Thursday afternoon, writing, “no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee — that’s just not a thing.”In the letter, which Semafor fi...

Judge orders arrest of gun training center owner in Vermont

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

A judge on Thursday ordered the owner of a controversial firearms training center in Vermont arrested until he proves that parts of the 30-acre facility have been removed or demolished.The property, known as Slate Ridge, includes multiple buildings and two firing ranges on land about the size of 30 football fields (12 hectares). Fueled by complaints from neighbors, the town of Pawlet has attempted unsuccessfully for several years to get the facility owner Daniel Banyai to remove structures he built without a permit. The order from the Vermont Environmental Court is the latest attempt to hold Banyai accountable, after he accrued more than $100,000 in fines so far this year. The arrest, which can be carried out by a constable or county sheriff, must happen in the next 60 days.Banyai could not be reached for comment, and his lawyer did not immediately return a request for comment. A lawyer for Pawlet would not comment on the order.Slate Ridge neighbors have long complained about the gu...

The UN chief issues a rare condemnation of excessive force by Israel in its Jenin raid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In a rare condemnation of Israel, the U.N. chief on Thursday denounced the country’s excessive use of force in its largest military operation in two decades targeting a refugee camp in the West Bank.U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, clearly angered by the impact of the Israeli attack on the Jenin refugee camp, said the operation had left over 100 civilians injured, forced thousands to flee, damaged schools and hospitals and disrupted water and electricity networks. He also criticized Israel for preventing the injured from getting medical care and humanitarian workers from reaching everyone in need.“I strongly condemn all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror,” Guterres told reporters.Asked whether this condemnation applied to Israel, he replied: “It applies to all use of excessive force, and obviously in this situation, there was an excessive force used by Israeli forces.”The U.N. chief again called on Israel “to abide by its...

Union says B.C. port employers want government to do ‘dirty work’ to end strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

VANCOUVER — The president of the union representing striking British Columbia port workers said employers are waiting for the federal government to do their “dirty work” instead of negotiating an end to the workers’ six-day strike. Officials with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada also said the association representing port employers is more interested in a “dirty tricks campaign,” than resuming talks that stalled on Monday.Hundreds of port workers and supporters attended a solidarity rally in Vancouver Thursday morning, chanting in unison and waving placards and union flags.Rob Ashton, president of the union, told the rally that “the employer walked away from the table three times.”“They don’t want to negotiate with us. They don’t want to do the right thing for the workers of the longshore division that put their lives on the line during the COVID pandemic,” he said.“They’re trying to ...

Cameraman injured at Yankee Stadium by wild throw has a broken eye socket

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A cameraman hit in the head by an errant throw Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium has a broken eye socket and is home resting, the YES Network said in a statement Thursday.Positioned right next to the New York Yankees’ dugout on the first-base side, Pete Stendel of YES Network was struck by a hurried throw from Baltimore Orioles rookie shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who fired high to first as he tried to complete a double play in the fifth inning.Stendel was taken to the hospital, and YES said late Wednesday he was conscious and undergoing tests. The network provided an update Thursday saying he has an orbital fracture and had been released.“Every time that a ball goes over the first baseman or even a foul ball from the hitter, you don’t want to see it going towards a fan. It just happened to be in the wrong spot, and I hope he’s doing all right,” Henderson said following his team’s 6-3 victory. “My prayers go out to him. I’m just thankful for the guys that rushed ...

A former Cubs player sends his old team to defeat in Milwaukee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

MILWAUKEE — The finish to one of the more entertaining series of the year for the Cubs would be ruined by a former member of the team. The catcher would end up making the last big play in a contest full of them at American Family Field on Thursday afternoon. Victor Caratini, who played his first four seasons with the Cubs, hit the go-ahead eighth inning homer in a 6-5 Brewers victory. The 404-foot homer to right field came off reliever Michael Fulmer and allowed Milwaukee to split the series with their division rivals. After two thrilling wins the past two days, the Cubs slipped back to six games under .500 as they fall 7 1/2 games behind the Reds for first in the National League Central division. David Ross' club has a three-game series with the Yankees in New York before heading to the All-Star Break next week.Caratini's blast was his fifth of the year as he continues his second season with the Brewers. It's the fifth homer that he's hit against his former team both in Milwaukee a...

Twitter threatens Meta with lawsuit over rival Threads app

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

(The Hill) – Twitter sent a cease-and-desist letter to Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, threatening to sue the social media giant over its launch of rival platform Threads on Thursday.The letter alleges that Twitter has “serious concerns” that Meta gained access to and abused the company’s trade secrets and intellectual property. The platform also alleged that Meta poached its workforce to build Threads, branded as a Twitter alternative platform. 5 things to know about Threads, Twitter’s newest rival “Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or highly confidential information,” the letter states.Threads was marketed by Meta leadership as “our response to Twitter,” as user backlash grows against Twitter owner Elon Musk, who has made numerous changes to platform policies since taking over the site last year.Most recently, Musk placed limits on how many posts ...

Organization has compassion blooming in vacant lots on South Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

CHICAGO — A handful of vacant lots on Chicago’s Southeast Side are in the process of being transformed into beautiful spaces.This is a story about a community investing not just in each other but the landscape that makes up their neighborhood. Ghian Foreman is the CEO of Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative. More from Erin: After loss, couple’s love story blooms in suburban garden "In the nine neighborhoods from Bronzeville down to South Chicago, there are 260 acres of vacant land. That's the same amount of land as Disneyland," Foreman said. "There was a study that was done that showed when you improve vacant lots (there is a) significant decrease in violent crimes, significant increase in people's sense of health and mental wellness." It was an experiment Foreman was eager to try out in Chicago starting with this first lot in Woodlawn. Lakeview man plants tulip garden to brighten neighborhood They call it Lots of Compassion.Foreman hopes the first wil...

Ohio fish company stole 100+ walleyes from charity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:12 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — A Sandusky, Ohio-based fish company illegally took more than 100 walleyes and several other fish intended for donation to a Sandusky charity in 2021, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.The fish, including 112 walleye, one steelhead trout, one yellow perch and three whitefish, were harvested during Lake Erie walleye fishing tournaments, which regularly donate caught fish to charity "to support those in need," reads the release. Commercial fish processors like Lake Fish Company are paid to clean the donated fish and return ready-to-cook filets to the receiving charities.Lake Fish Company Inc. and four of its employees, Craig Carr, 55, of Oak Harbor; Dale Trent, 50, of Port Clinton; Thelma Towner, 69, of Sandusky; and Stanley Swain, 55, of Milan; have since pleaded guilty to one felony and several other misdemeanor counts of theft and other commercial fish violations, the DNR says.The state's wildlife division launched an investigation in 2021,...