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Blinken speaks to Russian foreign minister about WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

(CNN) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Sunday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and called for the “immediate release” of detained Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, according to the US State Department.“Secretary Blinken conveyed the United States’ grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist,” a readout from the department said.“Secretary Blinken further urged the Kremlin to immediately release wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan,” the readout continued, adding that the secretary and Lavrov “also discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work.”Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter based in Russia, was detained last week on charges of espionage — the first time an American journalist has been detained on such accusations by Moscow since the Cold War. ...

Prominent Russian military blogger killed in St. Petersburg cafe blast

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

(CNN) — A well-known Russian military blogger was killed in an explosion at a café in St. Petersburg on Sunday, officials said, in what appeared to be an audacious attack on a high-profile pro-Kremlin figure.Vladlen Tatarsky died when a blast tore through the cafe where he was appearing as a guest of a pro-war group called Cyber Front Z. Authorities said they were treating the case as suspected murder.At least 32 people were injured in the blast, with 10 in serious condition, state media Ria Novosti reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Health.Investigators were questioning everyone who was inside the cafe, state media reported. Photos of the scene showed extensive damage to the building in which the cafe was located.Russia’s Investigative Committee for St. Petersburg said it had opened a murder investigation. Investigators and forensic specialists were on scene, the agency said, and that it was working to establish the circumstances surrounding the explosion. Russia&...

Police: Dorchester man, Fall River woman facing charges after being found inside stolen vehicle in Dartmouth

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

Two people were arrested Thursday after they were found inside a stolen SUV in Dartmouth, according to police. Police say Melvin Ward, 48, of Dorchester and Jessica Fernandes, 34, of Fall River allegedly drove the stolen vehicle to a Walgreens in Dartmouth.Detectives say they also found fentanyl and items stolen from the store. Ward is facing charges including receiving a stolen motor vehicle, possession of a Class A drug , subsequent offense for possession of a Class A drug, shoplifting, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and four outstanding warrants. Fernandes was charged with receiving a stolen motor vehicle, possession of a Class A drug, and one outstanding warrant.

UFC, WWE combine to form $21.4B sports entertainment company

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

WWE and the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship will combine to create a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company.A new publicly traded company will be formed that houses the UFC and WWE brands, with Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. taking a 51% controlling interest in the new company. Existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% stake.The companies put the enterprise value of UFC at $12.1 billion and WWE’s value at $9.3 billion.The new business, which does not yet have a name, will be lead by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel. Vince McMahon, executive chairman at WWE, will serve in the same role at the new company.Dana White will continue as president of UFC and Nick Khan will be president at WWE.“Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity,” McMahon said in a prepared statement Monday.He also provided some idea of where the focus of the new c...

Finland to join NATO Tuesday, military alliance chief says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday Finland will become the 31st member of the world’s biggest military alliance on Tuesday, prompting a warning from Russia that it would bolster its defenses near their joint border if NATO deploys any troops in its new member.“This is a historic week,” Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. “From tomorrow, Finland will be a full member of the alliance.” He said that he hopes Sweden will be able to join NATO in coming months.The former Norwegian prime minister said that on Tuesday afternoon, “we will raise the Finnish flag for the first time here at the NATO headquarters. It will be a good day for Finland’s security, for Nordic security, and for NATO as a whole.”Stoltenberg said that Turkey, the last country to have ratified Finland’s membership, will hand its official texts to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday. Stoltenberg said he would th...

Philippines names 4 new camps for US forces amid China fury

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government on Monday identified four new local military camps, including some across a sea border from Taiwan, where rotational batches of American forces with their weapons would be allowed to stay indefinitely despite strong objections from China.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration announced in February his approval of an expanded U.S. military presence in the country by allowing American forces to station in the four additional Philippine military bases under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the longtime treaty allies. The move would boost his country’s coastal defense, Marcos said. It dovetails with the Biden administration’s effort to strengthen an arc of military alliances in the Indo-Pacific to better counter China, including in any future confrontation over Taiwan.The new sites identified by Marcos’ office include a Philippine navy base in Santa Ana town and an international ...

Teacher shot by 6-year-old student files $40 million lawsuit

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A first-grade Virginia teacher who was shot and seriously wounded by her 6-year-old student filed a lawsuit Monday seeking $40 million in damages from school officials, accusing them of gross negligence for allegedly ignoring multiple warnings on the day of the shooting that the boy had a gun and was in a “violent mood.”Abby Zwerner, a 25-year-old teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia was shot in the hand and chest on Jan. 6 as she sat at a reading table in her classroom. She spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and has had four surgeries since the shooting.The shooting rattled the military shipbuilding community and sent shock waves around the country, with many wondering how a child so young could get access to a gun and shoot his teacher.The lawsuit names the Newport News School Board and several school district officials, including former Superintendent George Parker III, as defendants.Michelle Price, a spokesperson for the school...

Teck Resources rejects unsolicited takeover offer from Glencore

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

VANCOUVER — Teck Resources Ltd. says it has rejected an unsolicited takeover offer from Glencore.Teck board chair Sheila Murray says it is not contemplating a sale of the company at this time. Teck announced a plan earlier this year to split the company in two, separating its steelmaking coal business from its base metals operations. Murray says the board believes the company’s plan creates a greater spectrum of opportunities to maximize value for Teck shareholders.Teck says the offer from Glencore was for 7.78 Glencore shares for each Teck class B subordinate voting share and 12.73 Glencore shares for each Teck class A share, a 20 per cent premium for both on the date of the offer. Teck CEO Jonathan Price says the proposal would expose Teck shareholders to a large thermal coal business, an oil trading business and significant jurisdictional risk, all of which he says would hurt the value potential of Teck’s business.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April ...

Harsh fines could be coming for Toronto drivers caught ‘blocking the box’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

Steeper fines could be on the way for drivers in Toronto who get caught stuck in the middle of an intersection on a red light.It’s known as ‘blocking the box’, and the city wants to do more to crack down on it, urging the province to raise the fines for anyone who gets caught.City council has approved a motion from Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie that urges the Ford government to implement higher fines. McKelvie says the bad driving behaviour is costing people time, money, and contributes to congestion.“Tying up an oncoming traffic is one of the most inconsiderate things you can do,” says McKelvie in a statement. “Depending on the intersection, you can end up blocking other drivers trying to proceed legally, riders on transit vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.”It's time to send a strong message that blocking the box will cost you.This week, City Council approved my push to crack down on drivers caught blocking the box and adding to cong...

Ovintiv signs deal to buy Midland Basin assets for US$4.275B, selling Bakken assets

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:51:43 GMT

CALGARY — Ovintiv Inc. has signed a deal to buy a portfolio of assets in the Midland Basin in Texas in an agreement valued at US$4.275 billion in cash and shares.The company is acquiring the assets from a group of portfolio companies of funds managed by EnCap Investments LP.Under the terms of the deal, the sellers will receive about 32.6 million shares of Ovintiv common stock and US$3.125 billion in cash. To help fund the transaction, Ovintiv says it has signed an agreement to sell its Bakken assets in North Dakota to a portfolio company of funds managed by EnCap for US$825 million.The deals are expected to close by the end of the second quarter, subject to customary closing conditions and adjustments.Ovintiv also announced it has raised its quarterly dividend by a nickel to 30 cents per share.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:OVV)The Canadian Press