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Empty tank cars derail in Texas rail yard, no injuries

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

KENDLETON, Texas (AP) — Three empty tank cars derailed but remained upright in a Southeast Texas rail yard on Monday, the train’s owner said, and no one was hurt.A locomotive leaked fuel but it was contained, Kansas City Southern spokesperson C. Doniele Carlson said in a statement.The derailment took place at around 7 a.m. in Kendleton, Texas, some 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Houston, Carlson said.“No injuries were reported and there is no track damage,” she said. The impacted rail line was expected to reopen later Monday morning.Officials with the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office said they did not respond to the incident because it was contained to the rail yard.The cause of the derailment is under investigation, Carlson said. Federal regulators and members of Congress are urging railroads to do more to prevent derailments after recent fiery wrecks involving hazardous chemicals in Ohio and Minnesota prompted evacuations.The Associated Press

Bombs targeting Pakistani police in SW kill 4, wound 22

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Two roadside bombs hours apart targeted police vehicles in volatile southwestern Pakistan on Monday killing at least four people and wounding 22, mostly civilian pedestrians, a government spokesperson said.The first attack in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, killed two police officers and two civilians. Hours later, another bomb in the city went off near a police vehicle, wounding four people, police said.In a statement, the outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the first attack. The BLA, which was designated a terrorist group by the United States in 2019, said its fighters targeted the vehicle of a police officer who was behind the arrest of members of the group. Although such attacks are common, t he Pakistani Taliban have also stepped up assaults on troops and police across Pakistan since November, when they ended a monthslong cease-fire with the government.Pakistan has been battling an insurgency in Baluchistan for mo...

The anime hit ‘Suzume’ and Shinkai’s cinema of cataclysm

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Makoto Shinkai was never the same filmmaker after the 2011 earthquake stuck Japan. When the tsunami and quake ravaged the Tōhoku region of northern Japan and prompted a nuclear meltdown, Shinkai, a now 50-year-old director and animator of some of the most popular anime features in the world, could feel his sense of storytelling crumbling.“The shock to me was that the daily life that we had become accustomed to in Japan can suddenly be severed without any warning whatsoever,” says Shinkai. “I had this odd, foreboding feeling that that could happen again and again. I began to think about how I wanted to tell stories within this new reality.”The three blockbusters that have followed by Shinkai — “Your Name,”“Weathering With You” and the new release “Suzume” — have each tethered hugely emotional tales to ecological disaster. In “Your Name,” a meteor threatens to demolish a village, an event that dovetails with a body-switching romance. In “Weathering With You,” a runaway...

Ottawa to negotiate schedule for new icebreakers as existing fleet nears end of life

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal government says it doesn’t know when Quebec shipyard Chantier Davie will deliver a fleet of new icebreakers to the Canadian Coast Guard.Officials say the schedule will depend on negotiations with the shipyard, which was formally added to Ottawa’s multibillion-dollar shipbuilding strategy last week.There are long-standing concerns about the Coast Guard’s existing icebreakers and whether replacements will arrive in time.Auditor General Karen Hogan noted in a report last year that the fleet is already on average more than 40 years old, increasingly prone to breakdowns and expensive to maintain.Hogan concluded there was little room for delays if Ottawa wants to maintain its current icebreaking capabilities, which are critical for keeping Canada’s waterways open to trade and resupplying northern communities.University of Calgary professor Rob Huebert says the government’s decision to buy three second-hand icebreakers from Davie will help...

Commanders settle with Washington, D.C., on ticket deposits

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Commanders have settled a lawsuit with the District of Columbia attorney general’s office over fans’ season-ticket deposit money.Attorney general Brian L. Schwalb on Monday announced the agreement that returns $200,000 to fans and pay $425,000 to the district to resolve allegations related to the deposits. Predecessor Karl A. Racine filed the consumer protection lawsuit late last year before leaving office, and Schwalb picked up the case.The district’s investigation showed the team deceptively kept fans’ deposits for years after ticket contracts expired, improperly used that money and in some cases made it difficult to reclaim the money.“Rather than being transparent and upfront in their ticket sale practices, the Commanders unlawfully took advantage of their fan base, holding on to security deposits instead of returning them,” Schwalb said in a statement. “Under this settlement agreement, our office will maintain strict oversight over th...

RCMP say Edmonton-area officer dies from injuries following crash

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

SHERWOOD PARK, Alta. — Alberta RCMP say an officer has died after being injured in a crash.They say the officer is a member of the Strathcona County detachment, which is just east of Edmonton.The crash happened at 2 a.m., but no other details have been provided.RCMP have scheduled a news conference for later today in Sherwood Park.Last month, two Edmonton police officers were shot and killed while responding to a family dispute.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2023The Canadian Press

Chicago announces street closures for NASCAR races

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

CHICAGO — One of the biggest questions that many in Chicago have ahead of the inaugural NASCAR street race was the impact it would have on commuting in the Loop and surrounding areas. The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications provided some clarity on that on Monday.That's when they announced the traffic plan, including multiple closures and restrictions, for the event that will feature a stock car race on both Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2.Here are key dates in June as the streets are prepared for NASCAR weekend.Friday, June 2 - Parking restrictions along Columbus Dr. between Jackson Dr. and Balbo Dr.Saturday, June 10 - Ida B. Wells Dr. will close east of Michigan Ave. at 12:01 a.m. as construction begins on the main viewing areas.Saturday, June 17 to Sunday, June 25 - Temporary closures for track wall installation.Monday, June 19 - Balbo Dr. from Michigan Ave. to DuSable Lake Shore Drive will close at 6 a.mHere are some of the major closers that will start ...

Fire crews battle extra-alarm fire in Bridgeport

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago fire crews battled an extra-alarm fire Monday morning in the city's Bridgeport neighborhood.The fire started at a two-story commercial building in the 2900 block of South Archer Avenue just after 8:30 a.m. The building houses a liquor store and a storefront church that has been vacant for about three weeks.According to the liquor store owner, the fire started in the empty church. 18-year-old man shot while attempting to break into business on North Side One firefighter was transported to an area hospital for an evaluation. No other injuries have been reported.

Juice Jacking: Feds warn against using public phone charging stations

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

(The Hill) - The FBI is warning people to not use public phone charging stations, which have become increasingly popular in places like airports and shopping malls. The problem is that hackers have found a way to introduce malware and other software onto devices through the public stations, the FBI said.“Avoid using free charging stations in airports, hotels or shopping centers,” the FBI’s Denver Twitter account said. “Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices. Carry your own charger and USB cord and use an electrical outlet instead.”The warning on social media mirrors guidance the bureau offers on its website. The FBI's Denver office told The Hill nothing prompted the warning on its social media and that it was simply a public service announcement.The FBI is not alone in its warning to avoid the USB charging stations. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also warns against their use on its website,...

Urban trail connecting Austin to Manor in the works

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:58:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Construction on a 2.9-mile section of a trail connecting Austin to Manor is set to begin this month. The project is part of the City of Austin's Urban Trails Program and it will create a 12-foot-wide concrete path that connects Austin's trail network to the city of Manor, according to Austin Public Works. Austin aims to address systemic racism, equity with new walk and bike trail plans APW said when the trail is finished, it will be 5.5 miles long, beginning near Daffan Lane and ending near Ben E. Fisher Park in Manor. The trail will connect to the existing Southern Walnut Creek Trail and follow the proposed Capital Metro Green Line.Map of Austin to Manor Urban Trail. (Photo courtesy: Austin Public Works)The trail is funded through Mobility Bonds, a Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) grant, and a Travis County Interlocal Agreement.It will follow CapMetro railroad tracks northeast from Lindell Lane to Ben E. Fisher Park, making ...