Sci-tech

Line 5 fight shows age of oil isn't over

May 13, 2021

For a governor to issue an ultimatum to shut down an essential oil and gas pipeline that serves much of the North American heartland is a frightful idea, unprecedented, and simply outside her authority. The so-called "chambers brief" followed a similar filing Tuesday by the federal Liberal government, a rare global foray into US legal proceedings, that urged the court to keep the pipeline running and the two sides to reach a settlement.

Judge: 'Aggravating Factors' Proven in Chauvin Trial

May 13, 2021

Cahill, in a ruling made public on Wednesday , said Chauvin had abused his "position of trust and authority" as a police officer . Chauvin's defence argued that the aggravating factors were unproved and that the defendant was legally authorised to use reasonable force.

Teen arrested after deadly school shooting in Kazan, Russia

May 11, 2021

Local media reported that two unidentified attackers opened fire at the school in the Russian city of Kazan. Dozens of ambulances lined up at the entrance to the school after the attack, with access to the building fenced off by police.

Blasts targeting Afghan school in Kabul kill 40, injures dozens

May 09, 2021

Soon after the bombing, angry crowds attacked ambulances and even beat health workers as they tried to evacuate the wounded, Health Ministry spokesman Ghulam Dastigar Nazari said. Some families were still searching for missing relatives on Sunday, gathering outside hospitals to read names posted on the walls, and checking morgues.

No plan to shoot down Chinese rocket -Pentagon chief

May 08, 2021

American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Pentagon has no plans to shoot down an out -of-control Chinese rocket now tumbling towards Earth . Such rocket sections - discarded core, or first stage - usually reenter soon after liftoff, normally over water, and don't go into orbit as this one did.

Activities suspended under China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue

May 06, 2021

Beijing will "indefinitely suspend all activities under the framework" of the agreement, the statement added. Tehan, however, admitted that no such talks had taken place since 2017. Meanwhile, China had said that Australia's decision to cancel agreements between Beijing's flagship Belt and Road Initiative and the state of Victoria was among several "negative moves" that had hurt bilateral relations.

Ontario may shorten interval between vax doses as more supply expected: Elliott

May 05, 2021

Ontario administered 33,740 COVID-19 tests in the previous 24 hours, reversing a trend that had seen the province conducting upwards of 50,000 to 60,000 tests a day. Ontario might shorten the length of time between COVID-19 vaccine doses as it prepares to receive more supply this month. On Monday, people 18 and older living in the 114 specific neighbourhoods, which have been designated as COVID-19 hot spots, were able to book their vaccine using the provincial booking system for the first ...

Multiple people reported trapped after rail overpass collapses in Mexico City

May 04, 2021

The overpass was about five meters above the road in southern Mexico City . It is not known whether most of the dead were on the subway cars, or whether they were pedestrians or motorists caught below. "What has happened on the metro today is a awful tragedy", tweeted Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard. 'Of course, the causes must be investigated and responsibilities defined.

Korea says Biden policy shows US intent on being hostile -KCNA

May 02, 2021

North Korea later went on to declare it had developed a hydrogen bomb and nuclear warheads able to fit on ballistic missiles that could reach the U.S. Kwon still didn't specify what steps North Korea would take, and his statement could be seen as an effort to apply pressure on the Biden administration as it's shaping up its North Korea policy.

Ontario asking feds for three-day hotel quarantine at land border crossings

May 01, 2021

Trudeau dismissed Ford's claims that Canada's "borders are broken", maintaining that there are already tight controls on land crossings, including tests before and after arriving in Canada and mandatory two-week quarantines. He railed against the phenomenon of people travelling to Canada from the U.S.by flying to northern NY, then hiring a taxi or renting a vehicle to drive to the border before driving or walking across.

China gets a flying start on building its own space station

April 29, 2021

People watch a Long March 5B rocket, which carries China's Tianhe space station core module , lifting off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, in southern China's Hainan province on Thursday. China also indicated it wanted to build a separate Lunar station and hurtle a space telescope into orbit, as reported by SpaceNews . The uncrewed Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft is now expected to rendezvous and dock with Tianhe in mid-late May, ahead of the visit of three astronauts aboard ...

Will Send Raw Material "Urgently Required" For Covishield, Says US

April 26, 2021

Price first tried to sidetrack the issue of restrictions on vaccine raw materials exports by claiming that the reporter had asked about intellectual property rights for vaccines and that it was a matter for the US Trade Representative (USTR).

Ma'Khia Bryant: 16-Year-Old Fatally Shot By Columbus Police

April 21, 2021

Ma'Khia Bryant was shot and killed by a police officer in southeast Columbus Tuesday after officers were called to her home just after 4:30 p.m. for a disturbance. Woods said, "The information was there a caller said females were there trying to stab them and put their hands on them, dispatchers tried to obtain information about weapons but were unable to gather that information".

DA Fitzpatrick: Derek Chauvin trial ‘changed the narrative about policing in America’

April 21, 2021

Meanwhile, crowds are celebrating near the Minneapolis courthouse where Chauvin was convicted. In the conclusion of one of the most high-profile court cases in recent American history, a Minneapolis jury has found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of the murder of George Floyd.

Black Ohio girl shot dead by police answering 911 call

April 21, 2021

In the video , the police officer is seen approaching a fight between several teenage girls. "She came at them with a knife", the officer can be heard saying as police tended to Ma'Khia Bryant on the ground. Bryant had reportedly called emergency services because older kids had threatened her with assault. "In any way you look at this, it's a tragedy". Hazel Bryant told The Dispatch that she is the aunt of Ma'Khia Bryant.

Coronavirus outbreak: Fresh cases at 2.94 lakh, second highest ever recorded globally

April 21, 2021

The pandemic cases continued to increase in Uttar Pradesh, where 29,754 fresh infections were recorded, close to Sunday's record tally of 30,596. On Tuesday, the health ministry reported 259,170 new infections nationwide - a sixth day over 200,000 and getting closer to the peak of almost 300,000 seen in the United States in January.

Police shoot, kill teenage girl in Columbus

April 21, 2021

Hundreds of protesters pushed past police barriers outside the headquarters and approached officers as city officials were showing the bodycam video inside. He and the city's public safety director, Ned Pettus, Jr, appealed for calm while the investigation proceeds and facts are uncovered in what he called "a devastating" loss of life.

Congresswoman denies inciting violence — George Floyd death

April 20, 2021

Asked if Waters should apologize, Pelosi said no. Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson moved for a mistrial, objecting, among other things, to Waters's statements, which he argued had the effect of "threatening and intimidating the jury." He added that the "pervasive" media coverage that the trial has received could have also influenced the 12 jurors (and two alternates) who will decide whether Chauvin is guilty or not of Floyd's death.

Joyful scenes as Australia-New Zealand travel bubble opens up

April 20, 2021

Air New Zealand Ltd said of the 5,200 passengers booked on Monday, 59% were travelling to New Zealand. Ardern reassured the public that the case won't affect the travel bubble and Health Minister Andrew Little has spoken to his Australian counterpart about the border-related case.

British PM cancels India visit due to COVID crisis

April 20, 2021

All three countries were seeing coronavirus cases rise. The decision means, from 04:00 on Friday, worldwide visitors who have departed from or transited through India in the previous ten days will be refused entry into England. The UK variant is causing around 40 percent of cases in Asia, according to the pathogen-tracking project Nextstrain . With over 42 million vaccinations delivered in the United Kingdom so far, the move will help to reduce the risk of new variants entering England.

Medical examiner: Capitol officer died of natural causes

April 20, 2021

Francisco J. Diaz , MD, FACP, issued determinations on April 7 as to the cause and manner of death for four of those individuals and today issues the cause and manner of death of the remaining individual". Diaz told the Post he could not comment on whether Sicknick had a preexisting medical condition, citing privacy laws. Five people died, including a woman who was shot by a police officer inside the Capitol .

Changes to Ontario's new restrictions could be coming soon

April 19, 2021

On Friday (April 16), the provincial government announced it was giving police officers and other provincial offences officers enhanced authority to require any person to provide their home address and goal for not being at their residence, and to stop vehicles to inquire about a person's reasons for leaving their home.

Here’s Ontario’s latest third-wave COVID-19 modelling

April 19, 2021

The province's record high for COVID-19 cases was set on Friday, with 4,812 cases recorded. "As you would have seen in today's modelling, if Ontario had the supply to ramp up to at least 300,000 vaccinations a day, it would have a significant impact on our ability to get a handle on this third wave", Ford's office said.

‘Out-of-control’ Table Mountain fire forces UCT evacuation

April 19, 2021

Fire and Rescue spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse says,"A section of the tea room at Rhodes Memorial has been destroyed and people are urged not to enter the area". Runaway flames set several University of Cape Town buildings ablaze as firefighters used three helicopters to water-bomb the area. "The fire is now out of control and we request that all onlookers please refrain from entering the area and keep the area clear for emergency vehicles to pass".

Czech police announce manhunt for two Russian nationals matching Skripal-poisoners’ description

April 18, 2021

Prime Minister Andrej Babis said the move is based on "unequivocal evidence" provided by the Czech intelligence and security services that points to the involvement of Russian military agents in the massive explosion in an eastern town that killed "two innocent fathers".

Funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh

April 17, 2021

Coverage begins as early as 5 a.m. The ceremony with just 30 mourners behind the stately walls of Windsor Castle, west of London, will be watched by an expected television audience of millions, with the public urged to stay away because of the pandemic.

Biden keeps US refugee cap at 15 000 rather than raise it

April 17, 2021

Except that while the Biden administration has certainly improved the federal government's approach to dealing with asylum seekers, undocumented immigrants, and the immigration system more broadly, there's at least one failing from the Trump era that Biden has inexplicably hesitated to fix: the disgracefully low number of refugees admitted to the United States.

Dead in Shooting at FedEx Facility in Indianapolis

April 16, 2021

Two victims were treated by medics at the scene and released. The shooter wasn't immediately identified, and investigators were in the process of conducting interviews and gathering information. They encountered an "active shooter incident", she said. Indianapolis State Police Sgt John Perrine said Interstate 70 near the facility was closed in both directions.

`Pakistan helped the Taliban, played on both sides in Afghanistan`: US senator

April 16, 2021

Arriving in Kabul Thursday, Blinken is meeting President Ashraf Ghani and other senior officials amid fears the government faces an imminent offensive by the militant group that has sought to establish an Islamic emirate in Afghanistan .

India hits record 200000 daily Covid cases, hospitals stretched

April 16, 2021

COVID-19 cases also hit new records in the capital Delhi, with doctors warning the surge there could be deadlier than in 2020. A total of 1,72,085 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 58,526 from Maharashtra, 13,008 from Karnataka, 12,945 from Tamil Nadu, 11,436 from Delhi, 10,434 from West Bengal, 9,309 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,609 from Punjab and 7,321 from Andhra Pradesh.

Bernie Madoff, financier behind world's biggest Ponzi scheme, dies in prison

April 14, 2021

Last year, a lawyer claimed Madoff - who was convicted in 2009 of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that saw investors swindled out of an estimated $65 billion - was terminally ill and wanted to leave prison to die. "However, this proved hard, and ultimately impossible, and as the years went by I realised that my arrest and this day would eventually come". In a letter to a U.S.

Ontario schools to switch to remote learning after spring break

April 14, 2021

All schools will switch to remote learning on April 19, the Ford government announced on Monday afternoon, saying they are doing so in response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, as well as the spike in hospitalizations. Quebec, meanwhile, was dealing with the fallout over its own decision to impose stricter rules after hundreds of people gathered Sunday in Montreal's historic district to protest the provincial government's decision to advance the nighttime curfew to 8 p.m.

Ontario reports almost 3,700 new COVID-19 cases

April 13, 2021

The projection is contingent on transmission rates staying at current levels and in her report presented to the board of health, de Villa says variants of concern were associated with a 91 per cent increase in COVID-19 deaths, and a 36 per cent increase in hospitalizations in the city.

Mother arrested in death of 3 young children

April 13, 2021

Elizabeth Cuevas, who lives in an apartment above the one where the crime unfolded, told the Los Angeles Times she had met one of the three children. 'At this point, she is a suspect in this incident but that doesn't exclude other people, ' Jovel said. "She did a horrific crime here", Los Angeles police Lt.

U.S. army officer sues police over violent traffic stop

April 11, 2021

Caron Nazario, 27, who is a black and latino second lieutenant, was pulled over on a traffic stop in the small town of Windsor, Virginia, in December previous year, after officers Joe Gutierez and Daniel Crocker claimed his SUV had tinted windows and no rear licence plate.

Volcanic eruption possible within hours or days in St Vincent

April 10, 2021

The island's emergency management office on Thursday ordered evacuations. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said evacuees would be able to seek temporary refuge on neighboring islands or be relocated to shelters in another part of St. "I don't want you panicked", he instructed. The eruption came a day after officials had raised the alert level following several small tremors detected at the volcano, with clouds of steam seen erupting from its peak.

Police say multiple people hurt in shooting in Bryan, Texas

April 09, 2021

One person shot at Kent Moore has died and four others shot there were taken to the hospital in critical condition, according to Bryan police chief Eric Buske. Adams killed a beloved doctor, his wife and their two grandchildren, who were 9 and 5 years old, cops said. The latest shooting in Texas on Thursday came hours after President Joe Biden and his Attorney General Merrick Garland announced limited measures to tackle a surge in USA gun violence in recent years.

Ontario said to plan another stay-at-home order as COVID spreads

April 07, 2021

Residential evictions are also again suspended. Ontario's previous stay-at-home order went into effect on January 14 and was lifted almost two months later on March 8. Ontario Premier Doug Ford in Thunder Bay in 2018. The province will also be organizing mobile vaccination teams and pop-up clinics to administer vaccines in hot spot neighbourhoods in Toronto and Peel Region.

Newsom says California will 'fully reopen' on June 15

April 07, 2021

Ghaly stressed, however, that a statewide mask mandate will remain in place "to prevent illness and promote health". If hospitalization rates remain stable, and the vaccine distribution continues on schedule, Governor Gavin Newsom says the state will fully reopen in mid-June.

European Medicines Agency Confirms blood clot link with AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

April 06, 2021

More information will be shared by the agency later today, as Cavaleri said "in the next few hours, we will say that there is a connection, but we still have to understand how this happens", reported the Associated Press via Barron's . But in its statement on March 31st the agency added: "A causal link with the vaccine is not proven, but is possible and further analysis is continuing".

BC health officials report 1,889 new COVID-19 cases since Saturday

April 06, 2021

There have been 23 new COVID-19-related deaths since April 1, for a total of 1,486 deaths in British Columbia. Of the active cases, 318 individuals are now hospitalized with COVID-19, 96 of whom are in intensive care. By race, 70.2% of county residents who've had COVID-19 are white, 25.4% are unknown or not specified, 2.6% are Black, 1% are listed as other, 0.7% are Asian and 0.1% are American Indian.

Northern Ireland sees three nights of violence as tensions mount

April 06, 2021

Unionists argue however that it strains ties with the rest of the United Kingdom by introducing trade barriers. Mark Lindsay, chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland, said the "political atmosphere" was being used as an excuse for violence, orchestrated by banned paramilitary groups.

State Of Emergency, Evacuations In Florida County Over Wastewater Pond Leak

April 05, 2021

Some families were placed in local hotels. Manatee County officials have ordered a "complete evacuation" of the area, including 316 homes. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says the water in the collapsing pond is primarily saltwater mixed with wastewater and stormwater.

Jordan's Prince Hamzah says he will disobey army orders, won't keep silent

April 05, 2021

Videos posted online showed a heavy police deployment in the Dabouq area near the royal palaces on the edge of Amman, while former crown prince Hamzah bin Hussein said he was confined to his home. State-run news agency Petra says among those arrested for "security reasons" were former close aide to royal family Bassem Awadallah. Labib Kamhawi, a Jordanian analyst, told the Associated Press that Hamzah likely crossed a line for the royal family by indicating he might be an alternative to ...

Queensland finds 'missing link' case that sparked Brisbane lockdown

April 03, 2021

It has reported about 22,000 local cases, including 909 deaths, since the start of the pandemic, far fewer than most other developed nations. It comes as Princess Alexandra hospital, where the two clusters have reportedly come from, went into a strict lockdown overnight.

Pfizer vaccine offers '100% protection against South African variant'

April 03, 2021

The vaccine supplies will be produced at Aspen Biopharama plant in South Africa . Out of 800 trial participants in South Africa, only nine got sick which included six with the B.1351 variant. Pfizer's vaccine is already authorized for use in people starting at age 16. 'I would not be surprised if this is a vaccine that we only get once'.

A look back at Taiwan's worst train accidents

April 03, 2021

There were whole families there". "The top priority now is to rescue the stranded people", it said in a statement. The train came off the rails in a tunnel just north of Hualien causing some carriages to hit the wall of the tunnel . Minutes later, the train's lead vehicle crashed into it, according to Railways Administration official Weng Hui-ping, just before the train entered a tunnel .

Ontario shuts down for at least a month as ICU admissions jump

April 03, 2021

We are now fighting a new enemy. Guests were required to be from the same household to sit at the same table; however, exceptions were made for people who live alone and those who need to visit with a caregiver. Residents are also being asked to limit trips outside of their home unless it's for essential reasons. Earlier on Thursday, new modeling released by an expert panel advising the provincial government predicted that new cases of COVID-19 would double unless the government imposes a ...

Noah Green: Everything we know about the US Capitol attack suspect

April 03, 2021

Nearly 140 Capitol Police officers were wounded in that attack, including officers not issued helmets who sustained head injuries and one with cracked ribs, according to the officers' union. Fencing that prevented vehicular traffic near that area was recently removed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered the flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at half-mast in honor of the slain officers, tweeted Drew Hammill, Pelosi's deputy chief of staff.

The Netherlands suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine for under-60s

April 03, 2021

In response to the MHRA's data, Prof Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), insisted taking the vaccine was "by far the safest choice" to minimise the risk of serious illness or death from Covid-19.

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