STORY: Canadian union Unifor is turning its attention to General Motors. Earlier its members ratified a three-year deal with Ford, averting possible strike action there. The agreement features wage increases of up 25% at the firm’s facilities in Canada. On Tuesday (September 26), talks begin with GM. Negotiators mean the Ford deal to set a pattern for an outcome there. Meanwhile, strikes continue in the U.S.Ford says “significant gaps” remain to be closed in talks with the United Auto Workers. But the strikers appear to have bipartisan backing. Earlier this week, Republican Senator Josh Hawley visited a picket line at one GM plant. He said the workers deserved better pay and benefits, and a guarantee that their jobs would stay in America. President Joe Biden is expected to say something similar when he visits a picket line in Michigan on Tuesday. While former President Donald Trump - Biden's likely 2024 election rival - plans to make a speech on auto issues in the same state on Wednesday (September 27). The UAW last week launched strikes at 38 GM and Stellantis facilities in 20 U.S. states. But it said sufficient progress had been made with Ford to avoid escalating strike action there.
STORY: Trudeau a week ago stood in parliament to say that domestic intelligence agencies were actively pursuing credible allegations tying New Delhi's agents to the shooting of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, in June.About 100 protesters in Toronto burned an Indian flag and struck a cardboard cut-out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a shoe. About 200 protesters also gathered outside the Vancouver consulate.Canada is home to about 770,000 Sikhs - the highest population of Sikhs outside their home state of Punjab - and in recent years there have been many demonstrations that have irked India.India labeled Trudeau's allegations "absurd." It warned travelers last week that there were growing "anti-India activities" in Canada, urging "utmost caution" but did not provide evidence or details of specific incidents.
STORY: Speaking at a meeting with leaders of Historically Black Colleges in Washington, Biden added UAW workers should benefit from the industry "roaring" back and the growth in the automobile market.The UAW began unprecedented, simultaneous strikes on Sept. 15 at one assembly plant each of the Detroit Three after the prior four-year labor deals expired. The strikes at additional GM and Stellantis facilities on Friday (September 22) added about 5,600 workers to the 12,700 previously on strike.The Detroit Three automakers have proposed 20% raises over 4-1/2 years, while the UAW is seeking 40% along with 32-hour-work weeks, the return of defined benefit pensions and to eliminate wage gaps separating newer and older employees.Biden will travel to Michigan Tuesday (September 26) to show support for workers and visit a UAW picket line, while Donald Trump who is seeking a new term as president will speak in Clinton Township, Michigan on Wednesday about the UAW strike.
STORY: It was the French label's second show at Paris Fashion Week since founder Pierre Cardin died in 2020, building on its space-age catwalk in March after a gap of more than two decades. Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin, the late designer's great-nephew, told reporters the new collection was based on the color blue, inspired by the ocean and dedicated to the protection of the planet. Models showcased dresses in indigo blue, on a deep blue catwalk under the cavernous reinforced concrete dome of the futuristic building designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer.
STORY: It's been 15 years since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.But the recent storming of a monastery has put tensions between the two back in the spotlight.Here's a look at why they're still at odds.Kosovo gained independence in 2008…Almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising against repressive Serbian rule.It’s recognized by more than 100 countries - including most western countries, like the United States.But not Serbia.It still sees Kosovo as part of its territory.The majority of Kosovo’s population is ethnic Albanian.Five percent of them are Serbs - of which 50,000 live in northern Kosovo, on the border with Serbia.They receive benefits from Serbia's budgets - like free public health care and large pensions - and don't pay taxes to either side.Serbia foots the bill for teachers, doctors and infrastructure projects and local Serbs are afraid they could lose those benefits if they become integrated with Kosovo.They've shown their disdain a few ways - by refusing to pay their state energy bills - and by attacking police who try to make arrests.From April, an already-tense situation became worse.Serbs had boycotted elections. So ethnic Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo. A move that sparked rebukes from the U.S. and its allies.There’s also a growing dispute over license plates.Kosovo wants Serbs to switch their old ones that are from the pre-independence era.Ethnic Serb mayors, local judges and hundreds of police officers have resigned over the looming switch.That’s deepened dysfunction and lawlessness in the region.What Serbs in Kosovo want is an association of majority-Serb municipalities with considerable autonomy.Kosovo isn't a fan of that idea.Pristina says that would create a mini-state in its borders along ethnic lines.The U.S. and EU want both sides to get on board with a plan from 2022.The idea: Belgrade would stop lobbying against Kosovo getting seats at international organizations like the United Nations.Kosovo would commit to form an association of Serb-majority municipalities.But talks stalled last week.With powerful nationalist hardliners on both sides - prospects for an imminent breakthrough appear bleak.
STORY: Late-night and daytime talk shows producers were making plans to return to TV screens for the first time in five months on Monday, after Hollywood writers reached a tentative deal to end a work stoppage that had shut down production. The Writers Guild of America, which represents more than 11,000 film and television writers, reached a preliminary three-year deal with major studios on Sunday. Sean McNulty is a contributor at The Ankler.“Look, there's a sense of relief. It really is, you know, as much as it's been contentious and there's still a lot of bad feelings probably on both sides, certainly on the talent side...You can't see this as anything less than a positive step in the right direction.”The agreement still must be approved by the union's leadership and members. Meanwhile, actors are still on strike. Scripted series will not be able to resume filming until the SAG-AFTRA actors union reaches an agreement with studios - with pay raises and the use of AI on screen being major sticking points."They have a bigger, you know, ask on pay raises than the other two guilds had. So, and AI has a much arguably a bigger issue for an actor to a degree than maybe even a writer, maybe just as big. But it's a different set of parameters of protections that they need. So whatever, whatever the writers got for AI, it may apply, but it may not be 'apples for apples' to SAG. So, these negotiations take, you know, as we saw with the WGA, just don't know how it's going to go. As I wrote my newsletter this morning, you'd be an optimist and maybe we're done with this by early November or a pessimist and this be go on until easily till December. So, we'll see how it goes.”Shares of big media companies lost ground on Monday, with Warner Bros Discovery and Walt Disney ending lower at the close.
STORY: Researchers from Ocean Exploration Trust were exploring the ocean floor 5,518 feet (1,682 meters) deep on an unnamed seamount in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, when suddenly the octopod drifted past the camera of their vessel E/V Nautilus.
A shirtless man driving a golf cart led police on a slow-speed chase in Los Angeles, California, on September 24.Video captured by Dave Bernal shows the suspect driving shirtless with a dog on his lap down Oxnard Street.In the video, Bernal can be heard saying, “Leave the dog!” as the man drives off with police cars following.The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) told Storyful they received a report of a potentially stolen golf cart around 9 pm on the 18700 block of Ventura Boulevard.The LAPD also told the Los Angeles Times that the man was wanted in connection with an assault with a deadly weapon.Local reports mentioned that the dog was returned to the suspect’s family members, according to the LAPD.The driver’s speed never exceeded 18 miles per hour, FOX 11 reported.However, he managed to elude officers several times, including driving into a parking lot and looping around a building, according to reports. Eventually, the driver was cornered in a 7-Eleven parking lot in Valley Glen, local media said.Local reports mentioned that the suspect was receiving treatment for minor injuries. The LAPD stated that the suspect would be booked once medically cleared, although they did not specify whether the injuries were related to his arrest.The LAPD could not confirm whether the suspect had been charged at the time of publishing. Credit: Dave Bernal via Storyful
STORY: According to local media, around three thousand migrants from Central and South America were anxiously awaiting humanitarian visas to head to Mexico's northern border to seek asylum in the United States. Thousands of people have reached the northern border in recent days and crossed into the United States, many after taking dangerous journeys on freight trains known as "The Beast."
STORY: ROTA: “...I’m deeply sorry that I’ve offended many with my gesture and remarks.”That's the speaker of Canada's House of Commons, apologizing for praising an individual at a parliamentary meeting who served in a Nazi unit during World War Two.On Friday, during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Speaker Anthony Rota recognized 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka as a, quote, “Ukrainian hero.”Hunka served in World War Two as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, according to the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group that demanded an apology on Sunday.Rota acknowledged Hunka after a speech by Zelenskiy, praising the World War Two veteran for fighting for Ukrainian independence against the Russians."...Even at his age of 98."Hunka received two standing ovations from lawmakers.In his apology, Rota said he alone was responsible.ROTA: “No one, including you my fellow parliamentarians or the Ukraine delegation, was privy to my remarks prior to their delivery.” In parliament, reaction came quickly from the government... "I think it's been deeply embarrassing for Canada, and I think it was deeply embarrassing for the president of the Ukraine who came here in friendship..."And members of the opposition."It was profoundly hurtful for so many Canadians and to people around the world. And he has to step down as a consequence of that."Hunka could not be reached for comment.
STORY: U.S. stocks ended higher on Monday, boosted by the energy sector and a multi-billion-dollar Amazon deal that ramps up the artificial intelligence race.The Dow edged up a tenth of a percent, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each climbed at least four-tenths of a percent.Monday marked a rebound for the S&P 500 index, which is coming off its biggest weekly drop since March, after the Federal Reserve last week signaled higher interest rates for longer.But Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist at CFRA Research, says stocks should continue to climb in the fourth quarter despite the likelihood of another rate hike.“I think that we're just going to see one more rate hike likely to take place in November, get it out of the way. And then, I think investors might breathe a sigh of relief because traditionally the Fed ends up cutting rates an average of nine months after the last rate hike. And along the way, the S&P has gained about 13%, with all sectors in positive territory in anticipation of, you know, the pressure being relieved, sort of like releasing pressure from a balloon that was underwater, giving a chance to rise to the surface.”Among the S&P 500 sectors, energy led the way on Monday, with Exxon Mobile and Chevron each rising more than 1%.And Amazon shares rose more than one and a half percent after the e-commerce giant said it will invest up to $4 billion in startup Anthropic to compete with growing cloud rivals in artificial intelligence.Investors through the week will be monitoring data including the key personal consumption expenditures price index for August and second-quarter GDP, as well as remarks by Fed policymakers, including Chair Jerome Powell.
Sirens wailed in northeast Texas on Sunday, September 24, as weather officials issued tornado warnings for the area.Numerous weather warnings were issued for parts of northeast Texas, as weather officials cautioned of winds up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail.Footage captured by storm chaser Chad Casey shows ominous clouds forming near Commerce and lightning occasionally flashing across the sky. Credit: Chad Casey via Storyful
STORY: Police in London have launched an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Russell Brand.It comes after a joint investigation by British media outlets, which reported the comedian was accused of rape and sexual assault by four women.BRAND: “Obviously, I now in particular I have a new experience on the way that the media and the state can cooperate and corroborate one another's narratives and stories.”Brand has rejected the allegations.He took to Canadian social media platform Rumble on Monday to accuse the government and mainstream media of trying to censor him.“...It appears that there is some significant heft behind controlling those narrative spaces and preventing them from being overtly challenged."Police declined to give details of the offenses or the number of incidents under investigation.
Waves lashed the Outer Banks Fishing Pier off the coast of Nags Head, North Carolina, as Tropical Storm Ophelia generated a storm surge on September 22.Footage captured by Wesley Snyder, owner of Wes Snyder Photography, shows large waves slamming into the pier and water surging close to the Bodie Island Lighthouse.Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall on Saturday, September 23, and brought “widespread heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and significant river and storm surge flooding to portions of Eastern North Carolina,” according to a storm overview by the National Weather Service. Credit: Wes Snyder Photography via Storyful
Lightning illuminated the sky in Miller Grove, Texas, on Sunday, September 24, as a severe storm moved through the northeast part of the state.The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area, alerting residents to the possibility of winds up to 70 mph and half-dollar-sized hail.This footage captured by storm chaser Chad Casey shows intense lightning in Miller Grove during the storm. Credit: Chad Casey via Storyful
STORY: Kosovar police moved in to secure and search a village in north Kosovo on Monday, after a shootout between police and ethnic Serb gunmen that left four people dead.Police recovered a cache of weapons and military equipment during the operation.And a search of houses in the village continued, as armed police looked for any gunmen who may not have fled.The group of heavily armed attackers stormed the village of Banjska on Sunday, battling police and barricading themselves into a Serbian Orthodox monastery.Police retook the monastery later that day. Three attackers and one police officer died in the gun fight.The United States has condemned attacks on police and urged the governments of Kosovo and Serbia to defuse tensions.Meanwhile, Russia said it was closely monitoring what it called a "potentially dangerous" situation.Russia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent country and traditionally supports Serbia.Ethnic Albanians make up a majority of Kosovo's 1.8 million people. But some 50,000 Serbs in the north of the former Serbian province do not accept Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence. They see Belgrade as their capital, more than two decades after a Kosovo Albanian guerrilla uprising against Serbian rule.Here's Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti."From yesterday, nothing can be the same anymore, the facts came out right in front of us, in our eyes and in the eyes of the international community as well as in the eyes of everyone who has the courage and will to see the truth of the region in which we live.”Kurti has blamed Serbia for financing and sending armed men to Kosovo, a claim Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denies. Vucic blames Kurti for inciting violence by refusing to form an association of Serb municipalities to allow Serbs more autonomy, and by launching frequent police actions in the north.Tensions have been running high since clashes in northern Kosovo in May, when more than 90 NATO peacekeeping soldiers and some 50 Serb protesters were injured in northern Kosovo.
STORY: Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla posted about the Sunday (September 24) attack on X, adding that nobody was hurt.The attack occurred just hours after Cuba's leader Miguel Díaz-Canel returned to the island, having attended events at the United Nations in New York last week.The embassy reopened in 2015 when the countries restored diplomatic ties severed since 1961.
STORY: And that, says Stovall, bodes well for the fourth quarter."Going back to World War II, the S&P 500 has posted a near-6% total return increase in the fourth quarter of pre-election years, and has risen 100% of the time. Obviously not a guarantee, but it certainly offers some encouragement."
STORY: Spain is investigating AI images of naked girls as young as 13 years oldcreated and shared by their peers,which may constitute a sex crimeA prosecutor received a 200-page dossier with around 20 complaints from familiesMiriam al Adib, mother of victim:“When she showed me the images, when my daughter shows me hers in particular, when I saw it I thought, 'because I know my daughter's body, if I did not know it, I wouldn't have a clue as to whether it's real or not.'"Al Adib says the fake pictureshad been circulating on WhatsApp for monthsShe also says the girls, aged 13-15, have been terrified and suffering anxiety attacksFernando Miro, AI advisor to the Council of Europe:“What we have to deal with now is essentially to see what responsibility the people who have participated in creating and distributing these images have and also to see how to prevent further victimization and further dissemination of these images, which is another issue too.”
STORY: The publication of major U.S. economic data, including employment and inflation reports of critical importance to policymakers and investors, will be suspended indefinitely should the federal government shut down at the end of this week because of lack of funding, a government official said.The suspension of the reports could leave Fed policymakers in the dark as they attempt to make key decisions.As a result, says Stovall, "The Fed would probably end up skipping the hike in November, wait until December. By then, we could end up seeing the economy slow to the point where the Fed might say, 'We've done all that we need to do.' So the market could react favorably to that situation."
STORY: Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was detained and handcuffed by two plainclothes officers while covering a story after he failed to hand over his personal identity card. Chan, who pleaded not guilty, earlier told the court that he had asked the police to show them their warrant cards before handing over his document, which all Hong Kong residents must carry. Magistrate Leung Ka-kie granted Chan HK$30,000 ($3,838.48) bail after his lawyers said he would appeal. The journalist cannot leave Hong Kong and had to surrender his travel documents.
A postal worker went above and beyond to save a dog bitten by a venomous copperhead snake in Buchanan, Georgia, on September 22.Video shared by homeowner Kelsey Proctor shows the postal worker using her phone to alert the dog’s family about the incident while she was out delivering mail.The note reads, “little beagle bit by copperhead.”She not only informed the family but also took their beagle, Ginger, to the vet.Proctor initially shared the story on Facebook to find the postal worker, identified as Holle Prigmore, and thank her for her life-saving act.After seeing the video, Prigmore commented, “My absolute pleasure to help. Ginger is a doll baby.”According to Proctor, Ginger is recovering from the bite, and she expressed gratitude for the support.She wrote, “We are so thankful for the outpouring of love for Ginger, and her sweet friend Holle, who was there for her in her time of need.” Credit: Kelsey Proctor via Storyful
At least 6,650 displaced people from the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh have arrived in Armenia, the Armenian government said at around 5 pm local time on Monday, September 25.Thousands of ethnic Armenians have fled Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan took control of the area. The Armenian government said it will provide accommodations to refugees in need of housing.Footage from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty shows people at an aid center in Kornidzor, Armenia, and vehicles stuck in traffic while driving to the Hakari Bridge checkpoint from the Lachin Corridor.Thousands of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh also arrived in Goris, Armenia, over the weekend, the local Red Cross and reporters said. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty via Storyful
STORY: The SEC has collected thousands of staff messages from over a dozen major investment companiesas its probe into Wall Street's use of private messaging apps escalatesThat's according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity Previously, the SEC had asked the companies tointernally review the messages in its investigations In this latest phase, the SEC asked for messagesfrom the first half of 2021 that discuss businesson WhatsApp, Signal, and other messaging apps not approved to discuss workUsing those apps to discuss business puts employers in breach of rules to record all business communicationsPrivate fund fees and expenses, conflicts of interest and preferential treatment of investors are issues the SEC is increasingly focusing on,according to a lawyer at Goulston & Storrs
STORY: The storm's impact on informal housing in the province is expected to be vast, according to Western Cape media liaison officer Regan Thaw.The local government has referred to the storm as a "disaster," suggesting that the full extent of the damage will only become apparent once the storm has subsided.The South African Weather Service has issued a "Orange level 9" warning, indicating the possibility of further flooding as the weather system moves east across South Africa.