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Baffinland issues layoff notices to more than 1,100 employees

Tue, August 2, 2022 

Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. has sent layoff notices to more than 1,100 of its employees.

The company sent the notices July 31, said spokesperson Peter Akman. The first round of layoffs is scheduled to happen Sept. 25, and the second on Oct. 11.

“The company has had to take this step out of an abundance of caution,” Akman wrote in an email to Nunatsiaq News.

Baffinland operates an iron mine on north Baffin Island, where it employs about 350 Inuit.

The company warned it would have to lay off employees if it didn’t get permission to ship six million tonnes of ore this year out of Milne Inlet.

Baffinland is currently working with a permit that allows it to ship 4.2 million tonnes of iron ore per year, since a temporary permit that allowed it to ship six million expired Dec. 31.

In May, Baffinland asked federal Northern Affairs Minister Daniel Vandal to sign an emergency order that would allow the company to skip the review process, citing the potential layoffs if its shipping limit wasn’t increased.

Asked why Baffinland didn’t apply for the permit extension earlier so the Nunavut Impact Review Board would have time to consider the application before making a recommendation to Vandal, Akman cited a number of factors, including the status of a larger application that would allow Baffinland to double the mine’s output. The company had been expecting an answer on the proposed expansion before the temporary permit expired.

Vandal denied the request for an emergency order, but has instructed the review board to treat Baffinland’s application as a priority due to the jobs at stake.

“The regulatory process is moving slowly,” Akman wrote. “As a result, Baffinland must continue to take preparatory steps to rescale its operation.”

There is still a chance the company could take back the layoff notices.

“If we receive approval to continue mining at [six million tonnes] this year as we are hoping, we will rescind the termination notices,” Akman said.

David Venn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News

Termination notices sent to over 1,100 Baffinland employees on Sunday

Tue, August 2, 2022

Baffinland's Milne Inlet operations, pictured in January 2021. A company spokesperson says the company is preparing for two rounds of terminations to take effect this fall.

 (Nick Murray/CBC - image credit)

Baffinland Iron Mines sent termination notices to over 1,100 of its staff on Sunday, including 200 Inuit employees.

Baffinland spokesperson Peter Akman said the company is preparing for two rounds of terminations to take effect on Sept. 25 and Oct. 11 — if the company does not receive permission to continue extracting six million tonnes of iron ore annually from the Mary River mine.

Akman said the notices affect all employees in any aspect of the company's northern operations.

"Anyone who's working at the two sites, the port or the Mary River site, but also across Iqaluit, and across Nunavut ... Anyone who is working for us, will have potentially received the notices."

One of the employee letters, obtained by CBC News, explains the termination notice is a result of the regulatory process moving "more slowly than is necessary to meet Baffinland's operational requirements."

"As a result, pursuant to section 14.03(2) of the [Nunavut Labour Standards] Act, as of the date of this letter, you are being provided notice that on the 25th day of September 2022, your employment with Baffinland will be terminated," the letter reads.

The Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) is currently reviewing a request from the company to carry on extracting ore at a similar rate as recent years, while the federal minister ponders what to do with the NIRB's recommendation that the mine not be allowed to expand as planned.

The minister of Northern Affairs, Dan Vandal, has urged the board to make its recommendation by Aug. 26. In a notice July 19, NIRB said it would be unable to meet that timeline "due to logistical constraints and existing board commitments."

Baffinland said the deadline of its production increase extension was meant to fall after the Phase 2 regulatory process was completed, but due to "a number of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the authorization expired before the process concluded."

Intervenor group Oceans North has previously stated that Baffinland's situation is "a foreseeable consequence of poor management and planning," and expressed concern that the company is using the prospect of layoffs to pressure the Nunavut Impact Review Board "to approve current and future expansion of the mine."

Akman said the company is still working on getting its permit to increase its limits to six million tonnes per year, and if it is successful, then Baffinland will rescind the termination notices.

In the meantime, Akman said the letters were sent to employees last weekend "out of an abundance of caution" in the event that mine operations aren't approved by the time it meets its current production limit. He expects the company will reach that limit on the ore extraction side by mid-September, and on the shipping side by early October.

When that happens, and if no approval comes before then, Akman said the company will have "no choice" but to stop production.

"Once we reach that amount, then we have to stop," he said. "For the remainder of 2022 we will have no more work to do."

Akman didn't say whether the employees who could be terminated would be re-hired again.

Massive hailstone found near Markerville, Alta., breaks Canadian record, research group says


This record-breaking hailstone was recovered northwest of Markerville, Alta., on Monday. Its weight was recorded as 292.71 grams and its diameter as 123 millimetres. (Francis Lavigne-Theriault/Northern Hail Project - image credit)

Tue, August 2, 2022 

A massive hailstone recovered from Monday's storm near Innisfail, Alta., has eclipsed a Canadian record, weighing in at a whopping 292.71 grams and measuring 123 millimetres in diameter, according to Western University's Northern Hail Project.

The record breaker was found under a tree canopy near Markerville, about 110 kilometres north of Calgary, shortly after the storm had passed, with several other grapefruit- to softball-sized hailstones.

The previous Canadian record holder, collected on July 31, 1973, in Cedoux, Sask., weighed 290 grams and was 114 millimetres in diameter, said the research group based in Alberta.

"It wasn't until I returned and started sifting through the bags that I found the record-breaking stone," said Francis Lavigne-Theriault, part of the group's field team, in a news release.

"It was bagged with other stones without realizing what we had in our possession."

Julian Brimelow, executive director of the Northern Hail Project, said his severe weather colleagues from around the world maintain a database of record hailstones. Only 22 hailstones, including this one, have weighed more than 290 grams.

"Finding large hailstones like this is like hitting the jackpot. So this Markerville sample joins an elite club of giant hailstones," said Brimelow.

"This stone will also help us refine our estimate of just how large it is possible for hail to grow."

The current record holder for the largest hailstone in North America fell near Vivian, South Dakota, on July 23, 2010. It weighed 879 grams and had a maximum diameter of 203 millimetres.

'It was extremely intense'

Although the discovery is exciting, Monday's storm was quite terrifying for drivers along the Queen Elizabeth II Highway between Innisfail and Red Deer.

Matt Berry got on the road at about 6 p.m. that day, and said it was "perfect" weather.

But about 10 minutes later, the storm rolled through the area, hurling massive chunks of hail down on dozens of cars on Antler Hill.

Matt Berry

"The next thing I know, my windshield was caving in on me and cracking and breaking," he said in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener.

"My windshield is absolutely destroyed.… I was just scared of this thing coming in on top of me."

He managed to pull off to the side of the road and waited for the storm to pass. In all, it lasted for 10 to 15 minutes, he said.

According to RCMP, 34 vehicles were damaged Monday — down from an earlier estimate of 70 — while numerous people suffered minor injuries. Three collisions were caused by the storm, police said.

Stuart Brideaux, public education officer with Alberta Health Services, said local fire and EMS also attended the scene, arriving at about 6:30 p.m.

Although some people were hit indirectly by hail coming through windows and broken glass, he said no one required transportation to the hospital.

Jacques Lambert/Facebook

It's good news, considering the size of the hailstones coming down. Brimelaw said the intensity of the storm was a surprise even to his team.

"We were getting reports of grapefruit-sized hail, softball-sized hail.… Usually in an exceptional day, we maybe have tennis ball-sized hail, so six to seven centimetres. But [Monday], we had a lot of stones that were over 10 centimetres across," he said.

The Northern Hail Project team said it worked independently to confirm the record.

On Wednesday, Environment Canada said that softball-sized (10.6 cm) hail was recorded in Markerville, baseball-sized (7.5 cm) hail fell in Innisfail and Milnerton, and tennis-ball sized (6.4 cm) hail hit Sylvan Lake, Penhold and Wimborne, Alta.

Brimelow said he's not sure why the hail in this storm was so much bigger than usual, but he expects it may have something to do with an abundant amount of moisture near the ground Monday, which isn't typical in Alberta.

That element, along with the usual storm ingredients, may have come together to give more fuel to the creation of the hailstones.

"Every new data point helps inform us on what conditions are required," said Brimelow.

"Once we have measured and 3D scanned the Markerville hailstone, we can then make thin sections. The growth layers evident in those will reveal information on the hailstone's growth history in the storm."

The team may also use 3D scans to study fall behaviour and the aerodynamics of large hailstones.

Matt Melnyk

Matt Melnyk, a storm chaser in Alberta, also wonders what led to the hailstones' size. He went to Innisfail Monday to assess and take photos of the storm.

"This particular storm had a very, very large rotating updraft, which kept the hail inside the storm for a long period of time," he said in an interview with CBC Calgary News at 6.

"It was extremely intense."

WATCH | Storm chaser Matt Melnyk describes what it was like to follow Monday's hailstorm near Innisfail:

Brimelow said one of the reasons why his team is so motivated to better understand these storms is because they know how they can impact people's lives.

"Our hearts really go out to those folks because we understand how devastating it can be."

Cleanup continued Tuesday

Geoff Tagg saw that devastation with his own eyes.

He's the owner of Tagg's Extreme Towing Ltd. in Red Deer. His team was called to help out just north of Innisfail on Monday evening, and he thinks dozens more cars were mangled by the storm.

"All hell was breaking loose.… There were approximately 100, maybe a few more than that, up there with all kinds of damage," he said.

"The windshields were just busted. A couple of them looked like somebody had body slammed the front."

A number of towing companies showed up to help move cars off the road, Tagg said. They were on scene until about 3 a.m., and at least one company continued working through Tuesday to get cars out of the area.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada said it may not have estimates around insured losses for several weeks.

Matt Melnyk

But, if your vehicle is struck by hail, there are a number of steps you should take.

First, take pictures of the damage from all angles, according to Rob de Pruis, national director of consumer and industry relations with the bureau.

Next, reach out to your insurance representative and provide as much detail as possible.

"The sooner you can get the claim in, the better, but you do have a period of two years to get everything related to your claim finalized," he said in an interview with CBC Edmonton News at 6.

You may want to purchase optional comprehensive coverage, de Pruis said. It covers hail, wind and water damage to your vehicle.

Matt Berry

If you pay any extra expenses, make sure to keep those receipts.

"If you can't drive your vehicle, if you get your vehicle towed to the nearest repair facility, keep the receipt for that tow because that can be covered under your insurance policy as well."

Berry is one of several drivers who had his vehicle towed to a nearby lot. He got a ride home from his mom, who lives nearby.

After the whole ordeal, he said he'd advise anyone heading out on the road to take weather warnings seriously and stay home if possible.

"I would have never guessed that that could have happened that quickly," he said.

"It was insane."

Yet another severe thunderstorm hit Alberta on Monday night, with hail the size of softballs cracking windshields and damaging cars. Sarah Chew finds out how much these storms cost insurance.

Severe weather in Alberta: Golf ball-sized hail smashes cars along major highway

Aug 2, 2022

Global News

Hail the size of softballs fell from the sky Monday as a storm ripped through central and southern Alberta.

Vehicles had pulled off the Queen Elizabeth II Highway on Monday evening between Calgary and Red Deer to wait out a hail storm that had damaged many cars.

According to the RCMP, 70 vehicles had their windshields and windows smashed out by the storm. First responders from Innisfail had set up a triage station for those who need help, RCMP told Global News.

Late July and early August are typically active weather times for Alberta. The province has seen several severe weather alerts — including tornado watches and warnings — all long weekend.

Crazy tennisball sized hail storm in Alberta Canada! Even tornado and flooding footage

Incredible moments in the car whose windows were broken due to hail! Crazy hailstorm in Alberta!

 

 

Dozens of wrecked cars in Canada! Crazy hailstorm hits Innisfil, Alberta!

 
Tornado warmed storms with destructive Hail in Pine Lake Alberta

Aug 1, 2022

Strong tornado warned thunderstorms produced hail the size of baseballs a few big lightning strikes and heavy rain and intense rotation. This was a really bad storm for the 1st day of August. Severe hail damage occurred on our Van the back windows blown out and the windshield was very beat up and a lot of damage on the outside. Do not watch if you do not like swearing. I apologize things just got super intense.

 

Destructive hailstorm in pine lake Alberta Includes aftermath

 

 

Live footage as storm hits Canada ! ⚠️ Incredible storm hits Alberta and Saskatchewan

 

 Grapefruit-sized hail' fell Monday in Alberta, and it may break a record

Aug 3, 2022

Shorts hub

Hail as big as tennis balls, softballs and eggs fell in Alberta: Environment Canada

But about 10 minutes later, just after 6 p.m., it was an entirely different story. A storm rolled through the area, hurling massive chunks of hail down on dozens of cars stopped along Queen Elizabeth II Highway.

Berry was just north of Innisfail, near Antler Hill, when it struck.

"The next thing I know, my windshield was caving in on me and cracking and breaking," he said

 

Coronation Alberta Canada tornado: 31 July 2022

White snowy rivers in summer! Heavy hail all over Quito, Ecuador

Aug 3, 2022


Genuine Earth
Natural disaster 3 August 2022. 

White snowy rivers in summer. Heavy hail all over Quito, Ecuador Rain and heavy hail turned the squares and streets of southern Quito into white icy rivers. According to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, this phenomenon is due to a number of factors that contribute to the formation of clouds, including the humidity of the environment, which adds the possibility of precipitation in the afternoon to the morning sunlight. . in the south of the capital, the sewer system collapsed. At the time of publication of this informational note, no other news was recorded due to rain. #Quito #Ecuador #hurricane #wind #wave #hail #storm #flood #rain #weather #Naturaldisasters #news A natural disaster is a serious adverse event caused by natural processes on Earth; examples include floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, rain, hail, wildfires, waves, wind, snow, weather, and other geological processes.

Alberta NDP slams UCP, ex-finance minister for big COVID-19 bonus to health chief

EDMONTON — Alberta Opposition Leader Rachel Notley says the United Conservative Party government, particularly former finance minister Travis Toews, must bear the responsibility and fallout for the record-setting six-figure bonus payment to the chief medical officer of health.

Alberta NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley

Notley said Wednesday she isn’t passing judgment on whether the payout to Dr. Deena Hinshaw is merited.

But she said the payout has to be set against a government that, at the same time, was trying to cut the pay of front-line health workers in collective bargaining during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is jaw dropping to me that they would then turn around and offer up a 60 per cent bonus to someone who had — by her own admission — chosen not to completely exercise her authority and (instead) hand over decision-making power to an incredibly ill-informed cabinet,” Notley told reporters in Calgary.

The CBC, gleaning information from the government’s sunshine salary list, reported Monday that Hinshaw received a bonus of almost $228,000 for COVID-19 work in 2021 — the highest such cash benefit payout to any provincial civil servant since the list went public six years ago.

That figure, on top of her regular salary, put Hinshaw’s pay at more than $591,000.

Unions, including the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees have, like Notley, lambasted the payout as a travesty given the concurrent government steps to reduce pay and jobs in front-line health care.

Notley also said Toews’ claim he didn’t know about the payment cannot be believed.

“If it is true, then it is demonstrative of someone who has no business being finance minister in any government, and certainly not leading in government,” she said.

“There’s just no way that this should have happened under his watch.”

Toews is one of seven contenders seeking to replace Premier Jason Kenney, who announced he will soon be resigning the leadership after gaining a lacklustre 51 per cent support in a party leadership vote.

He and two other candidates left cabinet to avoid a conflict of interest during the race.

Christine Myatt, Toews’ spokesperson, responded to Notley in a statement.

"Mr. Toews did not authorize or approve this payment. In fact, he was not aware it was made. It appears this bonus was paid out by the public service without ministerial sign off,” said Myatt.

“Mr. Toews believes that Albertans expect their tax dollars to be spent wisely and with the greatest oversight.

“That is why he has promised to change the rules to ensure this does not happen again."

Toews’ campaign team tweeted out Wednesday a graphic stating that no new bonuses would be authorized without a cabinet minister’s explicit authorization.

The payout has reopened public divisions and debate over Hinshaw and the government’s handling of the pandemic and the health restrictions it imposed to combat the spread of the illness.

Kenney and Hinshaw have been criticized for acting too late in multiple waves of the pandemic. Hinshaw has also been criticized for not exercising more authority under emergency legislation, but instead subordinating her role to one of cabinet adviser rather than independent decision maker.

The issue threatens to become a wedge topic in the leadership race, with candidates such as former Wildrose party leaders Danielle Smith and Brian Jean wooing the section of the party base that bitterly resented vaccine mandates and other government-mandated restrictions.

“(The slogan) ‘we’re all in this together’ didn’t mean what we thought it did," Smith wrote on Twitter Monday. "Albertans are rightly stunned and outraged they gave Dr. Hinshaw a $228K COVID bonus."

Smith has promised that if she wins the Oct. 6 vote to replace Kenney, she will not impose any such restrictions again.

Jean wrote on Twitter on Monday: “While Albertans were losing businesses, while our health system was collapsing under mismanagement, the people on the Sky Palace balcony signed off on an all-time record bonus.”

Sky Palace referred to Kenney, Toews and others, being caught on camera having drinks and ignoring gathering rules while on the balcony of the Federal Building, near the legislature, during COVID-19.

It has come to symbolize the one-rule-for-us, another-for-them criticism of Kenney’s administration during COVID-19.

Alberta Health has said Hinshaw was paid as per a long-standing policy and financial calculation tied to emergencies.

The payout was one of the COVID-19 bonuses paid to 107 employees in management totalling $2.4 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2022.

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

Freeze funding for Sask. Christian school facing 'sickening' abuse allegations: Opposition, students

Jason Warick - Yesterday

Provincial government funding to a Saskatoon Christian school must be frozen in light of a series of abuse allegations, says the leader of the NDP Opposition.

"I'm heartbroken to think this was the experience that shaped these young lives," Carla Beck said Wednesday.

Some former students of Saskatoon's Christian Centre Academy, now called Legacy Christian Academy, are going even further. They are demanding the school be permanently closed.

"I think it should be shut down — 100 per cent," said former student Jillian Kudryk.

In a CBC News story published Tuesday, nearly a dozen former students spoke publicly for the first time, sharing stories of abuse that included spankings with large, wooden paddles that left them bruised and limping. Others spoke of solitary confinement, coercion and traumatizing rituals such as exorcisms to "cure" students thought to be possessed by demons.


© Travis Reddaway/CBCSean Kotelmach, Coy Nolin, Caitlin Erickson, Cody Nolin and 14 other former students of Saskatoon's Christian Centre Academy, now called Legacy Christian Academy, allege they were subjected to exorcism, violent discipline and other abuse there.

According to Saskatoon Police Service emails obtained by CBC News, a total of 18 students have launched criminal complaints. Following a year-long investigation, police handed the file to Crown prosecutors in April. It's unclear when a decision will be made about possible charges.

School officials have declined multiple interview requests, but sent an email saying things at the school are much different now. They say everyone is welcome, and anyone who "feels" they were abused should contact police.

According to the 2020-21 Saskatchewan government public accounts, Legacy Christian Centre received public funding of $736,274. The previous year it received $699,587. It relies on tuition and fundraising for a portion of its operating budget, but like other private schools, has also been supported by taxpayers for the past decade.


Wednesday afternoon, Beck and education critic Matt Love hosted a news conference outside the school and adjoining Mile Two Church.


© Jason Warick/CBC

Former students of the Christian Centre Academy, now called Legacy Christian Academy, say all government subsidies and tax breaks for the school and adjacent Mile Two Church must be halted. The school received more than $700,000 in public funds in the 2020-21 school year.

They called the allegations "horrifying" and "sickening," and commended the students for their bravery. They called on the governing Saskatchewan Party and Education Minister Dustin Duncan to freeze provincial funding to the school and bolster the oversight of private schools.

"It fills me with resolve to get the the bottom of these allegations," Beck said.

Beck said she's angry Duncan has known about the allegations and criminal investigation since at least June but has not acted. "How can you hear these allegations and not have any curiosity to get to the bottom of it?" she asked.


© Matt Duguid/CBCStudents and opposition members are calling on Education Minister Dustin Duncan to freeze government funding to Legacy Christian Academy in liht of abuse allegations. An official said he was not available, but no action will be taken until police conclude their investigation.

She said a government that doesn't have interest in protecting students "is quite clearly a government that has lost its way."

Love said Duncan "not only didn't act, but he actually increased funding to these schools … He needs to step up and do his job or step aside."

An official said Duncan would not be available for comment. The official emailed a written statement saying the safety of all students is a top priority. It said no action will be taken at this time.

"No decisions about further investigations or funding will be made until after the police investigation has concluded," the statement reads.

— with files from Jessie Anton

Hundreds of e-bikes abandoned in Richmond after company quietly shutters operations

Katie Lauer, Silicon Valley, San Jose, Calif. -

Aug. 2—Richmond's first ever bike-sharing program has apparently bolted, leaving hundreds of neon cyan bicycles abandoned and effectively useless around town.

Bolt Mobility rolled out 250 app-powered e-bikes across the city in June 2021, funded by a $1 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

But starting this July, Richmond joined several other cities and counties across the country in reporting that they were getting radio silence from the company — a Florida-based "micromobility" startup cofounded in 2018 by Olympic gold medalist sprinter Usain Bolt and Shervin Pishevar, a San Francisco-based venture capitalist who has also invested in companies such as Airbnb and Uber.

Bolt's "dockless" technology requires would-be riders to download the company's smartphone app to locate, unlock, activate and pay for the e-bikes. However, no bikes appear on Bolt's map of Richmond, which means they may have been removed from the system or have dead batteries. Whatever the reason, the bikes are not currently operational.

According to Mayor Tom Butt, Richmond officials are trying to figure out a plan to remove the equipment that's still scattered around town, from the Richmond Marina, Keller Beach and the Point Richmond Community Center, to the city's Civic Center, Ferry Terminal and BART station.

"Unfortunately, Bolt apparently went out of business without prior notification or removal of their capital equipment from city property," Butt wrote in an e-Forum post July 23. "They recently missed the city's monthly meeting check-in and have been unresponsive to all their clients throughout all their markets."

Calls to Richmond City Hall were not returned, but public documents show the bike-sharing program was proposed to help spread the health benefits of physical activity and reduce low-income household spending on transportation, especially since Richmond has completed more than 36 miles of its San Francisco Bay Trail — more than any other city around the bay.

Locally, Bolt also launched 300 e-bikes at stations along the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit line — also funded by a $826,000 grant from the MTC — as well as a fleet in Southern California's San Gabriel Valley.

Bolt has purportedly operated in more than a dozen other states, including New York, Oregon, Vermont and Virginia, and some locations have reported that their e-bike programs are operating without any issues.

The e-bikes — capable of reaching up to 15mph with pedal-assistance technology — cost $2 to unlock and $0.10 for each minute of a pay-as-you-go ride. Bolt also promoted payment plans that offered 30 minutes of free riding every day without unlock fees — charging frequent riders $9.99 a month or even $79.99 for a year.

It's unclear why Bolt Mobility has essentially shuttered in the East Bay, especially since the company was advertising only four months ago that they were looking to hire full- and part-time fleet technicians for Richmond's e-bike operations. The company has a C+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and is not accredited, but has publicly raised at least $40.2 million, according to TechCrunch.

Several calls to Bolt were not answered and met only with perpetual hold music.

That seems to be a trend; Bryan Davis, a senior transportation planner for Chittenden County in Vermont told Techcrunch his team has gotten the same cold shoulder.

"They've vanished, leaving equipment behind and emails and calls unanswered," Davis said. "We're unable to reach anyone, but it seems they've closed shop in other markets as well."

And according to the most recent review on Apple's App Store, users are also up a creek with unanswered questions: "What about the money I spent and my balance?" one frustrated customer asked. "Did they also take this with them?"

(c)2022 Silicon Valley, San Jose, Calif. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

CNN’s plummeting revenue and ratings could force spending cuts

Heather Hamilton - Yesterday

Washington Examiner


CNN is facing its lowest viewership and profits in a long time, forcing decisions about how to cut spending.

The cable news network finished July with 731,000 total prime-time viewers, a 15% drop from the same time last year. It finds itself trailing MSNBC’s 1.3 million viewers and Fox News’s 2.1 million viewers during prime time.

The network is also down 15% overall in the key demographic of 25-54-year-olds.

S&P Global Market Intelligence projected that CNN’s profitability is on pace to decline to $956.8 million this year, marking the first time since 2016 that the network dropped below $1 billion in profits, according to the New York Times.

CNN is reportedly looking to increase its revenue with new advertising deals, expanding the brand into China, and increasing the reach of CNN Underscored, its e-commerce initiative.

The network has also reportedly clamped down on spending amid the slumping ratings and revenues with limitations on employee travel and work celebrations.

In July, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said CNN would return to a focus on "journalism" with less of a focus on opinion-based programming.

"Journalism first. America needs a news network where everybody can come and be heard; Republicans, Democrats," Zaslav said. "We're not going to look at the ratings, and, in the long run, it's going to be worth more."

Premieres, prizes and pickles at Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival that 'showcases the weird'

Thu, August 4, 2022 

From the fantastic to the gritty ... to the pickled, there were films from a variety of genres and countries on display at Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival, which concluded its 26th edition Wednesday. Some of the notable films included Next Sohee, left, Timescape, top right, and Anette, bottom right, featuring a pickle man. (Finecut/TVA Films/Joe Lebreux - image credit)

Watching a film at Montreal's Fantasia International Film Festival might be a little different from the typical theatre experience.

"People meow before the screenings," said Ariel Esteban Cayer, one of the Fantasia programmers this year. He says the communal experience is what makes the festival special.

"It's very vocal," he said. "I think you feel part of the community quite, quite fast."

The 26th edition of Fantasia, which bills itself as North America's largest genre film festival, wrapped up on Wednesday. It featured films from a wide array of genres and countries, including 15 Canadian feature films and 78 Canadian shorts.

Belgian horror film Megalomaniac won the Cheval Noir as the festival's top feature, and South Korean director July Jung won the best director prize for her closing film Next Sohee, a drama about a high school student and a mysterious death. Jung's film also played at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a seven-minute standing ovation.

Finecut

Next Sohee is based on a true story that came to Jung's attention through an investigative television program, she told CBC News. She said she was motivated to create the story in order to keep the victim's memory alive.

"I thought that it would not be enough to just present this incident as an investigative program or documentary," she said. "I felt that the victim … can be alive through the story, through the film.

"Even though I didn't make my film thinking that I should make this film with this kind of genre or not, I think that audiences can consider my film as a kind of horror film because it deals with very desperate and miserable and difficult situations," Jung said.

Watch | The trailer for Next Sohee:

Canadians making their mark

There was also Canadian talent on display. Aristomenis Tsirbas grew up in Montreal attending Fantasia, and this week he got to see his own film make its world premiere at the festival: the youthful science-fiction adventure Timescape.

The director called the experience a dream come true, noting he's still processing it a few days later. Timescape follows the story of two strangers who discover a spacecraft and are transported back to the Cretaceous period.

TVA Films

"It was just an absolutely incredible, overwhelming, joyous experience," Tsirbas said.

Timescape is set to open in Canadian theatres Aug. 19.

Another Canadian recognized this year was filmmaker Kier-La Janisse, who won the festival's Canadian Trailblazer Award. Janisse has been writing about horror for decades, with works like House of Psychotic Women, and a recent documentary on folk horror, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched.

Acceptance of genre films

Janisse said she feels like there's been a wider shift in the acceptance and recognition of genre film in North America.

"Ten years ago, you wouldn't have been able to get a sales agent to come to a genre film," she said.

There have always been fans of horror and other genres across North America, she said, but it took a long time for press, sales agents, studios, industry buyers and others to "catch on to how broad it really could be."

Watch | The trailer for Timescape:

However, festival programmer Cayer said he feels the distinction between genre and other festivals is more difficult to understand today than it would have been 25 years ago.

"Of course, festivals show all genres, but then genre festivals' missions became kind of to showcase the weird and the eccentric … [those] that are maybe a little bit underappreciated or looked down upon," he said.

As genre has become more accepted, Cayer notes Fantasia has grown to include social dramas and goofy comedies.

"We have kept over the years this … propensity toward things [that] are a little bit off the beaten path and a little weird but have a good energy," he said.

Originally the focus at Fantasia was specifically on Asian cinema, and today it remains an important part of the festival. This year, Hong Kong director John Woo received a career achievement award.

Keeping things weird

Among all of the premieres, prizes and plaudits, there were also pickles. One of the festival's short programmes, curated by DJ XL5, featured four entries on the subject, including Anette, from Montreal's Joe Lebreux.

The short chronicles an animated adventure aboard a convertible in California with a pickle man. It was Lebreux's thesis project at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal. As part of the experience, she attended a rooftop party at one of Concordia University's buildings this past weekend.

Joe Lebreux

"It was like, if I was in Hollywood with big celebrities," she said. " I saw some actors that I knew from my childhood, and that was like, 'Whoa, OK, I'm at the same party.'"

She was also struck by how she was received.

"Everybody was really kind and really proud of me," she said. "I told one person that I had been chosen for two categories, and she started to tell that to everybody."

"I think it's a special crowd."

Players could boycott events if LIV rebels allowed back on PGA Tour – Davis Love

Phil Casey, PA Golf Correspondent
Wed, August 3, 2022 


PGA Tour players could take the “nuclear option” of boycotting events if LIV rebels successfully challenge their suspensions, according to former Ryder Cup captain Davis Love.

Love believes those who have remained loyal to the PGA Tour are “fed up” with the Saudi-backed breakaway, which will expand to a 14-event league next year.

DP World Tour members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event were fined £100,000 and banned from the Scottish Open, but won a court battle to get the punishments temporarily stayed, pending determination of a full appeal.

And Love thinks a similar legal challenge from players indefinitely suspended from the PGA Tour could spark a dramatic reaction.

“If the LIV guys sue and are allowed to play on the PGA Tour, the players are enough fed up with it,” Love said in a press conference ahead of the Wyndham Championship.

“We understand that we make the rules on the PGA Tour and the commissioner is enforcing our rules and we don’t want those guys playing, coming and cherry-picking our tournaments.

“We hold all the cards. We say to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and to Washington, ‘No, we support the rules. We don’t want those guys playing. We don’t care what the courts say’.

“The nuclear option is to say ‘Fine, if they have to play in our events we just won’t play’.”

Being suspended by the PGA Tour means players such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed cannot represent the United States in September’s Presidents Cup, when Love will captain the side.

“I told the players that I’ve talked to that have gone or thinking about going, it’s your decision and you do what’s right for you, but understand (the) consequences,” Love added.

“I tried to sound like my dad and I probably wasn’t very good at it. I didn’t argue. I said you can be Tiger Woods or you can be banned from the game, take your pick.

“But understanding the consequences, you signed up for these rules. I had to commit by last Friday or I don’t get to play this week. I have to play 15 tournaments or I don’t get to vote and I don’t get my retirement money. You have rules that you have to adhere to.

“I said you’re fixing to break a rule that’s a big rule and you’re going to get penalised for it.

“And Jay’s (Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner) been saying it for a year and some of them understood that, some of them said it’s not going to happen, and some of them just flat out lied, (saying) ‘I’m not doing this, I’m not doing that’.”

Love admits that he was “dead wrong” to say six months ago that LIV was not going to happen and that Phil Mickelson would be the only player to jump ship, but added: “I don’t know what’s going to happen from here on out, but I know it’s going to be a fight and the players are getting more and more unified against it.”

U.S. FAA issues new safety directive on Boeing 777 airplanes

David Shepardson
Tue, August 2, 2022 

Airshow China in Zhuhai


WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday issued an airworthiness directive for all Boeing 777 airplanes over safety concerns.

The directive was prompted by high electrical resistance within the gust suppression sensor because of corrosion. The FAA said the gust suppression function is a non-essential feature that provides a minor improvement to ride quality during lateral wind gusts at low airspeeds.

Airlines must disable the gust suppression function within three months or before 75,000 total flight hours. The directive requires disconnecting connectors and capping and stowing wires attached to affected modules.

The directive, which is effective immediately, covers 279 U.S. registered 777 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA said Boeing is "currently developing a modification that will address the unsafe condition", and once the change is approved the FAA could issue another rule.

Boeing did not immediately comment.

Last week, the FAA proposed another airworthiness directive to address potential electric discharge in the fuel tanks of Boeing 777 series planes if a lightning strike or an electrical short-circuit occurs.

That directive would requires operators to install mitigation materials, and perform detailed inspections and corrective actions. Airlines would have five years to be in compliance, the FAA said.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Holmes)

FAA acting chief to meet inspectors before final Boeing 787 signoff

David Shepardson
Wed, August 3, 2022 

Photo of Boeing logo at their headquarters in Chicago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration's acting chief will meet with FAA safety inspectors in South Carolina on Thursday before determining whether Boeing can resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner after production issues prompted the planemaker to stop deliveries in May 2021, an FAA spokesman said.

The purpose of acting Administrator Billy Nolen's visit "is to ensure that the FAA is satisfied that Boeing has taken the appropriate steps to improve manufacturing quality and to guarantee the autonomy of workers who ensure regulatory compliance on the company’s assembly lines," the FAA said.

On Friday, Reuters reported that the FAA had approved Boeing's inspection and modification plan to resume deliveries of 787 Dreamliners, citing two people briefed on the matter. Deliveries could resume as soon as this month, sources told Reuters. The sources, who asked to remain anonymous because it was not yet public, said the FAA had approved Boeing's proposal that requires specific inspections to verify the airplane meets requirements and that all work has been completed.

Boeing suspended deliveries of the 787 after the FAA raised concerns about its proposed inspection method. On July 17, Boeing told reporters it was "very close" to restarting 787 deliveries. But before it can resume deliveries, the FAA must still sign off on an airworthiness certification eligibility document.

The FAA noted that even when deliveries resume, it "will inspect each aircraft before issuing an airworthiness certificate. This additional measure of oversight will remain in place until the agency has sufficient data that demonstrates this function can be delegated back to Boeing."

The FAA said Nolen has asked that Boeing officials on Thursday "provide an update on these programs, as well as the performance of the company's Safety Management System to identify and mitigate risks throughout the manufacturing process."

Boeing said Wednesday it "will continue to work transparently with the FAA and our customers towards resuming 787 deliveries.” The planemaker has faced production issues with the 787 for more than two years. In September 2020, the FAA said it was "investigating manufacturing flaws" in some 787 jetliners.

In the aftermath of two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, the FAA pledged to more closely scrutinize Boeing and delegate fewer responsibilities to Boeing for aircraft certification.

For the 787 Dreamliner, the FAA had issued two airworthiness directives to address production issues for in-service airplanes and identified a new issue in July 2021.

The planemaker had only resumed deliveries in March 2021 after a five-month hiatus before halting them again. Friday's approval came after lengthy discussions with the FAA.

A plane built for American Airlines is likely to be the first 787 airplane delivered by Boeing since May 2021, sources said. That could come as soon as next week. American Airlines said last month on an earnings call it expects to receive nine 787s this year, including two in early August.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler and David Gregorio)