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Restaurant revenues are booming, so why are so many losing money?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, last year, Canadian restaurants took in roughly $100 billion in revenue, more than the pre-pandemic year of 2019. This year it’s pegged to be $110 billion. Yet a third of all restaurants report they are losing money, up from just seven per cent before the pandemic.Even as lockdowns eased and diners returned, a complex set of problems face restaurants in particular — and now the industry’s lobby group says we’re beginning to see double the number of restaurants closing than opening. Kelly Higginson is the president and CEO of Restaurants Canada. “I wish we had a simple, easy answer for [why restaurants are losing money]], because we might be able to find a better solution. But there are so many factors that have led to this situation,” said Higginson.How did this happen, and how do we keep small, local restaurants afloat?You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.You can also find it at thebigs...

The son of a Spanish actor pleads not guilty in Thailand to most charges in the killing of a surgeon

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — The son of a Spanish film star has pleaded not guilty in Thailand to most charges related to the death of a Colombian surgeon whose dismembered body was found on a popular tourist island, officials said Monday.Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, 29, was indicted by prosecutors last month over the death of Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, whose remains were found stuffed in plastic bags at a landfill on Ko Pha Ngan, an island famous for its rave-style “full moon parties.” The indictment laid out the charges of premeditated murder, concealment of the body and destruction of other people’s documents.The Ko Samui Provincial Court and the local prosecutor said Sancho pleaded not guilty to two of the charges. The Spanish news agency EFE reported that sources close to his family said he pleaded not guilty to the murder and destruction of documents charges but pleaded guilty to the charge of hiding the victim’s body.The charge of premeditated murder carries a possible death penalty.The cour...

First Quantum ramping down ore processing at Cobre Panama due to boat blockade

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

TORONTO — First Quantum Minerals Ltd. says it has started to reduce ore processing operations at its Cobre Panama mine due to a blockade by small boats at the mine’s port as protests against the company’s new mining concession agreement continue.The company says it is ramping down one ore processing train while two remain operational. Shares in First Quantum have plunged in recent weeks as people in Panama have been protesting the operating agreement between the company and the government for the mine.The scale and scope of the deal have raised nationalist anger as well as environmentalist objections. First Quantum says the blockade by the boats has affected the delivery of supplies for the mine’s on-site power generation plant, which is necessary for full operations.It has also affected the loading of copper concentrate onto ships.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:FM)The Canadian Press

Secret Service agents protecting Biden’s granddaughter open fire when 3 people try to break into SUV

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents protecting President Joe Biden’s granddaughter opened fire after three people tried to break into an unmarked Secret Service vehicle in the nation’s capital, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.The agents, assigned to protect Naomi Biden, were out with her in the Georgetown neighborhood late Sunday night when they saw the three people breaking a window of the parked and unoccupied SUV, the official said. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on Monday on the condition of anonymity.One of the agents opened fire, but no one was struck by the gunfire, the Secret Service said in a statement. The three people were seen fleeing in a red car, and the Secret Service said it put out a regional bulletin to Metropolitan Police to be on the lookout for it.Washington has seen a significant rise in the number of carjackings and car thefts this year. Police have reported more than 750 carjac...

Olympic sports bodies want talks with IOC after cricket and others were added to 2028 LA program

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

GENEVA (AP) — Olympic sports bodies want urgent talks with the IOC about the risk of cuts in their revenue shares and medal events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games because cricket and other newcomers were added to the program.The International Olympic Committee last month approved cricket, baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse and squash for 2028 and kept boxing, modern pentathlon and weightlifting — three sports whose status had been in doubt.The umbrella group of current Summer Games sports, known by the acronym ASOIF, said Monday the decision to increase to a record 36 sports “has raised several questions” among its members, who collectively shared $540 million of IOC-allocated money at each of the past two Olympics.Most Olympic sports got between $13 million and $17.3 million from the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021. For some, that was about half their total income over four years.Adding four team sports in 2028 also is set to break the IOC’s preferred limit of 10,500 ath...

Chicago firefighter critically injured after battling fire at restaurant in Lincoln Park

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

CHICAGO — A firefighter was critically injured while battling a fire at a restaurant in the city's Lincoln Park neighborhood.The fire started around 6 a.m. Monday at Lincoln Station Bar and Grill in the 2400 block of Lincoln Avenue. According to officials, a Mayday call was made while crews were responding to the fire and one firefighter was trapped and had to be rescued. The crew member was transported to Illinoic Masonic Hospital in critical condition.The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.This is a developing story. Check back for details.

Toddler in critical condition after drowning incident in LaPorte County

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- A toddler is in critical condition after he and a 5-year-old boy were found drowning in a river in LaPorte County, Indiana.According to Indiana police, the incident occurred in the Tippecanoe River where a one-year-old and five-year-old boy were found struggling in the river behind a home on Stamper Drive around 10:50 a.m. Chicago firefighter critically injured after battling fire at restaurant in Lincoln Park Officers found that the children had been playing outside and entered the water. Family members pulled the children from the water after hearing the five-year-old call for help. The children and two adult family members were transported to Pulaski Memorial Hospital. The toddler was later transported to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis in critical condition. WGN is actively following this incident and will update as more information is provided.

Possible government shutdown sets up nightmare scenario for Thanksgiving travel

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

(The Hill) - The government is days away from a Nov. 18 shutdown, which could force Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and federal air traffic controllers to work without pay just as the busy Thanksgiving travel season begins. Around 4.7 million people are expected to fly over the five-day period surrounding Thanksgiving, the highest projection in nearly two decades, according to a new forecast released Monday by AAA.These are the busiest travel days of the year and could coincide with a government shutdown unless Congress comes together on a deal in the next few days. Absent some kind of new funding bill, the government would shut down on Saturday.Travel industry officials and advocates are amping up their warnings, saying the nation risks a messy travel season if lawmakers are unable to reach a deal. “We are quickly approaching what is forecasted to be the busiest travel period since before the pandemic; and it’s critical that policymakers work together to...

Inside the ‘OutLaw’ project: Collaboration, bias awareness and fairness

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

(KXAN) — How do you cover a story when you’re part of it? For LGBTQ+ journalists at KXAN, the record number of bills filed at the Texas State Capitol in 2023 restricting their community brought concerns – and presented an opportunity.After thorough discussion among newsroom leaders, we decided to lean into the informed, well-sourced reporting those journalists could offer, launching our sixth “Catalyst” investigative project to date. Knowing the topic was already highly-politicized and often emotional in legislative hearings and beyond, we wanted to take a multi-platform, extensive look – and produce it in a way our audience would know we are striving to maintain objectivity and fairness.It started with a broad look at the legislation proposed and analyzing the background, influence and outcome of each bill we focused our reporting around. Some measures passed, others progressed further than ever before. As our investigators tried to track down details on the players behind these po...

Listen to Catalyst podcast on LGBTQ+ issues

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:36 GMT

(KXAN) — This standalone season is a companion to our “OutLaw” project – exploring a record number of laws proposed in 2023 impacting LGBTQ+ Texans, including a repeated effort to repeal the state’s ban on homosexual conduct. KXAN’s team of journalists – many, members of that community themselves – share how they work to make fair, objective coverage decisions with this topic and also how their own experiences shape their reporting – including the murder of a gay college student two decades ago.Listen to the podcast here.