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Metro sees profits shoot up amid surging same-store sales growth

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

MONTREAL — Metro Inc. says earnings surged in its latest quarter, fuelled by higher same-door sales.In the quarter ended July 1, the grocery and drug store retailer says net earnings skyrocketed 26 per cent to $346.7 million from $275 million a year earlier.Metro says the massive gains in its third quarter are due in part to a tax benefit after the Canada Revenue Agency granted capital losses to the company that had previously been disallowed.Nonetheless, adjusted net earnings rose 11 per cent to $314.8 million last quarter from $283.8 million the year before, while adjusted fully diluted net earnings leaped 14 per cent to $1.35 per share from $1.18 per share.Analysts had expected adjusted net earnings of $1.29 per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.The Montreal-based company says sales increased by 10 per cent to $6.43 billion from $5.87 billion a year prior, boosted by same-store sales growth of nine per cent.The hefty third-quarter earnings come as Metro gr...

No charges for Toronto police after man suffers cardiac arrest while in custody: SIU

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has determined that Toronto police officers did not commit a criminal offence after a 46-year-old man went into cardiac arrest while in their custody.The SIU says on April 10, officers witnessed a drug deal taking place in the area of Yonge and Alexander streets and arrested the man for drug trafficking. He was searched twice by the officers and multiple items, including illicit substances, were recovered.While officers were driving the man to the police station, he was seen orally taking an unknown quantity of drugs in his possession in the rear of a police cruiser as he was able to retrieve another bag in a second pair of pants he was wearing, hiding the substance and inserting it into his mouth.Shortly after, the man was taken to St. Michael’s Hospital after his vital signs were absent. The man suffered a hypoxic cardiac arrest.He was revived a short time later and admitted to the hospital at 10:21 p.m.At 11:07 p.m. the SIU was notified and c...

Fire at French vacation home for adults with disabilities kills 9 people and 2 more feared dead

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

PARIS (AP) — A fire ripped through a vacation home for adults with disabilities in eastern France on Wednesday, killing at least nine people, the head of rescue operations said.Lt. Col. Philippe Hauwiller, who was leading the rescue work of firefighters, said crews were searching for the bodies of two others who were feared dead in the fire. Authorities said 17 people were evacuated, including one who was sent to a hospital with serious injuries.Hauwiller said only those who were staying on the ground floor of the private accomodation in the town of Wintzenheim were able to escape the fire, which the local administration of the Haut-Rhin region said broke out at 6:30 a.m. The 11 remaining occupants were trapped on the upper floor and in a mezzanine area that collapsed, according to Hauwiller.Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was heading to the site of the fire.Christophe Marot, the secretary general of the local administration, said on new...

A Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida wins $1.58 billion jackpot, the third-largest in US history

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were: 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball 14.A message was left seeking comment Wednesday from Publix. Messages left for the Florida Lottery weren’t immediately returned.Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest ever in U.S. history.Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of one in 302.6 million.The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.The ...

Fire at a Texas apartment complex causes hundreds of evacuations but no major injuries are reported

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (AP) — A fire with flames shooting up to 60 feet (18 meters) in the air damaged an apartment complex and condominiums near Austin, Texas, and forced hundreds of residents from their homes but caused no major injuries, authorities said.The fire was reported about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday as a grass fire, Cedar Park Fire Chief James Mallinger said during a news conference.“The wind moved this fire quickly … it went around the apartment complex, around the condos complex” before crossing a road where it was stopped, according to Mallinger.The city said in a statement early Wednesday that just one minor injury was reported after about 300 apartments, 95 townhomes and several businesses were evacuated.Firefighters remained on the scene Wednesday, according to the statement.The fire burned about 50 acres (20 hectares), according to the statement, and displaced residents were offered shelter at a nearby church.Cedar Park is located on the northern edge of Austin, abo...

Pakistani court seeks ‘government response’ over Imran Khan’s imprisonment, refuses to release him

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A top Pakistani court Wednesday said it wanted to hear from the government before deciding over former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s appeal against his imprisonment on corruption charges.Khan was arrested at his Lahore home on Saturday and given a three-year jail sentence on charges of concealing assets. He is held at the high-security prison Attock in the eastern Punjab province while his legal team seeks his release. His appeal hearing is underway, but the Islamabad High Court gave Khan no immediate relief and he remains behind bars. The court said it seeks “government response” and would hear from the Election Commission of Pakistan’s lawyers before deciding on Khan’s appeal.The commission last year disqualified Khan from holding public office for five years accusing him of unlawfully selling state gifts and concealing assets as premier. Khan was notified of his disqualification again on Tuesday following his sentencing.The court adjourned without...

Subway, customers robbed at gunpoint on Chicago's Southwest Side

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Several people were robbed at gunpoint at a Subway restaurant on the city's Southwest Side.Police said the incident happened just before 12:45 a.m. Wednesday at the 24-hour Subway in the 3900 block of South Archer Avenue. Three armed males reportedly went into the fast-food restaurant and announced a robbery.According to police, the males were able to steal the cash drawer. It is unclear at this time how much money was stolen.Eight customers were robbed of their property before the offenders fled the scene.An employee at a nearby business told WGN their surveillance cameras captured three males running from the area around the same time the robbery occurred. According to sources, officers were able to catch two of the three people believed to be involved and took them into custody.Police told WGN the 35-year-old clerk at the Subway was cut in his right shoulder and transported to St. Anthony Hospital in good condition. His injuries are consided to be minor.A police investi...

Someone in Florida wins $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, third-largest lottery prize in US history

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

(NEXSTAR) -- Someone in Florida won a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had lasted for nearly four months.A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery.The winning numbers drawn were: 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball: 14. Missed the Mega Millions jackpot? How your ticket may still be a winner Seven tickets around the country matched the five white balls to win the game’s second-tier prize. Two, sold in Florida and North Carolina, are worth $2 million because they included the optional Megaplier (available in most states with an extra $1 purchase), which was 2X on Tuesday night. The other five tickets won the standard second-tier prize of $1 million. They were sold in California, Pennsylvania, Texas (two) and West Virginia.Across the country, 166 tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the third-tier prize. Twenty-eight of those tickets are worth $...

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in mid 80s with afternoon rain and storms

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

CHICAGO — Mostly cloudy Wednesday with a 60% chance of rain and storms. Winds: SW 5-10 G15. High: 85. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Mostly cloudy tonight with rain/storms expected. Winds: W 5-10. Low: 66.Thursday Forecast: Partly cloudy, N 5-10, cooler lakeside. High: 84/79.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Cedar Park brush fire now 50 acres, 60% contained; Apartment building destroyed

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:59:27 GMT

Editor's note: The City of Cedar Park has updated the location of Red Cross shelter operations to the Hill Country Bible Church CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — One building was declared a total loss, and some residents will be displaced after a brush fire in Cedar Park, Williamson County officials said during a news conference Tuesday evening. MAP: Acres burned in Central Texas wildfires this year As of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Texas A&M Forest Service said the Parmer Lane Fire was an estimated 50 acres and was 60% percent contained The service said in a social media post Wednesday morning dozer crews made progress overnight with building a containment line. The Forest Service said in the same social media thread at 12:24 a.m. forward progression had stopped on the fire but high wind speeds were impacting the fire area, causing flare ups.The Forest Service originally estimated the fire at one point spanned 120 acres but later decreased the acreage after more accurate measuring. Cre...