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Premier Danielle Smith says a robust passenger train system in Alberta will be key to meeting her government’s goal of having a $25-billion tourism economy. She says such a system would include not only a high-speed train connecting Edmonton and Calgary, but also trains linking airports to city centres and Rocky Mountain tourist destinations. Smith told a forum in Calgary today it’s a transportation style that international visitors expect and it provides a safe way to commute. She says building the system will take a lot of planning and infrastructure, as well as a whole new Crown corporation. The government says it will have a plan in place next summer outlining the feasibility of the system, as well as potential service delivery options and a 15-year timeline to build. The government has also launched a survey to get Albertans’ input on what they’d like to see in a provincial passenger train system.None
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Two years ago, I was on the ballot for the first time in local government, seeking the votes of the good citizens of The City of Onkaparinga in South Australia, alongside seven other candidates. One in 10 South Australians live in my local government area, and voting is not compulsory. The ballot is conducted by post, and we don’t have a local community newspaper across the whole area. While candidates might be aligned with political parties, those parties cannot officially endorse them. Thus, there are a few hurdles to overcome in capturing the attention of citizens and converting them into voters. Most election campaigns are designed to be polarising—that’s really the point, to show how far away and how different you are from one another so people who share your views will line up with you. But as mayor, I have tried to take a different approach. Rather than contributing to the polarisation, my focus has been on fostering inclusiveness and understanding among our residents. As mayor, I am required under legislation to lead, support, and guide the councillors to decisions that will bring out the best for our people and places. In my view, and in my practice, that requires bringing people together, not pushing them apart. In this environment, I’ve learned a thing or two about one of the most significant challenges of our time: polarisation. Polarisation is on the rise If you believe polarisation is not as significant an issue in Australia as it is in the US, consider the findings of the It revealed that a majority of Australians feel the country has become more divided compared to five years ago. Specifically, 27 per cent of respondents believe Australia is extremely or very divided on key political, economic, and social issues, while an additional 50 per cent view the country as somewhat divided. Nearly one in five Australians indicated they could not be friends with individuals holding different political views. These trends are concerning and represent global patterns of increasing polarisation seen in many Western democracies. Polarisation is linked to people’s ability to connect with others So, what do we do about it? Well, research in the Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation suggests the less we are able to separate politics from personal relations, the more polarised we become. How polarised individuals in the study became depended on one crucial factor: the strength of the connection between disagreement on issues and personal dislike. If this connection is weak–meaning individuals could dislike each other but still agree, or like each other and disagree, they remained close to the ‘centre’. If it was strong, they became polarised. The researchers wrote, “This suggests polarisation is linked to people’s ability to connect to others on a personal level. When we lose sight of the fact that those we disagree with are usually decent human beings with good intentions, we may find ourselves diverging more and more on political issues, with less room for compromise”. Focusing on connection and finding the middle ground that binds us all together This brings me to my role: in local government, you are closest to the people. You can turn up to sporting events, music festivals, and parks and gardens, and you connect as a fellow citizen—someone who also loves where they live. You are showing up to enjoy the outdoors, walk a dog, applaud sparkly fairies dancing in a concert with other parents, grandparents, neighbours, and friends. You are showing up in relationship and connecting to each other’s stories and to place. Together, you are finding the middle that binds you all together. This is vital. In an increasingly polarised world, we must focus on community—not merely building coalitions, but fostering true connections that transcend differences. One way we can do this is by micro-dosing community. By introducing small, consistent interactions within our communities, we can strengthen the ties that unite us. Centring libraries as trusted sources of information Over the past two years, I’ve made it a priority to connect with our community at local libraries, whether through casual conversations or more formal meetings and events—reinforcing the role of libraries as vital centres for dialogue and sources of trusted information. Unlike social media platforms driven by algorithms that filter out diverse perspectives, libraries provide an unbiased space where everyone can engage with a wealth of knowledge without judgment. By prioritising our libraries, we empower residents to access reliable information and build a stronger, more connected community. Elevating joy and hope One of my criticisms of the recent US presidential campaign was the sheer volume of Trump content constantly reinforcing his message and adding to his algorithms. Hate and fear are currency. Joy and hope are too—but they need more support to cut through the noise of negativity and divisiveness that often fills our newsfeeds. Local government, and mayors in particular, are in a unique position to cheer people on, celebrate their achievements, share local pride, and advocate for the entire community—not just a select few. Embracing joy and hope is crucial if we’re going to counteract algorithmic biases, sensationalism, and the oversimplification of complex issues that fix our views and polarise our society. By intentionally elevating joy and hope, mayors can play a vital role in promoting a narrative that uplifts and unites, rather than divides. Embracing the radical middle Another thing I’ve learned is that being polarising is an easy, if not lazy, method of leading. It’s akin to delivering a cheap joke in stand-up comedy—it may elicit a laugh, but it’s short-lived. Sustainable change requires deeper engagement. Finding a middle ground is not the ultimate solution, yet I’m increasingly convinced that the middle ground is where true radicalism lies in modern politics. In the middle, you need to negotiate, listen to a range of views, discern with data, make space for a range of views—not just the loudest ones—and privilege the voices of those most impacted by a decision. In my practice, this means I ask about future generations and push for examination of the long-term, not just the quick fix, and bring people working on similar objectives together from a range of experiences. The radical middle, in these times, echoes Socrates’ adage of “everything in moderation,” which opens up paths to more inclusion, diversity, and participation. The power of ‘and’ In conversations about community and governance, one of the most powerful words we can embrace is “and.” This seemingly simple conjunction holds the potential to transform our dialogue and decision-making processes. When we say “and,” we embrace complexity and nuance, moving away from the often simplistic binary thinking that dominates discussions. And who else? And what if? The power of “and” encourages us to acknowledge that multiple perspectives can coexist, challenging the notion that we must choose one viewpoint at the expense of another, and this allows for greater nuance to emerge. Consantly learning The role of mayor requires leadership that can bring the community along with change that is transformational and less transactional. I have much more to learn, and I am looking forward to the next two years to see if my processes and commitment to the middle become shaky in the turbulent polarisation swirling around us.Teddi Mellencamp Reacts to Kyle and Dorit's 'RHOBH' Name-Drop Amid Feud
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Stock Market Today: Stocks Stall on Tariff Talk, Inflation DataALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Ted Shaffrey Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) HOGP They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Yuki Iwamura A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) Federal Bureau of Investigation From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Yuki Iwamura Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Yuki Iwamura Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___
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