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Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre voted CP’s 2023 Newsmaker of the Year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

OTTAWA — An anxious electorate, a new look and a bite out of Liberal polling numbers have all boosted the profile of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who was picked by editors across the country as The Canadian Press 2023 Newsmaker of the Year.“He changed the political conversation, and boy did he reap the benefits,” Rob Roberts, editor-in-chief at the National Post, wrote in his response to the survey.“He’s the clear favourite to be the next prime minister.”There were 97 votes cast in the annual survey by The Canadian Press, with about 26 per cent of participants from various media outlets across the country choosing Poilievre as this year’s newsmaker.Newly elected Manitoba NDP Premier Wab Kinew, who is the first provincial premier in Canada to be from a First Nation, tied for second place with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at 14 per cent of the vote.Poilievre, 44, was elected leader with a whopping first-ballot victory in September 2022, un...

Cyprus says a joint operation with Mossad has foiled a suspected Iranian plot to kill Israelis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus has disrupted an alleged Iranian plot to target Israeli businessmen with the arrest of two Iranian asylum-seekers who were in contact with another Iranian associated with the Revolutionary Guard, a Cypriot official said Tuesday.The official told The Associated Press the two Iranian men have been in police custody since Nov. 3 and procedures were underway to deport them.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he’s not allowed to speak publicly about national security matters, said the suspects’ detention was the culmination of a joint operation with Israel’s Mossad security service.Cypriot security services had been surveilling the two Iranian men for several weeks and detained them just before what authorities believe would have been the arrival of a squad to carry out killings, the official said. The targeted individuals were primarily Israeli businessmen, the official said.Cypriot authorities said the suspects’ Iranian handler moved ...

Several stolen high-end vehicles found in shipping containers in Vaughan, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

Police are trying to identify suspects after allegedly stolen high-end vehicles were found in shipping containers in Vaughan.York Regional Police officers were called to a private property in the area of Keele and Malloy Streets near King Vaughan Road on Dec. 15.Police say they were alerted by a vehicle-tracking company that traced two stolen vehicles to the address.When police arrived, they found several shipping containers on the property.“A search warrant was executed and investigators located 15 high-end vehicles, including the two that were initially tracked to that location,” police said in a release.Police also say 14 of the vehicles were placed in shipping containers ready to be transported.Investigators believe the vehicles were allegedly stolen between Dec. 11 and Dec. 13 in Toronto, York Region and Peel Region.The investigation is ongoing and police are working to contact the owners.

Sudan’s conflict reaches a key city that had been a haven for many. Aid groups suspend work or flee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s deadly conflict between a powerful paramilitary force and the army has reached a strategic city that had been a haven for hundreds of thousands of displaced people, and key humanitarian groups say they have been forced to suspend work there or flee.On Tuesday, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the Rapid Support Forces, announced that they had taken the city of Wad Medani about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Khartoum. The claim could not be independently verified.Since the start of the conflict, the city had been governed by the army, headed by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and was a key hub for humanitarian organizations largely removed from the front lines of the fighting.The military didn’t respond to a request for comment.The army and RSF have been fighting for control of Sudan since April, when tensions boiled over into street battles concentrated in the capital but also occurring in other areas including the western Darfur region.Over the pas...

2 dead, 3 rushed to hospital in Caledon crash involving SUV, school bus

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

Two people are dead and three others have been rushed to hospital following a two-vehicle crash in Caledon on Tuesday morning.Emergency crews were called to Heart Lake and Mayfield roads around 7:50 a.m. Tuesday for reports of a collision involving a school bus and an SUV.Paramedics confirmed one occupant of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. Four other people in the SUV were sent to hospital, including one with critical injuries. The person with critical injuries was pronounced dead at the hospital.The school bus had an adult driver and one child on board at the time of the crash. Both sustained minor injuries.A school bus in a road side ditch following a fatal two-vehicle crash in Caledon on Dec. 19, 2023. CITYNEWS/Tony FeraThe crash left the bus in a ditch on the east side of Heart Lake Road and the SUV in the ditch on the opposite side of the road. There is no word on the cause of the collision.Heart Lake Road is closed from Mayfield to Old School roads for the investigat...

Illinois Lottery: $4.35M worth of unclaimed Lucky Day Lotto, Powerball tickets

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

CHICAGO — If you're looking for some extra cash during the holiday season, the Illinois Lottery has a tip: check your lottery tickets.In a news release Tuesday, the Illinois Lottery says there are currently over $4.3 million worth of unclaimed Lucky Day Lotto and Powerball tickets in Illinois.Two of those will expire in the first half of 2014. Those are:A Lucky Day Lotto ticket valued at $225,000 that was purchased at Mobil, 2418 St. Charles Road, in Bellwood on April 19. A Lucky Day Lotto ticket valued at $450,000 that was purchased at Kostner Korner, 4356 W. Howard, in Skokie on June 26.According to the Illinois Lottery, as of Tuesday morning there were nine Illinois Lottery prizes in 2023 still unclaimed, totaling $4.35 million. In addition to the two previously mentioned, those are:A Powerball ticket valued at $1 million that was purchased at BP, 605 Dixie Hwy., in Chicago Heights on Aug. 14.A Powerball ticket valued at $100,000 that was purchased at Road Ranger, 7500 E. Riversi...

Indiana's First Dog Henry Holcomb dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Monday night that Indiana's First Dog Henry Holcomb has passed away. Holcomb described Henry as being "more than a family pet to me," in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Monday night. The schnauzer was 13 years old. We thank everyone for embracing Henry and following his journey as the First Dog of Indiana. It warmed our hearts as we traveled the state to be met with the question, “How’s Henry?”Henry’s exuberance for life will be missed, and his place in our hearts never replaced.— Governor Eric Holcomb (@GovHolcomb) December 19, 2023Indiana First Lady Janet Holcomb also released a statement Monday night, saying "We are profoundly saddened by this loss, but memories of sharing our very special boy with his thousands of fans and followers will forever bring smiles to our faces, and joy to our hearts." The statement went on to share the challenges that Henry faced, including a "dog attack" and various su...

Celine Dion loses control of muscles amid battle with stiff-person syndrome, sister says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - Months after cancelling all future tour dates amid her battle with a rare neurological disease, Celine Dion's sister shared an update on the singer's condition. In an interview with French-Canadian news outlet 7 Jour, Claudette Dion said her sister “doesn’t have control over her muscles” amid her battle with stiff-person syndrome, The Guardian reports.Celine Dion performs on the opening night of her Courage World Tour on Sept. 18, 2019, in Quebec City, Quebec. (Alice Chiche/AFP via Getty Images)"What breaks my heart is that she's always been disciplined," Claudette Dion said in the interview. "She's always worked hard. Our mother always told her, 'You're going to do it well, you're going to do it properly.'"In Jan. 2022, one month after revealing her diagnosis, Dion, 55, cancelled the North American leg of her Courage World Tour, citing “severe and persistent muscle spasms." She cancelled all remaining shows in May, saying in a statement she was “working re...

Google paying $700M to settle antitrust allegations with states

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

(The Hill) — Google agreed to pay $700 million to settle a complaint brought by state attorneys general alleging the tech giant engaged in antitrust practices related to its Android app store. The deal was initially struck between the parties in September, but the agreement was filed late Monday night in San Francisco federal court. The settlement — which includes all 50 states — allocates $630 million to pay out U.S. consumers who utilized a payment system within Google’s Play Store that the state attorneys general alleged magnified prices for in-app purchases.The states accused the company of upcharging customers and restraining “trade in the markets for Android app distribution.” Google collects 15 to 30 percent of commissions on in-app purchases, which the states argued inflated prices higher than they would be if there was an open market for payment processing, according to The Associated Press. Why Apple is set to pull some Apple Watches from US shelves “The Complaint a...

Defense Secretary visits Israel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - The Biden administration is increasing pressure on Israel to scale back its military campaign in Gaza.The defense secretary met with leaders in Israel Monday about those concerns.The U.S. says its support for Israel in the war against Hamas is unwavering, but the Biden administration is urging Israel to do more to protect civilian lives."I know that Israel has been profoundly changed from where you were on October 6," said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.Austin was in Israel Monday for a second time since the war began to meet with leaders there and to reiterate American support for Israel in its war against Hamas."At a time of mourning a real friend shows up, and I know how terrible these days have been for the Israeli people," Austin added.Austin said the U.S. is not trying to dictate timelines for Israel’s military but wants Israel to do more for the civilians caught in the crossfire."We also have some great thoughts about how to transition from high intensi...