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House GOP pushes ahead with $14.5 billion in assistance for Israel without humanitarian aid for Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is pushing ahead Thursday toward passage of $14.5 billion in military aid for Israel, a muscular U.S. response to the war with Hamas but also a partisan approach by new Speaker Mike Johnson that poses a direct challenge to Democrats and President Joe Biden.In a departure from norms, Johnson’s package is requiring that the emergency aid be offset with cuts in government spending elsewhere. That tack establishes the House GOP’s conservative leadership, but it also turns what would typically be a bipartisan vote into one dividing Democrats and Republicans. Biden has said he would veto the bill.Johnson, R-La., said the Republican package would provide Israel with the assistance needed to defend itself, free hostages held by Hamas and eradicate the militant Palestinian group, accomplishing “all of this while we also work to ensure responsible spending and reduce the size of the federal government.”Democrats said that approach would only delay...

‘What Happens Later’ co-stars Meg Ryan and David Duchovny talk about rom-coms, fame and Nora

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

The words “For Nora” end Meg Ryan’s new film “What Happens Later.”It was a no brainer to dedicate it to the late Nora Ephron, though it did require an extra layer of approval from the Directors Guild. Ephron and Ryan were responsible for some of the culture’s most enduring and beloved modern romantic comedies from “When Harry Met Sally,” which Ephron wrote, to “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail.”And this film was not just a romantic comedy, but one that Ryan co-wrote and directed too. She co-stars with David Duchovny in a kind of fairy tale about two exes stuck in an airport together for 24 hours during a snowstorm. Though it might sound slightly gimmicky on paper, the result is anything but — it’s smart, charming, a little whimsical and a very welcome return for Ryan, who hasn’t been in a film for eight years. It opens in theaters Friday.“It’s hopefully a movie that just unzips you a little bit like in terms of your heart,” Ryan said. “It’s not a cynical movie ...

Pakistan’s parliament elections delayed till early February as political and economic crises deepen

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s election oversight body on Thursday postponed the country’s upcoming parliament elections for the second time, saying the vote — originally expected in November and then scheduled for the last week of January — will instead take place in February. The Election Commission of Pakistan said the balloting would be held on Feb. 8, a date chosen following consultations with the country’s President Arif Alvi that were requested by the country’s Supreme Court. It did not elaborate. Earlier, the commission had sought more time to prepare the vote and redraw constituencies on the electoral map to reflect the latest census. Pakistan’s imprisoned former premier and top opposition leader Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party is a strong contender in the race, had voiced fears the vote could be delayed indefinitely. Khan himself is not eligible to run because of his corruption sentence. He also faces scores of legal cases on myriad charges,...

Colombia’s government says ELN guerrillas kidnapped the father of Liverpool striker Luis Díaz

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s government said Thursday that the guerrilla group National Liberation Army, known as ELN, was responsible for the weekend kidnapping of the father of Liverpool and Colombian national soccer team striker Luis Díaz.The peace delegation of the government, which is currently in negotiations with ELN, said in a statement it was “officially aware” that the kidnapping had been “perpetrated by a unit that belongs to ELN.”“We demand that the ELN releases immediately Mr. Luis Manuel Díaz and we say as of now that they are entirely responsible to secure his life and integrity,” said Otty Patiño, who leads the peace delegation.Both parents of Liverpool’s Díaz were kidnapped by armed men on motorcycles on Saturday at a gas station in the small town of Barrancas. The footballer’s mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued within hours by police who set up roadblocks around the town of 40,000 people, which is near Colombia’s border with Venezuela.Dí...

SIU charges Peel officer with assault after man injured in Brampton arrest

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has charged a Peel Regional Police officer after he allegedly injured a man during an arrest in Brampton.In a release, the SIU said Peel Regional Police were called to a residence near Rutherford Road North and Williams Parkway around midnight on February 8 for reports of a man in distress.“There was an interaction between an officer and the man,” the SIU said. “The officer arrested the man and he was taken to hospital.”The SIU said the man suffered serious injuries, but did not provide specifics.After an investigation Const. Trevor Lau was charged with assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.He’s scheduled to appear in court in Brampton on Nov. 30, 2023.“As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will not provide further comment on the investigation,” the release states.The SIU is an independent government a...

Gildan Activewear reports lower earnings, rising sales in third quarter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

MONTREAL — Gildan Activewear Inc. says it earned US$127.4 million in the third quarter, down 16.7 per cent from US$153 million a year earlier.The Montreal-based company says net sales rose 2.3 per cent to US$869.9 million, up from US$850 million during the same quarter last year. Diluted earnings per share were 73 cents US for the quarter, down from 84 cents US last year.President and CEO Glenn Chamandy says the company’s third-quarter performance was in line with its expectations. The company says it continues to expect its revenues will grow in the fourth quarter compared with last year. Gildan shares were up almost 10 per cent in midday trading after the results. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GIL)The Canadian Press

An investment bank but nothing for cash-strapped Ontarians in mini-budget

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

Despite a growing number of Ontarians struggling to pay the bills, the Ford government’s fall economic statement doesn’t mention the word affordability once and contains no new measures to help individuals struggling with high inflation. The document is big on infrastructure spending, contains no new fiscal help for the city of Toronto, and projects a ballooning budget deficit for this year. Here are some of the highlights:INFRASTRUCTURE BANKThe highlight of the so-called mini-budget is the government setting aside $3 billion for the creation of an infrastructure bank. The government says the new arms-length institution will be  “Responsible for attracting public-sector pension plans and other trusted institutional investors to participate in large-scale critical infrastructure projects.” The bank will have the mandate to help build major projects like long-term care facilities, energy, housing, municipal infrastructure and transportation while helping t...

Top court nominee chosen for expertise in criminal, constitutional law, MPs hear

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

OTTAWA — The chair of the independent advisory board tasked with helping to fill a vacancy on Canada’s top court says they were looking for a candidate who was an expert in both criminal and constitutional law. Wade MacLaughlin, a former premier of Prince Edward Island, spoke at a parliamentary committee today about why the board shortlisted Mary Moreau, the chief justice of the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, as a candidate to join the Supreme Court.MacLaughlin says Moreau was one of two people the board recommended to Trudeau, out of a pool of 13 applicants.Justice Minister Arif Virani, who also testified today, says they needed to find a candidate who was functionally bilingual and who hailed from Western or Northern Canada, since the court must have representation from all regions of the country. Former justice Russell Brown retired from his seat on the top bench in June. His exit came amid a probe by the Canadian Judicial Council into an allegation of misconduct a...

Cogeco reports decline in profit despite record quarterly internet customer additions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

MONTREAL — Cogeco Inc. reported a profit attributable to shareholders of $29.2 million in its fourth quarter, down 19.8 per cent from earnings of $36.4 million during the same period a year ago.The company says it saw a quarterly 15-year high of 14,041 internet service customer net additions driven by organic growth and new customers gained from network expansions.Cogeco reported revenue of $766.7 million, up 2.6 per cent from a year ago.Meanwhile, its cable and internet subsidiary, Cogeco Communications Inc., says profit attributable to shareholders was $86.5 million, down 17.6 per cent from a year earlier. Revenue for the third quarter ended Aug. 31 was $743.4million, up 2.5 per cent from a year earlier.Chief executive Philippe Jetté says while there remains a challenging economic and competitive environment in the U.S., consumer demand for Cogeco’s higher speed offerings has resulted in rising revenue per subscriber to help offset customer losses at lower price points.The c...

Saskatoon mother accused of faking deaths, going to U.S. pleads guilty to 3 charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

A Saskatoon woman accused of faking her death and that of her child before they crossed the border into the United States has pleaded guilty to three charges and apologized in court.Dawn Walker pleaded guilty to forgery offences as well as abduction in contravention of a custody or parenting order.A joint submission from Crown and defence lawyers is recommending she serve a one-year conditional sentence and 18 months probation.Walker and her child were reported missing in July 2022 after her pickup truck was found near a river at a park south of Saskatoon.Some people feared the pair had drowned and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, where Walker worked, organized a vigil and searches.Two weeks later, she and her child were found by U.S. authorities in Oregon.Walker also faces two charges in the U.S. related to identity fraud for allegedly crossing the border with fake identification.After she was returned to Canada, her lawyers and relatives alleged she was a victim of ...