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Top Tory strategist accuses Liberals of dropping the ball on foreign interference

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

OTTAWA — The former deputy chief of staff to Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper says the Liberal government isn’t doing enough to combat foreign interference, echoing similar testimony from experts who study the matter. Jenni Byrne, who was also the Conservatives’ campaign manager in the 2015 election, is testifying today at a House of Commons committee.She says the government is too soft on China and is turning a blind eye to the country’s alleged meddling in Canada’s democracy. Other witnesses have also said the government could be doing more to tackle foreign interference, like creating a foreign agent registry or holding an independent public inquiry into the matter. Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former intelligence officer with Canada’s spy agency, says both Conservatives and Liberals haven’t done enough — and the current government should expel more Chinese diplomats.The Liberal government expelled a Chinese diplomat earlier this week who...

Prosecutor: International Criminal Court issues 4 arrest warrants for alleged crimes in Libya

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced Thursday that judges have issued four new arrest warrants stemming from his investigations of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Libya.Prosecutor Karim Khan also said he recently applied for two additional warrants.He told the U.N. Security Council that he has applied to the court’s independent judges to unseal the four new arrest warrants, and they will decide “in due course.”Khan called the warrants “an important step in the rights of victims and survivors” for accountability, but only a first step.The Security Council unanimously referred Libya to The Hague, Netherlands-based ICC in February 2011 to launch an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The referral followed Moammar Gadhafi’s brutal crackdown on protesters that was then taking place. The uprising, later backed by NATO, led to Gadhafi’s capture and death in October 2011.Oil-rich Libya was then sp...

At least 9 Canadian police officers have been killed since Sept. 22: Who were they?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

An Ontario Provincial Police officer was shot dead early Thursday, and two other officers were injured as they responded to a disturbance at a home in a village east of Ottawa.One suspect is in custody following the killing of OPP Sgt. Eric Mueller in Bourget, Ont. The OPP Association confirmed Mueller had a wife and two young children.At least eight other police officers have been killed in Canada since September 2022.Here’s a look at their cases and who they were.Sgt. Maureen Breau, 42The veteran Quebec provincial police officer was stabbed to death on March 27 after she tried to arrest a suspect in Louiseville, Que., about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.RELATED LINKS:Regimental funeral for SQ Sgt. Maureen Breau | CityNews MontrealQuebec provincial police officer fatally stabbed during attempted arrest | CityNews MontrealMan accused of killing SQ officer was on probation | CityNews MontrealBreau, who had two children, had more than 20 years of experience and was four d...

Alleged victim of Quebec businessman accused of paying for sex sues for $8 million

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

MONTREAL — Another alleged victim of a prominent Quebec businessman accused of exploiting minors and young adults for sex has filed a lawsuit against him.Montreal-based law firm CaLex filed an $8-million lawsuit Wednesday naming Robert Miller, the company he founded — Future Electronics — two vice-presidents with the firm, and a downtown Montreal hotel where some sexual encounters allegedly took place.The complainant, identified by the initials A.B., says she was a victim of Miller for nearly 20 years and became dependent on the money and luxury allegedly provided to her by the wealthy businessman.The lawsuit claims A.B. was a minor from a low-income immigrant family when she was recruited to have sexual relations with Miller in 2001.Miller stepped down as chairman and CEO of Future Electronics in February to focus on protecting his reputation amid allegations he allegedly gave young women, including some minors, cash and gifts in exchange for sex between 1994 and 2006.He has veheme...

‘Unprecedented’: Bill Blair says military help on the way to battle Alberta wildfires

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

Federal Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says Canadian Forces personnel are being deployed to help with an “unprecedented” wildfire situation in Alberta.Alberta has declared a state of emergency. There were 82 active wildfires as of Thursday morning, with 23 out of control.Thousands remain out of their homes and additional fire crews from British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Yukon have joined the fight.In Ottawa, Blair acknowledged the “unprecedented wildfire situation currently taking place in Alberta.” “It’s a good opportunity to thank the hard working firefighters, first responders, emergency staff working around the clock to protect Albertans and to manage the fires and to all of those who have been forced to evacuate.”Blair said the federal government has agreed to a request for assistance from Alberta.“We are already moving resources into those communities from the Canadian Armed Forces and other resources to provide ...

Why Biden is wary of using the 14th Amendment to address the debt limit crisis

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — If the fight with Congress over raising the government’s debt limit is such a dire threat, why doesn’t President Joe Biden just raise the borrowing ceiling himself? It’s theoretically possible, but he’s skeptical.The administration has been searching for possible ways to allow the U.S. to keep borrowing if Congress can’t come to an agreemen t. One potential option Biden and his advisers have been looking at: Would he have the power to go around lawmakers by relying on the Constitution’s 14th Amendment in a last-ditch move to avert default?Maybe. Biden hasn’t ruled it out, but he sees it as a problematic, untested legal theory to ensure the country can meet its financial obligations. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department says the U.S. may not be able to borrow the money it needs to pay its bills and bondholders as soon as June 1 without congressional action — and that failure could kick the country into a painful recession.With...

US authorities take down 13 Hezbollah-affiliated web domains

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — U.S. authorities have seized over a dozen website domains used by sanctioned associates, businesses, and charities of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.Washington has listed the Iran-backed group as a terrorist organization, and has slapped sanctions on its members, associates, and affiliated businesses and charities over the years.The 13 seized website domains include multiple domains for the group’s al-Manar television, as well as URLs for top officials, deputy secretary general Naim Kassem, senior officials Ibrahim al-Sayed and Ali Damush, as well as affiliated charities the Martyrs’ Foundation and the Emdad Committee for Islamic Charity.The websites are no longer accessible, and only an image from American authorities announcing that they have taken the domain name appears. Al-Manar’s main web address, a Lebanese domain, is still operating.“This seizure demonstrates the FBI’s persistence in using all o...

More than 600 catalytic converters recovered in largest single bust in the country, sheriff says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — One man has been charged with multiple felonies after more than 600 stolen catalytic converters were found on his property.Sheriff Tom Dart has announced the charges Thursday amid boxes displaying the recovered converters. He said his office could not find an incident anywhere in the country with more recovered in a single bust. ‘It was my work’: Teen bragged to friend after officer Aréanah Preston’s slaying, prosecutors allege During the press conference, Dart said his deputies were originally responding to an unrelated call for service when they spotted the catalytic converters in the suspect's yard. They then obtained a warrant and returned to the property where the man was arrested.WGN is awaiting specifics of the charges and will update this story once they are received.Dart said Illinois is ranked third in the country for the number of catalytic converter thefts, and that the thieves in the Chicago area are a part of a sophisticated system of stealing, pr...

Shaq, Dropkick Murphys will perform at a Chicago championship game this summer

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

CHICAGO — An NBA Hall of Famer and a popular American Celtic punk rock group are going to be the entertainment around a pro sports championship game coming to Chicago for the first time.Major League Rugby @usmlr has announced that both @SHAQ & the Dropkick Murphys will perform at their championship game at @SeatGeekStadium on July 8. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/UTalKvf6gh— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) May 11, 2023Major League Rugby announced on Thursday that Shaquille O'Neal, who performs as DJ Diesel, and Dropkick Murphys will be part of the festivities around their championship game to be held at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday, July 8.The event is hosted by the Chicago Hounds, who are currently in their inaugural season in MLR and call the championship venue home. Both will perform at what's being dubbed the "Dawg Town Block Party" that's taking place before and after the title match. O'Neal will start his performance at 1:30 p.m. and will perform up until the 3 p.m. start t...

Peloton is recalling more than 2 million exercise bikes in the U.S. Here's why

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:16:07 GMT

Peloton is recalling more than 2 million of its exercise bikes in the U.S. because the bike’s seat post assembly can break during use, posing fall and injury hazards.The recall includes approximately 2.2 million of the Peloton Bikes Model PL01. The bikes were sold in the U.S. from January 2018 through May 2023 for about $1,400. They were sold at Peloton and Dick’s Sporting Goods stores nationwide and online at Amazon, Peloton and Dick's websites.Peloton has received 35 reports of the seat post breaking and detaching from the bike during use, including 13 reports of injuries including a fractured wrist, lacerations and bruises due to falling from the bike.The Peloton original Bike in the U.K., Germany and Australia and the Peloton Bike+ are not included in the recall.Consumers in the U.S. are advised to immediately stop using the recalled exercise bikes and to contact Peloton for a free repair. Peloton is offering a free seat post that can be self-installed.Peloton can be reached at ...