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Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole not seeking re-election, leaving this spring

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

OTTAWA — Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole says he will not seek re-election and plans to resign his seat this spring.The Ontario MP led the Conservatives and served as official Opposition leader from August 2020 until February 2022, when a majority of his caucus voted to remove him from the post.“I am a proud Conservative and had the unique privilege to lead our party amid a challenging time for our country,” he said in a statement shared on social media Friday morning.   “The Conservative party is the party of Confederation and I know it will return to government offering the hope and ideas our country so desperately needs.” His ousting followed months of tensions over O’Toole’s management of caucus and attempts to moderate the party’s image. Those efforts led to concerns that he flip-flopped on key policy positions, including on carbon pricing and gun control.O’Toole has kept a low profile on Parliament Hill since his ti...

Economy grew 0.5 per cent in January, Statistics Canada reports

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says economic growth resumed in January following a small contraction in December.The agency says real gross domestic product rose 0.5 per cent to start the year after contracting 0.1 per cent in the final month of 2022. It also says that its initial estimate for February indicates growth continued with a gain of 0.3 per cent, though it cautioned the figure will be updated.For January, the growth came as the wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sectors all rebounded after falling in December.Wholesale trade gained 1.8 per cent in January, helped by wholesalers of machinery, equipment and supplies, while the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sector grew 1.1 per cent after falling 3.3 per cent in December.The transportation and warehousing sector added 1.9 per cent in January, more than offsetting a drop of 1.1 per cent in December that was due in part to bad weather.This report by The C...

Biden to Russia on detained U.S. journalist: ‘Let him go’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday urged Russia to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich after the country’s security service arrested him on espionage charges — allegations that the newspaper denies.“Let him go,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Friday morning when asked about his message to Russia on the arrest of Gershkovich. Russia’s Federal Security Service has accused Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, of trying to obtain classified information. It is the first time an American journalist has been detained on accusations of spying since the Cold War. The Journal has said it “vehemently denies” the charges. The Biden administration said Thursday that it was working to secure consular access to Gershkovich. Asked Friday morning whether he would expel Russian diplomats or journalists in the U.S., Biden responded: “That’s not the plan right now.” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, called the targeting of U.S. citizens in Russia “u...

Estonian diplomat expelled from Moscow in tit for tat move

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Russia is expelling an Estonian diplomat from Moscow in a tit for tat move following a similar action by Tallinn, Estonia’s foreign ministry said Friday.Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry had summoned Estonia’s charge d’affaires, who heads the European Union country’s mission in Moscow, to protest the expulsion this month of a Russian diplomat in Estonia and announce that an Estonian diplomat must leave Moscow.The Russian ministry warned that Moscow will also take other retaliatory action in response to the “persistently provocative anti-Russian actions by the Estonian authorities.”Estonia’s foreign ministry dismissed that charge as “ludicrous.” It said its diplomat has been given until April 5 to leave Russia, and added that the Estonian embassy in Moscow ”will continue to operate and the staff will continue their work.”On March 24, Tallinn said a Russian diplomat’s activities had violated international law, and gave the person five d...

Ottawa gives final approval for Rogers $26B purchase of Shaw

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

TORONTO — Rogers Communications Inc’s $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. cleared the final regulatory hurdle Friday, more than two years after the deal was first announced.Federal industry minister François-Philippe Champagne approved the transfer of Shaw-owned Freedom Mobile’s wireless licences to Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, which operates in Quebec and some border regions of Ontario., paving the way for the deal to be completed.It brings an end to a two-year process that began after Rogers announced its deal to buy Shaw in March 2021. The deadline to close the deal has been pushed back numerous times, with Friday the latest target.Champagne said Ottawa has secured 21 legally enforceable commitments from Rogers and Videotron to bolster competition in the sector and “actually drive down prices.” Rogers and Shaw had agreed in June 2022 to sell Freedom Mobile to Videotron for $2.85 billion in an attempt to ease competition concerns raised by ...

The $26-billion Rogers-Shaw deal: a timeline of key events

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

Rogers Communications Inc’s $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. cleared the last regulatory hurdle Friday, more than two years after the deal was first announced.Here’s a look at some key moments leading up to this point:March 15, 2021: Rogers announces an agreement to buy Shaw in a deal valued at $26 billion, including debt. Rogers says it will purchase all outstanding Class A and B shares of Shaw for $40.50 per share in cash, amounting to approximately $20 billion, and take on about $6 billion of debt owed by Shaw.The sale requires approval from shareholders and Rogers expects to close the deal in the first half of 2022.May 21, 2021: Shaw shareholders vote in favour of the proposed sale of the company to Rogers.Nov. 22, 2021: The CRTC opens a five-day hearing to consider the Rogers-Shaw merger.Nov. 25, 2021: BCE Inc. urges the CRTC to reject the proposed Rogers-Shaw deal, echoing concerns raised by broadcasters, producers and distributors about the market ...

Rosemont man, 21, faces felony for aggravated carjacking

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

CHICAGO — A Rosemont man is facing a felony charge in connection with a carjacking incident that took place in the city Wednesday evening.According to police reports, 21-year-old Nicholas Kaehler is facing a felony of vehicular hijacking and aggravated firearm in connection to the incident. Thornton’s gas station robbed on Southwest Side Police say that Kaehler was arrested in the 5400 block of South Shore Drive Wednesday evening around 7:05 p.m. and was positively identified as the man who, less than ten minutes earlier, took a vehicle at gunpoint from a 23-year-old man in the 2300 block of North Lincoln Avenue. Kaehler was placed into custody and charged accordingly. There is no further information in the incident.

Dean's Reviews: 'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves'

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

CHICAGO — Check out Dean's review for the latest adaptation of the popular video game full of magic and a twist of humor. Get Dean's reviews and A-List interviews delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for Dean's Downloads weekly newsletter. You'll also get his Dean Cooks recipes too!

SCO Historic Acquisition Of The Hudson Bay Building, Comes Full Circle

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

APD releases suspect images connected with May 2022 armed robbery

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police released new photos Thursday related to a May 2022 armed robbery in downtown Austin. Detectives said the man and woman in the photos were suspects in the robbery, and APD was seeking help to identify the individuals.APD detectives said the robbery occurred at 5:51 p.m. May 23, 2022, in the 700 block of Trinity Street.According to police, the two suspects approached a man in a nearby parking garage and pointed a handgun at him while demanding his belongings.“One of the suspects chased the man on foot for several blocks in the downtown area before he could call the police,” APD said.The first suspect was described as a Black man between the ages of 18 and 35 and weighed between 140 and 180 lbs. Police said he had short black hair, as well as tattoos covering his entire back and shoulders and tattoos on his upper chest. He was last seen wearing gray sweatpants, pink/red underpants and white sneakers.The second suspect was described as a Black woman with a ...