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Preliminary hearing scheduled for March in Laval daycare bus crash deaths

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

LAVAL, Que. — The preliminary hearing for a man accused of killing two children this year when a city bus was driven into a Laval, Que., daycare will begin on March 25.Defence lawyer Julien Lespérance Hudon told a Laval court today that he plans to challenge the two charges of first-degree murder on the grounds that his client, Pierre Ny St-Amand, did not have criminal intent.St-Amand, 51, who remains detained at a Montreal psychiatric hospital, appeared in court today by video conference.Prosecutor Karine Dalphond says she plans to call about 10 witnesses during the four-day hearing, including a psychologist, a psychiatrist and St-Amand’s wife.Dalphond says the hearing, which will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial, will take place north of Laval in St-Jérôme because a courtroom isn’t available in Laval.A bus driver with the Laval transit corporation at the time of the crash, St-Amand was arrested after a city bus plowed into the front of a d...

Ottawa reaches deal with Google over controversial Online News Act

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act, following threats from the digital giant that it would remove news from its search platform in Canada.A government official confirmed that news to The Canadian Press under condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the deal. CBC News is reporting, citing an unnamed source, that the agreement would see Canadian news continue to be shared on Google’s platforms in return for the company making annual payments to news companies in the range of $100 million.A formula in the government’s draft regulations for the bill would have seen Google contributing up to $172 million to news organizations — but Google had said it was expecting a figure closer to $100 million based on a previous estimate. The legislation, which comes into effect at the end of the year, requires tech giants to enter into agreements with news publishers to pay them for news c...

Respondents to BoC questionnaire largely oppose creating a digital Canadian dollar

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada’s public consultations on the creation of a digital Canadian dollar reveal most respondents are opposed to it.  The central bank released its findings today, which show that more than 80 per cent of respondents strongly oppose the Bank of Canada researching and building the capability to issue a digital dollar.  The vast majority of respondents also say they do not trust the Bank of Canada to issue a secure digital currency.Among the top concerns of respondents was privacy, with the questionnaire revealing low levels of trust in institutions to protect their personal data.The Bank of Canada notes the findings do not necessarily reflect the views of the overall public because participants self-selected to respond to the questionnaire.While the public consultations aimed to gauge interest in a digital currency, the central bank says the decision to create a digital dollar is for Parliament to make.  This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov....

Sweden halts adoptions from South Korea after claims of falsified papers on origins of children

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Sweden’s main adoption agency said Wednesday it was halting adoptions from South Korea, following claims of falsified papers on the origins of children adopted from the Asian country.Swedes have been adopting children from South Korea since the 1950s. On Wednesday, the head of Adoptionscentrum — the only agency in Sweden adopting children from South Korea — said the practice is now ending. Kerstin Gedung referred to a South Korean law on international adoptions passed earlier this year, which aims to have all future adoptions handled by the state.“In practice, this means that we are ending international adoptions in South Korea,” she told The Associated Press in an email.Sweden’s top body for international adoptions — the Family Law and Parental Support Authority under the Swedish Health and Social Affairs Ministry — said the Adoptionscentrum had sent an application asking for the ministry to mediate adoptions from South Korea. A decision is ex...

Opposition protesters in Kosovo use flares and tear gas to protest against a war crimes court

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Opposition protesters in Kosovo on Wednesday used flares and tear gas to protest against a senior war crimes court official in the capital.Opposition leftist Social Democratic Party members tried to enter a hotel in Pristina, where Kosovo Specialist Chambers court President Ekaterina Trendafilova was holding a meeting with members of civil society. The demonstrators used tear gas to cross a police cordon.“There is no transparency at that court which holds closed trial sessions, that does not show where it has found the evidence,” protester Nol Nushi said. The court is “unfair and that is why we are protesting today.”Local media reported five arrests among the protesters.The demonstrators believe that the Kosovo Specialist Chambers court unfairly accuses former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA, who fought during the 1998-1999 war against Serbia, of war crimes. Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Parliament ex-speaker Kadri Veseli and forme...

Suburban man accused of attacking driver, strangling good Samaritan after ramming car into traffic

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — A suburban man was arrested after allegedly attacking a driver and strangling a good Samaritan during a rampage in Arlington Heights.On Saturday, Nov. 18, Arlington Heights police responded to several 911 calls in the area of 2400 South Arlington Heights Road.Witnesses told officers at the scene that Jeremiah Butler, 30, of Rolling Meadows, allegedly drove his vehicle into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle.Police allege Butler then entered the vehicle and physically attacked the driver. The driver managed to escape into a passing vehicle.Several motorists stopped at the scene and attempted to defend people from Butler, police said.After an attempted carjacking, a good Samaritan, a woman, was allegedly strangled to the point where she lost consciousness. She was transported with non life-threatening injuries. ‘I’m going to shoot you’: Pair charged after defiant 7-Eleven clerk ignores threats in Elmhurst Police said several motorists intervened du...

Spotify Wrapped, Apple Replay now available: How to see your top songs, artists

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

(WHTM) -- Music streaming services Spotify and Apple Music are once again participating in a year-end tradition: showing users which trendy or embarrassing songs and artists they couldn't stop listening to in 2023. Spotify Wrapped and Apple Replay both became available to users this week. The end-of-year lists show various listening stats, such as a user's top artists, songs, and podcasts as well as how many minutes of music they listen to and more. A $16 McDonald’s meal is going viral again On both apps, the data is shown in a fun highlight reel that users can share on social media. The popular Spotify Wrapped feature for 2023 was released on Wednesday, Nov. 29. (Photo: Spotify)How do you find your Spotify Wrapped and Apple Replay?For Spotify, you'll first want to make sure your app is up to date. When you open up the app, you should see a big animated banner saying "Your 2023 Wrapped is here." If that's not working, you can also check your Spotify Wrapped on a web browser. Just...

Cheney: McCarthy went to Mar-a-Lago after Jan. 6 because Trump was 'not eating'

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

(The Hill) - Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) asserts Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) flew down to Mar-a-Lago three weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, riots on the Capitol because former President Trump was “not eating.”In her new book, “Oath and Honor," — set to be released on Dec. 5 — Cheney said she was bewildered by McCarthy’s reason for his visit to the former president's residence so shortly after the insurrection, according to CNN, who obtained an advanced copy of Cheney’s book. She also claims the former House Speaker told her that Trump's staff called for him to come.“Mar-a-Lago? What the hell, Kevin?” Cheney asked, per CNN.Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), testifies before the House Rules Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, April 4, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)“They’re really worried,” he replied, according to her book. “Trump’s not eating, so they asked me to come see him.”“What? You went to Mar-a-Lago because Trump’s not eating?” Cheney said.“Yeah, he’s real...

'Die Hard' to return to theaters for Christmas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — "Die Hard," the highly debated holiday movie, is returning to theaters right before Christmas.On Monday, 20th Century Studios announced the rerunning of the movie.The movie, featuring Bruce Willis as New York City police officer John McClane, takes place on Christmas Eve. McClane is visiting his estranged wife in her Los Angeles office tower when a holiday party is interrupted by a group of terrorists.(20th Century Pictures)"Die Hard" is highly controversial because there are split opinions as to whether it's a "Christmas movie" or not.Though 20th Century Studios didn't mention the film's ties to the holidays other than the story being set during the season, the movie is rerunning during Christmas. Video of Bruce Willis grasping daughter’s hand draws mixed reactions "Die Hard" originally premiered in July 1988. Now 35 years later, the movie will be back in theaters on Dec. 8, 2023.Whether you're in the mood for a (debatable) Christmas movie, or you want to watch an...

Jewish groups sue University of California over ‘unchecked’ antisemitism

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:50:40 GMT

(The Hill) -- A pair of Jewish organizations filed suit against the University of California (UC) system, the University of California, Berkeley, and school administrators on Tuesday over allegations of a "longstanding, unchecked spread of antisemitism" at the school. The 37-page suit, filed Tuesday in the Northern District of California by the Louis D. Brandeis Center and the Jewish Americans For Fairness In Education (JAFE), claims antisemitism has been allowed to "take root and grow" at the UC Berkeley School of Law (Berkeley Law) for over a year. The suit argues intervention is needed, especially in the wake of the militant group Hamas' surprise incursion against Israel last month that killed over 1,200 people and sparked an ongoing conflict in Gaza. In the weeks that followed Hamas's Oct. 7 attack, a surge in antisemitic incidents was reported in several parts of the U.S. and in Europe.The suit accuses nearly two dozen student organizations at UC Berkeley Law of practicing poli...