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Former top UK official Mark Sedwill sorry for ‘heartless’ comparison of COVID with chickenpox

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

LONDON — The former head of the British civil service apologized Wednesday for a “heartless and thoughtless” suggestion Brits should hold “chickenpox parties” to promote herd immunity at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.Mark Sedwill — who ran the civil service from 2018 until 2020 and served as cabinet secretary — told the U.K.’s COVID-19 inquiry Wednesday that he had made the remark, but insisted he had “at no point” believed coronavirus “was of the same seriousness as chickenpox.”Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s former top aide, has previously claimed Sedwill made the suggestion at the start of the pandemic. Pressed on Wednesday, Sedwill said: “These were private exchanges and I certainly had not expected for this to become public.“I understand how, in particular, the interpretation that has been put on it, it must have come across as someone in my role was both heartless and thoughtless about this, and I genuinely a...

Israel says it wiped out Hamas’ weapons chief

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

Israel on Wednesday said it had “eliminated” Hamas’ head of weapons and industries, Mohsen Abu Zina. “He served as one of Hamas’ leading weapon developers, with expertise in strategic weapons and rockets and his department facilitated the arming of Hamas in the current conflict,” the Israel Defense Forces posted on social media, adding, “We continue to operate in Gaza to eliminate Hamas.”Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant added Wednesday, “there will be no humanitarian truce without the return of abductees” ― despite mounting international pressure on Israel to halt hostilities to let aid into the Gaza Strip.Hamas — a Palestinian militant group and political party — launched a violent attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people and taking hundreds of hostages.Since then, Israel has been carrying out retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza and conducting a ground operation on the Strip, in which more than 10,000 people have...

Hot starts by Vegas and Boston and a historically bad start for San Jose are among early NHL trends

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

Nearly a month into the NHL season, Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record looks safer than Edmonton’s playoff chances, there might be a challenger for the worst team in league history and the Stanley Cup hangover is nowhere to be seen in Las Vegas.Alex Ovechkin off to an uncharacteristically slow start, the Oilers’ terrible goaltending and the San Jose Sharks losing their first 11 games are among some of the disturbing early trends. Elsewhere, the Golden Knights are rolling, Connor Bedard is scoring for Chicago and the Boston Bruins are back following a disappointing first-round exit.The traditional Thanksgiving barometer for being in a playoff position is still two weeks away, but there are good signs for Detroit, Vancouver and Anaheim. Not so much for Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Calgary.Even with some jagged starts, no one except San Jose is more than six points out of a playoff spot.“It’s a situation throughout the leag...

Trump will try to upstage the GOP debate with a rally targeting South Florida’s Cuban community

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

HIALEAH, Fla. (AP) — A City Council candidate in the Miami suburb of Hialeah used Donald Trump ‘s image on campaign signs. At one polling station this week, many people wore red “Make America Great Again” hats or drove pickup trucks with flags bearing the former president’s name. Outside the venue where the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination will speak Wednesday, trying to upstage his rivals debating a half hour’s drive away, supporters were camped out more than a day in advance and waving at honking commuters passing by.Hialeah is a critical part of South Florida’s hugely influential Cuban American community. It is all in for Trump.“All we want is to get ahead in life. It seems a lot of politicians, all they do is set obstacles in our way,” said Marcel Perez, a Hialeah resident who went with his wife, mother, uncle and father-in-law to vote Tuesday. “Trump is the right person for the job because he opens the door for us.”Cuban voters in t...

CGI reports $414.5M Q4 profit, up from $362.4M a year ago, revenue also higher

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

MONTREAL — CGI Inc. reported a fourth-quarter profit of $414.5 million, up from $362.4 million a year ago, as its revenue rose eight per cent.The technology consulting firm says its profit amounted to $1.76 per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, up from $1.51 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue totalled $3.51 billion, up from $3.25 billion in the same quarter last year.CGI says its profit excluding specific items amounted to $1.79 per diluted share compared with $1.56 per diluted share a year earlier.The company says it spent $9 million in its latest quarter as part of a cost optimization program. CGI says it plans to spend about $65 million over the first half of its 2024 financial year related to the plan that includes reviewing its real estate portfolio and improving operational efficiencies, including the increased use of automation.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:GIB.A)The Canadian Press

Man, woman arrested after 14-year-old girl forcibly confined, sexually assaulted in Toronto’s east end

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

Toronto police have made two arrests after a teen girl was allegedly taken to a home and sexually assaulted in the city’s east end earlier this year.Police say a 14-year-old girl was approached by a man and a woman in the area of Pape and Cosburn avenues in the early morning hours of June 23, 2023.Investigators say the girl was taken to a home where she was sexually assaulted. Related: Richmond Hill physiotherapist charged with sexual assault Police seek man in sexual assault at TTC station On Monday, police arrested 38-year-old Donald Downey and 27-year-old Chanel Taylor. The pair are facing several charges each, including sexual assault and forcible confinement.Police have released photos of the suspects and believe there may be more victims. Anyone with more information is asked to contact police.

Michigan Democrats to lose full control of state government after representatives win mayoral races

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Democrats who have controlled the governor’s office and slim majorities in both chambers of the Legislature will at least temporarily lose their full control after two state representatives won mayoral races Tuesday, which will soon put the state House in a deadlock.Democrats have been able to push through a number of key legislation in Michigan since they flipped both chambers in the Legislature while holding onto the governor’s office in last year’s midterms, giving them full control for the first time in 40 years.Two Democratic state representatives, Lori Stone and Kevin Coleman, won mayoral races Tuesday in their own districts in suburban Detroit. The wins will eliminate Democrat’s two-seat majority in the state House and put the chamber in a 54-54 deadlock until special elections can be held for the seats. Democrats will still control the agenda, but they will no longer hold a voting advantage.It’s not yet clear when special elections ...

Why it’s so hard to fight the airlines. And how to do it anyway.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, airline passengers in Canada have rights. They’re called the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, and they determine how much you’re owed if your flight is delayed, overbooked or cancelled for various reasons. The problem is, the compensation is often tough to get, and there’s very little incentive for the airlines to simply pay it every time.Gabor Lukacs is the president of Air Passenger Rights, he says that the current penalties are not enough to compel airlines into complying with regulations.“Currently, it is actually far more profitable for an airline to resist paying compensation in many cases, and occasionally be fined or be ordered to pay compensation by a court, than to actually consistently comply with the law,” says Lukacs.In an effort to simply get what they are owed, some Canadians take the airlines to small claims court. Sometimes they settle, and sometimes they even win. But the process is long and difficult and doesn&#...

Adidas says it may write off remaining unsold Yeezy shoes after breakup with Ye

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Adidas believes it may have to write off the remaining 300 million euros ($320 million) worth of Yeezy shoes left unsold after it cut ties with rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West. The company said it will decide in the coming weeks whether or not to do a third release of the shoes next year to generate more donations to groups fighting antisemitism. The shoe and sports clothing company, which cut ties with Ye in October 2022 after he made antisemitic remarks online, has sold 750 million euros worth of the shoes in two stages earlier this year through Adidas smartphone apps and its website. Part of the profits went to groups like the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, run by social justice advocate Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd.The announcement from Adidas comes at a time of rising antisemitism and islamophobia after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. The company included the possibl...

TC Energy reports Q3 loss as it takes Coastal GasLink charge

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:30:09 GMT

CALGARY — TC Energy Corp. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year ago as it took an impairment charge related to its Coastal GasLink pipeline project.The result came as the company says it has achieved mechanical completion of Coastal GasLink ahead of its year-end target and plans to complete commissioning activities to be ready to deliver gas to the LNG Canada facility by the end of the year.The pipeline company reported a net loss attributable to common shares of $197 million or 19 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with net income of $841 million or 84 cents per share in third quarter 2022. The latest results included a $1.18-billion after-tax impairment charge related to its equity investment in the Coastal GasLink Pipeline Limited Partnership.TC Energy says its comparable earnings for the quarter amounted to $1 per share, down from $1.07 per share in the same quarter last year.Revenue for the quarter totalled $3.94 billion, up fr...