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Family booted off Air Canada flight now calling for changes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 GMT

Dr. Mehdi Asghari, a Canadian citizen who was born in Iran, is on a mission to fight what he calls an injustice at Toronto Pearson International Airport – a fight he believes impacts several travellers who may run into the same issue his family encountered after they were denied boarding on an Air Canada flight.The family had bought tickets back in February to return to Iran for a wedding this past August, a trip they’ve done several times in the past without issue.But when they went to board the flight, they were turned away over a passport issue.“We were told the Iranian passport my daughter had did not match the name on the boarding pass.”But her Canadian passport did. According to Air Canada’s rules, only one passport must match the name on the boarding pass.Their daughter, who is 12, was born in the U.S. and at that time Asghari and his wife chose a new name for her.“We chose a Western family name because we knew that she was going to live in Canada,” he said. “That name ...

S&P/TSX composite up in late-morning trading, U.S. stock markets also edge higher

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 GMT

TORONTO — Strength in financial stocks helped Canada’s main stock index move up in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets also edged higher.The S&P/TSX composite index was up 40.36 points at 20,077.13.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 9.20 points at 35,426.18. The S&P 500 index was up 3.07 points at 4,557.96, while the Nasdaq composite was up 3.97 points at 14,285.73.The Canadian dollar traded for 73.54 cents US compared with 73.63 cents US on Tuesday.The January crude contract was up 27 cents at US$76.68 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.84 per mmBTU.The February gold contract was up US$3.50 at US$2,063.70 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$3.84 a pound.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2023.The Canadian Press

Federal government reaches deal with Google over Online News Act

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 GMT

Google and the federal government have reached a deal in their dispute over the Online News Act, sources tell CityNews.Multiple reports suggest the new agreement would see Canadian news continue to be shared on Google’s platforms. In return, the company would make annual payments to news companies in the range of $100 million.The deal comes three weeks before the Online News Act, formerly Bill C-18, goes into effect. The law will force digital giants to compensate media outlets for content that is shared or repurposed on their platforms.Google had threatened to remove news from its search platform in Canada as a response to the Trudeau government’s bill.Facebook’s parent company Meta ended its talks with the government last summer and has already stopped distributing Canadian news on Facebook and Instagram.This is a developing story. More to come.

Preliminary hearing scheduled for March in Laval daycare bus crash deaths

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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 Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:21:25 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...