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House of Commons rises after tumultuous fall sitting, begins six-week winter break

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

OTTAWA — The House of Commons has wrapped up its work for 2023 after an intense fall sitting, with MPs returning to their ridings for a six-week holiday break.A gun-control bill that enshrines a handgun freeze and a bill that lifts GST charges off rental developments and amends the country’s competition law both crossed the finish line in Parliament this week. The minority Liberal government also passed a suite of bail reforms, launched a dental-care program demanded by the NDP and concluded its standoff with Google, which agreed to pay Canadian news publishers $100 million a year in compliance with the Online News Act.Conservatives, enjoying a major boost in the polls, made their presence known in the Commons with a series of procedural tactics that culminated in a marathon 30-hour voting session last week to show their opposition to federal carbon pricing.In September, Anthony Rota stepped down as Speaker after he lauded a man who had served in a unit created by the Nazis to...

Column: Time for Belichick to leave on his terms (sort of), before he’s shoved out the door

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

This is starting to feel like Tom Landry’s final days as an NFL coach, just before he was ingloriously put out to pasture. Or maybe it will be more akin to Don Shula, who trudged into a retirement that seemed forced on him.Athletes rarely know when it’s time to go, and that unwillingness to face reality certainly applies to coaches, too.Which brings us to Bill Belichick.He’s stubborn and ornery and downright defiant about his future, insisting that he’s looking no farther than New England’s upcoming game against the Chiefs.“I’m getting ready for Kansas City,” Belichick droned over and over and over again when the subject of his future came up this week.But the Patriots coach needs to start thinking about his legacy. Secure as it is, Belichick’s obstinance is starting to look more like delusion as the game clearly passes him by.Time for the 71-year-old grumpy lobster boat captain to call it a career, with some degree of dignity, before the Pa...

Mother charged with 1st-degree murder in deaths of 2 children at Scarborough apartment

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

A woman recovering in hospital with serious injuries is facing two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her two boys, who were found unconscious at a Scarborough apartment last weekend.Emergency crews were called to the building on Glamorgan Avenue near Kennedy and Ellesmere Roads just after 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, after getting reports a woman had fallen from a balcony.When police arrived, they found a woman on the ground outside the building in critical condition. Two young boys were found inside an apartment unit several floors up with no vital signs.The children, aged four and five, were rushed to separate hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.The boys had no visible signs of trauma when they were found, and investigators are still trying to determine the cause, calling the deaths “suspicious.”On Thursday, police charged 25-year-old Vanessa Collias with two counts of first-degree murder. Police said she appeared in court via telephone and was rem...

US returns to Greece 30 ancient artifacts worth $3.7 million, including marble statues

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The United States on Friday returned to Greece 30 ancient artifacts, including marble statues, armor helmets and breastplates, found to have been illicitly removed from the country, authorities said. The pieces handed over to Greek officials in New York date back from as long as 4,700 years ago to the Middle Ages. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the “exquisite” works were collectively valued at $3.7 million (3.39 million euros).Nineteen of the artifacts were voluntarily surrendered from New York gallery owner Michael Ward, the DA’s office said in a statement.Three others were seized from British art dealer Robin Symes, the statement said, while one was seized from a storage unit belonging to an unspecified New York-based private collector.“This is an exquisite set of 30 antiquities that represents the extraordinary depth and beauty of Greece’s cultural heritage,” Bragg said.The works include a Roman-era headless marble statue of Aphrodite, th...

‘Militia enthusiast’ gets over 4 years in prison for attacking police with baton during Jan. 6 riot

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Michigan man described by prosecutors as a self-professed militia leader was sentenced on Friday to more than four years in prison for attacking law enforcement officers with a stolen police baton during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.Matthew Thomas Krol, 65, of Linden, Michigan, assaulted at least three officers, injuring one of them, with the baton that he took from police. A prosecutor said Krol was one of the worst instigators of violence that ultimately forced officers to retreat from the mob of rioters who stormed the Capitol’s West Plaza.Videos captured Krol’s attacks on officers, including Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell. Krol swung the stolen police baton at Gonell and struck his outstretched right hand, leaving it bloody and swollen.Krol apologized to Gonell, who was in the courtroom, before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced him to four years and three months in prison. He’ll get credit for the time he has spent in ja...

‘I want to live’: Whitby woman struggling to pay for life-saving cancer treatment after being denied OHIP coverage

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

A Whitby woman receiving treatment for Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer is struggling to pay for a new life-saving drug after being denied coverage by OHIP. She is calling for change so other women don’t fall into what she calls a loophole.Gabriela Fiorini was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 before it returned as metastatic cancer in 2021.“It came to the liver, the lungs, and the bones. And I started treatment immediately and then all of a sudden they discovered that it went to my brain too,” she explained.The 62-year-old, who came to Canada from Argentina 30 years ago and volunteers to help newcomers, is HER2 positive and there are few treatment options. She was put on a drug called Kadcyla but stopped in Nov. 2022 after it was discovered the treatment wasn’t working. Shortly after, her oncologist informed her of a new drug called Enhertu that had just been approved in Ontario. Studies show it has had greater success and offers what every cancer p...

Mississauga basketball coach charged for sexually assaulting female player

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

A basketball coach from Mississauga has been charged for allegedly sexually assaulting one of his female players.Peel Regional Police said that between the spring of 2022 and the summer of 2023, a 16-year-old female was a player on a local basketball team and alleged that her coach sexually assaulted her.On Wednesday, police arrested 35-year-old Richard Chong of Mississauga. He’s been charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation.He has been held on bail. Authorities said Chong has worked as a basketball coach for the last 13 years in multiple areas within the GTA and is currently employed as a basketball coach and volunteer within Peel Region.Investigators are concerned that there may be more victims.

Home on Far South Side damaged in fire

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

CHICAGO — Emergency crews were called to the scene of a fire that broke out at a home on the city's Far South Side on Friday afternoon.SkyCam9 was over the scene around 2:20 p.m. when the damaged a home, in the 13000 block of South Rhodes Avenue in Riverdale, could be seen from overhead. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Currently, it is unclear what sparked the fire or if anyone has been injured.This is a developing story, stay with WGN News for the late updates.

Round Lake Beach man charged with murder of his 3 children pleads guilty but mentally ill

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

ROUND LAKE, Ill. — The Round Lake Beach man charged with the murder of his three children will be sentenced to life in prison.On Friday, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office said Jason Karels, 36, entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill to three counts of first-degree murder for the June 13, 2022, killing of his three children, ages 2, 3, and 5. With that plea, Karels will be sentenced to life in the Illinois Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole.  Prior to entering into the plea agreement, the state's attorney's office said, the prosecutors and victim specialist consulted extensively with the family of the victims. Several members of the family were present in court for Friday's hearing.  “This case has devastated the Round Lake Beach community and beyond," Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a news release. "We hope that (Friday's) resolution provides some measure of closure, and we will continue to provide support to the ...

Illinois county board incumbent wants primary opponent disqualified for misspelling 'Republican'

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:08:28 GMT

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (AP) — A county board incumbent in Illinois wants election officials to disqualify his primary opponent because he misspelled “Republican” on his nomination papers.McHenry County Board member Eric Hendricks has filed an objection to primary opponent Bob Nowak’s candidacy, the Northwest Herald reported Wednesday. Chicago cousins exonerated after serving longest wrongful conviction sentence in Illinois history Hendricks wrote in the objection that Nowak filed to run as a member of the “Republian Party,” omitting the “c” in “Republican.” Hendricks argues such a party does not exist.Nowak said he had heard there was an objection to his candidacy but hasn’t seen a copy of it.County officials have scheduled a hearing on the objection for Tuesday. The primary is March 19.Nowak previously served on the county board but lost his seat to Hendricks in 2022.