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Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to defend his record in high-stakes grilling at COVID inquiry

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who led Britain through the coronavirus pandemic before being ousted by scandal, is set to defend his record on Wednesday at a public inquiry into the country’s handling of COVID-19.Johnson will be grilled under oath by lawyers for the judge-led inquiry about his initial reluctance to impose a national lockdown in early 2020 and other fateful decisions.Johnson arrived at the inquiry venue at daybreak, several hours before he was due to take the stand, avoiding a protest by relatives of COVID-19 victims.Among those wanting answers from the inquiry are families of some of the more than 200,000 people in the U.K. who died after contracting the virus. A group gathered outside the office building where the inquiry was set, some holding pictures of their loved ones. A banner declared: “Let the bodies pile high” — a statement attributed to Johnson by an aide. Another sign said: “Johnson partied while people died.” Johnson was pushed out of...

Europe was set to lead the world on AI regulation. But can leaders reach a deal?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

LONDON (AP) — The generative AI boom has sent governments worldwide scrambling to regulate the emerging technology, but it also has raised the risk of upending a European Union push to approve the world’s first comprehensive artificial intelligence rules.The 27-nation bloc’s Artificial Intelligence Act has been hailed as a pioneering rulebook. But with time running out, it’s uncertain if the EU’s three branches of government can thrash out a deal Wednesday in what officials hope is a final round of talks.Europe’s yearslong efforts to draw up AI guardrails have been bogged down by the recent emergence of generative AI systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which have dazzled the world with their ability to produce human-like work but raised fears about the risks they pose. Those concerns have driven the U.S., U.K., China and global coalitions like the Group of 7 major democracies into the race to regulate the rapidly developing technology, though they’re still catchin...

In the news today: Canadians to Ottawa: spend on health care, housing and AFN votes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Ottawa should spend on health care, housingA majority of Canadians think the federal government should spend more on health care, a housing strategy and initiatives to ease inflation and cost-of-living issues, a new poll suggests — but they also want it to freeze or reduce other spending. Nearly three-quarters of respondents to the new Leger poll, or 71 per cent, said the federal government should spend more on health care and health transfers to the provinces.When it comes to a housing strategy and initiatives to tackle inflation and cost-of-living issues, 66 per cent said they were in favour of increasing government spending, and only six per cent said it should decrease.However, most respondents wanted the government to reduce or maintain other spending, including on national defence, services to Indigenous communities and international aid.Pass gun bill, fa...

Pope says he’s ‘much better’ after a bout of bronchitis but still gets tired if he speaks too much

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis said Wednesday he was feeling “much better” after a two-week bout of bronchitis but again asked an aide to read his remarks.Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, told his weekly general audience that he still gets tired if he speaks too much.Francis, who turns 87 on Dec. 17, came down with the flu on Nov. 25 and was forced to cancel a planned trip to Dubai to participate in the U.N. climate conference. He later revealed he had been diagnosed with an acute case of infectious bronchitis that made breathing difficult. It was the second time this year he has had a serious case of bronchitis; in spring he was hospitalized for three days to receive intravenous antibiotics.Francis walked onto the stage of the Vatican audience hall with his cane Wednesday and smiled broadly at the cheering crowd. He appeared in good spirits and received several prelates who came to speak to him individually at the end of the audience.Explaining why he would ask h...

Pass federal gun bill without delay, father of Ontario shooting victim urges senators

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

MONTREAL — The father of a woman who was fatally shot in October by her former partner is urging senators to pass a federal gun-control bill without delay.In a letter sent this week to members of the upper chamber, Brian Sweeney says the legislation contains crucial measures that would improve the way police deal with domestic violence cases involving firearms.“Implementing these measures is urgent,” Sweeney says in the letter, made available to The Canadian Press. “The bill is the result of years of advocacy from victims and women’s groups, and women have died while the bill has been debated.”Sweeney’s daughter Angie was shot when her former partner Bobbie Hallaert broke into her home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., two months ago. Hallaert proceeded to a second home and killed three of his own children and injured another woman, who survived. The gunman then took his own life.“Angie’s death, like that of all victims, leaves behind a trail...

Workers raise the bar: 2023 was a year of wage gains marked by high-profile strikes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

A month after 3,700 grocery store workers walked off their jobs at Toronto-area Metro stores earlier this year, they returned to work under a new contract that Unifor called “historic.” Long days of picketing, including demonstrations at warehouses that halted deliveries to Metro stores across the province, led to a deal giving all workers an immediate raise of $1.50 an hour. By January, full-time and senior part-time workers will get another 50 cents, essentially bringing back the pandemic-era “hero pay” that ended in 2020. A tight labour market and breakneck inflation have empowered many workers to make new inroads.July’s Metro walkout, the B.C. port work stoppage in July and the Public Service Alliance of Canada strike this spring help paint a picture of a workforce fighting hard to catch up to the cost of living. “When you look at the wage data, union members are faring much better this year than they have in any year in the past decade. And that is a result of...

Bank of Canada to announce interest rate decision today, expected to hold at 5%

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada is set to announce its interest rate decision this morning as forecasters widely expect the central bank to continue holding its key rate steady.The Bank of Canada opted to maintain its key interest rate at five per cent at its last two announcements as the economy shows clearer signs of a slowdown.Last week’s GDP report showed the economy shrank in the third quarter, while the country’s unemployment rate ticked up once again in November. Inflation in Canada has also slowed considerably, with the annual rate coming in at 3.1 per cent in October.As the economy softens and inflation comes down, economists will be watching for any signs from the central bank on when to expect future interest rate cuts. So far, the central bank has dismissed any talk of rate cuts and instead maintained it’s prepared to raise rates again if needed.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2023. The Canadian Press<!– Photo: 2023120...

StatCan: Eight million people, 27 per cent of Canadians, have at least one disability

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

The number of Canadians with at least one disability has doubled in ten years, a reality that should push governments to help reduce barriers to accessibility, says the head of a human rights organization.Statistics Canada data shows that 27 per cent of people 15 and older — about eight million Canadians — reported having at least one disability in 2022, about twice the percentage of people who reported a disability 10 years ago.Collected every five years, the StatCan numbers are important because they influence government policy at the federal, provincial and local levels, Heather Walkus, national chair of the Council for Canadians with Disabilities, said in a recent interview.“At least eight million Canadians have a disability and we are still excluded, not able to join in with families and be part of the Canadian experience because of environment, because of attitudes, and because of the way the system is set up to ensure there’s no success or little success,” Walkus said.O...

Assembly of First Nations to elect new national chief in special assembly

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

OTTAWA — It’s election day for the Assembly of First Nations, where chiefs in the assembly or their proxies will decide who’s best suited to lead the organization after several turbulent years.The election comes months after former national chief RoseAnne Archibald was ousted over the findings of an investigation into complaints from five staff members about her conduct.The third-party independent review concluded some of Archibald’s behaviour amounted to harassment, and that she had breached confidentiality rules and violated internal policies by retaliating against complainants.Archibald denied the allegations. Her supporters maintain she was removed from the post for trying to change the organization’s status quo.Of the 231 chiefs who took part in the special assembly, 71 per cent voted to remove her.Six candidates put their names forward to replace Archibald and interim national chief Joanna Bernard, including Reginald Bellerose, Craig Makinaw, Sheila Nor...

First-degree murder trial of Saskatchewan Mountie set to hear autopsy evidence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:38 GMT

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — The first-degree murder trial of a former Saskatchewan Mountie is set to continue today with autopsy evidence.Bernie Herman, who is 55, has pleaded not guilty in the 2021 death of 26-year-old Braden Herman in Prince Albert, Sask.The two men are not related.Court has heard that Braden Herman’s naked body was found in an isolated area of Little Red River Park, on the outskirts of the province’s third largest city. Police have testified he was shot, had two large bruises on his upper chest and other injuries. The trial was told the two men met on Facebook and often shared a bed, after Braden Herman moved in with Bernie Herman and the veteran officer’s family in 2018. The officer’s wife, Janice Herman, told court that she was hurt by the changing dynamic in her marriage. She said Braden Herman was possessive and would get angry with her husband whenever the officer showed her affection. The Mountie’s daughter, Jana MacDonald, called the relationship be...