Trial of key convoy figures Lich, Barber nears end of the road

Trial of key convoy figures Lich, Barber nears end of the road

Closing arguments start this morning in the trial of key Freedom Convoy figures Tamara Lich and Chris Barber — the beginning of the end for a slow-rolling legal drama that began two and a half years ago. For the accused, it’s been a long and uncertain road that keeps leading them back to Ottawa. “For … Read more

Global stock markets end week in a slump over fears of U.S. recession

Global stock markets end week in a slump over fears of U.S. recession

Stocks tumbled Friday on worries the U.S. economy could be cracking under the weight of high interest rates meant to whip inflation. The S&P 500 fell 1.8 per cent on Friday for its first back-to-back loss of at least one per cent since April. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 1.5 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite … Read more

U.S. Supreme Court decision rejects Purdue Pharma opioid settlement, leaving victims in limbo

U.S. Supreme Court decision rejects Purdue Pharma opioid settlement, leaving victims in limbo

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a nationwide settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that would have shielded members of the Sackler family who own the company from civil lawsuits over the toll of opioids but also would have provided billions of dollars to combat the opioid epidemic. After deliberating more than six months, … Read more

The Bank of Canada’s growing list of worries

The Bank of Canada’s growing list of worries

For months, the Bank of Canada has been trying to thread a needle: slow the economy just enough to get inflation back under control but not so much that it causes a recession. In a report released this week, the central bank offered up plenty of evidence that its strategy is working. Inflation has eased, economic growth has … Read more

Cutting interest rates was easy. But the Bank of Canada still has a credibility problem

Cutting interest rates was easy. But the Bank of Canada still has a credibility problem

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank has to rebuild trust with Canadian households. After the last two years of interest rate hikes and messaging missteps, that’s not going to be an easy job. The central bank cut rates this week for the first time since March 2022, when it embarked on one … Read more

Bank of Canada cuts key interest rate to 4.75%

Bank of Canada cuts key interest rate to 4.75%

The Bank of Canada has lowered its key interest rate to 4.75 per cent, marking the bank’s first rate cut since March 2020. Bank governor Tiff Macklem said in opening remarks that the bank’s monetary policy no longer needs to be as restrictive. “We’ve come a long way in the fight against inflation. And our confidence that inflation will continue … Read more

U.S. suing Ticketmaster owner Live Nation

U.S. suing Ticketmaster owner Live Nation

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) and a group of 30 states and the District of Columbia on Thursday sued to break up Live Nation, arguing the big concert promoter and its Ticketmaster unit illegally inflated concert ticket prices and hurt artists. “It is time to break up Live Nation,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. Concert fans … Read more

Moose kills Alaska man attempting to take photos of her newborn calves

Moose kills Alaska man attempting to take photos of her newborn calves

A 70-year-old Alaska man who was attempting to take photos of two newborn moose calves was attacked and killed by their mother, authorities said Monday. The man killed Sunday was identified as Dale Chorman of Homer, said Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Public Safety. The female moose had recently given birth … Read more

Legendary musician, producer Steve Albini dead at 61

Legendary musician, producer Steve Albini dead at 61

Steve Albini, an alternative-rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61. Brian Fox, an engineer at Albini’s studio, Electrical Audio Recording, said Wednesday that Albini died after a heart attack Tuesday night. In addition to his work … Read more

Shopaholic author Sophie Kinsella reveals aggressive brain cancer diagnosis

Shopaholic author Sophie Kinsella reveals aggressive brain cancer diagnosis

Best-selling British author Sophie Kinsella announced Wednesday that she has glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The 54-year-old author, whose real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham, wrote in a statement posted to her social media accounts that she was diagnosed in 2022. She said she’d had surgery and is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. “I’ve wanted for a long time to … Read more