JD.com says sorry to customers after Singles’ Day campaign with comedian sparks backlash

JD.com says sorry to customers after Singles’ Day campaign with comedian sparks backlash

Yang, known for her biting jokes about men, on Monday appeared in a JD.com live-streaming session that sparked a four-day backlash from some of the platform’s users, which prompted the Beijing-based online retailer to issue an apology on Friday. A Weibo user, with the pseudonym Zhichilaotou, said he had cancelled his JD.com account and persuaded … Read more

TIFF suspends screening of film on Russian soldiers after threats

TIFF suspends screening of film on Russian soldiers after threats

The Toronto International Film Festival has announced it will pause all upcoming screenings of the film Russians at War. The first-person documentary by Russian Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova spurred protest from Ukrainian officials and community groups who say the film amounts to propaganda. The feature was set to have its North American premiere at the Scotiabank Theatre at 2:30 p.m ET Friday. Additional … Read more

TIFF won’t pull controversial documentary about Russian soldiers

TIFF won’t pull controversial documentary about Russian soldiers

The Toronto International Film Festival says it’s not pulling a controversial documentary about Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine from its schedule, despite outcry from Ukrainian officials and community groups who say the film amounts to propaganda. TIFF’s statement comes a day after Ontario’s public broadcaster TVO, which helped fund Russians at War, announced it was no … Read more

Washington’s indictment shines a bright light on the dark corners of Russian disinformation operations

Washington’s indictment shines a bright light on the dark corners of Russian disinformation operations

The affidavit of an FBI special agent, and the Russian documents attached to it, offer a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a vast Russian network of disinformation. Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two Russians — both employees of state broadcaster RT — accused of illegally funnelling $9.7 million into a Tennessee media company. … Read more

Great White singer Jack Russell, who survived nightclub fire that killed 100 people, dead at 63

Great White singer Jack Russell, who survived nightclub fire that killed 100 people, dead at 63

Great White singer Jack Russell, whose band’s long climb to commercial success was overshadowed by a pyrotechnics display at a nightclub performance that led to one of the deadliest indoor fires in U.S. history, has died. He was 63. A statement released by his family on Russell’s social media accounts on Thursday indicated the singer … Read more

Freedom Convoy’s Pat King out on bail under strict conditions

Freedom Convoy’s Pat King out on bail under strict conditions

Pat King danced out of the Ottawa courthouse Friday after being given bail with stricter social media rules and a new charge for breaching his original conditions — and having forfeited $25,000 to the court. The controversial organizer behind what became known as the Freedom Convoy protests was jailed for one week. His bail was revoked following allegations he violated court-imposed rules … Read more

Canada strikes deal to use U.S. space tech, clearing way for rocket launch pad in N.S.

Canada strikes deal to use U.S. space tech, clearing way for rocket launch pad in N.S.

A new agreement between Canada and the United States is reigniting the possibility of a spaceport in rural Nova Scotia. Federal cabinet minister and Nova Scotia MP Sean Fraser announced in Halifax Friday that the two countries have negotiated a Technology Safeguards Agreement, which would allow the use of U.S. space launch technology, expertise and data … Read more

Nelk is teaming up with Trump’s VP pick — here’s why

Nelk is teaming up with Trump’s VP pick — here’s why

Donald Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, J.D. Vance, is on TikTok — and he’s collaborating with Canadian-American social media stars the Nelk Boys.  Vance’s first post on the social media site features a nine-second video where he can be seen accepting alcohol from Canadian Kyle Forgeard, one of Nelk’s founders.  “Yo J.D., we want to welcome you to TikTok,” … Read more

Intelligence task force to monitor all future byelections for foreign interference

Intelligence task force to monitor all future byelections for foreign interference

The Liberal government says measures to monitor and assess foreign interference threats will be part of all future federal byelections, not just general elections. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Monday the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections Task Force (SITE) will be watching for signs of meddling in two September byelections: one in Quebec, … Read more

Dog owners get reprieve, but some still anxious over U.S. border rules

Dog owners get reprieve, but some still anxious over U.S. border rules

Some dog owners say the temporary exemption Canada has received from the most onerous new U.S. rules for bringing dogs across the border doesn’t go far enough and the reprieve needs to be made permanent. Earlier this month the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that as of Aug. 1, dogs coming … Read more