‘We are losing the Amazon rainforest’: Record number of wildfires in parts of Brazil

Fire is sucking the life out of parts of the Amazon rainforest. In Roraima State, in northern Brazil, the number of fires in February were more than five times the average, according to data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research, and blazes continued to burn through March. “We are losing the Amazon rainforest. These … Read more

DeSantis and Disney settle lawsuit sparked by Florida governor’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law

Allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney reached a settlement agreement Wednesday in a state court fight over how Walt Disney World is developed in the future following the takeover of the theme park resort’s government by the Florida governor. In a meeting, the DeSantis-appointed members of the board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight … Read more

Famed Broadway performer Chita Rivera dead at 91

Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actor who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and rebounded after a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91. Rivera’s death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, who said she died in New York after a … Read more

U.S. economy grows more than expected at end of 2023, driven by consumer spending

The U.S. economy grew at an unexpectedly brisk 3.3 per cent annual pace from October through December as Americans showed a continued willingness to spend freely despite high interest rates and price levels that have frustrated many households. Thursday’s report from the U.S. Commerce Department said the gross domestic product — the economy’s total output of goods … Read more

The U.S. is heading for a momentous vote. Canada’s ambassador says we have to be ready

Canada’s ambassador to the United States says Ottawa must take concrete steps to prepare for the outcome of this fall’s pivotal presidential election, which could see Donald Trump returned to power. In an interview with CBC News on Saturday ahead of a Canadian cabinet retreat in Montreal — where she will brief ministers — Kirsten Hillman said … Read more

Day after Trump win in Iowa, Trudeau says U.S. faces choice between optimism, retreat

Voters in the United States likely will face a choice in the November presidential election between optimism for the future, or nostalgia for a past that never existed, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday. And while a second Donald Trump presidency “won’t be easy,” Trudeau told a Montreal business audience, the federal government is prepared for … Read more

Donald Trump enters 2024 on cusp of unusual position: Election front-runner

Donald Trump is on the verge of entering 2024 arguably holding a status that is unprecedented for him: Election front-runner. It’s an unfamiliar position for a candidate now suddenly leading most 2024 general-election polls in a way he never did in races past. This is despite his supporters attacking the U.S. Capitol, and despite the … Read more