In a recent interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed skepticism towards former President Donald Trump's claims that he is not yet officially in the White House. In response to Trump's continued assertions that the 2020 election was stolen and that he is the rightful winner, Zelensky stated that Trump's statements are baseless and do not reflect the reality of the situation.3 'Strong Buy' Cyclical Stocks to Scoop Up Now
Hydreight Reports Record Topline1 Revenue of $6.12M in Q3-2024 (YOY Increase of 54%) and achieved positive Adjusted EBITDA1MADRID (AP) — Getafe scored twice in three minutes midway through the second half to beat struggling Valladolid 2-0 and record only its second win in La Liga on Friday. The victory ended Getafe’s five-game winless run and lifted it into 15th place in the 20-team standings. Valladolid remained second to last. In the buildup to the match, Getafe sporting director Rubén Reyes described the game as a final but his team was lucky not to go behind as Valladolid created more of the early chances. However, the home side took control in the 69th minute when substitute Álvaro Rodríguez got the opener. Three minutes later, man of the match Allan Nyom made it 2-0. “There’s been a lot of games where we’ve run and fought but lost or drawn,” Nyom, the veteran Cameroon full back, said. “A game that reflects the effort we’ve put in in training is very welcome.” Adding to Valladolid’s woes, coach Paulo Pezzolano was sent off before halftime. The Uruguayan has the league’s worst disciplinary record, with seven yellow cards before Friday’s red. ___ AP soccer: The Associated Press
Authored by Alexander Langlois via American Greatness, On December 19, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that there are roughly 2,000 troops stationed in Syria – 1,100 more than previously shared with the public. Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder disclosed the new number almost off-handedly, without explanation for the shock news as Syria experiences a generational moment following former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime collapse on December 8. The announcement personifies the ongoing and widespread disdain of American political and military leaders for transparency on military operations abroad. Indeed, the laxness with which Ryder announced the new deployment numbers is unacceptable. These forces are not, as the spokesperson claimed , simply “temporary rotational forces” but reflect the worst excesses of mission creep that have come to define U.S. military operations in the post-9/11 era. Ryder’s follow-on statements, in the same breath as his claims of the temporary nature of the deployment, highlight this bleak reality: “Right now, there are no plans to cease the defeat-ISIS mission.” Rather, the Biden administration feels empowered to expand that mission and lie to the American people about what exactly it is doing in Syria. Such an outcome results from unchecked executive power in the U.S. government and Congressional reluctance to question support for anything labeled as counterterrorism (CT) operations. Worse, the announcement comes as news surfaces that U.S. President Joe Biden experienced “ good days and bad days ” as early as 2021 concerning his mental acuity – another inconvenient fact hidden from U.S. citizens, raising questions regarding who has actually been steering policy in the White House. The inconvenient truth for Biden’s advisors is simple: U.S. forces continue to operate in a country that has not invited them to establish a presence and without any constitutionally mandated Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) required to make such military operations legal under U.S. law. Only Congress can pass an AUMF – the president cannot unilaterally declare one. Flimsy arguments connecting the Islamic State to Al-Qaeda – arguing that the former grew out of the latter – are another ugly expansion of unchecked executive power aimed at limiting U.S. citizen input on the critical decisions of their elected officials. Such a pass must be rejected. For two decades, U.S. officials have worked to expand global military power in a resource-draining deluge of unsustainable overextension. On the same day as Ryder’s announcement, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the primary defense appropriations package – to the tune of $895 billion. As U.S. debt approaches $37 trillion , the government should be more transparent on such issues – not less. Yet rather than taking that approach, the Pentagon failed its seventh straight audit in 2024. This unacceptable situation is why expanding the defeat-ISIS mission should be rejected, especially given the facts on the ground. To be sure, while the Islamic State has expanded its operations in Syria in 2024, the number of attacks pales in comparison to the height of the group when ISIS actually held and governed territory. With less than 20 attacks in September, compared to hundreds in April 2022, the Islamic State is no longer a serious threat to U.S. interests—and its reach is extremely limited. It has long been unable to conduct international attacks from either Syria or Iraq. Most of its fighters in these two countries remain in prisons operated by local U.S. partners – namely the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syria. While some cite the presence of roughly 10,000 fighters in these prisons as an army-in-waiting for the group, the reality is alternative policy options exist for both securing these prisons and limiting the wider supposed threat while ending – not expanding – the defeat-ISIS mission. Those options include regional partnerships, not limited to Turkey or the plethora of armed groups operating in Syria today. Given the Islamic State’s inherent weakness, it should not be difficult to establish a sustainable agreement – namely one that ends the U.S. presence in the country by allowing those capable local actors with more of an interest in ending the threat from re-appearing in their communities. An open-ended U.S. presence will not fully resolve this problem, as personified by never-ending CT operations across Africa and Asia with no end in sight. Ultimately, the issue of U.S. military overreach is bigger than Syria, even if the country is central to debates on U.S. forces abroad. Officials must recognize that U.S. primacy on the regional and global stage does not come from doing everything, everywhere, all at once. Rather, it is achieved through strategic honesty and military restraint that right-sizes efforts abroad based on necessity as the world is – not how unelected officials wish it to be. Misleading the American public cannot remain the U.S. foreign policy norm, which already discounts the will of the average American citizen in a smugness that has long pervaded the space. As announcements like the one on Syria indicate, the time is now to shift away from this unsustainable and anti-democratic approach.
Amanda Hernández | (TNS) Stateline.org CHICAGO — Shoplifting rates in the three largest U.S. cities — New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — remain higher than they were before the pandemic, according to a report last month from the nonpartisan research group Council on Criminal Justice. Related Articles National News | Nicotine pouches are selling fast — and falling into minors’ hands National News | Bill Clinton is out of the hospital after being treated for the flu National News | NORAD’s Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost. Now it attracts millions of kids National News | Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights National News | Prosecutors withdraw appeal of dismissed case against Alec Baldwin in fatal movie set shooting The sharp rise in retail theft in recent years has made shoplifting a hot-button issue, especially for politicians looking to address public safety concerns in their communities. Since 2020, when viral videos of smash-and-grab robberies flooded social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have expressed fears that crime is out of control. Polls show that perceptions have improved recently, but a majority of Americans still say crime is worse than in previous years. “There is this sense of brazenness that people have — they can just walk in and steal stuff. ... That hurts the consumer, and it hurts the company,” said Alex Piquero, a criminology professor at the University of Miami and former director of the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, in an interview. “That’s just the world we live in,” he said. “We need to get people to realize that you have to obey the law.” At least eight states — Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New York and Vermont — passed a total of 14 bills in 2024 aimed at tackling retail theft, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The measures range from redefining retail crimes and adjusting penalties to allowing cross-county aggregation of theft charges and protecting retail workers. Major retailers have responded to rising theft since 2020 by locking up merchandise, upgrading security cameras, hiring private security firms and even closing stores. Still, the report indicates that shoplifting remains a stubborn problem. In Chicago, the rate of reported shoplifting incidents remained below pre-pandemic levels throughout 2023 — but surged by 46% from January to October 2024 compared with the same period a year ago. Shoplifting in Los Angeles was 87% higher in 2023 than in 2019. Police reports of shoplifting from January to October 2024 were lower than in 2023. Los Angeles adopted a new crime reporting system in March 2024, which has likely led to an undercount, according to the report. In New York, shoplifting rose 48% from 2021 to 2022, then dipped slightly last year. Still, the shoplifting rate was 55% higher in 2023 than in 2019. This year, the shoplifting rate increased by 3% from January to September compared with the same period last year. While shoplifting rates tend to rise in November and December, which coincides with in-person holiday shopping, data from the Council on Criminal Justice’s sample of 23 U.S. cities shows higher rates in the first half of 2024 compared with 2023. Researchers found it surprising that rates went up despite retailers doing more to fight shoplifting. Experts say the spike might reflect improved reporting efforts rather than a spike in theft. “As retailers have been paying more attention to shoplifting, we would not expect the numbers to increase,” said Ernesto Lopez, the report’s author and a senior research specialist with the council. “It makes it a challenge to understand the trends of shoplifting.” In downtown Chicago on a recent early afternoon, potential shoppers shuffled through the streets and nearby malls, browsing for gifts ahead of the holidays. Edward Johnson, a guard at The Shops at North Bridge, said that malls have become quieter in the dozen or so years he has worked in mall security, with the rise of online retailers. As for shoplifters, Johnson said there isn’t a single type of person to look out for — they can come from any background. “I think good-hearted people see something they can’t afford and figure nothing is lost if they take something from the store,” Johnson said as he patrolled the mall, keeping an eye out for lost or suspicious items. Between 2018 and 2023, most shoplifting in Chicago was reported in the downtown area, as well as in the Old Town, River North and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, according to a separate analysis by the Council on Criminal Justice. Newly sworn-in Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke this month lowered the threshold for charging retail theft as a felony in the county, which includes Chicago, from $1,000 to $300, aligning it with state law. “It sends a signal that she’s taking it seriously,” Rob Karr, the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told Stateline. Nationally, retailers are worried about organized theft. The National Retail Federation’s latest report attributed 36% of the $112.1 billion in lost merchandise in 2022 to “external theft,” which includes organized retail crime. Organized retail crime typically involves coordinated efforts by groups to steal items with the intent to resell them for a profit. Commonly targeted goods include high-demand items such as baby formula, laundry detergent and electronics. The same report found that retailers’ fear of violence associated with theft also is on the rise, with more retailers taking a “hands-off approach.” More than 41% of respondents to the organization’s 2023 survey, up from 38% in 2022, reported that no employee is authorized to try and stop a shoplifter. (The federation’s reporting has come under criticism. It retracted a claim last year that attributed nearly half of lost merchandise in 2021 to organized retail crime; such theft accounted for only about 5%. The group announced this fall it will no longer publish its reports on lost merchandise.) Policy experts say shoplifting and organized retail theft can significantly harm critical industries, drive up costs for consumers and reduce sales tax revenue for states. Those worries have driven recent state-level action to boost penalties for shoplifting. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of 10 bills into law in August aimed at addressing retail theft. These measures make repeated theft convictions a felony, allow aggregation of crimes across multiple counties to be charged as a single felony, and permit police to arrest suspects for retail theft even if the crime wasn’t witnessed directly by an officer. In September, Newsom signed an additional bill that imposes steeper felony penalties for large-scale theft offenses. California voters also overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes. Under the new law, people who are convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value. “With these changes in the law, really it comes down to making sure that law enforcement is showing up to our stores in a timely manner, and that the prosecutors and the [district attorneys] are prosecuting,” Rachel Michelin, the president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, told Stateline. “That’s the only way we’re going to deter retail theft in our communities.” In New Jersey, a bipartisan bill making its way through the legislature would increase penalties for leading a shoplifting ring and allow extended sentences for repeat offenders. “This bill is going after a formally organized band of criminals that deliver such destruction to a critical business in our community. We have to act. We have to create a deterrence,” Democratic Assemblymember Joseph Danielsen, one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said in an interview with Stateline. The legislation would allow extended sentences for people convicted of shoplifting three times within 10 years or within 10 years of their release from prison, and would increase penalties to 10 to 20 years in prison for leading a retail crime ring. The bill also would allow law enforcement to aggregate the value of stolen goods over the course of a year to charge serial shoplifters with more serious offenses. Additionally, the bill would increase penalties for assaults committed against retail workers, and would require retailers to train employees on detecting gift card scams. Maryland legislators considered a similar bill during this year’s legislative session that would have defined organized retail theft and made it a felony. The bill didn’t make it out of committee, but Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance, said the group plans to propose a bill during next year’s legislative session that would target gift card fraud. Better, more thorough reporting from retailers is essential to truly understanding shoplifting trends and its full impact, in part because some retail-related crimes, such as gift card fraud, are frequently underreported, according to Lopez, of the Council on Criminal Justice. Measuring crime across jurisdictions is notoriously difficult , and the council does not track organized retail theft specifically because law enforcement typically doesn’t identify it as such at the time of arrest — if an arrest even occurs — requiring further investigation, Lopez said. The council’s latest report found conflicting trends in the FBI’s national crime reporting systems. The FBI’s older system, the Summary Reporting System, known as SRS, suggests that reported shoplifting hadn’t gone up through 2023, remaining on par with 2019 levels. In contrast, the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS, shows a 93% increase in shoplifting over the same period. The discrepancy may stem from the type of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the latter system, Lopez said. Some of those communities may have higher levels of shoplifting or other types of property crime, which could be what is driving the spike, Lopez said. Despite the discrepancies and varying levels of shoplifting across the country, Lopez said, it’s important for retailers to report these incidents, as doing so could help allocate law enforcement resources more effectively. “All law enforcement agencies have limited resources, and having the most accurate information allows for not just better policy, but also better implementation — better use of strategic resources,” Lopez said. Stateline staff writer Robbie Sequeira contributed to this report. ©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.The New York Jets suffered a 32-26 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium, ending their playoff hopes and extending their of missing out on postseason football. The offense played yet another solid enough game, with Aaron Rodgers finishing his day going 27 for 39 with 339 yards and a touchdown, while Davante Adams totaled 109 yards and a touchdown, along with Garrett Wilson's 114 receiving yards, with the Jets having zero issues moving the ball in between the 20s. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
The thrilling Thursday night showdown between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers stole some luster from Week 14’s Sunday slate. Who knew that the Eagles and Panthers could deliver just as much drama? Here is what to know. For a fraction of a second, rookie wide receiver Xavier Legette held the shock of the NFL season in his hands. He had sprinted behind Darius Slay and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Bryce Young’s pass floated about 50 yards into his grasp. If he held on, the Carolina Panthers would have completed a 97-yard drive and led the Philadelphia Eagles, a two-touchdown favorite, with less 90 seconds left. The ball slipped through Legette’s fingers, and a horrific upset became a collective exhale in Philadelphia. The Eagles survived Young’s final, desperate push and won, 22-16, to avoid a humiliating end to their winning streak and maintain contact with the Detroit Lions in the race for the NFC’s top seed. The Eagles’ ninth consecutive victory was surprisingly difficult, but it revealed only minor cracks in their 11-2 record. It’s not shocking to see a team on a dominant stretch look flat against an also-ran. The primary takeaway may be further evidence that Bryce Young’s revitalization is for real. The close call, though, did surface some mild concerns. The Eagles’ inability to produce explosive plays stood out — Jalen Hurts threw for 108 yards, and Philadelphia managed only two gains of at least 20 yards. Slay and Gardner-Johnson are key veterans for Philadelphia’s culture, but they are also the clear weak points of Philadelphia’s dominant defense. (In Slay’s defense, he also batted away a pass from Adam Thielen on the game-sealing incompletion.) The most pressing issue may be veteran kicker Jake Elliott, who has become the JV version of Justin Tucker : a struggling mainstay too ingrained to easily move on from. Elliott missed a 52-yarder, which made him 0 for 5 this season on kicks from at least 50 yards. He also hooked an extra point wide before an offsides call on Carolina gave him reprieve. For a team whose realistic Super Bowl hopes could come down to a kick, that’s troubling. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers rewarded Baker Mayfield with a three-year, $100 million contract extension last offseason after he led them to an NFC South title and a playoff victory over the Eagles. Mayfield has proved his career resurgence is a not a one-year fluke. Tampa Bay’s 28-13 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders pushed them to 7-6 and, combined with the Falcons’ loss in Minnesota, into the NFC South lead. Mayfield threw for 295 and three touchdown passes. For the season, Mayfield ranks fourth in passing yards and is tied for third in touchdown passes. Mayfield’s gunslinging approach and rugged scrambling has given the Buccaneers an identity since they signed him off the scrap heap before last season. He’s only been better this year under new offensive coordinator Liam Coen. His competitiveness permeates the franchise. The Bucs are the only team to beat the Lions all year and one of two to beat the Eagles. They also took the Chiefs to overtime. If the Bucs make the playoffs, they can compete with anybody. Given that their final four opponents include the Panthers, Cowboys and Saints, it looks like they’ll get there. Sam Darnold built the best day of his NFL career Sunday by leaning on the best tandem of wide receivers in the league. In the Minnesota Vikings’ 42-21 destruction of the reeling Atlanta Falcons, Justin Jefferson (seven catches, 132 yards, two touchdowns) and Jordan Addison (eight catches, 133 yards, three touchdowns) combined for 15 catches, 265 yards and five touchdowns. Atlanta’s defense could not accomplish the reasonable task of slowing at least one of them down. But together, they are nearly unstoppable against any opponent. Jefferson, of course, might be the best wideout in the league. He scored his first touchdown in nearly two months Sunday and moved just ahead of Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase, who plays Monday night, for the NFL lead in receiving yards with 1,170. Addison, a 2023 first-round pick who won the Biletnikoff Award in college, has punished defenses when they shift coverage toward Jefferson. His pedigree and production suggest that he could be a No. 1 wideout on most teams. Across from Jefferson, his quickness, great hands and knack for big plays is a nightmare. As the Vikings improved to 11-2, Darnold passed for 347 yards. Their defense leads the NFC in turnovers and picked off Kirk Cousins twice on Sunday. The Vikings will have to go on the road in the postseason if they can’t catch the Lions, but they will be tough to beat in January. The longer the season goes, the clearer it becomes that the Steelers belong on any short list of potential Super Bowl winners. They dominated the Browns, who under Jameis Winston are much better than their 3-10 record, in a 27-14 victory that pushed them to 10-3 and two games ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North. Pittsburgh has been expertly designed by Mike Tomlin, who should be the favorite for coach of the year , to win games. Only the Bills have a better point differential in the AFC than Pittsburgh’s plus-85. The Steelers lead the NFL in forced turnovers. While that can be a volatile statistic, it’s not an accident given the Steelers’ personnel and emphasis. “It’s not a lightning strike,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said this week. The Steelers instruct pass rushers to swat at the ball as quarterbacks throw. They set aside practice time for turnover-focused drills, including scooping rolling footballs off the turf. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and quarterback Russell Wilson have been perfect for each other. Smith’s system uses the running game as the foundation and relies on a quarterback utilizing play-action, moving out of the pocket and throwing deep, all of which are among Wilson’s strengths. Even without wideout George Pickens to create big plays and open space for others on Sunday, Wilson played efficient, mistake-free quarterback against a fierce defensive line. The Jets and Giants deserve credit for their creativity. In wretched seasons for both New York franchises, they continue to find new ways to reach new depths. The Jets blew an eight-point fourth quarter lead, moved back ahead of the Miami Dolphins with a last-minute field goal and still went to overtime after yielding a big kickoff return and an ensuing field goal drive. Their defense laid down on the first possession of overtime and gave up a touchdown that finalized a 32-26 loss that kept alive Miami’s faint playoff hopes. The Giants somehow overcame Drew Lock’s attempt to commit offensive football and drove to set up a 35-yard field goal attempt on what was essentially the game’s final play. Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee hopped over the line and blocked Graham Gano’s kick, sealing a 14-11 victory for the Saints that kept them within shouting distance in the NFC South. Field-Level View of the Bryan Bresee blocked FG 👀 📺: Next Sunday vs Commanders (Noon CT - FOX) pic.twitter.com/vpOPlbNUHO Another week, another two losses for the smoldering wreck that is New York football. The Jets and Giants are 5-21 combined, and neither team has won a game since Nov. 1. The Kansas City Royals have won more recently than the Giants. The Jets have fired their coach and general manager , and Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen — who hold those jobs for the Giants — may want to consult a realtor. The Giants at least have a silver lining. They strengthened their chances for the first overall pick. Not only did their loss drop them to 2-11, but the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans, 10-6, for their third victory of the season. Only the Raiders also have two victories, and the Giants are ahead of them on tiebreakers in the race to the bottom. As for the Jets’ future outlook? They, uh, have an Aaron Rodgers Netflix documentary to watch. There was an easy to play to miss during the Vikings’ victory that provided a window into how the league office is reacting to the surge in blocked field goals. As Vikings kicker Will Reichard booted a 39-yard field goal attempt, referees threw a flag on Kentavius Street, who had lined up across from the snapper, for defensive holding. Some special teams coordinators had questioned if block units had been either exploiting a rules loophole or violating a rule without being caught. Eighteen field goals have been blocked this year — including the kick Bresee deflected at the gun to clinch New Orleans’s 14-11 victory over the Giants — which is one more than all of last season. The flag shows the league could be cracking down on techniques that have led to blocked field goals through pressure up the middle. In the Minnesota example, the flag proved costly for Atlanta. Three plays after Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell took three points off the board, Darnold hit Jefferson for a touchdown that gave Minnesota a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Up to 15 centimetres of snow is expected to fall in the nation's capital from Wednesday morning through Thursday morning. It's the kind of weather that many drivers despise, but for winter sports enthusiasts, it can't come soon enough. "I'm super excited. It's going to be great. I'm really looking forward to it," said Paul Rowland, who is preparing for his first ski season in about 25 years. "I didn't get to go out last year because, of course the snow sucked. So, we're hoping this year is a better snow season." Rowland spoke to CTV News while being fitted for a new pair of ski boots at Kunstadt Sports in the Glebe. He's just one of the many customers gearing up and preparing for the ski season ahead in what is the busiest time of year for the locally owned shop. "It's really busy, which is awesome. It's a lot of fun for us here. We're all skiers and snowboarders ourselves, so, it's fun to share in the excitement that everybody has," said store manager Mitch Craig. "People buy skis, and they may have them for ten years, but every year they need one or two different tune-ups. So, we have a lot of demands for service." It's been a slow start to the season at some nearby ski hills including the Mont Tremblant Ski Resort, which was forced to push back its opening day , and cancel the PwC Tremblant World Cu p. But at Camp Fortune, 36 snow guns and crews are hard at work to ensure the hill can open on schedule. Opening day is set for Friday. Camp Fortune Assistant General Manager Erin Boucher says climate change means ski resorts need to adapt and invest in new technology. "We have three groomers out ready to push the snow around because this will be challenging snow to work with," said Boucher. "It's going to be heavy; it's not going to be light and fluffy, but once the machines work it, it will be an enjoyable ski experience." New at Camp Fortune this year is a TechnoAlpin fan gun, which carries a price tag of $65,000 and can produce 35 gallons of snow per minute. That's more than double the output of its smaller counterparts at the ski resort. It can also create snow in warmer temperatures, up to -2 C. Boucher says taking advantage of improved snow-making technology is crucial for the long-term sustainability in eastern Canada. "Ski resorts invest quite heavily in the equipment to make winter happen. So, as long as it's cold, we can make winter happen," she said. "There are a lot of questions about climate change and how we are adapting, but science is science, and we still need freezing temperatures to make snow, but the machines are improving, and you can now make snow at a slightly warmer temperature compared to before." Regardless of how the snow is made, skiers say they just can't wait to get out on the slopes. "I'm super excited. I've been looking forward to it since last year," said Craig. "I got some new gear this year that I'm trying to get out in and try on so I can't wait!" Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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Montreal Despite devastating poll, Quebec Premier Legault confident he’s here to stay Despite a devastating poll, Premier François Legault is confident that he will lead the CAQ troops into the next electoral battle in two years' time. Quebec doctors who refuse to stay in public system for 5 years face $200K fine per day Quebec's health minister has tabled a bill that would force new doctors trained in the province to spend the first five years of their careers working in Quebec's public health network. Quebec man get prison sentence after trying to smuggle fake permanent residence cards, licences A Quebec man has been sentenced to prison after attempting to smuggle more than 1,000 forged documents into the country, including Canadian permanent resident cards and driver's licences. Northern Ontario Man severely injured saving his wife from a polar bear attack in the Far North A man was severely injured Tuesday morning when he leaped onto a polar bear to protect his wife from being mauled in the Far North community of Fort Severn. As propane tanks exploded, homeless Sudbury, Ont., man pulls woman from burning tent TJ Bedggood is humble about his life-saving actions Sunday evening, when he pulled his friend from a burning tent fire as propane tanks exploded in an encampment in Sudbury. Five years after toddler's brutal death, Northern Ont. family struggles to find peace, justice A North Bay family is struggling to find peace and justice as the five-year anniversary of the brutal death of toddler Oliver McCarthy approaches. Windsor Windsor, mayor name-dropped for housing criticism The City of Windsor and its mayor have been picked out as egregious examples of municipal housing missteps by a prominent expert in the field and author of a recent report identifying poor building performance in Ontario. Survey raises concerns about cannabis-impaired driving in Ontario A recent survey conducted by CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) highlights an increase in cannabis use among Ontario drivers, sparking some concern about impaired driving. Could a co-pay model save the IB and RISE programs? Windsor-Essex parents are proposing a co-pay model to keep the International Baccalaureate (IB) program running in the Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB), but the board’s chair says it’s not feasible. London Witness sees accused with gun at bush bash shooting scene A witness for the bush party shooting trial says he saw the accused with a firearm that night. 'A real gamut': LHSC highlights number of serious seasonal injuries ahead of the holiday season As we head into the heart of the holiday season, experts at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) are cautioning the public in order to help prevent serious injuries. Tire shops 'spinning' with winter tire changeover demand London tire and automotive shops remain caught off guard by the sudden arrival of winter. Kitchener Why Wilmot is proposing a $580 tax increase in its 2025 draft budget The Township of Wilmot has released its 2025 draft budget which included a one-time capital infrastructure investment. Teddy Bear Toss happening tonight at the Aud Calling all Kitchener Rangers fans! The Teddy Bear Toss returns for tonight's game against the Brantford Bulldogs. Guelph Police looking for missing pregnant woman Guelph Police are asking for help as they search for a missing pregnant woman. Barrie Woman dies in two-vehicle crash on Highway 118 in Haliburton An 87-year-old woman has died following a collision on Highway 118 in Haliburton County on Monday afternoon. Snow-clearing efforts stalled due to tractor-trailers stuck on many roads along Highway 11 Snow-clearing efforts continue on secondary roads that remain closed along Highway 11 on Tuesday. Crown pushes for 6-year sentence for supervisor convicted in fatal crash case Victim impact statements were read in a Barrie courtroom on Tuesday ahead of sentencing for a man convicted of criminal negligence causing the death of a dump truck driver four years ago. Winnipeg Manitoba government promises trade office in U.S. capital to boost economy The Manitoba government is planning to open a trade office in Washington, D.C., in the new year to deal with threatened United States tariffs and promote investment opportunities in provincial sectors such as mining and aerospace. Every Winnipeg driver pulled over during checkstop program must give breath sample: police Every driver pulled over in Winnipeg as part of the police’s annual festive season checkstop program will have to provide a breath sample. Pembina Trails School Division dealing with 'cyber security incident', classes continuing People within the Pembina Trails School Division are being told to watch for any unusual activity as the division is currently dealing with a “cyber security incident.” Calgary Loved ones seek answers as Pine Creek death deemed a homicide Calgary police say the death of a man in the community of Pine Creek last month is being investigated as a homicide. Person found dead in Taradale home with high CO levels: CFD A person was found dead in a Taradale home where emergency crews discovered high levels of carbon monoxide. Calgary man who drove U-Haul over wife sentenced to 15 years A Calgary man who killed his wife in 2020 when he drove over her in a loaded U-Haul has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Edmonton Ex-Alberta teacher convicted of sex crime involving child for 2nd time Former Alberta teacher Brian Davison has been found guilty of one count of sexual exploitation in connection with an incident involving a child. Giving Tuesday: As the Canada Post strike and inflation affect charities, here's how Edmontonians can help Across the country, charities are getting ready for the holidays, which is often a busy time for many of them, and are relying on the generosity of Canadians to help get them. Beaumont teen with 'big heart' starts birthday tradition to help others On Saturday, Grace Gibson and Bailey Paxman filled a car with warm blankets, coats, thick socks and snacks and headed to Edmonton. Regina Regulations around foreign ownership of Sask. farmland need better enforcement, auditor finds The Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan is recommending that the province improve its system of monitoring sales of farmland to foreign entities. Formal expectations needed for answering 911 calls: Sask. auditor reports The Provincial Auditor assessed the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s (SPSA) 911 call taking and dispatching processes for fire emergencies, focusing on the Provincial Emergency Communications Centre. Attempted murder charge laid after home invasion, series of hit and runs in Regina Two people in Regina are facing a list of charges following a series of alleged acts that include a home invasion, multiple collisions and attempted murder. Saskatoon Major power outage hits much of Saskatoon's west side A large power outage lasting several hours affected much of Saskatoon's west side and portions of the east side of the city Tuesday afternoon. 'That's way, way inappropriate': Saskatoon city councillor raises issue with democratic process, clerk apologizes Before Saskatoon city council unanimously approved the budget, a fiery discussion about the democratic process dominated chambers. Man dies at Saskatoon Correctional Centre A 62-year-old man was declared dead at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre on Dec. 2. Vancouver Bad blood? Taylor Swift ticket dispute settled by B.C. tribunal A B.C. woman and her daughter will be attending one of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in Vancouver – but only after a tribunal intervened and settled a dispute among friends over tickets. Vancouver Canucks defenceman Hronek out 8 weeks with lower-body injury Vancouver Canucks defenceman Filip Hronek is expected to be out until the end of January as he recovers from a lower-body injury. BC SPCA to rescue up to 30 stray cats from one Kamloops home The BC SPCA is warning of the consequences of feeding stray cats after a person accidentally lured over 25 felines to their home in Kamloops, B.C. Vancouver Island Bad blood? Taylor Swift ticket dispute settled by B.C. tribunal A B.C. woman and her daughter will be attending one of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in Vancouver – but only after a tribunal intervened and settled a dispute among friends over tickets. Comox Valley RCMP seek suspect who tried to climb woman's deck wearing a gas mask Mounties on Vancouver Island are seeking witnesses after a woman reported that a man wearing a gas mask tried to climb onto the deck of her home near Courtenay, B.C. Canadian military drones enter production, though Arctic modifications will be required Canada's first combat drones have now entered production, though the remotely piloted aircraft will require years of testing and significant modifications before the first units are delivered in 2028. Kelowna Study of 2023 Okanagan wildfires recommends limiting development in high-risk areas A study into the devastating wildfires that struck British Columbia's Okanagan region in 2023 has recommended that government and industry limit development in high-fire-risk areas. Kelowna, B.C., to host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026 The Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets will host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026, the Canadian Hockey League said Wednesday. 545 vehicles impounded in 332 days: BC Highway Patrol pleads for drivers to slow down Mounties with the BC Highway Patrol in Kelowna say they've impounded more than 545 vehicles for excessive speed and aggressive driving so far this year. That works out to more than 1.6 per day. Stay ConnectedGREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Even though their long-shot hopes of winning the NFC North have vanished, the playoff-bound Green Bay Packers believe they can make a legitimate run at their first Super Bowl appearance since their 2010 championship season. A rapidly improving defense gives them ample reason for confidence. The Packers (11-4) followed up a in a at Seattle by producing the first shutout of the NFL season, a of the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Green Bay delivered its first shutout since a over Seattle in 2021 and its most lopsided victory since a of the Chicago Bears in 2014. “We’ve noticed all along that the defense is a lot different this year, and they’ve been making some big-time plays all along,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “But any time you can hold anybody to zero points in the National Football League is pretty awesome.” The Packers were seeking to produce a championship-caliber defense to go along with their dynamic offense when they as coordinator in the offseason and brought in to replace him. Green Bay switched from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3, with Hafley emphasizing the need to by collecting 28 takeaways — 10 more than it had all of last year — to match the NFL’s third-highest total. The Packers haven’t forced this many turnovers since 2011, when they had 38 takeaways. That’s not the only area in which the defense has made strides. Green Bay is allowing just 19.1 points per game to rank sixth in the league in scoring defense. The Packers haven’t finished a season among the top six teams in scoring defense since their 2010 title run, when they yielded just 15 points per game to rank second. The Packers are giving up 312.1 yards per game for the league’s seventh-best total. That also puts them on pace for their highest season-ending rank since 2010, when they finished fifth in total defense. “We’re all working together, and we’ve just got some nice playmakers,” linebacker and rookie second-round pick Edgerrin Cooper said. The Packers have given up as many as 20 points just once in their last six games, a at Detroit on Dec. 5. That is the only time Green Bay has lost during that stretch. Whether this kind of success can carry over to the playoffs remains uncertain. The Packers’ shutout performance came against a New Orleans offense that was starting rookie fifth-round draft pick at quarterback in place of the injured Derek Carr and was missing five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara. Green Bay’s defense faces a much tougher task Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings (13-2), who at Lambeau Field on Sept. 29. This will mark the first time in the series' 64-year history that both teams had at least 11 wins when they face off. The Packers are eager to see what they can do against another team headed for the playoffs as their defense gears up for another postseason. “We can do whatever we want to do,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “We write our own story at the end of the day. We’ve just got to keep on building.” What’s working Green Bay outrushed New Orleans 188-67 and improved its season total to 2,209 yards rushing. The Packers haven't rushed for that many yards in a season since 2003, when they had 2,558. ... The pass rush has produced 16 sacks over Green Bay’s last four games. ... Green Bay is outscoring teams 102-34 in the first quarter. ... The Packers didn't give up a sack Monday and have allowed just five over their last eight games. That represents the fewest sacks the Packers have given up over an eight-game stretch within a single season since 2004. What needs work Penalties remain a bit of an issue. The Packers were penalized six times for 60 yards. Stock up Love has thrown eight touchdown passes without an interception over his last five games. ... RB Josh Jacobs has run for a touchdown in six straight games. His 13 TD runs this season are a career high. ... K Brandon McManus made field goals from 55 and 46 yards to improve to 16 of 17 this season. His 55-yarder was a season long. ... S Zayne Anderson had his first career interception in his first career start. ... DL Brenton Cox Jr. has three sacks over his last four games. Stock down There really aren't any candidates for this category, considering the Packers produced their biggest victory margin in a decade. Injuries WR Christian Watson injured a knee Monday night. ... CB Jaire Alexander (knee) missed a fifth straight game. S Javon Bullard (ankle), S Evan Williams (quadriceps) and LB Quay Walker (ankle) also didn’t play. Key number 30 – The Packers have scored at least 30 points in each of their last five games. That represents the second-longest string of games with 30-plus points in franchise history. Green Bay had seven such straight games in 1963. Next steps The Packers close the regular season with two divisional games, visiting Minnesota on Sunday before hosting the Bears (4-11). Green Bay is 1-3 against NFC North opponents this season. ___ AP NFL: Steve Megargee, The Associated PressSTEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Keitenn Bristow had 23 points in Tarleton State's 70-60 victory over Florida A&M on Sunday. Bristow also had six rebounds and three blocks for the Texans (5-10). Bubu Benjamin added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Marty Silvera pitched in with nine points, five rebounds and six steals. The Rattlers (3-8) were led by Sterling Young with 16 points. Jordan Chatman added 11 points and Kaleb Washington totaled seven points, eight rebounds and two steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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