
White House trades Chinese detainees for three 'wrongfully' detained Americans
An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on
HALIFAX — A day after Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston led the Progressive Conservatives to a massive majority win, the Liberals were licking their wounds and wondering why their party was almost wiped off the political map. On Wednesday morning, once all the ballots were counted, the incumbent Tories had secured 43 of the 55 seats in the legislature, an increase of nine. The NDP won nine seats, an increase of three, and the Liberals fell to only two seats, a dozen less than when the campaign started. One Independent candidate held her seat — a first for the province. Liberal Leader Zach Churchill, a 40-year-old former cabinet minister, lost his seat after a long, see-saw battle with his Tory rival in the riding of Yarmouth — Churchill's hometown on Nova Scotia's southwestern shore. The Liberals had to give up their role as official opposition and the party barely held on to official party status. "At the end of the day, this falls on my shoulders," Churchill said afterwards. "This loss belongs to me and me alone." But it would be wrong to blame Churchill for his party's collapse at the polls, says Tom Urbaniak, a political science professor at Cape Breton University in Sydney, N.S. "Zach Churchill was dealing with a damaged Liberal brand — damaged in large part by the current standing of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau," Urbaniak said in an interview Wednesday, adding that Houston took advantage of that weakness. "(Churchill) was portrayed as Justin Trudeau's junior protege. And that stuck with some Nova Scotians." Throughout the campaign, Houston and his Tory colleagues tried to link Trudeau — whose Liberals are trailing the federal Tories by about 20 points in the polls — with Churchill, a well-spoken career politician who was elected to lead the provincial party in July 2022. "We know Zach Churchill defends his federal cousins at every turn,” provincial Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Kent Smith said in a statement early in the campaign. “Once again, when Zach Churchill had the choice to stand up for Nova Scotians or stand with Justin Trudeau, he chose Trudeau.” Churchill was also hobbled by a relatively low provincial profile, Urbaniak said. Despite the fact that he had held the riding of Yarmouth for the past 14 years and served in the cabinet of former Liberal premier Stephen McNeil, Churchill failed to leave much of an impression on the electorate, he said. Part of the problem was that McNeil, who served as premier from 2013 to 2021, rarely let his ministers spend much time in the limelight. "Stephen McNeil, at times, ran a one-person government," the professor said. "The premier made the big decisions .... That came back to hurt Zach Churchill." As well, Houston's decision to call an early election also stung the Liberals and the NDP, both of which were still nominating candidates when the campaign started. On another front, the Liberals in southwestern Nova Scotia were hurt by the fact that residents in several fishing communities had long complained about what they said was the federal Liberal government's failure to stop the illegal fishing of lobsters and baby eels. "The perceived federal mismanagement was a factor in some ridings," Urbaniak said, pointing to the Acadian riding of Clare, which had been held by the Liberals for the past 31 years. Liberal candidate Ronnie LeBlanc, a local fisherman, lost the riding to rookie Tory candidate Ryan Robicheau on Tuesday night by more than 1,000 votes. During the campaign, Churchill promised to establish an inquiry into illegal fishing, but voters on the South Shore were unimpressed. The Tories won all nine ridings in the region. It was Churchill's first election as leader. On Tuesday night, he declined to say if he would stay in the role. Neither Churchill nor Houston were available for an interview Wednesday. As for the NDP, party leader Claudia Chender said she was looking forward to taking on the large Tory majority. "I think what we take away from being the official Opposition is that people are looking for a strong voice and they are looking for a different voice,” said Chender, a 48-year-old lawyer. It was also her first election as leader. She said her priorities include pushing for more protection for renters, and reducing the number of people still seeking a doctor. The three additional seats won by the NDP are all in the Halifax area, part of the party’s traditional power base. Chender said the election results showed her party has room to grow, particularly along the South Shore and in Cape Breton. “In many ridings across this province there were tight two- or three-way races and we are building,” she said. “I think that work has started and will continue.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press
The Port of Oakland, operator of Oakland International Airport, has appealed a district court ruling against changing the name of its airport to the “San Francisco Bay Oakland Airport” in an effort to attract more travelers to the East Bay transportation hub. The court filing is the latest chapter in a months-long dispute between the Port of Oakland and San Francisco International Airport over the potential name change to Oakland’s airport, which Port officials have said will expand airline consumers’ awareness of its location in the San Francisco Bay Area. In May, the Port of Oakland commissioners unanimously voted in favor of [...]SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — A large rubber duck sits on the diving end of the pool. Opposite him, on the other end of the pool, a golden retriever sociably patrols the deck, looking for people to greet and even coax some attention from. The duo was tasked with an important job inside the Williamson Sports Center on the Skidmore College campus. They were watching over members of the Ballston Spa and Saratoga Springs girls swimming and diving teams set to compete in this weekend’s New York State Championship at Webster Aquatic Center. In the past two weeks, three times, nine [...]Live updates as hundreds hit by power cuts in Yorkshire during Storm Darragh
A shooter kills UnitedHealthcare's CEO in an ambush in New York, police say NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been shot and killed in what police say is a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference. The shooting rattled the city and set off a massive dragnet hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Police say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire. Police have not yet established a motive. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to the millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk early Wednesday swiftly became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans. He had worked at the company for 20 years. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation package made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit." The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is bringing Peter Navarro back to the White House for his second administration. Trump announced Wednesday on Truth Social that Navarro will serve as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. He was a trade adviser in Trump's first term. Navarro served four months in prison after being held in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump also chose Daniel Driscoll as Army secretary, Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator and Adam Boehler as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants. The strikes hit in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of Gaza. According to Palestinian medics, strikes in central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. The war in Gaza is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. Yoon's move baffled many experts. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Yoon hasn't commented on the impeachment bid. But the political instability he unleashed could make it more difficult for his government to nurse a decaying economy. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers have joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. Donald Trump won more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, and he had with a big assist from dog owners. That's according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support Trump over Kamala Harris. Cat owners were evenly split between the two candidates. Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who own a cat but no dog. Past comments by Trump's running mate, JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue.USA TODAY Writer Calls For President Biden To Cancel Thanksgiving
The Duke of York has said he “ceased all contact” with the businessman accused of being a Chinese spy when concerns were first raised about him. Andrew met the individual through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement from his office said. The businessman – known only as H6 – lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. He brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after then-home secretary Suella Braverman said he should be excluded from the UK in March 2023. H6 was described as a “close confidante” of The Duke. Judges were told that in a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed H6 had been in a position to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials “that could be leveraged for political interference purposes”. They also said that H6 had downplayed his relationship with the Chinese state, which combined with his relationship with Andrew, 64, represented a threat to national security. A statement from Andrew’s office said: “The Duke of York followed advice from His Majesty’s Government and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised. “The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. “He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” At a hearing in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was told by an adviser to Andrew that he could act on the duke’s behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that H6 had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020. A letter referencing the birthday party from the adviser, Dominic Hampshire, was discovered on H6’s devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021. In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Bourne, Judge Stephen Smith and Sir Stewart Eldon, dismissed the challenge.Nova Scotia Liberal vote crumbles because of 'damaged' brand, leader tied to Trudeau