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There's no reason Belichick can't have success at UNC. Just don't expect him to last longOTTAWA — Persistently down in the polls and with a Parliament that has ground to a halt, the Liberals attempted to solve both problems Thursday with a two-month GST cut and $250 cheques to millions of Canadians, just in time for the holiday season. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government is trying to give Canadians a break on the cost of living when prices are typically highest. “Our government can’t set prices at checkout, but we can put more money in people’s pockets,” he said. Under the Liberals’ proposal, the GST cut would be applied to children’s clothes, toys, diapers and car seats and the Christmas trees those toys would go under. All of the beer, wine and cider Canadians buy for holiday parties would be exempt and many grocery items that are currently subject to GST — like pre-made meals and salads, as well as chips and candy — would not have the tax applied from Dec. 14 until Feb. 15. Canadians who don’t feel like cooking themselves would also be covered, because the GST will not apply to restaurant meals during the two-month period. The GST cut would cost the government an estimated $1.6 billion. For a family spending $2,000 over that period, the government estimates a $100 savings. Pratik Parmar, owner of The Cottage Cheese, a restaurant in Kensington Market that specializes in Indian cuisine, says he is still trying to understand how Ottawa’s announcement will impact his business. “It’s a good initiative, but only for some small period of time,” Parmar said. “It does not solve the problem completely.” The restaurant industry was among the hardest hit by pandemic closures and still hasn’t recovered. While inflation has cooled this year, consumers went through two years of above-average increases. The Liberals have trailed the Conservatives in public opinion polls for more than a year now, sometimes by more than 20 points, with cost of living consistently ranking as a top issue. Consumers are spending less on dining out while business owners continue to face rising labour costs, sky-high rents and debt loads. Parmar is hopeful the GST cuts will help stimulate post-holiday season traffic at his restaurant. “January is dead, as always,” he said. Trudeau also announced Thursday that anyone who worked in 2023 and made less than $150,000 would also qualify for a new Working Canadians Rebate of $250, expected to be delivered in April. The government estimates the rebate will go to 18.7 million Canadians and cost $4.68 billion. Trudeau had previously rejected the suggestion his government send cheques to Canadians, arguing they would be inflationary, with prices rising right alongside any government largesse. On Thursday, he said that is no longer the case. “We’ve been close to a year within the target range that the Bank of Canada set, which is why the Bank of Canada is now dropping interest rates faster than for most of our peer countries,” he said. “This is something that we’re able to do because Canada has one of the strongest balance sheets in the world.” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the Liberals are offering a temporary tax holiday, while continuing to increase the carbon levy and other costs for Canadians. “What we have is a two-month temporary tax trick that will not make up for the permanent quadrupling of the carbon tax on heat housing, food and fuel,” Poilievre said. “Ironically, in just a few months, Trudeau and the NDP plan to raise taxes on all the same items they claim they’re giving you a break on directly through the carbon tax.” Poilievre called on the government to scrap the consumer price on carbon and implement his proposal for a permanent GST cut on newly constructed homes. At Queen’s Park, where Premier Doug Ford’s government has promised to send $200 cheques to Ontarians early in the new year, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy accused the prime minister of being a copycat. “Obviously that was our idea,” Bethlenfalvy told reporters. “But look, the best thing he can do is cut that carbon tax ... if you really want to put money back in people’s pockets.” Ford’s rebate plan is expected to cost $3 billion. The New Democrats have been proposing a broader GST cut, which would cover cellphone, internet and home heating bills and would be permanent. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Wednesday that his party had pushed the Liberals into action, even if it was only partially what the NDP had proposed. “This is temporary, and it doesn’t include the monthly bills, but we know that middle-class families need a break, so we’re going to work as hard as possible to get this done as quickly as possible,” he said. However, whether the temporary GST cuts can be implemented will now depend on the government being able to pass legislation through what has become a stalled Parliament. The House of Commons has ground to a halt for weeks over a privilege debate that has prevented any legislation from advancing, as the opposition demands documents related to Sustainable Development Technology Canada be tabled in the house, and the government cites Charter of Rights issues and attorney-client privilege in withholding some of them. The New Democrats are not willing to relent on the broader privilege debate, but will work with the government to pass the GST cuts. To do so, the NDP hopes to pause — but not end — the ongoing stalemate by temporarily adjourning debate in the House of Commons for a single day. Singh plans on making a “programming” motion, which would require the Liberals’ support to pass, that would theoretically allow for the legislation to be introduced and green-lit in one day. That would allow debate on the privilege motion to continue the next sitting day. “We don’t want to let the Liberals off the hook, but we want to see some relief for middle-class families,” he said. Business groups mostly welcomed the proposed GST suspension. Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Dan Kelly said this will be a helpful but complicated initiative for his members. “The biggest issue members have right now is consumer demand, so anything which helps with that is good, but the administrative complexity of this could outweigh the benefits,” he said. “My biggest concern is am I going to get a bunch of calls from members in March or April because they’ve been told they gave a GST break on things they shouldn’t and didn’t do one on things they should have.” Kelly Higginson, president and CEO of Restaurants Canada, said more than half of restaurants are currently losing money or just breaking even. Higginson said fewer Canadians are dining out, and they’re spending less when they do. “The recent drop in foot traffic has been deeply discouraging for our operators as they head into the challenging winter season,” she said. “Today’s announcement restores some much-needed hope to our industry and we are optimistic it will translate to increased spending at local restaurants across the country.”
WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Namibia elected its first female leader as Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was declared the winner Tuesday of a presidential election last week that was tarnished by technical glitches that caused a three-day extension to allow votes to be cast, and rejected as illegal by opposition parties. The 72-year-old Nandi-Ndaitwah won with 57% of the vote, defying predictions that she might be forced into a runoff. Her ruling SWAPO party also retained its parliamentary majority, although by a very thin margin, and extended its 34-year hold on power since the southern African country gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Namibia, a sparsely populated country of around 3 million on the southwestern coast of Africa, has a reputation for being one of the continent's more stable democracies and the problems around the election have caused consternation. Last Wednesday's vote was marred by shortages of ballot papers and other problems that led election officials to extend voting until Saturday. Opposition parties have said the extension is unconstitutional, and some have pledged to join together in a legal appeal to have the election invalidated. The Electoral Commission of Namibia, which ran the election, rejected opposition calls for a redo of the vote. It has undermined Nandi-Ndaitwah's place in history. She is set to become her country's fifth president since independence and a rare female leader in Africa. She was a member of Namibia's underground independence movement in the 1970s and received part of her higher education in the then-Soviet Union. She was promoted to vice president in February after President Hage Geingob died while in office . Nangolo Mbumba, who became president after Geingob's death, didn't run in the election. The ruling SWAPO party won 51 seats in the parliamentary vote, only just passing the 49 it needed to keep its majority and narrowly avoiding becoming another long-ruling party to be rejected in southern Africa this year. It was SWAPO's worst parliamentary election result. A mood of change has swept across the region, with parties that led their countries out of white minority or colonial rule in neighboring South Africa and Botswana both losing their long-held political dominance. South Africa's African National Congress, which freed the country from the racist system of apartheid, lost its 30-year majority in an election in May and had to form a coalition. Botswana's ruling party was stunningly removed in a landslide in October after governing for 58 years since independence from Britain. Mozambique's long-ruling Frelimo has been accused of rigging an October election and has faced weeks of violent protests against its rule. SWAPO faced similar challenges as those countries, with frustration at high unemployment and economic hardship, especially among young people, driving a desire for era-ending change. In a brief speech after the results were announced late Tuesday night, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibians had voted for peace, stability and youth empowerment. “We are going to do what we promised you during the campaigns. Thank you for your confidence and trust in us," she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah was also due to address the nation on Wednesday morning. “SWAPO Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work,” the ruling party posted on its official account on social media site X. Some opposition parties boycotted the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Namibia at its results center in the capital, Windhoek. The commission has been roundly criticized for its running of the vote, with many angry Namibians complaining they had to wait hours and sometimes over multiple days for the chance to vote. Just over 1 million votes were cast out of 1.4 million registered voters, according to the electoral commission. Panduleni Itula, the leading opposition candidate from the Independent Patriots for Change party, was second in the presidential election with 25% of the vote. His party won the second-largest number of seats in Parliament behind SWAPO. Itula and his party have led the criticism of the vote and said they will lodge their appeal against the election this week. Other opposition parties said they will join that legal challenge. Itula has said that thousands of voters may have been prevented from voting as only some polling stations allowed an extension. "This election has violated the very tenets of our Electoral Act. Namibians deserve the right to choose their leaders freely and fairly, not through a rigged process,” he said. Namibia is a former German colony that came under South African control after World War I and its Black majority was later subjected to some of South Africa’s apartheid policies. SWAPO was at the forefront of the battle for independence from South Africa. While the country has swaths of desert running through it, it has diamond and uranium resources and untapped oil and gas off its coast that is being explored by international companies and could make it a major producer of both. AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africaPittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles prediction, odds, best bets for NFL Week 15
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THE car’s glovebox is opened and hidden switches are flicked, then a magnet is placed next to the steering wheel, causing the front seats to rise upwards. The movement reveals a secret storage hole beneath, which stretches under the footwell. 7 Border Force regional boss David Smith with a haul of drugs found in a family car Credit: Darren Fletcher 7 Border Force invited The Sun's Thea Jacobs behind the scenes at the Port of Dover to see the daily battles its staff face to keep our streets safe Credit: Darren Fletcher But this modified family car is not something from a James Bond film, but a smuggler’s vehicle, crafted to transport millions of pounds-worth of Class A drugs across the English Channel for sale on our streets. It is a sight all too familiar to Britain’s Border Force staff, who are encountering increasingly sophisticated ways of hiding drugs, cash, illegal cigarettes, guns and even people. Border Force invited The Sun behind the scenes at the Port of Dover to see for ourselves the daily battles its staff face to keep our streets safe. The agency’s South East Regional Director David Smith said: “We’re always broadening our techniques to make sure we stay one step ahead of the smugglers. READ MORE ON DRUG CRIME LOTTO LOUT Lottery winner who blew £100,000 scooped from a scratchcard is now facing jail SPINELESS Psychedelic drugs or back pain... what drove suspect to assassinate CEO? “Over the years, trends change and we’re always adapting to make sure we can find everything possible. Some of the concealments that are used to bring in illegal items are very technical.” Street value of millions But thanks to its specialists at ports across the UK, Border Force is finding more contraband than ever. The first six months of 2024 saw 92 per cent more illegal drugs intercepted, with 22,719 seizures, than in the same period in 2023. This included 19 tonnes of cocaine and 412kg of ketamine , and the force has intercepted the largest batch of pink cocaine — a drug cocktail that can contain ketamine, ecstasy, meth and crack — headed for the UK. Most read in The Sun FAIR CARNAGE Horror as Birmingham fairground ride 'collapses' with several people injured STAYING POSITIVE Max George to undergo major heart surgery after terrifying health scare ALL CHANGE Another Rangers executive quits club just a week after key role at club's AGM NEWBORN JOY Huge Scots DJ becomes dad as he reveals baby boy in emotional social media post Officers found 100kg of the new party drug hidden in a vehicle alongside 40kg of ketamine and 30kg of MDMA , or ecstasy, as it is known in tablet form. David said: “Pink cocaine can be made from various drugs, like MDMA, ecstasy and ketamine, but we’re now seeing it being mixed with some very nasty drugs including [synthetic opioids] fentanyl and nitazenes. Moment police raid sick drugs smuggler's home after thug ‘used kids as mules’ “While it looks like a manufactured pill, you won’t know what you are getting.” The substance, which is hugely popular in drug hotspots such as Ibiza, is still relatively rare in the UK. Another smugglers’ vehicle discovered by the team was a white van with a hidden compartment under its wooden floor, which could only be opened by placing a magnet in a certain position. We’re always broadening our techniques to stay one step ahead of the smugglers. Some of the concealments that are used to bring in illegal items are very technical Border Force's David Smith It was big enough to hide Class A drugs worth several million pounds. The force also seized a gas canister which sounded as if it contained liquid, and released gas when the valve was opened, but had a hollow section that could fit up to 20kg of narcotics. It was found when officers noticed wear and tear where it wasn’t expected. It is not unusual to find a mixture of drugs destined for different British gangs once they arrive on UK soil. David said: “Transporters of drugs are a bit like taxi services for gangs. “Some organised crime groups don’t have a method of transportation, and it’s usually passed to a third party who sorts it. It means that we can find products for multiple gangs in one vehicle.” In the first six months of this year Border Force also made 18,000 seizures of herbal cannabis, equalling 41 tonnes. David has been working for Border Force for more than three decades and has seen a big change in the volume of party drugs trafficked to the UK. He said: “We used to see a lot more Class B drugs but now the quantity of Class A coming in has massively increased. “In the first six months of this year we have seized 19 tonnes of cocaine, which would have a street value of £425million. Getting these drugs in is big business for gangs. “The 92 per cent increase we’ve seen compared to last year in the first six months is thanks to the dedicated officers. We have the most highly skilled officers anywhere in the world, and we work 24/7 to keep the UK safe.” Vehicles which are chosen to be searched are selected with the help of technology, plus trained officers who can “read” the drivers’ and passengers’ behaviour — and a spot of four-legged assistance. Transporters of drugs are a bit like taxi services for gangs David Among those working a shift when The Sun visited was two-year-old cocker spaniel Glenn, who demonstrated how quickly the dogs in the Dover team — other cocker spaniels, some springer spaniels and a Labrador — can find drugs. 7 Border Force’s Glenn the dog sniffs out illegal substances Credit: Darren Fletcher 7 Fuel tanks were cut open to reveal a stash of pink cocaine Credit: Darren Fletcher It took him just seconds to identify a car boot as storing illegal substances, which he did simply by sitting down and looking at his handler. But while the dogs are not always able to sniff out the contraband, a non-indication from them does not mean a search won’t take place. The searches can be intelligence-led from tip-offs from Europol, Interpol or domestic police, and are also carried out when officers spot abnormalities and when drivers are spotted behaving strangely. The Border Force agents are determined that nothing they come across will put them off their pursuit of the smugglers, no matter how bizarre it might seem. And it doesn’t matter how disgusting the circumstances are either. Hidden in manure In a bid to avoid a search, some gangs cover their drugs in manure or grease, hoping it will hide the drugs’ smell from the dogs. We were also shown a video which demonstrated how 225kg of methamphetamines, known on the streets as meth, had been placed inside an industrial magnet and welded shut. Another showed how 16kg of cocaine had been concealed in a hidden section of a Hyundai’s boot which could only be opened using a certain set of switches. It is not just the gangs’ contraband that is targeted by the Border Force staff. They often seize their means of smuggling too, even when no drugs have been found. David said: “Sometimes we detect vehicles that have been adapted for transporting drugs or money around the UK that are destined for county lines gangs. The volume of drugs we’ve detected here and across the country this year shows that we are very good at what we do David “We often have vehicles brought to us from elsewhere in the UK to search and find the concealments within them. “This is because our officers are some of the most highly trained in the world, and finding these compartments can be really tricky. “The volume of drugs we’ve detected here and across the country this year shows that we are very good at what we do. “We just want to stop the bad guys.” Seema Malhotra, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, said: “Party drugs like pink cocaine are illegal and highly dangerous. “Border Force are working around the clock to seize illegal drugs and help to keep our streets and our communities safer this Christmas party season. “Thanks to their expertise and vigilance, they are successfully intercepting these dangerous substances at our borders with increasing success. Read more on the Scottish Sun WARMING UP Scots set for 21C swing as temperature rise to bring an end to sub zero freeze HOT BUY Shoppers race to Primark for fleecy £14 hoodie will keep you cosy on frosty days “Young people must be in no doubt about the harmful effects of the synthetic substances found in party drugs, which can often be a deadly concoction of chemicals that can have devastating consequences, ruining theirs and their loved ones’ lives. “My message to people going out over the festive people is to stay safe, and to the evil criminals lining their pockets — you will be caught and will face the full force of the law.” 7 100kg of methamphetamine was found inside an industrial magnet Credit: Supplied 7 A rotating number plate on a drug smuggler’s vehicle Credit: Darren Fletcher 7 Border Force seized the illegal gear Credit: Darren Fletcher